SEC: Malik Jackson
2011 record: 5-7
2011 conference record: 1-7
Returning starters: Offense: 10; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 2
Top returners:
OG Dallas Thomas, WR Da'Rick Rogers, OT Ja'Wuan James, WR Justin Hunter, TE Mychal Rivera, QB Tyler Bray, LB A.J. Johnson, S Brian Randolph, LB Curt Maggitt, LB Herman Lathers, CB Prentiss Waggner
Key losses:
RB Tauren Poole, DT Malik Jackson, DE Ben Martin, LB Austin Johnson
2011 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Tauren Poole (693 yards)
Passing: Tyler Bray* (1,983 yards)
Receiving: Da'Rick Rogers* (1,040 yards)
Tackles: Austin Johnson (81)
Sacks: Malik Jackson (2.5)
Interceptions: Austin Johnson (4)
Spring answers
1. Tyler Bray's leadership: No one has questioned Bray's arm as he can sling it with the best of them. But his heart has been questioned, and he knew it heading into spring. He never considered himself a real leader until this year, when he decided to take his job more seriously. Bray said players listened to him more in practice and respected him more as a person, not just a player. Bray can now be looked at as someone to rally around and look up to. He's finally learning how to be a real quarterback in this league.
2. Richardson's revival: Tennessee's offensive line took a lot of heat last season and for good reason. The Vols were last in the SEC and 116th nationally in rushing. The line needed to find a spark and rising sophomore Antonio Richardson might be just that. His potential has always impressed coaches and after playing on special teams last year, he came out of the spring as the starter at left tackle. Richardson is an extremely athletic and gifted player and the coaches feel confident that he can protect Bray's blind side.
3. Lathers' and Hunter's health: Linebacker Herman Lathers and wide receiver Justin Hunter did all the right things this spring. Lathers missed the 2011 season with an ankle injury, while Hunter missed most of the season after tearing his ACL in against Florida last September. While both still aren't 100 percent, the coaches feel confident that both will be by the fall. Hunter got some good work in this spring and even flew by some players in a scrimmage. Lathers' ankle progressed more and more and thinks he'll be right on track come fall practice.
Fall questions
1. Defensive comfort: Tennessee returns eight defensive starters, but it welcomed a brand new defensive coordinator in Sal Suneri, three other new coaches and a new defensive scheme. Sunseri would like to run more 3-4 this fall, but it'll take time for his players to adjust and Tennessee isn't sure if that comfort level is quite there yet. Tennessee players will also have to continuing adjusting to the new coaching faces they'll be working with this fall. It's important that this defense, which is still relatively young, get on the same page exiting camp.
2. Running the ball: Rising sophomore Marlin Lane showed nice improvement, but he finished the spring tied with Rajion Neal and Devrin Young at running back. So, the jury is still out on whether this team will be able to run the ball more consistently this season and Tennessee might have to look to its incoming freshmen for more help. While the running backs struggled last year, the offensive line was another reason for the Vols' shortcomings in the rushing department. There was a lot of movement up front and improvements need to start there before Tennessee can even think about handing the ball off more.
3. Defensive tackle: There's a lot of uncertainty and inexperience at tackle, and a lot of of players listed as co-starters on Tennessee's post-spring depth chart. Maurice Couch had an up-and-down 2011 season and now will be called to take on more responsibility now that Malik Jackson is gone. Daniel Hood, who was recovering from shoulder surgery this spring, Steven Fowlkes, Darrington Sentimore and Gregory Clark will all get chances in the middle. Also, keep an eye on incoming junior college transfer Daniel McCullers, who the coaches think can contribute immediately.
2011 conference record: 1-7
Returning starters: Offense: 10; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 2
Top returners:
OG Dallas Thomas, WR Da'Rick Rogers, OT Ja'Wuan James, WR Justin Hunter, TE Mychal Rivera, QB Tyler Bray, LB A.J. Johnson, S Brian Randolph, LB Curt Maggitt, LB Herman Lathers, CB Prentiss Waggner
Key losses:
RB Tauren Poole, DT Malik Jackson, DE Ben Martin, LB Austin Johnson
2011 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Tauren Poole (693 yards)
Passing: Tyler Bray* (1,983 yards)
Receiving: Da'Rick Rogers* (1,040 yards)
Tackles: Austin Johnson (81)
Sacks: Malik Jackson (2.5)
Interceptions: Austin Johnson (4)
Spring answers
1. Tyler Bray's leadership: No one has questioned Bray's arm as he can sling it with the best of them. But his heart has been questioned, and he knew it heading into spring. He never considered himself a real leader until this year, when he decided to take his job more seriously. Bray said players listened to him more in practice and respected him more as a person, not just a player. Bray can now be looked at as someone to rally around and look up to. He's finally learning how to be a real quarterback in this league.
2. Richardson's revival: Tennessee's offensive line took a lot of heat last season and for good reason. The Vols were last in the SEC and 116th nationally in rushing. The line needed to find a spark and rising sophomore Antonio Richardson might be just that. His potential has always impressed coaches and after playing on special teams last year, he came out of the spring as the starter at left tackle. Richardson is an extremely athletic and gifted player and the coaches feel confident that he can protect Bray's blind side.
3. Lathers' and Hunter's health: Linebacker Herman Lathers and wide receiver Justin Hunter did all the right things this spring. Lathers missed the 2011 season with an ankle injury, while Hunter missed most of the season after tearing his ACL in against Florida last September. While both still aren't 100 percent, the coaches feel confident that both will be by the fall. Hunter got some good work in this spring and even flew by some players in a scrimmage. Lathers' ankle progressed more and more and thinks he'll be right on track come fall practice.
Fall questions
1. Defensive comfort: Tennessee returns eight defensive starters, but it welcomed a brand new defensive coordinator in Sal Suneri, three other new coaches and a new defensive scheme. Sunseri would like to run more 3-4 this fall, but it'll take time for his players to adjust and Tennessee isn't sure if that comfort level is quite there yet. Tennessee players will also have to continuing adjusting to the new coaching faces they'll be working with this fall. It's important that this defense, which is still relatively young, get on the same page exiting camp.
2. Running the ball: Rising sophomore Marlin Lane showed nice improvement, but he finished the spring tied with Rajion Neal and Devrin Young at running back. So, the jury is still out on whether this team will be able to run the ball more consistently this season and Tennessee might have to look to its incoming freshmen for more help. While the running backs struggled last year, the offensive line was another reason for the Vols' shortcomings in the rushing department. There was a lot of movement up front and improvements need to start there before Tennessee can even think about handing the ball off more.
3. Defensive tackle: There's a lot of uncertainty and inexperience at tackle, and a lot of of players listed as co-starters on Tennessee's post-spring depth chart. Maurice Couch had an up-and-down 2011 season and now will be called to take on more responsibility now that Malik Jackson is gone. Daniel Hood, who was recovering from shoulder surgery this spring, Steven Fowlkes, Darrington Sentimore and Gregory Clark will all get chances in the middle. Also, keep an eye on incoming junior college transfer Daniel McCullers, who the coaches think can contribute immediately.
Tennessee returns a lot of young talent it had last year, but will miss one of its best leaders and players from the defensive line:
OUT: DT Malik Jackson: It was hard to find a more complete player for the Vols last year than Jackson. He was a force up front for Tennessee and led the Vols in tackles for loss (11), sacks (2.5) and quarterback hurries (10). Over the final eight games of the 2011 season, he registered 42 tackles (5.3 per game) with 9.5 tackles for loss. Jackson played most of his Tennessee career at defensive tackle, but was athletic enough and versatile enough to play defensive end -- the position he started out in. Jackson clogged the middle in the run game and had the strength and speed to make quarterbacks miserable as well. Outside of being a tremendous defender for the Vols, he was a very outspoken leader for the team. He commanded respect with both his play and his words, which will be hard to replace.
IN: Maurice Couch, Darrington Sentimore, Marlon Walls or Daniel McCullers: With Tennessee moving to a 3-4 defense, the Vols will be looking for a handful of players to make impacts up front. Jackson probably could have played at multiple spots up front in a 3-4, so it will take a collective effort to fill his shoes. Couch was supposed to come in and make an immediate impact for Tennessee at tackle, but didn't really turn things on until the end of the season. Now, he'll be asked to play the nose tackle position, where Tennessee is hurting for depth at them moment. He's hoping his 6-foot-2, 295-pound frame helps him jam up the middle. Nose tackle Daniel Hood underwent offseason shoulder surgery and is non-contact this spring, so Tennessee will have to move people around. Sentimore, who transferred from Alabama and played at the junior college level, will get more time at one of the end spots up front. The staff is very excited about he could do for this defense and the hope is that his impact is felt very early. It seems like Walls has been on campus forever and while he didn't have a great year in 2011, he entered spring atop one of the defensive end spots. He's big and athletic, but it's time for him to become a more complete player. McCullers won't be on campus until the summer, but the staff thinks he can come in and immediately compete for that nose tackle spot.
