SEC Thoughts through 5 Weeks: Lame Penalties, Lame Tebow, and Coach Lame Kiffin

5 weeks are done, and it’s gone by too fast.  You knew it would.  Good things always do.  What’s surprised us so far?

1) Who needs a Tuberville?  Auburn is just fine thank you very much.  Gene Chizik could very easily hold a press conference and demand apologies to the fans who doubted him, but he’d best be careful to take too much credit.  Though he is the one who brough Guz Malzahn, offensive extraordinaire over to the plains.  Before putting up 26 Saturday night, the Tigers were running up 45+ on opponents.  Let’s see how the Auburn D handles surprising offensive powerhouse Arkansas this weekend. 

2) The Florida-LSU tilt this weekend could very well be a SEC Championship preview, though I still see Bama getting there over LSU.  I had all but a few nails hammered into the LSU coffin after seeing them escape with a W against Miss St a few weeks back, but they showed serious balls pulling out a win between the Athens hedges Saturday.  Biggest question of course surrounding this weekend’s game is whether or not Tebow will play after this hit against Kentucky 

If Tebow does play, I can see Florida winning big.  That said, the UF offense still hasn’t quite looked like itself this year.  LSU’s got a defensive coordinator who knows how to at least contain Florida, and if the Gators can’t get things going early, this could be their first loss of the year.  One thing’s for sure: should Tebow play, look for LSU to be after him like Gator fans get after a big sale on jean shorts.

3) Celebration penalties are going too far as evidenced by the UGa-LSU game this past Saturday.    It’s time to give up on this idea that NCAA refs and the policies in general can “tame” the game of football.  The handshakes before games are a bad joke that reeks of pee wee football where players almost care more about sharing their lunchbox food than the actual game.  Then you throw in celebration penalties, as if we expect these guys who are helping earn universities millions of dollars NOT to be excited about scoring a TD?  If the NCAA really wants to turn these players into nothing more than boring “unpaid by the hour” Saturday afternoon employees, then go the whole way with it.  Penalize teams for Gatorade showers.  Penalize linebackers if after they sack a QB they don’t help him back up.  Penalize fans if they boo a call. 

It’s absurd to tell an 18 year old kid to go out, knock someone’s helmet off, score touchdowns in front of 100,000 fans and millions of viewers and NOT show emotion about it.  Give it up already.

4) Wanna know what kids in Knoxville are wearing for Halloween?  Scapegoat costumes.  Every but Lane Kiffin, that is.  We all pile on Jonathan Crompton because honestly he’s one of the worst starting QBs in SEC history.  We now trash the Vols wideouts that couldn’t catch a pass of their QB was throwing Erin Andrews to them (yes, we mean you Quinton Hancock).  Then many of the UT faithful are STILL putting the bus in reverse to knock ex-coach Phil Fulmer some more for the bad players he brought.  But what about Lane Kiffin?  Sure it’s his first year, but is he completely immune to criticism?  His play calling against UCLA was downright awful, and at times Saturday was at best very questionable.  Why after a great trick play to start the game would you go with 3 passes with your pathetic passing game?  Makes no sense.  Kiffin’s in no danger of being fired this year, but make some changes to show you’re trying.  Why have you left Crompton in so long?  Why have you hired an offensive coordinator if YOU are still gonna call the plays? 

5) South Carolina may very well be the 3rd best team in the SEC.  Yes, I said it, as a Clemson fan it pains me to do so.  But what’s going on down in Columbia is flying under the radar largely because of other big name SEC schools making headlines.  Eric Norwood and Cliff Matthews are both 1-2 in sacks in the league, and rank 3rd in the league in total D behind…you guessed it: Florida and Alabama.  QB Stephen Garcia has gotten his act together, and, should he stay sober the rest of the season, could lead the Cocks to a 8-9 win season.

Ranking the SEC after Week 3

For the most part, things have gone as expected in the SEC through 3 weeks.  Here are my rankings going into week 4…

 

1) Florida.  Obviously.  They didn’t struggle as much against Tennessee as the Vols stepped up to the challenge.  Gators still have the best athletes and coaching staff in the league.

