Wednesday, August 31, 2011

2011 College Football Preview: Part 6 - SEC

The best conference in the land... as much as I hate to say it...

STANDINGS

West
  • Alabama (12-1) - The Tide are loaded... again... I'll lead with the major question... how can I pick a team to go 12-1 with a new QB?... well, I trust Alabama... that's basically what it comes down to... AJ McCarron and Phillip Sims are still battling for the job, but whoever wins it doesn't need to be spectacular... hand it off to Trent Richardson and throw to 2 vet receivers in Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks... and then rely on the best defense in the land... Dont'a Hightower and CJ Mosley may be the 2 best LBs in the country, and they play alongside each other, and Mark Barron is an All-American at safety as well... scary talent, and the best coach in the country IMO...
  • LSU (10-2) - Blessing in disguise? Yes, that's what I'd call the Jordan Jefferson suspension... I would never wish that kind of thing on anyone but FOOTBALL-wise, I think it could be good for LSU... never a fan of Jefferson and Lee (or Mettenberger) may be better at stretching the field for them... I think the bigger loss, at least early, on offense is Russell Shepard, the elite talent on the edge... Morris Claiborne anchors a big-time defense that is replacing some big-time guys, but as always, the depth remains in Baton Rouge... I don't trust Les Miles at all, but it's still a talented, talented team...
  • Arkansas (9-3) - Tyler Wilson sure is getting a lot of buzz, isn't he?!... the new Hogs QB played one huge quarter against Auburn and has been anointed as the 2nd coming... he is talented though... the loss of Knile Davis for the year is a big blow, and even though they have a stable behind him, none are elite in the way that Davis has shown to be... they'll score points, but the questions are on defense... probably the best offense in the conference, but not quite the SEC-champ level on defense..
  • Mississippi State (8-4) - I can still hear cowbells from the Gator Bowl... I don't want to talk about it... Chris Relf is a beast at QB (watch the Gator Bowl tape, again) and the offense is pretty good... they'll rely on a stout run defense and the fact that most of the SEC isn't throwing the rock with particular effectiveness...
  • Auburn (6-6) - They lose... every... thing... on offense, the obvious loss of the Heisman winner hurts, but that tough, veteran offensive line was jettisoned as well, and they'll be breaking in Barrett Trotter (I think) or Clint Moseley behind a young line... I do like Mike Dyer a lot at RB, and he'll have the workload unlike last year... on defense? They weren't great last year anyway, but with the loss of Nick Fairley AND most of the secondary, it could be a long year... the schedule makes them look worse than they probably are, but I could legitimately seeing them missing a bowl...
  • Ole Miss (5-7) - The Jeremiah Masoli experiment didn't go so well.. there are QB questions for sure, but Brandon Bolden is a nice RB, and they sport a massive and talented O-Line that should help things on offense... the defense isn't brutal, but there aren't any elite playmakers to speak of...
East
  1. Florida (10-3) - I feel like no one is talking about Florida.... I whole-heartedly trust Charlie Weis as an offensive coordinator, and John Brantley has all kinds of talent (there is a reason he was hyped big-time)... I don't expect the offense to be dominant, but he'll scheme around Brantley's strengths (a la Brady Quinn) and they'll be dramatic improvement from the jump... they still have all kinds of speed and talent on defense led by Ronald Powell, and I expect a repeat of the top-15 unit nationally from 2010...
  2. South Carolina (9-3) - Best wide receiver in the conference (and maybe the country) in Alshon Jeffery... kid is a complete beast... and speaking of beasts? How about Marcus Lattimore who may be an all-American as well... oh, and then there's Stephen Garcia... but before you laugh, how many QB's would you take before him in the SEC? One? maybe two?... he's an experienced guy who's gotten better and if you disregard the off-field, you'd feel pretty good... the defense has big-time talent in the front 4 including super-recruit Jadeveon Clowney, but the back-end has some questions...
  3. Georgia (9-3) - Tiebreaker? I think they lose in Columbia... Aaron Murray is everyone's 1st-team All-SEC QB and with good reason... kid is a stud... but there are huge questions elsewhere on offense at RB (where they'll rely on a freshman) and WR with the loss of Green and Durham... the defense should be markedly improved in the 2nd year of the 3-4 and there's big-time talent over there... Keep an eye on TE Orson Charles... may be the most talented TE in the country...
  4. Tennessee (7-5) - I think the Vols are on the upswing... but they aren't quite there yet... Tyler Bray was impressive down the stretch last year, and RB Tauren Poole is a player... I think they'll score points, but the defense still has some questions after morphing out of the old Monte Kiffin Tampa-2 a year ago...
  5. Kentucky (5-7) - Losing Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke really, really hurts their explosiveness... but returning all 5 O-line starters helps, and they won't be a trainwreck defensively after returning 9 starters, but 9 starters from a mediocre unit doesn't inspire...
  6. Vanderbilt (3-9) - New coaching staff... new system... lack of talent... could be a long year in Nashville...
AWARDS
  • Offensive POY - Trent Richardson, RB Alabama
  • Defensive POY - Dont'a Hightower, LB Alabama
  • Coach of the Year - Will Muschamp, Florida
CHAMPS
  • Alabama over Florida... to the National title game they go...
Enjoy... and stay tuned for Part 7 with national awards/bowls and a look at Notre Dame...

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