OUT: DT Malik Jackson: It was hard to find a more complete player for the Vols last year than Jackson. He was a force up front for Tennessee and led the Vols in tackles for loss (11), sacks (2.5) and quarterback hurries (10). Over the final eight games of the 2011 season, he registered 42 tackles (5.3 per game) with 9.5 tackles for loss. Jackson played most of his Tennessee career at defensive tackle, but was athletic enough and versatile enough to play defensive end -- the position he started out in. Jackson clogged the middle in the run game and had the strength and speed to make quarterbacks miserable as well. Outside of being a tremendous defender for the Vols, he was a very outspoken leader for the team. He commanded respect with both his play and his words, which will be hard to replace.
IN: Maurice Couch, Darrington Sentimore, Marlon Walls or Daniel McCullers: With Tennessee moving to a 3-4 defense, the Vols will be looking for a handful of players to make impacts up front. Jackson probably could have played at multiple spots up front in a 3-4, so it will take a collective effort to fill his shoes. Couch was supposed to come in and make an immediate impact for Tennessee at tackle, but didn't really turn things on until the end of the season. Now, he'll be asked to play the nose tackle position, where Tennessee is hurting for depth at them moment. He's hoping his 6-foot-2, 295-pound frame helps him jam up the middle. Nose tackle Daniel Hood underwent offseason shoulder surgery and is non-contact this spring, so Tennessee will have to move people around. Sentimore, who transferred from Alabama and played at the junior college level, will get more time at one of the end spots up front. The staff is very excited about he could do for this defense and the hope is that his impact is felt very early. It seems like Walls has been on campus forever and while he didn't have a great year in 2011, he entered spring atop one of the defensive end spots. He's big and athletic, but it's time for him to become a more complete player. McCullers won't be on campus until the summer, but the staff thinks he can come in and immediately compete for that nose tackle spot.
The NFL has released its list of invites to this years NFL combine. Of the more than 300 prospects taking part in the pre-draft shenanigans starting Feb. 22, 62 are from the SEC (for fun we are including Missouri and Texas A&M).
Here are the SEC representatives:
Here are the SEC representatives:
- Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas
- Antonio Allen, S, South Carolina
- Justin Anderson, OT, Georgia
- Ryan Baker, LB, LSU
- Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State
- Mark Barron, LB, Alabama
- Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas
- Brandon Bolden, RB, Ole Miss
- Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia
- Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
- Ron Brooks, CB, LSU
- Randy Bullock, K, Texas A&M
- Drew Butler, P, Georgia
- Josh Chapman, DT, Alabama
- Orson Charles, TE, Georgia
- Greg Childs, WR, Arkansas
- Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
- Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State
- Jeff Demps, RB, Florida (Demps decided earlier this year that he will not pursue a career in football and will focus on professional track)
- Michael Egnew, TE, Missouri
- Terrence Frederick, CB, Texas A&M
- Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M
- Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
- Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia
- Cyrus Gray, RB, Texas A&M
- A.J. Greene, OT Auburn
- Winston Guy, S, Kentucky
- Dom Hamilton, DT, Missouri
- Darius Hanks, WR, Alabama
- Josh Harris, LS, Auburn
- Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt
- Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama
- Jaye Howard, DT, Florida
- Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina
- Jerrell Jackson, WR, Missouri
- Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee
- Jordan Jefferson, QB, LSU
- Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina
- Ben Jones, C, Georgia
- Coryell Judie, CB, Texas A&M
- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
- Bobby Massie, OT, Ole Miss
- Marquis Maze, WR, Alabama
- Quan Menzie, CB, Alabama
- Charles Mitchell, S, Mississippi State
- Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn
- DeAngelo Peterson, TE, LSU
- Tauren Poole, RB, Tennessee
- Chris Rainey, RB, Florida
- Rueben Randle, WR, LSU
- Sean Richardson, S, Vanderbilt
- Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
- Quentin Saulsberry, OG, Mississippi State
- Jacquies Smith, DE, Missouri
- Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
- Brandon Taylor, S, LSU
- Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky
- DeAngelo Tyson, DE, Georgia
- Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama
- Blair Walsh, K, Georgia
- Rokevious Watkins, OT, South Carolina
- Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas
- Alabama: 9
- Arkansas: 4
- Auburn: 3
- Florida: 3
- Georgia: 8
- Kentucky: 2
- LSU: 8
- Missouri: 4
- Mississippi State: 4
- Ole Miss: 2
- South Carolina: 5
- Tennessee: 2
- Texas A&M: 6
- Vanderbilt: 2
We turn our attention to defense today, specifically the top defensive lines in the SEC during the 2011 season.
Year in and year out, strong defensive line play is what separates the SEC from other leagues, so there’s no shame in finishing in the bottom half of these rankings.
You can see our preseason rankings here.
Now onto our postseason rankings:
1. LSU: The Tigers overwhelmed teams this season up front with numbers, power and speed. They had the luxury of running fresh guys in and out of the game and not dropping off one bit. Michael Brockers was one of the top interior linemen in the league, while Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo combined for 28.5 tackles for loss, including 17 sacks, off the edge. Finding a better collection of defensive linemen anywhere in college football would be difficult.
2. Alabama: Even Nick Saban said before the season that Alabama didn’t have that dominant difference-maker up front this season in the mold of a Marcell Darius, but it didn’t matter. The Crimson Tide’s play up front was still dominant. Nose guard Josh Chapman courageously played through a torn ACL and plugged the middle, and nobody got any push against the Alabama front when it came to running the ball. The Tide led the country in rushing defense with opponents managing just 2.4 yards per carry.
3. South Carolina: The Gamecocks’ specialty was rushing the passer, and they ended the season with six sacks against Nebraska in the bowl game. Senior defensive end Melvin Ingram was a consensus All-American with 10 sacks, but he had plenty of good players around him. Freshman defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is next in line for All-America honors. He tied for the lead in league games with five forced fumbles.
4. Georgia: Not only were the Bulldogs one of the best defensive lines in the league, but they were also one of the most improved. Junior college newcomer John Jenkins made a huge difference at nose guard, and junior end Abry Jones had a breakout season with seven tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hurries. The Bulldogs were a lot bigger up front this season, too, which comes in handy when you’re playing a 3-4.
5. Florida: The Gators could have used some more depth in their defensive line, but they held up surprisingly well this season despite getting very little help from their offense. Sophomore Dominique Easley emerged as one of the more active defensive tackles in the league before tearing his ACL against Florida State, and Sharrif Floyd played both inside and outside for the Gators. With just about everybody back, Florida should have one of the top lines in the SEC next season.
6. Vanderbilt: A few eyebrows might be raised to see the Commodores ranked in the top half of the league when it comes to defensive line play, but look at the numbers. In SEC games, Vanderbilt held opponents to an average of 111 rushing yards per game, which was fourth in the league. Senior defensive end Tim Fugger might have been the most underrated player in the league with 13.5 tackles for loss, including eight sacks. Junior tackle Rob Lohr wasn’t too far behind with 11.5 tackles for loss, including five sacks.
7. Mississippi State: It wasn’t the best start to the season for Mississippi State’s defense, but the Bulldogs closed with a flurry thanks in large part to the way they played up front the last half of the season. Tackle Fletcher Cox led the charge down the stretch and led all SEC interior linemen in league games with 12.5 tackles for loss. Cox’s running mate inside, Josh Boyd, also did his share of damage with eight tackles for loss.
8. Arkansas: Coming into the 2011 season, the Hogs looked like they had one of the deepest defensive lines in the SEC. But star defensive end Jake Bequette was plagued by a nasty hamstring injury early in the season, and his sidekick on the other end, Tenarius Wright, broke his arm in the fourth game against Alabama. Bequette still responded with seven sacks in seven SEC games, and Wright also returned late in the season. The Hogs’ weakness was stopping the run. It was a problem all season long.
9. Auburn: The Tigers had some decent sack numbers, but that’s where it ends for them up front defensively. Sophomore defensive end Corey Lemonier was second in the SEC in league games with 8.5 sacks, but the Tigers were carved apart up front more times than not. They allowed more than 200 rushing yards per game to SEC foes, and had a terrible time getting off the field on third down. Auburn was painfully young up front defensively this season, but everybody returns in 2012.
10. Tennessee: The Vols had trouble getting to the passer this season, and they also weren’t especially good at stopping the run. That’s a combination that’s difficult to overcome for any defense. They finished with just 10 sacks in SEC games, which was 11th in the league, and they also gave up an average of 178.8 rushing yards per game to league foes. The Vols were hurting at tackle, which is why Malik Jackson played inside. He led the team with 11 tackles for loss.
11. Kentucky: As a whole, Kentucky improved defensively under first-year coordinator Rick Minter, particularly when it came to forcing turnovers. The Wildcats collected 16 in eight league games. They still need to get better up front after allowing an average of 203.8 rushing yards per game to SEC opponents. They also managed just 13 sacks in eight SEC contests. This is a big offseason for guys like Mister Cobble and Donte Rumph.
