SEC: Willy Robinson
Jake Bequette knows Arkansas’ defense underachieved in 2011.
It was a unit that was supposed to be coach Bobby Petrino’s best during his Arkansas tenure, but following the preseason hype, it found itself near the bottom of the SEC in most defensive categories at the end of the regular season.
Arkansas’ senior defensive end knows there was just too much bend.
But Friday is a chance for the Razorbacks’ defense to temporarily reinvent itself. It’s a chance to end the season against a Kansas State offense that might be ranked 96th nationally, but is putting up 33 points a game.
With the way Arkansas’ defense ended the season, this one could be a shootout fit for the old west, but Bequette hopes it’s the Hogs that deliver most of the ammo.
“Hopefully it’s not a shootout,” Bequette said. “Hopefully, it’s a one-sided shootout for us.”
With the offensive weapons No. 6 Arkansas has, staying alive in a shootout shouldn’t be a problem. But making sure one doesn’t ensue will probably come down to what the Hogs do when Kansas State has the ball.
The eighth-ranked Wildcats don’t put up a ton of yards each week (they average 343.7 yards per game), but they do have a dual-threat quarterback in Collin Klein, who is averaging 237 yards of total offense a game. He led the Big 12 with 26 rushing touchdowns during the regular season and also threw for another 12.
His leading receivers -- Chris Harper and Tramaine Thompson -- have yet to cross the 550-yard mark and have six touchdowns between them, so the Wildcats mostly rely on a ground game made up of Klein (1,099 yards) and running back John Hubert (933).
That could be bad news for the Hogs, considering they ranked ninth in the SEC in rushing defense, giving up 174.3 yards per game, and were second to last for allowing 20 rushing touchdowns.
Bequette said the key to making sure Arkansas’ defense doesn’t revert to its old ways is winning the battle of first-and-10 and stopping the run early. Getting the Wildcats in third-and-long situations will be very beneficial for this defense, Bequette said.
That starts, Bequette said, with stopping Klein. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean Arkansas has to get him to throw more. Klein passed for more than 200 yards just twice -- once in a loss to Oklahoma State and once in a win against Texas A&M. It’s stopping his ground movement that will be essential, as he has rushed for 90 or more yards in eight games this season.
Klein’ ability to run opens things up for Hubert, and might catch Arkansas looking in the secondary.
The Hogs also need to play within themselves. This team isn’t suffering from talent deficiencies on defense. Depth certainly is a problem, but the Hogs are equipped with defensive starters that could find plenty of playing time elsewhere around the league. The issue is playing consistently for 60 minutes at a time.
“You don’t win 10 games with bad players or without playing well,” Bequette said.
What should also help Arkansas’ defense is the fact that there is some fresh blood on board. Bequette said parting with defensive coordinator Willy Robinson was tough, but the team has more than welcomed Ohio State’s former co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, Paul Haynes, to the bunch.
In the short time Bequette has worked with him, Bequette said he’s been thoroughly impressed. He has not only injected some new life into the unit, but he has players feeling and playing more confidently. He’s putting a lot of responsibility on Arkansas defenders, and they like it.
Friday also marks the end of the road for a handful of seniors who helped Arkansas get to where it is now. Most of them come from the defensive side of the ball, so it’s been especially hard for them to look back and see some of the unit’s shortcomings.
But this group is motivated to lead the charge for the future. A win will give Arkansas its first 11-win season since 1977, and Bequette thinks it will generate a ton of momentum heading into the offseason for next year’s team.
“As seniors, we want to win our last game, but we also want to leave a legacy,” he said.
It was a unit that was supposed to be coach Bobby Petrino’s best during his Arkansas tenure, but following the preseason hype, it found itself near the bottom of the SEC in most defensive categories at the end of the regular season.
Arkansas’ senior defensive end knows there was just too much bend.
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Nelson Chenault/US PresswireArkansas' Jake Bequette hopes the Razorbacks' defense can finish on a high note vs. Kansas State.
Nelson Chenault/US PresswireArkansas' Jake Bequette hopes the Razorbacks' defense can finish on a high note vs. Kansas State.With the way Arkansas’ defense ended the season, this one could be a shootout fit for the old west, but Bequette hopes it’s the Hogs that deliver most of the ammo.
“Hopefully it’s not a shootout,” Bequette said. “Hopefully, it’s a one-sided shootout for us.”
With the offensive weapons No. 6 Arkansas has, staying alive in a shootout shouldn’t be a problem. But making sure one doesn’t ensue will probably come down to what the Hogs do when Kansas State has the ball.
The eighth-ranked Wildcats don’t put up a ton of yards each week (they average 343.7 yards per game), but they do have a dual-threat quarterback in Collin Klein, who is averaging 237 yards of total offense a game. He led the Big 12 with 26 rushing touchdowns during the regular season and also threw for another 12.
His leading receivers -- Chris Harper and Tramaine Thompson -- have yet to cross the 550-yard mark and have six touchdowns between them, so the Wildcats mostly rely on a ground game made up of Klein (1,099 yards) and running back John Hubert (933).
That could be bad news for the Hogs, considering they ranked ninth in the SEC in rushing defense, giving up 174.3 yards per game, and were second to last for allowing 20 rushing touchdowns.
Bequette said the key to making sure Arkansas’ defense doesn’t revert to its old ways is winning the battle of first-and-10 and stopping the run early. Getting the Wildcats in third-and-long situations will be very beneficial for this defense, Bequette said.
That starts, Bequette said, with stopping Klein. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean Arkansas has to get him to throw more. Klein passed for more than 200 yards just twice -- once in a loss to Oklahoma State and once in a win against Texas A&M. It’s stopping his ground movement that will be essential, as he has rushed for 90 or more yards in eight games this season.
Klein’ ability to run opens things up for Hubert, and might catch Arkansas looking in the secondary.
The Hogs also need to play within themselves. This team isn’t suffering from talent deficiencies on defense. Depth certainly is a problem, but the Hogs are equipped with defensive starters that could find plenty of playing time elsewhere around the league. The issue is playing consistently for 60 minutes at a time.
“You don’t win 10 games with bad players or without playing well,” Bequette said.
What should also help Arkansas’ defense is the fact that there is some fresh blood on board. Bequette said parting with defensive coordinator Willy Robinson was tough, but the team has more than welcomed Ohio State’s former co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, Paul Haynes, to the bunch.
In the short time Bequette has worked with him, Bequette said he’s been thoroughly impressed. He has not only injected some new life into the unit, but he has players feeling and playing more confidently. He’s putting a lot of responsibility on Arkansas defenders, and they like it.
Friday also marks the end of the road for a handful of seniors who helped Arkansas get to where it is now. Most of them come from the defensive side of the ball, so it’s been especially hard for them to look back and see some of the unit’s shortcomings.
But this group is motivated to lead the charge for the future. A win will give Arkansas its first 11-win season since 1977, and Bequette thinks it will generate a ton of momentum heading into the offseason for next year’s team.
“As seniors, we want to win our last game, but we also want to leave a legacy,” he said.
Smooth SEC coordinating transitions
December, 30, 2011
12/30/11
5:05
PM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
Gene Chizik couldn’t wait to leave Atlanta.
Shortly after speaking with the media at the Chick-fil-A Bowl news conference inside the fast food chain’s headquarters, Chizik went straight into overdrive getting back to Auburn for meetings and practice.
He wasn’t necessarily having a bad time being surrounded by the aroma of chicken sandwiches and milkshakes, but he was on a schedule that was shorter than usual with his new job as both head coach and defensive coordinator for the Tigers.
Days before, Ted Roof left to take a similar job at Central Florida, so Chizik, who has 11 years of defensive coordinating experience, took over the position through bowl season.
“I did that for so many years,” Chizik said of coaching Auburn’s defense. “You just kind of jump back on the horse and get back at it.”
Still, with time management and time constraints being just two things changing for Chizik, you could imagine there’s a little more stress in the Chizik household these days.
Bowl anxiety is truly setting in and his double duty act will really be put to the test Saturday night against Virginia.
While Chizik might be stressing more than usual, his players aren’t. Sophomore defensive end Nosa Eguae said things are relatively the same for players. To him, the defense hasn’t changed much when it comes to preparation, and Chizik’s defensive knowledge has made the short transition easy.
“He has a great football mind,” Eguae said. “Anytime we’re in a meeting, everybody gets it and understands it.
“I love it. There are people who can balance the two of being head coach and defensive coordinator and he’s great at what he does.”
The only real difference, outside of not seeing Roof overlooking the defense, is Chizik’s demeanor. Eguae said Chizik’s defensive passion is glowing, and it can get a little intimidating.
“When he’s focusing more on the defense you can see that intensity in his eyes and hear it in his voice,” Eguae said. “I love it.”
Auburn isn’t the only team dealing with change. Arkansas has welcomed in a new offensive and defensive coordinator in Paul Petrino and Paul Haynes. Florida lost offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, who is now the head coach at Kansas, and temporarily promoted running backs coach Brian White.
While Florida struggled tremendously on offense this season, White said he wants to keep some order by maintaining the same offensive philosophy. There will be some tweaks, but plays and formations should be relatively the same.
“It’s pretty much status quo. This is what our players know,” White said. “This is what we’ve coached all year. We can’t all of the sudden go and do something out of the box in a couple weeks. That would be foolish.”
Unlike Auburn and Florida, Arkansas’ coordinators are locked into next season.
Petrino is very familiar with the Hogs. Not only is his big brother the head coach, but he was also on staff in 2008 and 2009. Even with Garrick McGee now UAB’s head coach, Arkansas’ offense shouldn’t change much under Petrino, but he does have some big shoes to fill.
Haynes, who takes over for Willy Robinson, left Ohio State to work in a conference where defense truly is king. Arkansas’ defense took an unexpected step back in 2011, ranking no higher than eighth in the SEC in major defensive categories.
In order to keep things easier for defenders, Robinson isn’t changing much, either, and plans to show a multiple defense attack.
While it isn’t always easy to say goodbye to a coach, these replacements appear to be making life better. Limiting the thought process seems to be the recipe for smooth transitions.
“There’s not going to be a lot of thinking come Saturday,” Eguae said.
Shortly after speaking with the media at the Chick-fil-A Bowl news conference inside the fast food chain’s headquarters, Chizik went straight into overdrive getting back to Auburn for meetings and practice.
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Paul Abell/US PresswireAuburn head coach Gene Chizik answers questions about his plan to also run the Tigers' defense.
