Every SEC Team's 1 Position Group That Could Make or Break 2015 Season
Every year, every SEC football team has question marks entering the season, but the 2015 campaign seems to bring an even more worrisome list than usual.
Perhaps the reasons why there is more attention drawn to the SEC's inadequacies stem from the conference's two-year national championship drought and the dearth of elite quarterbacks leading teams.
It seems that since the heralded Johnny Manziel, Aaron Murray and A.J. McCarron class of a couple of years ago, quality signal-callers have been hard to come by in a league known for its rich talent.
Playoff contenders such as Alabama, Georgia and LSU face that very real battle this year. Other teams such as Tennessee and Florida need to make major strides in offensive line play. Others like Auburn and Arkansas have defensive concerns.
No matter where you look, there is fear. The start of football season always brings with it plenty of optimism this time of year. But with that optimism comes the unknowns at other positions.
Remember when you're making the case for this being "the year" for your team that every team has talent, and every team has players "ready to step up." Whether they do or not will determine who is left standing in Atlanta in December.
Let's take a look at the most troublesome position groups facing each SEC team.
Alabama: Quarterbacks
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This season brings more unknowns about head coach Nick Saban's Crimson Tide than perhaps any since his first season in Tuscaloosa.
There's the issue of running back depth, last year's lingering secondary concerns and the need to generate a more consistent pass rush. Also, the Tide must account for the loss of Heisman Trophy finalist Amari Cooper at receiver.
But few of those problems will matter if Bama can't find a starting quarterback.
The worries didn't keep UA from being ranked third in the USA Today Coaches Poll released last week, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.
Between Jake Coker, David Cornwell, Alec Morris, Cooper Bateman and Blake Barnett, somebody has to emerge. That's a whole lot of talented signal-callers who haven't proven anything yet.
Last year, offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin helped Blake Sims emerge into a quality performer, and during his one year at Tennessee, he reinvigorated Jonathan Crompton's career. So, Kiffin has done it before.
But he has his work cut out for him. Coker is the talented senior with the laser-rocket arm who perhaps holds the edge. The others will be trying to seize that job from him.
Whoever does it needs to quickly separate himself from the pack.
Arkansas: Linebackers
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Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has done little to throw a wet blanket on all the buzz surrounding the possibility that his Razorbacks could burst onto the national scene this year.
They've got two all-star running backs, arguably the best offensive line in the nation and a senior quarterback. On defense, there are plenty of athletes who made plays for coordinator Robb Smith a season ago.
But the Hogs do need to find some answers on defense, starting most notably in the linebacking corps. They lost stud Martrell Spaight, and the rest of the unit is unproven and unheralded.
ArkansasNews.com writer Eric W. Bolin writes, however, that the group is "teeming with potential."
Between returning starter Brooks Ellis, sophomore Khalia Hackett and new middle linebacker Josh Williams, there is a lot of potential. Randy Ramsey has elite potential as well, and new linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves will be tasked with putting the right guys on the field.
Sure, there are players who must be replaced on all three levels of defense, starting with Trey Flowers and Darius Philon on the line. But the linebacker position is where the Razorbacks must be solid to keep up with a league that's going to be run-heavy this year.
If they can find the right mixture, the Hogs may do huge things this year.
Auburn: Defensive Backs
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The monumental collapse that befell Auburn's defense a season ago is well documented as the Tigers allowed at least 31 points in each of their final six games against power conference opponents.
That led to the proverbial head rolling of defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson and the subsequent hire of Will Muschamp to ignite the defense.
When you look at all the roster movement AU should experience this year, it seems to be a perfect concoction for a vast improvement. The Tigers return pass rush specialist Carl Lawson, who missed last year recovering for a knee injury, and will pair him with former elite prospect Byron Cowart.
The linebackers should be solid, though probably not great.
And on the back end, the greatest question mark should have players in place to answer. A season after AU's secondary was consistently torched, it has players in place to be better.
Johnathan "Rudy" Ford and Jonathan Jones may be rising stars. Joshua Holsey is back, and Michigan cornerback transfer Blake Countess and former Georgia safety Tray Matthews have the ability to be all-conference players.
Talent won't be an issue. Now, it's just a matter of Muschamp and defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson finding the best four or five to put out there.
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Florida: Offensive Line
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There are fewer freshmen in the country who are closer to being guaranteed a spot than Florida 5-star signee Martez Ivey.
