"Does 'Bama have a QB problem?" and other stupid questions we must answer (SEC Preview thread)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Other questions that the SEC will try to answer in 2018 is "If Dan Mullen won in a hellhole in Mississippi, what can he do in Gainesville?". Then there's "Can Joe Moorhead win in that same hellhole?". And finally, "What is wrong with you, LSU fans?"

You guys can pipe in with your own answers (or questions) here. For me, I'll start with my answers on Monday with my first previews...

 

[MikeMed]

No, Bama sure dont have a QB problem.........THey have 2 good ones.

Im pumped for SEC football.

My upset team this year is Ole Miss.....Most magazines have them finishing dead last in the West......I think they may have the best QB in the SEC that nobody has heard of in JordanTa'mau who threw for 67 COMP % in his first year of play.......He also runs a 4.5............Dont listen to the critics Rebel fans - you guys will outscore a lot of teams with that potent offense and an improved defense......OLe Miss will not finish last and will be going bowling.

 

[outofyourmind]

 

[outofyourmind]

Don't forget the SEC fight song.

 

[Wamu]

Vanderbilt on the list?

 

[socaljim242]

Bama has one great athlete who can't throw that great but who can manage a game and a really good QB .

 

[crimsontater]

Tua is da'man! jalen is a really good athlete and all round good guy. but his ability to read a defense quickly, is slow. mac jones may very well be better at reading defenses than jalen. truthfully, this year bama will be stacked at qb with Tua, Jalen, Mac and Layne, 3 throwers and a runner.

 

[NolePride]

Other questions that the SEC will try to answer in 2018 is "If Dan Mullen won in a hellhole in Mississippi, what can he do in Gainesville?". Then there's "Can Joe Moorhead win in that same hellhole?". And finally, "What is wrong with you, LSU fans?"

You guys can pipe in with your own answers (or questions) here. For me, I'll start with my answers on Monday with my first previews...

Describe "winning" for Dan Mullen?

Look at his 69-46 record at Miss St.

His teams were 3-4 in OOC P5 games.

His teams were 33-39 in the SEC.

Against the 1-AA's and the Sun Belt crowd he was 33-3.

It would appear that he was eligible for the Greg Schiano Award.

I believe the UF crowd has higher expectations than 7-5.

 

[Wild Turkey]

Other questions that the SEC will try to answer in 2018 is "If Dan Mullen won in a hellhole in Mississippi, what can he do in Gainesville?". Then there's "Can Joe Moorhead win in that same hellhole?". And finally, "What is wrong with you, LSU fans?"

You guys can pipe in with your own answers (or questions) here. For me, I'll start with my answers on Monday with my first previews...

Mullen is a solid coach and he will have the Gators competitive in 2 years.
Joe Moorehead was a great hire for State and Ole Miss is in serious trouble so the program should improve slightly.
If not as impressed with Chad Morris at Arkansas and he is going to have a tough time finding QB's to run his system.
LSU is bipolar and who knows what they will do.

 

[outofyourmind]

LSU is bipolar and who knows what they will do.

 

[ericd7633]

Describe "winning" for Dan Mullen?

Look at his 69-46 record at Miss St.

His teams were 3-4 in OOC P5 games.

His teams were 33-39 in the SEC.

Against the 1-AA's and the Sun Belt crowd he was 33-3.

It would appear that he was eligible for the Greg Schiano Award.

I believe the UF crowd has higher expectations than 7-5.

He took over a complete dumpster fire though. And it's Mississippi State.

Take away his record and Mississippi State as a program have only won 47.9% of their games. Mullen won 60% of his games there. That's a pretty good job IMO.

 

[4down20]

Mullen was also the OC when Florida won those championships under Meyer.

I don't understand why people knock on him.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Mississippi State

The first preview segment for the Southeastern Conference: The Mississippi State Bulldogs

Last season: During this awful heat wave, I have slowly been gaining more respect for the training habits of the football player. These people run and train in 80-to-90 degree weather all the time, just to try and realize a boyhood dream. And I'll bet that later this afternoon, when the temperature nears 100*F, somebody will be doing splints and/or lifting weights just to build up some endurance. That's where most of the 4-to-5 star athletes come from, you know.
Mississippi State doesn't really get too many of those athletes (and maybe never will), but under the recent leadership of Dan Mullen they've been doing tremendous! They went to 8 straight bowl games, won 6 of them, and even had a #1 national ranking at one time.
And in 2017, they had another fine year as they went 9-4 with another year-end national ranking to go with it. However, this year there's been a few changes.

