SEC Football: Holiday Wish List for Every Team
The holiday season is here, and SEC teams are hoping they earned spots on Santa Claus' "nice list."
When St. Nick comes down the chimney of SEC football teams, fans hope he brings them all of the items on their wish lists.
Which presents top the list for each SEC program?
The holiday wish list for every SEC program is in this slideshow.
Alabama: Secondary Consistency
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Alabama will enter its national semifinal showdown with Ohio State with limited film of Buckeye starting quarterback Cardale Jones, who threw three touchdown passes against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game—the first start of his career. Jones hit Devin Smith four times for 137 yards and those three long touchdowns in the 59-0 rout.
That tape should make Christmas feel more like Halloween for Alabama's secondary, which has been the weak link of Alabama's stingy defense this year.
The Crimson Tide ranks 61st nationally in pass defense (223.7 yards per game) and got beaten deep repeatedly over the past two games by Auburn and Missouri. It's clear that running through Alabama's defense isn't going to get you wins, but going over it at least gives teams a puncher's chance.
Cornerback Cyrus Jones has improved tremendously over the course of the season, but the rest of the secondary has some issues—at least by Alabama standards—that Ohio State can conceivably exploit.
Arkansas: Balance
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Arkansas is becoming synonymous with its punishing rushing attack led by the running backs Jonathan Williams, Alex Collins and the biggest offensive line in football—pro or college. That rushing attack is a big reason why Arkansas got hot down the stretch and won back-to-back SEC games for the first time since 2012.
What if it finds some balance through the air against a good Texas pass defense?
Quarterback Brandon Allen finished the regular season with 18 touchdowns and only five picks, but he only completed 56.3 percent of his passes (178-of-316) for 2,125 yards. He was a good game manager in 2014, but he hasn't evolved into a difference-maker quite yet.
Texas boasts the Big 12's top pass defense (186.3 yards per game). If Allen can have success through the air against the Longhorns, it will build some momentum heading into his final offseason in Fayetteville.
Auburn: The Muschamp Effect
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New Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp won't coach in the Outback Bowl versus Wisconsin. That role will fall to secondary coach and interim defensive coordinator Charlie Harbison.
But Muschamp will be there.
Lurking. Observing. Judging.
A new defensive coordinator means a clean slate for Auburn's defenders, and making a solid first impression on their new coordinator against the Badgers.
First and foremost, that means more consistent play from Auburn's secondary, which has given up 239.2 yards per game through the air. Secondly, it means a pass rush generated by somebody. It doesn't matter who. Just somebody. The Tigers managed just 20 sacks in 2014 and need to find a way to pressure the quarterback, force mistakes and give the back end of the defense more chances for big plays.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Florida: A Late Recruiting Charge
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Florida is accustomed to reeling in top-10 recruiting classes even in down years, but the 2015 class is looking like it might be the exception to the rule.
The Gators don't find themselves in the top 10, top 25 or even top 50 in the 247Sports national recruiting rankings at the moment. They currently rank 76th in the nation, behind in-state "powers" South Florida and Florida Atlantic.
It's a transition year to new head coach Jim McElwain, so some speed bumps are expected. But even if it didn't have a staff, you'd think that Florida would be above the Bulls and the Owls.
It's imperative that McElwain closes strong this year, and there are plenty of fish in the sea to do it. No. 1 overall prospect Martez Ivey, 5-star defensive ends Byron Cowart and CeCe Jefferson, 4-star linebacker Jeffery Holland and 4-star wide receiver Antonio Callaway are all undecided Florida prospects with the Gators on their radars.
McElwain needs to get some momentum in living rooms and stay hot all the way through national signing day.
Georgia: Avoid Late-Season Flips
5 of 14Georgia's 2015 recruiting class is shaping up nicely, but its top wish this holiday season is that coaches from other SEC schools get don't cross the border and flip some of their top in-state prospects.