2) Alabama.  The win over Virginia Tech is obviously the hallmark of the season to this point, and nothing appears to be slowing down the Tide, even having a new starting QB this year.

3) LSU.  With Washington’s win over USC this weekend, the Tigers 8 point victory over the Huskies in week 1 is even more impressive. 

4) Auburn.  These Tigers have hammered opponents thus far, averaging over 40 points a game.  Perhaps Tommy Tuberville WAS the reason for the dismal season last year.  Hmm…

5) Ole Miss.  Yes, I realize Ole Miss is a top ten team.  I also realize they’ve played Memphis and SE Louisiana so far, and didn’t look overly impressive against Memphis. 

6) Georgia.  God bless Joe Cox, who after gaining starts in 2007 before being replaced by Matthew Stafford, is finally able to shine.  Having a big time target like A.J. Green to throw to doesn’t hurt either.  But when will the Dawgs’ defense show up?

7) Kentucky.  A big win Saturday over rival Louisville just sets the tone for a big nationally televised game this coming week against Florida.  Yeah…good luck with that.

8) Tennessee.  The Vols showed heart in a 10 point loss to Florida at the Swamp Saturday, something they didn’t show the previous week against UCLA. 

9) South Carolina.  The Gamecocks’ D was impressive against NC State in week 1.  It looked downright pathetic in week 2 against Georgia.  They’ve got something to prove Thursday night against Ole Miss.

10) Arkansas.  A lone win against Missouri State impresses no one, similar to the defensive performance the Razorbacks had against Georgia Saturday.  On a brighter note, QB Ryan Mallett has played well.

11) Mississippi State.  The Bulldogs defense looked good against Vanderbilt.  Then again…it was Vanderbilt.

12) Vanderbilt.  The Commodores aren’t looking like a bowl bound team this year.  A valiant effort against LSU and Mississippi State failed with a total of 12 points scored in the two games.  Ouch.

Thoughts on the Vols: Crompton, Kiffin, and Those Pesky Gators

The Tennessee Vols find themselves standing with a 1-1 record after 2 weeks of games.  Those 2 games could not have been more opposite in spirit and play.  Granted, the opponents were vastly different.  Western Kentucky came into Neyland like a group of foreign tourists in helmets and shoulder pads.  This past weekend, UCLA did nothing of the sort, “out-physicaling” the Vols in a stiff test, one that rings true even in the score of 19-15.  So as we enter the “rivalry” (and I use that term loosely) game against Florida, here’s a few thoughts to consider…

 

1) Jonathan Crompton, wasn’t going to change with a new coach.  It’s mind-boggling how bad the kid’s performance was Saturday.  He threw 3 picks, and really could’ve had twice that amount.  Some of his throws even late in the 4th quarter looked like he was hurrying throws that he didn’t need to rush.  He constantly missed wide open receivers, and made poor decisions throwing into coverage. 

That said, Crompton was a big reason for the failures of last year’s team.  However, he never really became the scapegoat as much as Fulmer did.  Granted, Fulmer’s years of perceived mediocrity lit a fire under his own seat, but Fulmer wasn’t out there throwing the ball last year.  UT fans are sorely mistaken if the believed a change of coach would bring about a change of quarterback. 

2) The 4th quarter play calling Saturday was eerily similar to previous years.  There’s no question that any strength the Vols’ offense has lies in its impressive stable of running backs.  That said, when you show the opposing defense that you have no confidence in your quarterback throwing the ball, they immediately zero in on the run.  Before the final drive where UT had no choice but to throw, the ratio of run-to-pass plays was 17-5.  Unless you’re running some type of wing or option offense, consistently running with no variation doesn;t work (unless you’re playing Western Kentucky).  Certainly Crompton could’ve made matters worse had he passed more in the 4th, but by not mixing it up, it only hurt the team’s chances more.

