Mullen sidesteps issue of Simmons at SEC Media Days
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HOOVER, Ala. –- Dan Mullen’s walk into the Hyatt regency hotel probably wasn’t the leisurely stroll it appeared to be. The Mississippi State head coach wore a pair of relatively rare Adidas Yeezy Boost shoes with his suit and presented a calm, collected front. He flashed a few smiles along his way to the press conference room. Still, there had to be a sense of dread. He, like most in the building, knew what was to come.
His Kanye West-designed shoe game was unimportant in the moment. In fact, it seemed as though Mullen might as well be wearing slippers made of sirloin in a dog kennel. He stepped to the podium and it felt as though the pit bulls were taking aim. In this space, the fact that Mullen and his team are coming off of back-to-back nine-win seasons matters not.
Anticipation built. Then, little happened.
Just four of the 19 questions Mullen fielded in the main media room during day two of SEC media days centered around domestic abuse and Mullen’s decision to suspended incoming five-star lineman Jeffery Simmons for just a single game following the release of a video that featured Simmons violently punching a woman. Instead, he spent the bulk of his time at the podium discussing quarterbacks and jersey numbers and future schedules. He even touched on his shoes.
On the occasion that he was pressed on the issue of Simmons, Mullen insolated himself from the situation while also defending what he categorized as a group decision.
“I wasn’t involved as much because it was a university decision,” Mullen said of Simmons’ short suspension. “I was just thrilled that we were having Jeffery as part of our family.”
But what if Simmons finds himself involved in another, similar incident? And what if said incident takes place on the Mississippi State campus? Would Mullen be held responsible? The question was asked in a forthright manner. Again, the head coach spread things around. Responsibility? According to Mullen, that, like the decision itself, would be shared.
“We’re all responsible,” he said. “We're all responsible, if that happens. All of us. I'm responsible for all of the actions for every one of my players. I'm responsible as a head coach. I can't be with them all of the time. All I can do is be a parent. My wife and I try to be parents to every one of the kids in our program.”
Other coaches spent as much time talking about Simmons and domestic violence as a whole as Mullen. Auburn’s Gus Malzahn spoke on the issue. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey didn’t condone the one-game suspension by any stretch. This was something that resembled a united front.
“I'm always cautious to people to be careful of judging one's character on 10 seconds of video,” Sankey said.
The issue is larger than one incident at one school. Still, the Simmons situation acted as a jumping off point for a larger discussion that will only grow louder. So what of the future? Reporters asked Sankey about the possibility of a conduct code for incoming recruits –- a list of “major violations” that could result in revoked scholarships or something of the like. In response, Sankey found a line down the middle of the issue and walked it with precision.
The carefully worded response was in line with the theme of the day.
“I know that we will have continuing conversations around those issues. I won't predict outcomes,” he said. “And we'll see if that leads to a statement, first from this conference, and if we collectively should say things. I think that might be the next step.”