The Sec once again holds the crown as Ncaa football's toughest, deepest, discussion from top to bottom. As usual, speed, especially on the defensive side of the football, along with some high powered rushing attacks; highlight this year's Sec preview. Big name head coaches and coordinators also are a base theme.
It is curious to note that for the first time since the early part of this century, the Sec East appears to be the tougher of the two divisions, with 3 of the top 5 teams. This opinion, of course, assumes Tennessee's return to the top 20, and the continued revision of Florida and South Carolina under Hc's Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier.
Georgia High School Football
Overall, I have 3 Sec teams in my preseason Top 10, with Auburn at #4, Florida at #7, and Lsu at #9. Much will be decided on Sept. 16th when Florida travels to Knoxville, Tn, and Auburn hosts Lsu, both divisions could come down to the wire once again.
Predictions:
West Champ: Auburn
East Champ: Florida
Possible Sleepers (Ats value): Kentucky and Alabama
Power Rankings: (1-100)
Auburn 92 ----- Florida 92
Lsu 90 --------- Tennessee 91
Alabama 85 --- Georgia 90
Arkansas 85 --- S.Carolina 85
Miss St. 76 ----- Kentucky 76
Ole Miss 76 ---- Vanderbilt 71
West:
Auburn: Tommy Tubberville has cemented himself as one of college football's best head coaches, important the Tigers to a 21-3 report the past 3 seasons. Replacing 4 1st round picks from 2004's Nfl draft, along with 3 from the obnoxious backfield alone looked like a daunting task entering last season, but the Tigers were an overtime loss in Baton Rouge away from their second consecutive undefeated Sec season. Qb Zach Cox logged a 13/4 ratio after a nightmarish Game 1 loss to Georgia Tech, while Rb Kenny Irons looks like first day Nfl draft pick. A playmaker must emerge from the Tigers wide receiving corps, but there are options.
On defense, the Tigers have given up more than 30 points only once in their last 30 games. There are some questions marks as some players are changing position, and they are a bit smallish at the linebacker and defensive end positions. However, the Cb position is rock solid, and the position battles have been fierce this August. They also have the Sec's best punter in Sr. Kody Bliss.
The War Eagle were embarrassed in last year's bowl game by an emotional Wisconsin Badger team that they were miles ahead of paper. Many of the upperclassmen reportedly used that carrying out as motivation this spring and summer. This a team that has won 16 out of 17 games in college football's toughest conference, and out yarded teams by 119 ypg in discussion play. They play their 3 toughest opponents at Jordan-Hare stadium, along with the matchup with Lsu. They are my pick to win the West.
Lsu: When last seen, the Bayou Boys were dismantling the Miami Hurricanes 40-3 in the Peach Bowl. Much like Auburn, this is a team that has cemented its place among College Football's elite. Last year, I had Lsu rated as the top team in this conference, and one of my top 3 teams overall. Then Katrina came, stealing the focus and convention time of the Tigers for the first part of the season. Conditioning may have been an issue in their come-from-ahead overtime loss to Tennessee early on. They team rebounded nicely to win the West, and destroyed the U in the bowl. The good news is that Les Miles and his two ace coordinators welcome back what may be the nation's deepest team. The recruiting of Nick Saben and now Miles has been top shelf and this schedule is at a point where they plainly reload. The only downer is that I do not think this year's beginning 22 is as good as last year's...Yet.
Lsu loses a ton on both lines, which may in fact hurt them in their early matchup with a corporal Auburn team. 3 of their defensive linemen were Nfl draft choices and they lose 4 starters from their obnoxious line as well. That defense was impossible to run on last year, allowing only 92 ypg. That may not be the case this season, but the secondary led by possibly the nation's best defensive player Fs Laron Landry, is one of the conference's top two along with Tennessee.