Paul Abell/US PresswireAuburn head coach Gene Chizik answers questions about his plan to also run the Tigers' defense.Days before, Ted Roof left to take a similar job at Central Florida, so Chizik, who has 11 years of defensive coordinating experience, took over the position through bowl season.
“I did that for so many years,” Chizik said of coaching Auburn’s defense. “You just kind of jump back on the horse and get back at it.”
Still, with time management and time constraints being just two things changing for Chizik, you could imagine there’s a little more stress in the Chizik household these days.
Bowl anxiety is truly setting in and his double duty act will really be put to the test Saturday night against Virginia.
While Chizik might be stressing more than usual, his players aren’t. Sophomore defensive end Nosa Eguae said things are relatively the same for players. To him, the defense hasn’t changed much when it comes to preparation, and Chizik’s defensive knowledge has made the short transition easy.
“He has a great football mind,” Eguae said. “Anytime we’re in a meeting, everybody gets it and understands it.
“I love it. There are people who can balance the two of being head coach and defensive coordinator and he’s great at what he does.”
The only real difference, outside of not seeing Roof overlooking the defense, is Chizik’s demeanor. Eguae said Chizik’s defensive passion is glowing, and it can get a little intimidating.
“When he’s focusing more on the defense you can see that intensity in his eyes and hear it in his voice,” Eguae said. “I love it.”
Auburn isn’t the only team dealing with change. Arkansas has welcomed in a new offensive and defensive coordinator in Paul Petrino and Paul Haynes. Florida lost offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, who is now the head coach at Kansas, and temporarily promoted running backs coach Brian White.
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While Florida struggled tremendously on offense this season, White said he wants to keep some order by maintaining the same offensive philosophy. There will be some tweaks, but plays and formations should be relatively the same.
“It’s pretty much status quo. This is what our players know,” White said. “This is what we’ve coached all year. We can’t all of the sudden go and do something out of the box in a couple weeks. That would be foolish.”
Unlike Auburn and Florida, Arkansas’ coordinators are locked into next season.
Petrino is very familiar with the Hogs. Not only is his big brother the head coach, but he was also on staff in 2008 and 2009. Even with Garrick McGee now UAB’s head coach, Arkansas’ offense shouldn’t change much under Petrino, but he does have some big shoes to fill.
Haynes, who takes over for Willy Robinson, left Ohio State to work in a conference where defense truly is king. Arkansas’ defense took an unexpected step back in 2011, ranking no higher than eighth in the SEC in major defensive categories.
In order to keep things easier for defenders, Robinson isn’t changing much, either, and plans to show a multiple defense attack.
While it isn’t always easy to say goodbye to a coach, these replacements appear to be making life better. Limiting the thought process seems to be the recipe for smooth transitions.
“There’s not going to be a lot of thinking come Saturday,” Eguae said.
Arkansas was in the BCS hunt right up until the very end of the regular season, but fell short after a trip to Baton Rouge, La.:
OFFENSE: A
Coach Bobby Petrino has shown throughout his coaching career that he knows a little bit about how to run an offense. The Razorbacks brought in new quarterback Tyler Wilson, who was equipped with four future NFL wide receivers, and led the SEC in total offense. Wilson led the SEC in passing, averaging 285.2 yards per game, and he also had 22 passing touchdowns. Wilson was very efficient for the Razorbacks, completing 63 percent of his passes and tossing just six interceptions. Jarius Wright and Joe Adams ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in receiving, with Wright leading the league with 93.5 yards per game and 11 touchdowns. Arkansas worked with a pretty inexperienced offensive line, but it was a line that grew as the season progressed. That growth became more evident in the running game. The Hogs started the season being very inconsistent running the ball and couldn't find a true number one to replace the injured Knile Davis. Following Week 6, Arkansas' running game gained more consistency and found a leader in Dennis Johnson, who led Arkansas with 637 yards. Arkansas' offense would have been even better with Davis in the lineup. He was arguably the most complete back in the league, but missed the season with an ankle injury.
DEFENSE: C
This was supposed to be Petrino's best Arkansas defense, but the Hogs fell well below expectations. Injuries did pile up, but Arkansas' lack of depth became a glaring issue throughout the year. Arkansas allowed 31.8 points against ranked opponents. Against SEC opponents, the Razorbacks allowed 24.6 points per game. While Arkansas won 10 games, the defense ranked ninth or worse in the SEC in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and passing defense. Opponents averaged nearly 19 first downs per game against Arkansas and converted almost 38 percent of their third-down conversions. There were some solid individual performances for the Hogs, as linebacker Jerry Franklin led Arkansas in tackles (93) for the fourth straight year and ranked sixth in the SEC. Defensive end Jake Bequette overcame injury to record eight sacks in just nine games. Linebacker Alonzo Highsmith enjoyed a solid first year in Fayetteville with 10.5 tackles for loss, including 3.5 sacks.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A
Adams showed why he's such a dynamic athlete by becoming the human highlight reel on punt returns, including his scintillating 60-yard return for a score against Tennessee. He had three touchdowns on returns, and tied for first in the league with 16.2 yards per return. Johnson and Marquel Wade made Arkansas' kickoff team very dangerous. Both ranked in the top 5 in return average and combined for two touchdowns. Zach Hocker led SEC kickers with 8.9 points per game, and hit 18 field goals and 53 extra points. Dylan Breeding led the SEC with 45.2 yards per punt and downed 14 inside opponents' 20-yard lines. Arkansas also ranked third in the league in kickoff coverage.
COACHING: A-
Petrino had the Hogs in the thick of the BCS hunt yet again in 2011. A win over LSU at the end of the year might have put the Hogs on a path toward the national championship. His team overcame a flurry of injuries to grab double-digit wins for the second straight season. It's no shocker that offensive coordinator Garrick McGee was lured away to become the head coach at UAB after another season of directing Arkansas' offense. The Hogs ranked 26th nationally in offense, averaging 445.8 yards per game. Where Arkansas fell short was on defense. Arkansas was supposed to turn the corner there, but never did during the season and was pushed around by Alabama and LSU. Former defensive coordinator Will Robinson resigned at the end of the regular season.
OFFENSE: A
Coach Bobby Petrino has shown throughout his coaching career that he knows a little bit about how to run an offense. The Razorbacks brought in new quarterback Tyler Wilson, who was equipped with four future NFL wide receivers, and led the SEC in total offense. Wilson led the SEC in passing, averaging 285.2 yards per game, and he also had 22 passing touchdowns. Wilson was very efficient for the Razorbacks, completing 63 percent of his passes and tossing just six interceptions. Jarius Wright and Joe Adams ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in receiving, with Wright leading the league with 93.5 yards per game and 11 touchdowns. Arkansas worked with a pretty inexperienced offensive line, but it was a line that grew as the season progressed. That growth became more evident in the running game. The Hogs started the season being very inconsistent running the ball and couldn't find a true number one to replace the injured Knile Davis. Following Week 6, Arkansas' running game gained more consistency and found a leader in Dennis Johnson, who led Arkansas with 637 yards. Arkansas' offense would have been even better with Davis in the lineup. He was arguably the most complete back in the league, but missed the season with an ankle injury.
DEFENSE: C
This was supposed to be Petrino's best Arkansas defense, but the Hogs fell well below expectations. Injuries did pile up, but Arkansas' lack of depth became a glaring issue throughout the year. Arkansas allowed 31.8 points against ranked opponents. Against SEC opponents, the Razorbacks allowed 24.6 points per game. While Arkansas won 10 games, the defense ranked ninth or worse in the SEC in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and passing defense. Opponents averaged nearly 19 first downs per game against Arkansas and converted almost 38 percent of their third-down conversions. There were some solid individual performances for the Hogs, as linebacker Jerry Franklin led Arkansas in tackles (93) for the fourth straight year and ranked sixth in the SEC. Defensive end Jake Bequette overcame injury to record eight sacks in just nine games. Linebacker Alonzo Highsmith enjoyed a solid first year in Fayetteville with 10.5 tackles for loss, including 3.5 sacks.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A
Adams showed why he's such a dynamic athlete by becoming the human highlight reel on punt returns, including his scintillating 60-yard return for a score against Tennessee. He had three touchdowns on returns, and tied for first in the league with 16.2 yards per return. Johnson and Marquel Wade made Arkansas' kickoff team very dangerous. Both ranked in the top 5 in return average and combined for two touchdowns. Zach Hocker led SEC kickers with 8.9 points per game, and hit 18 field goals and 53 extra points. Dylan Breeding led the SEC with 45.2 yards per punt and downed 14 inside opponents' 20-yard lines. Arkansas also ranked third in the league in kickoff coverage.
COACHING: A-
Petrino had the Hogs in the thick of the BCS hunt yet again in 2011. A win over LSU at the end of the year might have put the Hogs on a path toward the national championship. His team overcame a flurry of injuries to grab double-digit wins for the second straight season. It's no shocker that offensive coordinator Garrick McGee was lured away to become the head coach at UAB after another season of directing Arkansas' offense. The Hogs ranked 26th nationally in offense, averaging 445.8 yards per game. Where Arkansas fell short was on defense. Arkansas was supposed to turn the corner there, but never did during the season and was pushed around by Alabama and LSU. Former defensive coordinator Will Robinson resigned at the end of the regular season.
Top surprises in the Western Division
December, 21, 2011
12/21/11
2:05
PM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
No college football season ever turns out exactly the way you thought it would.
There are always surprises -- good and bad.
I’ll tackle my biggest surprises in the SEC’s Western Division this season, and Edward will unveil his biggest surprises in the Eastern Division later today.
We’ll do it by teams:
ALABAMA
Struggles in the kicking game: It wasn’t all bad. Marquis Maze was one of the top kickoff and punt returners in the SEC, but Alabama was ninth in the SEC in net punting and 11th in kickoff coverage. What’s more, the Crimson Tide missed 11 field goals this season. And while nobody in Tuscaloosa needs to be reminded, four of those misses came in the LSU game.
Anthony Steen: The 6-foot-3, 303-pound sophomore was one of the Crimson Tide’s most pleasant surprises in the preseason, and he wound up starting nine games at right guard. He was a big part of Alabama’s bruising running game, which topped the SEC with an average of 219.8 yards per game.
ARKANSAS
Defensive turnover: This was supposed to be Arkansas’ best defense under Bobby Petrino. The Hogs had depth and experience, but wound up ninth in the SEC in total defense and gave up 28 or more points in six games. Petrino fired defensive coordinator Willy Robinson and brought in Paul Haynes from Ohio State as the Hogs’ new defensive coordinator.
Greg Childs: After tearing the patella tendon in his right knee during the 2010 season, Childs never returned to his All-SEC form. He just wasn’t the same physically this season and finished with 16 catches in 10 games and no touchdowns.
