Ok, here it is, the long awaited SEC preview. Last year I went for the gusto and picked some teams very much against the mags and I beat them soundly. I decided to play dangerous yet again and go with my gut feelings. Miss State and Georgia fans will claim I am psychic and not bad for a Gator fan and the UTenn fans will never believe I did this objectively. :) The SEC West will be a better division this year as Danny Ford, Jackie Sherril and even Curly Hallman lead heir teams to bowl games unlike last year. Tennessee will be a very good team at the end of the season but I just don't see them playing top notch football when the season starts, and that's when their schedule is the roughest. South Eastern Conference ------------------------------ Alabama ------- The Tide lost 85% of their offensive firepower when the NFL claimed their two fine starting wideouts, Kevin Lee and David Palmer. The offensive line has only one returning starter and he has moved to a different position than he played last year. Also, the linebackers on the outside are young. 'Bama, however, has plenty to counter all these bad things. Jay Barker, who has been remarkably successful, has recovered from his injury in the Auburn game and may win back the starting QB job. Barker is not highly talented, but he makes very good decisions and does not blow games. This season will be different for him because 'Bama's new offensive coordinator is Homer Smith. Mal Moore was reverse and Homer is fifth gear. The downside is that Barker will no longer be asked just to not lose the games but to win them. His help at the line and at the receivers is far below what he grew accustomed to in 1992. 'Bama has excellent depth at QB, with Brian Burgdorf and Freddie Kitchens both being capable and ready to play at any time. At the running back position Alabama is well stocked. Sherman Williams returns and he is a fine runner. His balance has always impressed me and he is tough as nails. I see a 1000 yd season in his future. Tarrant Lynch is a more than able fullback and a good bit of talent rides the pine. Once again, the Tide's defense will be stellar. They took a couple of hits at the DL position but Stallings has been recruiting very well for a few years. It may take the line a few games to come together, but by mid-season it will be very good and we may discover the next John Copeland. Even with the loss to the NFL of the outstanding Antonio Langham 'Bama's secondary is very talented. Corner Tommy Johnson and safety Sam Shade are among the best in the SEC and maybe the country. An awesome set of kickers (it seems the SEC is floating in good kickers these days) really helps the special teams be strong yet again. However, punt and kick returns will drop quite a bit--David Palmer now plays on Sundays. Alabama's schedule is very favorable to them. The three out-of- conference games are complete pansies (shame on you, Hootie Ingram!) and they get Georgia and Auburn at home. They do have to travel to Knoxville, but 'Bama has absolutly no fear of the Vols, whom they have owned for quite some time. 'Bama boasts the best coaching staff in the SEC and maybe the nation. (Only Notre Dame rivals them, and Skip left.) Never count these guys out-- Bill Olliver and Homer Smith are champion X and O men, and while Gene Stallings isn't really a good tic tac toe player, he is the best motivator in the NCAA except Lou Holtz. Key Games: Oct 15th in Knoxville--Rocky Top will be crying yet again. Nov 5th in Starkvegas--could be an upset here. Nov 12th Auburn--the Tide faithful want revenge REAL bad. Predicted Finish ---------------- 10-2 (lose to Miss State and Florida in the SEC Champ game) ================================================================= Arkansas --------- Danny Ford is bringing the Hogs back from the dead but they still have a few kinks to work out of their rigor mortis. The OL lost 3 starters from a line that was only OK. Starter WR's are decent but the backups have almost no experience. Arkansas offensive backfield could be very good. The two Oscar RB's are bonafide SEC players and they have 3 QB's that can all step up and play. Danny Ford teams go the extra mile for him and play well-disciplined ball. If the offense can play like that all year long the Razorbacks will get a bowl game for a reward. The defense is solid overall, especially the line. Marcus Adair, Junior Soli and Vernon Wade all have a chance to make 2nd or 3rd team All-SEC. Key Games: Sept 3rd at Columbia--a win here would be a great momentum builder. Oct 29th at Starkvegas--the battle for 3rd in the west. Predicted Finish ---------------- 7-4 (lose to Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn and Miss State) ================================================================= Auburn ------- Auburn doesn't have a lot of obvious weaknesses. Only the lack of an experienced QB stands out. However everyone will be gunning for them and quite a few of the positions that aren't really a weakness aren't much of a strength. The offensive line and WR's are solid but not spectacular, no matter what the pre-season rags say. However, I do not think they will miss Bostic one bit. Steven Davis is the best ground man at Auburn since Bo. The defensive line is solid, as are the LB's--they all tackle very well. The secondary is very good, even with the loss of that bastard Calvin Jackson. Auburn's schedule is not very fun this year. Their out-of- conference opponents are as pathetic as 'Bama's, but their in-conference schedule is grueling. All those teams who lost to them in Auburn last year will be looking forward to returning the favor in their home stadiums come fall. Terry Bowden is a very innovative coach who was tried by fire and came out looking great. His second season is unlikely to be as successful but he certainly has the proper attitude and bloodline. Key Games: Sept 29th at Starkvegas--they may get physically beat up before the UF game. Oct 15th at Gainesville--Spurrier wants