Qb Jamarcus Russell appears to have fought off Jr. Matt Flynn and Rfr. Ryan Perriloux for the beginning position and he is 15-2 as a starter. The Daunte Culpepper clone has as big as arm as there is in college football and is surrounded by numerous weapons. Again, it is a tribute to this program's depth and anticipation level when a 15-2 Qb must fend off challengers. This team in fact has a very good opening to win the west, the Sec, and a major bowl game.
Alabama: Dan Shula is thought about a step down from his more esteemed discussion counterparts, but he did a fine job last year, and if the Tide stay a bit healthier last season this team could have won the Sec. Recruiting has returned to a level that fans in Tuscaloosa are accustomed to, and the Tide look like a safe bet for 7 wins and maybe even more, despite a brutal road schedule featuring Arkansas, Florida, Lsu and Tennessee.
Alabama may very well have had the nation's top defense in 2006, but the losses on that side of the ball are very heavy. Do not expect a 24 yards-per-point exertion again this season, as few college football defenses are that efficient. Dc Joe Kines will rely on a pair of lockdown corners as he tries to replace heavy losses at Lb and Safety. On offense, Alabama returns 9 starters and should be greatly improved, in case,granted Qb John Parker Wilson can play mistake free. Reports on Wilson are good thus far, and if this translates to game time performance, the Tide may not fall as far as many predict them too. Special teams must heighten as well.
Arkansas: The Hogs suffered B2B losing seasons for only the third time in their history the past two years, and are eager to return to a bowl this season. 19 returning starters should certainly help, and their near miss at Lsu (17-19) to end last season could be a sign of things to come. This team allowed only 20 ppg if you take out their 70-17 loss at Usc, a loss they will have a opening to avenge in Week 1. Also that tough Lsu loss, Arkansas outrushed a corporal Georgia team 216-52 losing by 3 in Athens, outyarded South Carolina by over 2-1 in another heartbreaking loss, and led at the half against Auburn. If all of the returning talent continues to improve, a bowl season should approximately certainly be in store for the Hogs', as they have already shown they can play with good teams.
Question marks do loom however, and the first is the Qb position, where Jr Robert Johnson regains his job, due generally to the injury of So Casey Dick . They have an unproven Oc, Gus Malzahn, who appears to have been hired to help land blue-chip Qb Mitch Mustain in Fayetteville. Malzahn was Mustain's high school coach, and ran a lot of shotgun spread at the prep level, while the Hogs under Hc Houston Nutt have been all about smash mouth football, logging at least 187 ypr and 4.4 ypc each of the last 4 seasons, with those numbers much higher last season. The status of future Nfl Rb Darren McFadden is also up in the air due to a hip injury. The good news is the backfield is deep led by do-it-all Fb Peyton Hillis. Dc Reggie Herring's unit looks loaded after improving by 55 ypg last year. If Malzahn's schemes blend with Nutt's philosophy, the Razorbacks could surprise a lot of people.
Mississippi State: This will be the deepest roster that Sylvester Croom gets to work with at Starkville, as Ncaa sanctions and numerous transfers plagued the Bulldogs the last incorporate of years. They are still a clear notch below the big 4 in this division, but get the nod over rival Ole Miss to avoid the West department basement due to 15 returning starters to the Rebels' 9 along with a huge edge on both lines. Msu must find a exchange to do-it-all Rb Norwood who was one of college football's most underrated players last year and is tearing it up in Atlanta Falcons camp.
Mississippi: Hc Ed Orgeron is saying all the right things, and bringing a lot of enthusiasm to the recruiting trail, however, it is yet to be seen if it will translate to wins at Oxford. He brings in Dan Werner, former Miami Hurricanes Oc to jumpstart an charge that averaged only 279ypg and 13.5 ppg. Werner hopes heighten upon one of the nation's worst rushing attacks (73 ypg!), but it is worth noting that Miami suffered a primary drop off from former years the two season he ran the show at the U. His cause will be helped by the Sec's most prolific newcomer, former Tenn Qb Brett Schaffer. As good as Schaffer can be, and early reports say he is picking up the offense very nicely, Ole Miss desperately needs a young weapon or two to emerge to help out.