AUBURN
Defensive decline: Everybody on the Plains expected some drop-off on defense after losing so many veteran players from the national championship team. But the Tigers were torched for more than 1,600 total yards in their first three games in a sign of things to come. They wound up giving up 29.3 points per game and 405.8 yards per game, and defensive coordinator Ted Roof left for the UCF defensive coordinator’s job when the regular season ended.
Gus Malzahn leaving for Arkansas State: Most in and around the Auburn program had a feeling that Malzahn was poised to leave for a head job. After all, he turned down $3 million per year at Vanderbilt last year. But nobody would have guessed that he would leave for the Arkansas State head job.
LSU
No quarterback controversy: With the way LSU’s quarterback situation has played out, it’s a minor miracle there hasn’t been a quarterback controversy. But, then, it’s been that kind of season for the Tigers. Still, you can’t help but wonder what Jarrett Lee’s true thoughts are right now.
The Honey Badger: It was obvious from Tyrann Mathieu’s freshman season that he was a very good football player. But who knew he would blossom into one of the best all-around players in the country this season? He scored four touchdowns and didn’t play a snap on offense.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
No signature wins: After the Bulldogs racked up nine wins in 2010, the expectations in Starkville were off the charts. In retrospect, maybe too much was expected. Either way, Mississippi State lost all five of its games to nationally ranked foes and only beat one Western Division opponent (Ole Miss).
Cameron Lawrence: In his first season as a starter, Lawrence collected 114 total tackles to rank third in the SEC. Everybody was wondering coming into the season what the Bulldogs were going to do at linebacker after losing all three starters. Lawrence, who played quarterback in high school, stepped right in and anchored a unit that was solid all season.
OLE MISS
Houston Nutt’s ouster: Nutt had been the ultimate survivor in the SEC, and when his back was to the wall, he usually produced some of his best results. It wasn’t to be this season, though, as the Rebels saw their SEC losing streak reach 14 straight games. Following the loss to Kentucky on Nov. 5, the university announced that Nutt wouldn’t be back next season.
Quick trigger for Brunetti: One of the more puzzling things about the season for Ole Miss was how Barry Brunetti could win the starting quarterback job during the preseason, then get benched in the opener and never really be heard from again until the very end of the season.
There are always surprises -- good and bad.
I’ll tackle my biggest surprises in the SEC’s Western Division this season, and Edward will unveil his biggest surprises in the Eastern Division later today.
We’ll do it by teams:
ALABAMA
Struggles in the kicking game: It wasn’t all bad. Marquis Maze was one of the top kickoff and punt returners in the SEC, but Alabama was ninth in the SEC in net punting and 11th in kickoff coverage. What’s more, the Crimson Tide missed 11 field goals this season. And while nobody in Tuscaloosa needs to be reminded, four of those misses came in the LSU game.
Anthony Steen: The 6-foot-3, 303-pound sophomore was one of the Crimson Tide’s most pleasant surprises in the preseason, and he wound up starting nine games at right guard. He was a big part of Alabama’s bruising running game, which topped the SEC with an average of 219.8 yards per game.
ARKANSAS
Defensive turnover: This was supposed to be Arkansas’ best defense under Bobby Petrino. The Hogs had depth and experience, but wound up ninth in the SEC in total defense and gave up 28 or more points in six games. Petrino fired defensive coordinator Willy Robinson and brought in Paul Haynes from Ohio State as the Hogs’ new defensive coordinator.
Greg Childs: After tearing the patella tendon in his right knee during the 2010 season, Childs never returned to his All-SEC form. He just wasn’t the same physically this season and finished with 16 catches in 10 games and no touchdowns.
AUBURN
Defensive decline: Everybody on the Plains expected some drop-off on defense after losing so many veteran players from the national championship team. But the Tigers were torched for more than 1,600 total yards in their first three games in a sign of things to come. They wound up giving up 29.3 points per game and 405.8 yards per game, and defensive coordinator Ted Roof left for the UCF defensive coordinator’s job when the regular season ended.
Gus Malzahn leaving for Arkansas State: Most in and around the Auburn program had a feeling that Malzahn was poised to leave for a head job. After all, he turned down $3 million per year at Vanderbilt last year. But nobody would have guessed that he would leave for the Arkansas State head job.
LSU
No quarterback controversy: With the way LSU’s quarterback situation has played out, it’s a minor miracle there hasn’t been a quarterback controversy. But, then, it’s been that kind of season for the Tigers. Still, you can’t help but wonder what Jarrett Lee’s true thoughts are right now.
The Honey Badger: It was obvious from Tyrann Mathieu’s freshman season that he was a very good football player. But who knew he would blossom into one of the best all-around players in the country this season? He scored four touchdowns and didn’t play a snap on offense.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
No signature wins: After the Bulldogs racked up nine wins in 2010, the expectations in Starkville were off the charts. In retrospect, maybe too much was expected. Either way, Mississippi State lost all five of its games to nationally ranked foes and only beat one Western Division opponent (Ole Miss).
Cameron Lawrence: In his first season as a starter, Lawrence collected 114 total tackles to rank third in the SEC. Everybody was wondering coming into the season what the Bulldogs were going to do at linebacker after losing all three starters. Lawrence, who played quarterback in high school, stepped right in and anchored a unit that was solid all season.
OLE MISS
Houston Nutt’s ouster: Nutt had been the ultimate survivor in the SEC, and when his back was to the wall, he usually produced some of his best results. It wasn’t to be this season, though, as the Rebels saw their SEC losing streak reach 14 straight games. Following the loss to Kentucky on Nov. 5, the university announced that Nutt wouldn’t be back next season.
Quick trigger for Brunetti: One of the more puzzling things about the season for Ole Miss was how Barry Brunetti could win the starting quarterback job during the preseason, then get benched in the opener and never really be heard from again until the very end of the season.
Kicking it with Arkansas' Paul Haynes
December, 14, 2011
12/14/11
1:57
PM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
Paul Haynes was on the opposite sideline a year ago when Arkansas went bowling.
Haynes, named this week as the Hogs’ new defensive coordinator, was the safeties coach at Ohio State when the Buckeyes held off the Hogs 31-26 in the AllState Sugar Bowl last season.
He’ll be on Arkansas’ sideline Jan. 6 at the AT&T Cotton Bowl when the No. 6 Hogs take on No. 8 Kansas State, the start of what Hog fans hope will be a new and improved era in the realm of defensive football at Arkansas.
The Hogs made strides under former defensive coordinator Willy Robinson from Season No. 2 to Season No. 3, but fell off this season and gave up 28 or more points in six of their 12 games.
Coach Bobby Petrino said it was time to go in a new direction, and it didn’t take him long to settle on Haynes.
We caught up with Haynes earlier this week for a Q&A:
You go from the Big Ten to the SEC. What will be the biggest adjustment for you?
Paul Haynes: I know in the Big Ten, week in and week out, we faced great competition. But I know this will be a step above in terms of the competition, a different level. I don’t know that it will be an adjustment for me. I just have to make sure the defense we put out on the field is sound and gives great effort. Week in and week out, anybody can beat you here. So we just have to make sure that we’re ready to go.
What was Petrino’s mandate to you in taking over this defense?
PH: To make sure we keep improving and make sure our guys know exactly what they’re doing and make sure our guys do a good job with fundamentals and technique. Again, I don’t think that it was something he was disappointed with before. I just think he wanted to make a change and make sure this defense takes it to the next level. If we’re sound with our fundamentals and technique and give great effort, we can get it to the next level.
What is your stamp defensively?
PH: The first thing about defense is that you’ve got to stop the run, and that’s going to be the first thing that we focus on. I know there are a lot of so-called pass-happy teams out there, but even with those types of teams, if they can run the football, they become harder to defend because you’ve got to defend two things. We’ve got to make teams one-dimensional and then we’ve got to mix it up and be multiple and affect the quarterback. We’ve got to do a good job of making that quarterback think every play. That’s not just pressuring him every play, either, but our coverage guys have to do a good job of moving around and not being stiff and making him think every down.
Are you a 4-3 or 3-4 guy, or will you play combinations of both?
PH: I think you’ve got to mix it up. In this day and age of college football, I don’t think you can sit in one thing. I do like the four-man front, but we will be a multiple-style defense. That’s one of the things that Coach Petrino wants. There’s only so many things you can do, just learning the terminology and changing the terminology and making sure that your kids understand it and making sure that your kids play fast. The verbiage will be different, but there won’t be that much change as far as what we do from what they did here previously.
Who have been your mentors in football?
PH: First, I would have to say Coach (Jim) Tressel. I have known him for a long time, even before I got to Ohio State. I had the privilege of playing against him when I was at Kent State and he was at Youngstown. He’s a guy I call a lot because I know he has my best interests. The second guy is Dean Pees, who’s with the Baltimore Ravens. I had the privilege of coaching with him for two years at Kent State. He’s been with Nick Saban at Michigan State, and I really learned a lot of defense from him. The other guy is Perry Fewell, who’s the defensive coordinator with the Giants. He actually got me down to Jacksonville. Those are the three guys I talk with the most often.
You mentioned Tressel. Do you think he’ll coach again?
PH: I think he will, and I’ll be the first to say this: There’s no way that college football is better without Coach Tressel in it. Coach Tressel is a life coach, and there are so many thousands and thousands of kids that he has taught the values of life. College football needs him, and I think college football will be better with him. I’m looking forward to seeing him get back on the sideline.
What is your connection with Petrino?
PH: We worked together in Jacksonville, and I worked with John L. Smith for three years, one at Louisville and two at Michigan State. Garrick McGee and I were also at Jacksonville together. He was the offensive quality control guy, and I was the defensive quality control guy. The year I spent in Louisville, a lot of the people who are here, I kind of had a connection with them at some point in time. I spent a lot of time with (Petrino) in Jacksonville. He used to come to the room where Garrick and I worked, and we’d talk. We stayed in touch, and I know his body of work. I know what he likes and know what he’s about, so it was an easy transition.
Do you look at this Arkansas program as being close to winning a championship, and what is it going to take to break through against Alabama and LSU?
PH: That’s the challenge that lies ahead of us. We know we have to improve and know we have to get better and know we have to beat those two teams if we’re going to reach our goal, and that’s to win the national championship. If you keep improving in fundamentals and effort, you’re always going to have a chance. Our guys will fight and battle. There’s a no-quit attitude around here. I know that, for sure, having competed against these guys last year. The little things win championships, not the big things. We’ve just got to make sure we continue to focus on the little things.