12. Ole Miss: One of the biggest blows for the Rebels was senior defensive end Kentrell Lockett not being able to make it all the way back from his knee injury. Ole Miss was left without any finishers up front and also couldn’t stop the run. In SEC contests, the Rebels gave up an average of 256.5 rushing yards per game, which ranked them last in the league and was 50 yards more than the 11th place team.
Year in and year out, strong defensive line play is what separates the SEC from other leagues, so there’s no shame in finishing in the bottom half of these rankings.
You can see our preseason rankings here.
Now onto our postseason rankings:
[+] Enlarge
Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireEnd Barkevious Mingo, 49, and tackle Michael Brockers, 90, led a stout LSU defensive line.
Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireEnd Barkevious Mingo, 49, and tackle Michael Brockers, 90, led a stout LSU defensive line.2. Alabama: Even Nick Saban said before the season that Alabama didn’t have that dominant difference-maker up front this season in the mold of a Marcell Darius, but it didn’t matter. The Crimson Tide’s play up front was still dominant. Nose guard Josh Chapman courageously played through a torn ACL and plugged the middle, and nobody got any push against the Alabama front when it came to running the ball. The Tide led the country in rushing defense with opponents managing just 2.4 yards per carry.
3. South Carolina: The Gamecocks’ specialty was rushing the passer, and they ended the season with six sacks against Nebraska in the bowl game. Senior defensive end Melvin Ingram was a consensus All-American with 10 sacks, but he had plenty of good players around him. Freshman defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is next in line for All-America honors. He tied for the lead in league games with five forced fumbles.
4. Georgia: Not only were the Bulldogs one of the best defensive lines in the league, but they were also one of the most improved. Junior college newcomer John Jenkins made a huge difference at nose guard, and junior end Abry Jones had a breakout season with seven tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hurries. The Bulldogs were a lot bigger up front this season, too, which comes in handy when you’re playing a 3-4.
5. Florida: The Gators could have used some more depth in their defensive line, but they held up surprisingly well this season despite getting very little help from their offense. Sophomore Dominique Easley emerged as one of the more active defensive tackles in the league before tearing his ACL against Florida State, and Sharrif Floyd played both inside and outside for the Gators. With just about everybody back, Florida should have one of the top lines in the SEC next season.
6. Vanderbilt: A few eyebrows might be raised to see the Commodores ranked in the top half of the league when it comes to defensive line play, but look at the numbers. In SEC games, Vanderbilt held opponents to an average of 111 rushing yards per game, which was fourth in the league. Senior defensive end Tim Fugger might have been the most underrated player in the league with 13.5 tackles for loss, including eight sacks. Junior tackle Rob Lohr wasn’t too far behind with 11.5 tackles for loss, including five sacks.
7. Mississippi State: It wasn’t the best start to the season for Mississippi State’s defense, but the Bulldogs closed with a flurry thanks in large part to the way they played up front the last half of the season. Tackle Fletcher Cox led the charge down the stretch and led all SEC interior linemen in league games with 12.5 tackles for loss. Cox’s running mate inside, Josh Boyd, also did his share of damage with eight tackles for loss.
8. Arkansas: Coming into the 2011 season, the Hogs looked like they had one of the deepest defensive lines in the SEC. But star defensive end Jake Bequette was plagued by a nasty hamstring injury early in the season, and his sidekick on the other end, Tenarius Wright, broke his arm in the fourth game against Alabama. Bequette still responded with seven sacks in seven SEC games, and Wright also returned late in the season. The Hogs’ weakness was stopping the run. It was a problem all season long.
9. Auburn: The Tigers had some decent sack numbers, but that’s where it ends for them up front defensively. Sophomore defensive end Corey Lemonier was second in the SEC in league games with 8.5 sacks, but the Tigers were carved apart up front more times than not. They allowed more than 200 rushing yards per game to SEC foes, and had a terrible time getting off the field on third down. Auburn was painfully young up front defensively this season, but everybody returns in 2012.
10. Tennessee: The Vols had trouble getting to the passer this season, and they also weren’t especially good at stopping the run. That’s a combination that’s difficult to overcome for any defense. They finished with just 10 sacks in SEC games, which was 11th in the league, and they also gave up an average of 178.8 rushing yards per game to league foes. The Vols were hurting at tackle, which is why Malik Jackson played inside. He led the team with 11 tackles for loss.
11. Kentucky: As a whole, Kentucky improved defensively under first-year coordinator Rick Minter, particularly when it came to forcing turnovers. The Wildcats collected 16 in eight league games. They still need to get better up front after allowing an average of 203.8 rushing yards per game to SEC opponents. They also managed just 13 sacks in eight SEC contests. This is a big offseason for guys like Mister Cobble and Donte Rumph.
12. Ole Miss: One of the biggest blows for the Rebels was senior defensive end Kentrell Lockett not being able to make it all the way back from his knee injury. Ole Miss was left without any finishers up front and also couldn’t stop the run. In SEC contests, the Rebels gave up an average of 256.5 rushing yards per game, which ranked them last in the league and was 50 yards more than the 11th place team.
Checking out the SEC on a Wednesday.
- Ole Miss is investigating whether a birthday party for freshman wide receiver/cornerback Nickolas Brassell violated NCAA rules.
- Alabama running back commit Justin Taylor re-affirms his commitment after meeting with Nick Saban, despite Alabama's staff asking him to grayshirt.
- His arrival might have been late, but former Tennessee defensive tackle Malik Jackson has finally made it to the Senior Bowl.
- LSU safety Brandon Taylor is hoping to continue a family football tradition in the NFL.
- Recent Illinois transfer fullback Jay Prosch says that he always wanted to play for Auburn.
- Georgia Board of Regents' immigration policy front and center with former Georgia commit Chester Brown.
- Mississippi State defensive end commit A.J. Freeman hopes to stand out for the Bulldogs.
- LSU tight end DeAngelo Peterson is still trying to get over the Tigers' offensive disaster during the Allstate BCS National Championship Game against Alabama.
- Florida hires Jon Haskins as the the Gators' new Director of Player Personnel.
- Former Arkansas wide receiver Joe Adams is making an impression at Senior Bowl practice.
Another look at some SEC season notes
January, 24, 2012
Jan 24
11:00
AM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
Even as we turn our attention to the 2012 football season, there's always time to check back with the past from time to time.
The SEC released its last set of notes from the 2011 season this week, so we thought we'd take a look at some of the interesting facts and figures from the previous season.
For starters, how about a look at the SEC players of the week?
Week 1 (Games of Sept. 1-3): Offense - Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Rokevious Watkins, OT, South Carolina; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Luke McDermott, DT, Kentucky; Co-Freshman - Trey Depriest, LB, Alabama; Tre Mason, RB/RS, Auburn.
Week 2 (Games of Sept. 10): Offense - Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee; Defense - Mark Barron, S, Alabama; Special Teams - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Offensive Lineman - Alvin Bailey, OG, Arkansas; Defensive Lineman - Rob Lohr, DT, Vanderbilt; Co-Freshman - Josh Clemons, RB, Kentucky; Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.
Week 3 (Games of Sept. 15-17): Co-Offense - Chris Rainey, RB, Florida; Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina; Defense -Trey Wilson, DB, Vanderbilt; Special Teams - Caleb Sturgis, PK, Florida; Offensive Lineman - Wesley Johnson, C, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Bennie Logan, DT, LSU; Freshman- Odell Beckham, WR, LSU.
Week 4 (Games of Sept. 24): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Defense -Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Barrett Jones, OT, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Freshman- Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.
Week 5 (Games of Oct. 1): Co-Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas; Defense - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia..
Week 6 (Games of Oct. 8): Offense - Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Mike Gilliard, ILB, Georgia; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Tevin Mitchel, CB, Arkansas.
Week 7 (Games of Oct. 15): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Co-Defense - Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn; D.J. Swearinger, FS, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - Chris Faulk, OT, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Co-Freshman - Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina; Ray Drew, OLB, Georgia.
Week 8 (Games of Oct. 22): Offense - Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Ryan Seymour, OG, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU; Freshman - A.J. Johnson, LB, Tennessee.
Week 9 (Games of Oct. 29): Offense - Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn; Co-Defense - Jerry Franklin, LB, Arkansas; Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia; Special Teams - Zach Hocker, K, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Brandon Wilds, RB, South Carolina.
Week 10 (Games of Nov. 5): Offense - Jeff Demps, RB, Florida; Defense - Eric Reid, S, LSU; Special Teams - Dennis Johnson, RS/RB, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas; Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Maxwell Smith, QB, Kentucky.
Week 11 (Games of Nov. 12): Offense - Zac Stacy, RB, Vanderbilt; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Travian Robertson, DT, South Carolina; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.
Week 12 (Games of Nov. 19): Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Co-Defense - Ron Brooks, DB, LSU; Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Co-Defensive Lineman - Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee; Abry Jones, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Curt Maggitt, LB, Tennessee.
