SEC: Mike Dyer
AUBURN TIGERS
Record: 4-2 (2-1 SEC)
The Tigers had a couple of streaks going prior to their 38-14 loss Saturday at Arkansas. They’d won 11 straight games against SEC teams and eight in a row against nationally-ranked opponents. The Hogs pulled away in the second half to win easily, but it’s still hard to give the Tigers anything lower than a solid “B” for the first half of the season. They’re one of the youngest teams in the league, but have continually found ways to win. The defense was the problem to start the season, as Auburn gave up 110 points and more than 1,600 total yards in narrow wins over Utah State and Mississippi State and then a 38-24 loss to Clemson on the road. But defensive coordinator Ted Roof believes his guys have made steady improvement since that Clemson game, and there’s reason to believe they will only get better. Of the 11 defensive starters last week against Arkansas, eight were sophomores or younger. The Tigers need to figure out the quarterback situation the rest of the way. Junior Barrett Trotter has hit a slump, and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn isn’t quite ready to turn it over full time to true freshman Kiehl Frazier. Auburn faces the third leg (and probably the most important leg) of a grueling October stretch this Saturday when Florida comes to Jordan-Hare Stadium. It’s the only home game of the four, as Auburn travels to LSU the following week. Beating the Gators could easily be the difference in the Tigers having a chance to win eight games or more this season and finishing .500 or worse.
Offensive MVP: RB Michael Dyer. As Auburn’s passing game has gone south, Dyer’s workload has increased. It sounds like the Tigers will continue to lean on him. He’s carried the ball 62 times in his past two games, including 41 times in the 16-13 win over South Carolina two weeks ago. Dyer is third in the SEC in rushing, trailing only Marcus Lattimore and Trent Richardson, and has 679 yards in six games.
Defensive MVP: DE Corey Lemonier. Cornerback Chris Davis also deserves some mention here, but he’s missed two games. Lemonier was prone to overrun plays earlier in the season, but he’s settled down and has been a big factor in the Tigers’ overall defensive improvement. He leads the team with seven tackles for loss, including four sacks, which ties him for second in the SEC. Lemonier has also forced two fumbles.
Record: 4-2 (2-1 SEC)
The Tigers had a couple of streaks going prior to their 38-14 loss Saturday at Arkansas. They’d won 11 straight games against SEC teams and eight in a row against nationally-ranked opponents. The Hogs pulled away in the second half to win easily, but it’s still hard to give the Tigers anything lower than a solid “B” for the first half of the season. They’re one of the youngest teams in the league, but have continually found ways to win. The defense was the problem to start the season, as Auburn gave up 110 points and more than 1,600 total yards in narrow wins over Utah State and Mississippi State and then a 38-24 loss to Clemson on the road. But defensive coordinator Ted Roof believes his guys have made steady improvement since that Clemson game, and there’s reason to believe they will only get better. Of the 11 defensive starters last week against Arkansas, eight were sophomores or younger. The Tigers need to figure out the quarterback situation the rest of the way. Junior Barrett Trotter has hit a slump, and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn isn’t quite ready to turn it over full time to true freshman Kiehl Frazier. Auburn faces the third leg (and probably the most important leg) of a grueling October stretch this Saturday when Florida comes to Jordan-Hare Stadium. It’s the only home game of the four, as Auburn travels to LSU the following week. Beating the Gators could easily be the difference in the Tigers having a chance to win eight games or more this season and finishing .500 or worse.
Offensive MVP: RB Michael Dyer. As Auburn’s passing game has gone south, Dyer’s workload has increased. It sounds like the Tigers will continue to lean on him. He’s carried the ball 62 times in his past two games, including 41 times in the 16-13 win over South Carolina two weeks ago. Dyer is third in the SEC in rushing, trailing only Marcus Lattimore and Trent Richardson, and has 679 yards in six games.
Defensive MVP: DE Corey Lemonier. Cornerback Chris Davis also deserves some mention here, but he’s missed two games. Lemonier was prone to overrun plays earlier in the season, but he’s settled down and has been a big factor in the Tigers’ overall defensive improvement. He leads the team with seven tackles for loss, including four sacks, which ties him for second in the SEC. Lemonier has also forced two fumbles.
If you missed my chat earlier today, you missed 30 bonus minutes of chat time.
But I'm here for you, and here are some of the highlights:
Justen in Afghanistan: Do you think the Alabama defense can maintain its stranglehold on opposing offenses throughout the year, and is this defense better than 2009?
Chris Low: This defense is great, but I'm not ready to go that far. That 2009 defense was better and more talented up front with Dareus and Cody, and then you had one of the best leaders and most complete mike linebackers you're ever going to find in Ro McClain. I'd still go with the 2009 defense at this point.
Nick in Atlanta: Do you think Todd Grantham is starting to jusitfy the high salary Georgia gave him when he joined as the defensive coordinator two years ago? Is the defense he runs one that attracts high level recruits because of the pro-style preparation it provides the kids?
Chris Low: Ever since the Boise State game, Georgia's defense has played much better, giving up very few touchdowns and fewer big plays. So, yes, I think Grantham has done a good job in his second year, and I think the players are more accustomed to his 3-4 defense the second time around. In scheme, the defense is almost identical to what Alabama runs and a lot of NFL teams, but Georgia has never had many problems attracting great players.
Jacob in Charlotte, N.C.: Everyone keeps asking and remarking how bad Connor Shaw is since Spurrier is only now going to start him. I think he is much better than the stats from first quarter of the East Carolina game indicate. The offense at that point just wasn't clicking with him. From what I've seen, I think Shaw can make smart decisions and can manage the game well. How do you think he'll do against Kentucky, and do you think he'll be able to keep the starting position for the rest of the season?
Chris Low: It's hard to say with Spurrier, who's renowned for juggling quarterbacks. I do think Spurrier is committed to letting Shaw go the whole way this week against Kentucky and see how he does, but the Gamecocks should be able to win that game even if Shaw plays poorly. The real test will come next week on the road against Mississippi State. If the Gamecocks are sputtering in the first half, how inclined will Spurrier be to go back to Garcia? Everybody on South Carolina's staff told me that Shaw outplayed Garcia in the preseason, so I think it's only fair to give him a few games now and see how he does -- and not just a quarter or two.
JwgreDeux in Birmingham, Ala.: How about some love for Michael Dyer?
Chris Low: Here's giving it. This league is full of running backs that are truly a load to tackle. Trent Richardson comes to mind and so does Marcus Lattimore. I put Dyer in that same category, and he probably runs lower to the ground than all of them.
UC in Atlanta: Chris, five weeks in, who have you been more impressed with, LSU or Bama?
Chris Low: How's this for answering your question: I've been more impressed with what LSU has accomplished to this point, beating three Top 25 teams away from home, but I think Alabama has been more dominant to this point in all phases of the game. Now, before I hear it from LSU fans, all that matters is who's more dominant and who's better on Nov. 5. Both teams are loaded with talent. If they played six times, they might split.
Kate in New Orleans: Take a question from a female please! Is Les Miles underrated as a head coach? People said he only won the title in 07 because of the Saban effect, yet he coached those players for three of their four years at LSU. He's 24-5 the past three seasons with subpar quarterback play. I think the fact that he's garnering NFL interest now shows he's been underrated for a while.
Chris Low: I said it on my podcast Wednesday and I'll continue to say it, and that is that Miles does a terrific job. He's a great recruiter as a head coach. His players play hard for him. They genuinely like playing for him, and he's quick to make adjustments on his staff when he feels it's necessary. Yes, he's a bit goofy at times and says strange things (and we can't forget those clock snafus), but he's extremely underrated. Hey, and the fact that he eats grass makes it even better!
But I'm here for you, and here are some of the highlights:
Justen in Afghanistan: Do you think the Alabama defense can maintain its stranglehold on opposing offenses throughout the year, and is this defense better than 2009?
Chris Low: This defense is great, but I'm not ready to go that far. That 2009 defense was better and more talented up front with Dareus and Cody, and then you had one of the best leaders and most complete mike linebackers you're ever going to find in Ro McClain. I'd still go with the 2009 defense at this point.
Nick in Atlanta: Do you think Todd Grantham is starting to jusitfy the high salary Georgia gave him when he joined as the defensive coordinator two years ago? Is the defense he runs one that attracts high level recruits because of the pro-style preparation it provides the kids?
Chris Low: Ever since the Boise State game, Georgia's defense has played much better, giving up very few touchdowns and fewer big plays. So, yes, I think Grantham has done a good job in his second year, and I think the players are more accustomed to his 3-4 defense the second time around. In scheme, the defense is almost identical to what Alabama runs and a lot of NFL teams, but Georgia has never had many problems attracting great players.
Jacob in Charlotte, N.C.: Everyone keeps asking and remarking how bad Connor Shaw is since Spurrier is only now going to start him. I think he is much better than the stats from first quarter of the East Carolina game indicate. The offense at that point just wasn't clicking with him. From what I've seen, I think Shaw can make smart decisions and can manage the game well. How do you think he'll do against Kentucky, and do you think he'll be able to keep the starting position for the rest of the season?
