Does not seem all that long ago that the title game settled the issue for the 2017 season. Well, sort of. No matter what the system nothing will ever please everyone. But Alabama took down Georgia in overtime 26-23 to win another title. Personally I had a triple on the Bulldogs +4.5 so it worked out fine for yours truly. I am a Bama fan. Not a fair weather one, been one since Bear was patrolling the sidelines. I remember well watching the selection show and when it was announced there would be an all SEC title game I turned to my buddies and said watch all hell break out now. The SEC is one of those conferences people seem to either love or hate. There does not seem to be many folks on the fence. I remember how painful some years were for the Tide during the Mike Shula days. Kind of like as a Packer fan during the Forrest Gregg coach era or Lindy Infante. Had some good days, but nothing sniffing real success. Anyway, here we are already looking at another season that will be kicking off soon. This is simply some of my own personal thoughts and observations as we get into things. These days with all the media coverage and now Sirius radio on top of that there is no shortage of coverage. Thankfully I am blessed with a wife who gets it. She is subjected to it non stop. Not only in the residence but in the car as I flip from sports channel to sports channel. I am not going to make this out to be anything more than what it is. My own random (very) thoughts regarding the league as the clock ticks towards kick off. This will not be a Phil Steele type breakdown of each team down to the 3rd string place kicker. This season, like past seasons, I will provide a weekly post giving my impressions of the league and reviews of the teams past weekends performance and a peek ahead at the upcoming weekend. This post simply is sort of a kick off to that series of posts. People familiar with my past posts know this but the site always has new folks coming around so I will state again I have no axe to grind here. For full disclosure I am a Missouri Tiger fan and Alabama fan. Have been a Tiger fan simply because I was born and raised into it. I was born and raised in mid Missouri. Never had a lot of choice there. As a kid though I respected Bear Bryant a lot. Thus the draw to the Tide. Very similar to my becoming a Packers fan when Lombardi was still around. Anyway, here we go.
SEC East.
First of all, as good as the SEC is in general and stellar the rep is throughout at least most the nation even the most die hard supporter of SEC football should acknowledge that with the exception of the Georgia Bulldogs the division sucked donkey balls last season. Trying to put it kindly. I remember last season when Vanderbilt had won there first three games and were fresh off a nationally televised win over Kansas State. I told some buddies Vandy was about to get hit over the head with a reality check similar to a sledgehammer over the head. End result was the Tide blowing through town like a tornado blowing out the Commodores 59-0. That was the start of a five game losing streak for Vandy. Bottom line is the east was mostly a dumpster fire last season.
1. Georgia.
What a shock. Almost by default I will go with the Bulldogs to once again rule the east. Yes, no state secret the Bulldogs have some big names to replace including one of the best RB tandems in recent college history. Georgia has the depth to reload as Smart is well into his mission to make Georgia a clone as much as possible to Bama. Make no mistake about it, Justin Fields would be starting under center for most programs but for the start of the season the position should be safely in the hands of Jake Fromm. As a FRESHMAN Jake hit on 62% of his passes for a total of over 2,600 yards and 24 touchdowns. Luxury having a guy like Fields to step into action if Fromm stumbles or gets hurt. Bottom line is this team is still loaded to the gills. For what it is worth they open up against Austin Peay and with South Carolina on deck take a hard look at the dogs here. This will be a glorified scrimmage for the Bulldogs.
2. South Carolina
Will Muschamp is another year into his program building in Columbia and I expect a solid season from an improved Gamecock club. I suspect this team is better than most realize. At times last season the offense could be hard on the eyes to watch. I expect better this time around. No Muschamp team will ever be mistaken for an Oregon Ducks type offensive attack but frankly that is not on their agenda. They will defend. Mark my word. I do have some concerns about the offensive line because if you are not stellar there you will have issues, serious ones, come league play when you get into the meat of the conference schedule. Missouri learned that lesson painfully a couple of years ago when their line was tossed around the field like rag dolls many games in conference action. One thing that is big for this SC club is they have a legit shot for a fast breakaway to the season. They have the gimme in the first game but then square off against Georgia at home. If ever there was a shot for the upset this might be it. They are catching the Bulldogs at home early on. But even win or lose, after that game they have winnable games against Marshall and Vanderbilt on deck. That season finale at Clemson could be bigger than anyone suspects as we sit here in mid summer.
3. Florida
I honestly looked real hard here between the Gators and Mizzou for this slot. I will give the edge to the Gators by the thinnest of margins. Primarily because although the Gators are the stronger over club the Tigers hold the distinct edge under center with Drew Lock. I think Dan Mullen will bring a much needed breath of fresh air to that program. Football needs to be fun again in the swamp. The league is more fun and better when the games at Florida in the swamp are a treacherous venture for anyone, including the Tide. The Gators will defend, athletic and without any question the strength of the team. The defense will keep them competitive every week, anywhere they kick it off. As for the offense whether it is Franks to Trask under center I expect an improved offense but nothing special enough to be seriously considered in conversation centered on division title hopes. The start of the schedule shapes up nicely and we could see a real interesting showdown when Mullen takes his Gators to Starkville on September 29th to meet the Bulldogs.
