Monday, September 24, 2012
John L. Smith: A Legacy of Confusion
I swear that the title of this article is the name of his future biography. Why is John L. Smith allowed to speak? He's clearly not well. Let's have an assistant talk for him. He keeps making the state of Arkansas groan every time he talks, and while it does give me something to laugh at, it still isn't right! As Coach Smith proves in this video, he's not sure where he is. Don't give him a forum in which to prove it!
Top Games of Week Five
- (8) Stanford @ Washington--Stanford 34-20—Washington is placing quite a lot of emphasis on this contest, so they should come out fired up. Unfortunately for the Huskies, they simply aren’t as talented as the Cardinal. The Huskies end the blackout seeing red!
- NC State @ Miami--NC State 31-14—This isn’t exactly a marquee matchup, but both teams are playing reasonably well right now. This game will separate one of the teams as a legitimate contender while the other is an also ran. The Wolfpack will run wild on the abysmal Hurricane defense.
- (25) Baylor @ (9) West Virginia—Baylor 42-38—The Bears haven’t missed RG3 so far this season…and I don’t think this is the week where they pay for his graduation. Both teams have porous defenses, but Baylor has the superior offense at this point. I’m going out on a limb here, but I’ll call for the upset.
- Tennessee @ (5) Georgia—Georgia 35-24—I’m ignoring my gut on this one. I still feel like Georgia hasn’t been tested, so the idea of Tennessee getting a shot at them leaves me hopeful. That said, the Volunteer defense was…well, let’s just say they struggled with Florida and Akron. Georgia’s prolific offense should be able to take advantage. That said, don’t forget about 2006 when a more highly thought of Georgia team suffered a blowout loss to the Vols.
- (14) Ohio St. @ (20) Michigan St.—Ohio St. 28-21—Michigan St.’s offense simply isn’t explosive enough to win from behind, and Ohio St. can definitely put you in a hole. Ohio St. is playing like a team on a mission. Michigan St. is just the next speed bump, and the Buckeyes will run it over soon enough.
- (12) Texas @ Oklahoma St.—Oklahoma St. 34-31—I genuinely like the Texas defense, but this isn’t likely to be a defensive game. Texas can’t run to a win against the Cowboys. OSU is superior on offense and comparable on defense. That should result in Longhorns fans begging for a reprieve from the “Waving Song”.
- Texas Tech @ Iowa St.—Texas Tech 21-10—The Red Raiders are mighty good this season, but that comes as little surprise to me. That Iowa St. is sitting at 3-1 is shocking! The Cyclones won’t be after this weekend, but for now, I give them a hearty pat on the back. ISU simply doesn’t have the offense to win against the Raiders.
- Wisconsin @ (22) Nebraska—Nebraska 35-17—Wisconsin is winning, but it’s been ugly. Nebraska is the better overall team. Maybe Wisconsin needs to cultivate a QB of their own next time…
- Ole Miss @ (1) Alabama—Alabama 38-20—So far the Tide haven’t been tested. That might change this week. Ole Miss is the best rushing offense in the conference right now, and they will do their best to test the Bama defense. Can Ole Miss win? No, but they can at least lose respectably.
- (18) Oregon St. @ Arizona—Arizona 27-24—This is one of the most interesting games, but I have to pick against the Beavers because of their overall lack of scoring ability. Arizona does a much better job of finding the end zone, and that’s enough to get the edge.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Quieting the Criticism
Wow, sports fans! Have we really devolved to this point? Are we all so hateful and disappointed in life that we constantly need to criticize college kids and call for people's jobs? Is life that bad? Are we that disconnected from reality?
I personally think it's a direct result of too much information. We know the records, we see constant replays, we are all connected online...we know too much. We all believe we have the answers. Everyone is a head coach or general manager and they can do it better. What would we do without ballaboy12 to tell everyone how it's done? Clearly Arkansas needs to hire HogCall79 to right the ship.
Let me be the voice of reason; I can't do it better. I wouldn't make better decisions than Dan Snyder. I can't guarantee the right call on 3rd and 7 on the last drive of the game or in the 9th inning down two runs. I can't run the football better than any Division-1 athlete. I damn sure can't hit a baseball. I would be hitting 43% on free throws if I played. And you know what? That's true for the majority of the critics.
I love sports, and I think I know a decent amount about athletics in general. I offer opinions. I can't out-coach Bill Belicheck. I know that, and everyone else should too. I can't say whether or not Tennessee would be better in the long run without Derek Dooley. I don't know if Arkansas should hire Coach X or Coach Y. I can look at the records, evaluate the numbers, and offer an opinion, but I'm not a bloody psychic. I can look back at a call and say it was bad, but I can't conclusively say another play would have worked better because I can't account for all the variables. I don't know what's going through an athlete's mind at a given moment, and so I try to avoid being too critical.
Here's my request to all the internet posters and sports junkies. Just calm down. Quit saying quarterback A is a headcase. Quit saying running back B is a fumbling machine. Quit demanding the coach pull a player and put in the fan favorite. None of that useless commentary helps anything. Athletes are NOT disconnected from the world. They can and do read what fans have to say. One bad comment doesn't hurt anything, but an avalanche of negativity can really affect a player. So maybe we should all just SHUT UP with the criticism and stick to supporting the team. I will continue the blog, but I will stick to poking fun at silly moments and analyzing numbers and statistics as opposed to personal attacks and criticisms.
I personally think it's a direct result of too much information. We know the records, we see constant replays, we are all connected online...we know too much. We all believe we have the answers. Everyone is a head coach or general manager and they can do it better. What would we do without ballaboy12 to tell everyone how it's done? Clearly Arkansas needs to hire HogCall79 to right the ship.
Let me be the voice of reason; I can't do it better. I wouldn't make better decisions than Dan Snyder. I can't guarantee the right call on 3rd and 7 on the last drive of the game or in the 9th inning down two runs. I can't run the football better than any Division-1 athlete. I damn sure can't hit a baseball. I would be hitting 43% on free throws if I played. And you know what? That's true for the majority of the critics.
I love sports, and I think I know a decent amount about athletics in general. I offer opinions. I can't out-coach Bill Belicheck. I know that, and everyone else should too. I can't say whether or not Tennessee would be better in the long run without Derek Dooley. I don't know if Arkansas should hire Coach X or Coach Y. I can look at the records, evaluate the numbers, and offer an opinion, but I'm not a bloody psychic. I can look back at a call and say it was bad, but I can't conclusively say another play would have worked better because I can't account for all the variables. I don't know what's going through an athlete's mind at a given moment, and so I try to avoid being too critical.
Here's my request to all the internet posters and sports junkies. Just calm down. Quit saying quarterback A is a headcase. Quit saying running back B is a fumbling machine. Quit demanding the coach pull a player and put in the fan favorite. None of that useless commentary helps anything. Athletes are NOT disconnected from the world. They can and do read what fans have to say. One bad comment doesn't hurt anything, but an avalanche of negativity can really affect a player. So maybe we should all just SHUT UP with the criticism and stick to supporting the team. I will continue the blog, but I will stick to poking fun at silly moments and analyzing numbers and statistics as opposed to personal attacks and criticisms.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
SEC Week 4 Picks
Okay, so it's been a rough couple of weeks for me, but I'm certain I'm back on track with picking the games. Here goes:
- Ole Miss @ Tulane: The Black Bears are gonna tear right through the Green Wave's defense. Rebel Black Bears 41-6
- Kentucky @ Florida: Although I would love to watch the Gators roll over and die against the 'Cats, I'm not dumb enough to believe it'll happen. Gators 38-3
- Missouri @ South Carolina: Mizzou has to get their first win sometime; why not against the ailing Gamecocks. Tigers 35-28
- Florida Atlantic @ Alabama: Oh my...this will be ugly. Tide 48-7
- South Alabama @ Mississippi St.: Is there any point in talking about this one? Bulldogs 42-0
- LSU @ Auburn: Did they intentionally schedule a week of massacres? Bayou Bengals 32-10
- Rutgers @ Arkansas: Good thing Tyler Wilson is back, but is he enough to right the ship? He'd better be, or else John L. Smith might turn into the Joker. Hogs 31-27
- South Carolina St. @ Texas A&M: Newbies roll. Aggies 38-13
- Akron @ Tennessee: Tennessee needs to work things out before the Georgia game. Vols 41-14
- Vanderbilt @ Georgia: Vandy is back to showing their true colors. Dawgs 30-10
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Why the Pacers Will Win the Central Division Over the Bulls
Where is Derrick Rose? When is Rose coming back? Why isn't Rose on the two deep? These are questions I've heard asked so far. Rose is expected to be out until at least the All-Star break. He is the leading scorer by far for the Chicago Bulls, and without him last year the team looked disjointed.