Week 13 (Games of Nov. 25-26): Co-Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Ryan Tydlacka, P, Kentucky; Co-Offensive Lineman - Kyle Fischer, OT, Vanderbilt; William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Co-Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Garrison Smith, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU.
SEC Championship Game MVP: Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU
BCS (Yes, the SEC has won six straight)
The SEC released its last set of notes from the 2011 season this week, so we thought we'd take a look at some of the interesting facts and figures from the previous season.
For starters, how about a look at the SEC players of the week?
Week 1 (Games of Sept. 1-3): Offense - Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Rokevious Watkins, OT, South Carolina; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Luke McDermott, DT, Kentucky; Co-Freshman - Trey Depriest, LB, Alabama; Tre Mason, RB/RS, Auburn.
Week 2 (Games of Sept. 10): Offense - Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee; Defense - Mark Barron, S, Alabama; Special Teams - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Offensive Lineman - Alvin Bailey, OG, Arkansas; Defensive Lineman - Rob Lohr, DT, Vanderbilt; Co-Freshman - Josh Clemons, RB, Kentucky; Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.
Week 3 (Games of Sept. 15-17): Co-Offense - Chris Rainey, RB, Florida; Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina; Defense -Trey Wilson, DB, Vanderbilt; Special Teams - Caleb Sturgis, PK, Florida; Offensive Lineman - Wesley Johnson, C, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Bennie Logan, DT, LSU; Freshman- Odell Beckham, WR, LSU.
Week 4 (Games of Sept. 24): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Defense -Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Barrett Jones, OT, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Freshman- Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.
Week 5 (Games of Oct. 1): Co-Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas; Defense - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia..
Week 6 (Games of Oct. 8): Offense - Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Mike Gilliard, ILB, Georgia; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Tevin Mitchel, CB, Arkansas.
Week 7 (Games of Oct. 15): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Co-Defense - Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn; D.J. Swearinger, FS, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - Chris Faulk, OT, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Co-Freshman - Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina; Ray Drew, OLB, Georgia.
Week 8 (Games of Oct. 22): Offense - Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Ryan Seymour, OG, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU; Freshman - A.J. Johnson, LB, Tennessee.
Week 9 (Games of Oct. 29): Offense - Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn; Co-Defense - Jerry Franklin, LB, Arkansas; Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia; Special Teams - Zach Hocker, K, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Brandon Wilds, RB, South Carolina.
Week 10 (Games of Nov. 5): Offense - Jeff Demps, RB, Florida; Defense - Eric Reid, S, LSU; Special Teams - Dennis Johnson, RS/RB, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas; Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Maxwell Smith, QB, Kentucky.
Week 11 (Games of Nov. 12): Offense - Zac Stacy, RB, Vanderbilt; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Travian Robertson, DT, South Carolina; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.
Week 12 (Games of Nov. 19): Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Co-Defense - Ron Brooks, DB, LSU; Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Co-Defensive Lineman - Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee; Abry Jones, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Curt Maggitt, LB, Tennessee.
Week 13 (Games of Nov. 25-26): Co-Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Ryan Tydlacka, P, Kentucky; Co-Offensive Lineman - Kyle Fischer, OT, Vanderbilt; William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Co-Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Garrison Smith, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU.
SEC Championship Game MVP: Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU
BCS (Yes, the SEC has won six straight)
- Since 2006, more than half of the slots in the BCS National Championship Game have been taken by SEC teams (7 of 12). The Big Ten and the Big 12 have two each and the Pac-12 has one.
- An SEC team has led or tied for the lead at the end of 20 of the last 24 quarters of BCS National Championship Game play.
- Since 2006, an SEC team has been ranked first in the weekly BCS standings in 26 of the 48 weeks, with four different teams holding the top spot. Florida was first for seven weeks, Alabama for six weeks, Auburn for three and LSU for 10 weeks, including all eight polls of this season.
- The SEC has had more teams ranked in the BCS standings for the most times than any other conference since 2006. The league has had 11 of its 12 teams ranked at one time or another since 2006 for a total of 238 times. The SEC breakdown: LSU (45), Alabama (35), Florida (33), Auburn (29), Georgia (23), Arkansas (23), South Carolina (21), Tennessee (14), Mississippi State (8), Kentucky (4) and Ole Miss (3).
- Since 2006, the SEC has posted a 9-3 record in BCS bowl games, more wins and a higher winning percentage (.750) than any other conference. The win total equals that of the next two highest conferences.
- Since 2006, the SEC has accrued more bowl wins (36) and appearances (55) than any other conference. The conference’s .655 bowl winning percentage is third behind the Big East (23-10, .697) and Mountain West (20-9, .690) during that time.
- In January bowl games, the SEC is 22-10 (.688) against nonconference competition. Since 2008, the league is 16-6 (.727) against nonconference opponents in January bowls.
- In seven 2011-12 bowl games against nonconference teams, SEC defenses held opponents to less than its scoring average in five of those games. One of the two other games were in overtime (Michigan State-Georgia) and the other was Auburn holding Virginia to 24 points, when the Cavaliers season average was 23.2 points per game.
- Over the last five seasons, Alabama owns the SEC's best winning percentage with a 50-12 record (.806). LSU has the most wins with 53, while Vanderbilt owns the league's lowest winning percentage (.355). LSU owns the best winning percentage over the last 10 years (.795) with a 105-27.
- SEC teams were 20-28 on the road against SEC opponents last season. Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt failed to win on the road against conference opponents.
- LSU led the SEC with a touchdown efficiency on drives of 34.8. Alabama led in scoring efficiency (46.8). Ole Miss was last in scoring efficiency (20.1) and Kentucky was last in touchdown efficiency (13.2).
- LSU led the SEC with 129 fourth-quarter points and a fourth-quarter scoring margin of plus-95. Ole Miss was last with 41 points and a scoring margin of -36.
- Arkansas led the SEC in yards per scoring drive (61.9).
Vols' Jackson added to Senior Bowl roster
January, 24, 2012
Jan 24
10:15
AM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
Tennessee defensive end Malik Jackson has been added to the Senior Bowl roster for Saturday's game in Mobile, Ala.
Jackson was a first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press this season and finished with 11 tackles for loss. He's the 18th Tennessee player to play in the Senior Bowl.
Jackson joins 23 other SEC players who were invited to play in the Senior Bowl, although some of those players won't play in the game because of injury reasons.
Jackson was a first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press this season and finished with 11 tackles for loss. He's the 18th Tennessee player to play in the Senior Bowl.
Jackson joins 23 other SEC players who were invited to play in the Senior Bowl, although some of those players won't play in the game because of injury reasons.
The readers have spoken, and Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette was voted as our last SEC Super Senior.
With more than 6,400 votes cast in our Super Senior poll, Bequette came away with 39 percent of the vote.
Well done readers, I'm siding with you on this one. Bequette had another solid year for the Razorbacks, and he didn't even play the entire season. He wasn't always healthy, but despite playing in just nine games, Bequette ranked sixth in the SEC during the regular season in sacks, with eight.
When Bequette is on the field, Arkansas' defense is just that much better. He's the ultimate leader and wreaks havoc on opposing backfields. I'm still pretty certain the hit he put on South Carolina's Connor Shaw in early November triggered the tremor we felt in the press box at Razorback Stadium.
Coming in second was Alabama cornerback DeQuan Menzie. With players like Tyrann Mathieu, Morris Claiborne and Mark Barron in the league, Menzie was often overshadowed. Menzie was superb in coverage this season. He had just one interception, but defended 12 passes. He also was fifth on the team with 37 tackles.
Tennessee defensive tackle Malik Jackson was third, getting 18 percent of the vote. He might have been the Vols' best player in 2011. He was an excellent leader for Tennessee and also knew his way around the field. He was third on the team with 56 tackles and led the Vols with 11 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He was also the leader in quarterback hurries, with 10.
Mississippi State running back Vick Ballard was fourth, gaining nine percent of the vote, and Florida running back Chris Rainey was last with seven percent of the vote.
With more than 6,400 votes cast in our Super Senior poll, Bequette came away with 39 percent of the vote.
Well done readers, I'm siding with you on this one. Bequette had another solid year for the Razorbacks, and he didn't even play the entire season. He wasn't always healthy, but despite playing in just nine games, Bequette ranked sixth in the SEC during the regular season in sacks, with eight.
When Bequette is on the field, Arkansas' defense is just that much better. He's the ultimate leader and wreaks havoc on opposing backfields. I'm still pretty certain the hit he put on South Carolina's Connor Shaw in early November triggered the tremor we felt in the press box at Razorback Stadium.
Coming in second was Alabama cornerback DeQuan Menzie. With players like Tyrann Mathieu, Morris Claiborne and Mark Barron in the league, Menzie was often overshadowed. Menzie was superb in coverage this season. He had just one interception, but defended 12 passes. He also was fifth on the team with 37 tackles.
