Tide Continues To Roll While East Gets Better

Nick Saban has Alabama primed for another national title run (theodysseyonline.com)

 OK, let's get this out of the way early -- yes, Alabama is loaded again and is a prime contender for the national championship. That's not any great news flash. The Tide, even after falling to Clemson in the national title game, has talent everywhere, as usual. And while it won't be a cakewalk, the SEC West should be theirs.

 While the West is still quite possibly the best single division in all of college football, the East is suddenly looking very respectable. Florida is the reigning champ and will be right there again, but Georgia is emerging as a serious player. And South Carolina under Will Muschamp has a shot to be really good -- words I never thought I'd type, but did. Even Kentucky is coming on. Yes, the East is no longer a laughing stock and should have a lot more drama during the season than the West.

 "When you talk about parity, I think that's really good competition," Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said. "I think that's good and healthy for the conference."

Jalen Hurts

The parity starts after Alabama, which once again has an embarrassment of riches. The Tide has a wonderful, athletic quarterback in  Jalen Hurts, who accounted for 36 touchdowns and played beyond his freshman standing.

 The next step in his evolution process is becoming a better pocket passer, though the Tide does not want to limit him in that fashion. The ground game, as usual, will be strong, with Damien Harris (1,071 yards) and Bo Scarbrough (812, 11 TD), and Calvin Ridley (72 catches, 7 TD) is a versatile pass-catcher who can get downfield or go across the middle. The line is filled with behemoths -- what's new? -- and experience, so that's not a worry.

 The defense might be down a tad, from impenetrable to merely snarling. The secondary is fearsome, with ball-hawking safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (6 INT) leading the way. Rashaan Evans had 14 sacks from his linebacker spot last season, and Da'Ron Payne is a stalwart up front, and the addition of JUCO star Isaiah Buggs at end bears watching. It will be interesting to see if there is any discipline for standout end Da'Shawn Hand, who was arrested on a DUI charge Saturday morning. He will probably sit out the Fresno State game, not the opener against Florida State, just because that's how Nick Saban operates.

 Speaking of Saban, he didn't just sit around and let the summer slip away. No, in the wake of the loss to Clemson, he was looking for ways for the Tide to get better.

 "I want to learn. I don't want to waste a failure," he said. "What could we have done better? Because everybody's hurt by the fact that they lost, especially the way we lost that particular game on the last play of the game, but it wasn't the last play. It's what led up to the last play. And I think our players realize that."

 Alabama should be a prohibitive favorite to play in the SEC title game, in which it is 5-1 and has won three straight. There will be a few challenges, though.

 The biggest will come from Auburn, which has tweaked the offense and could look -- at times, anyway -- like a more traditional passing team. Sure, this is a Gus Malzahn squad and there will be read option, but the signing of JUCO passer Jarrett Stidham, who began his career at Baylor, means Auburn can challenge teams through the air now. If for whatever reason Stidham can't handle the offense, holdover Shaun White (64 percent completions, 9 TD) is back. The defense improved by a ton last year and should be good again, especially the back seven. There should be a lot more diversity from the stop troops, more flexibility, and the linebackers especially are a fearsome unit. Deshaun Davis (63 tackles, 7 TFL) and Darrell Williams (53 tackles) flank middle man Tre Williams (67 tackles), and all three have athleticism to spare. Safety Tray Matthews is a hitter and the rest of the secondary is experienced. The line needs some retooling, though sophomore nose tackle Derrick Brown has a chance to be special.

Derrius Guice (foxsports.com)

 LSU (8-4, 5-3) has always been a 'great defense, challenged offense', which is why Les Miles was shown the door in favor of Ed Orgeron. Coach O knows that teams have to be good on both sides of the ball, which is why he brought in Matt Canada from Pittsburgh to run the offense. Fans will see some sophistication in the offense, not just the typical I formation that's become a staple in Baton Rouge. Heck, fans might even see some downfield passing from quarterback Danny Etling (2,123 yards, 11 TD), who brings toughness and a calm to the offense. He has a retooled receiving corps, though sophomore Drake Davis has the look of a star. Any hiccups in the passing game should be offset by speedy Derrius Guice handling the rock in the backfield. Already a highlight film, even as a backup to Leonard Fournette, Guice averaged 7.6 yards per carry and gained nearly 1,400 yards and scored 15 touchdowns. A legit Heisman candidate, Guice should be the face of the LSU offense. The Tigers defense is a notch below its usual intimidating standard, though hybrid rusher Arden Key (56 tackles, 12 sacks) is one of America's best. Unproven talent will be up front, but linebacker should be solid, led by sixth-year senior Corey Thompson. Kevin Toliver is solid at corner, but the unit needs to force more turnovers.

