MrSEC.com » LSU

Can a conference that has won four consecutive titles (let’s throw the mythical Auburn ’04 team in there since we’re all things SEC) and has the #1 and #3 ranked teams heading into 2010 actually be down? Six conference teams in the top-25 and be down? Yes, I believe the conference as a whole has been down the last two years, but the expanding collection of hardware has deservedly kept the league’s lofty status as the supreme football conference in the country intact.

But after reading all the opinions and analysis about how top heavy 2010 will be one name comes to mind: Dolly Parton. Experts rave about the two teams up top (Alabama and Florida), but seemingly ignore everything else. Well, experts, Dolly Parton’s old, Tim Tebow’s on a mission with unicorns in Denver and Florida isn’t going to Atlanta this year.

This will be the year that either South Carolina (the place Steve Spurrier retired a few years ago) or Kentucky (not the basketball team) will sneak by the Gators and Bulldogs to play in the SEC title game. However, is this punishment or prize if they potentially have to meet a bloodthirsty team like the Crimson Tide with a national title invitation at stake?

When slogging through the SEC gauntlet, success often depends on what teams dot the conference schedule and when you play them. And while the Tebow-less Gators are still fantastic, when I look at the schedule for the Gamecocks and Wildcats in an incredibly diluted SEC East, there’s never been an opportunity like 2010 for either team to finally reach the top rung of the ladder. Who to choose out of the two? If General Sherman was still alive today and he took a look at the Wildcats conference slate, I know who he’d want to march with. Go ahead and take a look for yourself and tell me what’s not to like…

Why not Florida?

It’s not that the Gators schedule is much more difficult than their rivals, but they are going to have to do it without him. I loved watching a round Tebow smash himself into a square peg every Saturday to become one of the greatest college players ever, but his 219 carries last year – more than double the touches of the #2 ball carrier – are gone. So, unless John Brantley turns into John Riggins overnight I don’t think the 219 mark is safe and one running back is going to have to step up. This means under center the Gators will have a very good but plodding pocket passer, with several new targets on the outside, in a spread offense that is run first. Couple that with punishing SEC defenses that have never been better, and doesn’t make you stop just for a second and wonder?

Gator fans may point to winning the ’06 title with Chris Leak the pocket passer, but was it Leak or Tebow who really made that offense click? For some reason Brantley at quarterback makes me think of Rich Rodriguez handing over the reins to a pocket passer to run his spread offense during his first two years at Michigan. Let’s just say the wrong guy running the spread offense in a top conference hasn’t produced glowing results for Rodriguez. Under Meyer’s watch the Gators will never look anything like the nuclear meltdown taking place in Ann Arbor, but I’m not sold on the #3 ranking just yet.

Is this a Gators’ hate piece? Not at all, and if anything it’s a tribute to how valuable and unique Tebow was to the Gator Nation, coach Meyer and his teammates. But Brantley isn’t Superman and with no sequel in sight the premature talk of a Gators-Tide rematch in December is just that: Premature.

Paging South Carolina and Kentucky… The dance floor is finally open and you’re up. Let’s see what you can do.

Tyler’s Take: Miles’ Time Getting Short?

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:15:25 +0000

Outside of Boise State beating Virginia Tech in the football hotbed of the District of Columbia, the big winner of this weekend can’t actually win even if his team does. When Les Miles and LSU face North Carolina in the SEC Invitational tonight, what was a potential tipping point at one time for the LSU coach may end up being yet another artificial Tiger win against a “ranked” team in the eyes of Tiger fans.

I believe Miles’ nightmares probably look like something out of the movie “The Shining,” except every word in the 300 page book Miles wrote says, “Roster. Roster. Roster.”

He did more than he most coaches could have when he inherited a robust roster from Nick Saban when he won the title game with two losses (and a lot of help from other teams to get there). But, it was his Tigers that mauled an Ohio State team (shocker), and at the time the Saban cloud hanging over the Tiger program didn’t loom nearly as large. Now that the shine of the 2007 BCS title has lost its polish, that same Saban cloud now covers the entire state of Alabama and Louisiana. In all honesty, this cloud has gotten so big that Tiger fans must travel outside of the southeast to escape its shadow. And that’s too bad for Miles because there is no place other than that part of the country where Tiger fans want to be in the fall.

So here stands Miles at the foot of the Green Mile with an opportunity to plead his case and reverse course with a big win against North Carolina and what happens? The roster on the other team — something 100% out of his control — has made this a lose-lose game for Miles. Thirteen UNC players have been ruled out for tonight.

If the Tigers defeat the 19 players on the UNC roster on Saturday night it couldn’t be more hollow. If the Tigers somehow lose this game, Miles needs to start thinking about what Ann Arbor feels like in the winter as he’s being chauffeured down the Green Mile(s) by 100,000 people.

A league that kills head coaches every few years, Miles’ hat is no match for the lethal SEC guillotine. While the usual toughies in the Western Bloc are beatable this year with a talented LSU roster, a September date at home with a ranked West Virginia team and a road trip to Gainesville in October don’t help. Of course, there’s also that little game after a bye week for the Tigers against the Crimson Tide.

Miles can be the head man in 2011 down on the Bayou, but some combination of the following four things probably have to happen:

Rich Rodriguez wins more than nine games and keeps his job
The Tigers beat the Tide in Death Valley
The Tigers reach the SEC title game
The trendy Arkansas/Petrino combination doesn’t surpass them as the #2 team in the West.

Please remember to keep your arms, legs and hat inside the vehicle at all times this year, coach Miles.

Top MrSEC Clicks For The Week

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:10:26 +0000

1. Lyons Talks Bama Uniforms

2. SEC Commitment Comparison

3. LSU Offers Mettenberger; How Is This Different Than Masoli’s Situation?

4. Why So Serious? UK’s Coach Wants To Reach The Next Level

5. Chickillo Likes Vols Assistant

Gameday Headlines – 9/4/2010

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:47:18 +0000

1. Miami of Ohio at Florida

A new era begins in Gator football

Let’s see what Santa Urban has brought us this year.

2. Louisiana-Lafayette at Georgia

New attractions abound today at Sanford Stadium.

Five keys to a Bulldogs victory.

Another arrest at Georgia. No more excuses.

3. Jacksonville State at Ole Miss

Ole Miss gets two pieces of good news before their season opener.

Jacksonville State is the favorite to win its conference.

4. Kentucky at Louisville

Two new coaches try to win their first game

The rivalry ingredients to make a spicy stew.

5. Tennessee Tech at Arkansas

Easy to laugh about Bobby Petrino’s first season at Arkansas but it was no joking matter.

Tennessee Tech gets a $450,000 payday for tonight’s game.

6. San Jose State at Alabama

Doesn’t matter who you are playing, you still get opening game jitters.

Any doubt who has all the advantages?

In 81 years, Bryant-Denny stadium has seen eight major renovations.

7. Arkansas State at Auburn

Cam Newton has become the face of Auburn football

The Auburn Tigers are aiming high in Gene Chizik’s second season

The Tigers are 14-0 all-time against Sun Belt opponents.

8. Memphis at Mississippi State

Junior QB Chris Relf leads the Bulldogs tonight.

The Bulldogs are tired of talking and ready to play.

9. Tennessee-Martin at Tennessee

How will new Vols coach Derek Dooley run the sideline at Neyland Stadium?

Tennessee’s defensive line is impressed with Tennessee’s offensive line.

10. Northwestern at Vanderbilt

Northwestern wins. Why can’t Vandy?

These two teams haven’t face each other since 1952.

11. LSU vs North Carolina

Les Miles: “There’s a little juice involved in opening the season in the Georgia Dome and on national television.”

LSU is 7-1 at the Georgia Dome

North Carolina will be without 13 players tonight.

Tyler’s Take: South Carolina and the ESPN Opener

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 04:15:40 +0000

A new addition to the Mr.SEC team, please allow me to briefly set the stage… The fantastic work done by the guys running this site, bringing you news from every southern outpost, has become a daily stop for many of you. Whether it’s between (or during) meetings at work, a last check on the phone before calling it a day, or skirting a few responsibilities on the home front, this site has become HQ for all-things SEC Monday-Friday. My assignment is to lure you back here on Saturday for your SEC fix in Tyler’s Take. I’m going to “take on” a subject or two and highlight the marquee SEC games with a bit of commentary for you each weekend. Enjoy it or hate it, here we go…

Well, ESPN, as a football fan, you almost made me wish it was February again. After months of anticipation our season opens with Lou Holtz and Mark May without his transition lenses!? Outside of picking my jaw up off the floor after an Alabama player sporting “Bama Bangs” delivered a dead-on impersonation of a Nick Saban tirade, I learned exactly ONE thing during the entire 30 minute kick-off special: My hearing wasn’t severely damaged in the off-season as I first thought; my ears just weren’t in shape for Lou Holtz. So, to start off the season with a bang, I salute you John Saunders for rescuing this “special.”

