STARKVILLE — Scott Stricklin is 5-for-5.
He expects to be 6-for-6.
Stricklin, Mississippi State’s Director of Athletics, has signed football coach Dan Mullen to a contract extension in each of the past five seasons. Stricklin expects that streak to continue following Mullen’s finest season in Starkville.
“We want to make sure we reward Dan for what he’s done and also continue to invest going forward not only in him but his whole staff,” Stricklin said. “I think we’ll be in position to do that. We’ve had productive conversations, and I’m hopeful we’ll get that wrapped up.”
Mullen, who is paid $3 million per year, led MSU to a 10-2 regular season in which it spent five weeks at No. 1 in the country. On Sunday, MSU learned it will play Georgia Tech in the school’s first Orange Bowl since 1941. Due to a state law that forbids state employees from having a contract longer than four years, Stricklin has reached an agreement with Mullen to extend his deal after each season. Stricklin expects this offseason to be no different.
“I’m optimistic we can get that wrapped up pretty soon,” Stricklin said.
Mullen, with the program in position for its first top-10 finish in the final polls, spent the weekend recruiting on and off campus.
Scouting the competition
Georgia Tech owns one of the nation’s most unique offenses.
As a result, Mullen and his coaches are digging deep into the Bulldogs’ roster to simulate the Yellow Jackets’ triple-option attack.
According to Mullen, the Bulldogs will turn to freshman quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who is redshirting.
A 6-foot-5, 215-pound product of Richmond Hill, Georgia, Fitzgerald thrived in a triple-option offense at Richmond Hill High School, rushing 182 times for 1,429 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior.
Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas has rushed for a team-leading 985 yards this season.
Advice from home
By spending much of this weekend recruiting and hosting on-campus visitors, Mullen admits he didn’t have much time Saturday night to watch Georgia Tech’s 37-35 loss to reigning national champion Florida State in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game.
But he had a little help at home.
“I didn’t get to see much of it,” Mullen said. “But walking through my kitchen this morning, my son told me he’d watched the game. He told me we have to look out for their fullback, and that we have to do a much better job against the fullback than Florida State did. He made that observation last night. Not bad for a 5-year-old.”
Another year, another bowl
Mullen is moving up the ladder in MSU’s record book. The sixth-year coach has the Bulldogs in a bowl for the fifth-straight season, a school record. He also has three bowl wins, which also is a school-best. A win this season would help Mullen double the career bowl win total of former MSU coach Jackie Sherrill.
A win also would push Mullen to 4-1 in the postseason and give him the highest postseason winning percentage of any coach.
For Mullen, bowl season is about program-building.
“These bowls have been huge,” Mullen said. “When we got here, we wanted to build a program the right way, build one that would compete for championships. Getting to a bowl every year, that’s just the start. We hope games like the Orange Bowl become the norm around here.”
More milestones in reach
Junior quarterback Dak Prescott has re-written MSU’s record book this season. With 38 touchdowns and nearly 4,000 total yards, Prescott has set 10 school records. With a solid performance in the Orange Bowl, Prescott can build on a season in which he was considered a contender for the Heisman Trophy for much of the year. The Heisman Trophy goes to college football’s best player.
With 2,996 passing yards and 939 rushing yards, Prescott has a chance to become MSU’s first quarterback to throw for more than 3,000 and rush for 1,000 in a season.
“He only needs a decent game for 3,000 and 1,000,” Mullen said. “We are focused on the team, but individually, he’s had such an unbelievable season.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonState Beat
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