This class is loaded with Peach State talent, including 5-star defensive tackle Trent Thompson, 5-star athlete Terry Godwin, 4-star defensive ends Jonathan Ledbetter and Natrez Patrick, 4-star safety Rashad Roundtree and 4-star wide receiver Darius Slayton.
When the dead period ends and players start taking official visits, head coach Mark Richt and his staff better do some housekeeping and keep his commits on board, because the last thing he needs is national signing day swoon.
If Richt and Co. lock down the borders and reel in uncommitted 4-star linebacker Roquan Smith, the Bulldogs will have a nice holiday season.
Kentucky: The Mark Stoops Effect to Take Hold
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Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops came to Kentucky with a sterling resume as a defensive coordinator who had success at Florida State and Arizona before taking over as the top Wildcat in Lexington.
So far, though, he hasn't worked his magic in the Bluegrass State.
The Wildcats finished the season ranked 11th in total defense (406.9 yards per game), 10th in yards per play (5.50) and allowed opponents to convert on 43.65 percent of third-down conversions—the worst mark in the SEC.
He's had quality pieces. Bud Dupree and Za'Darius Smith were awesome up front for the Wildcats this season, and safety A.J. Stamps picked off four passes in 2014. That hasn't translated to sustained success, though. The Wildcats lost six straight to close the season and gave up 40 or more points in five of those losses.
Kentucky's returning players like Stamps and linebacker Josh Forrest need to hit the weights hard, be leaders and develop an identity that has been lacking on Kentucky's defense of late.
LSU: Find an Offense—Any Offense
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LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron was the third-highest-paid assistant coach in the country in 2014, according to the USA Today coaching salary database ($1,315,967).
Only don't look at the stats or results to justify that salary, because it surely doesn't.
LSU ranked 10th in the SEC in total offense (383.4 yards per game), ninth in yards per play (5.44) and dead last in the SEC in passing offense (163.9 yards per game) in 2014. Furthermore, the quarterback situation was a problem all year in Baton Rouge, as Anthony Jennings struggled to find consistency, was replaced by Brandon Harris and then struggled with consistency in his return for the Tigers.
The Tigers need to find some way to stretch the field against Notre Dame in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. Whether that's with Jennings or Harris doesn't really matter. You can't win consistently in the SEC being one-dimensional, and Cameron's offense is one-dimensional by necessity right now.
Ole Miss: Running Between the Tackles
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Ole Miss enjoyed a banner year in 2014, finishing 9-3 and earning a spot in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against TCU.
Its offense, though, still had one glaring weakness: It couldn't run between the tackles.
The Rebels' leading rusher, Jaylen Walton, managed just 583 yards, and he did most of his damage off the edge. Jordan Wilkins and I'Tavius Mathers were solid too, but they totaled just 622 combined rushing yards and didn't provide the consistency between the tackles that Ole Miss needs.
Head coach Hugh Freeze's crew passed to set up the run in 2014. It worked to a point, but that's not the way you win consistently in the SEC. Somebody has to step up during bowl practice and be that force, and better play from the offensive line will help move along that process.
Mississippi State: Return of the Dak
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The best holiday present for Mississippi State this offseason won't be something new, but will be the "re-gifting" of quarterback Dak Prescott.
The junior dual-threat quarterback for the Bulldogs led his team to its third double-digit-win season in program history and first Orange Bowl appearance since 1941 (following the 1940 season). He has received his feedback from the NFL, according to Michael Bonner of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, and will decide soon whether to jump to the pros or return to college.
It's always great to see players move on and achieve their dreams, but Prescott returning would be huge for Mississippi State. Wide receiver De'Runnya Wilson will return, and running back Josh Robinson could too. If Prescott joins them, there won't be much drop-off in the offense in 2015.
Missouri: Maty Mauk to Show Up in Four Quarters from Now on
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Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk's first full season as the Tigers' starting quarterback ended in the right spot, as Missouri won the SEC East and played in the SEC Championship Game for the second consecutive season.
Mauk's season, though, was marked with inconsistency.