First Half Thoughts:

Hello, Ms. Jenn Brown. Hopefully the walls at the Winfrey Hotel are solid … Did USC get stuck with the ugly Nike Pro Combat uniform’s, too? Nah, that’s just their standard Under Armor gear … 2001 intro song for USC > early 90’s techno music right before kick? Umm, it’s 2010 last time I checked, right? … Stephen Garcia looked very good, all the USC receivers look like 6’-4’’ athletic clones and Marcus Lattimore’s going to be special … Thankfully, Jesse Palmer brought back the sheik limousine driver look to the booth, but the super-tight shirt makes him look like an overweight Lloyd Christmas … I just saw Michael Jordan sporting a much smaller Adolph Hitler mustache in a commercial for tee shirts with some guy who looks like Jeff Foxworthy. Big points to you LeBron James … Did Steve Spurrier just have to insert a freshman quarterback when Garcia has been playing well just to generate drama and deflect attention from the five mediocre years he’s coached in Columbia? … I’m not sure how good Southern Mississippi is going to be this year, but Carolina looked very good in the first half.

Halftime Thoughts:

After watching the Dr. Lou segment twice a light just went off in my head: I’m a three-time, eleven-year brain cancer survivor. If I knew about Dr. Lou my senior year in college I would have gone and seen him and never would have had to write that last sentence. Dr. Lou, you are the Dr. James Andrews of the mind and I get to see you for free every Thursday night.

Second Half Thoughts:

Blowout.

Final Thoughts:

South Carolina can be very, very good in a scattered SEC East. If Garcia throws well this year the Gamecocks finally have a legitimate shot to play in Atlanta come December.

LSU Offers Mettenberger; How Is This Different Than Masoli’s Situation?

John — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:38:41 +0000

According to KelinJohnson.com — the website of a former Georgia safety — former UGA quarterback Zach Mettenberger has received a scholarship offer from LSU for next year.

Mettenberger was dismissed from Georgia’s team this spring. He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of sexual battery resulting from an encounter in a Valdosta-area bar.

Let’s assume for a few moments that Kelin Johnson has got this story straight. (And kudos to him if he’s really breaking it.)

1. Did LSU fans toss any stones at Ole Miss for trying to land Jeremiah Masoli? I’m going to guess that that’s a big affirmative on that one. I wonder if they now view Les Miles’ decision any differently than they did Houston Nutt’s decision? I’m sure they do… I’m just not sure how.

Both quarterbacks got into off-field trouble. Both quarterbacks were dismissed from big-time programs. And then new big-time programs came in to scoop them up.

And Miles isn’t even waiting for the healing waters of a year in the juco ranks to wash away Mettenberger’s sins. If he came onboard next spring, I would expect to hear his new coach talk about how he’s changed his behavior, proven his character, etc, etc in a year in juco. But — if this story is true — Miles is already offering. In other words, if he could get away with it, he’d like to grab him ASAP. Kinda like Nutt, right?

2. The NCAA was down on Ole Miss bringing in Masoli because in their view a player should not use the NCAA’s own rules to skirt discipline handed down by an NCAA member institution.

And how exactly is Mettenberger’s case any different? He’s using the NCAA’s transfer rules to leave a place where he can’t play to go to a place where he can.

Is it the year he’s to spend in juco that makes everything alright?

A few of you old birds like me might remember the scene in “Purple Rain” when Prince convinces Apollonia that she needs to purify herself in Lake Minnetonka before he’ll help her career. (She gets naked, jumps into the water and only then does he tell her that they are at a different lake, not Minnetonka.)

Well, apparently NCAA officials like to put on their long, sequined, purple dusters and encourage wayward players to dunk themselves in the waters of Lake Juco-tonka.

A junior college — even if you’re just arriving, it seems — will alter a man’s heart, mind, soul and behavior so much that he can be given a second shot in D1 football.

3. Just wondering: Will Stewart Mandel over at SI.com now call Miles a “dirty” coach because he’s willing to trade integrity for victories?

4. I have nothing against Mettenberger and I hope he gets a second chance. I also don’t have a problem with Miles for giving him that opportunity. Mettenberger has cleared himself with the legal system and paid a price (in reputation) for his actions. Miles won’t be the last coach to offer him a full ride.

But Mettenberger’s case is awfully similar in spirit to Masoli’s. Both players were booted from their teams. One is a pariah because he dared to move from one school straight to another in order to play ball again. The other is okey-dokey because he’s moving from one school to another, too, BUT he’ll go juco first. And he’s getting scholarship offers before his time at The Rock really even begins.

If the issue is bad kids and second chances, what the heck does a junior college have to do with things?

Why not just tell guys like Mettenberger and Masoli to just say (or throw) ten “Hail Marys” and then go along on their way?

I don’t see how a season in junior college makes everything hunky-dory for the second-chance seeking player and the second-chance giving coach.

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SEC Headlines – 9/3/10 Part Three

John — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:40:23 +0000

1. Vandy’s Robbie Caldwell is nervous… and ready for battle.

2. Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald has nothing but praise – of course — for Vandy’s players.

3. Tennessee’s Derek Dooley knows that UT-Martin was in a dogfight with Auburn just two years ago.

4. Neyland Stadium will look like a brand new building for tomorrow night’s opener.

5. South Carolina rolled Southern Miss right out of Columbia last night. Very impressive performance.

6. Marcus Lattimore showed the promise the Gamecock fans were hoping for.

7. Here’s a bit more on the NCAA issues USC faced right up until kickoff.

8. Bobby Petrino believes nicknames matter at Arkansas.

9. Arkansas Practice Report, here.

10. This writer says the Hogs aren’t this year’s “Ole Miss,” Auburn is.

11. LSU hopes tomorrow’s “showcase” game in Atlanta will help with recruiting.

Sidenote — Former Tiger Eddie Kennison will host an interactive Q&A session with fans at the Allstate Tailgate Tour from 5 to 6pm in the Georgia World Congress Center before the game. (Wow, it’s almost like I was goaded into mentioning that fact.)

12. UNC’s Butch Davis was on LSU’s short list as coach… twice.

13. The NCAA hasn’t forgotten about LSU’s issues revolving around fired assistant DJ McCarthy and former player Akiem Hicks.

14. When it comes to big money athletic departments, Florida is aces according to The New York Times.

12 Heels Out For LSU Game

John — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:12:45 +0000

This morning we wrote that North Carolina has been dealing with some of the same distractions that South Carolina has been coping with. USC whooped up on Southern Miss last night despite the off-the-field headaches. In our view, LSU should take UNC serious — despite the negative buzz — because they could use their distractions as a rallying point, too.

But that might prove tougher for UNC than it was for USC. The NCAA has now declared six Tar Heel starter ineligible for tomorrow night’s game with LSU. Six more players will also be withheld while the NCAA’s investigation continues.

So the first lucky break of 2010 goes to… Les Miles. At least that’s how it looks right now. On paper.

SEC Headlines – 9/3/10 Part Two

John — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:43:25 +0000

1. For the fourth straight year, Alabama will have at least one player suspended for NCAA rules violations.

2. Freshman linebacker CJ Mosley could have an immediate impact (as a backup) with the Tide.

3. Mark Ingram says the guys on Bama’s offense “want to be the best in school history.”

4. Auburn will use its young defensive linemen earlier and more often than its young offensive linemen.

5. Arkansas State’s offense will have some similarities to Auburn’s tomorrow.

6. Left tackle Lee Ziemba is working to create more leverage for himself when engaging defenders.

7. This writer says that Dan Mullen is facing a “must-win game” against Memphis. Year Two, Game One, Must Win? A little hyperbole never hurt anyone.

8. Making matters tough for Mullen is the fact that Memphis has a new coach… and therefore the element of surprise is in their favor.

9. Chris Relf will get the start at quarterback tomorrow but Tyler Russell could see first-half action, too.

10. The SEC will hand down bell-related monetary fines to MSU at end of the season, not on a week-to-week basis. “The bell tolls for thee, Grossbard.”

11. Whether starting defensive end Kentrell Lockett will return to Ole Miss — after heart issues last Saturday — is up in the air at this point.

12. The Rebels will need to fill the sizable void left by his absence.

13. Hosuton Nutt says Randall Mackey will get plenty of snaps at quarterback behind Nathan Stanley tomorrow.

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SEC Headlines – 9/3/10 Part One

John — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:47:05 +0000

1. Urban Meyer says his team is ready for gameday.

2. Sophomore Jon Bostic will likely start at middle linebacker for the Gators tomorrow.

3. Receiver Frankie Hammond will be suspended from UF’s game with Miami (Ohio) due to his offseason DUI charge.

4. Georgia has some absences on offense heading into its opener with Louisiana-Lafayette.

5. Jeff Schultz of The AJC believes UGA should sit AJ Green if the NCAA has any questions about his eligibility.

6. Georgia Practice Report, here.

7. Home field advantage hasn’t meant a lot in the Kentucky-Louisville football series.

8. Quarterback Mike Hartline wants to go from game manager to game changer.

9. Defensive coordinator Steve Brown thinks his unit’s struggles against spread offenses have been overblown.

10. Tony Barnhart of The AJC makes his weekend predictions here.

Back To Normal Tomorrow

John — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:07:00 +0000

Just a quick note to apologize for today’s few and far between posts.