Orgeron did heighten the defense by 58 ypg and 3 ppg last year, and there are playmakers in the back 7. The demand mark is up front, where the Rebels' are both young and thin with no returning starters and depth issues...Not a good blend in the corporal Sec.
East:
Florida: The Gators probably are a bit more talented top to lowest than rival Tennessee, with less revision needed after a 9-3 2005 which included a win in the Outback Bowl over Iowa. Although Chris Leak struggled early on with Urban Meyer's offense, he still threw for 2639 yds, a 63% completion %, and an outstanding 20-6 ratio. Look for big things from Leak as he puts a stamp on his perfect vocation in Gainesville. The team improved greatly as startling under Hc Urban Meyer's, but it remains to be seen if Meyer's offense can reach its pinnacle against the hard-hitting Sec defenses. Meyer prefers a more movable Qb for his offenses but will have to wait for next season, and tailor the play calling towards Leak's strengths one more year. The Wr corps is very talented, and very deep even with the loss of Chad Jackson to the Nfl.
On defense, the Gators improved 55 ypg last season, and boast one of the best front 7's in all of college football, led by Olb Earl Everett, and Dt Marcus Thomas. The Special teams were perfect last year under Meyer and all key components return. The major demand marks for Florida are an inexperienced, and beat up obnoxious line, and the cornerback position. The O-Line does have some talent to work with, but with the loss of projected starter Avery Atkins for off-the field- reasons, the Cb issue is a glaring one. Converted protection Reggie Nelson, the defense's best athlete, must step up if the Gators are to best Tennessee and Georgia in the resurgent Sec East. The schedule is brutal, and a run at the National title may not be possible, but despite playing at Tennessee, I give the talented Gators the slightest of nods to win this division.
Tennessee: Expecting a return to the norm in Knoxville, noting that if it doesn't happen, Phillip Fulmer will be finding for work. Last year's 5-6 mark ended a streak of 16 straight bowl appearances for Ut, and feeling the heat, Fulmer replaced 3 obnoxious assistants. The most heralded of these replacements is Oc David Cutcliffe, the former Ole Miss Hc who held this same position at Ut for 6 seasons in the 90's. In all 6 of those seasons, his offenses averaged over 30 ppg in the rugged Sec. It is worth noting that Fulmer is an outstanding 19-6 Su in games decided by 3 points or less in his career.
Talented Jr Qb Erik Ainge is supposedly picking up Cutcliffe's offense very quickly, regaining reliance after a sophomore slump, which was worsened by the musical Qb act in the middle of he and Rick Clausen. Tennessee returns two future Nfl Ol up front to help Ainge's cause, and the Wr corps is talented but enigmatic at times.
Tennessee must replace 6 starters from a defense that was severely underrated last season. The 18ppg allowed is misleading as this unit was on the field for long periods of time, and wore down slightly as the year progressed. They lose a lot in the front 7, but welcome back Dt Jt Mapu from a Mormon mission. Mapu started over some pretty talented Dt's and had a efficient year in 2003. He is not listed among the 5 returning starters. The secondary may be the conference's best, and can afford Dc John Chavis the luxury of taking more chances. The Vols were as devastated as any team in the Sec by injuries last season, and with a miniature luck in that department this season, along with a talented and hungry coaching staff and team, look for a big-time revision from Ole' Rocky Top.
Georgia: Mark Richt answered fall camp's biggest demand this past week naming Sr Qb Joe Tereshinski his beginning Qb over talented Freshmen Joe Cox and Matthew Stafford. Most understanding Tereshinski was basically a fill-in player that would never start at Georgia and he was the least 3 talented of the 3 candidates, although his work ethic, heart, and knowledge of the playbook cannot be questioned. It will be curious to see how Mark Richt and Neil Calloway's offense function without a big-time Qb after David Greene and Dj Shockley held the reins in Richt's first 5 seasons. The Dawgs have averaged at least 229 ypg passing in every season since Richt's arrival, and although there is talent at the Wr position, I'm not sure Tereshinski can give them that kind of production.