The former top-ranked offensive lineman entered a situation where the Gators barely had enough linemen to field a unit in the spring. When new head coach Jim McElwain took the job, Gator Country's Nick de la Torre wrote that UF had six offensive linemen.
Now (counting walk-ons) the Gators have 22, though how many of those can be quality pieces remain to be seen.
It helped when Florida received word that Fordham offensive tackle transfer Mason Halter decided to play his final season in Gainesville. He is a big-bodied player with pro potential who was a two-time All-American on a lower level.
He'll join David Sharpe, Fredrick Johnson and Richerd Desir-Jones at tackle. Of the other players you've possibly heard of, there are guard Antonio Riles and center Trip Thurman. That's it.
So, it'll be a patchwork unit until McElwain can do some serious recruiting.
How well the unit meshes will go a long way in determining if the Gators can score enough points to make it to a bowl game or perhaps even surprise those who think it's going to be a long rebuilding job.
Georgia: Quarterbacks
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Georgia fans have been spoiled with great quarterback play over the past decade from Matthew Stafford to Aaron Murray.
Even in Murray's stead last year, fifth-year senior Hutson Mason did a commendable job not turning the ball over in an efficient lone season at the helm of the Bulldogs offense.
Before the proverbial torch will be passed to stud prospect Jacob Eason in 2016, UGA has to find somebody who can distribute the ball without mistakes this year. It isn't going to be an easy task.
Exiting spring, Brice Ramsey was the player who'd done enough to perhaps pull a little bit ahead of the rest. That led to Jacob Park's transfer. But Ramsey and Faton Bauta aren't the only players vying for that job now.
UGA added another name to the fray when Alabama native Greyson Lambert transferred from Virginia to play his final season with the Bulldogs. At SEC media days, head coach Mark Richt said Lambert's inclusion clouded the situation, per The Associated Press:
"I think it's going to take a while. We have 29 practice opportunities before the first game, and we're going to get a rotation where we can see the guys that we want to see compete and then make a decision on who should be the starter. But right now, I don't know who that is.
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Between Lambert, Ramsey and Bauta, new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer must find somebody who can minimize mistakes. After all, they only need to throw the ball a handful of times with Nick Chubb and Co. lined up behind them.
Kentucky: Defensive Line
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When a team that had major defensive depth issues a season ago loses two stud ends to the NFL draft in Alvin "Bud" Dupree and Za'Darius Smith, that should spell major concerns.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops has to find answers in a hurry.
The Wildcats simply ran out of gas on that side of the ball last year after a whirlwind start that had many around the country wondering if they were for real. UK wound up not making a bowl game and getting blown out most weeks in a back-heavy schedule.
Now, they have to replace 135 tackles—20 for a loss—and 12 sacks from that duo.
"You're going to have to make up for the plays those guys made, not necessarily with their position but as a defense," defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot told Lexington Herald-Leader writer Jennifer Smith. "So we may have to make more plays at inside linebacker, may have to make more plays in the secondary, might have to make more plays at defensive tackle."
The 'Cats will try to replace the athletic defenders by committee, but junior Jason Hatcher is expected to play a major role. Redshirt freshman Denzil Ware, Kengera Daniel and Jabari Johnson are other possible names.
At defensive tackle, former heralded recruit Matt Elam is one name that stands out as somebody who needs to make impact plays. If they don't, UK may limp down the stretch again.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2015/04/04/3784328_uk-football-notebook-kentucky.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
LSU: Quarterbacks
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Death, taxes and LSU quarterback struggles.
It's beginning to be something you can set your watch by.
Despite all the talent head coach Les Miles and his staff of elite recruiters have stockpiled down on the Bayou, the Tigers still must find a viable quarterback among Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris. A season ago, though both have immense athletic ability, neither made many "wow" plays.
Jennings and two teammates were arrested June 18 and charged with unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling. However, according to ESPN.com's David Ching, it was announced Friday that Jennings and his two teammates would not face criminal charges and were subsequently reinstated. Miles said the three will report to training camp and join the team for practice Wednesday.
Harris may wind up getting the nod because of Jennings' offseason hiccup, but Miles had to defend him recently, according to CBSSports.com's Jon Solomon:
"Brandon Harris, everybody recruited him, he's a very talented guy. He can run and throw. If he comes to life, it's just what we want. If Anthony Jennings comes to life, he can also throw but he doesn't make quite the spectacular throw the other guy does. But he's very accurate and he can run as well. We think potentially we're better at two spots at quarterback.
