Yesterday I took a look at the east. Today I am going to throw out some thoughts and observations regarding the other side. The wild west where the king of the mountain when it comes to SEC football resides, Bama. I am a Missouri guy, always will be. Just raised that way. But I have also been a fan of Alabama football since I was a pup. I still wear a Alabama cap as much as I do the Mizzou one and that causes some issues at times around town but so be it. I was a fan of the Tide clear back when the Bear was stalking the sidelines. I am no fair weather fan, I was in the lean times as well, (Shula). But, I will take an objective look at each team from my own point of view. Once again I want to stress I am not trying to step on any toes here. When Mizzou sucks, well I state that. Just one man's opinion here. I will take the teams now in the order I predict they will finish. Here we go.
ALABAMA: Yes, I am picking the Tide to win the west again. Nick Saban is the best coach in the game today in my view and arguably the best college football coach ever. Bold statement but I do believe it. Hard to argue with the results. He has created a college football dynasty. A machine. Even those who loathe Bama must acknowledge that they are very, very good. Year after year under the direction of Saban. A lot of folks who take shots at Saban would trade their left nut to have him coaching their program. Maybe both of them. Major props to Clemson for taking them down in the title game last year. Well deserved props. And now we have the Tide taking the field this season having lost ten players to the league. What a shock, lol. They manufacture NFL football players at Bama. And they replace them like parts in a factory. Saban does not have to recruit as hard as some, he can pick and choose the blue chippers. Not to say he and his staff don't work it, but lets just say they have a leg up on the competition. When a kid gets a call from Bama, his listens. The thought of Jalen Hurts now with a full years experience under his belt is scary. No, he is not perfect. He has all the tools of the mobile QB but his passing accuracy could stand some improvement. There were times last season, more than should have been, when Hurts did miss some wide open guys with some errant throws. I am sure he has been working on that and although he won't be mistaken for a Rodgers or Tom Brady at winging it I am confident he will be improved. And that is a scary proposition for opponents. Of course there is a new OC in town with Brian Daboll taking over for Kiffin. No secret his first option will be Calvin Ridley who certainly will be playing on sundays. Ridley will get a lot of attention from defenses. But being the Tide they have recruited others that have been biding their time and their names will be common soon. You will be seeing a lot of Robert Foster and Cam Sims. Of course they will miss Howard at tight end but not to worry. Miller Forristall is a more than capable guy to step into the position. Highly recruited kid that Georgia let get away to the enemy. Ouch. At running back take your pick of the poison to kill you with juniors Damien Harris or Bo Scarbrough. Oh and yes, Hurts will tuck it and scoot as well. As usual the offensive line is big, quick and athletic. And what is scary down the road is only starting center Bradley Bozeman is a senior. He is a big homegrown 320 pound stud. I am curious to see how the defense comes out in the huge opener against Florida State. I was talking about just basically plugging in new parts and that will need to be the case as the defense lost some big time players. Nothing for Bama fans to lose any sleep over though. Seven of the starters are now in the NFL, just think about that. Kind of scary. I like junior nose tackle DaRon Payne a ton. Another home grown kid from Birmingham he will be a force in the trenches, to say the least. And he won't be alone. The senior linebacker Hamilton is coming off an ACL procedure so his coming back sound is pretty huge. I hope he does because I think he also has a future with a lot of $$$ in it. Love the secondary, as usual. There is no weak link on the back end. Just leave it at that. Now, the one thing that has always been a bit of a head scratcher for yours truly is how Bama can struggle at times, well often, with place kicking. You would think Saban would have to pick of the cream of the crop with kickers around the country but it seems to be a weaker link with many of his teams. No problem with the punting game with veteran Scott back. The place kicking will come down to a couple of kids vying for it. One being a true freshman. The bottom line is not complicated here. This will be yet another very, very strong Alabama football team that should progress as the season does. How the defense jells is key. Not too concerned. Interesting that they open with a opponent like the Seminoles. Keep in mind there are no preseason games like the NFL. They take the field and start firing live ammunition right out of the gate. Last year the Tide opened up with a powerful program in USC and they blew them off the field. Florida State has their own questions making this must see football for college football fans. A loss won't knock the loser out of the national hunt but won't help while a win would be a tremendous spring board to build on.