 It's a make or break year for Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M, and even if he doesn't seem to be fazed by the whispers over job security, it's a real thing. The Aggies would have been fired by Alec Baldwin for lack of closing ability -- they finished 2-5 last year after starting 6-0, and were 3-5 in the back half in the previous two seasons. Sumlin must find a way for his team to be better late, otherwise he could be out of work. Facing Auburn and LSU in November won't make it easy, though Sumlin has said the team has tweaked its conditioning routine, hoping to be fresher late in the year. Christian Kirk (83 catches, 9 TD) is a dynamic talent at receiver, but doesn't have much around him. Quarterback could be an issue, but running back Trayveon Williams (1,057 yards, 8 TD) could relieve some of the pressure. The defense will be retooled, with end Jarrett Johnson (4.5 sacks) showing the way. Nick Harvey and Armani Watts are solid in the secondary.

 Dan Mullen may have his youngest team yet at Mississippi State -- just 13 seniors -- but as long as quarterback Nick Fitzgerald is around, there's a chance for the Bulldogs to be pretty good. Fitzgerald (2,423 passing yards, 1,375 rushing, 37 total touchdowns) needs to get better with his accuracy (54 percent), but he has that "it" factor Mullen loves. Wideout Donald Gray can stretch the defense, and Aeris Williams (720) emerged as a solid back late in the year. If the defense, which ranked 110th nationally a year ago, can improve, MSU (6-7, 3-5) should be pretty good. A host of JUCO recruits will help the D-line, and linebackers J.T. Gray and Leo Lewis (79 tackles as a freshman) are solid. The secondary has experience, and is led by safety Brandon Bryant (62 tackles).

 Arkansas needs to get better defensively if it is to improve on last year's 7-6 mark, and a change to a 3-4 alignment could help. The look should allow the Razorbacks to defend the spread a bit better and bring more pressure off the edge. Easier said than done, however, as there is a lot of replacment needed up front. McTelvin Agim played well as a freshman but can't do it alone. Randy Ramsey (23 tackles) covers a lot of ground at linebacker, and the secondary is a wealth of experience, led by corner Ryan Pulley (47 tackles, 13 PBU). Offensively, quarterback Austin Allen (3,430 yards, 25 TD) might have the league's best arm, but he will need someone to emerge in an unproven corps of receivers. Rawleigh Williams (1,360 yards, 12 TD) will be strong from the backfield, and gives the Razorbacks a physical element. The line, led by center Frank Ragnow, could be among the best in the country.

 Ole Miss is a complete mess -- coach Hugh Freeze was fired just days before camp opened, and there's no carrot at the end of the season after the school self-imposed a bowl ban stemming from an investigation into allegations of serious impropriety within the program. Interim coach Matt Luke has an uphill climb in 2017, though there is some talent to work with. Quarterback Shea Patterson hinted at stardom after Chad Kelly was hurt late in the season, though he needs to work on his accuracy (54 percent). There aren't a lot of difference makers at receiver, but running back Jordan Williams returns after missing 2016 with a knee injury. Last year's defense was a sieve, allowing 34 points per game, and needs fixed, stat. Marquis Haynes (53 tackles, 7 sacks) could be the next special pass rusher in Oxford, and senior linebacker DeMarquis Gates (79 tackles) is talented, if not always consistent. The secondary should be solid, led by sophomores Jaylon Jones and Jalen Julius. An easy non-league schedule could ease Luke's transition, but back to back weeks at Alabama and Auburn will open his eyes to just how far his team has to go.

 That talked-about improvement in the East starts with Georgia -- yes, I'm a buyer, mainly because the Bulldogs return 10 starters from a defense that was second in the SEC in total yards and third in forced turnovers.

 Smart knows that the honeymoon period is over, and that expectations will ramp up after a so-so 8-5 campaign.   