Petrino is known for putting high-powered offenses on the field everywhere he’s been. How much pressure is there to duplicate that on defense?
PH: I don’t know if there’s pressure. Rather, our job is to take the pressure off the offense so they don’t feel like they have to win games 45-40. Our goal is to be the best defense in the country. We’re not looking just to hold our own or be average. We’re going to go to work with the goal in mind of being the best defense in the country. You look at defensive stats, sure, but the first stat you look at is wins and losses.
What’s paramount these next few weeks as you get ready for the Cotton Bowl?
PH: The big thing for me is learning the terminology because we’re not going to change anything and try to learn my stuff in this short period of time. I don’t think it’s fair for the seniors. I don’t think it’s fair for this football team right now. So I need to learn the defense as much as possible and make it as simple as possible and get to know the kids. That’s why I wanted to be here now and not wait until after the bowl game. I want to get to know these kids, and I want them to get to know me. That’s going to be my main focus.
Has anybody succeeded in getting you to call the Hogs yet?
PH: I haven’t done it yet, but my kids got on YouTube as soon as I got the job and they did it all the way to the airport and all the way back to the airport. They’re super excited, and I’m super excited, too, about this opportunity.
Haynes, named this week as the Hogs’ new defensive coordinator, was the safeties coach at Ohio State when the Buckeyes held off the Hogs 31-26 in the AllState Sugar Bowl last season.
He’ll be on Arkansas’ sideline Jan. 6 at the AT&T Cotton Bowl when the No. 6 Hogs take on No. 8 Kansas State, the start of what Hog fans hope will be a new and improved era in the realm of defensive football at Arkansas.
The Hogs made strides under former defensive coordinator Willy Robinson from Season No. 2 to Season No. 3, but fell off this season and gave up 28 or more points in six of their 12 games.
Coach Bobby Petrino said it was time to go in a new direction, and it didn’t take him long to settle on Haynes.
We caught up with Haynes earlier this week for a Q&A:
You go from the Big Ten to the SEC. What will be the biggest adjustment for you?
Paul Haynes: I know in the Big Ten, week in and week out, we faced great competition. But I know this will be a step above in terms of the competition, a different level. I don’t know that it will be an adjustment for me. I just have to make sure the defense we put out on the field is sound and gives great effort. Week in and week out, anybody can beat you here. So we just have to make sure that we’re ready to go.
What was Petrino’s mandate to you in taking over this defense?
PH: To make sure we keep improving and make sure our guys know exactly what they’re doing and make sure our guys do a good job with fundamentals and technique. Again, I don’t think that it was something he was disappointed with before. I just think he wanted to make a change and make sure this defense takes it to the next level. If we’re sound with our fundamentals and technique and give great effort, we can get it to the next level.
What is your stamp defensively?
PH: The first thing about defense is that you’ve got to stop the run, and that’s going to be the first thing that we focus on. I know there are a lot of so-called pass-happy teams out there, but even with those types of teams, if they can run the football, they become harder to defend because you’ve got to defend two things. We’ve got to make teams one-dimensional and then we’ve got to mix it up and be multiple and affect the quarterback. We’ve got to do a good job of making that quarterback think every play. That’s not just pressuring him every play, either, but our coverage guys have to do a good job of moving around and not being stiff and making him think every down.
Are you a 4-3 or 3-4 guy, or will you play combinations of both?
PH: I think you’ve got to mix it up. In this day and age of college football, I don’t think you can sit in one thing. I do like the four-man front, but we will be a multiple-style defense. That’s one of the things that Coach Petrino wants. There’s only so many things you can do, just learning the terminology and changing the terminology and making sure that your kids understand it and making sure that your kids play fast. The verbiage will be different, but there won’t be that much change as far as what we do from what they did here previously.
Who have been your mentors in football?
PH: First, I would have to say Coach (Jim) Tressel. I have known him for a long time, even before I got to Ohio State. I had the privilege of playing against him when I was at Kent State and he was at Youngstown. He’s a guy I call a lot because I know he has my best interests. The second guy is Dean Pees, who’s with the Baltimore Ravens. I had the privilege of coaching with him for two years at Kent State. He’s been with Nick Saban at Michigan State, and I really learned a lot of defense from him. The other guy is Perry Fewell, who’s the defensive coordinator with the Giants. He actually got me down to Jacksonville. Those are the three guys I talk with the most often.
You mentioned Tressel. Do you think he’ll coach again?
PH: I think he will, and I’ll be the first to say this: There’s no way that college football is better without Coach Tressel in it. Coach Tressel is a life coach, and there are so many thousands and thousands of kids that he has taught the values of life. College football needs him, and I think college football will be better with him. I’m looking forward to seeing him get back on the sideline.
What is your connection with Petrino?
PH: We worked together in Jacksonville, and I worked with John L. Smith for three years, one at Louisville and two at Michigan State. Garrick McGee and I were also at Jacksonville together. He was the offensive quality control guy, and I was the defensive quality control guy. The year I spent in Louisville, a lot of the people who are here, I kind of had a connection with them at some point in time. I spent a lot of time with (Petrino) in Jacksonville. He used to come to the room where Garrick and I worked, and we’d talk. We stayed in touch, and I know his body of work. I know what he likes and know what he’s about, so it was an easy transition.
Do you look at this Arkansas program as being close to winning a championship, and what is it going to take to break through against Alabama and LSU?
PH: That’s the challenge that lies ahead of us. We know we have to improve and know we have to get better and know we have to beat those two teams if we’re going to reach our goal, and that’s to win the national championship. If you keep improving in fundamentals and effort, you’re always going to have a chance. Our guys will fight and battle. There’s a no-quit attitude around here. I know that, for sure, having competed against these guys last year. The little things win championships, not the big things. We’ve just got to make sure we continue to focus on the little things.
Petrino is known for putting high-powered offenses on the field everywhere he’s been. How much pressure is there to duplicate that on defense?
PH: I don’t know if there’s pressure. Rather, our job is to take the pressure off the offense so they don’t feel like they have to win games 45-40. Our goal is to be the best defense in the country. We’re not looking just to hold our own or be average. We’re going to go to work with the goal in mind of being the best defense in the country. You look at defensive stats, sure, but the first stat you look at is wins and losses.
What’s paramount these next few weeks as you get ready for the Cotton Bowl?
PH: The big thing for me is learning the terminology because we’re not going to change anything and try to learn my stuff in this short period of time. I don’t think it’s fair for the seniors. I don’t think it’s fair for this football team right now. So I need to learn the defense as much as possible and make it as simple as possible and get to know the kids. That’s why I wanted to be here now and not wait until after the bowl game. I want to get to know these kids, and I want them to get to know me. That’s going to be my main focus.
Has anybody succeeded in getting you to call the Hogs yet?
PH: I haven’t done it yet, but my kids got on YouTube as soon as I got the job and they did it all the way to the airport and all the way back to the airport. They’re super excited, and I’m super excited, too, about this opportunity.
ARKANSAS
Record: 10-2, 6-2 SEC
In any other conference, Arkansas might be sporting a championship ring right now and making plans for a BCS bowl.
But Alabama and LSU also reside in the SEC’s rugged Western Division, and the Hogs didn’t have any answers for either one of those clubs this season. They lost 38-14 to Alabama the fourth week of the season and 41-17 to LSU in the regular-season finale.
The margin of those two losses was disappointing, but it wasn’t a disappointing season.
The Hogs won 10 games for the second straight season, the first time they’d done that since the old Southwest Conference days in 1988 and 1989.
Junior Tyler Wilson stepped in for Ryan Mallett at quarterback, and the Hogs’ offense was as potent as ever. They missed running back Knile Davis, who fractured his ankle in the preseason, but Dennis Johnson came back from his own injury in 2010 to finish second in the SEC with 1,351 all-purpose yards.
It didn’t go as well as planned on defense. Whereas Arkansas made significant strides on defense from 2009 to 2010, it went the other way this season. The Hogs were hurt by injuries to defensive ends Jake Bequette and Tenarius Wright and gave up 28 or more points in six of their 12 games.
In their two losses to Alabama and LSU, they gave up a total of 79 points, although two of the touchdowns they allowed came on punt returns.
Offensive MVP: Receiver Jarius Wright. One of the Hogs’ senior leaders, Wright took his game to new heights this season and broke a ton of records along the way. He set school records with 63 catches and 1,029 receiving yards and led the SEC with 11 touchdown catches. He also set an Arkansas single-game record with 281 receiving yards against Texas A&M.
Defensive MVP: Linebacker Jerry Franklin. Watching an Arkansas game without Franklin next season will be weird. For the fourth straight season, he led the Hogs in total tackles with 93, including 10 for loss. Franklin, who’s made 30 consecutive starts, also returned a fumble 94 yards for a touchdown against Vanderbilt that was the difference in that game.
Turning point: Coming off the 24-point beating at Alabama, Arkansas found itself trailing Texas A&M 35-17 at the half the next week and its season teetering. But the Hogs came charging back in the second half behind Wilson’s school-record 510 passing yards to win 42-38 and ignite a seven-game winning streak.
What’s next: The Hogs will spend the postseason in a familiar locale and face No. 8 Kansas State on Jan. 6 in the AT&T Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas. It’s a chance to get to 11 wins, something the Hogs haven’t done since 1977, which was Lou Holtz’s first season in Fayetteville. Arkansas’ staff will look a lot different next season. Coach Bobby Petrino fired defensive coordinator Willy Robinson earlier this week, while offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee (UAB) and special-teams coordinator John L. Smith (Weber State) both left for head-coaching jobs. Petrino has already replaced McGee with his younger brother, Paul Petrino, who’s returning to Arkansas after spending the past two seasons at Illinois and will coach the Hogs in the bowl game.
Record: 10-2, 6-2 SEC
In any other conference, Arkansas might be sporting a championship ring right now and making plans for a BCS bowl.
But Alabama and LSU also reside in the SEC’s rugged Western Division, and the Hogs didn’t have any answers for either one of those clubs this season. They lost 38-14 to Alabama the fourth week of the season and 41-17 to LSU in the regular-season finale.
The margin of those two losses was disappointing, but it wasn’t a disappointing season.
The Hogs won 10 games for the second straight season, the first time they’d done that since the old Southwest Conference days in 1988 and 1989.
Junior Tyler Wilson stepped in for Ryan Mallett at quarterback, and the Hogs’ offense was as potent as ever. They missed running back Knile Davis, who fractured his ankle in the preseason, but Dennis Johnson came back from his own injury in 2010 to finish second in the SEC with 1,351 all-purpose yards.