On the other hand, the Pacers have looked very good the last two seasons. They've built the team around great defense and effective scoring. They aren't explosive, they aren't flashy, but they are winning. This has me convince that the Pacers will have an opportunity to build an insurmountable lead in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. There really hasn't been any other team in the division that has really been able to compete with the Pacers and Bulls the last two season, and nobody has upgraded their roster to the point that they will challenge Indiana for the division in 2013.
The two deep of the Pacers consists of players who all averaged at least five points per game last year, and they improved at both guard positions with the additions of Gerald Green and D.J. Augustin. Rookies Miles Plumlee and Orlando Johnson could help to improve the rotations, assuming both make the final roster. Plumlee is a strong defensive forward, and Johnson is a guard that can score in bunches. The strong mix of offensive and defensive talent should allow the Pacers to roll over the ailing Bulls, who will lack a point guard capable of making the whole offense go.
Now, I could be biased. I am absolutely a big time Pacers fan, but I can't see where the Bulls made a change that will mask the loss of Rose. Yes, they did draft Marquis Teague, but Teague isn't half the offensive weapon that Rose is, and I'm not even convinced that he's the same level of defender. Oh, and there's also the fact that he isn't even the starter. No, that role goes to Kirk Hinrich. Don't know who that is? Don't worry. Nobody outside of Atlanta does either. Given the fact that Hinrich doesn't really do anything particularly well, I expect him to quickly give way to Teague, but that really won't make a huge difference. The division is the Pacers, and that's all there is to it.
On the other hand, the Pacers have looked very good the last two seasons. They've built the team around great defense and effective scoring. They aren't explosive, they aren't flashy, but they are winning. This has me convince that the Pacers will have an opportunity to build an insurmountable lead in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. There really hasn't been any other team in the division that has really been able to compete with the Pacers and Bulls the last two season, and nobody has upgraded their roster to the point that they will challenge Indiana for the division in 2013.
The two deep of the Pacers consists of players who all averaged at least five points per game last year, and they improved at both guard positions with the additions of Gerald Green and D.J. Augustin. Rookies Miles Plumlee and Orlando Johnson could help to improve the rotations, assuming both make the final roster. Plumlee is a strong defensive forward, and Johnson is a guard that can score in bunches. The strong mix of offensive and defensive talent should allow the Pacers to roll over the ailing Bulls, who will lack a point guard capable of making the whole offense go.
Now, I could be biased. I am absolutely a big time Pacers fan, but I can't see where the Bulls made a change that will mask the loss of Rose. Yes, they did draft Marquis Teague, but Teague isn't half the offensive weapon that Rose is, and I'm not even convinced that he's the same level of defender. Oh, and there's also the fact that he isn't even the starter. No, that role goes to Kirk Hinrich. Don't know who that is? Don't worry. Nobody outside of Atlanta does either. Given the fact that Hinrich doesn't really do anything particularly well, I expect him to quickly give way to Teague, but that really won't make a huge difference. The division is the Pacers, and that's all there is to it.
Triple Crown?
Probably not. There's a reason it hasn't occurred since 1967. It's an elusive achievement at the best of times; in the current world of baseball, it seems like an impossibility. Pitchers are having greater levels of success than at any other point in the history of baseball. Hitters are having record years in one catagory or another, but generally don't have amazing overall years. And yet, we have to take one man hunting for the triple crown seriously.
Miguel Cabrera is having a season for the ages. He is leading the American League in batting average and RBIs and is second only to Josh Hamilton in home runs. So why will Cabrera probably not get the elusive honor? Pitchers are going to pitch away from him. Granted, they already were, so this alone wouldn't necessarily stop his pursuit of greatness. Josh Hamilton is having an amazing year. He is only seven off of Cabrera's RBI number and has a two home run lead on Cabrera. That is as big a reason for Cabrera to miss the mark as anything.
I would love to see Miguel Cabrera hit his way into history, but I have a hard time truly believing it's possible. With the odds stacked against him, Cabrera's achievement would be all the more impressive. Now he just needs to catch a couple of breaks and destroy a couple of baseballs, and he will accomplish something that hasn't been done in over four decades!
Miguel Cabrera is having a season for the ages. He is leading the American League in batting average and RBIs and is second only to Josh Hamilton in home runs. So why will Cabrera probably not get the elusive honor? Pitchers are going to pitch away from him. Granted, they already were, so this alone wouldn't necessarily stop his pursuit of greatness. Josh Hamilton is having an amazing year. He is only seven off of Cabrera's RBI number and has a two home run lead on Cabrera. That is as big a reason for Cabrera to miss the mark as anything.
I would love to see Miguel Cabrera hit his way into history, but I have a hard time truly believing it's possible. With the odds stacked against him, Cabrera's achievement would be all the more impressive. Now he just needs to catch a couple of breaks and destroy a couple of baseballs, and he will accomplish something that hasn't been done in over four decades!
Goin' Crazy?
What's up with John L. Smith? The man is like the crazy grandfather nobody wanted. He's randomly screaming at people, he is unusually creepy at times, and he looks insane. I'm not sure what his problem is right now, but it doesn't matter if he's crazy if he wins. Just ask Les Miles.
Backpack Journalists
So, this is the first edit of a package I'm putting together for my backpack journalism class. As a class we have a blog which includes stories spanning a wide array of topics. Click here, check out my story, and check out all the other excellent work my classmates have done!
We have another new look...and what should be the last one. In order to make it possible for you guys to see what's going on with me on Twitter and make it easier to keep up with my activity, I've made these changes to the page. This has also led to an overall formatting change. I may add a background photo or other changes in time, but for now, here's the new look for Spittin' Sports.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Pay the Refs?
Apparently it takes a lockout to realize just how valuable the officials are in the NFL. The officiating so far in the early going of the season has been insufferably poor, prompting criticism from all sides. Slowly, the value of the refs continues to climb. Will this help them to get what they feel the league owes them? It damn well should!
The replacement officials are so scared of missing a call that they constantly interfere with the flow of the game, making game changing calls, and missing obvious penalties. The players are frustrated, the coaches are irritated, and the owners look like fools. With the power shifting to the referees, will the NFL finally be forced to return to the table? Maybe...
The reality is that the NFL tends to wait. Until there is a sufficient backlash, there is no reason for the NFL to respond. The players, coaches, and fans would have to unite together in order to make the NFL care enough, and even that may not be enough pressure to make the NFL cave. The fact that the NFL looks foolish in the face of rampant criticism while making record profits and persists in refusing to pay their officials yet still refuses to even meet indicates a level of indifference that the officials may not be able to overcome.
If that's is the case, hunker down, football fans! It's going to be long season...
The replacement officials are so scared of missing a call that they constantly interfere with the flow of the game, making game changing calls, and missing obvious penalties. The players are frustrated, the coaches are irritated, and the owners look like fools. With the power shifting to the referees, will the NFL finally be forced to return to the table? Maybe...
The reality is that the NFL tends to wait. Until there is a sufficient backlash, there is no reason for the NFL to respond. The players, coaches, and fans would have to unite together in order to make the NFL care enough, and even that may not be enough pressure to make the NFL cave. The fact that the NFL looks foolish in the face of rampant criticism while making record profits and persists in refusing to pay their officials yet still refuses to even meet indicates a level of indifference that the officials may not be able to overcome.
If that's is the case, hunker down, football fans! It's going to be long season...
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Connecting and Checking Out More From Me
So, I was thinking that it might benefit me to have my contact information available to anyone wanting to contact me. First, feel free to contact me on Twitter. I'm @OzarkEagle2885 (https://twitter.com/OzarkEagle2885) and I would love to hear from you and I try to make sure I let my followers know when I post new content. Another way to keep up with what I'm working on are my two Facebook pages, SportSoupKUOZ (https://www.facebook.com/pages/SportSoupKUOZ/107759389329118) and Spittin' Sports (https://www.facebook.com/SpittinSportsCh6). You can get updates on the different content I'm working on on both of those pages. You can email me at ozarkeagle2885@gmail.com. If you would like to hear my work in radio, you can check it out at the following link (http://kuoz.ozarks.edu:8000/listen.pls) every Mon-Thurs at 8 P.M. Central Time. I also have a YouTube channel where you can see me rant about my favorite team, the Tennessee Volunteers. You can check out my channel here (http://www.youtube.com/user/ozarkeagle2885?feature=mhee). I hope this helps you to connect with me, because I'm definitely interested in hearing from you!
Notre Dame's Big Move
I was absolutely blindsided by the decision made by Notre Dame, a school who has staunchly resisted change in recent years. It seems crazy to believe that not only would the Irish move, but that they would seemingly make it happen without making headlines until the official announcement. Of course, Notre Dame still hasn't committed to a conference in football, but they seemingly took the first step toward a conference affiliation.