3) UT must start winning the field position battle.  Only twice on Saturday did UT’s offense start a drive  on its own 35 or better.  That’s a problem, especially in a scheme where the passing game is non-existent.  Meanwhile UCLA began on its own 35 or better 6 times, not including the last victory formation drive. 

4) Kiffin is going to be a good coach.  He’s got the cocky swagger UT fans love, and even named his kid Knox, which endears him to the soccer moms around Knoxville.  He’ll get a pass on this year, and will get touted for a strong coaching staff and top ten recruiting classes.  But surely he doesn’t think the road will be easy.  Without a QB, winning in the SEC is next to impossible.  Winning without a crafty offensive scheme to outsmart SEC defenses is also tough.  Kiffin has a grace period, but grumblings will begin in December if the Vols fail to make a bowl.

5) If Florida wins Saturday by 50, will it really surprise anyone?  When I moved to Knoxville 4 and a half years ago, I couldn’t help but get inundated with the flair of UT football.  Part of that was the Florida/Tennessee rivalry, spurned on by years of back and forth smack between Phillip Fulmer and Steve Spurrier.  However, since UT last beat Florida in 2004, the Gators have outscored UT 126-53.  Ouch.  That doesn’t make for much of a rivalry.  Now with Kiffin at the helm, things have heated up again between the schools.  Kiffin talked some trash in the pre-season and even had the audacity to put up UT billboards in and around Gainesville.  That may be lauded in Knoxville as bold and ballsy, but for Gator fans (and most importantly players) it becomes bulletin board material.  Not that Florida needs any extra incentive to escort the Vols directly behind the woodshed, but Kiffin has added fuel to a fire that quite frankly wasn’t needed.  UT has a defense that can keep any ball game close, but when you’re playing one of the best teams in SEC history, it’s difficult to lay any claim to having some kind of edge, especially when visiting the swamp.  My prediction?  Florida 46, UT 17

NCAA Football Week One: Top Ten Games

10.  Western Michigan @ Michigan – Do or die time for Rich Rod and company.  Anything less than a 2 TD win here only darkens the cloud of his short tenure in Ann Arbor   Prediction: Michigan 35, W. Mich. 13

9.  Baylor @ Wake Forest -  This game was a lopsided affair last year in favor of Wake 41-13.  This year it should be much closer.  Two of the most underrated QB’s in action>  Robert Griffin (Baylor) and Riley Skinner (Wake).  Prediction: Baylor 27, Wake Forest 21

8. Cincinnati @ Rutgers-  Last year’s Big East champ meets one of this year’s favorites.  The Knights lose some big play makers, but a solid secondary should help them contain Bearcat QB Tony Pike.  Prediction:  Rutgers 23, Cincinnati 20

7.  South Carolina @ NC State-  The Wolfpack are much improved this year, starting with QB Russell Wilson.  The question will be can he lead this team past one of the SEC’s stingiest defenses?  Homefield advantage wins this one.  Prediction: NC State 24, S. Carolina 23

6.  Nevada @ Notre Dame- OK Irish fans, let’s hear it.  How great you’ll be this year, how you’re BCS bound, how 10 wins is a “worst case scenario”.  I don’t buy it yet.  Nevada had the 5th overall offense in the nation last year.  Hope Charlie Weis has his team focused.  Prediction:  Notre Dame 37, Nevada 31

5.  Miami @ Florida State- Who would’ve thought we’d see the day that this became an unappealing matchup of two “has beens”?  The Seminoles are creeping back to relevance, but they’re still a few years away.  Miami may be light years away.  Prediction: Florida St. 37, Miami 24

4.  Oklahoma vs. BYU- No doubt the Cougars will be ready for this game.  At a “neutral” site, BYU has the chance to play lead in a big upset.  Max Hall can throw the ball, and the Sooners porous pass D is bound to give up some yards.  Look for a shootout.  Prediction: Oklahoma 45, BYU 35

