The Delta Tale

[Rational Observer]

DSU made its first D-II playoff appearance in 1998.

That was two seasons after MC moved to D-III. MC made the D-II playoffs in 1979, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991. MC won the national championship in 1989, but that championship was later forfeited.

DSU made the playoffs in 1998, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 201, 2014, and 2017. DSU won the national championship in 2000.

MC came back to D-II and the GSC in 2014.

DSU did not rise until MC was out of the picture. DSU's slide began once they began having to once again compete against MC in-state.

Cooley will take the fall for it though.

[Larold]

If not Cooley, who should?
Recruiting (or lack thereof) falls at the feet of the leader.

[UNALions]

DSU made its first D-II playoff appearance in 1998.

That was two seasons after MC moved to D-III. MC made the D-II playoffs in 1979, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1999. MC won the national championship in 1989, but that championship was later forfeited.

DSU made the playoffs in 1998, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 201, 2014, and 2017. DSU won the national championship in 2000.

MC came back to D-II and the GSC in 2014.

DSU did not rise until MC was out of the picture. DSU's slide began once they began having to once again compete against MC in-state.

Cooley will take the fall for it though.

That's part of the story. MC wasn't the only team that left during the 90s. Troy State and UT-Martin left in 1991 with Jacksonville State leaving in 1993. Those four leaving left a lot of room in the GSC and D2 for teams like UNA (who had been to one title game in the 80s) and others to fill the holes left by those very competitive GSC teams. Troy and Jax State both had national titles in the decade leading up to them reclassifying.

[CalifOKRA]

DSU made its first D-II playoff appearance in 1998.

That was two seasons after MC moved to D-III. MC made the D-II playoffs in 1979, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1999. MC won the national championship in 1989, but that championship was later forfeited.

DSU made the playoffs in 1998, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 201, 2014, and 2017. DSU won the national championship in 2000.

MC came back to D-II and the GSC in 2014.

DSU did not rise until MC was out of the picture. DSU's slide began once they began having to once again compete against MC in-state.

Cooley will take the fall for it though.

So your post reads that MC moved to D3 in 1996, but made the D2 playoffs in 1999? I'm sure that's just a mistake, but it's there nonetheless.

Are you saying we should just accept mediocrity now that MC is back? What is your point in the post?

Cooley will take the fall, as he should. Him and his coaching staff are responsible for recruiting and the talent they bring in. Cooley is responsible for the in-game decision making. I don't think MC is making any of those decisions. I know when I was at DSU, we had talent from all over, not just Mississippi. Several kids from California, a lot from Florida, a couple from New York, Illinois, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama and so on. Maybe Cooley and his staff need to get out and recruit better. I mean, they are allowed to recruit outside of Mississippi.

[UWAalum]

Maybe Cooley and his staff need to get out and recruit better. I mean, they are allowed to recruit outside of Mississippi.

Agree here and the recruiting landscape is going to change quite a bit for D2. The transfer portal and the 1 time transfer rule are going to take away many of those D1 transfers that we like to post about during the summer. Those guys aren't going to be looking at D2 so they can play immediately bc they can just go to another D1 with needs at their position and play immediately. Delta's proximity to the JC maybe a big advantage going forward bc D1 schools arent going to be looking at JC players when there are players in the portal.

The GSC coach that figures it out first is going to have some success. Those that don't...

[UWARTime]

[Rational Observer]

So your post reads that MC moved to D3 in 1996, but made the D2 playoffs in 1999? I'm sure that's just a mistake, but it's there nonetheless.

That should have read 1991.

[Rational Observer]

I'm not arguing that Cooley should get a free pass. I am simply pointing a likely cause for "What's wrong with Delta?".

[CalifOKRA]

You bring up fair points. However, Coach Cooley is the head coach. So every decision his coordinators make, good or bad, will fall on him. Poor adjustments by the coordinators, that's on Cooley. Poor play calling, that's on Cooley. Nothing is done without the head coach knowing.

[UWAalum]