It didn’t go as well as planned on defense. Whereas Arkansas made significant strides on defense from 2009 to 2010, it went the other way this season. The Hogs were hurt by injuries to defensive ends Jake Bequette and Tenarius Wright and gave up 28 or more points in six of their 12 games.
In their two losses to Alabama and LSU, they gave up a total of 79 points, although two of the touchdowns they allowed came on punt returns.
Offensive MVP: Receiver Jarius Wright. One of the Hogs’ senior leaders, Wright took his game to new heights this season and broke a ton of records along the way. He set school records with 63 catches and 1,029 receiving yards and led the SEC with 11 touchdown catches. He also set an Arkansas single-game record with 281 receiving yards against Texas A&M.
Defensive MVP: Linebacker Jerry Franklin. Watching an Arkansas game without Franklin next season will be weird. For the fourth straight season, he led the Hogs in total tackles with 93, including 10 for loss. Franklin, who’s made 30 consecutive starts, also returned a fumble 94 yards for a touchdown against Vanderbilt that was the difference in that game.
Turning point: Coming off the 24-point beating at Alabama, Arkansas found itself trailing Texas A&M 35-17 at the half the next week and its season teetering. But the Hogs came charging back in the second half behind Wilson’s school-record 510 passing yards to win 42-38 and ignite a seven-game winning streak.
What’s next: The Hogs will spend the postseason in a familiar locale and face No. 8 Kansas State on Jan. 6 in the AT&T Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas. It’s a chance to get to 11 wins, something the Hogs haven’t done since 1977, which was Lou Holtz’s first season in Fayetteville. Arkansas’ staff will look a lot different next season. Coach Bobby Petrino fired defensive coordinator Willy Robinson earlier this week, while offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee (UAB) and special-teams coordinator John L. Smith (Weber State) both left for head-coaching jobs. Petrino has already replaced McGee with his younger brother, Paul Petrino, who’s returning to Arkansas after spending the past two seasons at Illinois and will coach the Hogs in the bowl game.
Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson will not return to the Razorbacks in 2012, multiple sources told ESPN.com.
Robinson was Arkansas' defensive coordinator for four years under head coach Bobby Petrino. This season, the Razorbacks ranked no higher than eighth in seven defense categories, including ranking eighth in scoring defense (22.8 points per game) and ninth in total defense (371.4).
Arkansas released a statement from Petrino on Robinson:
Robinson is the third coaching change for Arkansas this week. Monday, UAB introduced former Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee as its new head coach. Tuesday, Arkansas announced that Petrino's younger brother, Paul Petrino, will return to the staff as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after spending the last two years as the offensive coordinator at Illinois.
Also, special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach John L. Smith took the head-coaching job at Weber State.
Robinson was Arkansas' defensive coordinator for four years under head coach Bobby Petrino. This season, the Razorbacks ranked no higher than eighth in seven defense categories, including ranking eighth in scoring defense (22.8 points per game) and ninth in total defense (371.4).
Arkansas released a statement from Petrino on Robinson:
“I want to thank Willy Robinson for his role in helping our defense, which he leaves in better shape than when he arrived. I have the utmost respect for Willy Robinson as an individual who wants the best for the young men he coaches. I give Willy credit for his part in the building process the last four years and wish him future success.”
Robinson is the third coaching change for Arkansas this week. Monday, UAB introduced former Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee as its new head coach. Tuesday, Arkansas announced that Petrino's younger brother, Paul Petrino, will return to the staff as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after spending the last two years as the offensive coordinator at Illinois.
Also, special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach John L. Smith took the head-coaching job at Weber State.
Preseason practice is in full swing. Teams are partaking in scrimmages and injuries are popping up here and there. Here are some SEC links to keep you up-to-date with everything.
- Janoris Jenkins tells Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel that he would still be playing at Florida if Urban Meyer was still the head coach.
- Auburn 2012 quarterback commitment Zeke Pike is using Twitter to take part in the Auburn-Alabama rivalry.
- A fishing trip with offensive line coach Mike Summers helped Kentucky's offensive line bond.
- Florida backup tight end A.C. Leonard could be out for two months after tearing his meniscus in practice.
- LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne is not only looking to pick up where he left off last season but he wants to improve on his solid 2010 campaign.
- Alabama's Phillips Sims has that quiet confidence about him at the quarterback spot.
- Arkansas's offensive line makes improvements once the pads go on.
- The Razorbacks' defense might be making vast improvements on defense, but defensive coordinator Willy Robinson still wants his group to stay humble this season.
- Georgia wide receiver Marlon Brown is finally starting to turn some heads at practice.
- Derek Dooley disappointed with his offense's performance during Tennessee's first scrimmage.
Arkansas' defense ready to hold that rope
April, 11, 2011
4/11/11
10:26
AM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- One of the first speeches Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino shared with his team last season centered around holding the proverbial rope.
Everybody takes a shot at holding that rope -- the offense, defense and special teams.
When one unit is struggling, the other may have to hold it a little bit longer.
That’s just part of being a team.
Don’t be surprised in 2011 if Arkansas' defense ends up holding that rope as much or more than the offense, which will be more a reflection of how much the Hogs have progressed on defense than it is a warning of any slippage on offense.
“Everybody believes on defense now, and we have guys who’ve been in this system for a long time,” said senior Jerico Nelson, who doubles as safety and linebacker for the Hogs.
“We got better on defense last year and stepped up in some games. But in the games we needed to step up in, we didn’t. We lost all three of those games -- Alabama, Auburn and Ohio State. We have to learn to start fast and continue to play fast, and that’s what we’ve done this spring.”
When Petrino first arrived at Arkansas, spring practice was one big fireworks show for his offense.
There were big plays all over the field, quick-strike touchdowns and not a lot of defense.
This spring has been different. The defense has won a lot more battles than it has lost, which is the way it is at most championship-caliber programs in the spring -- particularly in the SEC.
“A lot of it is the maturity of the guys here and going through what we did together when we were younger,” said senior middle linebacker Jerry Franklin, who had a career-high 100 tackles last season and is bidding to become the first player in Arkansas history to lead the team in tackles for four straight seasons.
“We’re older now and have blended together into a good defense. But we don’t just want to be a good defense. We’re trying to become a top-10 or top-five defense in the country. We have the guys to do it and the game plan to do it. We just have to go out and get it done.”
Defensive coordinator Willy Robinson, who took his share of heat those first two seasons, deserves a lot of credit for staying the course. He put his entire system in and didn’t deviate from that system even when the Hogs were giving up points in bunches.
That first season, the Hogs went one three-game stretch against Alabama, Texas and Florida in which gave up a combined 139 points.
Even during the second season, the Hogs finished 89th nationally in total defense and went eight straight games in which they allowed a touchdown play of 60 yards or longer.
But last season, a lot of those defenders grew up, and Arkansas improved to 36th nationally in total defense. Just about all of those guys are back, too.
“It’s gratifying to see them so confident with each other and playing faster,” Robinson said. “We stuck with our system. We didn’t try and change our system. It wasn’t like there was a discontinuance for them, so they were able to get better at what they were doing.”
Robinson went into this venture with his eyes wide-open.
Soon after arriving from the St. Louis Rams, even his wife, Susan, could tell the defensive personnel wasn’t anywhere close to what it needs to be to compete for championships in the SEC.
“Our first spring here, my wife, who had grown up in Pennsylvania and knew a lot about football, sat down there and said, ‘You guys look like a high school football team. That doesn’t look like a college team. I don’t know how you’re going to compete in the SEC because I’ve seen those people, too,’” Robinson recounted.
“We just had to work our rear ends off, and our strength staff has done a great job.”
The Hogs now look like an SEC championship-caliber defense in terms of the size of the front seven and depth on the defensive line and the athleticism and speed at linebacker.
That’s keeping in mind, too, that the two best defensive tackles, Byran Jones and DeQuinta Jones, were out this spring while recovering from injuries.
“You see in those championship teams that they all have good offenses, but what separates them is that every one of them has a great front seven,” said senior defensive end Jake Bequette, who led the team with seven sacks last season.
The Hogs also possess experience and skill in their secondary, although Robinson said he thinks they might be a cornerback or two short in terms of depth.
“Without a doubt, we feel like we can be playing for our conference championship in Atlanta,” Robinson said. “We feel that in all of our hearts. We’ve taken a step every year, and our kids are really driven to do that. We had so many freshmen playing for us our first year on defense. That was scary, but it helped us on down the line.
“Our offense has carried us for so long. We’re at a point now, though, where our defense should be able to hold the rope for a lot longer.”
Everybody takes a shot at holding that rope -- the offense, defense and special teams.
When one unit is struggling, the other may have to hold it a little bit longer.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Beth HallArkansas safety Jerico Nelson said "everyone believes" in the Hogs' defense this season.
AP Photo/Beth HallArkansas safety Jerico Nelson said "everyone believes" in the Hogs' defense this season.Don’t be surprised in 2011 if Arkansas' defense ends up holding that rope as much or more than the offense, which will be more a reflection of how much the Hogs have progressed on defense than it is a warning of any slippage on offense.
“Everybody believes on defense now, and we have guys who’ve been in this system for a long time,” said senior Jerico Nelson, who doubles as safety and linebacker for the Hogs.
“We got better on defense last year and stepped up in some games. But in the games we needed to step up in, we didn’t. We lost all three of those games -- Alabama, Auburn and Ohio State. We have to learn to start fast and continue to play fast, and that’s what we’ve done this spring.”
When Petrino first arrived at Arkansas, spring practice was one big fireworks show for his offense.
There were big plays all over the field, quick-strike touchdowns and not a lot of defense.
This spring has been different. The defense has won a lot more battles than it has lost, which is the way it is at most championship-caliber programs in the spring -- particularly in the SEC.
“A lot of it is the maturity of the guys here and going through what we did together when we were younger,” said senior middle linebacker Jerry Franklin, who had a career-high 100 tackles last season and is bidding to become the first player in Arkansas history to lead the team in tackles for four straight seasons.
“We’re older now and have blended together into a good defense. But we don’t just want to be a good defense. We’re trying to become a top-10 or top-five defense in the country. We have the guys to do it and the game plan to do it. We just have to go out and get it done.”
Defensive coordinator Willy Robinson, who took his share of heat those first two seasons, deserves a lot of credit for staying the course. He put his entire system in and didn’t deviate from that system even when the Hogs were giving up points in bunches.
That first season, the Hogs went one three-game stretch against Alabama, Texas and Florida in which gave up a combined 139 points.
Even during the second season, the Hogs finished 89th nationally in total defense and went eight straight games in which they allowed a touchdown play of 60 yards or longer.