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That article documents, in detail, Miles' struggles in recruiting quarterbacks. The Tigers even have well-regarded offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, and he hasn't been able to develop the signal-callers.
It's an issue that needs to get resolved soon. With all that defensive talent and a potential generational player in running back Leonard Fournette, all LSU needs is somebody to run the show on the field.
As recent history shows, that hasn't been easy to find.
Mississippi: Running Backs
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Ole Miss again should have one of the best defenses in all of college football. But the offensive questions are scary.
It starts with replacing Bo Wallace, and as of this spring, head coach Hugh Freeze didn't lend much insight on the battle other than to say Ryan Buchanan may be slightly ahead of Chad Kelly.
There also are worries along the offensive front, and those compound dramatically if star tackle Laremy Tunsil doesn't return full-strength from the injury he suffered in last year's bowl game.
But the biggest fret may be running the ball.
When you're breaking in a new quarterback, it's nice to have a safety net in a stable of guys to hand the ball off to.
The Rebels have some bodies back there, but few are proven. Though returning leading rusher Jaylen Walton is back along with sophomore Jordan Wilkins, they lead a group that finished just 75th nationally in rushing yards a season ago.
I'Tavius Mathers and Mark Dodson transferred out of the program after last season, and while Akeem Judd should provide help to Walton and Wilkins, that's just three runners.
The potential fourth on that list—freshman Eric Swinney—must have surgery on a stress fracture injury and could miss the season, according to FoxSports.com. That would be a huge blow, and it would take another candidate for carries out of the backfield in Dixie.
Mississippi State: Offensive Line
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Having an all-world, dual-threat quarterback covers a lot of blemishes, but Mississippi State's Dak Prescott won't be nearly as effective if he doesn't have a quality offensive line paving the way.
A season after a storybook season in Starkville fell a bit flat down the stretch, MSU still has talent at running back and in its receiving corps, and it still has the potential Heisman candidate conducting it all.
But that line may be an issue.
The senior trio of Ben Beckwith, Blaine Clausell and Dillon Day are gone, and ESPN.com writer Alex Scarborough agrees that the key to MSU's season is how quickly that unit can come together.
"It's not that we don't have the guys," coach Dan Mullen told Scarborough. "They're just young."
Jamaal Clayborn, Devon Desper and Rufus Warren will join incumbents Justin Malone and Justin Senior along the front, and Malone admitted that the spring was "rough." It has to get a whole lot better than that for MSU to compete in the rugged West.
If those issues aren't resolved quickly, it won't matter just how dynamic Prescott can be. As Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs proved a season ago, you can make up for some line struggles with wheels. But against quality competition, you need time to throw the ball.
If Prescott doesn't get it, a one-dimensional Bulldogs team won't scare anybody.
Missouri: Defensive Line
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The biggest question mark on Missouri's entire team is its inexperienced receiving corps, but the unit that will make or break the Tigers' season is the defensive line.
Of all the great work defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski has accomplished recently, 2015 may provide the biggest challenge.
Not only will Kuligowski have to adjust to new defensive coordinator Barry Odom, who came over from Memphis to return to his alma mater and replace Dave Steckel, he also has to fill some major holes.
Gone are stud defensive ends Shane Ray and Markus Golden, who were the SEC's premiere pass-rushing duo a season ago. They stepped in and were perhaps even better than Michael Sam and Kony Ealy, who helped turn Mizzou from no-name newcomer to SEC East champion in 2013.
They repeated that feat last year with Ray and Golden, but there aren't any surefire stars in line anymore.
The Tigers also were dealt a huge blow when defensive tackle Harold Brantley suffered a season-ending leg injury in a scary car accident. The Tigers also dismissed potential starter Marcus Loud in May after a violation of team policies, according to FoxSports.com.
That means guys such as Josh Augusta and stud recruit Terry Beckner Jr. must lead the way.
Mizzou is used to having a great defensive line. If it has to piece a unit together this year, that defense may suffer, even with a solid back seven.
South Carolina: Defensive Backs
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South Carolina's defensive issues were so deep-rooted a season ago, head coach Steve Spurrier went out and hired old buddy Jon Hoke to get things fixed.
Though that means Lorenzo Ward was essentially demoted, Spurrier didn't see any issues in the chemistry this spring, according to The Associated Press' Pete Iacobelli: "I think everything is going to work well," Spurrier said.
The Gamecocks' new co-coordinator went right to work this spring, trying to fix a group that was so woefully broken a season ago that it allowed 30.4 points per game and 36.8 in SEC play.