The law firm of Brown, Ware, and Lumpkin all return at tailback will do their best to take the onus off of their new Qb, as Georgia will probably be the best rushing offense in this side of the Sec, despite 3 new starters on the Ol. Each of the Bulldog tailbacks bring something distinct to the table, and each has the talent to start on 90% of the teams in the nation. The Special teams are all the time a vigor under Richt, and both specialists, K Brandon Coutu, and P Gordon Ely- Kelso are being mentioned as All-American candidates. On defense, the front 7 is solid despite being shredded by in the Sugar Bowl by the speed option of West Virginia. The secondary, however, loses 3 Nfl draft choices, and that may be a cause for concern if person doesn't step up for an early September 9th date at South Carolina. The schedule is very manageable as Georgia avoids Lsu, Arkansas, and Alabama from the West. Despite big Nfl losses the last two seasons, the Dawgs have a serious shot to return to their 4th Sec title game in 5 seasons. The key will be the amelioration of Tereshinski and the obnoxious line.
South Carolina: The Old Ballcoach, Steve Spurrier enjoyed mammoth success in his first year in Columbia, and the Sec's top teams great make room. A blown-game loss in the Independence bowl could not put a damper on Spurriers' debut, as he led the surprising Gamecocks' to victories over Florida and Tennessee, the two teams that Stevil will sell out to beat each and every season. Qb Blake Mitchell leads a bevy of returning obnoxious talent, and this is his second year in Spurrier's systems. The Wr corps, led by Super Soph. Sydney Rice, rivals Fl and Lsu as the conference's best.
What separates South Carolina from the Big 3 in this department is a lack of playmakers on defense. They must replace a 1st and a 4th round Nfl draft pick in the secondary, and all 3 beginning linebackers are gone as well. The Cocks won some games in thrilling fashion last season, and must continue to originate their own lucky bounces as the Big 3 in this department are still a bit more talented. Only a fool would count Spurrier out, though.
Kentucky: No team in Cfb has been more snake-bitten health-wise the last two seasons than the Wildcats, who have lost nearly 150 games due to injuries to their two deep in that time frame. If healthy, Rich Brooks' bunch returns 15 starters and experienced reserves, along with a nice group of playmakers on offense led by improving Qb Andre Woodson and Rb Rafael Little, who is a threat running, receiving, and returning. miniature led the Sec in all-purpose yards last year, and he and talented backup Tony Dixon will run behind 4 returning Ol starters.
Defensively, the Wildcats have a long way to go, but they do return some injured players, led by their best Dl Lamar Mills, who played in only 1 game last year. The only way they can go is up here as they allowed 34ppg and 4.9ypr in 2005. They do have a ability Dc in Mike Archer and revision is expected.
If Uk can heighten upon a -9 turnover ratio, this team can fight for a .500 season. The coaching staff is littered with big names, and they draw both Mississippi schools from the West. With a miniature luck, the Wildcats can come to be bowl eligible in 2006.
Vanderbilt: No player in Cfb will be more difficult to place this season than Jay Cutler, and the Commodores in fact don't get to ease their way in to life without him, opening up at Michigan and Alabama. Expect more of an emphasis on power running as 3 returning Ol starters and a pair of 225 lb. Rbs lead the way.
Unlike their discussion opponents, Vandy in fact has scholastic standards, so they routinely are the least talented team in the conference. This often shows up on Special teams, and late in the season on defense. They don't have Cutler to make up for this contrast anymore, although early reviews on Nickson are Ok. He does have a decent Ol to play behind, so respectability may be potential on that side of the ball. The good news is that sophomore K Bryant Hahnfeldt seems to have returned smoothly from an Acl suffered last year. Looks like another long year in Nashville.
dig this 2006 Sec Preview
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