STARKVILLE – Dan Mullen has resigned himself to the fact that fans of Egg Bowl rivalry in the Magnolia state are just accustomed to his personality.
Even after the 41-24 loss last year to Ole Miss, this is still Mullen’s favorite week of the year.
“This hasn’t changed to us from my first year to now and that’s the way a rivalry game should be and what makes it a lot of fun for both sides,” Mullen said.
Mullen strongly claimed Sunday in his media teleconference he hasn’t become less intolerant, less intense or less emotional about the in-state rivalry with Ole Miss.
“To be honest, I’ve probably been here long enough now,” Mullen said when asked if he’s consciously toned down the rhetoric toward the Rebels program. “People maybe just block it out or don’t listen it to it much anymore. I haven’t changed my approach from the first day I got here.”
For the moment Mullen took the job in Starkville in 2009, he installed a countdown clock in the weight room to show the amount of time remaining until kickoff of the Egg Bowl. He immediately started referring to Ole Miss by the nickname that grew naturally among the fan base as “The School Up North”, which former MSU defensive end Pernell McPhee shortened to “TSUN”.
Mullen claimed last year he began the tradition of that phrase as a tip of the hat to the 10-year war between Ohio State’s Woody Hayes and Michigan’s Bo Schembechler from 1969-78 where Michigan held a 5-4-1 record in that span. During the rivalry between the Buckeyes and Wolverines, neither of the two legendary coaches would say the name of the opposing school throughout the week.
“I think when I got here people starting going ‘wow, they put a lot on this game’ and now everybody knows we do so maybe their skin has just thickened up I guess,” Mullen said.
Mullen can become the first MSU coach since Allyn McKeen from 1939-44 to earn a 4-1 record against Ole Miss when the two teams meet in Starkville Thanksgiving night (6:30 p.m., ESPN).
“It has the same feel that it did every single year that I’ve played in this game,” Mullen said. “It’s the biggest game of the year for us. When you play that rivalry game, it’s bragging rights for all the alumni, for the players and everybody from Mississippi.”
Whitley impresses head coach with current play: Nickoe Whitley made a play Saturday that his head coach won’t soon forget. The senior’s strip and recovery of a fumble by Arkansas tailback Alex Collins help preserve MSU’s 24-17 overtime win in Little Rock.
“I’ll tell you this Nickoe Whitley has made a lot of plays in his career but that one is one I’ll never forget,” Mullen said after the victory.
Whitley, who has 12 interceptions in his MSU career, had been much maligned in recent weeks for missing coverages that went for touchdowns and being ejected for personal foul penalties in the victory over Kentucky.
“Him getting the penalties isn’t something I have to think about, that’s just ridiculous,” Mullen said. “He understands that and he’s an extremely intelligent player that will graduate with his Master’s Degree. As a senior he understands his role on this team and what we’re all about in certain moments.”
On Saturday, the Bulldogs free safety booked a season-best 10 tackles and added his first forced fumble and fumble recovery of the season with a game-changing fourth-quarter strip and takeaway.
Follow Matt Stevens on Twitter @matthewcstevens.
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