SEC Preview: The nation's toughest conference is as deep as ever
Last season marked the first time in nine years the SEC collectively watched the national title game from the couch. After securing the top seed in the inaugural College Football Playoff, Alabama let a 15-point first-half lead over Ohio State slip away in The Big Easy. A regular season dominated by the SEC, and specifically the SEC West, ended with a collective thud on the Superdome turf.
Despite losses in the Sugar, Orange, and Peach bowls, a bevy of SEC teams are fully capable of reaching this year’s playoff. The SEC’s unprecedented depth affords its conference champion the kind of resume the playoff committee won’t be able to deny, essentially turning the SEC title game into a play-in game. The road to Atlanta will be just as much fun to watch as it is to predict.
West Preview
It’s rare that a school can graduate a two-year starter at quarterback, who engineered some of the most iconic victories in program history, and actually feel better about its offense.
Jeremy Johnson can inspire that type of confidence at Auburn. Johnson will be lobbing passes to All-American-caliber wideout D'haquille Williams, while handing off to the devastating duo of Roc Thomas and Jovon Robinson. The Tigers’ quartet could be unstoppable.
Defensively, Gus Malzahn brought in one of the nation’s finest football minds in Will Muschamp. If the defense, which welcomes back Carl Lawson from injury, takes on Muschamp’s personality, this could be a national title-contending squad.
Jake Coker’s recent foot injury appears to have opened the door for both David Cornwell and true freshman Blake Barnett under center for Alabama. Cornwell impressed the coaches during the spring and Barnett, a five-star recruit, is already turning heads in fall practice. For what it’s worth, Nick Saban has never started a true freshman at quarterback during his 20-year head-coaching career.
The Tide’s front seven should be dominant, with All-American-type talent in A’Shawn Robinson and Reggie Ragland. If the secondary can catch up to the front seven, this should be a vintage Kirby Smart defense.
The offseason acquisition of defensive coordinator John Chavis should help Texas A&M tremendously. It will be interesting to see how Chavis uses Myles Garrett, the best pass-rusher he’s coached since Barkevious Mingo. On the other side of the ball, the maturation of Kyle Allen and the integration of Kyler Murray within the offense will go a long way in determining if this is a good or great offense in 2015. If the Aggies significantly elevate their play on defense and the offense takes flight, there’s virtually no limit to what Kevin Sumlin and his team can achieve in ‘15.
Hugh Freeze’s series of recruiting coups in the spring of 2013 will pay dividends for Ole Miss this season. Robert Nkemdiche, Laquon Treadwell, Tony Conner, and Laremy Tunsil headline a star-studded junior class that has already gone through the SEC gauntlet. The linchpin will be at quarterback, in what may amount to addition by subtraction. The mercurial Bo Wallace has exhausted his eligibility, clearing the way for either the reclamation project, Chad Kelly, or the pocket passer, Ryan Buchanan. If Kelly can demonstrate he’s learned from his mistakes, both on and off the field, he could be the right fit to lead Freeze’s former blue-chippers to Atlanta.
The well-oiled Arkansas rushing attack blew a tire recently, as Jonathan Williams’ injured left foot requires season-ending surgery. Luckily the Hogs can turn to Alex Collins, a junior who is eyeing his third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season. Collins is joined in the backfield by senior quarterback Brandon Allen, who should progress under Dan Enos’ tutelage. If the defense can find a way to replace five productive starters, this may be the best team to hit Fayetteville since Darren McFadden left town.
LSU has won without a difference-maker at quarterback before, and it appears Les Miles intends on doing so again. The defense in Death Valley promises to be fierce, but the loss of "Chief" Chavis looms large in Baton Rouge. Offensively there’s plenty to like, starting with man-child Leonard Fournette. The bruising true sophomore will team up with fellow New Orleans native Malachi Dupre, giving Brandon Harris or Anthony Jennings an electric duo at the skill positions. However, unless Cam Cameron is able to transform either signal-caller overnight, the Bayou Bengals may have to wait for 2016 before challenging for another league title.