Chris Low: It's hard to say with Spurrier, who's renowned for juggling quarterbacks. I do think Spurrier is committed to letting Shaw go the whole way this week against Kentucky and see how he does, but the Gamecocks should be able to win that game even if Shaw plays poorly. The real test will come next week on the road against Mississippi State. If the Gamecocks are sputtering in the first half, how inclined will Spurrier be to go back to Garcia? Everybody on South Carolina's staff told me that Shaw outplayed Garcia in the preseason, so I think it's only fair to give him a few games now and see how he does -- and not just a quarter or two.
JwgreDeux in Birmingham, Ala.: How about some love for Michael Dyer?
Chris Low: Here's giving it. This league is full of running backs that are truly a load to tackle. Trent Richardson comes to mind and so does Marcus Lattimore. I put Dyer in that same category, and he probably runs lower to the ground than all of them.
UC in Atlanta: Chris, five weeks in, who have you been more impressed with, LSU or Bama?
Chris Low: How's this for answering your question: I've been more impressed with what LSU has accomplished to this point, beating three Top 25 teams away from home, but I think Alabama has been more dominant to this point in all phases of the game. Now, before I hear it from LSU fans, all that matters is who's more dominant and who's better on Nov. 5. Both teams are loaded with talent. If they played six times, they might split.
Kate in New Orleans: Take a question from a female please! Is Les Miles underrated as a head coach? People said he only won the title in 07 because of the Saban effect, yet he coached those players for three of their four years at LSU. He's 24-5 the past three seasons with subpar quarterback play. I think the fact that he's garnering NFL interest now shows he's been underrated for a while.
Chris Low: I said it on my podcast Wednesday and I'll continue to say it, and that is that Miles does a terrific job. He's a great recruiter as a head coach. His players play hard for him. They genuinely like playing for him, and he's quick to make adjustments on his staff when he feels it's necessary. Yes, he's a bit goofy at times and says strange things (and we can't forget those clock snafus), but he's extremely underrated. Hey, and the fact that he eats grass makes it even better!
Auburn has been the SEC’s version of Dracula, really going back to last season.
There’s just no killing these Tigers, even when they appear to be at their most vulnerable state.
And if you get them in a close game, forget about it.
That’s when they’re at their best, or in keeping with the Dracula theme, when they’re the most dangerous.
If you go all the way back to the Outback Bowl to end Gene Chizik’s first season at Auburn, the Tigers have won 11 straight games that were decided by eight points or less. Six of those games were decided by three points or less, including the 16-13 win over South Carolina last week in Columbia.
By now, it’s become a habit and one that has permeated itself throughout the program.
When a game is waiting to be won in the fourth quarter, the Tigers are there to pounce on it the way the Lord of the Undead would one of his helpless victims.
“If you’re going to be able to do that, you’ve got to have some roots, a background of being able to do that,” Chizik said of the Tigers’ penchant for winning close games. “It’s got to start somewhere. It started for us last year, maybe even the year before in a couple of different games.
“The bottom line is that our kids do believe in the fourth quarter, when the games are tight, that it’s our game. We’ve certainly been able to look back in the past and reflect back on how we’ve been able to do that, and that helps us. When you’ve done it as many times as we have, you can say that when that game gets close in the fourth quarter, that it’s our game.”
Auburn, which reappeared this week in the Top 25 polls at No. 15, travels to No. 10-ranked Arkansas on Saturday in what Chizik says will be the Tigers’ biggest challenge to date.
There really hasn’t been anything spectacular about this Auburn team this season other than the fact that it keeps on winning.
The Tigers (4-1, 2-0) have won 19 of their last 20 games. That’s despite being on the ropes in the opener against Utah State and surviving thanks to an onside kick in the final minutes.
That next week, Auburn stopped Mississippi State quarterback Chris Relf on the one-inch line as time expired, and then came the only loss since the end of the 2009 season in Week 3 to a Clemson team that’s now ranked in the top 10 nationally.
Following a ho-hum win over Florida Atlantic, Auburn held on to beat the Gamecocks on the road last week with Mike Dyer carrying the ball 41 times and the defense turning in its best performance of the season.
Now, it’s on to Arkansas in the second leg of a grueling four-game stretch that will make or break the Tigers’ season. Florida comes to the Plains on Oct. 15, and then Auburn pays a visit to LSU on Oct. 22.
Since the preseason, the Auburn players have been hearing about how this was supposed to be a transition season and how the Tigers were going to take their lumps with so many first-year starters.
In a lot of ways, that kind of talk has fueled their run, and it doesn’t matter that 27 of the 44 players on Auburn’s two-deep are sophomores or younger.
“This is Auburn, and the way we look at it is that tradition never graduates,” sophomore defensive tackle Jeffrey Whitaker said. “Yeah, we lost a lot of good players, but we didn’t lose our edge, and we didn’t lose our belief that we’re going to go out and win football games.
“That’s something we’re never going to lose.”
Sort of like a close game.
There’s just no killing these Tigers, even when they appear to be at their most vulnerable state.
And if you get them in a close game, forget about it.
That’s when they’re at their best, or in keeping with the Dracula theme, when they’re the most dangerous.
[+] Enlarge
Joshua S. Kelly/US Presswire"The bottom line is that our kids do believe in the fourth quarter, when the games are tight, that it's our game," Gene Chizik said.
Joshua S. Kelly/US Presswire"The bottom line is that our kids do believe in the fourth quarter, when the games are tight, that it's our game," Gene Chizik said.By now, it’s become a habit and one that has permeated itself throughout the program.
When a game is waiting to be won in the fourth quarter, the Tigers are there to pounce on it the way the Lord of the Undead would one of his helpless victims.
“If you’re going to be able to do that, you’ve got to have some roots, a background of being able to do that,” Chizik said of the Tigers’ penchant for winning close games. “It’s got to start somewhere. It started for us last year, maybe even the year before in a couple of different games.
“The bottom line is that our kids do believe in the fourth quarter, when the games are tight, that it’s our game. We’ve certainly been able to look back in the past and reflect back on how we’ve been able to do that, and that helps us. When you’ve done it as many times as we have, you can say that when that game gets close in the fourth quarter, that it’s our game.”
Auburn, which reappeared this week in the Top 25 polls at No. 15, travels to No. 10-ranked Arkansas on Saturday in what Chizik says will be the Tigers’ biggest challenge to date.
There really hasn’t been anything spectacular about this Auburn team this season other than the fact that it keeps on winning.
The Tigers (4-1, 2-0) have won 19 of their last 20 games. That’s despite being on the ropes in the opener against Utah State and surviving thanks to an onside kick in the final minutes.
That next week, Auburn stopped Mississippi State quarterback Chris Relf on the one-inch line as time expired, and then came the only loss since the end of the 2009 season in Week 3 to a Clemson team that’s now ranked in the top 10 nationally.
Following a ho-hum win over Florida Atlantic, Auburn held on to beat the Gamecocks on the road last week with Mike Dyer carrying the ball 41 times and the defense turning in its best performance of the season.
Now, it’s on to Arkansas in the second leg of a grueling four-game stretch that will make or break the Tigers’ season. Florida comes to the Plains on Oct. 15, and then Auburn pays a visit to LSU on Oct. 22.
Since the preseason, the Auburn players have been hearing about how this was supposed to be a transition season and how the Tigers were going to take their lumps with so many first-year starters.
In a lot of ways, that kind of talk has fueled their run, and it doesn’t matter that 27 of the 44 players on Auburn’s two-deep are sophomores or younger.
“This is Auburn, and the way we look at it is that tradition never graduates,” sophomore defensive tackle Jeffrey Whitaker said. “Yeah, we lost a lot of good players, but we didn’t lose our edge, and we didn’t lose our belief that we’re going to go out and win football games.
“That’s something we’re never going to lose.”
Sort of like a close game.
Some Wednesday linkage. We assume everybody took a late lunch today:
- The SEC needs Missouri more for image than football, writes Mark Bradley of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier says Connor Shaw won't need to be looking over his shoulder on Saturday.
- Vanderbilt is looking for a bigger impact from receiver Jordan Matthews this week.
- Alabama coach Nick Saban says emotional teams have severe ups and downs.
- Auburn's Gus Malzahn, Mike Dyer and Kiehl Frazier are going back home to Arkansas.
- Once a Georgia commitment, Da'Rick Rogers wanted to build a new face at Tennessee.
- LSU's "second line" is still dancing, writes Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett Louisiana News.
- Ole Miss freshman receiver Donte Moncrief is catching on fast.
- Mississippi State's assistant recruiting coordinator resigns following his arrest on DUI charges.
- Broderick Green's early return sparks Arkansas' running game.