Have you ever tried to type up a story while zipping through Atlanta on MARTA? Me, neither. But I can tell you it’s not easy.

Tunnels aren’t great for my Verizon Wireless card.

Today’s been a “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” type of day… starting off with traffic delays getting out of New York.

I hope you’ll excuse our lack of updates today. All will be back to normal tomorrow morning here at MrSEC. Dozens of stories, dozens of links. All the news you’ve come to expect from MrSEC every day.

Assuming I eventually make it home.

In Case You Haven’t Heard… Defense Wins In The SEC

John — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:58:37 +0000

Everyone knows that defense wins championships in the SEC. And a quick check of recent league statistics proves it to be true. But did you know there was a pretty clear shift from offense to defense that took place about eight years ago?

Going back 15 seasons, we broke down each of the SEC champions from 1995 (Florida) right on up through last year (Alabama) in eight major statistical categories. Here’s what we found, starting with the offensive numbers:

Scoring Offense
The SEC champ led the league in scoring offense 6 times in the last 15 years. (Florida in 2008, 2000, 1996 and 1995, Auburn in 2004 and Georgia in 2002)

Rushing Offense
Only 2 of the past 15 SEC champions actually led the league in rushing. That’s a surprisingly low number. (Florida 2008 and Tennessee 1998)

Passing Offense
Again, only 2 SEC champs since 1995 have topped the league in this category. And you have to go back a long way to find the last champ to do it. (Florida in 1996 and 1995)

Total Offense
Only 3 teams in 15 years have led the league in total offense and lifted that round SEC sign in Atlanta. (Florida in 2008, 1996 and 1995)

Scoring Defense
The SEC’s champion has led the league in points allowed 5 times in the past 15 years. But all five teams have done so in the last 8 years. (Alabama 2009, Florida 2008, Auburn 2004, LSU 2003, and Georgia 2002)

Rushing Defense
In the last 15 years, just 3 SEC champs have led the league in this category… but all have occurred in the last 7 years. (Alabama 2009, Florida 2006, and LSU 2003)

Passing Defense
Want an interesting fact? Try this one: No SEC champion since 1995 has led the conference in this category. Got a so-so secondary? You can win big anyway.

Total Defense
Of the last 15 champs, 3 have led the league in total yards allowed. Again, all three instances have taken place in the last 7 years. (Alabama 2009, LSU 2007 and 2003)

Conclusions

* You don’t have to a league-leading offense or defense to win the SEC. Georgia (2005), LSU (2001), Alabama (1999) and Tennessee (1997) didn’t lead the SEC in any of the 8 main team categories.

* There was a shift from offense to defense right around 2002. Since that time, only 5 champions have led the league in an offensive category. However, 11 SEC champs have led the league in a defensive category in that same 8-year span.

* That’s a switch from the 1990s. Not once between 1995 and 2001 did an SEC champion lead the league in one of the four major defensive categories.

* It’s not breaking news, of course, but even when you do a little simple math with the SEC Media Guide you find that defensive success is more important than offensive success in today’s SEC.

MrSEC.com’s Official “Don’t Put Money On These” 2010 Predictions

John — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:14:15 +0000

Predictions are fun. And usually useless.

There’s no telling who’ll be hit with injuries at the worst possible time. There’s no way to predict which games will be impacted by bad weather. And it’s impossible to guess which game might change entirely based on an opening-kickoff fumble.

In other words, I wouldn’t go putting any money on the predictions you’re about to read. But as we’re set to start the 2010 season tonight, here’s the current view from MrSEC.com:

Teams Most Likely To Reach Atlanta

1. Alabama — The Tide won’t go undefeated this year, but it’s hard to imagine anyone in the West slipping past them in the standings. The gap closes a little this year, but the Tide is still way out in front.

2. Florida — The Gators will have new players on the field and new coaches on the sidelines. They’ve also had a few issues with a particularly cocky and mouthy freshman class. But the big question is can they replace Tim Tebow — meaning Tebow the team leader and Tebow the automatic-third-down-converter. Odds are they’ve got the talent to win the division, but…

3. Georgia — The Bulldogs have talent on offense. They can insulate new quarterback Aaron Murray by putting veterans at every position around him. On defense, it doesn’t seem possible that the Dawgs could be any worse than last season. For those reasons, UGA is our current sleeper to reach Atlanta.

Rising / Falling

As we just noted, Georgia has a lot of pieces in place to compete in the East. Florida is still the favorite and they’ll get the biggest dose of media scrutiny. The Dawgs might thrive with lower expectations and an underdog mentality. UGA is on the rise.

South Carolina looks to be the team set up for disaster. What should be a good quarterback situation appears murky at the moment. The Weslye Saunders/Whitney Hotel situation has been a distraction. Mix in the fact that many people are raising expectations for the Cocks and this could be the perfect storm.

All that said, if Carolina tops Georgia in Week Two, you can officially flush these last-minute preseason gut feelings.

Best Record For A New Coach

Joker Phillips beats out Derek Dooley and then Robbie Caldwell in this one. Just look at the Wildcats’ schedule for the reason why. Louisville, Akron, Western Kentucky and Charleston Southern make up the non-conference part of the slate. Inside the SEC, UK will go to Ole Miss and Mississippi State and host Auburn.

Dooley’s Vols will face Oregon outside the conference and their SEC West games consist of visits from Alabama and Ole Miss and a road game at LSU. Advantage Wildcats.

As for Caldwell, if Vandy wins 3 games, he’ll have done a solid job. The roster is young. The schedule is tough. Things don’t look good for the ‘Dores.

Player of the Year on Offense

Ryan Mallett’s stats should be spectacular at year’s end. As we’ve broken down previously, he’ll need to improve his performance in league games (specifically on the road), but coupling his arm with Bobby Petrino’s system is sure to produce more fireworks.

Player of the Year on Defense

Everyone seems to be going with Alabama’s Dont’a Hightower in this slot, but the edge here goes to LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson. Both are tremendous players, but Peterson is likely to star in a league filled with great receivers. He wins on degree of difficulty.

Who’s The Real #2 in the West

We like Georgia as the only real sleeper in the league behind Alabama and Florida. Period. But if someone said, “Pick someone from the West or else,” we’d study the teams’ non-division opponents and their matchups with each other:

Arkansas — at Georgia, at South Carolina, Vanderbilt, LSU, at Auburn

LSU — at Vanderbilt, at Florida, Tennessee, at Arkansas, at Auburn

Auburn — South Carolina, at Kentucky, Georgia, LSU and Arkansas

Scratch LSU from the list immediately. That leaves a head-to-head race between dark horse darlings Auburn and Arkansas. Auburn has the schedule advantage, but they also have more questions to answer — Is Malzahn’s offense for real? Will the defense be better?

We have to wonder about Arkansas’ defense, too, but we can be pretty sure that their offense will thrive. For those reasons, we like the Hogs to finish #2 in the West.

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SEC Headlines – 9/2/2010

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:07:46 +0000

1. The football season waits no for one. While South Carolina awaits word from the NCAA, the team prepares to kickoff the 2010 season tonight.

2. What will the difference makers be when South Carolina meets Southern Miss tonight? Will the Gamecocks struggle against a team it has never faced?

3. Mike Bianchi asks: Who would win a football game between the Florida Gators and the UFL’s Florida Tuskers?

4. The defense will set the pace for the Gators this year. Expect the defensive line to play a bigger role.

5. Still no answer at Georgia on wide receiver A.J. Green’s status and coach Mark Richt doesn’t want to talk about it.

6. Just a few days away from football season and the big news out of Lexington – basketball coach John Calipari had a book signing last night.

7. The football Cats are focused on stopping Louisville’s spread offense.

8. Just how much time will Tennessee backup QB and true freshman Tyler Bray see on Saturday against U-T Martin?

9. There’s no crying in football. Just ask Vols defensive line coach Chuck Smith.

10. Wesley Johnson is an undersized redshirt freshman. He’s also Vanderbilt’s starting left offensive tackle – tasked with protecting the QB’s blind side.

11. The recovery begins for Mark Ingram. “He didn’t have a lot of swelling, which is a good sign,” said coach Nick Saban.

12. Alabama goes up against a San Jose St. team on Saturday night that’s short eight scholarships due to academic sanctions. They’ve never beaten an SEC team.