3.  Oregon @ Boise St.-  Is there anyone out there that doesn’t root for the team with the Blue Turf?  Boise State has managed to be one of the top college programs NOT from a BCS conference.  Should be fun to see their D try to contain Oregon’s potent offense.  Prediction: Boise State 31, Oregon 26

2.  Georgia @ Oklahoma St.- The Dawgs defense will have their hands full with a Cowboy offense that managed 40.8 PPG last year.  All their playmakers return, making this trip for Georgia a rough one.  Prediction: Oklahoma St. 39, Georgia 29

1.  Alabama vs. Virginia Tech-  The prime time special will feature two programs coming off BCS bowl appearances.  VT lost starting RB Darren Evans about a month ago, but the D is still in tact.  Look for a close, low scoring affair that goes down to the wire.  Prediction: Va. Tech 23, Alabama 20

Setting up the 2009-10 Bowl Matchups and Conference Winners

CONFERENCE WINNERS

SEC: FLORIDA over Alabama

BIG TEN: OHIO ST.

BIG 12: TEXAS over Kansas

ACC: VIRGINIA TECH over Florida St.

PAC-10: CALIFORNIA

BIG EAST: WEST VIRGINIA

MOUNTAIN WEST: TCU

CONF. USA: HOUSTON over East Carolina

WAC: BOISE ST.

MAC: CENTRAL MICHIGAN over Buffalo

SUN BELT: TROY

 

BCS BOWLS

TITLE GAME: Texas vs. Florida

ROSE: Ohio St. vs. California

SUGAR: Alabama vs. Boise St.

FIESTA: USC vs. Oklahoma St.

ORANGE: Va. Tech vs. W. Virginia

OTHER BOWLS

HUMANITARIAN: Colorado St. vs. Nevada

NEW MEXICO: Utah vs. La. Tech

POINSETTIA: BYU vs. Arizona

LAS VEGAS: TCU vs. UCLA

NEW ORLEANS: Southern Miss vs. Fla. Atlantic

ARMED FORCES: Tulsa vs. Air Force

HAWAII: East Carolina vs. Fresno St.

LIBERTY: Houston vs. South Carolina

MOTOR CITY: Michigan vs. Central Mich.

OUTBACK: Illinois vs. Georgia

CAPITAL ONE: Penn St. vs. Ole Miss

ST. PETERSBURG: Arkansas St. vs Marshall

PAPAJOHNS.COM: Cincinnati vs. MTSU

INTERNATIONAL: S. Florida vs. Bowling Green

TEXAS: Kansas St. vs. Navy

INDEPENDENCE: Nebraska vs. Kentucky

INSIGHT: Baylor vs. Northwestern

SUN: Colorado vs. Rutgers

ALAMO: Kansas vs. Iowa

HOLIDAY: Texas Tech vs. Oregon St.

COTTON: Oklahoma vs. LSU

GMAC: Wake Forest vs. Buffalo

EAGLE BANK: NC State vs. Memphis

EMERALD: Boston Coll. vs. Oregon

MEINIKE CAR CARE: Miami vs. Pittsburgh

MUSIC CITY: North Carolina vs. Auburn

CHAMPS SPORTS: Clemson vs. Michigan St.

GATOR: Ga. Tech vs. Notre Dame

CHIK-FIL-A: Tennessee vs. Florida St.

4 Ways Charleston Southern Can Beat Florida (or at least compete with them)

I write this not as an objective fan, because anyone with knowledge of college football would know better than to even attempt what I am about to do, lest they lose any and all credibility.  However, as a proud alum of Charleston Southern University, I feel somewhat obligated to defend the little guy.  To give credence to the Davids of college football, out there with nothing more than a sling with stones, aiming to down Goliath.  In this case, that Goliath just happens to be the defending BCS National Champion Florida Gators.

The task at hand is large.  No one will doubt that.  In fact, most Buccaneers fans are excited just to say “my school played Florida!”  To stash away even a sliver of hope for a monumental upset in our hearts and souls is to defy the very logic that the world of NCAA football is built on.  However, I’ll make every effort to assuage my fears of a completely demoralizing defeat and try to, if nothing else, add a little dash of hope to those from Buc Country.  Or perhaps just a bit of water cooler conversation for the weeks left before the big September 5th game.

