Freeze, Mullen dancing and defiant at SEC Media Days
Dan Mullen and Hugh Freeze knew exactly what was coming their way at SEC Media Days.
Mullen was going to be blasted with questions about Jeffery Simmons’ violent altercation with a woman in March. Freeze was going to continue to catch heat for the investigation into his program.
MULLEN HIT AND MISS
Mullen was first up, and he swung pretty lightly in the group media session. Asked about a “respect women” sign in the locker room and how that correlated with Simmons’ one-game suspension, Mullen danced around Simmons specifically with, “Everything we do in our program and all of the players on our team are part of a family …,” Mullen said. “All of these young guys that come in and come through our program, we constantly want to help them learn to make good decisions in their life …”
The dancing continued when asked if he thought the punishment was satisfactory.
“I wasn’t involved as much. It was a university decision, but I was just thrilled that we’re having Jeffery as part of our family coming in …” he said.
Part of the punishment or not, that was Mullen’s chance to give his honest take.
To his credit, Mullen ended the session with his strongest stance on Simmons. Whether anyone likes it or not, Simmons is getting one game. That’s that. The risk the school has taken is on Mullen, and he is publicly shouldering the burden.
He handled the light public grilling with caution, perhaps too much caution and not enough condemning.
If Simmons does something like that again – and in fairness that is the only public blemish on his otherwise clean and well-respected prep resume – it will be on Mullen and the university. Not because they can necessarily control it, but because the light punishment would be seen as more toleration than preventative.
That goes for Simmons and anyone else.
FREEZE DEFIANT AND DEFINITIVE
Hugh Freeze has plenty of opposition these days, and he’s right, a lot of it has to do with the success Ole Miss is having – and appears to be pretty set on having — in the near future.
There are clearly things the Rebels are going to have to answer for with the NCAA. Asked about that, Freeze owned it.
“… There will come a day where we get to stand before the committee on infractions, which are the ones that matter, and we will be held accountable for any wrongdoing that is found, and that’s the way it should be …,” he said.
That said, Freeze has continued to stand behind his name, and while taking responsibility as head coach, is also showing determination to not allow infractions to occur on his watch.
Freeze and Paul Finebaum had an on-air back-and-forth, then another behind the scenes. Freeze wasn’t as “testy” as the ESPN notification alerted on your iPhone. He is caught between owning infractions without throwing staff under the bus and protecting his name by stressing that whether anyone believes him or not, he is sincere about saying he wasn’t involved.
“I have zero interest, zero interest, in cutting corners to be successful, and our staff knows that very well. I have a lot of things that I’m not very good at, but that is not a temptation …” Freeze said. “We continue to recruit at a high level because people know us for who we are.”
“Know us for who we are”? Yeah, the easiest way to get lots of cash. UM is the first school in the SEC to set up bank accounts for each player so they could learn financing. I’m sure. Most people don’t remember but the cheating really started during the Billy Brewer days and got worse every year except during Cutcliff. Coach O brought it bigtime, Nutt loved it and Freeze has taken advantage of what was set in place. Enjoy your 1-3 start Karmakings!
Bulldawgrock what are your fact about the checking account. do you know the full story behind the accounts. do you think (try thinking) maybe it was the players own money and that this was a project for class or basic life skills. Or are you just mad that ole miss keeps beating that junior college team you call miss state. “before you speak out of your ass because your mouth knows better”. know this you spouting out unproven facts can be turned around on your team. just as quick as a defensive back can beat the hell out of a girl laying on the ground
The facts are that when UT happened there was a post on this site.
The bitterness is so real. I realize the last two years have been embarrassing. At the end of the day, the majority of people will always pick Oxford over Starkville.
Is that why MSU has a larger enrollment?
Actually they don’t. Ole Miss is at 23,000 and state is at 20,000. Nice try though.
My bad, I’m behind, but apparently, so are you. Wikipedia isn’t current neither school is over 20,000 yet, unless you go system wide and include graduate enrollment.
I’m actually not behind. I gave both schools total enrollment.
Bwahahaha, you state fool! Y’all ass just got off PROBATION yourself and what was it for???? Umm paying players money and what was the deal with cam newton…. Maybe that may help you… Ole Miss will continue to be successful while the little pissy Bulldogs keeps going down south!!
What are you talking about. We got probation handed down like 12 or 13 years ago, after a three investigation led by Rich (the same guy who botched the USC, Miami, and Alabama investigations). At least four coaches have already WON lawsuits resulting from those investigations. Sherrill still has an active suit, apparently Rich was a gun for hire. There were no specific infractions that led to our punishment, but we got slapped with ‘lack of institutional control’. Somebody might want to study some of the history before uttering lies.
We are the ones who didn’t pay Cam, remember.
But we should have.
Brewer gets a bad rap, Vaught paid more players than Brewer. I think they would’ve been better had Brewer actually cheated as much as some State fans claim.
Ole Miss also has a couple of players with some blemishes. The difference is that the ones playing for Ole Miss have paid the price. State should have suspended Simmons for one year. Not revoke his scholarship, but Simmons should not be able to play, practice, or workout for one year.
I don’t imagine they could, officially. Unlike those players you are talking about, Simmons wasn’t actually on the team or even a student at the time. Why do yall not get that?
Funny that SDS failed to add Saban’s name to this article. Had a similar “back and forth” with Finebaum about his player being arrested.
Speck is a Daily Journal guy, why would he talk about Saban.