Notre Dame still has the inevitable legal battle with the Big East to go, but we can pretty much anticipate a settlement and a quick move for Notre Dame (they certainly have the money to pay off the conference). From the ACC's perspective, they have found immediate contenders in basketball, and they should be able to be competitive in many other sports. From Notre Dame's perspective, they are joining a conference that hasn't been picked apart at this point. While the ACC may still be vulnerable, they aren't anywhere near as weak as the Big East.
As for football, the ACC now has some additional games to promote and just a little bit more potential revenue. Given the scare the ACC had related to Clemson and Florida State in the off-season, this has to be reassuring to the embattled conference. From the Notre Dame perspective, they now have some scheduling consistency after some struggles in developing a complete schedule in recent years. The other advantage for Notre Dame at this point is the fact that they have the freedom to continue to schedule games like Purdue, Michigan State, Michigan, and USC.
I said before that this may be a first step toward Notre Dame accepting a conference affiliation in football, and my reasoning is purely based on a series of hypotheticals. The first requirement is that the rumors regarding Clemson and Florida State to the Big 12 are based on real conversations. If that assumption is correct, the ACC may very well be looking for contingency plans. Notre Dame would then have strong ties to the ACC which could be used to "encourage" them to join as a full member in football. Cherry pick another team, and you are set. The second requirement is that the addition of Notre Dame would make the ACC more appealing to networks for future television contracts. Assuming that a new agreement would ultimately top the individual agreement currently held by Notre Dame, the temptation may be too strong for the Irish. The third requirement is that Notre Dame could convince the alumni and donors that there is a significant benefit to such a move. If all of those factors come together, we could be seeing the end of an era. As it stands, the college world is getting shaken up yet again by conference realignment.
Notre Dame still has the inevitable legal battle with the Big East to go, but we can pretty much anticipate a settlement and a quick move for Notre Dame (they certainly have the money to pay off the conference). From the ACC's perspective, they have found immediate contenders in basketball, and they should be able to be competitive in many other sports. From Notre Dame's perspective, they are joining a conference that hasn't been picked apart at this point. While the ACC may still be vulnerable, they aren't anywhere near as weak as the Big East.
As for football, the ACC now has some additional games to promote and just a little bit more potential revenue. Given the scare the ACC had related to Clemson and Florida State in the off-season, this has to be reassuring to the embattled conference. From the Notre Dame perspective, they now have some scheduling consistency after some struggles in developing a complete schedule in recent years. The other advantage for Notre Dame at this point is the fact that they have the freedom to continue to schedule games like Purdue, Michigan State, Michigan, and USC.
I said before that this may be a first step toward Notre Dame accepting a conference affiliation in football, and my reasoning is purely based on a series of hypotheticals. The first requirement is that the rumors regarding Clemson and Florida State to the Big 12 are based on real conversations. If that assumption is correct, the ACC may very well be looking for contingency plans. Notre Dame would then have strong ties to the ACC which could be used to "encourage" them to join as a full member in football. Cherry pick another team, and you are set. The second requirement is that the addition of Notre Dame would make the ACC more appealing to networks for future television contracts. Assuming that a new agreement would ultimately top the individual agreement currently held by Notre Dame, the temptation may be too strong for the Irish. The third requirement is that Notre Dame could convince the alumni and donors that there is a significant benefit to such a move. If all of those factors come together, we could be seeing the end of an era. As it stands, the college world is getting shaken up yet again by conference realignment.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
My SEC Picks for Week Three
Louisiana-Monroe @ Auburn: A week ago this would have been a clear cut decision for me, but now.... I'm tempted to go with the SEC on the basis of them being the SEC, but I can't disrespect ULM on this one. ULM 28-17
Presbyterian @ Vanderbilt: Hahahahaha! Vandy 31-10
Texas A&M @ SMU: The Aggies bounce back 28-17
Alabama @ Arkansas: Well, at least it isn't Louisiana-Monroe... Bama 41-21
Florida @ Tennessee: I actually have a little bit to say on this one (go figure, a Vol fan talking the Vols). Florida's defense looked good in the second half against the Aggies, but they still really couldn't muster much offense. Tennessee's defense is on par with Florida's statistically, and the Volunteer offense is amongst the nation's best. The only way Tennessee loses is if they get psyched out by Florida's win streak http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w2iOaP1bTM&feature=plcp. Tennessee 32-20
Miss St. @ Troy: Uhh, why is Mississippi State going to Troy? Bulldogs 35-7
Missouri @ Arizona St.: This game could have a big score. First team to forty wins! Mizzou 48-42
Western Kentucky @ Kentucky: Kentucky's offense carries their less than spectacular defense. Wildcats 27-10
UAB @ South Carolina: Could Marcus Lattimore break 200 yards rushing? Yes. Will he? Not once he's pulled at halftime. Gamecocks 35-0
Florida Atlantic @ Georgia: Georgia cruises. Dawgs 38-3
Idaho @ LSU: The backups might be in for the second quarter. Bayou Bengals 52-0
Texas @ Ole Miss: This one could be surprisingly good, but I'm going to guess that Ole Miss is really fool's gold. 'Horns 35-21
Presbyterian @ Vanderbilt: Hahahahaha! Vandy 31-10
Texas A&M @ SMU: The Aggies bounce back 28-17
Alabama @ Arkansas: Well, at least it isn't Louisiana-Monroe... Bama 41-21
Florida @ Tennessee: I actually have a little bit to say on this one (go figure, a Vol fan talking the Vols). Florida's defense looked good in the second half against the Aggies, but they still really couldn't muster much offense. Tennessee's defense is on par with Florida's statistically, and the Volunteer offense is amongst the nation's best. The only way Tennessee loses is if they get psyched out by Florida's win streak http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w2iOaP1bTM&feature=plcp. Tennessee 32-20
Miss St. @ Troy: Uhh, why is Mississippi State going to Troy? Bulldogs 35-7
Missouri @ Arizona St.: This game could have a big score. First team to forty wins! Mizzou 48-42
Western Kentucky @ Kentucky: Kentucky's offense carries their less than spectacular defense. Wildcats 27-10
UAB @ South Carolina: Could Marcus Lattimore break 200 yards rushing? Yes. Will he? Not once he's pulled at halftime. Gamecocks 35-0
Florida Atlantic @ Georgia: Georgia cruises. Dawgs 38-3
Idaho @ LSU: The backups might be in for the second quarter. Bayou Bengals 52-0
Texas @ Ole Miss: This one could be surprisingly good, but I'm going to guess that Ole Miss is really fool's gold. 'Horns 35-21
SEC Picks for Week Two
- Auburn @ Miss St. - When I looked at this game, I had to admit that I don’t see these two teams as very different in make up or talent. That left me banking on the fans and their cowbells to throw off the Tigers. Miss St. 21-17
- ECU @ South Carolina - I’m not sold on this group of Gamecocks. Even before the injury, the passing attack for South Carolina was looking pretty blah against the Commodores. Now that Connor Shaw is battling a deep tissue bruise in his shoulder (while still being expected to run regularly), I’m questioning the ability of this team to win from behind. I shouldn’t be picking this one, but I’m going with an upset here. ECU 14-13
- Florida @ Texas A&M - Florida looked…bad. Just really mediocre. Texas A&M on the other hand hasn’t played. This leaves me with a game that I’m picking based on my perception of the Aggies and what I saw from Florida against Bowling Green. Florida can’t win in the SEC playing like they did last week. Texas A&M 34-21
- WKU @ Alabama - No comment needed. Bama 49-7
- Georgia St. @ Tennessee - http://youtu.be/LGEnE18DE1M Tenn 52-0
- UTEP @ Ole Miss - There are a lot of games requiring no comments. UTEP 21-20
- Washington @ LSU - Washington is much better than the score might indicate from last week. They certainly didn’t unleash the full offensive and defensive potential. Neither did LSU. This game will surprise some people, but at the end of the day, the SEC is still king. LSU 28-24
- Arkansas @ UL-Monroe - Arkansas’s defense doesn’t look good, but it’s good enough for this. Arky 45-28
- Kent St. @ Kentucky - Look, and opponent Kentucky can actually beat! UK 24-14
- Georgia @ Missouri - Take this for what it is, but I’m not convinced that Georgia won’t come out flat against the Tigers. The secondary isn’t 100% due to suspensions, and this is an offense that can take advantage of a weak secondary. If Georgia falls behind, I doubt they can come back. Mizzou 35-32
- Vanderbilt @ Northwestern - This game might be a lot of fun…for a little while. Vanderbilt isn’t a bad team, and I will pick them to beat any non-conference foe on their schedule, including this one. Vandy 28-17
Week 1 in the SEC
The beginning of the season is less than two weeks away, and so
it’s time for us to consider who will win in the first week’s slate of
games. Will the SEC have a slip up against the numerous conference foes
that they will face? Will the first conference matchup lead to some high
intensity, high drama football? Will any new weaknesses present
themselves. This is my prediction for each of the games on the SEC slate
for Week 1.
