EAST
DIVISION
FLORIDA
STRENGTHS:
Tim Tebow plays quarterback...next.
A defense that held Oklahoma's
record setting offense
to just 14 points in last
year's national championship
game has all 11 starters
back plus all 11 back-ups.
Linebacker Brandon Spikes
should be playing on an
NFL team but decided to
stick around Gainesville.
Cornerback Joe Haden and
safety Ahmad Black also
help to lead a star-studded
cast in this defensive
back seven. The quality
depth at running back
is only equaled at places
like USC. Aaron Hernandez
is turning into one of
the better pass catching
tight ends/H-backs in
the conference. All-American
return phenom Brandon
Jacobs is back. So are
both the punter and kicker,
making this one of the
best special teams units
on both a conference and
national level. Any questions?
CONCERNS:
A ton of young talent
is lining up at receiver,
but Florida has failed
so far to find a dominating
playmaker at this position
since Percy Harvin bolted
early for the NFL. Still,
their coffers seem stacked.
Riley Cooper and David
Nelson are solid players
but don't scare defenses.
So, look for a few youngsters
like Deonte Thompson and
incoming super-recruit
Andre Debose to play a
major role. The offensive
line loses both starting
tackles and a guard.
PROGNOSIS:
The Gators are a unanimous
preseason No. 1 ranked
team in every single preseason
poll and rightfully so.
They are extremely heavy
favorites to get back
to the BCS title game.
They have a great defense
blessed with speed and
experience, outstanding
special teams, tons of
playmakers on offense
and a leader in former/perennial
Heisman winner/candidate
Tim Tebow steering the
ship. The non-conference
schedule (save FSU) is
laughable, and the only
two (guaranteed) challenges
from a sub-par SEC will
be LSU and Georgia. All
the ducks are lined up
for Florida to win its
third national championship
in the last four years.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 12-0
GEORGIA
STRENGTHS:
The offense line should
not be the issue it has
been the past couple of
seasons. All-Conference
tackle Clint Boling heads
a unit that returns eight
linemen who have started
over the past two years.
Young A.J. Green, who
hauled in 56 receptions
as a true freshman last
fall, gives Georgia a
playmaker running routes.
The strength of the defense
is at linebacker, where
three starters return,
as does plenty of depth.
Rennie Curran logged 115
tackles last fall and
is one of the better linebackers
in this conference. Geno
Atkins returns at defensive
tackle, as does Jeff Owens,
who missed last season
with a knee injury. Stuffing
the run should not be
a problem in Athens.
CONCERNS:
One of the biggest questions
in the entire SEC will
be what happens at quarterback
and running back for Georgia
- both Matthew Stafford
and Knowshon Moreno left
early for the NFL. Incumbent
Joe Cox does not possess
a rocket arm but can be
extremely accurate. Caleb
King gets first shot at
replacing Moreno but there
are others that will see
time while trying to keep
the sure-footed ground
traditions alive. Regardless,
the running game shouldn’t
sag very much, if at all.
A lack of a pass rush
has hurt the Dawgs. Issues
still linger at defensive
end and depth in the secondary
is not overwhelming.
PROGNOSIS:
Georgia won't be the preseason
No. 1 team as it was a
year ago. In fact, the
Dawgs overall have dropped
quite a bit in the current
2009 early polls. They
lost three chief players
early to the NFL, but
the cupboards are far
from bare (as always)
with this program. All
eyes will be on the play
of the offensive backfield,
as unproven players take
over for Stafford and
Moreno. The ’08
Dawgs ended up being labeled
underachievers, and the
lackluster defense under
coordinator Willie Martinez
is starting to feel the
heat. Richt will have
them rebound emotionally,
and UGA’ll be right
in the SEC East Division
race until Halloween…that’s
when the Gators will be
the overwhelming favorite.