this game more than any other. Nov 5th Georgia--the dawgs finally get one from Auburn. Nov 19th at Birmingham--should be another great one. Predicted Finish ---------------- 8-3 (lose to Florida, Georgia and Alabama) *maybe MSU* ================================================================== Florida ------- The running backs are all very talented, but Rhett's blocking will be sorely missed. The linebackers are all fast and tackle well but they are a bit undersized. The secondary, like Tennessee's, has loads of talent and could be great or terrible-- only time will tell. Florida has two QB's that read defenses better than many NFL QB's. Dean is the starter and has a much stronger arm and throws better on the run. Wuerffel is more accurate and slightly better at reading defenses. Both have concentration problems that lead to quite a few turnovers, but no one passed the ball better last year than those two combined, not Zeier or Schuler. Against every defense one of the two moved the ball effectively and scored. The running backs have no experience at all and the full backs don't have much more, but have no fear, Florida's ground game will improve. Look for either Williams or Taylor to give Florida a break-away threat for the first time in Spurrier's reign. The WR's will again be among the best in the SEC (no longer in the nation however.) Jack Jackson is VERY dangerous and Doering, Palmer and Hill all have gluey palms. A large bunch of very talented incoming freshmen may put one or two 18-year-olds in the limelight. The OL is massive, strong, and very experienced, and--to top it all off --extremely deep. They and UT's unit are the best in the league. All five pre-season All-SEC OL's are from Florida (3) or UT (2). Jeff Mitchell, Donnie Young, Jason Odom and Reggie Green will all make first through third All-SEC teams. The DL is frighteningly talented. This unit has the talent to dominate every game (including UT's fine line) but will it? If they choke like last year no chance, but if they play like they did all spring long--look out. Kevin Carter and Ellis Johnson are both headed for the NFL and have a good shot at being All-Americans if they play to potential. The linebackers, as I said, are fast and tackle well but I don't know how many times they can stop a 240lb fullback and keep getting up. Look for Darren Hambrick to be a huge star in the next two years. The secondary took a lot of abuse last year but now they are no longer undermanned. Florida's weakness on defense will no longer be here but probably with the linebackers. The kicking game is awesome with Lou Groza winner Judd Davis and potential All-America Shayne Edge. The return defense did not give up ANY big plays last year and Jack Jackson is always a threat to take it all the way on kick-off returns. If Spurrier remembers to run the ball when a team has seven defensive backs on the field, Florida will be tough for anyone to handle. His offense would be the best in the nation if he had a superstar QB. Key Games: Sept 17th at Knoxville--the inside track to the SEC East goes to UF. Oct 15th Auburn--Spurrier wants to demolish Auburn after last year. Oct 8th Georgia--Florida wants to beat UGA first time ever in Gainesville. Nov 26th at Tallahassee--Spurrier has never won there. Predicted Finish ---------------- 11-1 (lose to Florida State) ========================================================================== Georgia ------- A complete lack of quality running backs will probably make UGA the same one dimensional team they were last year. Unless Marion Campbell is a miracle worker, the defense will also be a weakness; however, it should improve. The QB position is well filled with All-America candidate Eric Zeier. He has excellent leadership abilities and a ton of experience. His WR's all run good routes (esp. Graham and Hunter) and are dangerous after they get the ball--though they need to hold onto to the ball better. The offensive line is a mix of returning starters and newcomers, but all have merit. It could be a good pass blocking squad again. The special teams rating is mixed. The place kicker Parkman is a workhorse with good range. The punting is taken over by a player that has only punted in games 11 times (for a low 34.8 average). Ray Goff put out some cash and his neck in hiring Marion Campbell. Marion must produce with the defense or he might get thrown out along with his boss. Goff took a while to learn to change his plan to fit his offense but when he did it was much more effective. If he continues to be adaptive, UGA could be headed for glory again in the next few years, but whether he will have his job for that long is questionable. Georgia has one of the best out-of-conference SEC schedules. Two of their three games are against age-old rivals Clemson and Georgia Tech. UGA plays Ole Miss, Auburn and 'Bama for their western games and must travel to Gainesville. Not good news for Goff when he needs a great season to hang on. Key Games: Sept 3rd in Columbia--the dawgs must win this game or morale will plummet. Sept 10th Tennessee--the Vols seem to have a jinx on UGA. Oct 1st, at Birmingham--UGA plays every good SEC team. *ouch* Oct 9th, Clemson--Hey, I might actually pull for them here (maybe). Oct 29th, at Florida--if Goff beats UF, he will get to stay. Nov 12th, at Auburn--Man, this schedule is rough Predicted Finish ---------------- 8-3 (lose to Bama, Kentucky, and Florida) ======================================================================= Kentucky -------- Pookie left and now no one knows who will run Kentucky's weird offense. The offensive line is very green and UK isn't exactly loaded with talent. The starters on the DL are below average for the SEC and they have little depth. The linebackers are also down after losing Marty Moore. A good selection of running backs will help UK's ground game. Moe Williams is explosive and made the all-freshman SEC first team last year. Damon Hood is a three year starter at fullback