13. Auburn goes up against an Arkansas State team with five senior offensive linemen.

14. Now is the time for running back Michael Dyer and quarterback Cam Newton to show their stuff.

15. LSU offensive tackle Joseph Barksdale is becoming a leader for the Tigers while tight end DeAngelo Peterson will miss Saturday night’s game with a foot injury.

16. Ole Miss is better prepared to face Jacksonville State’s option this weekend thanks to Mississippi State.

17. Mississipi State coach Dan Mullen says a few freshmen will see action this weekend but none of them will start.

18. The Arkansas offensive line tries to find its groove.

19. Georgia is the winner of the “Fulmer Cup”

SEC Headlines – 9/1/2010

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:02:15 +0000

1. At Alabama, as you might imagine, the talk is all about the injured Mark Ingram.

2. Kevin Scarbinsky says when it comes to fans reaction, there’s a difference between positive and delusional.

3. Ruling Jeremiah Masoli ineligible was the right move, according to Clay Travis. Wrong move says Tony Barnhart

4. Who does the best imitation of Les Miles?

5. LSU Fans are still waiting to see who will start at running back on Saturday night – Richard Murphy or Stevan Ridley.

6. Uncertainty at Arkansas over the starting running back position as well.

7. Twelve rookies on 2-deep. Auburn releases its depth chart.

8. Auburn’s Daren Bates goes from free safety to starting outside linebacker.

9. Mississippi State linebacker K.J. Wright is trying to fill some big shoes this season.

10. Who will be the playmakers at Florida this season?

11. Florida’s starting line against Miami of Ohio on Saturday will feature four seniors and one junior.

12. New Georgia AD Greg McGarity expects every Georgia team to be “in the hunt” for titles.

13. Setting the expectations for a freshman QB. Aaron Murray, don’t be a hero. But QB will be the big question for the Dawgs this year.

14. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is hinting that QB Stephen Garcia will get the start on Thursday night.

15. Kentucky’s Luke McDermott has gone from walk-on to starting defensive tackle.

16. The Cats will face new Louisville coach Charlie Strong and his spread offense on Saturday with QB Adam Froman at the helm.

17. Tennessee wide receiver Gerald Jones is healthy and ready to go.

18. Vols head coach Derek Dooley says he expects some surprises from the UT-Martin Skyhawks on Saturday.

19. Vanderbilt player Jamie Graham has played offense, defense and even some basketball for the Commodores. Now he’s just a cornerback.

20. Vandy expects a crowd of about 35,000 for Saturday against Northwestern.

21. What are the best college programs this century?

Prove It, SEC Schools… Prove It

John — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:11:58 +0000

When the 2010 SEC football season kicks off tomorrow night in Columbia, it will finally be time for some of the league’s teams and coaches to prove themselves.

To prove their skills. To prove their talents. To prove that offseason media hype has been justified.

Here’s what each school will need to prove heading into the year:

Alabama

The Crimson Tide needs to prove that success hasn’t gone to its head. Sure the defense will need to be rebuilt. And the special teams will feature a lot of new faces, too. But it’s what between the ears that I’m concerned with. Nick Saban preached chemistry throughout the summer. Midway through fall camp his veterans had to explain to the newcomers what kind of effort and commitment is expected in Tuscaloosa. Will Bama remain as hungry and as dedicated as 2009… or will this team try to rest on last year’s team’s laurels?

Arkansas

The secondary should be better. Good thing. The Razorbacks need to show that they have some semblance of a defense or else they’ll look like Louisville playing in the SEC. The bigger issue, however, is Ryan Mallett’s accuracy. He is being hailed as the best quarterback in the nation and the talent is most definitely there. But if Mallett completes just 39% of the passes in SEC road games and just 51% of his passes in SEC games overall (matching last year’s performance), the Hogs won’t have the breakthrough season that most are predicting. He has to prove that his accuracy and decision-making have improved.

Auburn

So Kirk Herbstreit believes Auburn will unseat Alabama and win the SEC West? They might. Their defense has some depth this year and Cameron Newton should be a better fit for the spread offense than anyone AU has had at quarterback the last two years. But is Gus Malzahn’s offense really all it’s cracked up to be? The Tigers averaged more than 35 points per game in their first two SEC games a year ago (both wins). They then went 1-5 in their final six conference games and that scoring average plummeted to less than 21 points per contest. Auburn needs to prove that Malzahn is a genius… and that all those high-paid defensive coordinators in this league didn’t already figure out his vulnerabilities.

Florida

New faces. New coaches. New health-first approach from Urban Meyer. Florida has lots to prove, but replacing Tim Tebow is Issue #1. John Brantley has to prove that he’s up to the task of leading the Gators through the air rather than via the ground. And someone — anyone — will have to step up and be THE short-yardage attack for UF. Florida has the talent, but they still have to prove to me that they can replace one of the most unique college football talents SEC fans had ever seen.

Georgia

UGA’s defense couldn’t be worse could it? Three new coaches, a new coordinator and a new 3-4 system should make the Bulldogs’ more stingy on the defensive side of the ball. Shouldn’t they? 2010 is the time to prove it.

Kentucky

Rich Brooks had the Wildcats moving in the right direction. UK has become a regular bowl bid recipient in recent years. Now new coach Joker Phillips has to prove that he can keep the momentum going. If the Cats stay in that 6-7 win range and reach another bowl, folks in blue will feel good that the Cats at least won’t backslide post-Brooks. If Phillips takes advantage of a favorable schedule and notches 8 or more wins (snapping losing streaks to Tennessee and/or Steve Spurrier in the process), he’ll be a hero. Can he?

LSU

In Baton Rouge it’s time for Les Miles to prove that Ryan Perrilloux really was the cause for his last two so-so seasons. Nine losses in two years will get you a raise in Lexington or Columbia. On the Bayou it gets your rump in a sling. It’s time for Miles to lead the Tigers back into the national picture and back into title contention in the SEC West. He has two veteran quarterbacks who he signed and who he has now trained for two-plus years. The Perrilloux defense has ended. Time for Miles to prove that things really are OK on his watch.

Mississippi State

Dan Mullen is viewed as an up-and-comer. Some folks have even picked the Bulldogs to go bowling in 2010. But is Mullen more enthusiasm and pedigree than real coaching all-star? 2010 is the time for him to prove that he can start to build MSU’s offense into a truly dangerous attack. He doesn’t have to lead the league in offense to win me over, he just needs to show that he’s making progress. That shouldn’t be too much to ask for a guy who left Florida on the strength of his offensive resume.

Ole Miss

The Jeremiah Masoli situation muddies the water on the UM front. Not knowing whether or not he’ll win his NCAA appeal (though it’s very doubtful), I’ll simply say that Houston Nutt needs to prove that he can keep his team together. The Rebels have lost playmakers and stars across the board. Kentrell Lockett is now out for the opener. Plus Masoli’s odd situation. Nutt will have to do some of his best coaching to keep his team together mentally or else this could be a big step backwards in Oxford.

South Carolina

This one’s easy. It’s time for Steve Spurrier to prove that he knows how to handle quarterbacks. That hasn’t happened in a long, long while. Rather than supporting a veteran QB in Stephen Garcia, Spurrier chose the tough love approach. He’s made freshman Connor Shaw a real option. If his quarterbacks struggle and spend 2010 looking over their shoulders it will be business as usual in Columbia. If they play well and USC wins more than 7 games, it will prove to me that Spurrier does indeed know how to handle passers. But for now, he currently ranks behind someone who was as shaky as Lane Kiffin. (Do you think Spurrier would have stood behind Jonathan Crompton and eventually turned him into an NFL draft pick last year at Tennessee… or would he have started his quarterback merry-go-round? You know the answer. And it’s no compliment to pale in comparison to Kiffin.)

Tennessee

With a depleted roster and a brutal schedule, Derek Dooley won’t have to prove much to me as a coach in 2010. I’ll start judging the guy for real in late 2011. No, this season it’s time for Dooley to prove that he can recruit. He was hired in part because of his role serving as Nick Saban’s recruiting coordinator at LSU. He landed a hot class in a very bad situation as soon as he grabbed the Vols’ job last February. But he’s spent a lot of time since talking about recruiting “5-star people” rather than 5-star players. UT’s class ranks near the bottom of the SEC currently. The Vols need an infusion of talent to rebuild. It’s time for Dooley to prove that he’s the man to get that done.

Vanderbilt

Like Dooley, Caldwell inherits a mess at Vanderbilt. Depth issues, injuries, no real quarterback to speak of. Under those circumstances, Caldwell will be asked to prove that he’s truly an SEC-caliber coach. Not to me, mind you, but to his bosses at Vandy. Despite the word “interim” being dropped from his title, there are many in Nashville who still believe Caldwell is getting a one-year tryout for the head coach’s job. So quite clearly, Caldwell needs to prove that he can hold his team together and at least eek out a few victories along the way. No easy assignment looking at Vandy’s roster.

