Following MSU’s 8-5 2012 campaign, head coach Dan Mullen has officially closed the books on 2012 and can now turn his attention to 2013.
 ”We had our team meeting last week and this year’s team, the 2013 team, was born,” Mullen said. “That was the birth of a team and we have a one-year life, this team, to leave their mark on history. And I know they are fired up and ready to get after it.”
 After a 7-0 start, the Bulldogs lost five of their last six games, including a loss to Ole Miss and a Gator Bowl loss to Northwestern. But Mullen said he is still optimistic about the direction he is leading the program.
 ”The program is certainly going in the direction I want it to go in, which is the opportunity to continue to win football games, to put ourselves in a discussion, as the season wears on, to go and compete for conference championships which is our ultimate goal here,” he said.
 Task number one for Mullen following the New Year’s Day loss was to evaluate and adjust his coaching staff. Co-defensive coordinator Geoff Collins was promoted as full-time coordinator, and Mullen brought in Tony Hughes as safeties coach after Melvin Smith left for Auburn.
Last week, Mullen announced the hiring of David Turner as defensive line coach, and Mississippi native and former Arizona Cardinals assistant Deshea Townsend as cornerbacks coach. Turner was with the Bulldogs from 2007-2009 before joining Joker Phillips’s staff at Kentucky in 2010.
 ”We’re really excited about all of the new guys coming in here,” Mullen said. “David Turner has a lot of experience here and knows the state of Mississippi, knows recruiting, knows what our program is about, knows about our guys. I know we were disappointed to lose him when we lost him a couple years ago, and I was really thrilled and excited to have him come back and join our staff.”
Mullen said he was not invested in hiring specific individuals for each vacancy but rather approached the task by envisioning his whole staff as a unit.
“When you go to hire somebody it’s not about just hiring a specific coach,” Mullen said. “To me it’s about hiring a coaching staff and making sure that staff has a great combination of people that we’re putting out there and can feed off of each other, and that’s what we’ve done.”
 Now that his coaching changes are taking shape, Mullen can focus on next year’s roster and recruiting.
MSU listed 19 seniors on its 2012 roster, including four defensive backs, four receivers and seven linemen. Last week, junior All-American offensive lineman Gabe Jackson announced he will return to MSU for his senior season, which will bring experience to a growing offensive line.
“I talked it over with coach Mullen and my parents and came out with a good decision to come back and finish my education,” Jackson said. “I talked to (Johnthan Banks) about his choice, and other guys who had the choice to leave, and he said ‘Think what’s best for you and the team, just don’t be selfish about this season.'”
The biggest losses the Dogs will face are at the receiver and defensive back positions, but Mullen said his coaches are looking to recruit players at every position.
“Offensive line is obviously a big need for us this year. Quarterback is a big need for us this year, receiver,” he said. “Here’s the thing I guess when you look at it: there are the ones you expect guys to have to come in and play right away. But I think you have to, as we’ve been able to do I think with the program, to build the depth within a program, to go compete in the Southeastern Conference; you better have solid recruiting across the board at every position. You can’t have lapses in years of positions or you’re going to get yourself caught at some point.”
The Bulldogs currently have 20 verbal commits and are projected to have a top-15 recruiting class according to 247sports.com. The Dogs also have two junior college transfers, safety Justin Cox and receiver Jeremy Chappelle, who already enrolled earlier this month, and Mullen said he expects them and every junior college transfer to make an immediate leadership impact.
The 2013 season and roster will become more clear after National Signing Day Feb. 6.