2018 X-factor: New head coach Joe Moorhead- Oh! That's right! The architect of all this success (Dan Mullen) is gone! And I'll let you know where he went to later on.
Now, in comes former Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead. And if I'm honest, I'm a little skeptical about Joe's chances to continue this hot run that MSU is on. But, let's see if he can prove me wrong.

Good news: Talent-wise, this might be the best roster that MSU has ever had. The O-line is deep, the RB group looks good, and the Bulldogs' new zone defense will help out the secondary. And Nick Fitzgerald may be ready to have more passing yards than ever before.

Bad news: I said MAY, because Nick was limited in the spring thanks to that NASTY ankle injury. Hopefully some playmakers at WR will emerge and help him out. Oh, and depth is a little thin at linebacker.

Key games:
9/8 @ Kansas State (This will be the final exam for Nick Fitzgerald in terms of his recovery.)
9/29 vs. Florida (Just a simple SEC home game for the Bulldogs, as they host Dan Mullen and the Gato- Wait... OH! So THIS was where Dan Mullen went to! Think Mississippi State will be upset when he steps back into Davis Wade Stadium with a new team?)
10/6 vs. Auburn (But after dealing with THAT emotional rollercoaster, will the Bulldogs have something left for this one?)
11/10 @ Alabama (By law, anybody who has a chance to scare Alabama MUST have them as a "key game". Can Fitzgerald spook the Crimson Tide, like he did last time?)
11/22 @ Ole Miss (3 things went wrong for MSU in their last "Egg Bowl" game: They lost the trophy, Nick got hurt, and Matt Luke won a job at Ole Miss. Payback must be administered.)

Bottom line: Dan Mullen left the cupboard pretty full for the new boss, so if Fitzgerald returns to his old self then Mississippi State will enjoy another fun season. Can they catch Alabama and Auburn in 2018? That'll depend on how well the Bulldogs get used to all this "newness" around them.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

No, Bama sure dont have a QB problem.........THey have 2 good ones.

Im pumped for SEC football.

Well, sir, that's why I said it was a "stupid question".

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Kentucky

Preview segment: The Kentucky Wildcats

Last season: By Kentucky football standards, 2017 was another fine year at 7-6. They made their 2nd-straight bowl game and, oh yeah, they defeated Tennessee like I predicted they would. Sadly, higher goals were not attained as the Wildcats fell short against Ole Miss, lost a heartbreaker to Florida, and is entering 2018 on a 3-game losing streak.

Bad news: Scoring might be at a premium for Kentucky this year, as they must break in 2 new kickers on special teams. The starting QB spot is also a little unsettled right now. And worst of all, depth at WR is not great.

Good news: But at least Kentucky can lean on Benny Snell Jr. and a good O-line to start scoring some points. The defense returns 9 starters, and it stands a good chance at being better at stopping the run.

Key games:

Old stand-by's:
11/10 @ Tennessee (Beating the Vols 2 years in a row will not be easy; Tennessee SHOULD have it's shit together by this point in the season.)
11/24 @ Louisville (Kentucky stunned a Lamar-Jackson Cardinals team in 2016. So I like the Wildcats to win in Louisville again since the Cardinals WON'T have Lamar.)
Other big games:
9/8 @ Florida (Florida will still be rebuilding by the time this game begins. Can Kentucky snap their long losing streak to the Gators THIS time around?)
9/22 vs. Mississippi State (A critical home game for Kentucky; stopping Miss. State and their offense will be a big confidence boost.)
9/29 vs. South Carolina (Amazingly, Kentucky has won 4 in a row against the Gamecocks.)

Bottom line: The SEC East is still a little down, but unless Kentucky gets their offense to make more big plays, they'll be stuck just fighting for their 3rd straight bowl game. Which for Kentucky football, isn't really all that bad.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Florida

Preview segment: The Florida Gators

Last season: So another coach (Jim McElwain) has bit the dust here in Gainesville. At first I didn't get it; Jim led the team to 2 straight SEC East titles. But then weird pictures of him with fish started to surface, he started to lose recruiting wars, and Florida didn't do so good in those SEC title games they went to.
And all of that (and a god-awful offense) culminated to a miserable 4-7 record. Not even Randy Shannon was able to help them out.