But Georgia is still the
second best team on this
side of the conference.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 8-4
KENTUCKY
STRENGTHS:
Offensively the Wildcats
welcome back nine starters.
The best of them all may
be young sophomore Randall
(not related to Tex) Cobb,
who will line up predominately
at receiver, but also
under center on occasion
as a dual-threat (true
Wildcat) weapon. He gives
UK the playmaker they
need. The running game
has not produced the results
that should be expected.
Senior Alfonso Smith lines
up at tailback with blazing
4.3-second 40-yard dash
speed, and the return
of sprinter Derrick Locke
from a knee injury should
bolster the ground dimension.
The true individual stars
on this team are on the
defensive side. Linebacker
Michah Johnson and cornerback
Trevard Lindley are veteran
All-Americans.
CONCERNS:
The hope for a better
offense has to start with
QB Mike Hartline, who
has wrapped up the starting
role for a second season.
His inconsistency and
marginal passing stats
have proven detrimental
to the ball club thus
far. The ‘09 defensive
line was supposed to be
one of he best since head
coach Rich Brooks took
over, but that was before
All-SEC defensive end
Jeremy Jarmon was ruled
ineligible by the NCAA
this spring for taking
a banned substance, leaving
only four returning starters
on that side of the ball.
Outside of Randall Cobb,
receivers that were extremely
young last fall need to
make some bigger strides.
PROGNOSIS:
What is on paper does
not always tell the tale.
Kentucky lost a good many
players on the defensive
side. However, the D could
once again be the strength
of the team; several players
are ready to step into
the limelight. This will
be an important dimension
as an offense with a good
big of experience is still
lacking in the production
department. If QB Mike
Hartline does not start
to show major improvement,
incoming recruits could
replace him. Getting the
ball into the hands of
electric Randall Cobb
will be the priority.
Expectations are much
bigger now. After an unprecedented
three consecutive bowl
wins for the Wildcats,
this team is just as equipped
as any of those previous
squads before them - UK’s
seniors want a fourth.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 6-6
SOUTH CAROLINA
STRENGTHS:
The front seven on defense
is a great place to start.
Led by 250-pound All-American
linebacker Eric Norwood,
this group will be tough
to run against. Norwood
is also set to break the
school's sack record.
The 4-2-5 defensive scheme
put into place by coordinator
Ellis Johnson proved to
be more than effective
last season. Stephen Garcia
won't be an immediate
savior behind center for
Spurrier, but he is starting
to show the potential
the “ole ball coach”
initially saw when recruiting
the Tampa native. His
nifty feet also make him
a dangerous ground weapon.
CONCERNS:
Same ole story for coach
Spurrier, the lacking
offensive line is killing
this program. This unit
will welcome back four
different starters, but
should continue to rank
last in the league in
both opening holes for
the ball carriers and
protecting the QB. The
ball carriers are very
inexperienced, and losing
TE Jared Cook early to
the NFL does not help
a receiving unit missing
star players. Two new
cornerbacks must step
into a secondary that
lost its two best players
(Captain Munnerlyn and
Emanuel Cook). Both left
the program early for
the NFL Draft, so drop-off
in outside coverage has
to be expected.
PROGNOSIS:
The Gamecock nation is
still waiting on Steve
Spurrier to deliver South
Carolina to the SEC Promised
Land after going a meager
28-22 in his four seasons
as their head coach. Five
new assistants were bought
in this off-season in
an effort to revitalize
what has been a lifeless
effort at times. Although
the secondary is breaking
in new faces, plenty of
heralded talent is at
the coaches’ disposal,
and so “defense”
should be the cry in ‘09.
Garcia has a bright future
at QB if he can stay out
of trouble, but until
he gets some time to throw,
he won't do any better
than his below average
predecessors. The Cocks
could use an eight win
season to boost morale...easier
said than done.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 6-6
TENNESSEE
STRENGTHS: Safety
Eric Berry (SEC Defensive
Player of the Year) may
pound-for-pound be the
best player in the entire
conference, including
the likes of Tim Tebow.