 

1) Does Florida Lean Too Much on Tebow?  C’mon.  You know who I’m talking about.  The absurdly talented andwell spoken quarterback who can dominate the field running with the ball just as much as he can passing.  However, Florida may be relying a bit too much on Tebow.  He can carry a large load, but if he’s pressured enough, he CAN get rattled.  Charleston Southern was tied for the lead in the Big South in interceptions last year, and finished 2nd in pass defense.  Should they get enough pressure on Tebow and force him into throws he doesn’t want to make, turnovers can happen and sway the game in CSU’s favor.

Sure, it's rare, but Tebow is human, and has made mistakes (once or twice). (Photo courtesy of nationallampoon.com)

2)  With that said, if there is one recognizable weakness in Florida’s team this year, it’s the inexperience at wide receiver.  Gone are Percy Harvin and Cornelius Ingram, among others.  A group of talented underclassmen take over at the wideout spots.  However, there is a potential for route-running miscues to take place.  Again, CSU must take every opportunity in creating turnovers.  The Buccaneer offense alone will not be enough to make things happen.  The defense MUST pressure the passing game of the Gators.

3)  Does Florida overlook “lesser” opponents?  I won’t try to compare CSU to Ole Miss.  However, we saw last year what can happen when a talented team plays down to their opponent.  Ole Miss wasn’t considered to be a giant-killer when they entered the Swamp last September.  However, they managed a 31-30 win over Florida, a game that would be the only blemish on the Gator’s resume.  CSU will play Florida in a night game in the Swamp, and while it will certainly be an intimidating environment, it won’t be what it would be if Florida were playing LSUor Georgia.  I don’t need to remind everyone of what Appalachian State managed to accomplish a few years back against Michigan.  Upsets can happen anytime, especially when the “better” team loses it’s focus.

Mills has to bring a giant-killer attitude with him to the Swamp. (Photo courtesy of daylife.com)

4) CSU is a Baptist school, and God cheers for them.  There’s a massive chapel on campus with a prayer room accessible 24/7.  All students must attend a certain number of convocations each year, mostly consisting of speakers preaching about God.  They don’t allow alcohol on campus, women in men’s dorm rooms (and vice versa), andstarting this month, no smoking is allowed on campus.  If nothing else, don’t the Bucshave the edge because the Heavenly Father is behind them?  Er…maybe not though, considering Tim Tebow is probably the most recognizable Christian athlete in the world of football.

 

So there you have it.  The Charleston Buccaneers will have their hands full on Sept. 5.  They’ll walk into Ben Griffin Stadium in Gainesville to suit up against the defending national champs.  They’ll face camera from multiple media outlets.  They hear chants of “Teeeebow!  Teeeebow!  Teeebow” until their ears go numb.  They’ll see 104,000 fans doing the “Gator Chomp”.  And, while it’s on a big stage nationally, ask any CSU fan before the game if it’s the biggest in the school’s history.  I guarantee you’ll get a “no” every time.

That game would be one with rival Coastal Carolina in 2005.  In what can only be termed a “miracle comeback”, the Bucscame back from a 14 point deficit with 2:49 left to play.  After allowing Coastal to make a quick score, the Bucs found themselves in a 24-10 hole.  A quick 4 play scoring drive got CSUwithin 7, but a failed onside kick seemed to doom any chances of a win.  With Coastal Carolina needing to just take a few snaps andrun the clock out, they foundthemselves with a tad too much time left over.  On a long 4th down play, Coastal set up in punt formation, hoping to snap the ball andrun aroundlong enough to findtriple zeros on the clock.  However, witha mass of Buccaneer defenders swarming, Coastal Carolina’s punter was forced to run out of bounds, leaving 1.5 seconds on the clock.  With that time, then QB Colin Drafts make an incredible pass to the end zone, finding Markus Murry for a game-tying score.  CSU would force OT, and eventually win 34-27.  Not only did they beat their rivals, they were Big South Co-Champs that year.