After ending all the multiplicity in base packages and going to a traditional 4-3, Hoke began shuffling personnel, moving T.J. Gurley from safety to nickelback and Jordan Diggs moving from spur to safety.
Toss in Kansas transfer Isaiah Johnson and rising star cornerback Chris Lammons, and there are some players to get excited about on the back end of the Carolina defense. They just have to put things together.
A one-year fix is tough to do, but the secondary did go from 12th in pass defense two years ago to 52nd last year, so maybe it can hope to reverse that trend.
While there were bigger issues on the defensive line a season ago, the Gamecocks appear to have addressed that in recruiting. Now, it's just how quickly the secondary jells.
Hoke is known as being a guru, and Carolina needs all the help it can get and in a hurry.
Tennessee: Offensive Line
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Even with all the young potential playmakers the Vols have knocking on the door of being SEC household names, they can't make plays without a sound offensive line.
That unit remains a huge question marks as Tennessee opens camp this week.
The group has a combination of starters who were part of a struggling unit that finished tied for 122nd in sacks allowed and paved the way for fewer than 150 rushing yards per game a season ago and unproven freshmen.
While offensive line is one of those positions where game reps and experience play huge roles, UT must find five players (and more) who can answer the call. If they can't, quarterback Joshua Dobbs, running backs Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara, among others, will sputter on offense.
Senior Kyler Kerbyson is set to start out of position at left tackle, and sophomore Brett Kendrick and freshman Drew Richmond should battle it out for the other spot. Though the Vols are more solid on the interior, there aren't many definite anchors.
Sophomore guard Jashon Robertson has All-SEC potential, and he needs to parlay his impressive freshman season and big spring with a strong sophomore season.
The Vols have talent, and they now have plenty of bodies on the line. But they've got to have leaders emerge who can become dependable cogs in what head coach Butch Jones is trying to build.
Until they do, UT's offense will be a question mark.
Texas A&M: Defensive Backs
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The numbers from a season ago are nasty. Despite Texas A&M scoring nearly 35 points per game, the Aggies' defense ensured they wouldn't go to an important bowl.
They were 11th in the league in scoring defense and 77th nationally. They also were 12th in the SEC and 92nd nationally in long plays allowed.
When running backs got to the second level, they normally wound up with huge gains, as evidenced by A&M finishing 11th in the league in average yards per rush.
A&M just couldn't do anything on the back end of its defense, and that's why head coach Kevin Sumlin went out and snagged LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis to cure those ills.
A good place to start is a young secondary led by Armani Watts, Nick Harvey and Donovan Wilson. When you add impressive JUCO transfer safety Justin Evans into the equation, the Aggies have some potential star power on the back end.
That's not even to mention speed-burning running back-turned-cornerback Brandon Williams, who has the wheels to help right away if he can grasp coverage mechanics.
"He becomes a big corner, and anybody who has watched LSU play or watched a John Chavis defense—we play a lot of man to man," Sumlin told the Houston Chronicle's Brent Zwerneman. "We needed a bigger, longer guy who can handle it."
Moving a running back to corner tells you all you need to know that A&M's defensive rebuild isn't there yet.
There's a lot of maneuvering going on to fit all those talented recruits from A&M's past couple of strong recruiting classes into defensive spots. If those work, A&M will have the offensive firepower to make some noise.
Vanderbilt: Quarterbacks
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When Vanderbilt quarterback Patton Robinette decided to end his football career back in March due to multiple injuries, it made a bad situation worse in Nashville.
Commodores head coach Derek Mason's first year was a disaster for many reasons, but one of the main ones was his inability to stick with a quarterback and ride through the good and bad times.
He acknowledged during "the SEC car wash in Bristol" last week that the quarterback issues were the biggest problem:
"There’s no doubt about it," he said, according to ESPN.com's Greg Ostendorf. "College football is a quarterback's game. You know it and I know it, too. Here's what happens: that guy handles the ball every play. He needs to be able to delegate it and manage it."
Now without Robinette, Mason has to choose from a pool that includes Johnny McCrary, Wade Freebeck, Shawn Stankavage and incoming freshman Kyle Shurmur.
Though there are many other issues for Vandy, including the need to perform at a much higher level on both lines of scrimmage as well as finding playmakers on offense, getting sturdy quarterback play is huge.
If they don't, Mason's second year coaching the Commodores may be his last.
All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings unless otherwise noted. All statistics gathered from CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted.
Brad Shepard covers SEC football for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.
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