South Carolina at Vanderbilt - South Carolina has risen to the top of the SEC ranks in recent seasons, but they find themselves faced with replacing some very important contributors in 2012. They will run the ball as well as anyone in the country if they have found adequate replacements on the line. They should have a great pass rush if the defensive tackles collapse the pocket. They should be great at stopping the run if the linebackers are allowed to roam freely. For every perceived strength of the Gamecocks, there is an “if” or “but”. Vanderbilt is the most overhyped program in the country right now, with their brash, young head man James Franklin building excitement and improving their recruiting in spite of the 6-7 record in 2011. Has Vanderbilt been able to improve the talent level sufficiently to be able to compete with one of the East’s best teams? Not in a single recruiting cycle they haven’t. This game should be good for a half, but the Gamecocks’ superior talent will take over after half time. Gamecocks 31-14
Texas A&M at Louisiana Tech - Somebody forgot to tell the Aggies that SEC teams don’t go on the road to play a team like Louisiana Tech. Then again, somebody forgot to tell Tech that they weren’t very good last year. The Bulldogs surprisingly went 8-5 last year, vastly outperforming the majority of expectations. La Tech did lose a lot to attrition, and they will need to plug the holes quickly. Still, the Bulldogs are in a much more stable place than the Aggies, who have a new conference, coaching staff, quarterback, defensive scheme, etc. The Aggies will need to adapt to the changes quickly. Tech refused to lie down for Mississippi State last year, falling in overtime. In fact, of the five losses suffered by the Bulldogs, only one came by double digits. This game could be very tight for at least three quarters, but by the fourth quarter, the Aggies superior depth of talent will allow them to pull away. 34-24 Aggies
Tennessee vs. North Carolina State - The first game in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff puts the Volunteers up against the Wolfpack. The Vols started off looking very strong, putting up big numbers on offense, avoiding blowouts, and playing like a team that belongs in the SEC. Then Tyler Bray broke his thumb, and the Vols season derailed, ending in a 10-7 loss to Kentucky that revealed divisions within the locker room. That led to massive staff turnover and a major shift in defensive philosophy. NC State had a very different season, closing it out much stronger than it began. The Wolfpack were sitting at 5-5 with a 2-4 record in the ACC heading into what looked like a surefire loss, but turned into the biggest victory of the season. They wrapped things up against Maryland and Louisville, closing out with an 8-5 record. They’ll look to build on that in 2012, but can they start that road against the Vols? Probably not. NC State doesn’t look nearly as strong in the trenches on defense, and the linebackers are vulnerable. With Tennessee having placed an emphasis on improving the run game this year, they should test the Pack early and often, eventually pulling away with a few well place deep passes. 41-24 Tennessee
Buffalo at Georgia - Buffalo doesn’t really belong on the field with the Bulldogs. It is reasonable to expect the Bulls to be better in 2012, but Georgia is coming off of winning the East last year. Georgia needs a test to figure out whether or not the running game and offensive line are SEC ready, but they won’t get that test from Buffalo. This one is no contest. 50-10 Dawgs
Bowling Green at Florida - Bowling Green might be very good on offense in the upcoming season, boasting one of the most underrated passers in college football, but they don’t belong on the field with this Gator defense. The Gators have stars at every level of the defense, and even though the stats for the secondary were underwhelming at best last year, much of that had to do with an inept offense. Of course, the offense might not be much better this year, but the Falcons aren’t a defense capable of provide a sufficient challenge. Florida 38-13
Clemson vs. Auburn - Game Two of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff matches up two familiar foes, with the overall record in the semi-rivalry standing at 34-12-2 in favor of Auburn. Clemson picked up their first win over the Tigers from Alabama since 1951 last season, and they hope to build upon that victory. Clemson looks plenty capable of doing just that when you look at the skill players, but there is an extreme weakness in the trenches for the South Carolinians. Auburn has very few proven playmakers, but they may be able to pound the rock with their superior size and experience in the trenches. Still, big plays lead to big wins, so I’m going to call for the first non-conference loss for the SEC of 2012. Clemson 34-24
Jacksonville St. vs. Arkansas - Few teams faced the kind of turmoil the Razorbacks did in this last offseason. The Razorbacks were a consensus top ten team until then head coach Bobby Petrino decided to try and create his on version ofA Series of Unfortunate Events. With his dismissal, a series of arrests followed, and now the roster is five people lighter. Those five dismissed include arguably the most explosive playmaker they had in Marquel Wade. Finding playmakers will be a challenge, and there are clear issues in the trenches as a pair of walk-ons are part of the starting offensive line. Of course, that won’t matter against this group of Gamecocks, as Jacksonville St. doesn’t really match up favorably anywhere. 56-7 Razorbacks
North Texas at Louisiana State - North Texas isn’t very likely to provide much of a challenge to the Bayou Bengals, but there is reason to pay attention to this game. LSU was banking on Tyrann Mathieu being able to take out half the field, redirecting traffic toward Tharold Simon, a 6’3” ball-hawk. Now, teams will redirect their attention to the Honey Badger’s replacement. Although there really isn’t any risk of the Tigers losing, the Mean Green will be a chance to see how the secondary works together. Also look and see what the Tiger receivers do in this game, as any struggles could signal another difficult year through the air. Tigers 48-7
Southeastern Louisiana at Missouri - Welcome to the most lopside game of the opening weekend in the SEC. This game is only worth watching because of the debut of Dorial Green-Beckham, a future star in the conference. 49-0 Mizzou
Central Arkansas at Ole Miss - This is an interesting game. The Bears of Central Arkansas were an FCS playoff team last year, providing challenges to Arkansas State and Louisiana Tech and beating now FBS member Texas State. Ole Miss was content to simply beat themselves in 2011, going 2-10 with a 27-7 loss to Louisiana Tech, a team Central Arkansas took to overtime before falling 42-48. There is a little hope in Oxford as native son Hugh Freeze takes over the program. He had great success at Arkansas State and defeated Central Arkansas 53-24 with the Red Wolves last year. What does all this mean? It might mean an interesting matchup with the potential to end similarly to Ole Miss’s 2010 opener against Jacksonville St., a 49-48 overtime loss that set the tone for the season. Rebel Black Bears 32-27
Jackson St. at Mississippi St - This falls into the skip it catagory. Jackson St. is out-classed. Bulldogs 31-9
Michigan vs. Alabama - This is the marquee game of Week 1, matching a BCS bowl team from the Big Ten with the defending national champions. Alabama was ravaged by attrition, but Nick Saban is seldom forced to rebuild. The Tide are likely to be amongst the nation’s best. Michigan was a surprise team last season after they had been a relative non-factor under Rich Rodriguez. Now, the Wolverines look like a possible national championship contender. This is a game in which Michigan has everything to gain and nothing to lose. If they fall to Alabama, it’s okay because they were expected to. If they win, they shock the college football world and shoot up in the rankings. For Alabama, no good can come of this game. If they win, they’ve simply met expectation. In fact, if they don’t dominate, it could be perceived as a bad sign and hurt their ranking. Lose and the Tide will be forced to spend a month addressing questions about their own talent and the conference’s standing in the college football world. Michigan is likely to come out fired up while Alabama will approach the game as business as usual. This should lead to a hard fought, fun game that ultimately ends in an SEC victory. Alabama 31-24
Kentucky at Louisville - The final SEC game of the weekend is Kentucky’s desparate attempt to right a ship that was rapidly sinking until they started to bail out against the Vols in the final game of the season. Kentucky is lacking talent, depth, and coaching. Louisville has all three. In fact, the Cardinals look much more like an SEC team than Kentucky does. That is a credit to the job that Charlie Strong has done with this team. Strong has brough in talent from around the country, and now the Cardinals look ready to dominate the Big East. Look for Teddy Bridgewater to emerge this season in much the same way that Robert Griffin III did last season. Looking at Louisville’s schedule, it’s hard to find more than one potential loss, and trust me when I say that the danger isn’t coming from the Wildcats. Louisville 41-14
South Carolina at Vanderbilt - South Carolina has risen to the top of the SEC ranks in recent seasons, but they find themselves faced with replacing some very important contributors in 2012. They will run the ball as well as anyone in the country if they have found adequate replacements on the line. They should have a great pass rush if the defensive tackles collapse the pocket. They should be great at stopping the run if the linebackers are allowed to roam freely. For every perceived strength of the Gamecocks, there is an “if” or “but”. Vanderbilt is the most overhyped program in the country right now, with their brash, young head man James Franklin building excitement and improving their recruiting in spite of the 6-7 record in 2011. Has Vanderbilt been able to improve the talent level sufficiently to be able to compete with one of the East’s best teams? Not in a single recruiting cycle they haven’t. This game should be good for a half, but the Gamecocks’ superior talent will take over after half time. Gamecocks 31-14