Bad news: New coach Dan Mullen inherits the same old question Jim struggled with: "Who's gonna make plays at QB?". I mean, neither Feleipe Franks nor Kyle Trask looked all that dynamic last season. But the BIG worry is on the offensive line; last year's unit sucked and it all comes back.

Good news: But maybe, an extra year together will help that O-line get better. If they do, it'll be a godsend to a gaggle of wonderful RB's and WR's that Florida has. And the defense (despite a couple of holes in the secondary) looks to remain solid as a rock.

Key games:

Old stand-by's:
9/22 @ Tennessee (Florida needed a Hail-Mary to beat the Vols last year in Gainesville. All they have to do to beat them this year is to attack Tennessee's own miserable offense.)
10/27 vs. Georgia [in Jacksonville] (Georgia is improving by leaps and bounds, and it showed in last year's 42-7 debacle. Hopefully, Florida's offense will be cooking by this time so that we don't get that again.)
11/10 vs. South Carolina (2nd place in the SEC East might be decided here.)
11/24 @ Florida State (Want another reason why Jim McElwain is gone? How about a 5-game losing streak against the hated Seminoles?)
Other key games:
9/29 @ Mississippi State (Did I mention yesterday that Dan Mullen used to coach at Mississippi State? I believe I did.)
10/6 vs. LSU (And much like Miss. State [against Auburn], Florida needs to be careful of a emotional hangover entering this contest.)

Bottom line: Listen, Florida fans. Dan Mullen is a winner, and he can build up a program. He was winning in Starkville, Mississippi, for crying out loud! So in 2018, please be patient while he fixes up that awful offense, 'cause that defense might be enough to carry the Gators to 2nd place in the East.
Now if the offense struggles in 2019, THEN you can yell and scream at him. Okay?

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Auburn

Preview segment: The Auburn Tigers

Last season: Finally! After 3 worrisome seasons, Gus Malzahn got Auburn back to the 10-win plateau that fans have been hoping for. With a fresh start at QB and a great defense, Auburn hung losses on undefeated Georgia and undefeated Alabama en-route to an SEC West title that got fans to turn off the heat... at least until December rolled around.

Good news: 7 starters return on a STACKED defense that has the chance to be one of the nation's best. In 2017, we found out that Jarrett Stidham really IS the solution to Auburn's offensive woes! And he'll have a LOT of help; Auburn seemingly ALWAYS has a great rushing attack, with great WR's as well.

Bad news: Thing is, will the O-line be ready to protect all of those great players? Auburn must replace 4 starters from that unit, and a freshmen might start at right-tackle. There's also no true weapon at tight-end.

Key games:

Old stand-by's:
9/15 vs. LSU (Another tense battle in the "Battle of the SEC West Tigers" is expected.)
11/10 @ Georgia ( The yo-yo continues, as [once again] Auburn goes from hosting both of their arch-rivals to dealing with angry people in Athens...)
11/24 @ Alabama (...and a mad Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa. Fortunately, Auburn is mature enough to handle it.)
Other key games:
9/1 vs. Washington [in Atlanta] (The biggest game of Week 1 in college football in 2018. And Auburn is hoping that this trip to Atlanta will be a productive one... unlike the last 2 times they went there.)
10/20 @ Ole Miss (A potential upset if the Tigers aren't ready for the Rebel passing game.)

Bottom line: Oh, the Auburn fans are excited for 2018! And you can't blame them; they're right back in the national title discussion after getting as high as #2 in the CFP polls last year. That offensive line holds the key to the Tigers's future; if it holds up Auburn will be in a "New Year's Six" bowl at the very least.
But I will say this: Auburn would do well to beat Washington in that opener. That way, they'll have some margin for error in those 2 massive games coming up in November.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Big news for tomorrow!

Brace yourselves, people. That Crimson Tide of Alabama will get their day in the spotlight tomorrow! (Oh, and LSU too, in case anyone cares about that)

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Louisiana State

Preview segment: The LSU Tigers

Last season: A not too shabby 9-4, as Ed Orgeron rode a Top-15 defense to that record. But yet MORE problems at QB prevented LSU from seriously challenging for the SEC West... and in 2018 it might get even worse.

