SEC Talk

South Carolina QB Blake Mitchell is suspended for the September 1st game against Louisiana-Lafayette for skipping classes. Two others were also suspended for the same reason. Not the first time Mitchell has found trouble as he was suspended last year after a bar fight.

There is no doubt the team to beat in the SEC this year is LSU. They were, perhaps, the best team in the SEC a year ago. Without having done any research, I would say that they were the best two-loss team ever. With some major players coming back, they look ready to dominate again this year.

Lost: JeMarcus Russell (#1 overall pick), Dwayne Bowe (leading receiver), Laron Landry (leading tackler)

Back: Early Doucet (WR, KR), Ali Highsmith (LB), Glenn Dorsey (DT)

Biggun’: Just for vindication of the LSU faithful, the Tigers will go to Tuscaloosa and pound Alabama. I assume the game will be much worse next year in Baton Rouge, but with a simple road schedule ahead of them, LSU has a great chance to go undefeated if they don’t drop any trap games. They need to be careful with Virginia Tech in game two of the season and a mid-October meeting at Kentucky following the emotional Florida game.

Get it together, Les: “I apologize for being a little late, but this is a cramped schedule. We’re trying to adjust two‑deeps, kicking teams.” What else is there to say, Les. You guys are stacked and if Matt Flynn physically has an arm, at all, they should easily win ten if not breezing through twelve.

Flynn will win: Few people remember that Matt Flynn was the starting quarterback in the 2005 Peach Bowl in place of JaMarcus Russell who was injured. He ended up being the offensive MVP after thrashing Miami 40-3. If that is indication for things to come, LSU will be unbeatable.

Get out the purple and gold pom-poms: These guys are going all the way. They dropped a few last year, but they should have the experience to dominate the West this yer.

Dealing with a very difficult schedule leaves UK’s most promising team in years to stare a five-win season in the face. With their recent success, or lack of, against traditional SEC powers, Kentucky’s chances of reaching a bowl seem as slim as they did a year ago.

Gone: No one…really, almost everyone is back.

Back: Andre Woodson (first team All-American by ESPN), Rafael Little (RB), Keenan Burton (13 TD last year)

Revenge: Most people assume that the Louisville will be the biggest of the year, and it is. However, since that game is being televised on ESPN Classic, the USC game in Columbia on a Thursday night will be the most important game of the season. The Cats have a chance to take down a Spurrier coached team–something the fans have longed for since the thrashings he delivered while in Gainesville. The Ol’ Ball Coach has already degraded the Cats with these words after a poor USC scrimmage, “We’re a long way off. We’re a long way off, anyone that watched us tonight,” Spurrier said. “We’d be lucky to be picked fourth in the (SEC) Eastern Division. I’d bet Kentucky and Vandy looked much better than our team tonight. … We don’t play for two and a half weeks, so hopefully we’ll make some improvement.” These teams are similar, but the Cats have come up just short the last several years against South Carolina.

From the Horse’s Mouth…a Really Old Horse: “This may be the best punting scrimmage we’ve had since we’ve been here, with both (Ryan) Tydlacka and (Tim) Masthay getting very good punts. The protection and snapping were good.” This may seem like nothing to many, but anyone who has watched UK’s special teams over the last several years knows of the looks of terror on the faces of bluenecks when the team enters punt or field goal formation.

Noteworthy: UK will face two of the most prominent Heisman candidates-Brian Brohm and Darren McFadden-in consecutive weeks. Their defense better be shored up by mid-September or they will be lit up.

Thanks, Linkin Park: Because in the end, it doesn’t really matter… lame lyrics ring true for this year’s team at UK because they can play their best ball in years and lose seven. It’s not hard to assume them losing to Louisville, Florida, Tennessee, and LSU at home and Arkansas, South Carolina and georgia on the road. It happens that way pretty much every year anyway.

Last year, the Georgia Bulldogs had several impressive wins. However, they also had a couple of bad losses. If not for losses to Kentucky and Vanderbilt the ‘Dawgs’ would have been right in the mix again last year. Matthew Stafford is going to have to be much more consistent and better this year. He looked bad and scared at times last year…

Stray ‘Dawgs’ (Get it!?): Tony Taylor (96 Tackles), Charles Johnson (9.5 Sacks), Quentin Moses (4.5 Sacks)

Returned ‘Dawgs’…I Guess: Kregg Lumpkin (Leading Rusher), Mohamed Massaquoi (WR)

Barry Sanders v. Herschel Walker?!?!?: Oklahoma State comes to Athens the first game of the season which should really tell a lot about the squad. In reality, they should blast the Cowboys and set the tone for a strong season.

Quoteworthy…Not Really:“It’s going to be an exciting year for us. We are genuinely excited about the year ahead. We have a lot of unknowns and that probably makes it a little more exciting, but we are working hard.” A typical quote from the reserved Richt but I think that it says a lot. They have a team that could be very good this year. The main thing with georgia will be the play of Stafford. If he is able to perform like a top QB in the conference, they will be the winner of the East.

