It has been a long off season, but football season is finally upon us. SEC media days just concluded, and fall camps will open on August 1. It will be no time before we are all watching our favorite teams open their season; each team's fans are optimistic when giving predictions on how their team will fare.
The SEC East is basically a two team race between Georgia, with their stud running back Knowshon Moreno, and Florida, with their Superman and Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow, but the SEC west is a whole other story.
The reigning SEC champs LSU graduated many of their major contributors last year and kicked their would-be starting quarterback Ryan Perrilloux off the team. Many people have said that Les Miles is only doing well because of the plethora of talent that Nick Saban left when he departed for the NFL. This year we will find out if that is true, or if Les Miles really is a good coach.
Auburn upgraded their offensive coordinator position when they hired Tony Franklin, but will struggle in their first year running the spread. They also hired Paul Rhoads as their new defensive coordinator to replace Will Muschamp, who departed to take the same position at Texas. Auburn returns a lot of talent on defense, but Rhoads is not a defensive genius like Muschamp.
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Alabama, in head coach Nick Saban's second year, faces some of the same problems this year as it did last: developing depth and playing with more consistency. They return eight starters on offense, but lost their only pass rushing threat from last year's team in Wallace Gilberry, and are thin at the linebacker position this year.
We all saw what Alabama can do when they play a complete game; just ask Tennessee, who suffered a 41-17 beat down by the Tide last season. On the other hand, we all saw how inconsistent 'Bama really was when they lost to UL Monroe. New offensive coordinator Jim McElwain will run the same overall scheme as Alabama ran last year, but will make it easier for senior quarterback John Parker Wilson.
They will also count on many of the freshmen from their No. 1 incoming recruiting class to contribute this year, and how fast they mature will decide how good Alabama is this year.
Mississippi State looks to build on their breakthrough season, and they return a punishing running attack with Christian Ducre and Anthony Dixon. If they can get consistent play from quarterback Wesley Carroll they will be a force in the west, and could be in contention at season's end. Sylvester Croom has this team moving in the right direction.
Ole Miss should be improved this year. They hired Houston Nutt, and stole Enrique Davis from the Auburn Tigers just before signing day. That means Coach Nutt has another stud at running back, which he had at Arkansas. I think the guy's name was something like McFadden.
Arkansas will struggle a lot this year after losing the aforementioned Darren McFadden and his running mate Felix Jones. After hiring Bobby Petrino, however, don't look for Arkansas to be at the bottom of the barrel for too long.
The West will be as wild as ever, but here is how I see it playing out:
Ole Miss will actually win a conference game, but they and Arkansas will bring up the rear in the West. Everybody will prove to be right about Les Miles living off of Saban's players, and LSU loses all of the games that they should have lost last year, and finish tied for third in the west with Mississippi State at 8-4.
The Iron Bowl will decide who advances to Atlanta this year. Will Auburn extend their streak against Alabama to seven games? Or will John Parker Wilson lead the Tide to a shot at a 22nd SEC championship?
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4 months ago
Auburn should win the West with one of the easier schedules in the SEC. with so many questions in the division and then playing a probably down Tenn and Vandy for 2 of their 3 from the East they should have the best record in the West.
from 4 months ago
Actually, I think that Alabama SHOULD WIN the SEC West, THIS SEASON... In fact, I really think that Alabama HAS TO WIN the SEC West, THIS SEASON!
In fact, I really think that Auburn and LSU are only going to get WAY BETTER, in 2009! So, if Alabama does NOT WIN the SEC West, THIS SEASON... then the Crimson Tide can forget about competing for the SEC West in 2009 :)
4 months ago
Every Bama fan I know is excited about the upcoming season, and who could blame them after having such a great recruiting class. Saban will make Bama good again. But, this is *probably* (of course, I can't read the future) not the year. The SEC is very good this year regardless of what you've heard. LSU is like AU...we don't win games with QBs, we win with defense and special teams. As flashy as some of the offenses are, it's the defenses that carry the day...see UF 2006. And LSU has a powerhouse D Line.
The winner of the Tiger Bowl will win the SEC. Count LSU out of it if you want, but just pray that your players and coaches aren't doing the same.
from 4 months ago
"Every Bama fan I know is excited about the upcoming season, and who could blame them after having such a great recruiting class. Saban will make Bama good again. But, this is *probably* (of course, I can't read the future) not the year. The SEC is very good this year regardless of what you've heard. LSU is like AU...we don't win games with QBs, we win with defense and special teams. As flashy as some of the offenses are, it's the defenses that carry the day...see UF 2006. And LSU has a powerhouse D Line.
The winner of the Tiger Bowl will win the SEC. Count LSU out of it if you want, but just pray that your players and coaches aren't doing the same."
Actually, I think that the winner of the Alabama @ LSU game, on November 8th... will win the SEC West! In fact, I have Alabama winning that game, lolz :)
4 months ago
I think Alabama has a pretty good chance of winning it this year. But honestly bw LSU, Auburn, Bama, and Ole Miss all have a chance to win. I kind of want to pick Ole Miss as my dark horse.