But last season, a lot of those defenders grew up, and Arkansas improved to 36th nationally in total defense. Just about all of those guys are back, too.
“It’s gratifying to see them so confident with each other and playing faster,” Robinson said. “We stuck with our system. We didn’t try and change our system. It wasn’t like there was a discontinuance for them, so they were able to get better at what they were doing.”
Robinson went into this venture with his eyes wide-open.
Soon after arriving from the St. Louis Rams, even his wife, Susan, could tell the defensive personnel wasn’t anywhere close to what it needs to be to compete for championships in the SEC.
“Our first spring here, my wife, who had grown up in Pennsylvania and knew a lot about football, sat down there and said, ‘You guys look like a high school football team. That doesn’t look like a college team. I don’t know how you’re going to compete in the SEC because I’ve seen those people, too,’” Robinson recounted.
“We just had to work our rear ends off, and our strength staff has done a great job.”
The Hogs now look like an SEC championship-caliber defense in terms of the size of the front seven and depth on the defensive line and the athleticism and speed at linebacker.
That’s keeping in mind, too, that the two best defensive tackles, Byran Jones and DeQuinta Jones, were out this spring while recovering from injuries.
“You see in those championship teams that they all have good offenses, but what separates them is that every one of them has a great front seven,” said senior defensive end Jake Bequette, who led the team with seven sacks last season.
The Hogs also possess experience and skill in their secondary, although Robinson said he thinks they might be a cornerback or two short in terms of depth.
“Without a doubt, we feel like we can be playing for our conference championship in Atlanta,” Robinson said. “We feel that in all of our hearts. We’ve taken a step every year, and our kids are really driven to do that. We had so many freshmen playing for us our first year on defense. That was scary, but it helped us on down the line.
“Our offense has carried us for so long. We’re at a point now, though, where our defense should be able to hold the rope for a lot longer.”
A few SEC links to munch on:
- A major challenge awaits for Auburn's special teams, writes Phillip Marshall of AuburnUndercover.
- The "Steeler" jet sweep has become one of Auburn's bread and butter plays on offense, writes Jay G. Tate of The Montgomery Advertiser.
- Gentry Estes of Dawgs247 takes a look at how Georgia's defense gained a lot more confidence and swagger.
- True freshman James Stone has found an early opportunity to contribute at left guard for Tennessee.
- Alabama, which faces six SEC teams coming off byes this season, could face four idle-rested teams in 2011.
- Seven South Carolina players had meals paid for impermissibly, according to correspondence between the school and the NCAA.
- South Carolina lands its 21st commitment for the 2011 class, receiver Damiere Byrd of Sicklerville, N.J.
- LSU coach Les Miles says he's sticking with the two-quarterback system and that Jordan Jefferson will start against Auburn.
- Quentin Saulsberry has been Mississippi State's utility man in the Bulldogs' offensive line.
- Vanderbilt's defensive numbers are uncharacteristically down this season.
- Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson says the Hogs have to get back to tackling better.
When you’re hot, you’re hot. When you’re not, you’re not …
Nothing like a little Jerry Reed to take us into this week’s Hot and Not in the SEC:
EN FUEGO
Jordan-Hare Stadium: There are a lot of places that rock around the SEC, and there are a lot of places around this conference that hold noise and make you feel like your ear drums are about to explode. But it’s that way from the opening kickoff at Auburn and only picks up steam from there. I’ve been to just about all the stadiums in the league the last few years, and I say with confidence that Jordan-Hare Stadium is as consistently loud and electric throughout the game as any stadium I’ve been to, and I think it’s gotten even more intense this season. When that crowd sensed blood in the fourth quarter last Saturday against Arkansas, even Toomer’s Corner was rocking several blocks away. They call it the Loveliest Little Village on the Plains, but there ain’t nothing lovely about it if you’re the other team.
HOT
Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton: He’s less than 150 yards away from becoming only the second quarterback in SEC history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. And with 13 passing touchdowns and 12 rushing touchdowns, he’s got a real shot at joining Tim Tebow in the 20/20 club.
NOT
Instant replay: Is it just me, or does it seem like in the SEC that the replay official’s definition of indisputable video evidence is different than everybody else’s? Arkansas got hosed on Mario Fannin’s fumble at the goal line. That ball was out before he crossed the goal line.
HOT
Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson: Yes, he threw those two late interceptions, but to come in and perform the way he did in that kind of environment tells you all you need to know about the Hogs’ sophomore backup. After Ryan Mallett went down, Wilson passed for 332 yards and four touchdowns against Auburn and kept the Hogs in the game.
NOT
Florida coach Urban Meyer: Let’s preface this by saying that Meyer is one of the best coaches in America. He’s won two of the past four national championships. That said, there’s no way the Gators should be this bad on offense with the way they’ve recruited the past few years. They have backups on offense who would be starting for a lot of other teams in this league.
HOT
Mississippi State’s running game: The Bulldogs, third in the SEC in rushing offense, went old school on the Gators last Saturday night in the Swamp. They ran the ball over and over again and made the Gators like it.
NOT
Arkansas’s defense/special teams: There were positive signs, lots of them, for Willy Robinson’s defense. Arkansas genuinely looked like a much improved defensive football team for the first five games. That all changed last Saturday in the 65-43 loss to Auburn. The Hogs gave up 470 yards in total offense, including 330 rushing yards. John L. Smith’s special teams were equally bad. The Hogs gave up a 99-yard kickoff return, had a punt blocked and were repeatedly tackled short of the 20-yard line on kickoff returns.
HOT
Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline: Have you noticed who owns the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in the SEC? It’s Hartline, who is having a terrific senior season with 13 touchdown passes and only three interceptions. He’s shown tremendous resolve throughout his career at Kentucky.
NOT
Auburn’s pass defense: In a word, it stinks. Making matters worse, the Tigers are losing some players to injury in the secondary, too, and will have even less experience on the field against LSU. Auburn is 108th nationally against the pass and was shredded for 428 passing yards and five touchdown passes last week against Arkansas. That’s going to get them sooner or later if they don’t start covering somebody.
FREEZER BURN
South Carolina’s secondary: Stopping somebody’s passing game is a two-way street. You have to get pressure on the quarterback, and you have to cover somebody. The Gamecocks got decent pressure on Kentucky’s Hartline last week and knocked him around some. The problem was they didn’t cover anybody. How many tackles can you miss back there? How many bad angles can you take? How many busted assignments can you make? Randall Cobb was so open on the game-winning touchdown that he had time to rip the fair-weather Kentucky fans on Twitter before he even caught the pass. But back to the South Carolina secondary, which isn’t short on talent. Depth might be a concern, but talent isn’t. The Gamecocks are ranked last in the SEC (and 110th nationally) in pass defense. They’re making Auburn’s pass defense look good right now, and that’s saying something.
Nothing like a little Jerry Reed to take us into this week’s Hot and Not in the SEC:
EN FUEGO
Jordan-Hare Stadium: There are a lot of places that rock around the SEC, and there are a lot of places around this conference that hold noise and make you feel like your ear drums are about to explode. But it’s that way from the opening kickoff at Auburn and only picks up steam from there. I’ve been to just about all the stadiums in the league the last few years, and I say with confidence that Jordan-Hare Stadium is as consistently loud and electric throughout the game as any stadium I’ve been to, and I think it’s gotten even more intense this season. When that crowd sensed blood in the fourth quarter last Saturday against Arkansas, even Toomer’s Corner was rocking several blocks away. They call it the Loveliest Little Village on the Plains, but there ain’t nothing lovely about it if you’re the other team.
HOT
[+] Enlarge
Mike Zarrilli/Getty ImagesCam Newton had 328 yards of total offense and rushed for three touchdowns against Arkanasas.
Mike Zarrilli/Getty ImagesCam Newton had 328 yards of total offense and rushed for three touchdowns against Arkanasas.NOT
Instant replay: Is it just me, or does it seem like in the SEC that the replay official’s definition of indisputable video evidence is different than everybody else’s? Arkansas got hosed on Mario Fannin’s fumble at the goal line. That ball was out before he crossed the goal line.
HOT
Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson: Yes, he threw those two late interceptions, but to come in and perform the way he did in that kind of environment tells you all you need to know about the Hogs’ sophomore backup. After Ryan Mallett went down, Wilson passed for 332 yards and four touchdowns against Auburn and kept the Hogs in the game.
NOT
Florida coach Urban Meyer: Let’s preface this by saying that Meyer is one of the best coaches in America. He’s won two of the past four national championships. That said, there’s no way the Gators should be this bad on offense with the way they’ve recruited the past few years. They have backups on offense who would be starting for a lot of other teams in this league.
HOT
Mississippi State’s running game: The Bulldogs, third in the SEC in rushing offense, went old school on the Gators last Saturday night in the Swamp. They ran the ball over and over again and made the Gators like it.
NOT
Arkansas’s defense/special teams: There were positive signs, lots of them, for Willy Robinson’s defense. Arkansas genuinely looked like a much improved defensive football team for the first five games. That all changed last Saturday in the 65-43 loss to Auburn. The Hogs gave up 470 yards in total offense, including 330 rushing yards. John L. Smith’s special teams were equally bad. The Hogs gave up a 99-yard kickoff return, had a punt blocked and were repeatedly tackled short of the 20-yard line on kickoff returns.
HOT
Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline: Have you noticed who owns the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in the SEC? It’s Hartline, who is having a terrific senior season with 13 touchdown passes and only three interceptions. He’s shown tremendous resolve throughout his career at Kentucky.
NOT
Auburn’s pass defense: In a word, it stinks. Making matters worse, the Tigers are losing some players to injury in the secondary, too, and will have even less experience on the field against LSU. Auburn is 108th nationally against the pass and was shredded for 428 passing yards and five touchdown passes last week against Arkansas. That’s going to get them sooner or later if they don’t start covering somebody.
FREEZER BURN
South Carolina’s secondary: Stopping somebody’s passing game is a two-way street. You have to get pressure on the quarterback, and you have to cover somebody. The Gamecocks got decent pressure on Kentucky’s Hartline last week and knocked him around some. The problem was they didn’t cover anybody. How many tackles can you miss back there? How many bad angles can you take? How many busted assignments can you make? Randall Cobb was so open on the game-winning touchdown that he had time to rip the fair-weather Kentucky fans on Twitter before he even caught the pass. But back to the South Carolina secondary, which isn’t short on talent. Depth might be a concern, but talent isn’t. The Gamecocks are ranked last in the SEC (and 110th nationally) in pass defense. They’re making Auburn’s pass defense look good right now, and that’s saying something.