The rest of the secondary
is talented, too, as several
others with experience
have a chance to start.
The Vols boast two returning
senior starters at defensive
tackle. Dan Williams is
a load for anyone to block.
Rico McCoy is also one
of the better linebackers
in the SEC. Monte Kiffin
will be making a return
to college football after
26 years in the NFL as
he calls the new UT defense.
The running backs are
extremely deep and rich
in southern talent.
CONCERNS:
No doubt…watching
these quarterbacks direct
the Vol offense has been
like watching paint dry.
Just when incumbent B.J.
Coleman was set to take
many of the snaps after
a descent spring game,
he transferred out. Thus,
the same two co-starters
from last fall (Jonathan
Crompton and Nick Stephens)
are back to handle this
offense again. On top
of that, the offensive
line performed horribly
a year ago. The youthful
depth here is the biggest
concern, along with the
group’s nominal
efforts of a year ago.
Outside of McCoy, the
linebackers are all inexperienced,
and the unit is short
on depth.
PROGNOSIS:
Barring some unexpected
brilliance at the quarterback
position, coach Lane Kiffin's
first year at Tennessee
will likely be one of
modest improvements. Posting
seven wins is a realistic
goal. Defense will again
be the staple but won't
have quite the stingy
nature of a year ago given
some of the departures
on this side of the ball.
The offense will attempt
to rely mostly on the
ground game with its bevy
of talented ball carriers;
it’s just that none
is close to All-SEC caliber…yet.
If the recruiting classes
can continue to be as
good as last February,
2010 and/or 2011 will
be better days in Knoxville.
Just making any bowl in
2009 is also a legitimate
goal.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 6-6
VANDERBILT
STRENGTHS:
The Commodores do not
lose one single starter
on either line of scrimmage.
If games are won up front,
Vanderbilt will be a tough
team. A defense that allowed
less than 20 points per
game returns nine different
starters. The entire front
seven remains intact,
led by All-SEC senior
linebacker Patrick Benoist.
This could also be one
of the league's better
pass rush units with senior
bookends Broderick Stewart
and Steven Stone applying
pressure.
CONCERNS:
Settling on a quarterback
and elevating the passing
game are by far the team's
biggest needs. Larry Smith
(started the bowl game)
and fifth-year senior
backup Mackenzi Adams
will likely share the
snaps. A major shortage
of playmakers on offense
won't help. The receivers,
too, share the blame for
making this the worst
passing game in the SEC.
Losing cornerback D.J.
Moore early to the NFL
has to be a concern although
the secondary as a whole
looks to be fairly strong.
PROGNOSIS:
It all comes down to what
kind of quarterback play
Vanderbilt gets because
this team has the most
starting experience returning
in the SEC, especially
up front. With 17 starters
back from the program's
most successful squad
in 26 years, coaches are
confident this team can
make consecutive bowl
appearances for the first
time in school history.
The defense is more than
equipped to contain most
of their ‘09 SEC
opponents. This offense
is just short on playmakers,
so expect the Vol’s
clock-eating ground game
to work behind a veteran
offensive line to eat
clock and subsequently
keep scores low. The Commodores
must also find enough
depth to withstand a 12-game
schedule with no off-weeks.
Head coach Bobby Johnson
got this team bowling
in 2008. This year's version
is even better on paper.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 7-5
WEST
DIVISION
ALABAMA
STRENGTHS:
The Tide had the third-rated
scoring defense in the
nation a year ago, which
only got better this off-season.
This is still Nick Saban's
defensive scheme, and
the quadruple linebacker
set led by All-American
Rolando McClain has every
single starter returning.
Even better is the fact
that huge 365-pound nose
tackle Terrence Cody decided
to return for another
season to force double
teams. All-American cornerback
Javier Arenas heads a
rich secondary capable
of matching the production
of this magnificent front
seven. Arenas is also
nationally recognized
at handling both punts
and kicks. Receiver Julio
Jones is the best athlete
on either side of the
ball.