 “Well, I'll start with our players expect to win,” Smart said. “And we don't want players who don't expect to win. You're going to be one of the best players in the country, coming from one of the best states in the country, one of the best high school football states in the country. We expect them to come in with that attitude and demeanor. You create that, and it permeates your program by how you carry yourself and perform on the field. We have not performed on the field to the level we should, and that's got to change."

 Trenton Thompson (9.5 TFL) played well as a freshman and should be a real force this year on Georgia's defensive line. If the Dawgs can find a pass rush they could be lethal. Roquan Smith had 95 stops from his linebacker spot, and running mates Lorenzo Carter and Davin Bellamy have sideline-to-sideline speed. All four starters are back in the secondary, and safety Dominick Sanders (3 INT) is the leader of the pack.

Nick Chubb (Getty Images)

 The real reason for being bullish on the Bulldogs is the offense. A year older Jacob Eason (2,430 yards, 16 TD) should have more freedom to go downfield, and appears to have a better command of the offense. His maturation will help an already imposing ground attack, led by Nick Chubb (1,130 yards, 8 TD) and Sony Michel (840, 4). The receiving corps isn't elite, but has enough talent for someone to emerge. Look for it to be Riley Ridley, who showed flashes as a freshman. The offensive line was a liability last year, so any upward mobility Georgia attains will be directly linked to that bunch. Veteran Isaiah Wynn moves from guard to tackle, and five-star recruit Isaiah Wilson could have a shot to start at a guard position. A trip to Notre Dame highlights Georgia's schedule, which does not feature Alabama or LSU.

 Florida has played in back to back SEC title games, and with a favorable schedule (just three true league road games) it could be going for a three-peat. The Gators (9-4, 6-2) have just five returning starters on defense, though they do get some players back from injury. The linebacking corps is young, and the secondary is excellent, led by Duke Dawson (24 tackles, 8 PBU), who moves from nickel to starter. The real strength is the defensive line, where tackle Taven Bryan could be a real star. The reason Florida is behind Georgia here is quarterback -- we ain't buying Malik Zaire, who tranferred in from Notre Dame. If he isn't the savior fans in Gainesville are hoping he'll be, we also aren't high on Luke Del Rio (1,358 yards, 8 TD) and Feleipe Franks, while talented, is a complete unknown. We are higher on the ground game, thanks to Jordan Scarlett (889 yards, 6 TD), who could flirt with a 1,000-yard season. Antonio Callaway is a star at receiver, and Brandon Powell and Tyrie Cleveland are big play sorts. Opening with Michigan and closing with Florida State will challenge the Gators, who miss Alabama and Auburn.

 South Carolina went 6-7 a year ago, didn't do much on offense (115th nationally) and broke down at inopportune times defensively. Still, year two of Muschamp could be much better, thanks to a team that will be among the more experienced groups in the conference. The offense appears to be in good hands with quarterback Jake Bentley, who completed nearly 66 percent of his passes and threw for 390 yards in the Gamecocks bowl game. Deebo Samuel (59 catches) is a premier receiver and should make Bentley's job easier, and the ground game could take off with Rico Dowdle (764 yards) and North Carolina transfer Ty'Son Williams. The return of linebacker Skai Moore, who missed last year with an injury, should help the defense, and Ulric Jones could be a force up front. Corners JaMarcus King (56 tackles, 9 PBU) and Chris Lammons (53, 6) aren't afraid to hit and bring toughness to a solid secondary. Opening with NC State could be tricky, but South Carolina gets Florida at home late in the year.

Benny Snell (Getty Images)

 Kentucky was one of the hottest teams around down the stretch, going 5-3 in the back part of the schedule and finishing 7-6. That has the locals in hoops-crazy Lexington stoked, and it will be interesting to see if the Wildcats can produce with expectations. The defense has experience, and will be led by linebacker Jordan Jones (109 tackles, 15.5 TFL). Safety Mike Edwards is a do-it-all type -- he had 100 tackles, eight pass break ups, five sacks and three interceptions. If the offense finds a quarterback -- odds are that Drew Barker reclaims his job after missing the last 10 games with injury -- it will have a variety of weapons, most notably wideout Dorian Baker, who received effusive praise from UK coach Mark Stoops after the spring. Running back Benny Snell is one of the unheralded gems of the conference, running for nearly 1,100 yards and scoring 13 touchdowns as a freshman. His potential appears limitless.