Schedule from Hell: They only have two definite wins on their schedule–Western Carolina and Troy. If UGA is going anywhere this season, they are truly going to earn it by beating almost every strong team in the SEC. They don’t play LSU or Arkansas in the West, so they catch a break there but the rest of their schedule will be brutal.

In the end, I see this season going much like last year for Georgia. They will be better, but with the schedule they have, it will be nearly impossible for them to win 10 games. They will need Kregg Lumpkin to be very good to supplement the passing game. Their defense, as always, will anchor this team and lead them wherever they will go.

Last year, the Florida Gators had a devestatingly fast defense. It will be seen if they will be able to dominate the defensive side of the ball again this year. A lot of pressure will be on Sophomore Tim Tebow to replace Chris Leak and chances are he will not have immediate success. The Gators will need Percy Harvin to be completely healthy in order for the offense to be effective.

Goners: Leak (23 TD’s), Dallas Baker (10 TD’s), Earl Everett (lead team in tackles), Brandon Siler, Reggie Nelson, Jarvis Moss

Coming Back: Derrick Harvey (DL), Harvin

The Curse of Spurrier: It will be an interesting game in Columbia, especially considering how it ended last year. The Gators will go down.

Spewing Confidence: “On defense we have two starters back. We have Tony Joiner, Derrick Harvey, a bunch of other names. Our challenge to the team is, you hear repeat, you hear this, you hear this. The only thing you’re hearing at the University of Florida right now is, Can we make it through training camp? Our training camp is going to be really hard. It’s going to be really hot, like it always is.” Pretty optimistic, eh? Apparently preparations for this season will be put on hold as the Gators prepare for the heat! If that is truly “the only thing you’re hearing” in Gainesville, I’d be very surprised. I can accept that he is trying to play down the repeat talk, but don’t use the heat as your diversion.

Big Celeb: Urban Meyer has his own website! At www.coachurbanmeyer.com you can see a very loud and scary introduction that takes forever. Once you make it into the site, there is a creepy and awkward personal message from the man himself. Check it out. go gators.

Target Practice: As at least fifty thousand sports writers will say in the coming weeks, Florida will “have a target on their back” this year. Mark May will say it every week on ESPN. Anyway, they will. Look for them to maybe finish second or third in the East. I don’t know who’s going to beat them, but they may lose three in conference. They won’t repeat as SEC champs and they won’t be in a BCS bowl.

Look, I don’t know many people who could have named any one player for Auburn last season, and they beat Florida and LSU. However, they lost a lot. Look for them to be down. They only placed three people on the preseason All-SEC first or second team, yet they are picked second in the West.

Losses: Kenny Irons (RB), David Irons (2 Picks,12 Break-ups), Courtney Taylor (WR), Will Herring (72 Tackles)

Returns: See Title

Payback: Look for their game in Gainesville to be bloody. After getting a gift win at home a year ago, the Tigers will get trounced by Florida.

Tuberville is a Funny Name: “We have a chance to continue to get better.” I realize this quote is short and pointless but I really find it amusing. I find it funny that someone would say that they have a chance at to get better. I would hope, for their sake, that they do get better or else they will remain in preseason form and lose every game because they don’t know their own plays.

Manning Award?: Brandon Cox was named to the Manning Award watch list. I see this is fairly ridiculous because he realy struggles THROWING THE BALL. I guess we’ll see.

Overrated (clap, clap, clap clap clap): Preseason number fourteen, This team will end out of the top twenty-five and at least third in the West. They will lose several games this year, and at least to Arkansas, LSU, and Florida. I don’t see them making much noise this year at all.

Real fast, Andre Woodson, QB at Kentucky was named first team All-American on ESPN.com. Will Arnold (G, LSU), Darren McFadden (RB, Arkansas), Glenn Dorsey (DT, LSU), Ali Highsmith (LB, LSU) were also named first teamers. Woodson was a surprise considering a certain QB down the road seventy miles…

Also, Arkansas WR Marcus Monk will be out 4-6 weeks with a bum knee.

Auburn preview coming up…

In short, no. Darren McFadden, the preseason Heisman favorite, will have all the attention on him. However, this attention will force players like Felix Jones and wide receive Marcus Monk to make plays. Jones has the ability; it’s a matter of whether or not he will perform.

Key Losses: Randy Kelly (88 tackles to lead team), Jamaal Anderson (13 sacks, takes credit for inventing the “dirty hog”)

Key Returners: Darren McFadden (if you haven’t heard of him, stop reading), Marcus Monk (11 TD’s last year), Felix Jones (Ist team all-SEC at RB)

For all the Marbles…: If, in some way, Arkansas can go to Baton Rouge and win on the last Saturday of the season, they will win the West. Unfortunately for the Hogs, this is probably the only way they can win the West. LSU will not slip up as they did last year, and Auburn will still be good. Arkansas is actually picked to finish third in their division behind LSU and Auburn.