CONCERNS:
This offensive line struggled
at times without big tackle
Andre Smith. Also now
gone are two other full-time
starters up front. Greg
McElroy replaces John
Parker Wilson, who set
virtually every school
passing record at quarterback.
McElroy is eerily similar
to his predecessor in
terms of managing the
game but if he gets injured,
Alabama could be in big
trouble as proven backups
are slim to none. Running
back Glenn Coffee bolted
for the NFL, which means
opening holes with a new
offensive front will tell
much as to how far the
entire team can go.
PROGNOSIS:
Outside of Florida and
Oklahoma, there may not
be a better set of defensive
personnel across the national
landscape. Both the punter
and kicker are back, as
is Javier Arenas as THE
return man. Alabama is
going to win, mainly with
defense and solid special
teams…nothing new
for head coach Nick Saban.
All new QB Greg McElroy
has to do is avoid crucial
mistakes. The recruiting
classes have been phenomenal,
and, in the process, they’ve
made this team deep at
most every single position.
The front seven on defense
is strong enough to make
Bama the favorite in every
game on the regular season
schedule – they
get Tennessee and LSU
coming to Tuscaloosa.
The only meeting with
the Gators will (probably)
be in Atlanta for the
SEC Championship Game.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 11-1
ARKANSAS
STRENGTHS:
The Razorbacks finally
have some offensive explosiveness
at receiver; all three
starters return. The tight
end position can also
be tossed around in the
same discussion, as All-SEC
honoree D.J. Williams
hauled in 61 receptions
last fall. Few teams can
match the depth Arkansas
has at running back. Returning
starter Michael Smith
has stardom penciled in
for his final season,
if he can stay healthy.
Four other players from
this deep well will also
see playing time. The
defense has 11 starters
back, so experience is
there. The secondary is
still pretty young, but
has seen a good bit of
time on the field. With
some quality JUCO transfers
looking to solidify this
backfield, they should
be more than respectable
guarding the pass.
CONCERNS:
While the defense has
so many players returning
from a year ago, they
ranked the worst in the
SEC last year in total
defense, allowing over
31 points per game. Giving
up the big play continued
to haunt this side of
the ball through the spring.
Special teams have been
so poor that former Michigan
State head coach John
L. Smith was specifically
hired to resurrect them.
Finding a quarterback
that can throw with consistency
has been a lost quest
in Fayetteville for decades.
Michigan transfer Ryan
Mallett has the pedigree
and hopes to change this
aspect. He tosses a remarkable
deep ball but is still
learning to operate the
short game. He won't have
much time if the offensive
line has a repeat performance
of finishing 118th nationally
in sacks allowed.
PROGNOSIS:
In Bobby Petrino’s
second season here, he
will operate with an experienced
team this time around.
The Hogs were expected
to have a major drop off
last fall. After finishing
5-7 and upsetting LSU
in the last game, confidence
continues to build. With
a huge stable of running
backs and a wealth of
quality receivers, this
team could surprise quite
a few foes as players
begin to adapt in this
new offensive reality,
of scoring points. The
defense however, won't
allow the team to improve
if their efforts do not.
There’s too much
experience to be worse
than the numbers showed
a year ago. This team
should go bowling in a
weaker West Division.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 7-5
AUBURN
STRENGTHS:
Antonio Coleman is an
All-SEC performer at defensive
end; Josh Bynes and Craig
Stevens possess all-conference
talent at linebacker;
and the secondary, with
three starters back, should
be considered a strength.
The running back combo
of senior Ben Tate, last
season's leading rusher,
and all-purpose Mario
Fannin, who can score
anytime he touches the
ball, give Auburn a fairly
potent ground attack.
