MSU BLOG "For whom the bell Tolls" Ranks SEC Defenses...
1. Georgia - I think this defense has everything it takes to be great this year. They have 9 guys back from a stellar D last year including my pick for Defensive Player of the Year, Jarvis Jones. UGA has no weakness and they could have as many as six players on the 1st, 2nd & 3rd team all-SEC at the end of the year. I give them the nod over LSU because their weaker schedule will give them better stats. 2. LSU - I think this D is equal to Georgia, their stats just won't be as good. They return 6 starters but does it really matter when John Chavis has this much talent, including the Honey Badger, Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo. If I wanted to be nit-picky the weakest unit is linebacker. 3. Alabama - What's that sound? It's Bama reloading. Nico Johnson and C.J. Mosley anchor another amazing linebacking corp. The secondary will be gutted with the exception of Robert Lester - who is a great player. This isn't exactly the same situation as 2010 when they lost 9 players, but I do expect a dip from last year - but that was one of the greatest defenses of all time. 4. Florida - Will Muschamp has the defense to win big, but instead they'll probably be solely relied on to win anything. They have 10 returning starters and talent stacked across the board. Phil Steele ranks their D-line and LBs top 5 in the country, and DBs #8. I'm not that high on them but they will be good. The ultimate question may be: will they have enough to stave off opposing offenses if they are on the field the whole game. 5. Mississippi State - 7 returning starters but the four players that leave are sprinkled throughout the units. MSU always has a good defense, but now the quality depth may allow them to be even better. This group has the potential to be the best defense since 1999. 6. South Carolina - There's a lot of praise for the Gamecock D this preseason but they lose Ellis Johnson as D.C. and their secondary will lose Stephon Gilmore and Antonio Allen. Melvin Ingram is gone as well but there is a ton of talent on that line and the linebackers look even better than last year. 7. Auburn - We know Brian Van Georder is an excellent D.C., but how much of an impact will he have in his first year? The strength here is definitely the line, and there aren't any glaring weaknesses in the other units. Overall, the Tigers return 9 from last year's mediocre D. 8. Tennessee - The good news: 9 returning starters. The bad news: 0 returning coaches. They are switching to the 3-4. I might be way too high on this group but they do have a good bit of talent so I think they will do pretty good. 9. Arkansas - A new defensive coordinator and they lose Jerry Franklin, Jake Bequette and Jerico Nelson. Alonzo Highsmith will be back, however, with 5 other guys from an average SEC defense in 2011. 10. Vanderbilt - The 'Dores return 7 starters from a solid group last year, but they lose Chris Marve and Casey Hayward. Rob Lohr anchors what should be a good defensive line. The secondary will probably be the weak spot here. 11. Missouri - They only gave up 23.5 points per game in the offensive-heavy Big 12 last year and return 6 starters from that group. The will have to prove it though after losing 2 of their top 3 players. 12. Texas A&M - 6 returning starters off a mediocre defense going into a new conference with a new coaching staff. They lose 3 out of 4 on the secondary. 13. Mississippi - This is a tough call down here at the bottom but I'll give the nod to the Bears since they have 8 returning starters and 6 of their top 7 tacklers back. They've got some talent and should be better than the 32.1 points per game they gave up last year. 14. Kentucky - This group was okay last year, but they lose the two leading tacklers in the SEC and only return 5 starters. All the linebackers and cornerbacks are gone from last year.
"EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xalN65_1Chs#!
JOKER PHILLIPS REWARDS HIS PLAYERS THE FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE WITH ICE CREAM....