Texas A&M at Louisiana Tech - Somebody forgot to tell the Aggies that SEC teams don’t go on the road to play a team like Louisiana Tech. Then again, somebody forgot to tell Tech that they weren’t very good last year. The Bulldogs surprisingly went 8-5 last year, vastly outperforming the majority of expectations. La Tech did lose a lot to attrition, and they will need to plug the holes quickly. Still, the Bulldogs are in a much more stable place than the Aggies, who have a new conference, coaching staff, quarterback, defensive scheme, etc. The Aggies will need to adapt to the changes quickly. Tech refused to lie down for Mississippi State last year, falling in overtime. In fact, of the five losses suffered by the Bulldogs, only one came by double digits. This game could be very tight for at least three quarters, but by the fourth quarter, the Aggies superior depth of talent will allow them to pull away. 34-24 Aggies
Tennessee vs. North Carolina State - The first game in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff puts the Volunteers up against the Wolfpack. The Vols started off looking very strong, putting up big numbers on offense, avoiding blowouts, and playing like a team that belongs in the SEC. Then Tyler Bray broke his thumb, and the Vols season derailed, ending in a 10-7 loss to Kentucky that revealed divisions within the locker room. That led to massive staff turnover and a major shift in defensive philosophy. NC State had a very different season, closing it out much stronger than it began. The Wolfpack were sitting at 5-5 with a 2-4 record in the ACC heading into what looked like a surefire loss, but turned into the biggest victory of the season. They wrapped things up against Maryland and Louisville, closing out with an 8-5 record. They’ll look to build on that in 2012, but can they start that road against the Vols? Probably not. NC State doesn’t look nearly as strong in the trenches on defense, and the linebackers are vulnerable. With Tennessee having placed an emphasis on improving the run game this year, they should test the Pack early and often, eventually pulling away with a few well place deep passes. 41-24 Tennessee
Buffalo at Georgia - Buffalo doesn’t really belong on the field with the Bulldogs. It is reasonable to expect the Bulls to be better in 2012, but Georgia is coming off of winning the East last year. Georgia needs a test to figure out whether or not the running game and offensive line are SEC ready, but they won’t get that test from Buffalo. This one is no contest. 50-10 Dawgs
Bowling Green at Florida - Bowling Green might be very good on offense in the upcoming season, boasting one of the most underrated passers in college football, but they don’t belong on the field with this Gator defense. The Gators have stars at every level of the defense, and even though the stats for the secondary were underwhelming at best last year, much of that had to do with an inept offense. Of course, the offense might not be much better this year, but the Falcons aren’t a defense capable of provide a sufficient challenge. Florida 38-13
Clemson vs. Auburn - Game Two of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff matches up two familiar foes, with the overall record in the semi-rivalry standing at 34-12-2 in favor of Auburn. Clemson picked up their first win over the Tigers from Alabama since 1951 last season, and they hope to build upon that victory. Clemson looks plenty capable of doing just that when you look at the skill players, but there is an extreme weakness in the trenches for the South Carolinians. Auburn has very few proven playmakers, but they may be able to pound the rock with their superior size and experience in the trenches. Still, big plays lead to big wins, so I’m going to call for the first non-conference loss for the SEC of 2012. Clemson 34-24
Jacksonville St. vs. Arkansas - Few teams faced the kind of turmoil the Razorbacks did in this last offseason. The Razorbacks were a consensus top ten team until then head coach Bobby Petrino decided to try and create his on version ofA Series of Unfortunate Events. With his dismissal, a series of arrests followed, and now the roster is five people lighter. Those five dismissed include arguably the most explosive playmaker they had in Marquel Wade. Finding playmakers will be a challenge, and there are clear issues in the trenches as a pair of walk-ons are part of the starting offensive line. Of course, that won’t matter against this group of Gamecocks, as Jacksonville St. doesn’t really match up favorably anywhere. 56-7 Razorbacks
North Texas at Louisiana State - North Texas isn’t very likely to provide much of a challenge to the Bayou Bengals, but there is reason to pay attention to this game. LSU was banking on Tyrann Mathieu being able to take out half the field, redirecting traffic toward Tharold Simon, a 6’3” ball-hawk. Now, teams will redirect their attention to the Honey Badger’s replacement. Although there really isn’t any risk of the Tigers losing, the Mean Green will be a chance to see how the secondary works together. Also look and see what the Tiger receivers do in this game, as any struggles could signal another difficult year through the air. Tigers 48-7
Southeastern Louisiana at Missouri - Welcome to the most lopside game of the opening weekend in the SEC. This game is only worth watching because of the debut of Dorial Green-Beckham, a future star in the conference. 49-0 Mizzou
Central Arkansas at Ole Miss - This is an interesting game. The Bears of Central Arkansas were an FCS playoff team last year, providing challenges to Arkansas State and Louisiana Tech and beating now FBS member Texas State. Ole Miss was content to simply beat themselves in 2011, going 2-10 with a 27-7 loss to Louisiana Tech, a team Central Arkansas took to overtime before falling 42-48. There is a little hope in Oxford as native son Hugh Freeze takes over the program. He had great success at Arkansas State and defeated Central Arkansas 53-24 with the Red Wolves last year. What does all this mean? It might mean an interesting matchup with the potential to end similarly to Ole Miss’s 2010 opener against Jacksonville St., a 49-48 overtime loss that set the tone for the season. Rebel Black Bears 32-27
Jackson St. at Mississippi St - This falls into the skip it catagory. Jackson St. is out-classed. Bulldogs 31-9
Michigan vs. Alabama - This is the marquee game of Week 1, matching a BCS bowl team from the Big Ten with the defending national champions. Alabama was ravaged by attrition, but Nick Saban is seldom forced to rebuild. The Tide are likely to be amongst the nation’s best. Michigan was a surprise team last season after they had been a relative non-factor under Rich Rodriguez. Now, the Wolverines look like a possible national championship contender. This is a game in which Michigan has everything to gain and nothing to lose. If they fall to Alabama, it’s okay because they were expected to. If they win, they shock the college football world and shoot up in the rankings. For Alabama, no good can come of this game. If they win, they’ve simply met expectation. In fact, if they don’t dominate, it could be perceived as a bad sign and hurt their ranking. Lose and the Tide will be forced to spend a month addressing questions about their own talent and the conference’s standing in the college football world. Michigan is likely to come out fired up while Alabama will approach the game as business as usual. This should lead to a hard fought, fun game that ultimately ends in an SEC victory. Alabama 31-24
Kentucky at Louisville - The final SEC game of the weekend is Kentucky’s desparate attempt to right a ship that was rapidly sinking until they started to bail out against the Vols in the final game of the season. Kentucky is lacking talent, depth, and coaching. Louisville has all three. In fact, the Cardinals look much more like an SEC team than Kentucky does. That is a credit to the job that Charlie Strong has done with this team. Strong has brough in talent from around the country, and now the Cardinals look ready to dominate the Big East. Look for Teddy Bridgewater to emerge this season in much the same way that Robert Griffin III did last season. Looking at Louisville’s schedule, it’s hard to find more than one potential loss, and trust me when I say that the danger isn’t coming from the Wildcats. Louisville 41-14
Tennessee's Most Underrated
Mychal Rivera is my unsung hero on the offensive side of the
ball. Rivera has gotten lost in the shuffle as fans clamor over the
trio of Justin Hunter, Da’Rick Rogers, and Cordarrelle Patterson. What
seems to be forgotten is the fact that Rivera was the second leading
receiver last year with 29 receptions and 344 yards. Those numbers
should have been even higher. Rivera admits to getting frustrated last
year as he was underutilized in the short to intermediate passing game.
One of the points of emphasis in the spring was ensuring that the tigt
ends and backs no longer get overlooked as receiving threats. That
should lead to bigger numbers for a tight end who has reshaped his body
this offseason, currently resembling a big wideout more than the gifted
all-around tigt end that he is. I’m going to predict 40-45 receptions
for 500-600 yards and 4-6 touchdowns from the gifted Californian.
Prentiss Waggner might not seem like an overlooked talent, but he has gotten as much flak and disrespect as any Vol since Jon Crompton, which is mind-boggling. Mention Waggner and you hear terms like “slow”, “journeyman”, and “boarderline”. Strange considering he made All-American lists just two years ago. Of course, the group who did perhaps the greatest disservice to Prentiss was the last group of defensive coaches, who continually bounced him between safety and corner. Waggner is a natural corner and a proven playmaker, and could overshadow a less natural corner like Tyrann Mathieu, who plays like an out-of-position free safety. Johnthan Banks and Dee Millner may be the only two SEC corners who have better cover skills. I expect Waggner to account for 40-45 tackles, 2-4 tackles for loss, 4-6 interceptions, and 10-12 passes defended on his way to all-conference honors.