AUBURN: Now we get to Auburn. Depending on who you listen to this Tigers team will either push Bama for the division or be more like the club last year that went 8-5 when all was said and done. There are even some who say if Gus Malzahn has another year short of expectations he could be on the hot seat. Thus the pressure of coaching in the SEC west and dealing with the Tide year after year. I think Auburn will be very good. Very good. Do I think they will unseat the Tide, no. I will have to see it. But, this is a well coached and extremely talented team. Not kissing ass, I really respect them. Of course there is the interesting angle of Chip Lindsay coming over from Arizona State. I can't quite get my brain around what it must be like being an OC under Malzahn who seems like a pretty ****, hands on guy when it comes to his offense. And with Gus feeling at least a little heat, well I'd want to see the interaction on game day when things are tight against a good team in a close game. Will Gus let Lindsay do his job or will be interject. Sometimes there can be some friction develop. I remember when my friend Larry Smith was coaching at Mizzou and he would have some testy exchanges with his OC. Jerry Berndt was a very capable coordinator and one of the most patient men I've ever met. But fans don't always realize the intensity of some of these exchanges. Lindsay is stepping into a tough spot, imo. Of course how Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham steps in and takes in the system is beyond crucial. Lindsay is prone to letting his quarterbacks chuck it around and he comes from a air it out culture in Waco but with running backs like Pettway and Johnson I think he had better learn to lean on his ground attack. I see a good offensive line. Not one of the best in the nation but certainly upper tier. Among the wide outs I like Kyle Davis a lot, same for Ryan Davis, a fast kid with good hands recruited out of florida. Nobody that jumps off the screen at you like a Ridley at Bama but a good group and they do have a guy who can deliver the package. Offense has the potential to be very good. But like I said, I want to see how it goes with the head man and Lindsay. That second game against Clemson will tell us a lot. I want to see this group up against that Clemson defense. The defense was better than most realized last season. They only allowed 17 points per game. They lost some key guys but are getting back six of the top seven tacklers from that unit. The linebackers are top shelf, all across. I like one kid in the back end particularly in Tray Matthews. He is a senior who is a smart, steady presence in the secondary. From what I saw last year watching the Tigers secondary they could tackle better. They seemed okay in run support but in the open field they often seemed to allow to may yards after the catch. But once again, all in all, a stout SEC defense that will be very good and give Clemson and their new young QB all they can handle in week two. One HUGE aspect is they get Alabama at home this year so expect a knock down drag out alley brawl in that one. IF they can prevail in that one maybe a division title could be at hand. Just so hard to say with the death march that schedule shapes up to be. They play at Mizzou on september 23rd so I am looking forward to that, sort of. Of course we are hoping the week before that mighty Mercer beats them up some, lol.
LSU: This is no slight to the Tigers slotting them in here at the third position. Things certainly set up for a fast start for LSU, They open at home at night, and we know how crazy that scene will be, against BYU. Providing they navigate through that game it is entirely feasible they could be undefeated when they go to play the Gators on October 7th. Obviously a lot has to fall in place but it is possible. They made a good move bringing in Matt Canada to handle the offense. His past record with offenses is beyond reproach. Danny Etling is a sold QB who should be a steady hand under center. Much of the success with this team lies with how the offense progresses. Seems to be a lot of that going around. I don't generally rave much about centers but the Tigers have a bona fide stud in Will Clapp. He had some shoulder issues but if he returns sound he should make the move to center and be a standout. He could start just about anywhere in the nation. They lost a lot of options for Etling to throw to. That's not good. And frankly I don't know a lot about most these guys stepping up. I know senior wide out DJ Chark will have his opportunity to be a go to guy. I know a lot of folks down there are high on sophmore Drake Davis who happens to be a Baton Rouge product. No pressure there kid, lol. Another Baton Rouge kid is not going to be a concern carrying the mail. Derrius Guice steps in to be the man. I liked what I saw with him last year when he was playing in place of Fournette. I have little concern for the ground game but so much of the success on this end just lies in the end with how the air game comes around. If they cannot make defenses respect the air game they will struggle. On defense the LSU Tigers are very, very good. They lost a lot but not shocking, they have some legit guys ready to plug into the system. Senior defensive lineman Christian LaCouture is a stand out. How Nebraska let this kid get out of Lincoln is beyond me. Junior Arden Key is like a heat seeking missle. Junior corner Donte Jackson could be one of the best corners in the conference. Safety Ed Paris from Texas is one of the most underrated guys at his position in the conference. The bottom line here with LSU is I see a team capable if things break right of wreaking some havoc as they are capable of beating most anyone at anytime. The offense is just too much of a question mark for me to rate them higher than 3 right now. In this division that is no slight. Etling will have to be on top of his game but he is a smart kid who won't make many dumb decisions. I just want to see who steps up as primary receivers. Like I said, they have a opportunity to be off to a fast start but once they play at Florida in october things start to get real, real fast. Huge game november 4th at the Tide. BUT, they will have a couple of weeks off to get their game plan in place for it. It will be a good season for LSU guys. Good enough? Guess that depends on where you reside.