Tennessee defensive tackle Malik Jackson was third, getting 18 percent of the vote. He might have been the Vols' best player in 2011. He was an excellent leader for Tennessee and also knew his way around the field. He was third on the team with 56 tackles and led the Vols with 11 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He was also the leader in quarterback hurries, with 10.
Mississippi State running back Vick Ballard was fourth, gaining nine percent of the vote, and Florida running back Chris Rainey was last with seven percent of the vote.
Monday, fellow SEC blogger Chris Low presented us with his list of SEC Super Seniors.
It's hard to argue against this list and it's tough to squeeze more players in. We'd have a pretty long list if we did and that would just get a little silly.
But after chatting with Chris about the list, we felt that there were a few other players who probably should have been on it as well. So, we're giving you guys the chance to speak out and let us know who we foolishly left off.
Should Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette have been on the list? Personally, I think he should have. Bequette wasn't totally healthy for the entire year, but still finished the regular season sixth in the SEC in sacks with eight. That's pretty good, considering he only played in nine games this season. Plus, Arkansas' defense just isn't the same without him.
What about Florida running back Chris Rainey? He was easily the best Florida had on offense all year. He scored a touchdown three different ways in the season opener and led the Gators in rushing (790), receiving (350), and punt return yards (75). He obviously didn't look the same after the first four games, but he meant a lot to that offense this season.
Tennessee defensive tackle Malik Jackson had a heck of a year as well. Anchoring the Vols' line, he finished third on the team with 56 tackles, including 11 for loss, and accumulated 10 quarterback hurries. Jackson was the ultimate leader for the Vols this year and was arguably Tennessee's best defensive player in 2011.
How about Alabama cornerback DeQuan Menzie? Nick Saban has said before that Menzie might be the most talented player in Alabama's secondary and he had pretty good senior season. Menzie defended 12 passes and recorded 37 tackles. He's a great cover corner and really forces quarterbacks to direct plays away from him.
There's also Mississippi State running back Vick Ballard. Quietly, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark and was the Bulldogs' best offensive player. Ballard didn't get a ton of publicity this season and that could be attributed to Mississippi State's 6-6 record or the fact that he scored 19 rushing touchdown last year and just eight this year. Still, I'm sure there are some linebackers around the league that are happy to see him leave.
Which one of these players should have been added to the list?
It's hard to argue against this list and it's tough to squeeze more players in. We'd have a pretty long list if we did and that would just get a little silly.
Should Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette have been on the list? Personally, I think he should have. Bequette wasn't totally healthy for the entire year, but still finished the regular season sixth in the SEC in sacks with eight. That's pretty good, considering he only played in nine games this season. Plus, Arkansas' defense just isn't the same without him.
What about Florida running back Chris Rainey? He was easily the best Florida had on offense all year. He scored a touchdown three different ways in the season opener and led the Gators in rushing (790), receiving (350), and punt return yards (75). He obviously didn't look the same after the first four games, but he meant a lot to that offense this season.
Tennessee defensive tackle Malik Jackson had a heck of a year as well. Anchoring the Vols' line, he finished third on the team with 56 tackles, including 11 for loss, and accumulated 10 quarterback hurries. Jackson was the ultimate leader for the Vols this year and was arguably Tennessee's best defensive player in 2011.
How about Alabama cornerback DeQuan Menzie? Nick Saban has said before that Menzie might be the most talented player in Alabama's secondary and he had pretty good senior season. Menzie defended 12 passes and recorded 37 tackles. He's a great cover corner and really forces quarterbacks to direct plays away from him.
There's also Mississippi State running back Vick Ballard. Quietly, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark and was the Bulldogs' best offensive player. Ballard didn't get a ton of publicity this season and that could be attributed to Mississippi State's 6-6 record or the fact that he scored 19 rushing touchdown last year and just eight this year. Still, I'm sure there are some linebackers around the league that are happy to see him leave.
Which one of these players should have been added to the list?
Former Alabama defensive lineman Darrington Sentimore, who spent this past season at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, signed Wednesday with Tennessee.
The Vols are looking for help next season in their defensive line, especially with All-SEC selection Malik Jackson departing.
The 6-foot-3, 273-pound Sentimore is originally from Norco, La., and signed with Alabama out of high school. He redshirted during the 2009 season and played as a reserve for the Crimson Tide during the 2010 season. He was indefinitely suspended by Alabama coach Nick Saban for violating unspecified team rules this past summer and transferred to junior college.
Sentimore has two years of eligibility remaining at Tennessee. He will enroll in January and go through spring practice.
The Vols were hoping that Sentimore would be one of a handful of junior college players signing with them on Wednesday, but struck out on cornerback Otis Jacobs and defensive tackle Damien Jacobs. Both players had been committed to Tennessee, but Otis Jacobs flipped back to his original choice and signed with Texas A&M, while Damien Jacobs had a change of heart and signed with Florida.
The Vols are looking for help next season in their defensive line, especially with All-SEC selection Malik Jackson departing.
The 6-foot-3, 273-pound Sentimore is originally from Norco, La., and signed with Alabama out of high school. He redshirted during the 2009 season and played as a reserve for the Crimson Tide during the 2010 season. He was indefinitely suspended by Alabama coach Nick Saban for violating unspecified team rules this past summer and transferred to junior college.
Sentimore has two years of eligibility remaining at Tennessee. He will enroll in January and go through spring practice.
The Vols were hoping that Sentimore would be one of a handful of junior college players signing with them on Wednesday, but struck out on cornerback Otis Jacobs and defensive tackle Damien Jacobs. Both players had been committed to Tennessee, but Otis Jacobs flipped back to his original choice and signed with Texas A&M, while Damien Jacobs had a change of heart and signed with Florida.
Richardson named All-SEC Offensive POY
December, 5, 2011
12/05/11
4:00
PM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
Alabama running back Trent Richardson was named the 2011 Associated Press All-SEC Offensive Player of the Year Monday.
The junior was the heart of Alabama's offense and led the conference with 1,583 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. He also had 27 catches for 327 yards and three touchdowns.
In SEC play, Richardson averaged 137 rushing yards a game and had 10rushing touchdowns. He also averaged 6 yards per carry against SEC defenses.
In 12 games, Richardson eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark nine times and had five games with more than 160 yards, including a 203-yard performance against Auburn in the season finale.
Here some other honors for SEC players:
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CB Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
COACH OF THE YEAR
Les Miles, LSU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
RB Isaiah Crowell, Georgia
Here's a look at the AP's All-SEC First Team:
FIRST TEAM
Offense
WR Jarius Wright, Arkansas, 5-10, 180, Sr.
WR Da'Rick Rogers, Tennessee, 6-3, 215, So.
OL *Barrett Jones, Alabama, 6-5, 311, Jr.
OL Will Blackwell, LSU, 6-4, 290, Sr.
OL Cordy Glenn, Georgia, 6-5, 348, Sr.
OL Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina, 6-4, 340, Sr.
C William Vlachos, Alabama, 6-1, 294, Sr.
TE Orson Charles, Georgia, 6-3, 241, Jr.
QB Tyler Wilson, Arkansas, 6-3, 220, Jr.
RB *Trent Richardson, Alabama, 5-11, 224, Jr.
RB Michael Dyer, Auburn, 5-9, 210, So.
K Caleb Sturgis, Florida, 5-11, 183, Jr.
All-Purpose Joe Adams, Arkansas, 5-11, 190, Sr.
Defense
DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State, 6-4, 295, Jr.
DT Malik Jackson, Tennessee, 6-5, 270, Sr.
DE Melvin Ingram, South Carolina, 6-2, 276, Sr.
DE Sam Montgomery, LSU, 6-4, 245, So.
LB *Jarvis Jones, Georgia, 6-3, 241, So.
LB Danny Trevathan, Kentucky, 6-1, 232, Sr.
LB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama, 6-2, 265, Sr.
CB *Tyrann Mathieu, LSU, 5-9, 175, So.
CB Morris Claiborne, LSU, 6-0, 185, Jr.
S Mark Barron, Alabama, 6-2, 218, Sr.
S Bacarri Rambo, Georgia, 6-0, 218, Jr.
P Brad Wing, LSU, 6-3, 184, Fr.
* -- Unanimous selection
You can check out the second team selections and the honorable mentions here.
The junior was the heart of Alabama's offense and led the conference with 1,583 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. He also had 27 catches for 327 yards and three touchdowns.
In SEC play, Richardson averaged 137 rushing yards a game and had 10rushing touchdowns. He also averaged 6 yards per carry against SEC defenses.
In 12 games, Richardson eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark nine times and had five games with more than 160 yards, including a 203-yard performance against Auburn in the season finale.
Here some other honors for SEC players:
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CB Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
COACH OF THE YEAR
Les Miles, LSU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
RB Isaiah Crowell, Georgia
Here's a look at the AP's All-SEC First Team:
FIRST TEAM
Offense
WR Jarius Wright, Arkansas, 5-10, 180, Sr.