Florida quarterback John Brantley (high ankle sprain) won't be the only high-profile SEC player out this week with an injury.
Auburn coach Gene Chizik said Tuesday that it's doubtful that Emory Blake will play this weekend at Arkansas. Blake (ankle) was injured last week against South Carolina. He's fourth in the SEC in receiving yards per game (66.6) and leads the Tigers with 19 catches, including four touchdowns.
Auburn was already without its other top receiver, redshirt freshmen Trovon Reed, who's out with a shoulder injury. True freshman Quan Bray will almost certainly see his role expand at receiver against Arkansas, and junior DeAngelo Benton is another guy the Tigers would like to get more out of this week. The good news for the Tigers is that running back Mike Dyer (ankle) looks like he's a go after getting banged up last week against South Carolina.
The Hogs have their own injury problems. Defensive tackle Robert Thomas (knee), cornerback Darius Winston (knee) and receiver Joe Adams (ribs) all left the Texas A&M game early last Saturday. Thomas' injury appeared to be the most serious. Defensive end Jake Bequette (hamstring) has missed the last three games, although there's hope that he will be able to return against Auburn. Cornerback Isaac Madison (shoulder) also didn't play last week, while defensive end Tenarius Wright (broken arm) remains out for at least the next two or three weeks.
South Carolina may be without defensive tackle Melvin Ingram (foot) this Saturday against Kentucky. Ingram was in a walking boot on Tuesday, and coach Steve Spurrier said Ingram probably wouldn't do much in practice this week.
Alabama will know more about the status of linebacker C.J. Mosley (elbow) and backup running back Eddie Lacy (turf toe) later this week. Mosley missed last week's game against Florida, and the original diagnosis when he suffered the injury against Arkansas was two or three weeks.
Auburn coach Gene Chizik said Tuesday that it's doubtful that Emory Blake will play this weekend at Arkansas. Blake (ankle) was injured last week against South Carolina. He's fourth in the SEC in receiving yards per game (66.6) and leads the Tigers with 19 catches, including four touchdowns.
Auburn was already without its other top receiver, redshirt freshmen Trovon Reed, who's out with a shoulder injury. True freshman Quan Bray will almost certainly see his role expand at receiver against Arkansas, and junior DeAngelo Benton is another guy the Tigers would like to get more out of this week. The good news for the Tigers is that running back Mike Dyer (ankle) looks like he's a go after getting banged up last week against South Carolina.
The Hogs have their own injury problems. Defensive tackle Robert Thomas (knee), cornerback Darius Winston (knee) and receiver Joe Adams (ribs) all left the Texas A&M game early last Saturday. Thomas' injury appeared to be the most serious. Defensive end Jake Bequette (hamstring) has missed the last three games, although there's hope that he will be able to return against Auburn. Cornerback Isaac Madison (shoulder) also didn't play last week, while defensive end Tenarius Wright (broken arm) remains out for at least the next two or three weeks.
South Carolina may be without defensive tackle Melvin Ingram (foot) this Saturday against Kentucky. Ingram was in a walking boot on Tuesday, and coach Steve Spurrier said Ingram probably wouldn't do much in practice this week.
Alabama will know more about the status of linebacker C.J. Mosley (elbow) and backup running back Eddie Lacy (turf toe) later this week. Mosley missed last week's game against Florida, and the original diagnosis when he suffered the injury against Arkansas was two or three weeks.
There's a new leader this week in our SEC Heisman watch, and he just happens to be one of the hottest running backs in the country:
1. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: He's making his move, and you knew he would. Richardson has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of his past four games. And in his past three, he's averaging 158 yards. He lit up Florida's heralded defense for a career-high 181 yards and two touchdowns. Richardson leads the SEC with 11 touchdowns, and he has 622 rushing yards through six games. As long as the Crimson Tide keep winning and he keeps putting up big numbers, he's a lock to be one of the finalists invited to New York City.
2. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina: The last two games have been just OK by Lattimore's standards, but he's going to have plenty of chances to get it back rolling again. Lattimore still leads the SEC in rushing (135.4 yards per game) and all-purpose yards (163.2 yards per game). With the Gamecocks struggling to get anything out of their passing game, Lattimore will remain the centerpiece of their offense. The down side to that is that defenses will be able to key on him more than ever if South Carolina can't get its passing game going.
3. Mike Dyer, RB, Auburn: Dyer is probably living in a whirlpool this week after carrying the ball 41 times last week in the 16-13 win over South Carolina. It sounds like Auburn coach Gene Chizik wants to keep feeding the ball to Dyer, who's third in the SEC in rushing behind Lattimore and Richardson. Dyer has 567 yards through five games and has already carried the ball 103 times, which is second in the league to Lattimore's 124 carries.
4. Chris Rainey, RB, Florida: Alabama's defense put the clamps on Rainey last week. But, then, Alabama's defense does that to a lot of players. Rainey was held to 4 yards rushing on 11 attempts and caught three passes for 32 yards. He was also kept out of the end zone. Despite the off night, Rainey remains one of the most explosive players in this league and is a threat as a runner, receiver and returner and punt blocker on special teams. He's still fourth in the SEC in all-purpose yards (145.8 yards per game).
5. Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee: The only thing Bray lacks is a signature win. His passing numbers stack up with any quarterback in the country, especially if you go back to last season. Bray leads the SEC in pass efficiency, passing yards, total offense and touchdown passes. He's thrown 14 touchdown passes this season, including four last week in the blowout win over Buffalo, and has thrown 32 over his past 10 games dating back to last season. If the Vols win a few of these big games in October, Bray will move near the top of this list.
1. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: He's making his move, and you knew he would. Richardson has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of his past four games. And in his past three, he's averaging 158 yards. He lit up Florida's heralded defense for a career-high 181 yards and two touchdowns. Richardson leads the SEC with 11 touchdowns, and he has 622 rushing yards through six games. As long as the Crimson Tide keep winning and he keeps putting up big numbers, he's a lock to be one of the finalists invited to New York City.
2. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina: The last two games have been just OK by Lattimore's standards, but he's going to have plenty of chances to get it back rolling again. Lattimore still leads the SEC in rushing (135.4 yards per game) and all-purpose yards (163.2 yards per game). With the Gamecocks struggling to get anything out of their passing game, Lattimore will remain the centerpiece of their offense. The down side to that is that defenses will be able to key on him more than ever if South Carolina can't get its passing game going.
3. Mike Dyer, RB, Auburn: Dyer is probably living in a whirlpool this week after carrying the ball 41 times last week in the 16-13 win over South Carolina. It sounds like Auburn coach Gene Chizik wants to keep feeding the ball to Dyer, who's third in the SEC in rushing behind Lattimore and Richardson. Dyer has 567 yards through five games and has already carried the ball 103 times, which is second in the league to Lattimore's 124 carries.
4. Chris Rainey, RB, Florida: Alabama's defense put the clamps on Rainey last week. But, then, Alabama's defense does that to a lot of players. Rainey was held to 4 yards rushing on 11 attempts and caught three passes for 32 yards. He was also kept out of the end zone. Despite the off night, Rainey remains one of the most explosive players in this league and is a threat as a runner, receiver and returner and punt blocker on special teams. He's still fourth in the SEC in all-purpose yards (145.8 yards per game).
5. Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee: The only thing Bray lacks is a signature win. His passing numbers stack up with any quarterback in the country, especially if you go back to last season. Bray leads the SEC in pass efficiency, passing yards, total offense and touchdown passes. He's thrown 14 touchdown passes this season, including four last week in the blowout win over Buffalo, and has thrown 32 over his past 10 games dating back to last season. If the Vols win a few of these big games in October, Bray will move near the top of this list.
Checking to see what's making news around the SEC:
- Tennessee takes a few steps in its running game.
- With Cornelius Washington suspended, Georgia true freshman Ray Drew could get his shot.
- South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier hints that a change is coming at quarterback.
- Ole Miss quarterback Randall Mackey makes the most of his chance.
- Mississippi State's Dan Mullen says to point the fingers at the Bulldogs' coaches for their 0-3 start in the SEC.
- Kentucky is still searching for any semblance of offense.
- Auburn's Mike Dyer might be beaten up, but he's going to keep getting the football.
- Alabama's pass defense stiffens after giving up the early touchdown to Florida.
- With questions hovering at quarterback, Florida's going to need even more from its running game.
- LSU's Les Miles is looking ahead in playing Jordan Jefferson so early.
- Arkansas does a lot of growing up in its dramatic comeback win over Texas A&M.
» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC
It’s the most movement we’ve seen this season in the SEC power rankings.
After you get past the top two in this league, there’s not a lot of difference in the next five or six teams. Here’s betting you see those teams beating up on each other over the next month or so.