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NCAA Masoli Ruling Sets Interesting Precedent

John — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:40:13 +0000

If you’re an SEC football fan — and not someone who wears red and blue and loves Ole Miss — I’m guessing you applauded the NCAA’s stance on Jeremiah Masoli yesterday.

The governing body ruled that even though Masoli’s actions fit within the boundaries of its graduate-school-get-a-waiver rule, his off-field behavior was too naughty to ignore.

“The waiver exists to provide relief to student-athletes who transfer for academic reasons to pursue graduate studies, not to avoid disciplinary measures at the previous university.”

Makes sense, of course. I see the NCAA’s point. Only they’ve decided to be activist judges on this one. They decided Masoli’s fate based on the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law.

The NCAA’s comments raise three questions in my mind:

1. Will the NCAA now get involved and prevent coaches all over the country from taking on players who have been dismissed by other schools? If they do not want players who have happened to graduate to get second chances, it would only make sense that non-graduates should be held to the same rule. In other words, will the NCAA now prevent someone like former Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger from playing at another school? Whether he goes juco first or not, Mettenberger was dismissed by UGA and he intends to play elsewhere.

2. If the waiver is designed for academic purposes first — not athletic purposes — will the NCAA rule in that manner in future cases? Greg Paulus transferred from Duke’s basketball team to Syracuse in order to play football in his final post-graduate year. Are we really to believe that he would have gone to Syracuse had a football offer NOT been on the table?

3. And what if a coach is simply a jerk? We never think of those things, but what if a player receives an unfair dismissal from a coach? Is that coach’s ban going to be upheld by the NCAA, too.

These would be the questions that I would ask were I representing Ole Miss in their appeal of Masoli’s case.

While I understand the move, it sets an odd precedent. Masoli might have gotten into trouble at Oregon and might be viewed as a criminal (though his crimes are less serious than some SEC football players), but behavior isn’t spelled out in the NCAA’s rulebook. Nowhere does it say a player can’t transfer from school to school after being disciplined.

Other thoughts:

* If the non-UM fans out there who are happy with this ruling had the same situation playing out at their school they would be screaming (as UM fans are) that the NCAA is an unfair organization. Whether it is or not.

* Masoli isn’t barred from going to school at Ole Miss, just from playing football in 2010. He can play in 2011 if he’s still enrolled in Oxford. It’s doubtful that will happen, of course, because Masoli transferred to play football — just like Paulus.

* Think Houston Nutt wishes he had given Nathan Stanley and Randall Mackey all of the snaps in fall camp now?

An Interesting Week at MrSEC.com

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:42:01 +0000

Back on August 19th, I began a post with the following sentence:

“To hell with tradition.”

I wrote that because, as I put it then, Alabama “is allowing Nike to Nik-ify their uniforms for one game this season.”

Nike, you see, is producing another set of Pro Combat uniforms for a select number of schools in 2010. They unveiled the first batch of futuristic unis last season with Florida (white helmets, spirograph stripes on the shoulders) and LSU (old gold rather than new gold) taking part in the one-game project.

Florida will be back for a second year and Alabama is jumping onboard this season, too.

Nick Saban has since said that the changes to Bama’s unis will be small and in keeping with the school’s tradition. In relaying that news, I pointed out just what type of hideous designs — in my opinion — Nike has rolled out for Oregon and Virginia Tech in past years.

Well, five days later, I received a very friendly invitation from Nike to attend the official unveiling of the new Pro Combat uniforms in New York City.

“Hi John, I know you picked up the news that Alabama and Florida will be wearing new uniforms from Nike this season — would you be interested in joining us in New York when we reveal the uniforms on September 1? University personnel, former players and Nike designers will be on hand to discuss the design and performance benefit elements.

“Nike can provide travel accomodations for you to New York — we can cover the cost of your flight and hotel if you are interested. The event begins at 10am on Wednesday so we suggest you arrive in NYC by Tuesday evening. You are welcome to stay through Wednesday evening or you can fly out immediately after the event.”

My first thought was as follows: What about journalistic integrity?

My second thought was: Are you kidding me, we’re talking about uniforms and this is a free trip to New York on Nike’s dime just to publicize their new uni designs… only an idiot would turn this down so hush up the integrity talk and get your butt on a plane.

My third thought: Wow, our site is really growing these days.

Thoughts Two and Three stuck. Thought One was flushed from my mind. This isn’t a coach taking me to dinner so I’ll write nice things about his program. This is just me covering a uniform unveiling in New York. How much credibility do I have as a fashionista in the first place?

So I’ll be bringing you a live blog from the proceedings in New York tomorrow. Former Gator Jack Youngblood will be representing Florida and Marty Lyons will be on hand for Alabama.

I told Nike that it’s doubtful that I’ll be won over by their new designs simply because I am a traditionalist. They said that was understood and that they’re not counting on some quid pro quo.

You can find out tomorrow morning what I really think about the uniforms right here on MrSEC.com. And whether I like the unis or not, I’m guessing you’ll read some kind words about Nike… the company.

While I’m out, Mike Mitchell will banging out the daily headlines and Josh Ward will keep on keeping on at our Recruiting page. We’ll also have some new, exclusive content (predictions and such) popping up on the site over the next two days.

But for now, I’m off to Atlanta — you can catch us previewing the SEC season with the guys from “SportsNite” on CSS tonight at 6pm ET — and then on to New York.

Gotta go work on my plans.

To do…

1. Get key to house-sitter.

2. Pack my laptop.

3. Pack my favorite pair of Nike shoes…

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SEC Headlines – 8/31/10 Part Three

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:52:11 +0000

1. Freshmen dot the Florida depth chart.

2. Jeff Demps believes his Olympic-class speed will be a good thing on kick returns.

3. Mike Pouncey says UF’s freshman class responded “like men” to his critical rant last week.

4. Here’s an update on Urban Meyer’s health.

5. Carolina receiver Tori Gurley is poised to have a big season in Columbia.

6. An outgoing USC beatwriter believes the Gamecocks will start their season 3-0 (with a win over Georgia to boot).

7. A former Carolina player says he and his teammates found a loophole to help get around the NCAA’s extra benefits rules.

8. Gerald Williams move from defensive end to defensive tackle was a depth chart surprise at Tennessee. (Gerald, not Dan, he mutters to himself after correcting his mistake.)

9. Derek Dooley isn’t taking UT-Martin lightly.

10. UT’s upperclassmen have learned to roll with the changes. Not unlike REO Speedwagon (one of my least favorite bands ever, I might add).

11. Vol basketballer Kenny Hall isn’t letting a sore foot slow him down.

12. Vandy’s Warren Norman had minimal swelling around his knee on Monday… meaning that he might play Saturday (just about 10 days after arthroscopic surgery).

13. Robbie Caldwell says he’ll have to try to stay calm “because I got pretty emotional before a game as a position coach.”

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Will 2010 Be Miles’ “Last Stand?”

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:27:20 +0000

For those of you who don’t believe Les Miles’ seat is at all warm, check out the views of John DeShazier of The New Orleans Times-Picayune:

“… there’s no doubt this season has a ‘last stand’ feel to it for LSU coach Les Miles, no denying that it’s warm in Baton Rouge and pressure is dialed up for the No. 21 Tigers to do more than win eight regular-season games and player in the Chick-fil-A Bowl

“If the 2010 Tigers win 10 games — or maybe nine against the right teams — and finish better than .500 in the SEC West Division, the consensus is that Miles will be safe.

“If they win eight games or less and flop in the conference, a win against Alabama might not be enough to save his job.”

If Miles wants the heat on the Bayou to be turned down a notch, the prescription is pretty simple, in my view:

1. Beat Nick Saban. Miles’ situation would not be as tenuous had the man who built up LSU not returned to the SEC and immediately built up Alabama.

2. Beat Nick Saban. Yes. It’s that important. If LSU goes 11-1 in the regular season with the loss coming to Bama, there will still be some grumblers in Baton Rouge. “Even in his best year, Miles can’t beat Saban,” would be the cry.

3. Beat Nick Saban. Have I made that clear enough yet?

4. Win at least 9 games, preferably 10 or more. Nine wins with a victory over Bama should ease the heat on Miles… until 2011. Winning 10 games (and nipping Saban) would go a long way toward proving that the loss of Ryan Perrilloux really was the only thing that led to LSU’s two-year mini-slump.

5. Don’t be a schmuck. When fans are grumbling, the worst thing a coach can do is become ornery. Miles can get ornery. He’ll need to watch the way he handles his press conferences and radio shows. He’ll also need to avoid embarrassing meltdowns like the one that struck during last year’s Ole Miss game. The coach can’t afford to mismanage the clock (or something of that ilk) and then get caught making up excuses. “I didn’t say spike it.” “Coach, here’s the video.” “Oh.”