WR Da'Rick Rogers, Tennessee, 6-3, 215, So.
OL *Barrett Jones, Alabama, 6-5, 311, Jr.
OL Will Blackwell, LSU, 6-4, 290, Sr.
OL Cordy Glenn, Georgia, 6-5, 348, Sr.
OL Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina, 6-4, 340, Sr.
C William Vlachos, Alabama, 6-1, 294, Sr.
TE Orson Charles, Georgia, 6-3, 241, Jr.
QB Tyler Wilson, Arkansas, 6-3, 220, Jr.
RB *Trent Richardson, Alabama, 5-11, 224, Jr.
RB Michael Dyer, Auburn, 5-9, 210, So.
K Caleb Sturgis, Florida, 5-11, 183, Jr.
All-Purpose Joe Adams, Arkansas, 5-11, 190, Sr.
Defense
DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State, 6-4, 295, Jr.
DT Malik Jackson, Tennessee, 6-5, 270, Sr.
DE Melvin Ingram, South Carolina, 6-2, 276, Sr.
DE Sam Montgomery, LSU, 6-4, 245, So.
LB *Jarvis Jones, Georgia, 6-3, 241, So.
LB Danny Trevathan, Kentucky, 6-1, 232, Sr.
LB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama, 6-2, 265, Sr.
CB *Tyrann Mathieu, LSU, 5-9, 175, So.
CB Morris Claiborne, LSU, 6-0, 185, Jr.
S Mark Barron, Alabama, 6-2, 218, Sr.
S Bacarri Rambo, Georgia, 6-0, 218, Jr.
P Brad Wing, LSU, 6-3, 184, Fr.
* -- Unanimous selection
You can check out the second team selections and the honorable mentions here.
Here are the league's players of the week:
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas: Wilson completed 32 of 43 passes for 365 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in Arkansas’ 44-17 win against Mississippi State. His 32 completions set a new Arkansas single-game record previously held by Joe Ferguson (31, vs. Texas A&M, 1971). The number is also the highest in a conference game this season. His 365 yards is the second-highest of his career and the most against an SEC opponent. It was also his fourth 300-plus passing yardage game of the season, most in the SEC. Wilson completed five passes of 20 or more yards and 10 of 15 or more.
Co-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ron Brooks, CB, LSU: Brooks had four tackles, one sack (minus-11 yards), a forced and recovered fumble and returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown in LSU’s 52-3 win at Ole Miss. His interception came on the first Rebel drive of the game and his sack came in the third drive of the contest.
Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky: Trevathan recorded 17 total tackles, had three tackles for loss (minus-9 yards), including a sack (minus-6) and caused two fumbles in Kentucky’s 19-10 loss at Georgia. The 17 stops ties his career high, which he has recorded three times in Kentucky’s last four games.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Blair Walsh, K, Georgia: Walsh tied his career high, going 4-for-4 on field goals in Georgia’s 19-10 win against Kentucky. He connected on three 39-yard field goal attempts and also had a 25-yarder in the contest. His 13 points (also had an extra point) now give him 394 in his career, which puts him second in SEC and UGA history behind former Bulldog Billy Bennett (409 points). Walsh’s four field goals were Georgia’s only points of the contest until early in the fourth quarter.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
Will Blackwell, OG, LSU: Blackwell led the LSU offensive line with nine knockdown blocks in the Tigers’ 52-3 win at Ole Miss. He helped pave the way for LSU to achieve a season-best 353 rushing yards. LSU had five players with 50 or more rushing yards. The Tigers' offensive line did not allow a sack against the Rebels as LSU amassed 458 total yards in scoring a season-best 52 points.
Co- DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee: Playing in his final game in Neyland Stadium, Jackson recorded six total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, including a half-sack, a forced fumble and two quarterback pressures in Tennessee’s 27-21 overtime win against Vanderbilt. The Vols held Vanderbilt to 90 rushing yards on 36 carries and recorded two sacks.
Abry Jones, DE, Georgia: Jones tallied four tackles, including 1.5 for losses, in Georgia’s 19-10 win against Kentucky. Georgia limited Kentucky to just 23 rushing yards on 21 attempts (1.1 yards per carry). The Wildcats had just one rushing gain of more than 10 yards against the Bulldogs.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Curt Maggitt, LB, Tennessee: Maggitt recorded seven tackles, with 2.5 for losses, in Tennessee’s 27-21 overtime win against Vanderbilt. He tallied a key tackle for loss on a third-and-5 early in the second quarter when he stopped Vandy’s Zac Stacy for a 1-yard loss, which led to a missed field goal.
Here are some other players with top performances from the weekend.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas: Wilson completed 32 of 43 passes for 365 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in Arkansas’ 44-17 win against Mississippi State. His 32 completions set a new Arkansas single-game record previously held by Joe Ferguson (31, vs. Texas A&M, 1971). The number is also the highest in a conference game this season. His 365 yards is the second-highest of his career and the most against an SEC opponent. It was also his fourth 300-plus passing yardage game of the season, most in the SEC. Wilson completed five passes of 20 or more yards and 10 of 15 or more.
Co-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ron Brooks, CB, LSU: Brooks had four tackles, one sack (minus-11 yards), a forced and recovered fumble and returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown in LSU’s 52-3 win at Ole Miss. His interception came on the first Rebel drive of the game and his sack came in the third drive of the contest.
Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky: Trevathan recorded 17 total tackles, had three tackles for loss (minus-9 yards), including a sack (minus-6) and caused two fumbles in Kentucky’s 19-10 loss at Georgia. The 17 stops ties his career high, which he has recorded three times in Kentucky’s last four games.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Blair Walsh, K, Georgia: Walsh tied his career high, going 4-for-4 on field goals in Georgia’s 19-10 win against Kentucky. He connected on three 39-yard field goal attempts and also had a 25-yarder in the contest. His 13 points (also had an extra point) now give him 394 in his career, which puts him second in SEC and UGA history behind former Bulldog Billy Bennett (409 points). Walsh’s four field goals were Georgia’s only points of the contest until early in the fourth quarter.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
Will Blackwell, OG, LSU: Blackwell led the LSU offensive line with nine knockdown blocks in the Tigers’ 52-3 win at Ole Miss. He helped pave the way for LSU to achieve a season-best 353 rushing yards. LSU had five players with 50 or more rushing yards. The Tigers' offensive line did not allow a sack against the Rebels as LSU amassed 458 total yards in scoring a season-best 52 points.
Co- DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee: Playing in his final game in Neyland Stadium, Jackson recorded six total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, including a half-sack, a forced fumble and two quarterback pressures in Tennessee’s 27-21 overtime win against Vanderbilt. The Vols held Vanderbilt to 90 rushing yards on 36 carries and recorded two sacks.
Abry Jones, DE, Georgia: Jones tallied four tackles, including 1.5 for losses, in Georgia’s 19-10 win against Kentucky. Georgia limited Kentucky to just 23 rushing yards on 21 attempts (1.1 yards per carry). The Wildcats had just one rushing gain of more than 10 yards against the Bulldogs.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Curt Maggitt, LB, Tennessee: Maggitt recorded seven tackles, with 2.5 for losses, in Tennessee’s 27-21 overtime win against Vanderbilt. He tallied a key tackle for loss on a third-and-5 early in the second quarter when he stopped Vandy’s Zac Stacy for a 1-yard loss, which led to a missed field goal.
Here are some other players with top performances from the weekend.
SEC power rankings: Week 9
October, 24, 2011
10/24/11
9:05
AM ET
By
Edward Aschoff and
Chris Low | ESPN.com
» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC
We are closer and closer to the historic clash between Alabama and LSU. Both are off this weekend, so we'll have to wait two weeks before our top teams return to the playing field.
It should be well worth the wait.
Let's check out the rankings for Week 9:
1. LSU (8-0, 5-0): The Tigers just keep getting stronger each week. Even when you take key guys out of the lineup, LSU just bounces back even better. LSU might have played its best game of the season when it ran Auburn out of the bayou before the third quarter was even over. Some have doubted LSU because of the distractions and some inconsistency on offense, but the Tigers haven't missed a beat this season. They are at the top of the BCS standings for a reason and that is just adding even more hype to the Tigers' showdown with Alabama.
2. Alabama (8-0, 5-0): For 30 minutes Saturday, we realized that Alabama was human. The Crimson Tide had just six points at halftime against a battered Tennessee team and we quickly realized that even one of Nick Saban's best teams can be susceptible to looking ahead or having a lack of focus. But the Alabama team we've seen consistently run over and through opponents showed up in the second half and pummeled the Vols by scoring 31 straight points in the last two quarters. Now, the Tide can rest before their epic battle with LSU. Some Alabama players tried to downplay their excitement for this game, while others seemed relived that it was finally time to focus on LSU.