4 months ago
Oh yeah, and the idea that Les Miles is winning because of Saban's players. That doesn't make sense for several reasons...I'll list a few
First...Les Miles didn't win the NC until he had 3 classes of his own players and only 1 of Saban's. If your theory were correct, then it would seem that Miles' teams would be going down with every Saban class that graduated. But, in reality it seems that LSU is getting stronger instead of weaker. Certainly Miles has won more games than Saban did in the same amount of time. Miles has won 11 or more games every year he's been there while Saban only won 11 or more games once.
2nd...Les Miles recruiting is better than Saban's...Les Miles is getting top recruits from the state of GA...actually taking GA recruits away from UGA, which is something. As an ATL resident I don't recall ever seeing LSU be so popular in our state. Like it or not, LSU isn't going anywhere.
3rd...Les Miles did something Saban never did at LSU. He won a unified championship. Saban won the BCS, but not the AP.
from 4 months ago
man, Liger, i was going to post on here but you beat me to it. i will say on your third point though, that we don't really differentiate btwn the two NC's and say that one was unified and one wasn't. both are equal in our eyes. other than that you stole my thunder.
08 will be a dropoff for LSU but if you really want to count him out i'd wait till 09 and 10 before everyone starts shoveling dirt on him.
but like i said in an article, the miles' naysayers will be quick and loud this year when LSU drops a few games. looks like it's already starting.
from 4 months ago
oh also, when talking about recruiting in ga., we're all up in texas too.
a little in fla too
wr's lafell and byrd are from houston and miami respectively.
LT ciron black is from tx , DT ricky jean francois is from miami.
there's more but i can't remember without looking at a roster.
miles is just getting into ga and there are a number of underclassmen from there.
i think tx and fla are more important but the coaches have done a decent job of making in roads into places we haven't been before.
from 4 months ago
well the 1 class remaining from saban's tenure made up 17 of LSU's 22 starters, and i do not think Miles has out recruited saban because he has never had a #1 recruiting class.
4 months ago
I think this really is going to be a revealing season for LSU. "Saban's players" is no longer an issue. Many seniors contributing to the recent success of LSU are now gone. There are really not as many seniors on the team this year as there are juniors and freshmen it seems. Plus having to replace Bo Pelini at DC, should prove to be a trying year for the Tigers defensively, where there stronghold has been. I think though, if LSU can be successful this year they are going to be something to be reconned with next year, considering all their juniors stay - 30 juniors according to lsusports.net
Auburn is breaking in a new QB along with a new system, so it could be a great year with both the system and qb growing tegether and not having to have a veteran qb learn a new system and wondering about that change. Or it could be a struggling year with both the new qb and system put to the test too much. Either way, only time will tell. The defense is going to be missing Muschamp as well, a great asset the Tigers have relied upon recently. So, even though players are in place to get the job done, you've got to wonder about new systems coming in to play.
At Bama depth remains the issue. Their biggest question is going to be how soon the new guys can mature and pick up the speed at the college level.
So the way I see it, especially some 30+ days from opening kickoff, everyone is on a level playing field and should have an interesting season!
Don't count out State though. I hate to say, but I think you can go ahead and count out the Hogs and Ole Miss.
4 months ago
Even without Perriloux LSU is a major force to be reckoned with.
Keep this team in mind in the run for the west: Mississippi State, they're going places and have a great human being for a coach
4 months ago
i agree about croom.
the team however, will have to prove it on the field. this is going to be a great year for the west. lots of drama as well as a wild race ready to unfold.
from 4 months ago
Something I think we can all agree on...it's going to be a fun year, that is for sure.
4 months ago
another delusional bama fan.
you should be hoping to improve on your 6-6 record from last year, not dreaming of a conference championship.
re: coach croom & m-state. I have a lot of respect for coach croom, really felt like he got the shaft when bama didn't hire him, but let's be realistic, it is still mississippi state for god's sake!! while the wins over bama & auburn were very impressive in 2007, they both also involved some good fortune (LUCK). 6-6 would be a good year for the dogs!!
arkansas and ole miss are both going to be better than their pre-season predictions. casey dick may very well be the surprise player of the year with petrino as his coach. and houston nutt knows how to coach in this league
it is going to be very interesting
4 months ago
Might be one of the most important Iron Bowls ever this year, hopefuly one of the greatest too. Always a fun game to watch as an SEC fan.
4 months ago
Oh boy. Yea the west is up for grabs. But where are you people getting the idea that Auburn is going to struggle this year with the spread?? Did anyone watch their bowl win over Clemson?
They put an offense in in 9 practices. Keep in mind that was about 60% of the offense, and they had over 400 yards and scored 23 points against a top 10 defense and won the game.
So why are they going to struggle this year again? After having all spring and summer to learn the offense. Just don't understand this thought.
And Paul Rhoads doesn't have to be a genius, even though taking Pittsburgh to the #5 ranking in the nation on defense isn't too shabby. Auburn has enough talent on defense, it doesn't take a genius to win games. But Rhoads will be just fine.
LSU has more talent most likely, Alabama will be good as well. But you have to think if Auburn takes care of business that their home schedule should give them the advantage.
from 4 months ago
clemson's defense is not the same caliber of defenses auburn will face week in and week out in the SEC. florida struggled with the spread in urban meyer's first year. i think with time they will run it successfully, but they will struggle this year.
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