There’s warm. There’s downright toasty, and there’s scalding.
We’ll keep it to Hot and Not, our weekly rewind in the SEC:
EN FUEGO
Balance in the SEC: Having five teams ranked in the top 12 nationally midway through the season speaks for itself. There’s no question that Alabama and Florida have dominated this league for the past two years, but it’s clear that Arkansas, Auburn, LSU and South Carolina are serious about having a say in who wins the SEC championship this season. The knock on this conference recently has been that it’s a two-team league with several other mediocre teams filling out the upper tier. Those critics might want to think again. South Carolina’s convincing win against Alabama last week reinforced just how strong this league really is.
HOT
South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia: He played nearly perfect football in the upset of Alabama, threw three touchdown passes, was extremely humble afterward and was praised profusely by his head coach. Yes, the same Head Ball Coach that was hammering away at him during the spring and summer.
NOT
Alabama running back Mark Ingram: Maybe he is human after all. Last season’s Heisman Trophy winner has been held to 88 rushing yards on 23 carries the past two games and was kept out of the end zone against the Gamecocks.
HOT
Arkansas’s defense: What’s wrong with this picture? The Hogs’ defense saved the day last week in the 24-17 win over Texas A&M with one critical stop after another. Willy Robinson’s unit has improved tremendously.
NOT
Florida running back Emmanuel Moody: The Gators keep waiting on him to break through and be that consistent threat in the running game, but it just hasn’t happened. He didn’t help matters by losing a costly fumble just before halftime in the 33-29 loss to LSU.
HOT
South Carolina in the red zone: Let’s refer to it as the “garnet zone.” The Gamecocks lead the SEC in red zone offense, scoring touchdowns in 17 of their 20 trips inside the 20. They also lead the league in red zone defense, allowing opponents just five touchdowns in 20 trips.
NOT
Kentucky’s run defense: The Wildcats are getting gashed on the ground. They’re last in the SEC in rushing defense, allowing 190.3 rushing yards per game, and have already given up 15 rushing touchdowns this season.
HOT
LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee: He’s a perfect example of why it pays to hang in there. Lee threw 16 interceptions two years ago as a redshirt freshman, and seven of those were returned for interceptions. But he’s come off the bench to pull the Tigers out of the fire each of the last two weeks with game-winning drives.
NOT
Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio: The boos were hard to miss last Saturday by the Florida fans as the Gators continued to limp along on offense. Nobody in Swamp Land is real thrilled with anything about this offense, including the play-calling.
FREEZER BURN
Tennessee’s pass protection: It will be a minor miracle at this rate if Tennessee quarterback Matt Simms finishes the season in one piece. He’s taking a wicked beating, as the Vols’ young offensive line continues to struggle when it comes to protecting the passer. They’ve now allowed 23 sacks, which is more than any other FBS team in the country. Simms has been sacked nine times in his past two games, and that’s not even counting the other times when he was knocked around after just getting rid of the ball. Hope he’s got a good whirlpool where he lives, because he’s going to need it.
We’ll keep it to Hot and Not, our weekly rewind in the SEC:
EN FUEGO
Balance in the SEC: Having five teams ranked in the top 12 nationally midway through the season speaks for itself. There’s no question that Alabama and Florida have dominated this league for the past two years, but it’s clear that Arkansas, Auburn, LSU and South Carolina are serious about having a say in who wins the SEC championship this season. The knock on this conference recently has been that it’s a two-team league with several other mediocre teams filling out the upper tier. Those critics might want to think again. South Carolina’s convincing win against Alabama last week reinforced just how strong this league really is.
HOT
[+] Enlarge
Al Messerschmidt/Getty ImagesStephen Garcia's performance was key in South Carolina's upset win over Alabama.
Al Messerschmidt/Getty ImagesStephen Garcia's performance was key in South Carolina's upset win over Alabama.NOT
Alabama running back Mark Ingram: Maybe he is human after all. Last season’s Heisman Trophy winner has been held to 88 rushing yards on 23 carries the past two games and was kept out of the end zone against the Gamecocks.
HOT
Arkansas’s defense: What’s wrong with this picture? The Hogs’ defense saved the day last week in the 24-17 win over Texas A&M with one critical stop after another. Willy Robinson’s unit has improved tremendously.
NOT
Florida running back Emmanuel Moody: The Gators keep waiting on him to break through and be that consistent threat in the running game, but it just hasn’t happened. He didn’t help matters by losing a costly fumble just before halftime in the 33-29 loss to LSU.
HOT
South Carolina in the red zone: Let’s refer to it as the “garnet zone.” The Gamecocks lead the SEC in red zone offense, scoring touchdowns in 17 of their 20 trips inside the 20. They also lead the league in red zone defense, allowing opponents just five touchdowns in 20 trips.
NOT
Kentucky’s run defense: The Wildcats are getting gashed on the ground. They’re last in the SEC in rushing defense, allowing 190.3 rushing yards per game, and have already given up 15 rushing touchdowns this season.
HOT
LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee: He’s a perfect example of why it pays to hang in there. Lee threw 16 interceptions two years ago as a redshirt freshman, and seven of those were returned for interceptions. But he’s come off the bench to pull the Tigers out of the fire each of the last two weeks with game-winning drives.
NOT
Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio: The boos were hard to miss last Saturday by the Florida fans as the Gators continued to limp along on offense. Nobody in Swamp Land is real thrilled with anything about this offense, including the play-calling.
FREEZER BURN
Tennessee’s pass protection: It will be a minor miracle at this rate if Tennessee quarterback Matt Simms finishes the season in one piece. He’s taking a wicked beating, as the Vols’ young offensive line continues to struggle when it comes to protecting the passer. They’ve now allowed 23 sacks, which is more than any other FBS team in the country. Simms has been sacked nine times in his past two games, and that’s not even counting the other times when he was knocked around after just getting rid of the ball. Hope he’s got a good whirlpool where he lives, because he’s going to need it.
Some Thursday linkage in the SEC:
- LSU linebacker Ryan Baker has a jaw-dropping debut, writes Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett Louisiana.
- Florida quarterback John Brantley is becoming more confident with every start.
- Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson couldn't be happier with the way his defense is preparing this week.
- South Carolina cuts ties with senior tight end Weslye Saunders.
- Rick Bozich of The Louisville Courier-Journal writes, "What's happening in the SEC East?"
- Alabama only has one sack in its first two games, but don't rush to judgment, writes Don Kausler Jr. of The Birmingham News.
- Freshman Mike Dyer has emerged as Auburn's go-t0 rushing presence, writes Jay G. Tate of The Montgomery Advertiser.
- Auburn freshman receiver Trovon Reed may make his debut against Clemson after missing the first two games with a bruised knee.
- Vanderbilt coach Robbie Caldwell is looking for any and all ways to put a charge into the Commodores' offense.
Lunchtime links: Chizik mirrors Saban
November, 18, 2009
11/18/09
12:32
PM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
Checking out what's making headlines around the SEC:
- Gene Chizik's first season at Auburn mirrors Nick Saban's first season at Alabama, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of The Birmingham News.
- Florida coach Urban Meyer says the Gators have seven players who are "NFL quality players" and will have a decision to make after the season.
- Georgia's offensive line is starting to come into its own, which explains why the Bulldogs are running the ball better.
- Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin emphasizes that freshman Nyshier Oliver wasn't arrested during the shoplifting incident earlier this month.
- Mississippi State's defense prepares for one of its toughest tests of the season against the pass in Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett.
- Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson returns to practice after last week's health scare.
- There won't be any holding back for South Carolina defensive end Cliff Matthews in two weeks against Clemson.
- This season resembles Bobby Johnson's first season at Vanderbilt when the Commodores were winless in the SEC, writes Jeff Lockridge of The Tennessean.
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low
It’s a good thing Alabama and LSU tangle this weekend. They meet for only the second time since 1978 as top-10 opponents.
If not for that highly anticipated showdown, the schedule would be top-heavy with a bunch of duds, mostly teams hoping to stretch their legs and their scoreboards against outmanned nonconference foes.
The Arkansas-South Carolina matchup should also be interesting. The loser could be in deep trouble as far as finishing this season strong.
Here’s a look at what to watch in the SEC in Week 10:
1. How the West was won: For Alabama, it’s as simple as winning Saturday against LSU. The Crimson Tide (8-0, 5-0) would clinch the Western Division title and their second straight trip to the SEC championship game with a win. They would own all tiebreakers based on their head-to-head victory over LSU regardless of what they do in their final two SEC games against Mississippi State and Auburn. The Tigers (7-1, 4-1) wouldn’t clinch the West title with a win over the Crimson Tide, but would put themselves in a commanding position. LSU would still need to win over Ole Miss on the road and Arkansas at home to lock up a trip to Atlanta to play in the SEC championship game.
2. Beast of the East: Florida is already taking ticket orders for the SEC championship game. The Gators (8-0, 6-0) clinched their second straight trip to Atlanta last week. Still, they will probably need to stay unbeaten if they want a shot at the BCS national championship. Being upset at this point by anyone left on their regular-season schedule (none of their remaining four opponents are ranked) would drop them low enough in the polls that they would have a difficult time climbing back high enough -- even with a win in the SEC championship game -- to finish in the top two of the final BCS standings. So, in other words, it’s still pretty much sudden death for the Gators if they want to get to Pasadena and play for their second consecutive national title.
3. Miles vs. Saban III: When both coaches go out of their way to talk about how this game isn’t about them and how it’s about the players, that’s a pretty good indication that the two coaches are indeed a huge part of this game. How can they not be? Saban guided LSU to a national championship in 2003 before bolting for the NFL. Miles took over and won LSU’s second national championship four years later in 2007 and did so with a lot of players who were recruited by Saban. It’s one thing to replace a coach the stature of Saban, but it’s quite another to have to face him every year after he shows back up in your same division at one of your chief rivals. Winning Saturday would go a long way toward getting Miles out of Saban’s shadow at LSU once and for all.
4. Tide’s troubles in the red zone: Alabama has struggled mightily this season inside the red zone. The Crimson Tide have just 16 touchdowns in 38 trips inside their opponents’ 20-yard line, and their 42.1 touchdown percentage ranks 111th nationally. Even more troubling for Saban is his team's inability to throw the ball when trying to score touchdowns. Alabama's 27.3 completion percentage inside the red zone ranks dead last (120th) among all FBS teams. So if LSU gears up to stop the run, which you know the Tigers will, Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy is going to need to throw the ball better in order to score touchdowns. Getting tight end Colin Peek back would be a huge boost. Peek remains day to day with a knee sprain suffered in warm-ups against Tennessee. He practiced some Wednesday.