3. Arkansas (6-1, 2-1): The Razorbacks were lackadaisical coming out against Ole Miss and it almost resulted in their second loss of the season. That exciting passing game was nonexistent and the running game continued to struggle. But like Alabama, the Hogs rallied at halftime and blew past Ole Miss in the third on their way to a closer-than-expected victory. This isn't the first time Arkansas has gotten off to a slow start, and with a few tough games remaining, that is a concern going forward. Still, the Razorbacks have the best passing game in the league, so Tyler Wilson's arm will keep the Hogs in any game. We still need to see more out of the running game and more consistency on defense.
4. South Carolina (6-1, 4-1): The Gamecocks were off over the weekend, giving them time to regroup and find some more weapons to help soften the blow of losing running back Marcus Lattimore. South Carolina will have to heavily lean on its defense from here on out and that might not be such a bad thing. The Gamecocks rank fourth in the SEC in total defense (278 yards per game) and have forced a league-high 24 turnovers. This group went from flaky to fierce, which has to be comforting for South Carolina's staff. The Gamecocks will have to rely on Brandon Wilds at running back from here on out. Remember, he was fifth on the depth chart coming into the season. He'd better stay healthy because the depth isn't great at all and there are former walk-ons waiting in the wings.
5. Georgia (5-2, 4-1): The Bulldogs were off as well before they take on Florida in what should still be referred to as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Georgia will come out of the bye feeling a little healthier as well with linebacker Alec Ogletree coming back and wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell probably returning as well. Georgia has the least taxing schedule remaining in the East, and if the Bulldogs win out, there's a strong chance they will represent the East in the SEC championship game. South Carolina still needs to lose at least one game, but with Arkansas and Florida remaining, that's a definite possibility. Georgia needs to focus on itself, and it's done a great job of that since starting off 0-2. The Bulldogs can thank their tenacious defense for this turnaround.
6. Auburn (5-3, 3-2): The Tigers have been fun to watch all season because of the heart and resiliency they have played with. However, we quickly realized just how young this team was against LSU. This group of Tigers was blasted over the weekend, and not even making a change at the quarterback spot could save it. Clint Moseley was abused against LSU's defense and Auburn totaled just 248 yards and the defense let LSU move up and down the field with relative ease. We know this team has some nice talent, but the youth is starting to catch up with it.
7. Florida (4-3, 2-3): The Gators had to be thrilled that they were off over the weekend. Florida stumbled into its bye week with three straight losses and an offense that seems to have regressed to what last year's looked like. The hope in Gainesville is that quarterback John Brantley (lower leg) will be back for the Georgia game, but that isn't a given. With an extra week to prepare for the Bulldogs, you'd think that offensive coordinator Charlie Weis could cook up a decent game plan for his two freshmen quarterbacks. A week hasn't been enough for him or his youngsters since Brantley went down. Florida has the mental edge over Georgia after winning 17 of the past 20 meetings, but not getting a win this weekend against the Bulldogs will send Florida into a deeper downward spiral.
8. Vanderbilt (4-3, 1-3): Coach James Franklin made the right decision when he started Jordan Rodgers at quarterback against Army. Sure, Army isn't the most imposing team, but the Commodores totally clicked on offense for the first time in a while. Rodgers can sling the ball around the field and he can also make plays with his legs. He got nearly 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing over the weekend, and the more snaps he takes out there, the more comfortable he'll be. This defense continues to impress as it forced three more turnovers Saturday. This isn't the Vanderbilt opposing teams have come to know and love.
9. Tennessee (3-4, 0-4): The Vols kept up with Alabama for the first half Saturday, but after the half it became painfully obvious that Tennessee just doesn't have the manpower to sustain such life against bigger, better teams. The Vols have a lot of young talent, but it is all starting and the depth issues are very much a concern right now. Sure, Tennessee is out of the SEC East hunt, but you can tell that the wheels are moving in the right direction for this team. Coach Derek Dooley has instilled the right mindset into his players, but it's just tough that there aren't able bodies to consistently come in and help out on both sides of the ball. Not having four of your best players -- Tyler Bray, Justin Hunter, Herman Lathers and Janzen Jackson -- doesn't help, and it has showed in the past few weeks.
10. Mississippi State (3-4, 0-4): The Bulldogs have had a ton of offensive problems since Week 2, and the hope is that a lot of those execution issues were cleared up during the bye week. Coach Dan Mullen can't be happy with how his spread offense has looked of late and making personnel changes, starting with the quarterback spot, wouldn't surprise anyone. Chris Relf was benched for Tyler Russell against South Carolina, but nothing really changed for the offense, meaning that he quarterback battle should continue until someone runs away with the position. This team was supposed to make noise in the SEC West this year, but it has yet to get a conference win. A trip to Lexington, Ky., could help deliver that first win, but even the Wildcats' offense looked better Saturday than Mississippi State's has since September.
11. Kentucky (3-4, 2-5): After a strong offensive showing against Jacksonville State on Saturday, the Wildcats are out of our SEC cellar. No, Jacksonville State isn't SEC competition, but coming off the bye, Kentucky had the performance it needed to get out of its rut and stop its four-game slide. Kentucky put up a season-high 445 yards. The passing game wasn't great, but quarterback Morgan Newton was as efficient as ever and took a step in the right direction against the Gamecocks. But Kentucky still has a long way to go. Mississippi State is the next opponent and it has its own struggles to work out. Can the Wildcats squeak by at home to get its first conference win of the year?
12. Ole Miss (2-5, 0-4): The Rebels fought for four quarters against Arkansas, but just couldn't hold up with depth issues plaguing them on both sides of the ball. The offense was clicking early, but got nothing going in the third quarter and trudged along in the fourth. If not for a badly thrown pass from Randall Mackey that was intercepted to seal the game for the Hogs, Ole Miss might be grinning from ear to ear after a major upset. But that didn't happen and the Rebels remain winless in the SEC. Ole Miss is having to use a plethora of youngsters, especially from its freshman class, and that means tons and tons of growing pains. Houston Nutt's seat in Oxford is only getting hotter and hotter with each week that passes by.
We are closer and closer to the historic clash between Alabama and LSU. Both are off this weekend, so we'll have to wait two weeks before our top teams return to the playing field.
It should be well worth the wait.
Let's check out the rankings for Week 9:
1. LSU (8-0, 5-0): The Tigers just keep getting stronger each week. Even when you take key guys out of the lineup, LSU just bounces back even better. LSU might have played its best game of the season when it ran Auburn out of the bayou before the third quarter was even over. Some have doubted LSU because of the distractions and some inconsistency on offense, but the Tigers haven't missed a beat this season. They are at the top of the BCS standings for a reason and that is just adding even more hype to the Tigers' showdown with Alabama.
2. Alabama (8-0, 5-0): For 30 minutes Saturday, we realized that Alabama was human. The Crimson Tide had just six points at halftime against a battered Tennessee team and we quickly realized that even one of Nick Saban's best teams can be susceptible to looking ahead or having a lack of focus. But the Alabama team we've seen consistently run over and through opponents showed up in the second half and pummeled the Vols by scoring 31 straight points in the last two quarters. Now, the Tide can rest before their epic battle with LSU. Some Alabama players tried to downplay their excitement for this game, while others seemed relived that it was finally time to focus on LSU.
3. Arkansas (6-1, 2-1): The Razorbacks were lackadaisical coming out against Ole Miss and it almost resulted in their second loss of the season. That exciting passing game was nonexistent and the running game continued to struggle. But like Alabama, the Hogs rallied at halftime and blew past Ole Miss in the third on their way to a closer-than-expected victory. This isn't the first time Arkansas has gotten off to a slow start, and with a few tough games remaining, that is a concern going forward. Still, the Razorbacks have the best passing game in the league, so Tyler Wilson's arm will keep the Hogs in any game. We still need to see more out of the running game and more consistency on defense.
4. South Carolina (6-1, 4-1): The Gamecocks were off over the weekend, giving them time to regroup and find some more weapons to help soften the blow of losing running back Marcus Lattimore. South Carolina will have to heavily lean on its defense from here on out and that might not be such a bad thing. The Gamecocks rank fourth in the SEC in total defense (278 yards per game) and have forced a league-high 24 turnovers. This group went from flaky to fierce, which has to be comforting for South Carolina's staff. The Gamecocks will have to rely on Brandon Wilds at running back from here on out. Remember, he was fifth on the depth chart coming into the season. He'd better stay healthy because the depth isn't great at all and there are former walk-ons waiting in the wings.
5. Georgia (5-2, 4-1): The Bulldogs were off as well before they take on Florida in what should still be referred to as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Georgia will come out of the bye feeling a little healthier as well with linebacker Alec Ogletree coming back and wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell probably returning as well. Georgia has the least taxing schedule remaining in the East, and if the Bulldogs win out, there's a strong chance they will represent the East in the SEC championship game. South Carolina still needs to lose at least one game, but with Arkansas and Florida remaining, that's a definite possibility. Georgia needs to focus on itself, and it's done a great job of that since starting off 0-2. The Bulldogs can thank their tenacious defense for this turnaround.