SEC Headlines – 8/31/10 Part Two

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:09:49 +0000

1. Ole Miss is still waiting for an NCAA waiver for Jeremiah Masoli. Houston Nutt believes he’ll learn something today or tomorrow “at the latest.”

2. If he’s cleared, this writer believes Masoli will be the Rebels’ starter.

3. But his snaps have been dwindling in practice.

4. Is Chris Relf definitely MSU’s starting quarterback? Is he hurt? Is he healthy? Inquiring minds want to know.

5. This writer thinks Relf will play Saturday against Memphis.

6. Dan Mullen may hand out some suspensions before Saturday’s game.

7. Georgia’s depth chart is still in flux.

8. UGA has sold out its opener… which means the school’s sell-out streak is entering its 10th season.

9. New AD Greg McGarity is already at work in Athens.

10. Kentucky will be starting a walk-on at defensive tackle on Saturday.

11. UK players want the trophy from the Kentucky-Louisville game to remain in Lexington.

12. There are no jitters for Joker Phillips. Yet.

13. The one that got away: John Calipari couldn’t lure DeAndre Daniels into joining Kentucky this year. He’ll instead start college next year.

14. CBS analyst Gary Danielson doesn’t believe an SEC team will go undefeated in 2010. (I believe he’s right.)

SEC Headlines – 8/31/10 Part One

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:34:53 +0000

1. Nick Saban says his team is taking San Jose State seriously.

2. Speaking of Saban, Paul Finebaum says the coach deserves his statue in Tuscaloosa.

3. Outside linebacker Chavis Williams will be a surprise starter for Bama on Saturday.

4. The Tide is still waiting for an NCAA verdict on Marcell Dareus.

5. Auburn defensive coordinator will have a lot more players at his disposal this season.

6. The Tigers are full of optimism this fall.

7. Bobby Petrino hasn’t decided on a starter at running back yet.

8. Arkansas’ coach says he wants his defense to be “dominant” in the Hogs’ first two games.

9. Jordan Jefferson will be LSU’s starting quarterback, but Jarrett Lee might see action, too.

10. There’s some youth dotting the Tigers’ 2010 depth chart.

11. Offensive coordinator Gary Crowton will remain in the coaches’ booth this fall.

CBS’ Dodds Talks SEC (And Rips Ole Miss)

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:59:23 +0000

Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com has posted a 2010 preview piece titled: “25 Things to Watch: Football saves us after Summer of Sleaze.”

His piece contains references to a lot more than just “25 things,” as you can see for yourself by clicking here. Among his many bulletpoints are some SEC-related items:

* You have to like Alabama’s chances of winning another national title…

* Unless they get the big head (due in part to Nick Saban allowing ESPN and movie crews to document his squad).

* Florida remains the fastest team in the country.

* Les Miles and Mark Richt’s seats are “smoldering,” but they’re not yet “burning.”

* The SEC is the best conference.

* Alabama has the nation’s longest winning streak — 14 (along with Boise State). And Vandy has one of the nation’s longest losing streaks — 8.

* If the Big Ten expands to add Rutgers and Maryland the SEC might act. “All-out war is still on the horizon on the expansion front.”

* Week Two will be a huge weekend in the SEC: Penn State/Alabama, Oregon/Tennessee, South Florida/Florida, Georgia/South Carolina.

* And Dodd also takes a shot at Ole Miss and the entire SEC for rolling out the welcome wagon for Jeremiah Masoli.

“The SEC doesn’t look good as its image as a football-inclined league (at the expense of academics) is enhanced. Ole Miss looks worse. Notice that Vanderbilt, which we all know could use some quarterback help, didn’t, as far as we know, contact Masoli. Neither did Kansas, another school in desperate need of a quarterback.

“But at this school, in this league, there is always room for Jeremiah Masolis.”

SEC Commitment Comparison – 8/31/10

John — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 02:09:39 +0000

Just two days from the start of the real 2010 football season, what better time to check in on silly season — recruiting?

As usual, we’ve taken the star rankings provided by Rivals.com and put together our own comparison of the commitments corralled by SEC programs so far. Each Rivals’ star is worth one point in our world. Plus we give even 0-star recruits a point. Hey, we’re nice guys.

So without further ado, below are the current SEC commitment hauls as ranked by total points. Beneath that is a ranking of schools according to Average Points Per Player just so you can get an idea for the type of athletes each school is landing.

And remember, National Signing Day is just 22 weeks from tomorrow.

School	Commits	5-stars	4-stars	3-stars	2-stars	1- & 0-stars	Total Points
Alabama	17	2	10	5	0	0	65
Ole Miss	19	0	6	13	0	0	63
LSU	17	1	7	9	0	0	60
Georgia	16	0	7	8	1	0	54
Florida	15	0	9	5	1	0	53
Kentucky	18	0	1	14	0	3	49
Auburn	15	0	5	9	0	1	48
S. Carolina	18	0	0	15	0	3	48
Arkansas	17	0	1	14	0	2	48
Miss State	15	0	2	13	0	0	47
Tennessee	14	0	1	13	0	0	43
Vanderbilt	5	0	0	3	2	0	13

Observations:

* Houston Nutt’s new recruiting strategy is paying early dividends. In the past a slow starter and strong closer, this year Nutt and staff are as active as anyone on the early commitment front. Question is: Can they protect their own commitments as well as they’ve raided others’ in years past?

* Only Tennessee and Vanderbilt have fewer commitments than Florida, but that’s not unusual for the Gators. When you can sit back and be picky, why not sit back and be picky? As you’ll see below, UF ranks second only to Alabama in terms of quality of commitments. They’re cherry-picking. Pure and simple.

* Speaking of Tennessee, ranking between Mississippi State and Vanderbilt on a recruiting chart isn’t what Vol fans are used to. Derek Dooley has said many times that star rankings don’t matter to him and that certainly appears to be the case at the moment. If these types of numbers hold up, Dooley will need to prove that he has a keen eye and a penchant for developing players.

* Recruiting rankings aren’t scientific. And it’s still only August. But I’m guessing those facts still don’t make Arkansas or South Carolina fans feel better about their current classes. In terms of quality, USC ranks ahead of only Vandy. Arkansas is ahead of Kentucky, Carolina and Vandy, but the Hogs still lag behind Mississippi State and a less-productive-than-normal Tennessee.

* Gene Chizik may close strong once February rolls around, but I’m guessing I’m not the only one wondering if the NCAA’s recent decision to nix the Tiger Prowl might’ve let a little air out of Auburn’s recruiting tires. Both literally and figuratively.

School	Avg. Points Per Player
Alabama	3.82
Florida	3.53
LSU	3.52
Georgia	3.37
Ole Miss	3.31
Auburn	3.20
Miss. State	3.13
Tennessee	3.07
Arkansas	2.82
Kentucky	2.72
S. Carolina	2.67
Vanderbilt	2.60

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The Big Ten Needs To Take Notes From The SEC

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:06:32 +0000

There are a lot of rumblings coming from the north that the grandest rivalry in college sports is about to undergo a serious change. But before the Big Ten moves the Ohio State-Michigan football game from the third Saturday in November to the middle of the season, commissioner Jim Delany should put in a call to Mike Slive.

First things first, I’m a southern guy. I work for a site called “MrSEC” for gosh sakes. But I can tell you this without hesitation: The single greatest college football rivalry in America is Ohio State versus Michigan. We’re talking pure hate, people. And before I get notes from Iron Bowlers, just remember, OSU and Michigan have similar resumes. Auburn fans might not like to hear it, but the Tigers are looked down upon by Alabama fans because they simply don’t have as much national clout or history as the Crimson Tide. (That doesn’t mean they can’t earn that kind of clout in the future… blah, blah, blah.)

OSU-Michigan is a battle of equals. The Iron Bowl can be viewed as Auburn’s battle FOR equality and respect.

North Carolina-Duke deserves consideration as a great rivalry, too, but let’s face it, that’s basketball. Those teams could play three times in one season (more if the NCAA tournament bracket fell just right). That doesn’t compare to a one-time, winner-take-all battle for bragging rights.

In addition, Michigan-OSU has a longer history. With major media centers nearby, it’s had more than 100 years to cultivate a national following.

I lived in Columbus, Ohio for three years and seeing an OSU-Michigan game (in the spitting snow, no less) won me over. The show outside the stadium was as rich as the one inside. From the dotting of the “i” in The Horseshoe to the Mardi Gras-esque show outside (beads and all), nothing compares.

So for the Big Ten to even consider moving the sports’ grand game is ludicrous. For tradition’s sake alone it should be left at season’s end. But there’s another obvious reason not to move it: The chance of Michigan and OSU meeting in back to back weeks is ridiculously slim.

Instead of The Third Saturday in November, let’s consider The Third Saturday in October. Traditionally speaking, Alabama and Tennessee are the SEC’s two winningest programs. They have battled one another in the middle of the SEC regular season for decades. Yet after nearly 20 years of SEC Championship Games the Tide and Vols have never met in Atlanta. Not once.