It’s hard to believe how little faith people have in Devrin Young after he performed exceptionally last season. He should be co-returner on kickoffs with Cordarrelle Patterson and he is the most likely option to handle punt returns this year. Add on his expanded role in the offense and this is a player who could excell this season. He had one of the best years returning kicks in Tennessee history, and that came in spite of missing the first few games. Many fans are enamored with the numbers Patterson put up returning kickoffs, but given his probable role as the number three receiver, he may not see the majority of kickoffs in order to keep him fresh.
Prentiss Waggner might not seem like an overlooked talent, but he has gotten as much flak and disrespect as any Vol since Jon Crompton, which is mind-boggling. Mention Waggner and you hear terms like “slow”, “journeyman”, and “boarderline”. Strange considering he made All-American lists just two years ago. Of course, the group who did perhaps the greatest disservice to Prentiss was the last group of defensive coaches, who continually bounced him between safety and corner. Waggner is a natural corner and a proven playmaker, and could overshadow a less natural corner like Tyrann Mathieu, who plays like an out-of-position free safety. Johnthan Banks and Dee Millner may be the only two SEC corners who have better cover skills. I expect Waggner to account for 40-45 tackles, 2-4 tackles for loss, 4-6 interceptions, and 10-12 passes defended on his way to all-conference honors.
It’s hard to believe how little faith people have in Devrin Young after he performed exceptionally last season. He should be co-returner on kickoffs with Cordarrelle Patterson and he is the most likely option to handle punt returns this year. Add on his expanded role in the offense and this is a player who could excell this season. He had one of the best years returning kicks in Tennessee history, and that came in spite of missing the first few games. Many fans are enamored with the numbers Patterson put up returning kickoffs, but given his probable role as the number three receiver, he may not see the majority of kickoffs in order to keep him fresh.
Hidden/Ignored Shortcomings in the SEC
Each team has major issues that either get glossed over or
forgotten. I want to bring these weaknesses out into the open. Let’s
take a look at this starting with the Crimson Tide.
Alabama: Can you name any Tide receivers? Anyone? Exactly. Kenny Bell is the top returning receiver with his whole 255 yards. It may be true that Bama is going to pass the ball more, but who will make the catch is a HUGE unknown. Duron Carter, the son of NFL great Cris Carter, is set to go to his third college after failing to make things work with the Tide. He was the big hope for a playmaking superstar. In fact, there is such a lack of playmakers that true freshmen Amari Cooper, Chris Black, and Eddie Williams are all anticipated to make immediate impacts. Don’t be shocked if running back T.J. Yeldon sees regular snaps at receiver. Tight end Michael Williams is the only player guaranteed to hold onto his job, but he is a more impressive blocker than receiver.
Arkansas: How do you know something is wrong with your secondary? Razorback fans can’t even name anyone from the unit! The top cover man from the group is an unknown strong safety who put up decent numbers…kind of. Ultimately, if this wasn’t the top passing offense in the conference, the numbers wouldn’t have been there. None of the members of the secondary have put up significant statistics, and now that the pass rushing is likely to suffer due to attrition, this unit will be tested and likely found to be lacking.
Auburn: This unit returns three starters, but last year’s group allowed 32 sacks. Yes, there was some uncertainty at quarterback, so teams sent the house to grab the QB. Of course, there still isn’t a clear cut starter at quarterback, so there’s no reason to believe the results will be any better this year. The left side of the line is being rebuilt, and with only right-handed quarterbacks, they may find themselves blindsided all year. In fact, Auburn may even turn to some true freshmen to provide key depth. Avery Young could even emerge as a starter at some point.
Florida: Of all the places where Florida could struggle, the defense has never been mentioned. That is an oversight because the Gator secondary struggled in 2011, and the unit returns intact with few significant additions. Only one of the Gator’s top four safeties stands taller than 5’10”, and the top cover corner defended five passes without an interception. In fact, the Florida defense finished dead last in interceptions last year with only eight while yeilding 15 touchdowns. With Jaye Howard in the NFL and Ronald Powell out indefinitely following an ACL tear in the spring, it’s hard to expect help from the pass rush. Somebody must prove that they have the ability to shut down a receiver or teams like Georgia and Tennessee will have a field day.
Georgia: The special teams of Georgia have been gutted by attrition. Gone are highly productive kickers Blair Walsh and Drew Butler and top return man Brandon Boykin. That wouldn’t be such a huge deal if not for the fact that a pair of true freshmen are being looked to at placekicker and punter. Even the job as the top returner could end up going to a true freshman. Marshall Morgan left high school with a share of the record for longest field goal, and Collin Barber was All-State in high school as a punter. Don’t be surprised if Keith Marshall takes over the return duties with his combination of size and speed. This is a unit with entirely too many questions to be regarded as anything more than a weakness.
Kentucky: While finding a strength would be much more impressive, that isn’t the focus of this piece. However, I will disect the closest thing to a strength the Wildcats have. The running backs were almost effective last year, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good unit. In fact, they only ran for 1400 yards because they absolutely couldn’t throw the ball. Oh, and 570 yards came against Central Michigan (#93 rush defense) and FCS member Jacksonville State. Most of their other strong performances came against teams ranked in the bottom half of the country. Additionally, no back has established himself as the top rusher, so consistency has proven elusive.
Louisiana State: Can you name an LSU reciver not named Odell Beckham, Jr.? I’m willing to bet you can’t, even if you’re an LSU fan. After Beckham, Jr., no reciver broke 200 yards reciving in 2011. That is an unnerving statistic for a team desperate for improved productivity in the passing game. Jarvis Landry needs to be the player advertised when he came out of high school after getting a slow start last year. True freshman Avery Johnson will also be asked to contribute early. Mettenberger is regarded as a better passer than either of the quarterbacks who started last year, so the production should improve if the receivers can develop some consistency.
Mississippi: The Rebels are very much like Kentucky in that almost everything is a weakness. The linebackers are the closest thing to a strength that the Rebels have on defense, but they really haven’t been settled in that unit. Mike Marry, Ralph Wlliams, Serderius Bryant, Joel Kight, and Aaron Garbutt all saw three or more starts last season, preventing the players from developing chemistry. The group also struggled to make plays behind the line of scrimmage, only accumulating 14.5 tackles for loss as a group. They were also non-factors in pass defense, only breaking up three total passes. This group will have to find established starters and increased productivity.
Mississippi State: The defensive line has the potential to be either the strongest unit on defense for the Bulldogs, or they could cause this team to fail to meet expectations for a second year in a row. It’s crazy to think about, but this team may have lost a first round draft pick from the line and still be better in the pass rush. The unit loses two starters from last year’s team, and returning starting defensive end Kaleb Eulls was unspectacular, but returning tackle Josh Boyd has all-conference potential. It’s the newcomers that have great potential but numerous questions. Denico Autry has perfect size to play end in the SEC, and after going through the spring with the team he earned the starting job. True freshman Quay Evans was exceptional in the spring game, accumulating six tackles and three sacks and earning himself the starting job. The question with this group is the ability to perform facing SEC offensive line.
Missouri: The Tigers’ offense should be explosive, but they have one enormous question: the offensive line. Even if they returned everyone there would still be concerns based on the defensive nature of their new conference, but only two returning linemen started last year. Mitch Morse takes over at center and Jack Meiners is the new right guard. Elvis Fisher was a starter, but now he is trying to return from a season ending injury. This line is a little undersized by SEC standards and could be the unit that prevents this team from being a bowl team.
South Carolina: The defense is expected to be the strength of the Gamecocks’ team, but I believe there is a glaring weakness within the defense: the secondary. They lose both Stephon Gilmore and CC Whitlock at corner and DeVonte Holloman moves from safety to linebacker. That leaves them returning only one full-time starter from a year ago, the safety DJ Swearinger. Swearinger is a true talent at safety, but the man lining up next to him is sophomore Brison Williams. Williams played in eight games last year, collecting eleven tackles. Williams is a little lacking in size and needs to develop further to become a legitimate SEC safety. At corner, Akeem Auguste returns after spending last year recovering from a broken foot. He is emensely talented but unfortunately undersized. Auguste has played both corner and safety, but he is locked in at corner now, leaving him on an island with receivers who stand at least six feet tall compared to his 5’9” frame. Victor Hampton is an agressive corner who will either make the big play or give one up.