Here’s a look at where everybody stands in the SEC entering Week 6:
1. LSU: It’s easy to make cases for both Alabama and LSU being No. 1, and they’re both deserving. But the Tigers (5-0, 2-0) hold onto the top spot based on the fact that they’ve beaten three Top 25 teams away from home. With quarterback Jordan Jefferson and receiver Russell Shepard both back now, the Tigers say they “feel whole again" coming off their 35-7 rout of Kentucky. Either way, they’re on top of their game right now.
2. Alabama: The Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0) flexed their muscle in a big way this past Saturday with a 38-10 pounding of Florida on the road. That’s two impressive beatdowns in a row by Alabama, which reeled off 35 unanswered points in a show of physical football in the Swamp that would have made Vince Lombardi proud. A week earlier, Alabama overwhelmed Arkansas 38-14. There appears to be clear sailing ahead for the Tide until LSU comes to town on Nov. 5.
3. Arkansas: Talk about your character games. The Hogs (4-1, 0-1) showed theirs by rallying from a 35-17 halftime deficit and beating Texas A&M 42-38, setting a ton of records along the way. Quarterback Tyler Wilson and receiver Jarius Wright were unstoppable, making up for an injury-riddled defense that took it on the chin, but rose to the challenge in the second half and held the Aggies to a field goal.
4. Auburn: All the Tigers do is win. They win shootouts. They win ugly. They win when everybody else but them expects them to lose. Auburn (4-1, 2-0) slugged its way to a 16-13 win at South Carolina last Saturday with Mike Dyer carrying the ball 41 times for 141 yards. The West is loaded with great teams again this season, and the Tigers are determined to prove that they belong in that category.
5. South Carolina: You could see it coming with the Gamecocks, who had been skating by and playing just well enough to win. It caught up with them Saturday, that and an offense that has gone belly-up. The Gamecocks (4-1, 2-1) lost 16-13 to Auburn at home and are going to lose again if they don’t figure out something at quarterback. It sounds like fifth-year senior Stephen Garcia will be benched, as Steve Spurrier said changes are coming.
6. Florida: The road ahead is an ominous one for the Gators, who are coming off a 38-10 home defeat to Alabama. They now have to play at LSU and at Auburn the next two weeks, and after a bye week, face Georgia in Jacksonville. It looks like they will be doing so with a true freshman quarterback after John Brantley was injured against Alabama. Jeff Driskel played the entire second half and is the guy Florida’s planning to go with for the foreseeable future.
7. Georgia: All those people calling for Mark Richt’s head following the back-to-back losses to open the season might want to reconsider now that the Bulldogs (3-2, 2-1) are right back in the middle of the Eastern Division race. They travel to Tennessee this coming weekend, and a win there would put the Bulldogs in excellent shape. They have the easiest schedule the rest of the way, and their defense gets better every week.
8. Tennessee: The Vols (3-1, 0-1) get a chance to show that they belong front and center in the Eastern Division race when Georgia comes to Knoxville this Saturday. Tennessee’s one of those teams that could make an argument for being higher in these rankings. Sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray is playing lights out, and the Vols throw the ball all over the park. If they can get that first SEC win, they’ll move up.
9. Vanderbilt: The Commodores (3-1, 1-1) are coming off an open date, and it came at a good time. Quarterback Larry Smith was hurting after being knocked around two weeks ago against South Carolina. The “reward” for having that off week is that Vanderbilt gets to travel to Alabama, which gobbles up good offenses. The Commodores are still searching for a pulse offensively, but are playing as well as anyone on defense.
10. Mississippi State: Something’s missing right now for Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs, who don’t have any pop offensively. They need to get busy or will fall into that dubious category of being the league’s biggest disappointment this season. They trailed Georgia 24-3 last week before losing 24-10. They’re struggling along the offensive line and simply not making a lot of plays on offense right now. Mississippi State (2-3, 0-3) travels to UAB this coming weekend.
11. Ole Miss: For the first time ever, Ole Miss traveled to California to play a football game. It was a trip well worth it for the Rebels, who came to life offensively behind quarterback Randall Mackey and beat Fresno State 38-28. It had been a turbulent past few weeks in Oxford with the discontent and restlessness among fans, but Mackey brought the Rebels back from a 28-27 deficit late in the third quarter in a game Ole Miss (2-3, 0-2) had to have.
12. Kentucky: Until the Wildcats (2-3, 0-2) can find just a little bit of offense, they’re going to have a hard time climbing out of the cellar. They’ve lost three straight games now and have failed to score more than 17 points in any of the three. Kentucky is ranked 118th out of 120 FBS teams in total offense, and coach Joker Phillips is searching to find answers. Morgan Newton will continue to get first-team reps at quarterback this week, but Phillips said freshman Maxwell Smith could also play.
It’s the most movement we’ve seen this season in the SEC power rankings.
After you get past the top two in this league, there’s not a lot of difference in the next five or six teams. Here’s betting you see those teams beating up on each other over the next month or so.
Here’s a look at where everybody stands in the SEC entering Week 6:
1. LSU: It’s easy to make cases for both Alabama and LSU being No. 1, and they’re both deserving. But the Tigers (5-0, 2-0) hold onto the top spot based on the fact that they’ve beaten three Top 25 teams away from home. With quarterback Jordan Jefferson and receiver Russell Shepard both back now, the Tigers say they “feel whole again" coming off their 35-7 rout of Kentucky. Either way, they’re on top of their game right now.
2. Alabama: The Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0) flexed their muscle in a big way this past Saturday with a 38-10 pounding of Florida on the road. That’s two impressive beatdowns in a row by Alabama, which reeled off 35 unanswered points in a show of physical football in the Swamp that would have made Vince Lombardi proud. A week earlier, Alabama overwhelmed Arkansas 38-14. There appears to be clear sailing ahead for the Tide until LSU comes to town on Nov. 5.
3. Arkansas: Talk about your character games. The Hogs (4-1, 0-1) showed theirs by rallying from a 35-17 halftime deficit and beating Texas A&M 42-38, setting a ton of records along the way. Quarterback Tyler Wilson and receiver Jarius Wright were unstoppable, making up for an injury-riddled defense that took it on the chin, but rose to the challenge in the second half and held the Aggies to a field goal.
4. Auburn: All the Tigers do is win. They win shootouts. They win ugly. They win when everybody else but them expects them to lose. Auburn (4-1, 2-0) slugged its way to a 16-13 win at South Carolina last Saturday with Mike Dyer carrying the ball 41 times for 141 yards. The West is loaded with great teams again this season, and the Tigers are determined to prove that they belong in that category.
5. South Carolina: You could see it coming with the Gamecocks, who had been skating by and playing just well enough to win. It caught up with them Saturday, that and an offense that has gone belly-up. The Gamecocks (4-1, 2-1) lost 16-13 to Auburn at home and are going to lose again if they don’t figure out something at quarterback. It sounds like fifth-year senior Stephen Garcia will be benched, as Steve Spurrier said changes are coming.
6. Florida: The road ahead is an ominous one for the Gators, who are coming off a 38-10 home defeat to Alabama. They now have to play at LSU and at Auburn the next two weeks, and after a bye week, face Georgia in Jacksonville. It looks like they will be doing so with a true freshman quarterback after John Brantley was injured against Alabama. Jeff Driskel played the entire second half and is the guy Florida’s planning to go with for the foreseeable future.
7. Georgia: All those people calling for Mark Richt’s head following the back-to-back losses to open the season might want to reconsider now that the Bulldogs (3-2, 2-1) are right back in the middle of the Eastern Division race. They travel to Tennessee this coming weekend, and a win there would put the Bulldogs in excellent shape. They have the easiest schedule the rest of the way, and their defense gets better every week.
8. Tennessee: The Vols (3-1, 0-1) get a chance to show that they belong front and center in the Eastern Division race when Georgia comes to Knoxville this Saturday. Tennessee’s one of those teams that could make an argument for being higher in these rankings. Sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray is playing lights out, and the Vols throw the ball all over the park. If they can get that first SEC win, they’ll move up.
9. Vanderbilt: The Commodores (3-1, 1-1) are coming off an open date, and it came at a good time. Quarterback Larry Smith was hurting after being knocked around two weeks ago against South Carolina. The “reward” for having that off week is that Vanderbilt gets to travel to Alabama, which gobbles up good offenses. The Commodores are still searching for a pulse offensively, but are playing as well as anyone on defense.
10. Mississippi State: Something’s missing right now for Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs, who don’t have any pop offensively. They need to get busy or will fall into that dubious category of being the league’s biggest disappointment this season. They trailed Georgia 24-3 last week before losing 24-10. They’re struggling along the offensive line and simply not making a lot of plays on offense right now. Mississippi State (2-3, 0-3) travels to UAB this coming weekend.
11. Ole Miss: For the first time ever, Ole Miss traveled to California to play a football game. It was a trip well worth it for the Rebels, who came to life offensively behind quarterback Randall Mackey and beat Fresno State 38-28. It had been a turbulent past few weeks in Oxford with the discontent and restlessness among fans, but Mackey brought the Rebels back from a 28-27 deficit late in the third quarter in a game Ole Miss (2-3, 0-2) had to have.