So say what you want about Charleston Southern, a no-name school from South Carolina looking for a nice payday by playing the role of the  proverbial cupcake.  But don’t tell CSU fans their team doesn’t have a chance.  They’ve seen miracles happen before.  Maybe, just maybe for one weekend in early September, Goliath will be wearing blue and orange, and David will be wearing navy and gold.

Don't tell CSU players and fans they don't have a shot at a miracle. (Photo courtesy of csusports.com)

2009 SEC Football preview

(Each of my conference previews are determined in part by using a simple formula using certain nine variables to determine a teams ability to win games. These nine categories are as follows: Quarterback, RB/WR/TE, Offensive Line, DE/LB, Secondary, Coaching, Schedule Difficulty, Home Field Advantage, and Player Experience. Each team is ranked in descending order according to their strength in these areas. For example, the team in a conference with the best QB will be given a one, the second best rated team by QB will be given a 2, and on down through the remaining teams in that conference. This formula goes on for all categories. After all categories and teams are ranked, those rankings are added up to give the team’s a total score. The lower the score, the more likely a team will be successful this year and win more games than teams with higher overall scores. By no means is it an exact science, just my personal predictions for the upcoming season.)

 

 

The best conference in the nation brings back a mix of veteran stars and hard-nosed coaches. Combined with drama filled story lines, and the SEC is once again the most exciting conference to watch.

 

THREE BOLD PREDICTIONS

 

1. Tim Tebow will be Tim Tebow and lead Florida to another SEC title.

    

   Not like it’s a big shocker, but the Florida Gators will once again enter a football season as the favorite to win the SEC. Bringing back the best QB in the league as well as the best coach makes them the obvious choice. Not to mention a schedule that is fairly easy given the regular opponents the Gators must face (i.e. Georgia and LSU). 

   

   Don't worry, Tebow haters. You've only got one more year left to hear about the Superman-esque QB. (Photo courtesy of thewholegardenwillbow.com)

    

2. Lane Kiffin will become the most hated coach in the SEC (you’re welcome Nick Saban) but still lead the Vols to at least 8 wins. When UT decided to hire Kiffin, many fans were just glad to see someone other than Phil Fulmer listed beside the “Head coach” title. Kiffin has already made himself known to the SEC, tossing barbs at Florida in the way Spurrier used to do to UT back when he was coaching the Gators. Topped with a phenomenal staff (including his dad Monte and recruiting master Ed Orgeron) Kiffin has risen new hope in Knoxville that could lead UT back into SEC title contention in 3 years. Just imagine what he could do if he had a quarterback.

3. The SEC West will feature three 10 win teams. You expect a great season from LSU, and Alabama is bound to continue what they began last year. But Ole Miss, who came out of nowhere last year beating Florida and Texas Tech in a bowl game could easily finish with 10-plus wins with their rather pedestrian schedule. The Rebels don’t have to play Florida this season, and they get Alabama and LSU both at home.

 

THREE GUYS READY FOR DRAFT DAY

 

1. Eric Berry, S, Tennessee- As if the Heisman promotions from his own school aren’t telling enough, perhaps a NCAA leading 7 picks last year and a plaque proclaiming him SEC Defensive POY will convince you. Berry is an absolute freak on the field, and is practically a shoe-in as a top 10 pick, if not higher.

   

   Eric Berry hits hard, plays hard, and will most likely be the first DB taken in the 2010 draft. (Photo courtesy of media.scout.com)

2. Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida- The 6′3, 258 pound linebacker is a ball hawk and a physical specimen. He was a key to the Gators title run last year, helping them finish in the top ten nationally in defense.

3. Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama- If you want to talk about size, talk about Cody. Standing at 6′5 and weighing in at a hefty 365 pounds, he wreaks havoc on offensive linemen. He may not get a ton of sacks, but helps defenses by forcing double and even triple coverage.