6. Auburn (5-3, 3-2): The Tigers have been fun to watch all season because of the heart and resiliency they have played with. However, we quickly realized just how young this team was against LSU. This group of Tigers was blasted over the weekend, and not even making a change at the quarterback spot could save it. Clint Moseley was abused against LSU's defense and Auburn totaled just 248 yards and the defense let LSU move up and down the field with relative ease. We know this team has some nice talent, but the youth is starting to catch up with it.
7. Florida (4-3, 2-3): The Gators had to be thrilled that they were off over the weekend. Florida stumbled into its bye week with three straight losses and an offense that seems to have regressed to what last year's looked like. The hope in Gainesville is that quarterback John Brantley (lower leg) will be back for the Georgia game, but that isn't a given. With an extra week to prepare for the Bulldogs, you'd think that offensive coordinator Charlie Weis could cook up a decent game plan for his two freshmen quarterbacks. A week hasn't been enough for him or his youngsters since Brantley went down. Florida has the mental edge over Georgia after winning 17 of the past 20 meetings, but not getting a win this weekend against the Bulldogs will send Florida into a deeper downward spiral.
8. Vanderbilt (4-3, 1-3): Coach James Franklin made the right decision when he started Jordan Rodgers at quarterback against Army. Sure, Army isn't the most imposing team, but the Commodores totally clicked on offense for the first time in a while. Rodgers can sling the ball around the field and he can also make plays with his legs. He got nearly 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing over the weekend, and the more snaps he takes out there, the more comfortable he'll be. This defense continues to impress as it forced three more turnovers Saturday. This isn't the Vanderbilt opposing teams have come to know and love.
9. Tennessee (3-4, 0-4): The Vols kept up with Alabama for the first half Saturday, but after the half it became painfully obvious that Tennessee just doesn't have the manpower to sustain such life against bigger, better teams. The Vols have a lot of young talent, but it is all starting and the depth issues are very much a concern right now. Sure, Tennessee is out of the SEC East hunt, but you can tell that the wheels are moving in the right direction for this team. Coach Derek Dooley has instilled the right mindset into his players, but it's just tough that there aren't able bodies to consistently come in and help out on both sides of the ball. Not having four of your best players -- Tyler Bray, Justin Hunter, Herman Lathers and Janzen Jackson -- doesn't help, and it has showed in the past few weeks.
10. Mississippi State (3-4, 0-4): The Bulldogs have had a ton of offensive problems since Week 2, and the hope is that a lot of those execution issues were cleared up during the bye week. Coach Dan Mullen can't be happy with how his spread offense has looked of late and making personnel changes, starting with the quarterback spot, wouldn't surprise anyone. Chris Relf was benched for Tyler Russell against South Carolina, but nothing really changed for the offense, meaning that he quarterback battle should continue until someone runs away with the position. This team was supposed to make noise in the SEC West this year, but it has yet to get a conference win. A trip to Lexington, Ky., could help deliver that first win, but even the Wildcats' offense looked better Saturday than Mississippi State's has since September.
11. Kentucky (3-4, 2-5): After a strong offensive showing against Jacksonville State on Saturday, the Wildcats are out of our SEC cellar. No, Jacksonville State isn't SEC competition, but coming off the bye, Kentucky had the performance it needed to get out of its rut and stop its four-game slide. Kentucky put up a season-high 445 yards. The passing game wasn't great, but quarterback Morgan Newton was as efficient as ever and took a step in the right direction against the Gamecocks. But Kentucky still has a long way to go. Mississippi State is the next opponent and it has its own struggles to work out. Can the Wildcats squeak by at home to get its first conference win of the year?
12. Ole Miss (2-5, 0-4): The Rebels fought for four quarters against Arkansas, but just couldn't hold up with depth issues plaguing them on both sides of the ball. The offense was clicking early, but got nothing going in the third quarter and trudged along in the fourth. If not for a badly thrown pass from Randall Mackey that was intercepted to seal the game for the Hogs, Ole Miss might be grinning from ear to ear after a major upset. But that didn't happen and the Rebels remain winless in the SEC. Ole Miss is having to use a plethora of youngsters, especially from its freshman class, and that means tons and tons of growing pains. Houston Nutt's seat in Oxford is only getting hotter and hotter with each week that passes by.
A little bit of this and a little bit of that as we get ready for Week 8 in the SEC:
- Alabama and LSU aren't the only two unbeaten teams this season that have won all of their games by double digits. So have Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Stanford and Boise State.
- With two of its top cornerbacks suspended for Saturday's game (Tyrann Mathieu and Tharold Simon), LSU could have its work cut out in defending the downfield passing game. So far this season, LSU has been at its best defensively when teams have tried to go down the field. In fact, those teams throwing passes that were 15 yards or longer against LSU have had more interceptions than completions. On those plays, LSU has seven interceptions and opponents have converted just 5-of-43 passes.
- Six of the past seven meetings between Auburn and LSU have been decided by seven points or less.
- This will be Auburn's third game in the past four weeks against a top 10 team. Auburn beat No. 10 South Carolina on Oct. 1 and then lost to No. 10 Arkansas on Oct. 8.
- LSU has outscored opponents in the fourth quarter by 54 points (75-21) and leads the SEC in that category. Alabama has allowed just eight fourth-quarter points and is second in fourth-quarter scoring margin at 51 points (59-8).
- LSU hasn't trailed in a game since the second quarter of the season opener against Oregon. In 420 minutes of action this season, the Tigers have trailed for just six minutes and 33 seconds.
- Auburn center Reese Dismukes is one of just five true freshmen to start on the offensive line among the 67 BCS automatic-qualifying conference schools. Dismukes is one of three true freshman starters on the offensive line in the SEC, joining Arkansas’ Mitch Smothers and Kentucky’s Darrian Miller. The other two true freshman starters are John Miller of Louisville and Tyler Moore of Nebraska.
- Since arriving in Fayetteville in 2008, point production for Bobby Petrino’s Arkansas Razorbacks has increased each season. In 2008, the Razorbacks averaged 21.9 points per game and 259.6 yards per game. In 2009, the Hogs produced 36.0 points and 427.4 yards per game. Last season, Arkansas averaged 36.5 points and 482.5 yards per game. So far this season, the Razorbacks are averaging 39.2 points and 466.2 yards per game.
- After leading Ole Miss to Cotton Bowl victories in each of his first two seasons, Houston Nutt is just 6-12 since. That includes a 1-10 record against the SEC.
- How dominant has Alabama been at Bryant-Denny Stadium? Check out these numbers: The Crimson Tide are 24-1 in their last 25 home games, losing only to eventual national champion Auburn last season. In those 25 games, the Tide have held opponents to an average of 7.9 points per game, and only two opponents have reached 20 points.
- Tennessee hasn't scored more than 17 points against Alabama in any of the past 17 meetings.
- After posting 14 tackles in the first four games of the season, Tennessee senior defensive tackle Malik Jackson has doubled that total in the past two contests with 14 more, including eight against LSU, matching a career best.
- Tennessee is still looking for that signature win under second-year coach Derek Dooley. Of Tennessee’s seven wins over FBS teams since Dooley took over, only one has come against a team that either finished the season with a winning record (2010 wins) or currently has a winning record (2011 wins). That was the win against Cincinnati earlier this season. The Bearcats are currently 5-1.
- Vanderbilt leads the SEC in red zone touchdowns allowed percentage. The Commodores have allowed just six red zone touchdowns in 14 chances, a 42.9 percentage.
- Vanderbilt's Jordan Rodgers will make his first start at quarterback Saturday against Army. The Commodores in their past 18 games dating back to the beginning of last season have thrown just 16 touchdown passes and 20 interceptions.
- Kentucky linebacker Danny Trevathan became the 18th player in school history to record more than 300 tackles in a career with his 13-tackle performance in the Wildcats’ last game against South Carolina. The Leesburg, Fla., native, has 303 tackles in his college career and needs only 16 tackles to move into a tie for 17th with Keith Martin (1980-83).
Checking out some news around the SEC.
- Without meaning to, Alabama coach Nick Saban explains the problem with college football polls.
- Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson faces a different challenge this weekend: being a TV star.
- LSU coach Les Miles dismisses talk revolving around him and a future in the NFL.
- Tennessee defensive tackle Malik Jackson is ready to show Georgia "what Tennessee really has to offer."
- Vanderbilt coach James Franklin is looking to steal a page from Nick Saban's playbook at Alabama in order to point Vandy in the right direction.
- Ole Miss' football program earned a reprieve with its win over Fresno State.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Chris Low
Low joined ESPN.com in 2007 after 10 years with The (Nashville) Tennessean covering the University of Tennessee and SEC. The Rock Hill, S.C., native lives with his wife in Knoxville and has three sons.
Edward Aschoff
Aschoff joined ESPN.com in 2011 after spending four years covering the University of Florida for The Gainesville Sun. He grew up in Oxford, Miss., before attending UF, graduating with a B.S. in journalism.
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