The sophomore completed just 52.9 percent of his passes for 2,551 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions—tied for the most in the SEC. In fourth quarters, though, he was lights-out. Mauk completed 56 percent of his passes in the final frame, posted a 162.54 passer rating, tossed eight touchdowns and didn't throw a single interception.
That needs to happen earlier in games moving forward.
There's no denying Mauk's potential. He has a big arm, is accurate on the run and is dangerous with his legs. But his inconsistency is concerning, especially early in games.
South Carolina: Defensive Playmakers
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To say South Carolina's defense was a disappointment this season would be an understatement.
It was horrendous. It ranked next-to-last in total defense (433.6 yards per game), last in yards per play (6.26), last in sacks (12), last in tackles for loss (44), last in opponent's plays of 20 or more yards (62) and 12th in total turnovers gained (17).
Steve Spurrier needs help in two areas—defensive line and the secondary.
That means players like Gerald Dixon and Gerald Dixon Jr. need to improve, and newcomers like junior college signee Marquavius Lewis need to push the incumbents for playing time on defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward's defense. It also means Spurrier and Co. need to pick it up on the recruiting trail and reel in some defensive backs who could provide the same pressure in the secondary.
There have been calls for Ward to be replaced, and those will likely continue until the coaching carousel spins to a stop. It doesn't have to be that way, though. It just needs everybody on the defensive side of the ball—players and coaches—to up their game this offseason.
Tennessee: Offensive Line Continuity
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Tennessee showed flashes of brilliance in its second season under head coach Butch Jones, but it lacked the consistency to become a major player in the SEC East.
Considering its youth, that's not the most surprising thing in the world.
The Achilles' heel of the Vols in 2014 was an offensive line that lacked experience coming in and had one senior on the two-deep depth chart.
The bumps and bruises the offensive line took in 2014 can be used to help build for the future. Continuity is key for any offensive line unit, and what was developed during the season can be refined in the offseason.
Tennessee has a solid group of offensive skill players, including wide receivers Marquez North and Josh Malone, running back Jalen Hurd and quarterback Joshua Dobbs. The offensive line is the last piece of the puzzle, and time will help the development.
Texas A&M: The Right Defensive Coordinator
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Texas A&M is still without a defensive coordinator after Mark Snyder was relieved of his duties the day after the regular-season finale against LSU.
That's a good first start, since Snyder's Aggie defenses were the punch line to depressing defensive jokes during his tenure in College Station.
Is it a problem that head coach Kevin Sumlin hasn't hired a replacement yet? It's not ideal, of course.
But if you're Sumlin, you want to be right, not fast. The foundation for success is there with defensive end Myles Garrett, linebacker Shaan Washington and safety Armani Watts. They just need the right coach.
Whoever gets the job, it's a huge hire for Sumlin. Middle-of-the-road won't cut it in College Station for long, and the defensive ineptitude that has plagued his staff is a big reason why Texas A&M is a middle-of-the-road SEC West team at the moment.
Vanderbilt: The Good Ol' Days
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Derek Mason certainly acted the part of an SEC coach following his first season as Vanderbilt's head coach, dismissing several coaches and staff members, including both coordinators, with "SEC speed."
It also suggests that Mason is feeling some heat that was generated not only by his team's 3-9 record, but also the back-to-back nine-win seasons former head coach James Franklin posted in Nashville prior to his arrival. Those expectations are Mason's biggest opponent, and it seems like he not only realizes that, but is also making a concerted effort to fight back.
There are good players at Vandy, including quarterback Johnny McCrary and running back Ralph Webb. Mason needs to find the right way to use them, rekindle the glory days next year, get the 'Dores back to a bowl game in 2015 and make the necessary steps now to get going in the right direction.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and video analyst for Bleacher Report, as well as a co-host of the CFB Hangover on Bleacher Report Radio (Sundays, 9-11 a.m. ET) on Sirius 93, XM 208.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of cfbstats.com, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
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