2018 X-factor: Finding a identity- Nearly every CFB magazine I've read is expressing concern over LSU's lack of offensive identity. They got the speed and talent, but can Orgeron put all the pieces in it's correct place?

Bad news: ONCE AGAIN, the starting QB job is up for grabs in Baton Rouge. And for whoever wins the job, will he be able to adjust to yet another new offensive coordinator? There's a little concern on the D-line as well.

Good news: I said a little, because LB Devin White more than makes up for all of those new starters. The secondary looks to be nasty, and that rebuilding offense can safely lean on a potent O-line for support.

Key games:

Old stand-by's:
9/15 @ Auburn (LSU might have to lean on their defense to upset Auburn again... which might be right up their alley.)
11/3 vs. Alabama (God... Come on, LSU quarterbacks! We need a spark in this rivalry series.)
11/10 @ Arkansas (And LSU must have the "Battle of the Golden Boot" rivalry immediately afterwards? AGAIN?!)
Other key games:
9/2 vs. Miami [in Arlington, TX] (Hey, Coach Ed! Wanna know how you can win back favor with your fans? Just halt the Hurricane pain train before it even gets going!)
9/29 vs. Ole Miss (Almost forgot this one. To win this, LSU can either shut down that Rebel offense, or just outshoot them. ...Nah, best if they go and stop them.)
10/20 vs. Mississippi State (Why this game? Partly because Miss. State punked out LSU 37-7 last year, but mostly because this is LSU's homecoming game. And we all know what happened the last time LSU had it's homecoming...)

Bottom line: This one's hard to call; Orgeron's a very positive guy, but unless he gets that offense going the Tigers just aren't going anywhere. But they DO have the speed to get it done.
Tell you guys what. I think that LSU will be an improved team and push for 3rd place in the SEC West. Catching Alabama and Auburn, however, is NOT going to happen... which might be enough for fans to turn up the heat on poor Ed.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Alabama

Preview segment: The Alabama Crimson Tide

Last season: You wanna know how ridiculous this run of success in Tuscaloosa has been? I mean, it's gotta SO bad that even I, some schmuck from Dolgeville in Central New York, can correctly pick them to win a national championship.
In 2017, another nasty defense led Nick Saban and crew to their unprecedented 16th national title in school history. But you Crimson Tide fans have to admit: You guys got LUCKY late in the season, as you had to wait for someone to lose in "Championship Week". And then you had to dig up Tua Tagovailoa to save your @$$ in that title game against Georgia.

2018 X-factor: Solving the QB problem- And now, Tua is now competing with Jalen Hurts to become Alabama's starting QB [although the smart money is saying Saban will use them both]. Just remember this: Notre Dame was a national title contender entering 2016, but when they chose to use 2 QB's that shot died and they went 4-8. So the Alabama coaching staff must trend VERY carefully with this situation.

Bad news: That coaching staff is missing 4 assistants from a year ago, including new Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt. Also gone are Minkah Fitzpatrick, Rashaan Evans, Da'Ron Payne, and 5 other studs on defense. And the only people left on special teams are the long-snappers...

Good news: ...and Nick Saban does not care about any of it. By the looks of the pass-rush we saw in the spring game, Nick found some more players over in the attic or in the fridge (or wherever he stored all of those 5-star players on his campus). And the Alabama offense looks potent [maybe even explosive!]; it has a strong O-line and playmakers everywhere.

Key games:

Old stand-by's:
11/3 @ LSU (As I mentioned earlier, LSU will be hungry to finally stop the Crimson Tide in it's tracks. Hopefully, 'Bama's offense is still running well by this point.)
11/24 vs. Auburn (Smell that? That's the "College Gameday" bus driving to Tuscaloosa for another "Winner-take-all" battle in the Iron Bowl.)
Other key games:
9/1 vs. Louisville [in Orlando] (A fine coaching match-up between Saban and Bobby Petrino. The Tide should win this one, but let's see how well that new defense works together...)
9/15 @ Ole Miss (...because the high-flying Rebels offense will be taking notes.)

Bottom line: The Tide's schedule pretty good, and Nick Saban has dealt with QB problems many times... Dammit! Once again, we're gonna have to deal with another successful Alabama team smelling a national title.
But be forewarned, Nick: If you manage to bypass Auburn in the West, you're gonna have to face your new nemesis in Kirby Smart and Georgia on December 1st in Atlanta. BEWARE!