And what of the south’s oldest rivalry? Georgia and Auburn have both been to the SEC title game on multiple occasions. But they’ve never faced off against each other.

What about two of the SEC’s three most-recent national titlists? LSU and Florida meet every regular season, but despite their dominance in recent years, they’ve never held a rematch in Atlanta.

The idea of moving the Ohio State-Michigan game is a bad one. The idea of moving that game in order to prevent the two schools from meeting twice (once in the regular season finale and then in a Big Ten Championship Game) is worse. Moving the game shows no grasp of history and tradition. Moving it to avoid a possible rematch shows no knowledge of what’s already played out in the very league that the Big Ten is hoping to copy.

Look to the SEC, Big Ten. Call Mike Slive, Jim Delany. Don’t toss away a yearly spectacle in an attempt to protect yourself against a rematch that will most likely rarely (if ever) come.

You can be sure the SEC would never do something so shortsighted.

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12 SEC Beatwriters Sound Off On 2010 Season

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:56:37 +0000

My hat’s off to Brandon Marcello of The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. (And no, that’s not because it was a Florida hat.)

Marcello’s work appears regularly on the site via his “Slophouse” blog and that’s despite the fact that most of his paper’s writings are hidden away from the public as part of his employer’s pay-to-read plan. (The State in Columbia, South Carolina is going in that direction, too… so don’t expect a lot links to them in the future, either.)

At any rate, Marcello contacted 12 SEC football beatwriters and polled them for their views on the 2010 season. You can read the hows and whys at his site by clicking here… but here are some of the more interesting predictions and viewpoints:

East Champ: Florida

West Champ: Alabama

Overall Champ: Alabama

Best Offense: Arkansas (followed distantly by Alabama and Auburn)

Best Defense: Alabama (followed closely by Florida)

Best Defensive Player: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

Best Offensive Player: Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas

Best Overall Player: Ryan Mallett, QB Arkansas

Best Coach: Nick Saban in an 11-1 runaway over Urban Meyer

Best Coaching Staff: Alabama in a 10-2 runaway vote over… Auburn?

Non-BCS Folks Really Do View SEC Players As Big Boys

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:38:46 +0000

Reading through a preview of Thursday’s Southern Miss-South Carolina game, I spotted a quote that I thought SEC fans might find interesting.

Asked about the Gamecocks’ defense, Southern Miss offensive coordinator Blake Anderson had this to say: “I’ve played in a lot of early SEC games at some of the other places I’ve been. There’s guys look like they did. Their corners are built like safeties, safeties are built like linebackers and their defensive linemen are just enormous.”

Granted, this is a coach who is talking up his opponent, but still, it’s an interesting non-BCS view of the size of SEC athletes.

SEC Headlines – 8/30/10 Part Three

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:14:14 +0000

1. With everyone expecting big things from Arkansas this fall, here’s a quick look at how the Hogs did statistically in 2009.

2. Bobby Petrino wants to see growth from his team when it comes to “football instincts and intelligence.”

3. Ole Miss will face one of the best offenses in the nation in its opener. Okay, it’s an FCS offense, but still, it was good at that level last year.

4. The Rebels will have to replace five key players from 2009 to have success in 2010.

5. MSU released its depth chart this morning.

6. AD Scott Stricklin is drawing up a long-term plan for improving (and expanding?) Scott Field.

7. Position battles are drawing to a close in Tuscaloosa.

8. This writer believes Alabama will lose a game in 2010… but win another national championship.

9. The secondary and special teams units are concerns for this year’s Tide.

10. Gene Chizik has a couple of reasons to be optimistic at Auburn.

11. Expectations are up on the Plains, but the Tigers have a good opportunity this fall.

SEC Headlines – 8/30/10 Part Two

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:58:09 +0000

1. There are high hopes in Gainesville despite so many questions.

2. With Tim Tebow gone, Florida will need to take its running attack seriously.

3. Derek Dooley says his new coaching staff will have to learn how to work together and communicate on gameday.

4. The Vols unveiled their depth chart today. (With 70+ scholarship players, should it instead be called a shallow chart?)

5. It turns out that downhome Vandy coach Robbie Caldwell has a serious side.

6. You might want to start following Caldwell on Twitter.

7. LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis has been more demanding as he enters his second year in Baton Rouge.

8. North Carolina is a different kind of opener for LSU — partly because the Tigers will get a $2.1 million check just for showing up.

SEC Headlines – 8/30/10 Part One

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:24:31 +0000

1. Kentucky versus Louisville is THE game in the Bluegrass State… even in football season.

2. Joker Phillips’ Wildcats are banged up heading into Saturday’s game.

3. Steve Spurrier had praise yesterday for Marcus Lattimore AND Stephen Garcia…

4. But he wouldn’t give an NCAA or a Wesley Saunders update.

5. New defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is getting ready for his first game as a Bulldog.

More Picks, Prognostications And Predictions

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:44:06 +0000

Just a few more “here’s what’s gonna happen” links from across this here internet to start your game week:

Andy Staples of SI.com lists the 10 freshman “most likely to make an immediate impact.” Included are Auburn running back Michael Dyer, Florida safety Matt Elam, and South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore.

Staples also wrote last week that the potential hot seat status of Les Miles and Mark Richt reveals the blessing and the curse of the SEC.

Cory McCartney of SI.com believes Alabama and Florida have huge voids to fill.

Stewart Mandel, also of SI.com, posted his predictions for the nation’s new coaches last week. He believes new Tennessee coach Derek Dooley is looking at a 4-8 season.

Meanwhile, Pete Fiutak of FoxSports.com makes his SEC predictions… and he says Alabama will disappoint.

And Dave Curtis of The Sporting News believes South Carolina is in danger of starting the season with a disheartening loss.

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SEC Predictions Rolling In From ESPN

John — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:14:40 +0000

It’s game week in the college football world and that naturally means it’s time for every media source in existence to start making its college football picks.

That includes ESPN.com. SEC blogger Chris Low has posted his prognostications for Fall 2010 right here. You can click the link to read his reasoning, but below are his picks:

SEC East champ: Florida

SEC West champ: Alabama

SEC overall champ: Alabama

Offensive MVP: Ryan Mallett, Arkansas

Defensive MVP: Dont’a Hightower, Alabama

Surprise team: Georgia

Team most likely to disappoint: South Carolina

Surprise player: Deonte Thompson, Florida

Freshman of the Year: Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina

Newcomer of the Year: Cameron Newton, Auburn

Coach of the Year: Mark Richt, Georgia

Can’t miss game: Florida at Alabama, October 2nd.

Here at MrSEC.com, we’ll post our own predictions towards the middle of the week. We have to. It’s the law. Anyone in sports media MUST make predictions.

Urban Meyer and Nick Saban are underpaid

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:23:42 +0000

It’s finally here, the race to determine which SEC team will become the fifth consecutive national champion to emerge from the conference.

Could a darkhorse — Arkansas or Georgia — win a title from the SEC and become the fourth different team to emerge from the league, or will this be the third consecutive season that ends in an Alabama-Florida SEC title game, the rubber match to decide all rubber matches? In the end, 2010 is going to look an awful lot like 2008 and 2009. For the second consecutive time, Alabama will win the SEC title and ascend to the 2010 national championship game. But first, an observation that isn’t attracting much attention: the SEC’s coaching lineup is remarkably unproven once you get past these two teams. In fact, read on and I’m going to point out that Nick Saban and Urban Meyer are actually underpaid relative to their skill set.

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2010 College Football Preview: SEC predictions

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:14:31 +0000

1. Florida: In his first season as a starter, John Brantley is already the best quarterback in the division.
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Before quarterbacks star in fall, they sweat in summer

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:30:42 +0000

Steve Spurrier never locked himself in a film room during his summers when he was a quarterback for the University of Florida in the mid-1960s.
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It’s first and ’10 for the college football season

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:16:03 +0000

Standing on a corner in Glendale, Arizona.

That’s where the BCS national championship game will be played on Jan. 10 between Nebraska of the Big 12 and Ohio State of the Big Ten.
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Breaking down the 2010 LSU football schedule

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:14:11 +0000

Tigers to face six ranked teams
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LSU Notebook for Aug. 29, 2010

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:11:24 +0000

Hurricane Katrina hit days before Les Miles thought he would coach his first game in Tiger Stadium.

The historic storm changed all that, forcing LSU to reschedule its opener against North Texas.

Most of his first season, Miles found himself representing something even greater than the three letters on his white ball cap.

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Let’s get it started

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:09:37 +0000

At a team meeting last year, LSU football coach Les Miles told his Tigers a matchup against North Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game was theirs if they wanted it.

Then he asked for a show of hands.