 

THREE “CAN’T MISS GAMES”

 

1. Virginia Tech vs. Alabama, September 5- Could be the best non-conference game nationally this year. More to prove for the Hokies, but another dismantling of a quality ACC team for Bama could set precedent for another huge year.

2. Florida at LSU, October 10- If Florida is to lose a game this year, this would be the most likely one for a collapse. Most likely a night game on the Bayou, expect more of a defensive battle this year than last year’s 51-21 thrashing by Florida provided.

3. Alabama at Ole Miss, October 10- Huge West battle with big implications. Should LSU lose to Florida, winner of this game may have clear path to West division title.

 

 

THREE THINGS WE WON’T SEE THIS YEAR

 

1. Nick Saban wearing a hounds tooth hat. Even after an incredible season, folks in Tuscaloosa aren’t quite ready to proclaim Saban as the next Bear Bryant. One thing’s for sure though, he’s well on his way to earning that prestigious comparison. Saban coached the Tide to a phenomenal 12-2 record last year, falling short of the SEC Title to Florida. This year, according to rivals.com, Saban has pulled in the top recruiting class in the SEC. Until there’s national titles won, Saban won’t be “the Bear” quite yet. Will he stick around long enough to make that happen?

   

   Saban is quickly turning Alabama into one of the nation's best programs. Will he stay long enough to lead the Tide to a title? (Photo courtesy of nydailytimes.com)

2. Urban Meyer sending Lane Kiffin SEC championship game tickets. The Florida/UT rivalry took a big hit in recent years with the Gators’ complete domination over the Vols, winning 4 straight. Then came the ax of Phil Fulmer, and young Lane Kiffin took the reigns, immediately rekindling the trash-talking relationship with Florida. Now he’s even putting UT billboards in Florida, in an impressive attempt to steal recruits. If UT’s talent can match up to the boldness of it’s coach, the Vols may make that late September matchup with Florida a rivalry again.

3. A top-tier SEC school play USC. Despite all the great bowl matchups we’ve seen in recent years, we’ve yet to see one we really want: an upper-crust SEC team face off against Southern Cal. With USC expected to have a down year (and by down, I mean maybe 2 or 3 losses instead of just one), the chances aren’t great we’ll see that this year. The best chance we’ve got to see it is a playoff system, but that just wouldn’t make any sense, would it?

 

THREE REASONS TO WATCH THE SEC

 

1. New Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen. Mullen comes over from Florida where he served as the offensive coordinator. He’ll bring that spread offense over to MSU that helped Florida rack up nearly 44 points a game last year. The Bulldogs may not be great this season, but given time, Mullen could turn Miss. St. into a contender in the next few years in the SEC West.

2. Tennessee’s revival of relevance. Don’t look for big upsets this year, but Kiffiin is a young dynamo that has already pulled in an impressive recruiting class. UT has largely been an afterthought in the SEC in recent years, even in 2007 when they backed their way into the SEC title game. Now the Vols seem to have landed a coach to help them compete with the other stalwarts in the league. Will the Vols of the 2010’s match the Vols of the 1990’s?

3. Because it’s the best football conference in the nation. There’s a reason ESPN was clamoring to sign a multi-year television deal with the SEC. The conference features the best teams with the best players on any given Saturday. I’m as much of an ACC homer as they come, but you won’t find a Duke or Virginia or Maryland game featured on Saturday prime-time. Virtually every SEC team has been featured during a Saturday night game over the past 2 years. Yes, even Vanderbilt.

 

BOWL QUALIFIERS

Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU, Auburn

 

 

The Remedy for Gamecock Football

Since 1992, the South Carolina Gamecocks have consistently brought mediocrity to an otherwise strong football conference in the SEC. The scary reality is that the potential is there for the Cocks to find relevance. As a die-hard Clemson Tiger fan, nothing satisfies me more than to swim in the vastness that is Gamecock football failures. However, I’m here (for this one time at least) to offer a helping hand. A bit of advice that may seem strange to fans who flock to Williams-Brice six Saturdays a year to root on the garnet and black. A decision so confusing and unreasonable that it may just make perfect sense.