They will line up behind
an offensive line that
welcomes back four starters
led by Ryan Pugh, maybe
the best center in the
SEC.
CONCERNS:
Offense has been a huge
issue for the last two
years. Moreover, an ungodly
amount of new coordinators
over the years have yet
to help the quarterbacks
turn the corner, and this
position is still unsettled
heading into August. Last
year's starter Kodi Burns
(seven interceptions to
just two touchdowns) does
battle with Neil Caudle,
a former in-state recruit
that has almost totally
been forgotten. The receivers
continue to lack a presence
on the outside, mostly
due to the lacking QB
numbers of the past. While
the defense appears to
be the usual rock for
this team, the defensive
line has issues at tackle
since Sen'Derrick Marks
decided to split for the
NFL. Depth there is thin
across the board.
PROGNOSIS:
Fans get excited thinking
about new head coach Gene
Chizik and the defenses
he once put together as
the defensive coordinator
during the glory seasons
of Tommy Tuberville. But
the offense has always
been a different story.
When the Tigers recently
made an attempt to move
to a spread offense, they
struggled, which ultimately
cost Tuberville his job.
So Chizik immediately
hired heralded guru Gus
Malzahn, whose Tulsa offense
led the nation in total
offense the past two seasons.
Getting the available
personnel to run this
no-huddle attack may prove
difficult, however, especially
at quarterback. The talent
level is not close to
what Chizik had when he
left the program.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 7-5
LOUISIANA STATE
STRENGTHS:
Seniors Charles Scott
at running back, Brandon
LaFell at receiver and
Ciron Black at tackle
are all candidates for
post-season All-American
awards. They represent
prime examples of how
deep the athletic talent
runs across the offensive
board in “Red Stick”.
Also back is rugged senior
tight end Richard Dickson,
the Tiger’s third-leading
receiver last season.
The linebackers should
be the strength of the
defense, especially considering
the team's best tackler,
Harry Coleman, has been
moved up here from safety.
Both cornerbacks return,
including young sensation
Patrick Peterson, the
USA Today 2007 High School
Defensive Player of the
Year. Elusive Trindon
Holliday, a five-time
All-American in track
and former U.S. national
team sprinter, continues
to give LSU a weapon,
especially in the return
game.
CONCERNS:
Seeing how four full-time
contributors up front
have moved on, the defensive
line only returns one
starter. Defensive end
Rahim Alem is a pass rushing
specialist/extraordinaire,
but he has to do more
in terms of being an every
down player. Someone new
needs to step up at safety
to help the SEC's 11th-rated
pass defense. The quarterback
issue heading into last
fall (when Ryan Perrilloux
was kicked off the team)
did not help in continuing
the winning ways that
were being found regularly
in Baton Rouge. Jarrett
Lee started most of the
games and struggled until
injury allowed Jordan
Jefferson to step in.
Jefferson broke out, lighting
up the scoreboard against
Georgia Tech in the bowl
game. Getting continued
consistency, though, with
these two still behind
center is unknown.
PROGNOSIS:
After a disappointing
2008 season that had a
few embarrassing losses,
the rout of Georgia Tech
in the Chick-fil-A bowl
not only built some confidence
heading into the new season,
but also may have established
LSU’s new quarterback
in now-sophomore Jordan
Jefferson. He has a wealth
of athletes surrounding
him on offense. Handing
the ball off to hulking
Charles Scott out of the
backfield may be his best
move. There are some holes
to fix on defense, as
new full-time coordinator
John Chavis takes over.
