Thoughts on the SEC - Surprise!! Surprise!!

It’s SEC time as Stiles Points puts the spotlight on the best football conference in the country.....

East
1. South Carolina (10-2)- I’m going out on the limb and take a risk here....Steve Spurrier (photo) gets the Gamecocks into the SEC title game....he returns 7 starters on offense and 10 on a defense that gave up only 18.7 PPG.....LB Jasper Brinkley is a stud who anchors the defense....the running game should be just fine with Cory Boyd and Mike Davis returning....the key to this team is at QB.....Blake Mitchell needs to mature and become more consistent....at one point last season he lost his starting spot to Syvelle Newton, only to regain it later in the year....USC has two good young QB’s in Chris Smelley and freshman Stephen Garcia....remember, USC lost many close games last year - by 7 to Auburn; by 7 to Tennessee; by 6 to Arkansas; by 1 at Florida....this year The Ole Ball Coach will win those games...

2. Georgia (9-3) - I make this pick with a lot of hesitation because the Bulldogs return only 4 starters on defense....if the defense does not mature as the season goes along, they could end up at 8-4....Matthew Stafford begins his second year as the quarterback and he needs to elevate his game....last season he threw seven TD’s and 13 INTs.....the Dogs do have the conference’s best kicker in Brandon Coutu....one thing for certain - Georgia will beat Florida this year....

3. Tennessee (9-3) - last season was looking so promising for the Vols until QB Erik Ainge got hurt....Jonathan Hefney will lead the seconardy and is a demon on punt returns....remember the name of freshman CB Eric Berry - he is supposed to be the real deal....the Vols will be alright as long as Ainge stays healthy and David Cutcliffe is calling the plays....

4. Florida (9-3) - many preview magazines have the Gators ranked as high as number 3....I just do not see that happening, especially when a team returns 6 starters on offense and only 2 on defense....that’s right - only 2 starters return from the defense that laid out almighty Ohio State....Derek Harvey is the leader on defense....the offense is led by QB Tim Tebow, WR, Percy Harvin, and OT Phil Trautwein....the Gators hit the motherload during recruiting season last year....but the fact is that these kids will take at least a year to get game ready....watch out next season though!!!!....

5. Kentucky (5-7) - the Cats have the best quarterback in the SEC - Andre Woodson (photo)....the 6'5" senior is projected to be an NFL first round draft pick...he threw 31 TD's last season and only 7 interceptions....his favorite target is Keenan Burton....the defense returns 8 starters....Kentucky finished with an 8-5 mark and a bowl win over Clemson last season....but, that defense gave up 28.4 PPG last season....if they don’t improve on that mark, I could see the Wildcats dropping out of the bowl picture again this season even with Woodson as the QB....

6. Vanderbilt (4-8) - this may be the best 4-8 team in the country....WR Earl Bennett is a legit star receiver and elusive QB Chris Nickson can run and throw....the offense returns 10 starters while the defense brings back 8....the Commodores may be at the bottom of the SEC, but they would beat many mid-level teams in other conferences.....I like this team, but they are stuck in the SEC....

West
1. Alabama (9-3) - the Tide will win the West even though LSU will have a better overall record....I could see Bama starting off 5-2 with losses to Florida State and Arkansas....but in their last five games, they could easily close 4-1....I look for LSU to come into Tuscaloosa with a perfect mark and Alabama to beat them....also, the Tide is due to beat Auburn....Alabama returns 9 players on offense and have a favorable schedule as Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, and LSU are all at home....

2. LSU (10-2) - the Tigers are loaded - on defense that is.....defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey (photo) is one of the best college players in the country and he will be the catalyst for a lockdown defense that returns 8 starters....joining Dorsey on defense are DL Tyson Jackson and LB Ali Highsmith....the only reason I have a difficult time in picking LSU to win the conference is that they lost their starting QB and two stud wide receivers from an 11-2 team....the Tigers may have the best offensive line in the SEC with Herman Johnson and Will Arnold, but I am hesitant to go with them because of the loss at the skill positions even though Early Doucet returns at wide receiver....the September 8th home game against Va. Tech may be one of the best match-ups all year....

3. Arkansas (9-3) - the preview magazines predict that head coach Houston Nutt may be gone after this season.....one thing for certain, Heisman frontrunner Darren McFadden will be gone after his junior year - according to his mama.....I love this team because of not only McFadden, but also because of running mate Felix Jones....these two are the best tandem backs in the country and they will single handily win at least two games for the Hogs....