12. Kentucky: Until the Wildcats (2-3, 0-2) can find just a little bit of offense, they’re going to have a hard time climbing out of the cellar. They’ve lost three straight games now and have failed to score more than 17 points in any of the three. Kentucky is ranked 118th out of 120 FBS teams in total offense, and coach Joker Phillips is searching to find answers. Morgan Newton will continue to get first-team reps at quarterback this week, but Phillips said freshman Maxwell Smith could also play.
South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney and Georgia's Isaiah Crowell were supposed to make immediate splashes this season and they have.
Big cannonball splashes.
Clowney leads the SEC with four sacks and is tied for third with five tackles for loss. As he gains more experience and a deeper understanding of the defense, he's going to be unblockable. In obvious pass-rushing situations, he already is.
Crowell is tied for fourth in the SEC in rushing with 411 yards and is averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He's put some pop into the Bulldogs' offense and has shown the ability to break long runs and also put his head down and get the tough yards.
They're both true freshmen, and they're two of the SEC's most talented young players, which leads us to our poll question: Who is the SEC's brightest emerging star?
Clowney and Crowell are certainly two of the leading candidates, but they aren't the only ones.
LSU sophomore running back Spencer Ware would be in that group along with his teammate, cornerback Tyrann Mathieu. For that matter, the Tigers are loaded with talented players who are sophomores or younger.
Tennessee sophomore receiver Da'Rick Rogers has four touchdown catches in three games and leads the SEC in catches per came. He has 20 receptions for 262 yards and will have to play the rest of the season without Justin Hunter on the other side. Hunter, another of the league's top young stars, tore his ACL in the Florida game.
There are a handful of talented sophomores in the league who we already knew a lot about, guys who sort of made their mark last season. That group includes South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray and Auburn running back Mike Dyer.
So we won't include them in this exercise.
Somebody else who came up was Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, who's had a fantastic start to this season. But Kirkpatrick's already a junior and may well turn pro following the season.
What we would like for you to do is tell us in our poll who you think is the SEC's brightest emerging star among the five choices we've laid out there.
We'll take a look at the results and break them down in the coming days.
Big cannonball splashes.
Clowney leads the SEC with four sacks and is tied for third with five tackles for loss. As he gains more experience and a deeper understanding of the defense, he's going to be unblockable. In obvious pass-rushing situations, he already is.
They're both true freshmen, and they're two of the SEC's most talented young players, which leads us to our poll question: Who is the SEC's brightest emerging star?
Clowney and Crowell are certainly two of the leading candidates, but they aren't the only ones.
LSU sophomore running back Spencer Ware would be in that group along with his teammate, cornerback Tyrann Mathieu. For that matter, the Tigers are loaded with talented players who are sophomores or younger.
Tennessee sophomore receiver Da'Rick Rogers has four touchdown catches in three games and leads the SEC in catches per came. He has 20 receptions for 262 yards and will have to play the rest of the season without Justin Hunter on the other side. Hunter, another of the league's top young stars, tore his ACL in the Florida game.
There are a handful of talented sophomores in the league who we already knew a lot about, guys who sort of made their mark last season. That group includes South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray and Auburn running back Mike Dyer.
So we won't include them in this exercise.
Somebody else who came up was Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, who's had a fantastic start to this season. But Kirkpatrick's already a junior and may well turn pro following the season.
What we would like for you to do is tell us in our poll who you think is the SEC's brightest emerging star among the five choices we've laid out there.
We'll take a look at the results and break them down in the coming days.
The top Heisman Trophy candidate in the SEC is quickly running his way to the top of Heisman lists nationally.
Here’s an update three weeks into the season on the most likely SEC candidates for college football’s top individual award:
1. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina: He needs his team to continue playing at a high level, but Lattimore has everything it takes to win the Heisman Trophy. He leads the country in rushing with 534 yards and already had a big name coming into the season. He’s a terror to bring down on the field and a delight off the field. Lattimore is averaging 178 yards per game. He’s obviously not going to keep up that pace. But if he averages just over 135 yards for his next 10 games (counting a bowl game), he would break Herschel Walker’s SEC record for most rushing yards in a season. Walker rushed for 1,891 yards in 1981 and did it in 11 games.
2. Chris Rainey, RB, Florida: If you’re looking for versatility, Rainey’s your guy. He’s second to Lattimore in the SEC in all-purpose yardage, averaging 187.7 yards per game. Rainey has scored two touchdowns rushing, two touchdowns receiving and he’s also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. In addition, he's blocked a punt of his own this season, setting up a field goal last week against Tennessee, and has an SEC-record five blocked punts for his career.
3. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: The big stages are yet to come for Richardson, who leads the SEC with eight touchdowns. He’s averaging 105 yards per game, 6.3 yards per carry and had touchdown runs of 71 and 58 yards last week against North Texas. These next two games against Arkansas and Florida will be big for Richardson’s Heisman chances. Remember, it wasn’t until the seventh game that Mark Ingram made his move in 2009 with that 246-yard performance against South Carolina.
4. Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee: Had the Vols been able to pull out that Florida game last week, Bray would be even higher on this list. It’s going to hurt him not having Justin Hunter to throw to the rest of the season. Hunter is out for the season with a torn ACL. Still, Bray has 10 touchdown passes and 986 passing yards through three games. He’s only thrown two interceptions as well. At this rate, he’s going to finish with more than 3,500 passing yards and 35-plus touchdowns. Those would certainly be Heisman-like numbers.
5. Mike Dyer, RB, Auburn: He’s been a blur the past two weeks, moving up to second in the SEC in rushing. Dyer is averaging 119.3 yards per game and 7.5 yards per carry. He’s also scoring from long distance with a 52-yard touchdown run last week against Clemson and a 35-yard touchdown run the week before against Mississippi State. Auburn coach Gene Chizik said Dyer would get the ball even more as the Tigers go forward, which means his numbers are only going to get more impressive.
Here’s an update three weeks into the season on the most likely SEC candidates for college football’s top individual award:
1. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina: He needs his team to continue playing at a high level, but Lattimore has everything it takes to win the Heisman Trophy. He leads the country in rushing with 534 yards and already had a big name coming into the season. He’s a terror to bring down on the field and a delight off the field. Lattimore is averaging 178 yards per game. He’s obviously not going to keep up that pace. But if he averages just over 135 yards for his next 10 games (counting a bowl game), he would break Herschel Walker’s SEC record for most rushing yards in a season. Walker rushed for 1,891 yards in 1981 and did it in 11 games.
2. Chris Rainey, RB, Florida: If you’re looking for versatility, Rainey’s your guy. He’s second to Lattimore in the SEC in all-purpose yardage, averaging 187.7 yards per game. Rainey has scored two touchdowns rushing, two touchdowns receiving and he’s also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. In addition, he's blocked a punt of his own this season, setting up a field goal last week against Tennessee, and has an SEC-record five blocked punts for his career.
3. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: The big stages are yet to come for Richardson, who leads the SEC with eight touchdowns. He’s averaging 105 yards per game, 6.3 yards per carry and had touchdown runs of 71 and 58 yards last week against North Texas. These next two games against Arkansas and Florida will be big for Richardson’s Heisman chances. Remember, it wasn’t until the seventh game that Mark Ingram made his move in 2009 with that 246-yard performance against South Carolina.
4. Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee: Had the Vols been able to pull out that Florida game last week, Bray would be even higher on this list. It’s going to hurt him not having Justin Hunter to throw to the rest of the season. Hunter is out for the season with a torn ACL. Still, Bray has 10 touchdown passes and 986 passing yards through three games. He’s only thrown two interceptions as well. At this rate, he’s going to finish with more than 3,500 passing yards and 35-plus touchdowns. Those would certainly be Heisman-like numbers.
5. Mike Dyer, RB, Auburn: He’s been a blur the past two weeks, moving up to second in the SEC in rushing. Dyer is averaging 119.3 yards per game and 7.5 yards per carry. He’s also scoring from long distance with a 52-yard touchdown run last week against Clemson and a 35-yard touchdown run the week before against Mississippi State. Auburn coach Gene Chizik said Dyer would get the ball even more as the Tigers go forward, which means his numbers are only going to get more impressive.
CLEMSON, S.C. -- This looks like a carbon copy of the way last season’s game between these two teams started, only in reverse.
Auburn leads Clemson 21-7 in the second quarter after jumping out to a 14-0 lead and has pretty much had its way offensively.
A year ago, Clemson raced out to a 17-0 lead, but Auburn rallied to win in overtime.
Both defenses had experienced their struggles coming into today’s game, but Clemson is the runaway winner for the worst of the two so far.
Auburn has scored on a Mike Dyer 52-yard touchdown run. He wasn’t touched on the play. Barrett Trotter’s 36-yard touchdown pass to Emory Blake came on a fourth-and-5 play.