 Don't be surprised if the wheels come off for Tennessee this season. Butch Jones had one of his most talented teams last year but managed just a 9-4 record, and after early wins over Florida and Georgia really didn't impress. The Vols will be new at quarterback, with true freshman Jarrett Guarantano the likely starter, and at running back, probably a committe approach of John Kelly (630 yards), Carlin Fils-aime and freshman Ty Chandler. The receiving corps lost its big play threat to the NFL and has talent, but much of it is unproven. The offensive line has some beef, and heralded five-star Trey Smith could be a force at guard. The defense must find a replacement for ends Derek Barnett and Corey Vereen, who combined for 20 sacks last year. Sophomore Darrell Taylor flashed potential and could be the answer. The secondary is good, led by safety Todd Kelly (71 tackles), and the linebacking group has no proven stars, though Colton Jumper made 61 stops in the middle last year. Maybe Tennessee surprises without the weight of expectations, but Jones hasn't exactly been a fan favorite, and another disappointing year could turn up the heat.

 Missouri fell to four wins last year, just two seasons after winning 11 games. The decline was concurrent with the Tigers defense going from lethal to lethargic (118th nationally), and that will need to change if the Mizzou is to begin climbing again. End Marcell Frazier (7.5 sacks) is a good building block, and he could have help in the form of four JUCO linemen, notably tackle Malik Young. Safety Anthony Sherrils is a player, but the linebacking corps must improve. Quarterback Drew Lock was solid (3,399 yards, 23 TD) but must get better with his accuracy (54 percent). Demarea Crockett quietly ran for 1,062 yards and 10 scores last year and wideout J'Mon Moore caught 62 passes. Freshman receiver Da'Ron Davis could make an impact early.

 Going to a bowl game is a big deal at Vanderbilt, so coach Derrick Mason is understandably pleased with the Commodores 2016 campaign, even if it did finish with a loss. Vandy has gotten better in each of Mason's three years, and an experienced squad could be his best yet, even if the record doesn't show it. A four-game stretch of Kansas State, Alabama, Florida and Georgia could derail the optimism, but Mason likes the character of his team. Ralph Webb is a playmaker in the backfield, running for nearly 1,300 yards a year ago. Expect to see him utilized more outside, in the passing game. Kyle Shurmur was just all right at quarterback (2,409 yards, 54.4 completion percentage), and the receiving corps needs to get better. Losing linebacker Zach Cunningham a year early to the NFL will hurt, though inside man Oren Burks (59 tackles, 6 PBU) has a chance to be a force. Getting a pass rush -- Vandy had just 15 sacks last year -- wouldn't hurt, nor would forcing more turnovers (just 10, which was near the bottom of the SEC).

SEC PREDICTIONS
EAST
1. Georgia
2. Florida
3. South Carolina
4. Kentucky
5. Tennessee
6. Missouri
7. Vanderbilt

WEST
 1. Alabama
 2. Auburn
 3. LSU
 4.Texas A&M
 5. Mississippi State
 6. Arkansas
 7. Ole Miss

 ALL-SEC
 OFFENSE
 QB Jalen Hurts/Alabama
 RB Nick Chubb/Georgia
 RB Derrius Guice/LSU
 WR Calvin Ridley/Alabama
 WR Deebo Samuel/South Carolina
 WR Antonio Callaway/Florida
 TE  Hayden Hurst/South Carolina
 OT Jonah Williams/Alabama
 OT Braden Smith/Auburn
 OG  Hjalte Froholdt/Arkansas
 OG Nick Haynes/Kentucky
  C   Frank Ragnow/Arkansas

 DEFENSE
 DE Marcell Frazier/Missouri
 DE Marquis Haynes/Ole Miss
 DT Da'Ron Payne/Alabama
 DT Trenton Thompson/Georgia
 LB Arden Key/LSU
 LB Roquan Smith/Georgia
 LB Rashaan Evans/Alabama
 CB Donte Jackson/LSU
 CB Duke Dawson/Florida
  S   Minkah Fitzpatrick/Alabama
  S   Mike Edwards/Kentucky

 SPECIALISTS
  K Daniel Carlson/Auburn
  P  JK Scott/Alabama
KR Evan Berry/Tennessee
PR  Christian Kirk/Texas A&M

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME -- Alabama over Georgia
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Derrius Guice
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR --Arden Key/LSU
COACH OF THE YEAR -- Kirby Smart/Georgia
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR -- QB Jarrett Stidham/Auburn