5. Peterson’s second chance: LSU sophomore cornerback Patrick Peterson has been replaying the catch over and over in his mind. He was defending Alabama receiver Julio Jones last season when Jones hauled in the 24-yard catch in overtime to set up the Crimson Tide’s game-winning touchdown. Peterson, who’s emerged this season as one of the better cornerbacks in the SEC, hasn’t made it any secret that he’s been counting down the days to getting another shot at Jones. “The coaches know what I want," Peterson said. "They have confidence in me. ... Everything I’ve been doing since [last] season is to prepare for Julio Jones. I really haven’t had a chance to get into the game plan on how coach has us guarding him, but I do know I’m going to lock on Jones.”
6. Practice makes perfect: Figuring out who’s going to be starting for Arkansas on defense this weekend would require getting your hands on the practice tape. For the second week in a row, the Hogs plan on starting the players who grade out the highest in practice. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done earlier in your career or earlier this season. It matters only what you’ve done this week on the practice field. Arkansas had six first-time starters on defense a week ago, and defensive coordinator Willy Robinson thinks the message has come through loud and clear. The Hogs, last in the SEC in total defense and the only team in the league giving up 400 or more yards per game (410.6), needed a jolt on that side of the ball.
7. Breakfast in Fayetteville: Those morning kickoffs this season haven’t been real tasty for the visiting team, which means South Carolina could be in trouble this Saturday. The Arkansas-South Carolina contest is set for an 11:21 a.m. CT start. Three of the last four morning kickoffs have all been won by the home team in convincing fashion. Auburn beat Ole Miss 33-20 last week. Ole Miss beat Arkansas 30-17 the week before, and Arkansas beat Auburn 44-23 back on Oct. 10. Going back to September, visiting LSU also struggled before keeping Mississippi State out of the end zone at the end and escaping 30-26 in Starkville. Whoever loses this latest morning affair is going to have a hard time regrouping for the rest of the season. It's a huge game for both teams.
8. Gators going Spikes-less: Brandon Spikes’ half-game suspension against Vanderbilt has turned into a full game after Spikes went to the Florida coaches and suggested that he should sit out the entire game. Spikes didn’t want to be a distraction to his teammates, who say they’ve got his back regardless of his attempted eye gouge in the Georgia game last week. Ryan Stamper will step in for Spikes at middle linebacker, and the Gators should be fine against a Vanderbilt offense that hasn’t scored more than 10 points all season against an SEC opponent. But the bigger picture is how this whole ordeal will affect Spikes down the road. The Gators will need him at his best, both physically and emotionally, if they’re going to win another national title.
9. Stormin’ Norman: What kind of freshman season has it been for Vanderbilt running back Warren Norman? Well, he charges into Saturday’s game at Florida with three kickoff returns for touchdowns. The only other player in SEC history to have pulled that off was Willie Gault in 1980. Norman also leads the SEC with 1,526 all-purpose yards and has a shot to break Herschel Walker’s SEC freshman record for all-purpose yards in a season (1,805). Norman is averaging 169.6 yards per game, which would place him among the top 10 in the SEC all-time in terms of season average, just ahead of Deuce McAllister’s 169.2 yards per game in 1999 and Bo Jackson’s 169 yards per game in 1985. Talk about some exclusive company.
10. A November to remember: It was about this time a year ago that the Phillip Fulmer era at Tennessee came to an end during an emotional news conference at Neyland Stadium. Sandwiched around that announcement were ugly November losses to South Carolina and Wyoming. The outlook this November is a little brighter for the Vols, who are playing their best football of the season under first-year coach Lane Kiffin and looking to sweep through the month of November unbeaten starting with Memphis on Saturday. Running the table -- which would also mean winning at Ole Miss, beating Vanderbilt at home and then closing the season with a win at Kentucky -- would put the Vols in great shape come bowl selection time. The Capital One, Outback and Cotton bowls would all be interested.
It’s a good thing Alabama and LSU tangle this weekend. They meet for only the second time since 1978 as top-10 opponents.
If not for that highly anticipated showdown, the schedule would be top-heavy with a bunch of duds, mostly teams hoping to stretch their legs and their scoreboards against outmanned nonconference foes.
The Arkansas-South Carolina matchup should also be interesting. The loser could be in deep trouble as far as finishing this season strong.
Here’s a look at what to watch in the SEC in Week 10:
1. How the West was won: For Alabama, it’s as simple as winning Saturday against LSU. The Crimson Tide (8-0, 5-0) would clinch the Western Division title and their second straight trip to the SEC championship game with a win. They would own all tiebreakers based on their head-to-head victory over LSU regardless of what they do in their final two SEC games against Mississippi State and Auburn. The Tigers (7-1, 4-1) wouldn’t clinch the West title with a win over the Crimson Tide, but would put themselves in a commanding position. LSU would still need to win over Ole Miss on the road and Arkansas at home to lock up a trip to Atlanta to play in the SEC championship game.
2. Beast of the East: Florida is already taking ticket orders for the SEC championship game. The Gators (8-0, 6-0) clinched their second straight trip to Atlanta last week. Still, they will probably need to stay unbeaten if they want a shot at the BCS national championship. Being upset at this point by anyone left on their regular-season schedule (none of their remaining four opponents are ranked) would drop them low enough in the polls that they would have a difficult time climbing back high enough -- even with a win in the SEC championship game -- to finish in the top two of the final BCS standings. So, in other words, it’s still pretty much sudden death for the Gators if they want to get to Pasadena and play for their second consecutive national title.
3. Miles vs. Saban III: When both coaches go out of their way to talk about how this game isn’t about them and how it’s about the players, that’s a pretty good indication that the two coaches are indeed a huge part of this game. How can they not be? Saban guided LSU to a national championship in 2003 before bolting for the NFL. Miles took over and won LSU’s second national championship four years later in 2007 and did so with a lot of players who were recruited by Saban. It’s one thing to replace a coach the stature of Saban, but it’s quite another to have to face him every year after he shows back up in your same division at one of your chief rivals. Winning Saturday would go a long way toward getting Miles out of Saban’s shadow at LSU once and for all.
4. Tide’s troubles in the red zone: Alabama has struggled mightily this season inside the red zone. The Crimson Tide have just 16 touchdowns in 38 trips inside their opponents’ 20-yard line, and their 42.1 touchdown percentage ranks 111th nationally. Even more troubling for Saban is his team's inability to throw the ball when trying to score touchdowns. Alabama's 27.3 completion percentage inside the red zone ranks dead last (120th) among all FBS teams. So if LSU gears up to stop the run, which you know the Tigers will, Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy is going to need to throw the ball better in order to score touchdowns. Getting tight end Colin Peek back would be a huge boost. Peek remains day to day with a knee sprain suffered in warm-ups against Tennessee. He practiced some Wednesday.
5. Peterson’s second chance: LSU sophomore cornerback Patrick Peterson has been replaying the catch over and over in his mind. He was defending Alabama receiver Julio Jones last season when Jones hauled in the 24-yard catch in overtime to set up the Crimson Tide’s game-winning touchdown. Peterson, who’s emerged this season as one of the better cornerbacks in the SEC, hasn’t made it any secret that he’s been counting down the days to getting another shot at Jones. “The coaches know what I want," Peterson said. "They have confidence in me. ... Everything I’ve been doing since [last] season is to prepare for Julio Jones. I really haven’t had a chance to get into the game plan on how coach has us guarding him, but I do know I’m going to lock on Jones.”
6. Practice makes perfect: Figuring out who’s going to be starting for Arkansas on defense this weekend would require getting your hands on the practice tape. For the second week in a row, the Hogs plan on starting the players who grade out the highest in practice. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done earlier in your career or earlier this season. It matters only what you’ve done this week on the practice field. Arkansas had six first-time starters on defense a week ago, and defensive coordinator Willy Robinson thinks the message has come through loud and clear. The Hogs, last in the SEC in total defense and the only team in the league giving up 400 or more yards per game (410.6), needed a jolt on that side of the ball.
7. Breakfast in Fayetteville: Those morning kickoffs this season haven’t been real tasty for the visiting team, which means South Carolina could be in trouble this Saturday. The Arkansas-South Carolina contest is set for an 11:21 a.m. CT start. Three of the last four morning kickoffs have all been won by the home team in convincing fashion. Auburn beat Ole Miss 33-20 last week. Ole Miss beat Arkansas 30-17 the week before, and Arkansas beat Auburn 44-23 back on Oct. 10. Going back to September, visiting LSU also struggled before keeping Mississippi State out of the end zone at the end and escaping 30-26 in Starkville. Whoever loses this latest morning affair is going to have a hard time regrouping for the rest of the season. It's a huge game for both teams.
8. Gators going Spikes-less: Brandon Spikes’ half-game suspension against Vanderbilt has turned into a full game after Spikes went to the Florida coaches and suggested that he should sit out the entire game. Spikes didn’t want to be a distraction to his teammates, who say they’ve got his back regardless of his attempted eye gouge in the Georgia game last week. Ryan Stamper will step in for Spikes at middle linebacker, and the Gators should be fine against a Vanderbilt offense that hasn’t scored more than 10 points all season against an SEC opponent. But the bigger picture is how this whole ordeal will affect Spikes down the road. The Gators will need him at his best, both physically and emotionally, if they’re going to win another national title.
9. Stormin’ Norman: What kind of freshman season has it been for Vanderbilt running back Warren Norman? Well, he charges into Saturday’s game at Florida with three kickoff returns for touchdowns. The only other player in SEC history to have pulled that off was Willie Gault in 1980. Norman also leads the SEC with 1,526 all-purpose yards and has a shot to break Herschel Walker’s SEC freshman record for all-purpose yards in a season (1,805). Norman is averaging 169.6 yards per game, which would place him among the top 10 in the SEC all-time in terms of season average, just ahead of Deuce McAllister’s 169.2 yards per game in 1999 and Bo Jackson’s 169 yards per game in 1985. Talk about some exclusive company.
10. A November to remember: It was about this time a year ago that the Phillip Fulmer era at Tennessee came to an end during an emotional news conference at Neyland Stadium. Sandwiched around that announcement were ugly November losses to South Carolina and Wyoming. The outlook this November is a little brighter for the Vols, who are playing their best football of the season under first-year coach Lane Kiffin and looking to sweep through the month of November unbeaten starting with Memphis on Saturday. Running the table -- which would also mean winning at Ole Miss, beating Vanderbilt at home and then closing the season with a win at Kentucky -- would put the Vols in great shape come bowl selection time. The Capital One, Outback and Cotton bowls would all be interested.
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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