ARKANSAS: Oh the hogs. Last year I cussed this team like a sailor on a weekend binge. I was in hawaii with the Mrs and I had the Hogs against Missouri and they blew a nice lead and the game to a Tiger team that had been looking inept. Since the Missouri Tigers vacated the Big 12 and moved to the SEC the rivalry against Kansas has been missed, terribly. The PR departments at Mizzou and Arkansas are doing their best to create a big border war type thing but it has yet to really take. Things like that cannot be fabricated. It did help the cause some when Mike Anderson left for Arkansas. But the rivalry has no hate yet, cannot have a legit rivalry without hate. When you grew up in mid missouri you were taught to say three things as a toddler, Mama, daddy and Kansas sucks. But okay, I digress. You try and type all this up without rambling off course at times. It's not easy. Okay, the Hogs. I DO respect the game of QB Austin Allen a lot. Actually I think he is one of the more underrated guys in the land. But, with that being said he has lost a lot of weapons. Senior Jared Cornelius is legit but after him it gets just a little sketchy. Junior Kendrick Jackson seems to be the other most dangerous option for Allen. But of course when you talk about Arkansas football lately the first thing that comes to most folks minds that actually follow this stuff is big, mean, fast and nasty offensive lineman who live to pancake guys. Arkansas recruits offensive linemen very effectively. Not sure the secret, maybe a big night with a buffet and broads. Who knows. I was kind of stunned when I heard Mizzou shut down their running game as the thing progressed. But I fully expect the ground game to be a legit weapon. Hope so, that's Arkansas football. Whaley and Williams are a very solid tandem at running back. They had better be. On the defensive side it is my opinion they made a brilliant move bringing in former Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads. This guy can coach. He miked about all he could out of football life in Ames. Tough place to win on a consistent level. He moves in as the DC. Last season good teams could run the ball on the Hogs and they did not generate nearly enough of a pass rush. Not a good combination. I think they only had around twenty five sacks the entire season and that is kind of woeful for an SEC defense. They have some games early on against some teams that do like to wing it so they had better get it fixed or at least show marked improvement or it could be a rocky start. They have a kid from St Louis named Armon Watts who has the skill set if they can get the governor off his engine. I know that Missouri had their eyes on him and give the Tigers credit. They have recruited some outstanding defensive ends the past several years. If Watts steps up that will be huge. Another thing that drove many bettors crazy watching this Arkansas team last year was their inability to get the opposition off the field too many times on third down. That can make you sick. That has to improve. I mentioned Watts but I also have to bring up sophmore defensive lineman McTelvin Agim. Everybody I talk to down there about this team raves about this kids upside. If both he and Watts turn it on it will make all the difference for this unit. They have several key games along the way but one I might be at is the final one on November when they host Missouri. Could be a pivotal game for both teams in terms of a bow, let's hope. But after that melt down in Columbia last fall I kind of expect a game where Arkansas just might throttle ol Mizzou.