Auburn’s offensive line has given Trotter plenty of time to throw and is winning the battle up front. On Trotter’s fourth-down touchdown pass, Clemson only rushed four and didn’t get any pressure.
Auburn has kept Clemson’s defense off balance with an array of different looks and formations. Already, we’ve seen direct snaps to Dyer as well as true freshmen Kiehl Frazier and Quan Bray, a pair of reverses and Dyer and Onterio McCalebb lining up in the same backfield.
Auburn’s pace has been blistering, too, and Clemson’s defense looks gassed.
Auburn leads Clemson 21-7 in the second quarter after jumping out to a 14-0 lead and has pretty much had its way offensively.
A year ago, Clemson raced out to a 17-0 lead, but Auburn rallied to win in overtime.
Both defenses had experienced their struggles coming into today’s game, but Clemson is the runaway winner for the worst of the two so far.
Auburn has scored on a Mike Dyer 52-yard touchdown run. He wasn’t touched on the play. Barrett Trotter’s 36-yard touchdown pass to Emory Blake came on a fourth-and-5 play.
Auburn’s offensive line has given Trotter plenty of time to throw and is winning the battle up front. On Trotter’s fourth-down touchdown pass, Clemson only rushed four and didn’t get any pressure.
Auburn has kept Clemson’s defense off balance with an array of different looks and formations. Already, we’ve seen direct snaps to Dyer as well as true freshmen Kiehl Frazier and Quan Bray, a pair of reverses and Dyer and Onterio McCalebb lining up in the same backfield.
Auburn’s pace has been blistering, too, and Clemson’s defense looks gassed.
What to watch in the SEC: Week 1
September, 1, 2011
9/01/11
10:15
AM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
Can you hear that?
It’s the sound of jerseys being carefully hung and neatly placed in lockers. It’s the sound of last-minute helmet shines and play card lamination.
More importantly, it’s the sound of the return to college football. Maybe, just maybe, these silly shenanigans that have taken our minds off the actually game will cease for a while.
That sound is now transforming into the horns blaring and snares chopping. Soon, these sounds will be overwhelmed by that sticky, sweet smell of game day barbecue with a hint of fine fried snacks.
Let’s get to what you should watch for in the SEC this week before I drool on my keyboard:
1. LSU’s passing game: Jordan Jefferson's suspension for his involvement in a bar fight and Russell Shepard being ruled ineligible for discussing an NCAA inquiry with a teammate have the Tigers in a bit of an offensive bind to start the season. Veteran Jarrett Lee takes over for Jefferson, and while coach Les Miles believes Lee has what it takes to lead the Tigers against No. 3 Oregon, Lee has had a very rocky five years at LSU. Expect junior college transfer Zach Mettenberger, who has all the skill to be a special player, to get snaps as well. As far as receivers go, Rueben Randle will be the primary target and DeAngelo Peterson is a playmaking tight end. Miles said this week that freshman Odell Beckham could start, so expect the Tigers to use plenty of options.
2. McCarron vs. Sims: This is one of the most exciting quarterback battles to keep an eye on this season. AJ McCarron and Phillip Sims are young and neither has separated himself from the other. However, teammates have said they wouldn’t mind either one starting and trust both to lead the offense. But this isn’t just any offense; it’s the offense of a team that is a true national championship contender. Taking the reigns of this machine is a big deal, and the winner should be prepared for a load of pressure dumped into his lap. This is the first step toward someone pushing past the other, but this battle could bleed deeper into the season.
3. Fresh new faces: There are two new head coaches making their SEC debuts this weekend. Will Muschamp takes over at Florida, after leaving Texas as its defensive coordinator, and James Franklin is in charge at Vanderbilt after being Maryland’s offensive coordinator. Fortunately for both, their teams are favored this weekend, with Florida taking on Florida Atlantic and Vanderbilt squaring off against Elon. Muschamp has the tough task of replacing two-time national champion Urban Meyer, while Franklin has brought some much-needed excitement and confidence to a slumping program. Both programs are in need of some early excitement and both should provide plenty of that this weekend.
4. Marquee QB battle: When Georgia and Boise State square off inside the Georgia Dome; they’ll do so with two highly touted quarterbacks. Boise’s veteran Kellen Moore, who has a thirst for big games, will look to keep his team in the national championship picture. Moore enters 2011 as the nation’s active career leader in passing efficiency (166.74) and wins (38). He ranks second on the active career list in completion percentage (68.17), passing yards (10,867), passing touchdowns (99) and completions (831). Last season, Murray passed for a Georgia freshman record 3,049 yards (second in SEC history by a freshman) and 24 touchdowns. His 3,216 total offensive yards ranks him first in Georgia freshman history and second in SEC history. He also tied for first in school history for touchdown responsibility in a season with 28. Watching these two compete will be a lot of fun.
5. Wild runners: The SEC brings back a stable of running back talent as five of the top 10 rushers from the 2010 season return. It would have been six, but Arkansas’ Knile Davis suffered a season-ending ankle injury before the season. The SEC is loaded at running back, with South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore and Alabama’s Trent Richardson making early Heisman Trophy lists. The scary thing is that Lattimore is only a sophomore and Richardson was a backup for two years. Auburn brings back the best rushing combo in Mike Dyer and Onterio McCalebb, who both have the potential to reach 1,000 yards. Ole Miss’ Brandon Bolden is very underrated and should finally eclipse the 1,000-yard mark, while Mississippi State’s Vick Ballard is one of the toughest runners around and is looking to pass his touchdown mark of 19 a season ago. Tennessee’s Tauren Poole is another unheralded rusher, but he surpassed 1,000 yards in 2010. Expect others, like LSU’s Spencer Ware and Kentucky’s Raymond Sanders, to step up as well.
6. QBs getting their first shot to be the man: The first week of football will feature a handful of new quarterbacks looking to prove they can lead their respective teams. McCarron and Sims will be battling it out against Kent State, while Barrett Trotter is taking over for Heisman winner Cam Newton at Auburn. Barry Brunetti makes his SEC debut at Ole Miss. Heck, Lee will have to prove he can be a solid short-term option for LSU, as well. There will be some growing pains and struggles around the league with these players, but they’ll all be eager to get out there and show what they can do.
7. Houston Nutt as the underdog: If history is an indicator, Houston Nutt does well when his team is counted out. Look at the 2006 Arkansas Razorbacks, who made it to the SEC championship game and in 2008, Nutt’s Ole Miss Rebels won their last six games, including the Cotton Bowl. Well, Nutt and his Rebels are being overlooked yet again and Ole Miss starts the season against a tough BYU team. Ole Miss isn’t favored and it’s fielding a slew of youngsters, including a new quarterback in Brunetti. A win would generate some valuable momentum for this team.
8. John Brantley’s confidence: The spread offense is gone in Gainesville and quarterback John Brantley couldn’t be happier. He never fit in the spread, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns, but Muschamp and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis have rescued Brantley with a pro-style offense. Brantley set all sorts of records in high school -- some even held by former Florida star Tim Tebow -- but he was never able to play with much confidence in 2010. Now, Brantley has a chance to reinvent himself. Word out of Gainesville is that Brantley has more command in the pocket and has won his teammates over again. Saturday won’t be a major test for Brantley, but it is a chance for him to play with confidence and maybe even some moxie, which should benefit him the rest of the season.
9. Kentucky’s run defense: Kentucky coach Joker Phillips made it perfectly clear that stopping the run is of the utmost importance when the Wildcats face Western Kentucky. When these two got together last season, the Wildcats’ rush defense received what Phillips described as a “slap in the face” from Western Kentucky’s Bobby Rainey, who ran for 184 yards and two touchdowns. For the rest of the season, Kentucky’s rush defense struggled immensely, surrendering 177.1 yards per game and allowing a league-high 30 rushing touchdowns. For the Wildcats to develop some defensive confidence they’ll have to shut down the Hilltoppers’ running game.
10. Black bear sightings!: Those of you who live in Oxford, Miss., or are traveling there for the weekend should be on the look out for black bears in the vicinity. Whether they’re harmful or not is yet to be seen. Ole Miss is breaking in a new mascot in the “Rebel Black Bear” seven years after the university got rid of “Colonel Reb.” The new mascot has received mixed reactions and expect Colonel Reb supporters to be out in full force for the bear’s first home game. A loss to BYU could send this cuddly creature back into hibernation.
It’s the sound of jerseys being carefully hung and neatly placed in lockers. It’s the sound of last-minute helmet shines and play card lamination.
More importantly, it’s the sound of the return to college football. Maybe, just maybe, these silly shenanigans that have taken our minds off the actually game will cease for a while.
[+] Enlarge
Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireLSU will turn to Jarrett Lee as the starting quarterback in the season opener against Oregon.
Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireLSU will turn to Jarrett Lee as the starting quarterback in the season opener against Oregon.Let’s get to what you should watch for in the SEC this week before I drool on my keyboard:
1. LSU’s passing game: Jordan Jefferson's suspension for his involvement in a bar fight and Russell Shepard being ruled ineligible for discussing an NCAA inquiry with a teammate have the Tigers in a bit of an offensive bind to start the season. Veteran Jarrett Lee takes over for Jefferson, and while coach Les Miles believes Lee has what it takes to lead the Tigers against No. 3 Oregon, Lee has had a very rocky five years at LSU. Expect junior college transfer Zach Mettenberger, who has all the skill to be a special player, to get snaps as well. As far as receivers go, Rueben Randle will be the primary target and DeAngelo Peterson is a playmaking tight end. Miles said this week that freshman Odell Beckham could start, so expect the Tigers to use plenty of options.
2. McCarron vs. Sims: This is one of the most exciting quarterback battles to keep an eye on this season. AJ McCarron and Phillip Sims are young and neither has separated himself from the other. However, teammates have said they wouldn’t mind either one starting and trust both to lead the offense. But this isn’t just any offense; it’s the offense of a team that is a true national championship contender. Taking the reigns of this machine is a big deal, and the winner should be prepared for a load of pressure dumped into his lap. This is the first step toward someone pushing past the other, but this battle could bleed deeper into the season.
3. Fresh new faces: There are two new head coaches making their SEC debuts this weekend. Will Muschamp takes over at Florida, after leaving Texas as its defensive coordinator, and James Franklin is in charge at Vanderbilt after being Maryland’s offensive coordinator. Fortunately for both, their teams are favored this weekend, with Florida taking on Florida Atlantic and Vanderbilt squaring off against Elon. Muschamp has the tough task of replacing two-time national champion Urban Meyer, while Franklin has brought some much-needed excitement and confidence to a slumping program. Both programs are in need of some early excitement and both should provide plenty of that this weekend.
4. Marquee QB battle: When Georgia and Boise State square off inside the Georgia Dome; they’ll do so with two highly touted quarterbacks. Boise’s veteran Kellen Moore, who has a thirst for big games, will look to keep his team in the national championship picture. Moore enters 2011 as the nation’s active career leader in passing efficiency (166.74) and wins (38). He ranks second on the active career list in completion percentage (68.17), passing yards (10,867), passing touchdowns (99) and completions (831). Last season, Murray passed for a Georgia freshman record 3,049 yards (second in SEC history by a freshman) and 24 touchdowns. His 3,216 total offensive yards ranks him first in Georgia freshman history and second in SEC history. He also tied for first in school history for touchdown responsibility in a season with 28. Watching these two compete will be a lot of fun.
5. Wild runners: The SEC brings back a stable of running back talent as five of the top 10 rushers from the 2010 season return. It would have been six, but Arkansas’ Knile Davis suffered a season-ending ankle injury before the season. The SEC is loaded at running back, with South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore and Alabama’s Trent Richardson making early Heisman Trophy lists. The scary thing is that Lattimore is only a sophomore and Richardson was a backup for two years. Auburn brings back the best rushing combo in Mike Dyer and Onterio McCalebb, who both have the potential to reach 1,000 yards. Ole Miss’ Brandon Bolden is very underrated and should finally eclipse the 1,000-yard mark, while Mississippi State’s Vick Ballard is one of the toughest runners around and is looking to pass his touchdown mark of 19 a season ago. Tennessee’s Tauren Poole is another unheralded rusher, but he surpassed 1,000 yards in 2010. Expect others, like LSU’s Spencer Ware and Kentucky’s Raymond Sanders, to step up as well.
6. QBs getting their first shot to be the man: The first week of football will feature a handful of new quarterbacks looking to prove they can lead their respective teams. McCarron and Sims will be battling it out against Kent State, while Barrett Trotter is taking over for Heisman winner Cam Newton at Auburn. Barry Brunetti makes his SEC debut at Ole Miss. Heck, Lee will have to prove he can be a solid short-term option for LSU, as well. There will be some growing pains and struggles around the league with these players, but they’ll all be eager to get out there and show what they can do.
7. Houston Nutt as the underdog: If history is an indicator, Houston Nutt does well when his team is counted out. Look at the 2006 Arkansas Razorbacks, who made it to the SEC championship game and in 2008, Nutt’s Ole Miss Rebels won their last six games, including the Cotton Bowl. Well, Nutt and his Rebels are being overlooked yet again and Ole Miss starts the season against a tough BYU team. Ole Miss isn’t favored and it’s fielding a slew of youngsters, including a new quarterback in Brunetti. A win would generate some valuable momentum for this team.
8. John Brantley’s confidence: The spread offense is gone in Gainesville and quarterback John Brantley couldn’t be happier. He never fit in the spread, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns, but Muschamp and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis have rescued Brantley with a pro-style offense. Brantley set all sorts of records in high school -- some even held by former Florida star Tim Tebow -- but he was never able to play with much confidence in 2010. Now, Brantley has a chance to reinvent himself. Word out of Gainesville is that Brantley has more command in the pocket and has won his teammates over again. Saturday won’t be a major test for Brantley, but it is a chance for him to play with confidence and maybe even some moxie, which should benefit him the rest of the season.
9. Kentucky’s run defense: Kentucky coach Joker Phillips made it perfectly clear that stopping the run is of the utmost importance when the Wildcats face Western Kentucky. When these two got together last season, the Wildcats’ rush defense received what Phillips described as a “slap in the face” from Western Kentucky’s Bobby Rainey, who ran for 184 yards and two touchdowns. For the rest of the season, Kentucky’s rush defense struggled immensely, surrendering 177.1 yards per game and allowing a league-high 30 rushing touchdowns. For the Wildcats to develop some defensive confidence they’ll have to shut down the Hilltoppers’ running game.
10. Black bear sightings!: Those of you who live in Oxford, Miss., or are traveling there for the weekend should be on the look out for black bears in the vicinity. Whether they’re harmful or not is yet to be seen. Ole Miss is breaking in a new mascot in the “Rebel Black Bear” seven years after the university got rid of “Colonel Reb.” The new mascot has received mixed reactions and expect Colonel Reb supporters to be out in full force for the bear’s first home game. A loss to BYU could send this cuddly creature back into hibernation.
We have spent months analyzing players, schemes and coaches, but we are finally here.
In just a couple of days, the 2011 college football season will begin (thank you Mississippi State and Kentucky).
To kick off game week, we at the SEC blog have constructed our power rankings to lead you into the season. This is an outlook on the season after taking into consideration a number of team items, including talent, experience and injuries.
Each week we'll bring you our thoughts on the state of the SEC's teams and things will no doubt change each week. Play well and your stock goes up. Drift under potential and you'll see yourself fall in our rankings.
Without further ado, here is our first batch of SEC power rankings for the 2011 season:
1. Alabama: The Tide enter the season as one of the most complete teams in the nation. Ten starters are back on defense and it’d be hard to find better secondary and linebacker units. It’s Trent Richardson’s time at running back, and while Alabama’s quarterback options are young and inexperienced, they are both very talented and ready to lead.
2. LSU: This team could have seriously contended with Alabama for the No. 1 spot if not for the suspensions of senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson and wide receiver Russell Shepard for at least the opener. But the Tigers aren’t sunk. Veteran Jarrett Lee takes over at quarterback and he still has plenty of weapons on offense. Defensively, this group might be the most athletic around and has the ability to carry the Tigers this fall.
3. Arkansas: The season-ending injury to Knile Davis might have initially hindered the Razorbacks’ chances at a title run, but there is still a wealth of talent on offense. Tyler Wilson has four more-than-capable options at receiver ,and there is depth at running back. Defensively, this is the best group coach Bobby Petrino has had in Fayetteville.
4. South Carolina: Steve Spurrier claims to have the best team he has ever had in Columbia, and the Gamecocks are the most complete team in the East. With their main playmakers back on offense and the defense loaded with talent, the Gamecocks are primed to make it back-to-back trips to the SEC title game.
5. Georgia: Before attrition and injuries delivered some unwanted hits to the offense this offseason, the Bulldogs were being heralded as a team that could seriously compete for the conference title. There is still firepower on offense, starting with quarterback Aaron Murray, and the defense has a plethora of speed all around, but keeping that offensive line healthy is key.
6. Mississippi State: This set of Bulldogs has been a popular dark horse pick in the West. The offense is loaded and has depth for days at the skill positions. Three starting linebackers have to be replaced, but Mississippi’s State’s secondary is as athletic as any defensive backfield and should regularly frustrate opposing quarterbacks this fall.
7. Florida: The Gators usher in a new coaching staff, but still have a ton of questions on offense. As usual, the defense has loads of speed, especially in the front seven, but the loss of Janoris Jenkins raises concerns about the secondary. But for Florida to succeed, quarterback John Brantley will have to rediscover his confidence.
8. Tennessee: There is no doubt the Volunteers will be able to score a handful of points this fall, but keeping opponents off the scoreboard could be an issue. Coach Derek Dooley considers this Year 1 for him at Tennessee and he and his team are looking for a fresh start in 2011.