Bobby Petrino ESPN Apology Video
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8251166/bobby-petrino-fired-arkansas-razorbacks-coach-apologizes-interview-espn
The number of career starts for an offensive line unit is usually a very good indicator of success to come. Here's how the SEC stacks up. Tennessee 105 LSU 104 Alabama 95 Texas A&M 95 Florida 79 Missouri 68 Arkansas 65 South Carolina 60 Vanderbilt 61 Mississippi 57 Kentucky 50 Mississippi St 43 Auburn 35 Georgia 31
SEC RB Career Stats Rushing Yards Christine Michael, SR, Texas A&M: 2,374 Onterio McCalebb, SR, Auburn: 2,016 Marcus Lattimore, JR, South Carolina: 2,015 Zac Stacy, SR, Vanderbilt: 2,002 Henry Josey, JR, Missouri: 1,605 (injured) Knile Davis, JR, Arkansas: 1,485 Dennis Johnson, SR, Arkansas: 1,279 Kendial Lawrence, SR, Missouri: 1,207 Eddie Lacy, JR, Alabama: 1,080 Ronnie Wingo, SR, Arkansas: 1,030 Yards Per Carry Henry Josey: 7.3 Eddie Lacy: 7.2 Onterio McCalebb: 6.5 Knile Davis: 6.3 Dennis Johnson: 6.1 Christine Michael: 5.4 Zac Stacy: 5.4 Ronnie Wingo: 5.3 Marcus Lattimore: 4.9 Kendial Lawrence: 4.9 Touchdowns Marcus Lattimore: 27 Christine Michael: 22 Zac Stacy: 20 Onterio McCalebb: 18 Knile Davis: 17 Henry Josey: 14 Eddie Lacy: 13 Kendial Lawrence: 9 Ronnie Wingo: 7 Dennis Johnson: 5 Career Scoring Marcus Lattimore: 30 TDs, 180 pts Christine Michael: 23 TDs, 138 pts Onterio McCalebb: 22 TDs, 132 pts Zac Stacy: 20 TDs, 120 pts Knile Davis: 18 TDs, 108 pts Henry Josey: 14 TDs, 84 pts Ronnie Wingo: 14 TDs, 84 pts Eddie Lacy: 13 TDs, 78 pts Dennis Johnson: 10 TDs, 60 pts Kendial Lawrence: 9 TDs, 56 pts
Good walk on story about Vandy player that got a full scholarship
http://www.vucommodores.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/081012aac.html
Texas A&M putting Billboards up in Longhorn country.....
Ole Miss's first scrimmage looked bad for the QB's
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss first-year football coach Hugh Freeze probably would prefer to attend Sunday morning church services with a clear head.
Considering the Rebels' top two quarterbacks combined to throw four interceptions and just one touchdown pass in Ole Miss' first preseason scrimmage Saturday, none of Freeze's fellow church members would blink if he asks the Lord to give him a sign on who's going to be the starting QB.
Few things were learned in the 90-plus play scrimmage on the Rebels' practice field next to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, the most obvious that Freeze's players need every minute of each practice before the Sept. 1 season opener, especially quarterbacks Bo Wallace and Barry Brunetti.
According to unofficial scrimmage stats, Wallace, an All-American last season at East Mississippi Community College, completed 12 of 28 passes with two interceptions (both picks in his last five snaps day) and an 18-yard TD pass to Randall Mackey. Brunetti, a former MUS star, was 12 of 25 for 104 yards and two interceptions.
"We had two days where I felt good about them (Wallace and Brunetti) and today I didn't feel real good about either one of them," Freeze said after Saturday's open practice attended by a couple of hundred fans. "We started off bad and it took them awhile to get their composure."
It didn't help that receivers dropped several open passes. Or that the offensive line, confused by new defensive coordinator Dave Wommack's bottomless grab bag of blitzes, allowed eight sacks (six on Brunetti). Or that Wallace and Brunetti often made correct reads but woefully inaccurate throws.
"The way I played was unacceptable," said Brunetti, who was praised after Friday's practice by Freeze. "But I know from being here last year (after transferring from West Virginia) that preseason camp is a marathon, not a sprint. It's how you finish. I'm mature enough to watch film of the scrimmage, get better from it and put it behind me."
Wallace felt the same way. He was briefly in a slightly better passing rhythm than Brunetti, showing a throwing arm much stronger than it was earlier in the week.
"I was a little sore the first couple days, but I felt like I had more zip to my throws today (Saturday)," said Wallace, who gunned the majority of his completions into tight spots. "I've just got to be more consistent."
Despite the Rebels' offensive struggles, a result of a perfect storm swirling from of a lack of depth and inexperienced young talent trying to master Freeze's pedal-to-the-metal, no-huddle attack, there were some pleasant surprises.
Even without starting running back Jeff Scott, sitting out to recover from a blow to the head sustained at a midweek practice, some new faces shined: True freshmen running backs Jaylen Walton and I'Tavius Mathers each scored on 2-yard runs. Walton, who ran for 33 TDs last year in his senior season at Ridgeway, had 61 total yards (29 rushing on nine attempts, 32 receiving on three receptions). Mathers had a 39-yard run.
Wommack, who has 16 years as a defensive coordinator at six previous schools, was happy that his defense, with its varying looks and blitzes from its 4-2-5 alignment, created five turnovers Saturday.
Last season when Ole Miss went 2-10 overall and winless in conference play, the Rebels' defense averaged just one turnover caused per game in league play.
"We've gotten a lot of turnovers in camp, but we've got to continue that into the season," Wommack said.
bumper sticker depicting Saban spanking Les Miles
Possible Ole Miss Pro Combat jersey
Ole Miss Billboard
Chiznik early assesment of his team....
AUBURN, Alabama -- The quarterbacks felt more comfortable running the show in Auburn's second scrimmage of the fall Saturday, and Clint Moseley proved it with a long completion to Philip Lutzenkirchen, and Kiehl Frazier turned in a steady performance.