Dak Prescott thrilled the “Stark Vegas” faithful last season, taking the former SEC also-ran from unranked to No 1. Mississippi State held down the nation’s top spot for over a month before two late-season losses pushed it out of the playoff picture. Prescott returns, but many pieces from last year’s Orange Bowl team must be replaced, namely three starters along the offensive line. The Bulldogs also waved goodbye to seven defensive starters and their defensive coordinator. Fortunately, they welcome Manny Diaz, who last season coached up Louisiana Tech’s defense, a wrecking crew that forced a national-best 42 turnovers.
East Preview
Despite the recent loss of senior guard Marcus Jackson, optimism in Tennessee is higher than ever with 17 starters returning this fall. Joshua Dobbs shed his redshirt midway through last season and led the Vols to an impressive 4-1 finish, including a blowout bowl win over Iowa. The aerospace engineering major will be putting plenty of footballs into orbit next fall with eight players returning who snagged double-digit passes in ‘14.
Nick Chubb will have to shoulder the load this year in Athens, as Georgia takes time to sort out its quarterback situation. Chubb seems more than capable after gouging opposing defenses for 1,760 all-purpose yards on 237 touches last season. The Bulldogs' defense has a chance to be special as the unit enters its second season under the direction of Jeremy Pruitt. A soft opening schedule will allow the Dawgs to tinker with their offense while Chubb gets his Heisman campaign off the ground.
The Tigers, despite back-to-back SEC East titles, enter the season without a lot of buzz. Missouri saw its defensive coordinator, Dave Steckel, take a head-coaching job at Missouri State, and its best defensive player, Harold Brantley, suffered multiple injuries in a car accident, costing him his season. The schedule brings reason for optimism, though, as it features Southeast Missouri State, Arkansas State, UConn, and Kentucky in the first month. A hot start could galvanize this young team looking to replace nine starters.
Vernon Hargreaves III anchors an elite secondary that will need to live up to its “DBU” claims if Florida wants to return to a bowl game this season. New head coach Jim McElwain doesn’t have the pieces along the offensive line to run the ball the way he would like to right away, which means either Treon Harris or Will Grier will have to be creative in and out of the pocket. If the line can coalesce before conference play kicks off, then the Gators will find themselves in a lot of games thanks to their salty defense.
Mark Stoops has Big Blue Nation on the rise after improving by three games year over year. The talent influx at Kentucky is noticeable, particularly in the backfield where Boom Williams looks poised to break out. Patrick Towles gives the Wildcats stability at quarterback and seven starters return to a defense that forced 23 turnovers last season. If Shannon Dawson’s freshly installed “Air Raid” offense pays dividends, Kentucky could be bowling for the first time since 2010.
The Head Ball Coach has his work cut out for him this season in South Carolina. Just four starters return on offense, and there's a void at quarterback. Connor Mitch has a narrow lead in the four-way QB battle, but Steve Spurrier has yet to name a starter. Pharoh Cooper will have to shoulder the load offensively as the eventual starter settles in. If Spurrier elevates this team to bowl eligibility, it will be one of the finest coaching jobs of his illustrious career.
Ralph Webb pumped life into Vanderbilt’s listless offense last fall, scampering for nearly 1,000 yards as a redshirt freshman. Unfortunately, the good news ends there. Patton Robinette opted for medical school over another year under center, a move that forces Derek Mason to hand the keys of his offense over to either Johnny McCrary or Kyle Shurmur. If Vandy drops its opener against Western Kentucky, there’s a chance this could be a one-win team in ‘15.
Projected Final Standings
SEC West
1. Auburn
2. Alabama
3. Texas A&M
4. Ole Miss
5. Arkansas
6. LSU
7. Mississippi State
SEC East
1. Tennessee
2. Georgia
3. Missouri
4. Florida
5. Kentucky
6. South Carolina
7. Vanderbilt
SEC championship: Auburn over Tennessee