4. Missouri
Geez, I honestly could spend the next few hours talking about Mizzou. I've gotten my hands on a lot of information and time will tell how relevant it plays out to be. A program I can honestly say I have a legit pipeline of good information on. Last season I knew this team was going to come out of the starting gate with all the momentum of a Budweiser Clydesdale. One of the slower Clydesdales at that. Made us some nice dough early on. They beat up a BAD Missouri State team in the opener but then had to play South Carolina the following week. They got smoked at home. The following week everyone was pointing at the big bounce back game against Purdue as the Boilermakers came to town. I was not buying it, confidence in that locker room was low. (Being kind). Purdue came into town and smoked Mizzou to the tune of 35-2. AT HOME. Things were bottoming out and the native were restless. The next game featured Auburn coming to town. The Tiger faithful did the whole line in the sand thing. SURELY Ol Mizzou would rise up at home for a televised Saturday night game against Auburn. I was not buying it. Made the Auburn Tigers my SEC game of the year and they smoked Ol Mizzou 51-14. Yes, I am a Tiger fan. But business is business. Now, here is where it started to get interesting. And FULL credit and props to HC Barry Odom. Not so much his staff, to Odom himself. Trust me on that. The downtrodden Tigers had to take to the road the next week to play Kentucky and they could have folded like a cheap lawn chair. Expectations were non existent. Yes, they lost but they kept fighting back. Went down to the Wildcats 40-34. With a trip to Athens the following week against Georgia there was no hope for anything, seemed like showing up on time for an ass beating would be the highlight of the night. Yes, the lost 53-28 but they competed. Odom and his kids had not let go of that rope yet. Those of you who have actually played at least high school football know what I mean. Once that collective grasp of that rope is gone there is no recovering it. Although nobody outside that locker room and practice field believed or in some cases, cared, the team and head coach still clung to belief in one another. Clearly there was some pride still flowing through some veins. They caught a break with the schedule easing up and Odom convinced his kids to rally for one season changing charge. And the team responded. They won six straight games to salvage pride and the season and actually make a bowl. Now, looking at this season I see a better team hitting the field but it is possible the final record won't reflect that. No worries under center with Lock back. As for the tools, he has them all. I still question his decision making at times. But he is still growing as a QB and he knows he needs a big season to secure his position as a top QB prospect coming out in the draft. Drew knows the stakes, believe me. Drew has the advantage of one of those good football dads. His dad Andy is a former Tiger and knows the game and the mental parts. He is the polar opposite of LaVar Ball. Andy gets it. I'll just leave it at that. The offense will gear it down some this season, nothing too dramatic but with new OC Dooley in town he will not have the offense running at hyper drive all the time. Frankly I am taking a real wait and see attitude with the defense. I go watch a lot of practices and the last few years there has been one glaring weakness they cannot seem to get a handle on, poor tacking in the secondary. I have not seen a secondary coach here since Jon Hoke who seemed to get his kids tackling like a tier one unit. It is a tough schedule looking at them. I am interested in seeing how they fare in the rematch with Purdue up at their place. They owe some serious pay back and they would relish dishing it out on the Boilermakers home field like they did here in Columbia last fall. I see a similar season to last year. Getting a bowl bid but never challenging for the division title.
5. Tennessee
Now we get to the Vols. Tennessee has some of the most loyal fans around. Expectation levels are always seemingly a little (or very) high for what the actual club can produce on the field. I will give deserved props to them for scheduling West Virginia to kick off the season. Of course we all know the schedules are set well in advance. Not so sure they like having the Mountainners in tap to kick off things this season now. Jeremy Pruitt is a good coach, more than capable of turning this ship around. He has some legit talent to build around. The defense and most notably the linebackers are good. Always a nice foundation to build on in the SEC. But I have real reservations about the offense. Going to have to see some results. Frankly I am skeptical the Vols will satisfy the fan base that has little patience and as I mentioned up front, high hopes and expectations. Pruitt will make some strides but not sure it will translate into immediate results in the all important win and loss record his first season. If the defense can stay healthy and the offense can make strides good things can happen.
6. Kentucky
Despite showing some flashes this is a basketball school and always will be in my lifetime. They have a good running game with Snell and an above average offensive line. The defense has some legit studs, some with sunday talent most notably CB Mike Edwards and linebacker Josh Allen who could be starters about anywhere, and I do mean anywhere. But I have concerns about the Cats mounting enough sustained drives to help the defense not get gassed. The defensive line is not one of the better groups in the league. Bottom line is I see a long season for the Wildcats. They open with Central Michigan and that could be a tone setter.
7. Vanderbilt
Like I said at the outset, expectations got all out of whack last year when the Commodores beat Kansas State at home that Saturday night. A K-State team that was down from years prior by the way. A lot of brave talk came out as they prepared for another prime time battle against King Kong, Yeah, Bama. I laid a big number with the Tide because I had a strong feeling it was going to be like clubbing baby seals. Well, it was. There are losses and then there are reality check ass kickings. Vandy walked off the field knowing that night they had just been taken to the wood shed and knowing the real difference and miles to go between them and the heavyweights. That game sent them into a downward spiral. In another league this would be a team with a better perception. Searching hard for kind words. Somebody has to be in the basement. Vandy just does not have enough players on either side of the ball to be a real player in the league. Some fine individual players with some upside, Kyle Shurmur at the top of the list. Maybe they can upset Notre Dame in week three. Just kidding.
Okay, that will do it for the east. I will be back, likely tomorrow with the look at the west, or the heavyweight division. During the season I will do the weekly breakdown.
On the business end the Early Bird College football package offer is now up and published. You can get every release made the entire season at one reduced price. Every college & NFL game through the college title game and super bowl. The whole deal at one reduced rate. It is the most popular package published by Pregame annually. Plus it is my understanding you get as an added bonus four GOY releases you can cherry pick from the various pro's. How long the early bird packages are available is at the discretion of the home office. I've been asked and we honestly do not know for certain. But the Early Bird package are indeed now up.
Okay, back to work. Take care fellas. Enjoy the break. Take your loved one to a movie. Get reacquainted, lol.