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Year of the Quarterback

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:56:37 +0000

Yes, Alabama running back Mark Ingram is the defending Heisman Trophy winner, and the Crimson Tide junior returns to a team that is loaded for another run at the national title.
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Ranking the Top 25: Picking Alabama to repeat as national champ just makes sense

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:39:23 +0000

It makes no sense that all that can happen again. No team has won back-to-back BCS titles. There is too much parity. Too many good teams. Except that it makes no sense to pick anyone else.
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A number of big names – including Tim Tebow – won’t be around this fall

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:33:09 +0000

HUNTSVILLE, AL. — Southeastern Conference football fans with a keen eye might have noticed the occasional tiny mention that the University of Florida’s former quarterback, Tim Tebow, is no longer with that program. Associated PressFormer Florida great Tim Tebow “We…
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Top MrSEC Clicks For The Week

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:12:04 +0000

1. SEC Commitment Comparison

2. Saban Movie Opens Sans Saban

3. Newton Wants More Praise For Auburn

4. NCAA: Only 14 Of 120 FBS Schools Made Money From Sports

5. SEC Schools Make A Lot Of Money Off Football And Basketball

6. AJC Writer Smacks AU Fans, UT’s Hamilton, Too

7. Auburn Looks Like Bama’s Little Brother…By Trying Not To Look Like Bama’s Little Brother

Alabama, Florida among 10 teams with huge voids to fill

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:54:52 +0000

Mass exodus left a number of schools searching for replacements, but none more so than these 10.

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Life’s a snap for Crappell at LSU

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:24:45 +0000

The path to Joey Crappell’s career as a long snapper began with a quirky Pop Warner rule.

If his team ran the ball in after scoring a touchdown, it received one point. If it kicked the ball through the uprights, it received two.

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LSU’s special teams look promising, with Patrick Peterson heading group replacing top returners

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:21:16 +0000

BATON ROUGE — There’s an open competition on LSU’s football team for the punt and kickoff returners.
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No Surprise: SEC Schools Make A Lot Cash Off Of Football And Basketball

John — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:04:12 +0000

Much of the sporting world has been focused this week on revenues and expenses. An annual NCAA report released this week showed that only 14 of the 120 major FBS programs in the country turned a profit in the past year. Of those 14 moneymakers, at least three were SEC schools (Alabama, Florida and Tennessee).

But the NCAA has not released the raw data for fiscal year 2009-2010. Neither has the US Department of Education. However, the numbers for 2008-2009 are available through the Office of Postsecondary Education of the DOE. And that’s where we’ve been hanging out the past few days (on its website, actually).

Many of you have asked which SEC programs turn profits and which ones don’t. “Do schools make money only in football?” “Which SEC schools spend the most on athletics… and make the most?”

Below are the answers according to those July 1st, 2008 to June 30th, 2009 numbers provided by the Department of Education. We’ve listed them out in one table and then we’ve broken things down further in category by category rankings.

Keep in mind that these numbers represent the 2008 football season and the 2008-2009 basketball season. They also reflect programs that were just starting to feel the effect of a struggling economy. As you’ll see, two years ago 10 of the SEC’s 12 athletic programs turned a profit. Considering the fact that only 14 schools — across the entire nation — turned a profit last year, you can imagine the decline in revenues that fans’ belt-tightening has caused.

School	F’ball Expenses	F’ball Revenues	F’ball Profit	B’ball Expenses	B’ball Revenues	B’ball Profit	Total AD Profit
Alabama	-26,443,955	64,606,392	38,162,437	-4,989,815	8,766,826	3,777,011	22,153,601
Arkansas	-18,309,256	38,630,265	20,321,009	-6,636,416	14,391,769	7,755,353	1,118,328
Auburn	-28,801,868	58,618,819	29,816,951	-4,518,963	7,187,457	2,668,494	1,521,081
Florida	-22,860,425	66,150,063	43,289,638	-8,107,121	10,016,431	1,909,310	6,816,282
Georgia	-19,836,966	65,218,406	45,381,440	-6,294,434	7,266,018	971,584	4,964,268
Kentucky	-13,247,477	26,143,126	12,895,649	-8,615,726	14,773,034	6,157,308	6,173,117
LSU	-22,743,208	61,868,953	39,125,745	-4,769,370	6,034,178	1,264,808	6,112,003
MSU	-12,858,662	18,732,248	5,873,586	-3,724,691	6,197,698	2,473,007	68,620
Ole Miss	-9,514,556	18,688,648	9,174,092	-2,502,594	4,725,911	2,223,317	0
S. Carolina	-19,885,700	57,118,519	37,232,819	-5,137,854	8,101,086	2,963,232	656,674
Tennessee	-22,962,809	42,805,360	19,842,551	-5,464,911	12,576,715	7,111,804	0
Vanderbilt	-14,181,678	18,564,940	4,383,262	-7,000,487	8,021,361	1,020,874	1,470,374

Looking at those 2008-2009 numbers by category we find…

Schools with the highest football expenses

1. Auburn ($28.8m)
2. Alabama ($26.4m)
3. Tennessee ($22.9m)
4. Florida ($22.8m)
5. LSU ($22.7m)
6. S. Carolina ($19.88m)
7. Georgia ($19.83m)
8. Arkansas ($18.3m)
9. Vanderbilt ($14.1m) — So much for the idea that Vandy doesn’t keep up cash-wise.
10. Kentucky ($13.2m)
11. Miss. State ($12.8m)
12. Ole Miss ($9.5m)

Schools with the highest football profits (revenues minus expenses)

1. Georgia ($45.3m)
2. Florida ($43.2m)
3. LSU ($39.1m)
4. Alabama ($38.1m)
5. S. Carolina ($37.2m)
6. Auburn ($29.8m)
7. Arkansas ($20.3m)
8. Tennessee ($19.8m) — Profit drop could have aided Phillip Fulmer’s demise.
9. Kentucky ($12.8m)
10. Ole Miss ($9.1m)
11. Miss. State ($5.8m)
12. Vanderbilt ($4.3m) — Every SEC school profited from football in 2008 (prior to the new CBS/ESPN television deals).

Schools with the highest basketball expenses

1. Kentucky ($8.6m)
2. Florida ($8.1m)
3. Vanderbilt ($7.0m) — Again Vandy’s not a cellar-dweller in spending.
4. Arkansas ($6.6m)
5. Georgia ($6.2m)
6. Tennessee ($5.4m)
7. S. Carolina ($5.1m)
8. Alabama ($4.9m)
9. LSU ($4.7m)
10. Auburn ($4.5m)
11. Miss. State ($3.7m)
12. Ole Miss ($2.5m) — Starting to see a pattern with the Magnolia State schools?

Schools with the highest basketball profits (revenues minus expenses)

1. Arkansas ($7.7m) — Surprised, aren’t you?
2. Tennessee ($7.1m)
3. Kentucky ($6.1m) — Surprised again, aren’t you?
4. Alabama ($3.7m)
5. S. Carolina ($2.9m)
6. Auburn ($2.6m)
7. Miss. State ($2.4m)
8. Ole Miss ($2.2m)
9. Florida ($1.9m)
10. LSU ($1.2m)
11. Vanderbilt ($1.0m)
12. Georgia ($.9m) — Every SEC basketball program turned a profit in 2008-2009 (even before the new television deals kicked in).

Schools with the highest total AD profit (men’s and women’s revenues minus expenses, all sports)

1. Alabama ($22.1m)
2. Florida ($6.8m)
3. Kentucky ($6.17m)
4. LSU ($6.11m)
5. Georgia ($4.9m)
6. Auburn ($1.5m)
7. Vanderbilt ($1.4m)
8. Arkansas ($1.1m)
9. S. Carolina ($0.6m)
10. Miss. State ($0.06m)
11t. Ole Miss ($0)
11t. Tennessee ($0)

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SEC Headlines – 8/27/10 Part Two

John — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:38:29 +0000

1. Nick Saban believes a series of conference calls have helped make progress on the player-agent relations front.

2. Don’t expect to learn more about Saban the Man in the movie “Nick Saban: Gamechanger.” Or should you?

3. Saban says Bama’s “got room for lots more” talent.

4. Anthony Grant likes Bama’s roundball schedule.

5. Auburn’s lineup is taking shape (with Barrett Trotter as Cameron Newton’s backup).

6. Impressive freshman Trovon Reed has been slowed by a leg injury.

7. The mission for Arkansas’ secondary is simple: Cut down on big plays.

8. Wisely, Ryan Mallett is working to improve his completion percentage.

9. John Pelphrey’s team will face three Big 12 foes this season. (Hmmm.)

10. LSU’s players say UNC’s distractions won’t cause them to lose focus.

11. With four freshmen coming in, Trent Johnson lightened his team’s basketball schedule this year.

12. Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Gatling has gone from walk-on to starting linebacker.

13. MSU Practice Report, here.

14. State wanted to wear white uniforms as part of a fan “white out” in its opener… but Memphis denied the request.

15. Ole Miss is working on its depth at defensive end.