 

It’s time to fire Steve Spurrier.

 

Okay, so maybe right this second isn’t the time to relieve him of his visor tossing sideline antics, but let’s look at the bigger picture. When Carolina lured Spurrier away from a lush life of golf and leisure, the college football world couldn’t have been more shocked. Sure, the Lou Holtz hiring was pretty impressive, and he did deliver decent recruiting classes and back-to-back bowl wins over Ohio State. But when the big fish of Steve Spurrier was reeled back into the SEC East boat, Gamecock fans couldn’t help but think this was the start of something special. Or was it?

 

After 4 seasons at the helm, Spurrier is a paltry 28-22. In his entire college coaching career, he has 62 losses. In other words, over a third of his losses have come at South Carolina. That’s not necessarily an indictment on the football program. After all, Spurrier is known as a world class recruiter (ranking at an average of 21^st nationally from 2005-09) and certainly has coaching abilities that few others can claim. However, the hopes of escaping the bleak doldrums of football mediocrity with the hiring of Spurrier have all but vanished, and now the mere satisfaction of having a nationally recognized coach in spite of his lackluster efforts has appeased most fans.

 

That’s not to say Spurrier’s tenure in Columbia has been all bad. He does have an 8 win season under his belt, as well as a bowl victory over…Houston. He has beaten SEC rivals Florida, Georgia and Tennessee (twice). In 2007 they climbed into the AP top ten for only the second time since 1988. Things were going well for the Gamecocks. Then the wheels fell off, as the Cocks lost 5 straight games, dropping them to 6-6 and short of a bowl game.

 

How long should Gamecock fan shave to wait for the Spurrier magic to kick in? (Photo courtesy of nytimes.com)

The 2007 is just one alarming example that perhaps the Genius in the Visor may just be past his prime. Consecutive losses to SEC doormat Vanderbilt, less-than-stellar performances against cupcake teams like Wofford and UAB, and multiple disciplinary issues have cast a shadow over the man who owned SEC football in the nineties.

 

Another glaring fact that further drives home this point is the anemic offense. Last year, Carolina ranked 97^th nationally in total offense, 96^th in scoring. Sure, the defense was great, but is that why Spurrier was brought in? To build a great defense?

 

Maybe the Ol’ Ball Coach deserves one last shot. After all, this is the year where the entire team are his recruits, and highly touted ones at that. For example, quarterback Stephen Garcia, wideout Jason Barnes, defensive end Cliff Matthews, and free safety Chris Culliver should all be shoe-ins as starters at their respective positions. No question these kids had talent in high school and no one doubted Spurrier’s ability to draw in big talent. The bigger question to ponder here is this: has the game pass Spurrier by? Can he still coach the kids like he did back when SEC titles were the norm, and New Year’s Bowl games were expected?

 

If the answer is no, Gamecock football best direct it’s attention to it’s basketball program’s idea of starting fresh. Darrin Horn, a young unheralded coach from Western Kentucky, was hired to lead the men’s basketball squad, and all he did was lead the team to a SEC East co-championship. When former coach Dave Odom stepped down, the athletic department didn’t chase Bob Knight. They didn’t dredge up talks with Bobby Cremins. They went with a young guy with talent.

 

SEC football has never been more difficult. Between the recruiting wars and constant rearranging of offensive concepts, teams are fighting to keep up with the Joneses. Or in this case, the Sabans, Meyers, and Les Miles of the league.

 

Give him a season. See if Spurrier can reclaim so swamp magic with Garcia at QB and get the offense on track. 8 wins are definitely a possibility, but if the team settles in at it’s usual 6-7 win rate in a league that gets more competitive by the hour, maybe it’s time Gamecock fans start thinking to the future instead of breathing off the fumes of a coaching legend’s past.