SEC Football: Storylines That Will Define the Season
It's almost game week, and there are still numerous lingering questions dominating the college football conversation around the SEC.
From quarterback questions at Alabama, Georgia and elsewhere, a crowded backfield at Auburn and the absence of a major bowl win over the last two seasons, questions abound down south.
Which storylines will dominate the season? Our picks based on roster holes, growing bandwagons and perception of the conference are in this slideshow.
SEC Power?
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When Ohio State knocked off Alabama in last year's Allstate Sugar Bowl national semifinal, it wasn't just the close to a rather uninspiring SEC bowl season—it was the culmination of two years of postseason struggles for the SEC.
The conference that was coming off seven straight BCS national titles has now gone winless in BCS/New Year's Six bowl games over the last couple of years, begging the question: Is the SEC losing its foothold as the unquestioned power of the college football world?
There will be hot takes on both sides, but the truth is that question can't really be answered yet. It will be this year, though. There are awesome early-season out-of-conference matchups that include Wisconsin and Alabama squaring off in Arlington, Texas; Auburn and Louisville meeting in Atlanta; Arizona State and Texas A&M lining up in Houston; and Oklahoma visiting Tennessee.
Those will set the tone, and if the SEC rolls snake eyes again during bowl season, it could solidify the SEC as "just another conference."
Just How Important Are Quarterbacks?
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If you read a college football preview magazine or story on the Internet in which the importance of a returning starting quarterback is listed as the primary reason for a team's success, close that magazine, shut your laptop and take a lap to burn off some energy.
It's not that important.
Five of the last six starting quarterbacks to win national championships were first-year starters, and eight of the last 12 starting quarterbacks in the national championship game were as well. Sure, a returning starting quarterback is a nice luxury, but a deep and talented supporting cast is much more important.
In the SEC this year, four of the six SEC teams in the Associated Press Top 20 will definitely have a new starting quarterback, and LSU could be the fifth if sophomore Brandon Harris—who's the leader right now and has one start under his belt—wins the job in Baton Rouge.
Which ones will shine? Which ones will tank?
The evolution of these quarterbacks will be what makes or breaks many of these teams.
As Dan Wolken of USA Today noted on The Paul Finebaum Show on SEC Network earlier this offseason, it's not like there's a laundry list of superstars under center in the SEC at the moment.
""Let's be honest, the group of QBs in the SEC this season is largely embarrassing" -@DanWolken
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) May 19, 2015"
Gut feeling: That storyline will stay in the offseason, and we will be talking about the SEC being a quarterback-driven conference by October.
What's Up with Alabama's Pass Defense?
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Alabama has struggled at the back end of its defense over the last couple of years, and the inability to prevent big plays through the air cost the Crimson Tide dearly in 2014.
The secondary gave up 133 passing plays of 10 or more yards a year ago, the worst mark in the SEC and 111th nationally.
"We're going to have a very, very good front seven, and I think it's important that the secondary does not give up the kind of explosive plays we gave up at the end of the season last year," head coach Nick Saban said at SEC media days.
To fix the glitch, head coach Saban and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart—both of whom were responsible for the secondary in years past—stepped aside and welcomed new defensive backs coach Mel Tucker to the Crimson Tide staff.
He has plenty of talent to work with.
Cyrus Jones was the lone bright spot last season, as he progressed well from week to week in spite of a lingering hip injury. Marlon Humphrey, Tony Brown, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Kendall Sheffield are all highly touted prospects, Ronnie Harrison has played well, and Eddie Jackson, Maurice Smith and Geno Smith have plenty of experience.
But they have to play better as a unit.
Teams aren't afraid to test Alabama deep, and if this crew doesn't come together, it could lead to a disappointing season in Tuscaloosa.
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Which Coach Will Be Coaching for His Job in 2016?
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The one coach who could be on a slightly warm seat is Vanderbilt's Derek Mason. But, as long as he properly manages his program, he likely will be around as well, even if he doesn't improve on that 3-9 record from a year ago. Other than Mason, though, pretty much every coach in the SEC is on stable ground heading into 2014.
This year will, however, set the tone for a 2016 season that could be dicey for several high-profile coaches.
All seven coaches in the SEC West make more than $4 million, and somebody has to finish last. What if it's LSU head coach Les Miles, who's fresh off an 8-5 season with a roster that's as talented as any in college football?
At SEC media days in July, Miles shot down the notion that he's in danger this season, via KSLA News 12. A repeat performance, though, could make things interesting in Baton Rouge.
What if it's Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin, a coach who has seen his win total drop every year since joining the SEC coaching fraternity in 2012?
While some teams will shine, the ones that don't could make things interesting in the offseason around the SEC.
Return of the Dak
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Dak Prescott became one of the feel-good stories of the 2014 season, as the likable dual-threat quarterback led Mississippi State to its first No. 1 ranking in program history and escalated all the way to the center of the Heisman Trophy discussion in late October and early November.
Now, he's back for an encore.
"With that experience with a guy like Dak is certainly going to help us," head coach Dan Mullen said in July at SEC media days in Hoover, Alabama. "It's certainly going to help us continue to move the chains and hopefully keep him healthy where he's relying on being a quarterback more than being a great athlete to make things happen out there on the field."
Despite his return, the Bulldogs were picked to finish last in the SEC West by the assembled members of the media at SEC media days, due in part to the absence of three starters along the offensive line and the early departure of stud running back Josh Robinson.
Can Prescott return the Bulldogs to the forefront of the national conversation? With games against LSU and Auburn early, he'll have a chance.
Too Much, Too Soon?
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If you're a college football fan, you've probably heard about the rise of Tennessee and Arkansas.
Both programs found their way into the Associated Press Top 25 off 7-6 seasons due to late charges in the 2014 season and emphatic bowl wins.
Will either contend for its respective division title? Are they prepared for those pesky things called "expectations"? Has there been too much praise too soon?
The progress of both programs will be fascinating to watch as the 2015 season progresses, because whether they live up to the hype or not, it's clear that both are going in the right direction.
A Bit Defensive?
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Defense doesn't win championships anymore—"just enough" defense does. In the age of explosive offenses, the definition of "just enough" varies from team to team.
In the case of Texas A&M and Auburn, "middle of the pack" will be fine as long as the two are efficient in key situations like on third downs and in the red zone.
To help, the two SEC West foes brought in coordinators John Chavis and Will Muschamp, respectively, to fix lingering issues. There's no shortage of talent at either school, with defensive end Myles Garrett and safety Armani Watts in College Station and defensive end Carl Lawson, star corner Jonathan Jones and a veteran linebacking corps on the Plains.
Will the star coordinators vault their new programs back into division title contention? It'll be fun to watch the two defenses take shape as the season progresses.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports. Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83.
Follow Barrett on Twitter: @BarrettSallee.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