If they can learn to defend
the pass better and avoid
the turnover bug that
killed this team in 2008,
they are the clear favorite
to push Alabama for the
West Division crown. The
light non-conference schedule
guarantees at least four
wins.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 10-2
MISSISSIPPI
STRENGTHS:
Jevan Snead threw for
2,762 yards and 26 touchdowns
in his first season under
first-year coach Houston
Nutt. In 2009, ex-Gator
Snead is going to make
a case for being the next
best quarterback in the
SEC behind Tebow. The
vast majority of playmakers
return from an offense
that scored over 32 points
per game last fall. Seniors
Dexter McCluster and Shay
Hodge anchor the receiving
unit. McCluster, at only
5'8 and 165 pounds, is
a special all-purpose
contributor who excels
at both running and catching
the ball. The Rebels also
return their top four
running backs. Despite
the loss of Peria Jerry
at tackle, a defensive
line that led the nation
in tackles for loss a
year ago is stacked. Ole
Miss has one of the nation's
most consistent kickers
in senior Joshua Shene.
CONCERNS:
The number one concern
has to be a secondary
that gave up an SEC worst
221 yards per game last
fall. There is hope in
the fact that three starters
return to this DB unit.
Three new (full-time)
starters have to be located
on the offensive line.
Replacing 6’5 All-American
offensive tackle Michael
Oher will be a ‘tall’
order. The toughest assignment
will be playing with a
target on their chest
this time around - Ole
Miss enters the preseason
as a legit top 15 team.
The pressure will be three
times as great.
PROGNOSIS:
Head coach Houston Nutt
has to give thanks to
the coach he succeeded,
Ed Orgeron. The talent
Orgeron put in place here
is probably the best Oxford
has seen going back (decades)
well before the days of
even Eli Manning. Ole
Miss welcomes back 17
starters from a team that
won their final six games
of a year ago. How about
that shocker at national
champs Florida, or their
huge Cotton Bowl win over
Big 12 power Texas Tech?
These are big reasons
why the Rebels will be
a preseason top 15 favorite.
This team is surely good
enough to make some conference
noise, but does not have
the depth or offensive
line to legitimately do
so on a national level.
But with both Alabama
and LSU being home games,
giving Ole Miss the potential
to make the West Division
race quite interesting.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 10-2
MISSISSIPPI STATE
STRENGTHS:
Defense has always been
a positive attribute here,
and so it should be no
surprise to note that
State will continue to
be strong up the middle
where linebackers and
tackles are the most dominant
players. Jamar Chaney
returns from injury, and
budding star K.J. Wright
head the linebacker class.
Former Tar Heel head coach
Carl Torbush was bought
in to handle the defense
and should keep the success
on this side of the ball
rolling. Veteran Anthony
Dixon is a former 1,000-yard
rusher. His bruising approach
is a great place to start
building an offense.
CONCERNS:
Once again, the lack of
depth and talented bodies
on the offensive line
figures to be a major
stumbling block for first
year head coach Dan Mullen’s
spread offense that is
still being implemented.
Tyson Lee gets the early
nod behind center, but
at only 5'10, he has never
proven to be much of a
threat. New recruit Tyler
Russell, last year's in-state
Mr. Football, will get
every chance to win the
job. Mullen wants a ton
of players lining up at
receiver, a major "holy
cow" considering
how low the numbers are
here. The Bulldogs need
some help getting a pass
rush, and the secondary
has to replace three starters.
PROGNOSIS:
Dan Mullen takes over
as head coach after helping
Florida to two national
titles as the offensive
coordinator. The offense
at Mississippi State,
however, has been heading
in the opposite direction
during that time, which
ultimately cost former
coach Sylvester Croom
his job. The numbers just
are not there on offense
to feel confident about
this new spread attack
yet. Proven/decent receivers
are few and far between,
and the offensive line
has been in shambles...a
bad combination for a
team still using a power
rushing attack as its
foundation. The defense
should continue to be
more than fine, although
a lack of pass rush and
new starters in the secondary
could prove detrimental
as October brings their
toughest foes. The Bulldogs
could easily possess a
1-5 record heading into
mid-October; the non-conference
schedule (Georgia Tech
and Houston) ain’t
easy. Welcome to Starkville,
coach Mullen.
PROJECTED
RECORD: 3-9 |