TEXAS A&M: First of all I respect and like Kevin Sumlin. You cannot coach under a guy like Bob Stoops for five years and not pick up a lot of knowledge about coaching, recruiting and well, leading a program. Say what you will about Stoops but the man could coach and had the record to back it up. With all that being said Sumlin has a lot of eyes down in College Station on him this season. He needs a good year. Does not open up easily either with the road game out in Los Angeles against UCLA and Rosen. The QB spot seems to not be a sealed deal from what I hear. Senior Jake Habenak has the inside track but not a lot of rope. Be nice if that spot was settled by opening kickoff against the Bruins but not so certain that will be the case. Running game is in more than capable hands with Williiams and Ford. But other than Junior Christian Kirk I am not sure who will be stepping up. Word is there is no shortage of capable guys. Ausbon is getting a lot of love but the stubborn fact is he is a true freshman. So with a frankly unsteady spot under center and some legit question marks at wide out I am going to have to wait and see. For Sumlin's sake I hope it all comes together sooner rather than too later. I personally think when you think about SEC football and the salty defenses the Aggies come up short. I am not impressed with the defense and Chavis has his work cut out for him. Teams were able to run almost at will on the Aggies last season as they gave up over 200 yards on the ground a half dozen times. I just have a real tough time respecting defenses that cannot stuff the run, at least occasionally. That is why I have such issues with the Big 12 in general for the most part. But that is another story for another day. I try to never place too much emphasis on opening games but I am really curious to see how Sumlin's team does in that opener out west. That would be a huge win to get things off to a positive start. The next two games are Nicholls State and Louisiana Lafayette at home so either way they should take care of business there unless they just barf it up. They do catch Bama at home with the 12th man and all that but the last two games which could be really large for this program are both on the road against Ole Miss and then LSU. Who knows what the Reb's will be at that point but at LSU won't be much fun. Like I said, I like Sumlin and I do sincerely wish him the best. But I am not overly optimistic. Just saying.
MISSISSIPPI STATE: I like Nick Fitzgerald, a lot. Not much not to like. If he can get a little more sharp with the passing game he is a special one. Lot of other teams would love to have him. Yes, there is life after Dak Prescott after all. Not sure there is any one player in the conference more vital to their teams success than this guy. He just needs help, I am sure Prescott could have a long talk with him about going through that. On defense the secondary just has to be better. Sometimes you just have to speak plainly. It was painful watching them much of the time last season. I like teams that defend and so I was not exactly enthralled with his Bulldogs defense last fall. I am not that high on the Bulldogs obviously and I think even with some softies on the schedule they will struggle to get to six wins. Their last two games are at home so that will help, Arkansas and Ole Miss. The fans in Starkville are great and I hope this club over achieves. But in the west and even with Fitzgerald it's going to be tough sledding.
MISSISSIPPI: I am not making many friends with this post in Mississippi. This team should take the field in the opening weekend with a huge question mark on their uniforms. I am not going to BS you. I can see this team going either way. They can pull together and do the us against the world thing and have success or things could do south on them and make for a long season. Great fans with a proud program, I hope they come up big. I am not going to beat up on Hugh Freeze. Evidently used some poor judgement and is dealing with the consequences. If a guy can truly recruit and coach he will land back on his feet after some time passes. Time tends to heal at least most wounds. Look at Bobby Petrino. Case closed. To me, Ole Miss needs to effectively drive the ball and actually balance out the clock and not let their defense stay on the field so much. Had that same issue in spades here at Mizzou. Even the great defenses will wear down and I don't think the Reb's defense is great to begin with. I DO like the young sophmore QB Shea Patterson, the kid can wing it. If they can give him some support with a legit ground game he can be a winning quarterback. I don't think they will miss Kelly under center as much as some seem to. So many guesses with the head games and all the off the field crap these kids had to contend with. Impossible for anyone to honestly know how these kids will respond. IMPOSSIBLE. I assure you even the staff are wondering. They do open with South Alabama and Tennessee Martin at home so that should work out okay. Should I say. Then they head west and butt heads with the Cal Bears and that is a winnable game. We'll see. Feels weird to be so skeptical about a team that was regarded as one of the best in the land such a short time ago. I remember one NFL scout raving about all the NFL caliber players the Reb's had. I hope these kids come out and attack this season with the right attitude. They can certainly foul some things up for the opponents along the way and have some fun if they do.
Okay, that is it for this edition. I will be back with a look at the Big 12. Also as time allows I will continue my look at some NFL teams. I love football, love it. I am as anxious as you guys to get this thing off and rolling. On the business end I am passing on the NFL game tonight. I passed also on the hall of fame game. I'm pretty stubborn about picking my spots with these games. I do have a rare NFL Triple going thursday night and it is up and loaded. Went 8-2 picking my spots with them last season. I also have some other football featured releases up and loaded with both pro and college. I do want to sincerely thank those who have come on board and taken advantage of the Pregame Early Bird football offer. Lot's of repeat clients for football again and that is also gratifying. Important thing to remember is these Early Bird football rates are grandfathered in. Brilliant move by RJ and Tom.
Okay, back to work. Thanks and best of luck with your action guys.