A Text I Intercepted from Houston Nutt: Not really. He said this at their media day: “We will have a lot of confidence in Casey Dick by the time we are ready to go in the first game. To answer the question, he doesn’t have to press because he has his teammates (on offense) and the defense. He has Marcus Monk, Peyton Hillis, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. When you have enough teammates around you, they are going to make you look good, so don’t press and just keep doing what you practice. I think you will see because of his age and because he is a little bit older and what all he has gone through, you will see he is will be much, much better.” This is sad. Casey Dick is not very good and everyone knows it. The fact that Nutt is relying on other players to make him look good shows how little confidence he has in his starter. Beyond that, the Wildcat” offense which place McFadden at quarterback is more proof that Dick just does not have what it takes. Unfortunately, Mitch Mustain didn’t pan out as expected and they are stuck in this position. A good quarterback with the talent at the skill positions the Hogs have and they would be unstoppable.

The Most Interesting Thing I Could Find: Nathan Dick, brother to the great Casey Dick, was statistically the best quarterback in the recent sping game. Sure he was competing against the third-team defense, but who’s counting. The “Brother’s Dick,” as I’m sure they are called by no one, are certainly going to give opposing defense’s fits for years to come. Or maybe they won’t, who can tell.

Wooooo Pig Sooooooeeeeeeyyyyy?????: This is the wild card team of the SEC. They could either win the West or lose five or six games in conference. Getting Kentucky, South Carolina, and Tennessee from the East is no walk, but it could be worse. As stated prevously, the emergence of Felix Jones is key for the success of both McFadden and the team. If defense’s can key on McFadden and shut him down with no fear of Jones, Akansas will struggle. Personally, I (like Houston Nutt as far as I can tell) have no confidence in Dick being able to throw the ball downfield. Therefore, the talented Monk will play a small role in the offense. They’ll beat Auburn in Fayetteville but lose some games they should win in conference play and end up third, if not lower, in the West. Their non-conference schedule is weak so they’ll sneak into a bowl.

The most anticipated season in years has nearly commenced in Tuscaloosa. Nick Saban has arrived and Crimson Tide football fans may finally have something to cheer about again. However, if Alabama is going to be able to roll through the SEC, they are going to have to do it without some of their top players from a season ago.

Key Losses: Kenneth Darby (835 yards rushing), Jeffrey Dukes and Juwan Simpson (86 tackles each to lead team)

Key Returners: John Parker Wilson (2707 yards and 17 TD), D.J. Hall (1056 yards receiving), Wallace Gilberry (lead team in sacks, 3.5)

Most Intriguing Game: Florida State, September 29 in Jacksonville. Interesting matchup as Saban heads back to the Sunshine State to face Bowden and the ‘Noles. Would have been much more interesting fifteen years ago.

*Addendum: I would have picked the Saban’s matchup with LSU, but they are going to get slaughtered so their is no reason to be intrigued. It will be much more interesting in a year when he returns to the “Snake Pit.”

From the Coach: “The other part of that then comes into team chemistry. And I think if you build some of these fundamental things that we’re talking about on top, you have a better chance to get the kind of respect that everybody is doing these things, and these things are all important to having a good team and a trust that, if we all do this, we have a better chance of being successful. I think that helps in developing the togetherness that you need to have and good team chemistry. Because it really doesn’t allow a lot for individual egos. Everybody is going to be self-absorbed to some degree and want to know how everything is going to affect them.” Ironic, Coach Saban. Preaching togetherness after up and bolting from a job even after saying you wouldn’t leave. If anyone needs to disallow individual ego it should be the man preaching it rather than the congregation. A lot of these players have stuck with a program that has been unsuccessful in the past. They may need to be teaching you how YOU can fit in with their pre-established chemistry.

This may reveal some of my own feelings concerning Nick Saban; but you can take from his comments what you will. I personally feel that he is the biggest BS artist in all of college football.

Random Yet Noteworthy: The great Major Applewhite will be the Offensive Coordinator this year. Remember him from the days of stealing Chris Simms time at Texas; or the other way around depending on how you look at it. This is not a random hire, though. Applewhite did very well at Rice a season ago and has earned his chance at a major school. Perhaps a coaching star in the making…

The Tide’s leading returning rusher is, you guessed it, Jimmy Johns. I bet “free smells” of him after a steamy Tuscaloosa afternoon two-a-day are fairly unpleasant.

How it will End: Their most difficult games are at home, but Saban has been accused of “lowering expectations” so he may feel that they may not be ready. The season is resting on the shoulders of John Parker Wilson and D.J. Hall. They have a solid O-Line with two guys All-SEC. Coaches picked them fourth in the West, so it is unlikely they will reach a bowl this year. They lose to Vandy early in Nashville and the Tide faithful call for Saban’s head. Count on it.

Again, I’d like to welcome everyone to the site and I hope you find it both interesting and informative. I encourage all of you to be as outspoken as possible with your opinions, as the site will thrive off of comments from the readership. The goal of the site is to provide news and statistics from the SEC in the most entertaining way possible. As I’ve already said, I plan to update the site very frequently with the latest in news and notes.

Since the season is less than a month away, I thought it would be a good time to outline each individual team. These capsules will include key lost/returning players, key additions, big games, and anything else that I see fit. I trust that talking about each team will arouse some sort of commentary from the masses. To ensure that I will not be playing favorites, I will move alphabetically through the conference.

Again, I hope you enjoy and check back every day.