Mississippi State Football: Dan Mullen Wise to Take High Road in Dykes Dispute

Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Dykes brought the heat to the state of Mississippi in a recent article in the Monroe (La.) News-Star.

Dykes' team played Ole Miss and Mississippi State last season, beating the Rebels 27-7 and losing in overtime to Mississippi State 26-20 in Starkville.

The outcome of those two contests has Dykes thinking that his team is on par with the two SEC teams in the state of Mississippi.

"

We have better players than people think. Last year we played Mississippi State, and I swear to you there was no difference in our players and theirs. I was shocked. There was no difference.

They might've had a little more depth, but across the board our players were about as good as theirs. We played Ole Miss, and we kinda played 'em at a time that wasn't really good for them, and I think we beat 'em by about 24 points and had better players than they did.

"

When asked for a response by Brandon Marcello of the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger, Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen took the high road, speaking in jest.

"

I guess if the players are equal we must have better coaches here at Mississippi State since we won. But they are a very good football team. Sonny does a great job with their program.

"

Good for Dan Mullen.

Whether Dykes is right or not really doesn't matter.

Mullen is a head coach in the SEC, and as a coach in a position of strength—which he is when compared to the coach at Louisiana Tech—he is wise to act as the bigger man.

Getting into a verbal spat with Dykes would only end badly for Mullen and for Mississippi State. It would be a sign that Mullen feels threatened by Louisiana Tech. Even if he is—which I don't think is the case—it'd be a a sign of weakness.

Dykes is the little kid trying to pick a fight at the playground with the bully, and the bully wisely walked away. 

Good for him.

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