Tennessee: The Volunteer secondary is experienced, but that experience hasn’t come with a high level of productivity. This group allowed opponents to complete 58% of their passes while only forcing opponents into throwing nine interceptions. Don’t forget the 14 touchdowns this unit yeilded. The group has good size and looks like they should be capable of defending most groups of receivers, but that hasn’t consistently translated into strong play. The team has moved to a 3-4 defensive front in the hopes that the pass rush will be improved; if so, this group could get the job done. Otherwise, competent quarterbacks will decimate the Vols’ defense.
Texas A&M: There is a very overlooked defensive move taking place in the SEC. Texas A&M has decided to abandon the 3-4 they’ve run the last few seasons. New head coach Kevin Sumlin hired former Ohio State and South Florida defensive coordinator Mark Snyder, who brings his 4-3 defensive system to the Aggies. That means that there are some major questions along the front four. While things are settled at linebacker, Damontre Moore must adjust to playing with his hand on the ground as a traditional defensive end. He was exceptionally productive last year, collecting 72 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks. He will need to come close to matching the tackles for loss and sacks this year. Spencer Nealy is transitioning from 3-4 end to a pass rushing 4-3 end. He didn’t rack up massive numbers last year, but that’s not surprising given his duties in the old system. Neither tackle has done anything of significance at this point despite both being upperclassmen. This group must perform at a high level now that they are faced with big, strong SEC offensive lines.
Vanderbilt: The offensive line allowed 94 tackles for loss, 28 of which were sacks, last season. While some of that could be blamed on the quarterbacks, most of the blame falls at the feet of the linemen. That leaves major questions regarding the line’s ability to hold up on the line of scrimmage, and with three of the same guys back, it is hard to see very much improvement. Wesley Johnson at left tackle is the only member of the Vandy line who is fully secure in his job. The guards are both converted defensive linemen who are still working on settling into their roles as blockers in spite of the fact that they played in those roles last year. The newcomers at right tackle and center are undersized sophomores. There are no clear indications of improvement, but the skill players may be talented enough to perform in spite of them.
Alabama: Can you name any Tide receivers? Anyone? Exactly. Kenny Bell is the top returning receiver with his whole 255 yards. It may be true that Bama is going to pass the ball more, but who will make the catch is a HUGE unknown. Duron Carter, the son of NFL great Cris Carter, is set to go to his third college after failing to make things work with the Tide. He was the big hope for a playmaking superstar. In fact, there is such a lack of playmakers that true freshmen Amari Cooper, Chris Black, and Eddie Williams are all anticipated to make immediate impacts. Don’t be shocked if running back T.J. Yeldon sees regular snaps at receiver. Tight end Michael Williams is the only player guaranteed to hold onto his job, but he is a more impressive blocker than receiver.
Arkansas: How do you know something is wrong with your secondary? Razorback fans can’t even name anyone from the unit! The top cover man from the group is an unknown strong safety who put up decent numbers…kind of. Ultimately, if this wasn’t the top passing offense in the conference, the numbers wouldn’t have been there. None of the members of the secondary have put up significant statistics, and now that the pass rushing is likely to suffer due to attrition, this unit will be tested and likely found to be lacking.
Auburn: This unit returns three starters, but last year’s group allowed 32 sacks. Yes, there was some uncertainty at quarterback, so teams sent the house to grab the QB. Of course, there still isn’t a clear cut starter at quarterback, so there’s no reason to believe the results will be any better this year. The left side of the line is being rebuilt, and with only right-handed quarterbacks, they may find themselves blindsided all year. In fact, Auburn may even turn to some true freshmen to provide key depth. Avery Young could even emerge as a starter at some point.
Florida: Of all the places where Florida could struggle, the defense has never been mentioned. That is an oversight because the Gator secondary struggled in 2011, and the unit returns intact with few significant additions. Only one of the Gator’s top four safeties stands taller than 5’10”, and the top cover corner defended five passes without an interception. In fact, the Florida defense finished dead last in interceptions last year with only eight while yeilding 15 touchdowns. With Jaye Howard in the NFL and Ronald Powell out indefinitely following an ACL tear in the spring, it’s hard to expect help from the pass rush. Somebody must prove that they have the ability to shut down a receiver or teams like Georgia and Tennessee will have a field day.
Georgia: The special teams of Georgia have been gutted by attrition. Gone are highly productive kickers Blair Walsh and Drew Butler and top return man Brandon Boykin. That wouldn’t be such a huge deal if not for the fact that a pair of true freshmen are being looked to at placekicker and punter. Even the job as the top returner could end up going to a true freshman. Marshall Morgan left high school with a share of the record for longest field goal, and Collin Barber was All-State in high school as a punter. Don’t be surprised if Keith Marshall takes over the return duties with his combination of size and speed. This is a unit with entirely too many questions to be regarded as anything more than a weakness.
Kentucky: While finding a strength would be much more impressive, that isn’t the focus of this piece. However, I will disect the closest thing to a strength the Wildcats have. The running backs were almost effective last year, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good unit. In fact, they only ran for 1400 yards because they absolutely couldn’t throw the ball. Oh, and 570 yards came against Central Michigan (#93 rush defense) and FCS member Jacksonville State. Most of their other strong performances came against teams ranked in the bottom half of the country. Additionally, no back has established himself as the top rusher, so consistency has proven elusive.
Louisiana State: Can you name an LSU reciver not named Odell Beckham, Jr.? I’m willing to bet you can’t, even if you’re an LSU fan. After Beckham, Jr., no reciver broke 200 yards reciving in 2011. That is an unnerving statistic for a team desperate for improved productivity in the passing game. Jarvis Landry needs to be the player advertised when he came out of high school after getting a slow start last year. True freshman Avery Johnson will also be asked to contribute early. Mettenberger is regarded as a better passer than either of the quarterbacks who started last year, so the production should improve if the receivers can develop some consistency.
Mississippi: The Rebels are very much like Kentucky in that almost everything is a weakness. The linebackers are the closest thing to a strength that the Rebels have on defense, but they really haven’t been settled in that unit. Mike Marry, Ralph Wlliams, Serderius Bryant, Joel Kight, and Aaron Garbutt all saw three or more starts last season, preventing the players from developing chemistry. The group also struggled to make plays behind the line of scrimmage, only accumulating 14.5 tackles for loss as a group. They were also non-factors in pass defense, only breaking up three total passes. This group will have to find established starters and increased productivity.
Mississippi State: The defensive line has the potential to be either the strongest unit on defense for the Bulldogs, or they could cause this team to fail to meet expectations for a second year in a row. It’s crazy to think about, but this team may have lost a first round draft pick from the line and still be better in the pass rush. The unit loses two starters from last year’s team, and returning starting defensive end Kaleb Eulls was unspectacular, but returning tackle Josh Boyd has all-conference potential. It’s the newcomers that have great potential but numerous questions. Denico Autry has perfect size to play end in the SEC, and after going through the spring with the team he earned the starting job. True freshman Quay Evans was exceptional in the spring game, accumulating six tackles and three sacks and earning himself the starting job. The question with this group is the ability to perform facing SEC offensive line.
Missouri: The Tigers’ offense should be explosive, but they have one enormous question: the offensive line. Even if they returned everyone there would still be concerns based on the defensive nature of their new conference, but only two returning linemen started last year. Mitch Morse takes over at center and Jack Meiners is the new right guard. Elvis Fisher was a starter, but now he is trying to return from a season ending injury. This line is a little undersized by SEC standards and could be the unit that prevents this team from being a bowl team.
South Carolina: The defense is expected to be the strength of the Gamecocks’ team, but I believe there is a glaring weakness within the defense: the secondary. They lose both Stephon Gilmore and CC Whitlock at corner and DeVonte Holloman moves from safety to linebacker. That leaves them returning only one full-time starter from a year ago, the safety DJ Swearinger. Swearinger is a true talent at safety, but the man lining up next to him is sophomore Brison Williams. Williams played in eight games last year, collecting eleven tackles. Williams is a little lacking in size and needs to develop further to become a legitimate SEC safety. At corner, Akeem Auguste returns after spending last year recovering from a broken foot. He is emensely talented but unfortunately undersized. Auguste has played both corner and safety, but he is locked in at corner now, leaving him on an island with receivers who stand at least six feet tall compared to his 5’9” frame. Victor Hampton is an agressive corner who will either make the big play or give one up.
Tennessee: The Volunteer secondary is experienced, but that experience hasn’t come with a high level of productivity. This group allowed opponents to complete 58% of their passes while only forcing opponents into throwing nine interceptions. Don’t forget the 14 touchdowns this unit yeilded. The group has good size and looks like they should be capable of defending most groups of receivers, but that hasn’t consistently translated into strong play. The team has moved to a 3-4 defensive front in the hopes that the pass rush will be improved; if so, this group could get the job done. Otherwise, competent quarterbacks will decimate the Vols’ defense.