9. Auburn: The defending national champion must replace almost all of a team that went undefeated in 2010. Cam Newton is gone, leaving Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb to shoulder most of the offensive load. There is talent on the Plains, but only six starters return, meaning there will be plenty of growing pains.
10. Ole Miss: The Rebels are looking for anything better than their 4-8 2010 campaign. Ole Miss is young across the board and is breaking in a quarterback in Barry Brunetti who has nine career pass attempts. Outside of an experienced backfield and offensive line, the Rebels have questions at pretty much every position.
11. Kentucky: Playmakers that made the Wildcats’ offense go last season are gone, which will make new starting quarterback Morgan Newton’s season that much more challenging. The defense struggled mightily last season, but new defensive coordinator Rick Minter has brought in his popular multiple schemes. This team needs to find offensive playmakers and team toughness.
12. Vanderbilt: There is more excitement and confidence in Nashville, thanks to new coach James Franklin. The Commodores return more than 20 starters, but those starters went 2-10 last season. Franklin has proved he can recruit and fire up an almost lifeless fan base, but now it’s time to coach -- and win.
In just a couple of days, the 2011 college football season will begin (thank you Mississippi State and Kentucky).
To kick off game week, we at the SEC blog have constructed our power rankings to lead you into the season. This is an outlook on the season after taking into consideration a number of team items, including talent, experience and injuries.
Each week we'll bring you our thoughts on the state of the SEC's teams and things will no doubt change each week. Play well and your stock goes up. Drift under potential and you'll see yourself fall in our rankings.
Without further ado, here is our first batch of SEC power rankings for the 2011 season:
1. Alabama: The Tide enter the season as one of the most complete teams in the nation. Ten starters are back on defense and it’d be hard to find better secondary and linebacker units. It’s Trent Richardson’s time at running back, and while Alabama’s quarterback options are young and inexperienced, they are both very talented and ready to lead.
2. LSU: This team could have seriously contended with Alabama for the No. 1 spot if not for the suspensions of senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson and wide receiver Russell Shepard for at least the opener. But the Tigers aren’t sunk. Veteran Jarrett Lee takes over at quarterback and he still has plenty of weapons on offense. Defensively, this group might be the most athletic around and has the ability to carry the Tigers this fall.
3. Arkansas: The season-ending injury to Knile Davis might have initially hindered the Razorbacks’ chances at a title run, but there is still a wealth of talent on offense. Tyler Wilson has four more-than-capable options at receiver ,and there is depth at running back. Defensively, this is the best group coach Bobby Petrino has had in Fayetteville.
4. South Carolina: Steve Spurrier claims to have the best team he has ever had in Columbia, and the Gamecocks are the most complete team in the East. With their main playmakers back on offense and the defense loaded with talent, the Gamecocks are primed to make it back-to-back trips to the SEC title game.
5. Georgia: Before attrition and injuries delivered some unwanted hits to the offense this offseason, the Bulldogs were being heralded as a team that could seriously compete for the conference title. There is still firepower on offense, starting with quarterback Aaron Murray, and the defense has a plethora of speed all around, but keeping that offensive line healthy is key.
6. Mississippi State: This set of Bulldogs has been a popular dark horse pick in the West. The offense is loaded and has depth for days at the skill positions. Three starting linebackers have to be replaced, but Mississippi’s State’s secondary is as athletic as any defensive backfield and should regularly frustrate opposing quarterbacks this fall.
7. Florida: The Gators usher in a new coaching staff, but still have a ton of questions on offense. As usual, the defense has loads of speed, especially in the front seven, but the loss of Janoris Jenkins raises concerns about the secondary. But for Florida to succeed, quarterback John Brantley will have to rediscover his confidence.
8. Tennessee: There is no doubt the Volunteers will be able to score a handful of points this fall, but keeping opponents off the scoreboard could be an issue. Coach Derek Dooley considers this Year 1 for him at Tennessee and he and his team are looking for a fresh start in 2011.
9. Auburn: The defending national champion must replace almost all of a team that went undefeated in 2010. Cam Newton is gone, leaving Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb to shoulder most of the offensive load. There is talent on the Plains, but only six starters return, meaning there will be plenty of growing pains.
10. Ole Miss: The Rebels are looking for anything better than their 4-8 2010 campaign. Ole Miss is young across the board and is breaking in a quarterback in Barry Brunetti who has nine career pass attempts. Outside of an experienced backfield and offensive line, the Rebels have questions at pretty much every position.
11. Kentucky: Playmakers that made the Wildcats’ offense go last season are gone, which will make new starting quarterback Morgan Newton’s season that much more challenging. The defense struggled mightily last season, but new defensive coordinator Rick Minter has brought in his popular multiple schemes. This team needs to find offensive playmakers and team toughness.
12. Vanderbilt: There is more excitement and confidence in Nashville, thanks to new coach James Franklin. The Commodores return more than 20 starters, but those starters went 2-10 last season. Franklin has proved he can recruit and fire up an almost lifeless fan base, but now it’s time to coach -- and win.
Are some SEC links to keep you going through your work day. The weekend is almost here. You can make it.
- Jon Solomon of The Birmingham News wonders how Alabama will handle implicated staff members Jeff Stoutland and Joe Pannunzio, who were named in the Yahoo! Sports report involving improper recruiting efforts with ex-Miami booster Nevin Shapiro.
- Ole Miss greyshirt quarterback Maikhail Miller pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana earlier this month.
- Mike Dyer returned to Auburn's practice Wednesday after missing more than a week with an undisclosed injury.
- Kentucky quarterback Morgan Newton has found mentors in wide receivers coach Tee Martin and former Wildcats quarterback Andre Woodson.
- A lot has been made about Arkansas replacing three starting offensive linemen, but the Hogs are still looking to replace key bodies at tight end as well.
- DeAngelo Peterson is looking to lead a talented group of LSU tight ends this fall.
- Offensive lineman Addison Lawrence is the Bulldogs big, silent leader.
- Florida's offensive line is finally healthy, but there are still depth concerns.
Icon SMI/AP PhotoMarcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery should be contenders for the Pony Express award.The Pony Express Award preseason watch list came out earlier this week and included some talented combos from the SEC.
But who’s the best combo in the league?
Taking it a step further, how would you rank the top 10 two-player combos in the league?
Here’s what we came up with:
1. RB Marcus Lattimore and WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina: Is there a more explosive combo anywhere in college football? They combined for 28 touchdowns last season and 3,126 combined rushing and receiving yards. Key on one of them, and the other one will torch you.
2. LB Dont’a Hightower and LB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama: They’re the two best linebackers in the league, and both are big-play performers. They had a combined 18 tackles for loss last season, and Hightower’s more than a year removed now from his knee injury. On passing downs, they’ll line up as edge rushers.
3. WR Greg Childs and WR Joe Adams, Arkansas: The only problem with the Hogs is picking just two receivers. Jarius Wright is a star in his own right. Childs still has to prove he’s all the way back from his injury, but the Childs-Adams combination is a nightmare for any secondary.
4. RB Mike Dyer and RB Onterio McCalebb, Auburn: They form the best one-two punch at running back in the league. Dyer is a human bowling ball who wears down defenses. McCalebb is one of the SEC’s premier breakaway threats. They averaged a combined 6.9 yards per carry last season.
5. S Mark Barron and S Robert Lester, Alabama: Lester burst onto the scene last season with an SEC-leading eight interceptions. Barron has 10 picks in his last two seasons and hits like a linebacker. Good luck in finding a better safety combo in college football.
6. DE Devin Taylor and DE Melvin Ingram, South Carolina: Before it’s over, freshman phenom Jadeveon Clowney might be a part of this club. All three can go get the passer. Taylor and Ingram combined for 16.5 sacks last season, and Ingram is versatile enough to also play inside some.
7. CB Morris Claiborne and NB Tyrann Mathieu, LSU: The Tigers are going to use Mathieu at the nickelback position this season, which is perfect. He’s a magnet to the football. Claiborne is one of the top cover cornerbacks in the game. Together, they’re going to make a ton of plays.
8. C William Vlachos and OG Barrett Jones, Alabama: The only thing that could break up this combination is if Jones moves to left tackle permanently. If he stays put, the Crimson Tide will be rock-solid up the middle with a pair of guys who’ve started 25 games alongside each other.
9. QB Aaron Murray and TE Orson Charles, Georgia: Murray accounted for 28 touchdowns last season in his first tour through the SEC. Look for a few more of those touchdowns to go Charles’ way this season. The Bulldogs are going to see to it that he gets the ball.
10. OG Larry Warford and OG Stuart Hines, Kentucky: The Wildcats enter the 2011 season with four starters back on the offensive line, a group that should be the strength of the team. One of the reasons why is the Warford-Hines combo at guard. They’re road-graders in the run game, but equally good in pass protection.
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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