SEC Football Q&A: Will Florida Return to Dominance or Continue to Underachieve?

Every Thursday on The SEC Blog, we will feature questions from the B/R inbox, Twitter and email. Do you have a question for next week's Q&A? Send it to SEC Lead Blogger Barrett Sallee via the B/R inbox, on Twitter @BarrettSallee or at [e-mail].

From Kevin Paul (@KevinJPaul) on Twitter: Does Florida return to prominence as the class of the East or will they continue to underachieve?

I think the Gators are still a year away from returning to serious SEC East contention. However, if they catch a few breaks in 2012, a trip to Atlanta isn't totally out of the question.

It's a tough transition going from the spread of Urban Meyer to the pro-style offense that Will Muschamp wants to run. It was a disaster last season with Charlie Weis as the offensive coordinator, but should improve with the more flexible Brent Pease calling the shots.

Meyer recruited a track team rather than a football team, and Muschamp needs some time to fix it.

The East is still down a little bit, so if the Gators catch a break or two, I could see them playing for the SEC Championship. That is, assuming they find a between-the-tackles running game with Mike Gillislee.

They won't be dominant, though.

From Terry Johnson (@TPJCollFootball) on Twitter: What's your take on SEC scheduling? Should they stick w/ eight games or go to nine?

I certainly understand the apprehension by the coaches to go to nine games. Teams need some breaks, especially in the SEC, and getting four out-of-conference games to strategically place throughout the schedule is certainly helpful.

However, logistically, it would be a nightmare—especially considering Georgia, South Carolina, Florida and Kentucky have permanent out-of-conference rivalries. You'd have to coordinate with those conferences to make sure that SEC teams don't get hung out to dry by playing five SEC road games and an out-of-conference road game against their rival in the same year.

After all, it's a business, and home games deliver on the bottom line.

With that being said, because it's a business, I think that CBS and ESPN will at some point force the SEC to go to a nine-game schedule to ensure that there are compelling matchups to choose from on a weekly basis.

When will that happen? Probably not until the next round of expansion or the next time that the SEC has a "look-in" on the television deal that's currently being negotiated.

From Jason Moehl (@LLUAChamp) on Twitter: What will be the toughest/most hostile road environment for Missouri in the SEC East?

In the East, there's no doubt in my mind that it's The Swamp at Florida. That place—especially during night games—gets unbearably loud to the point where your head will hurt. There is a small opponent student section right behind the visitor bench, but the fans throughout the rest of the stadium are right on top of the players. 

Second on that list would be Neyland Stadium in Tennessee. However, the success of the team is a big factor in how hostile it can get. Much like The Swamp, fans are right on top of the field at Neyland Stadium, and the structure goes virtually straight up. There's nowhere for the noise to escape.

Williams-Brice Stadium at South Carolina is another loud place. Those fans stick with that team through thick and thin, and it's always intimidating.

Sanford Stadium at Georgia is big, but the noise creeps out of that open end zone. I've never thought of the atmosphere between the hedges as "hostile," even though it's a large stadium.

From Bryant Roberts (@bdroberts816) on Twitter: How many new SEC football coaches will be at SEC Media Days in 2013?

I'm going to be conservative and say that there will be one new head coach at SEC Media Days, and it will be Kentucky's head coach.

Offensively, the Wildcats were abysmal last season due in large part to the lack of any playmakers on offense. That hasn't changed in 2012. The SEC East is still down, but pretty much every team has improved from a year ago; plus, the division adds a dangerous Missouri team. I see a sub-.500 record for Kentucky, which will cost Joker Phillips his job.

Derek Dooley at Tennessee is the wild card. He is on the hottest seat of anyone in the SEC, but has plenty of talent to be successful. I've changed my tune on him a bit, and think that he will win enough to earn at least one more season on Rocky Top. That is, provided his Vols stays healthy.

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