Texas A&M: There is a very overlooked defensive move taking place in the SEC. Texas A&M has decided to abandon the 3-4 they’ve run the last few seasons. New head coach Kevin Sumlin hired former Ohio State and South Florida defensive coordinator Mark Snyder, who brings his 4-3 defensive system to the Aggies. That means that there are some major questions along the front four. While things are settled at linebacker, Damontre Moore must adjust to playing with his hand on the ground as a traditional defensive end. He was exceptionally productive last year, collecting 72 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks. He will need to come close to matching the tackles for loss and sacks this year. Spencer Nealy is transitioning from 3-4 end to a pass rushing 4-3 end. He didn’t rack up massive numbers last year, but that’s not surprising given his duties in the old system. Neither tackle has done anything of significance at this point despite both being upperclassmen. This group must perform at a high level now that they are faced with big, strong SEC offensive lines.
Vanderbilt: The offensive line allowed 94 tackles for loss, 28 of which were sacks, last season. While some of that could be blamed on the quarterbacks, most of the blame falls at the feet of the linemen. That leaves major questions regarding the line’s ability to hold up on the line of scrimmage, and with three of the same guys back, it is hard to see very much improvement. Wesley Johnson at left tackle is the only member of the Vandy line who is fully secure in his job. The guards are both converted defensive linemen who are still working on settling into their roles as blockers in spite of the fact that they played in those roles last year. The newcomers at right tackle and center are undersized sophomores. There are no clear indications of improvement, but the skill players may be talented enough to perform in spite of them.
A Rude Welcome?
Missouri and Texas A&M find themselves facing a challenge:
adjusting to the Southeastern Conference after spending the last 16
years in the Big 12. Given this challenge, will these newcomers find
themselves crushed in their first year of SEC football or will they make
a splash in their first season?
Let’s take a look at the Aggies first. Most analysts seem to agree that the SEC West is the tougher of the two divisions. That should mean that A&M will struggle, right? Probably not. The Aggies entered the conference looking SEC ready, and with new head coach Kevin Sumlin bringing his explosive offensive system and new defensive coordinator bring both head coaching and coordinating experience, the team looks solid. I think that 8-4 is well within reach for the Aggies this season, but I would call Mississippi State and Missouri toss-up games. The bottom line for A&M is this: anything less than bowl eligibility has to be considered a failure.
Missouri has the easier division to play in, but they also bring in a less conference ready team. The offense should be great, but the defense isn’t capable of holding up week in and week out against the bruising offenses of the SEC. They should be able to outscore every non-conference opponent on their schedule, but within the conference they are probably on par with Vanderbilt. Their game against Vandy should be a coin-toss, and their best chances for pulling a much needed upset are Tennessee and Texas A&M. Mizzou could end up earning bowl eligibility, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them fall short.
So where does that leave the newcomers? Well, they should rapidly assume a role as middle-of-the-pack SEC teams, which isn’t the worst place to find yourself. I don’t expect them to get any extra effort from any of the SEC veterans, but they certainly won’t get any slack either.
Let’s take a look at the Aggies first. Most analysts seem to agree that the SEC West is the tougher of the two divisions. That should mean that A&M will struggle, right? Probably not. The Aggies entered the conference looking SEC ready, and with new head coach Kevin Sumlin bringing his explosive offensive system and new defensive coordinator bring both head coaching and coordinating experience, the team looks solid. I think that 8-4 is well within reach for the Aggies this season, but I would call Mississippi State and Missouri toss-up games. The bottom line for A&M is this: anything less than bowl eligibility has to be considered a failure.
Missouri has the easier division to play in, but they also bring in a less conference ready team. The offense should be great, but the defense isn’t capable of holding up week in and week out against the bruising offenses of the SEC. They should be able to outscore every non-conference opponent on their schedule, but within the conference they are probably on par with Vanderbilt. Their game against Vandy should be a coin-toss, and their best chances for pulling a much needed upset are Tennessee and Texas A&M. Mizzou could end up earning bowl eligibility, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them fall short.
So where does that leave the newcomers? Well, they should rapidly assume a role as middle-of-the-pack SEC teams, which isn’t the worst place to find yourself. I don’t expect them to get any extra effort from any of the SEC veterans, but they certainly won’t get any slack either.
The SECs Top Ten Heisman Hopefuls
These are the top guys in the conference, and each one of them
could find themselves getting enough press to wind up in New York in
January. This is my list, although most of these guys are on somebody’s
watch list. Here’s my list:
- Tyler Wilson, Arkansas-It’s hard to bet against quarterbacks in the Heisman race when you consider that only one winner since 2000 has played any other position. (I know that Reggie Bush technically won the award in 2005, but he doesn’t have it now, does he?) Wilson has a strong receiving corps and an offensive system that lends itself to big numbers. The return of Knile Davis should help keep defenses honest.
- Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina-In his two seasons as a Gamecock, Lattimore has accounted for 2,609 total yards, 2,015 of which came on the ground. He has done all that in only 20 games due to an ACL injury ending his year early in 2011, but his average of 130.45 total yards per game tells the story on this big back. Running backs are usually the second most likely to win a Heisman, and Lattimore is arguably the nation’s best.
- Tyrann Mathieu, LSU-The “Honey Badger” finished fifth in the Heisman voting last year. Mathieu is an elite punt returner and does a little bit of everything on defense. He plays corner, but he plays it like an in-the-box safety. At 5’9” and 175 pounds, he is probably the pound-for-pound hardest hitter in the conference. This season, he may get a chance to increase his special teams numbers as a replacement for Morris Claiborne is needed on kick returns.
- Tyler Bray, Tennessee-Bray had the second best offense per game average in 2011, but it should have been even better than the 273.3 yards per game he wound up with. Through the first five games, Bray averaged 303.8 yards per game. Bray has the talent and the receivers to put up huge numbers, but the team needs to win to give him a real chance.
- Eddie Lacy, Alabama-Could this be the next great Alabama back? Maybe. Lacy has accumulated 151 carries, 1080 yards, and 13 touchdowns over the last two years. That’s a 7.15 yard per carry average! Nick Saban typically likes leaning on a single back to carry the majority of the load, and Lacy may be that guy for 2012.
- Cobi Hamilton, Arkansas-Hamilton has put up big numbers in his limited opportunities over the last three seasons. He has accumulated 85 receptions, 1,519 yards, 13 touchdowns, and a 17.9 yard per reception average. Hamilton could meet those numbers in this season alone! He should be option number one for Wilson, and number two might not even be close given Marquel Wade’s uncertain status with the team.
- Justin Hunter, Tennessee-Hunter might be the SECs most explosive receiving threat…maybe. The sample size is still a little too small to say this definitively, but his 33 receptions, 729 yards, 9 touchdowns and 22.1 career yard per reception average tease at the kind of impact he could have over a full season. The problem is Da’Rick Rogers, Cordarrelle Patterson, Mychal Rivera, decent receivers out of the backfield, and a gifted group of freshmen receivers who could steal receptions away from him.
- James Franklin, Missouri-Were he on an established SEC team, Franklin would likely be in the top 3. Missouri can’t win enough games to propel him to that level in 2012. Franklin will likely finish with between 3,500-4,000 yards of total offense and 35-40 total touchdowns, but six or seven wins isn’t enough to launch a legitimate Heisman campaign. He could have a real shot in 2013 if he returns for his senior year.
- Knile Davis, Arkansas-Davis has three major roadblocks to his Heisman campaign: Tyler Wilson, Cobi Hamilton, and an offensive line that will struggle to get enough push against the best defenses in the SEC. He will still break 1,000 yards, and he could even match his numbers from 2010, but it still won’t be enough to steal the votes he needs from his teammates.
- Aaron Murray, Georgia-Murray keeps having challenges thrown his way. This year, he loses 1,495 yards and 14 touchdowns of receiving production. Most of those players are no longer with the team, either due to graduation or dismissal, but a big chunk of productivity could be reintroduced if Malcolm Mitchell is moved back to receiver from defensive back. Another potential drain on his numbers is the rushing attack. This isn’t a better unit without Isaiah Crowell, but they might be healthier mentally. Newcomers Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley are gifted rushers, and there is still plenty of returning talent in the backfield. The offensive line has also lost three starters and looks considerably weaker than a year ago. These elements could combine to kill his Heisman campaign before it begins.
I'm Corey Snyder and I'm moving here from Tumblr in order to try and create a more professional look and feel for my blog and link in my YouTube channel and other tools in order to create an organic experience. I'm going to be moving in all my articles from my Tumblr in the next few hours, and then I'm going to begin expanding on my content. Previously I've only talked about the SEC and their football programs, but I want to be able to blog more consistently year round, so I'm talking about it all! If you want me to talk about anything or if you have anything you want to ask, please feel free to ask and I'll answer (within reason).
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