and very dependable. Backup tailback Donnel Gordon is also very talent-laden. The defense has improved greatly overall under Mike Archer, especially the secondary. They run to the ball well and hit as hard as any bunch of DB's in the SEC. Special teams play is a big concern for the 'Cats. They averaged only 36.2 yards per punt and during the regular season the longest field goal was 29 yards! Key Games: Sept 3rd, Louisville--they play this in-state rival for the first time in years. Sept 24th, South Carolina--this game could make or break the season (to bowl or not to bowl). Miss State, Vandy and NE La., all in a row before Tennessee. If they sweep these (and they can), it is bowl time; if not, basketball season will have started and no one in Kentucky will even care. Predicted Finish ---------------- 6-5 (lose to Florida, Auburn, LSU, MSU and Tennessee) ============================================================================ Louisana State -------------- The defensive line has very little depth and they were pushed around by several teams last year. The outside linebackers have been inconsistent at best, as have been the signal callers. The Tigers have probably the best wideouts in the SEC and a lot of team speed on offense. Mike Calais is an excellent tackler in the middle LB spot, and the secondary, although it had a few breakdowns last year, should be experienced and solid this year. The special teams are solid if not exceptional. The place kicker, LaFleur, is accurate, and the punter, Holstein, adequate. The return men for LSU (Butler and Kennison) are quite dangerous. Curly Hallman was outstanding at Southern Miss; I don't know why he is doing so poorly at LSU. The 'Bama win last year probably saved his job. Lynn Amadee is an awful offensive coordinator (just a tad better than Malfunction Moore), and don't look for LSU's offense to be impressive while he is there. Key Games: Sept 3rd, Texas A&M--LSU hates losing to the Ags. Sept 10th, Miss State--LSU owned the state of Mississippi last year. Sept 17th, at Auburn--could this be the Bama game of this year? Nov 26th, at Arkansas--again a bowl berth might hinge on this game. Predicted Finish ---------------- 6-5 (lose to Texas A&M, Auburn, Florida, 'Bama and Arkansas) ============================================================================ Mississippi State ----------------- The quarterbacks will be the weakest element at MSU. They have very little depth and not a whole lot of good arms. The defensive line in the interior is a bit shaky. The offensive line is HUGE and will love to block for MSU's very good and bruising running backs. The wideouts are all big play types with good hands. The kicking game is solid and so is the coaching staff. If MSU had a good quarterback they would challenge for the SEC West. Key Games: Sept 10th, at Baton Rouge--the up and coming teams square off. Sept 24th, UT and Oct 8th, Auburn--MSU will upset one of these two (maybe both). Nov 12th, Alabama--upset of the year in the SEC. Predicted Finish ---------------- 8-3/9-2 (lose to LSU, UT and/or Auburn) ============================================================================ Ole Miss -------- Ole Miss really sucks and Billy Dog is gone. No other points will be made about them. Predicted Finish ---------------- 3-8 (lose to Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Alabama, LSU, Memphis and Miss State) =========================================================================== South Carolina --------------- USC is not well stocked at either set of lines and doesn't have the top team speed to make up for these weaknesses. Its secondary has not been able to cover swift receivers well at all. The Cocks have one of the better runningbacks in the SEC with Brandon Bennet. Their receivers are also talented and when Tannyhill is hot, the offense can be quite effective, especially with offensive know-it-all Brad Scott coming over from FSU to lead them. The linebackers are solid--they tackle and pass cover well. The special teams are mixed. Nothing exciting about their returners; the place kicking is solid but the punting had a sorry 35.6 yard average. Predicted Finish ---------------- 4-7 (lose to Georgia, Arkansas, Kentucky, LSU, Miss State, Tennessee, and Florida) ============================================================================= Tennessee --------- Uncertainty at QB could hurt the offense. The defensive line was gutted and the secondary is talented but unproven (just like UF's). The running backs, as is always the case with UT, fill an entire stable. What is it about them that they always have some great back to hand the ball off to? The WR's are not as good as UT has had in the past but they are very capable when they don't have UGA disease (whoops). The offensive line, along with UF's, is the best in the conference and excels at both pass and run blocking. The linebackers are very good and the secondary might be. The special teams are incredible. John Becksvoort is uncannily accurate and the punter Hutton is very dependable. The returners, Billy Williams, Shawn Summers, and Nilo Silvan, are all very dangerous. UT's schedule starts off brutal which is exactly what they didn't need. The defensive line will gel into an impressive unit by the season's end but look for the Vols to stumble early and often before they turn it around late in the season. Key Games: Sept 3rd, at UCLA--rough game a long way from Knoxville. Sept 10th, at Athens--UGA is tired of losing to UT. Sept 17th, Florida--inexperienced DL costs UT the game and the SEC East. Sept 24th, at Starkvegas--September = murder for UT. Oct 15th, Alabama--will UT finally win this game? Predicted Finish ---------------- 7-4 (lose to Georgia, Florida, Miss State and Alabama) =========================================================================== Vanderbilt ---------- Vandy sucks, see Ole Miss! Predicted Finish ---------------- 3-8 (beats only Wake Forest, Cincinatti, and Northern Ill)