4. Auburn (7-5) - the Plainsmen (aka Tigers) return only 5 players on offense....that is why I think this will be a bit of a down year for Tommy Tuberville....Auburn will still have a stellar defense from a team that held opponents to 13.9 PPG last year.....the last time Auburn’s opponents averaged over 20 PPG was back in 2001....Quentin Groves is a stud at DE....look out for fresman OT Lee Ziemba who was highly touted as a high school player....don’t feel bad for the Tigers though, this is only going to be a 1 year drought....they will be back with the elite next season....

5. Mississippi State (4-8) - the Bulldogs return 9 players on offense – an offense that averaged only 18.4 PPG last year....the best player on the team is FS Derek Pegues.....Sylvester Croom is 9-25 in his three years in Starkville....another horrible season will probably mean a change at the helm.....

6. Ole Miss (4-8) - like their cross-state rival, Ole Miss returns 9 starters on offense – from an offense that averaged only 15.7 PPG last year.....the Rebels do have a solid running back in Benjarvus Green-Ellis....OT Michael Oher is another all-conference stud....four years ago, the Rebels were averaging 34 PPG....that number dropped with the graduation of Eli Manning and the firing of David Cutcliffe to a feeble 15.7 last season....


Upset Alert
September 8 - S. Florida @ Auburn - the Bulls are one of the best sleeper teams in the country....when this game was scheduled, no one thought S. Florida would be this good...
October 13 - LSU @ Kentucky - the Wildcats are sandwiched in between Florida and Auburn.....watch this game!!...
October 13 - Georgia @ Vanderbilt - the Commodores beat Georgia last season 24-22...
November 24 - Tennessee @ Kentucky - the last home game for Andre Woodson....


Best Players
South Carolina - Jasper Brinkley, lb; Ryan Succop, p/k; Cory Boyd, rb; Eric Norwood, de
Georgia - Paul Oliver, cb; Brandon Coutu, k; Mohamed Massaquoi, wr
Tennessee - Jonathan Hefney, s; Britton Colquitt, p; Eric Young, ot; Erik Ainge, qb
Florida - Percy Harvin, wr; Tim Tebow, qb; Derrick Harvey, dl; Phil Trautwein, ot
Kentucky - Andre Woodson, qb; Keenan Burton, wr; Wesley Woodyard, lb
Vanderbilt - Earl Bennett, wr; Jonathan Goff, lb
Alabama - Andre Smith, ot; Antoine Caldwell, c; D.J. Hall, wr
LSU - Glenn Dorsey, dt; Early Doucet, wr; Tyson Jackson, dl; Ali Highsmith, lb; Will Arnold, og
Arkansas - Darren McFadden, rb; Felix Jones, rb; Marcus Monk, wr; Jonathan Luigs, c; Robert Felton, og
Auburn - Quentin Groves, dl; King Dunlap, ot; Brandon Cox, qb
Mississippi State - Derek Pegues, s; Titus Brown, dl
Ole Miss - BenJarvus Green-Ellis, rb; Michael Oher, ot


Best coach - Tommy Tuberville, Auburn (photo) - Urban Meyer is the hot name in the conference, but T2 is the most consistent....
Best quarterback - Andre Woodson, Kentucky - it is hard to ignore a 6'5" quarterback who threw 31 touchdown passes and only 7 interceptions....
Best offensive player - Darren McFadden, Arkansas - this guy may bring the first Heisman to the Razorback state...
Best defensive player - Glenn Dorsey, LSU - this is a man playing with young men....he will be a top 10, if not higher, draft pick.....


Overview - there will be some changes in the SEC this year.....the Gators lost too many star players from the BCS title team.....but they replaced all those players with a great freshman crop....Florida may run the table next season.....LSU has the best defense and offensive line in the SEC, but they lost too many skill players.....these issues with Florida and LSU will allow teams like South Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas to pounce on the opportunity.....Spurrier has his best team at South Carolina -- they are set on offense and defense - if only QB Blake Mitchell can "manage the game" and not make stupid mistakes....some may laugh at my pick of Alabama to win the West, but Nick Saban has a favorable schedule and a track record of making average college teams better....in the end, look for South Carolina to beat Alabama in the title game...