The SEC East's 7 Most Indispensable Players
There was a glimmer of hope in the SEC East during bowl season, when the struggling division posted an unblemished 5-0 record and announced to the world that it is on the way back.
For the division to take the next step in 2015, though, several key players need to stay healthy.
On Monday, we went through the SEC West's most indispensable players based on talent, scheme and depth. We'll run down the most indispensable player for each SEC East team in this slideshow.
Florida Gators: OT Martez Ivey
1 of 7
Wait a minute, could Martez Ivey—a true freshman who isn't even on campus yet—really be Florida's most indispensable player?
Yep, and it isn't even a close battle.
Florida lost five offensive linemen during the offseason to either graduation or the NFL, and with the loss of center Trip Thurman this spring to a shoulder injury, it will enter spring practice with only seven healthy scholarship offensive linemen according to The Associated Press.
''There have been a lot of sleepless nights trying to figure out how we're going to practice,'' new head coach Jim McElwain told the AP. ''We've got good players. I'm not saying anything about players. I'm just talking about structurally about how you practice to get the most out of it. It will be a little different.
''Based on those numbers, if you get one dinged or a couple dinged here and there, then that's really going to change how we do things.''
David Sharpe and Rod Johnson could battle for the two tackle spots, but let's be honest: Ivey was signed to be an instant-impact player and will have the opportunity to start—and star—right away in Gainesville. The work those seven scholarship offensive linemen will receive this spring is great and will certainly provide some insurance.
Ivey is the guy McElwain needs to not only step up when he arrives but also stay healthy. If he does, the rebuilding effort will be fast-tracked, and Florida could jump in the mix in the wide-open SEC East.
Georgia Bulldogs: RB Nick Chubb
2 of 7
In this space of the Internet 365 days ago, you probably saw a big picture of former Georgia running back Todd Gurley.
After Gurley was suspended for four games and came back only to tear his ACL, Nick Chubb proved all of us wrong. The 5'10", 228-pounder rushed for 1,547 yards and 14 touchdowns, splitting time as Gurley's primary backup and his emergency replacement.
Not a bad debut, to say the least.
As a result of his stellar freshman campaign, Chubb jumps to the top of Georgia's indispensable list, despite the fact that veteran Keith Marshall and sophomore Sony Michel are on the roster to back him up.
The reason is simple. Last year, Georgia had a veteran (albeit unproven) quarterback, as well as a deep and experienced wide receiving corps to rely on. This year, it has neither.
It will be up to Chubb to carry the load for the Bulldogs, especially early in the season. While there are other big-time playmakers with potential on the offense, Chubb is the only one who's proved that he can transform potential into success.
Kentucky Wildcats: QB Patrick Towles
3 of 7
Drew Barker enrolled last January as the "quarterback of the future" for the Kentucky Wildcats. What head coach Mark Stoops found out during the season, though, is that Patrick Towles is the "quarterback of the present."
Towles completed 225 of 393 passes (57.3 percent) for 2,718 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions last year in the Wildcats' Air-Raid offense.
Will he have to win his job back now that new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson is in Lexington? Absolutely. But as Kyle Tucker of the Lexington Courier-Journal notes, that's par for the course: "Patrick Towles said he's used to competition here and went back to work with same private QB coach after season."
Based on his track record of success and familiarity with the offense and SEC defenses, there's little doubt that he'll do just that. With Towles, Kentucky can dance near bowl eligibility. Without him, it's a giant question mark.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Missouri Tigers: DT Harold Brantley
4 of 7
At 6'3", 290 pounds with cat-like quickness, Missouri defensive tackle Harold Brantley can play anywhere from a 0- to 9-technique. Based on his 19-yard scamper on a fake punt during the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl vs. Minnesota, he probably could play running back too.
Let's not get too creative, though. After all, new defensive coordinator Barry Odom needs him.
Brantley finished last season with five sacks, splitting time as part of the rotation in the middle of the Tigers defensive line. He will compete for playing time again in 2015, but Odom gets very creative with his defensive fronts, so expect Brantley to move up and down the line based on matchups and scheme.
He might not be the most notable name on the roster and might not finish with the stats of a superstar, but his versatility is invaluable for Odom.
South Carolina Gamecocks: WR Pharoh Cooper
5 of 7
All South Carolina wide receiver Pharoh Cooper did last year was haul in 69 passes for 1,136 yards and nine touchdowns, carry the ball 27 times for 200 yards and two touchdowns, and complete five of eight passes for two touchdowns.
The only reason he didn't shoot a 68 at Pebble Beach is because that pesky little thing known as football got in the way.
The all-everything receiver for the Gamecocks will be even more critical this year, as South Carolina hopes to rebuild its offensive line, replace Mike Davis and break in a new starting quarterback after Dylan Thompson exhausted his eligibility.
To put the inexperience into perspective, Cooper's eight pass attempts last season are two more than South Carolina's most experienced quarterback—Connor Mitch—has for his career.
Cooper's versatility makes him the most important piece of the South Carolina puzzle in 2015.
Tennessee Volunteers: QB Joshua Dobbs
6 of 7
Tennessee is the chic pick to win the SEC East in 2015, but in order for that to happen, quarterback Joshua Dobbs is going to have to develop into a star.
The rising junior earned MVP honors in the TaxSlayer Bowl win over Iowa, after passing for 129 yards, rushing for 76 and scoring three touchdowns. That's important, because the bowl practices leading up to the trip to Jacksonville were the first camp-like practices in which Dobbs received consistent first-team snaps during his Tennessee career.
Dobbs provides the duality that has been lacking from the quarterback spot during the majority of head coach Butch Jones' first two seasons, and he now has an entire offseason to grow with the "ones" and learn from new offensive coordinator Mike DeBord.
Behind Dobbs, there's a whole lot of uncertainty. Devin Smith will be joined by early enrollees Quinten Dormady and Jauan Jennings this spring and Sheriron Jones this summer. The potential is there, but this particularl Vols team can contend for the East with Dobbs taking the snaps.
Without him, the Vols might be fighting for bowl eligibility.
Vanderbilt Commodores: DE Caleb Azubike
7 of 7
At 6'4", 270 pounds, Caleb Azubike is built like a defensive end and has the athleticism of a linebacker.
Or, to put it more simply, he's the perfect player for Vanderbilt head coach/defensive coordinator Derek Mason.
Azubike had six tackles for loss and four sacks, and he notched 39 tackles in 2014. He will be back for more as a senior in 2015. He's excited about Mason adding defensive play-calling to his responsibilities.
"It's amazing to have Coach Mason over there with us," Azubike told Adam Sparks of The Tennessean in February. "I wish we could do this every day because I love it. It's amazing for a guy like me, just learning from the master."
Azubike gives Vanderbilt the threat of disrupting the pocket, which should give it a puncher's chance. Without him, the 'Dores might be lost.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and college football video analyst for Bleacher Report, as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
