Sec notebook

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SEC Divisional Imbalance

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn made some waves in April when he told ESPN he thinks
"there will be a discussion" about the his Tigers changing divisions to the SEC East.
The SEC commissioner's office quickly shot that down and said there has been no
discussion of divisional realignment. But when ask several times last week, SEC
commissioner Greg Stankey wouldn't say if there are discussions of realigning the
East and West Divisions. The West has seven straight SEC Championships and has
won 70 percent of games against the East since 2009.

Sidenote: Kentucky's Mark Stoops and Tennessee's Butch Jones enter their fourth
seasons as the longest-tenured SEC East coaches.

Stay tuned............................

 

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Alabama

An unnamed SEC coach recently gave his assessment of Alabama to a Birmingham reporter.
"if they don't get hurt up front on defense, I'm not sure they won't be better on defense with
Jonathan Allen, Dalvin Tomlinson and De'Shawn Hand. They won't have as much depth, but
they will have as much talent among the starters. They will be better on the offensive line.
They will be better at wide receiver. With the running backs, they can lose an Ingram or a
Richardson and have a Lacey or a Yeldon. They will miss Henry because you always miss some
body like that. But they've got several good backs and OC Lane Kiffin, he'll find something the
quarterback can do and he'll do it. The quarterback will be efficient. They've got good players.
Saban recruits so well, they've got guys stock-piled. They can be as good as last year and that
is scary."

 

[NoCoke]

South Carolina LB/Safety Skai Moore will redshirt this year after having neck surgery later this week. Huge loss to an already weak defense.

 

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Thanks Coke...appreciate the input. We go back several years and I always appreciated
your love of college football.

My friend, I'm thinking the September 1, Thursday night game between Vandy and South
Carolina is really important for both teams. We both know the Doars or Cocks are going to
win a lot of games this season. Most people will dismiss this opener, I think it will be one
hell of a game because it may be the only SEC game either team wins.

Vanderbilt Schedule
South Carolina, MTSU, @Georgia Tech, @Western Kentucky, Florida, @Kentucky, @Georgia
Tennessee State, Open, @Auburn, @Missouri, Ole Miss

South Carolina Schedule
@Vandy, @Mississippi State, East Carolina, @Kentucky, Texas A&M, Georgia, Open, UMass,
Tennessee, Missouri, @Florida, Western Carolina, @Clemson

The over/under for who wins the most games would be a gamble.

 

[NoCoke]

Agree 100%, CL. Definitely not the most talented matchup, but it's absolutely a huge game for both head coaches going forward.

 

[rolltide]

We both know the Doars or Cocks are going to
win a lot of games this season.

really? what is your number for them winning "a lot of games"? you talking making a bowl game...i don't see it. USCe maybe 5-7, Vandy 3-9

 

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really? what is your number for them winning "a lot of games"? you talking making a bowl game...i don't see it. USCe maybe 5-7, Vandy 3-9

Should be (AREN'T) going to win a lot of games.

 

[cloverleaf]

Tennessee

The Vols have teased us in the past only to mostly underachieve on the field. Coach
Butch Jones went 5-7 in his first year in Knoxville in 2013, but increased that win total
by two each of the last two seasons to get to nine wins last season, and he should
now have his best team with a veteran quarterback joining 17 other starters. New
defensive coordinator Bob Stoop has been brought in to run the defense.

Sidenote: After back-to-back losses, Tennessee is 3-14 against the spread the next
game if at home.

 

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Arkansas

The Razorbacks begin summer school classes this week and that marks the beginning
of the team continuing its training for the 2016 football season. The team is allowed
85 players on scholarship when it reports in August. Here's a look at where they stand
by position.

QB (5), RB (7), FB (1), WR (10), TE (8), OL (10), DE (9), DL (8), LB (11), CB (7), S (6),
K (3)

Recruiting:
Arkansas has jumped into the mix for Mansfield, Texas four-star running back Kennedy
Brooks. Brooks rushed for 3,522 yards and 42 touchdowns as a junior. In addition to
Arkansas, Brooks has offers from Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Tennessee, SMU,
Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Washington, Michigan and Wisconsin. Brooks is rated the No. 19
running back prospect in the country.

Sidenote: Arkansas is 12-2 against the spread last 14 in Game 9 of the season.

 

[rolltide]

"Hulk" Jones, Bama's 400lb DT recruit will not make it academically so will go the JUCO route. definitely hurts the depth on the Dline especially with lingering concerns over Jamar King's academic status. Hulk shown below with a 6'4" 240lb tight end - that is one big dude

 

[rolltide]

Should be (AREN'T) going to win a lot of games.

ah, gotcha. i guess its not impossible for mussy to turn around USCe but i just don't think he has the talent. He did put together a great group of recruiters but i don't think any of them are worth a damn as field coaches

 

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"Hulk" Jones, Bama's 400lb DT recruit will not make it academically so will go the JUCO route. definitely hurts the depth on the Dline especially with lingering concerns over Jamar King's academic status. Hulk shown below with a 6'4" 240lb tight end - that is one big dude

I can't imagine being a 190 pound running back and colliding with this dude. Put him at
nose tackle and he could cover guard to guard.

 

[CoachCB]

That's a huge DT!

UF just got a JUCO DT commitment, 6'4 350lbs.

 

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Coach, my all-time favorite Alabama team was the 1961 national champions.

The tackles on that team weigh 185 pounds...the biggest player on the
team without looking it up might of weighed 225.

Times have changed my friend. I remember watching Alabama play Florida
when the Gators had a LB (Jack Card I believe) who weigh 165 pounds and
he was one hell of a player.

A 160 pounder nowdays ain't worth a coup of coffee...especially on defense.

 

[rolltide]

LSU will have its most talented roster since the departure of a notable former head coach, SEC Network analyst and former Tigers All-America defensive tackle Booger McFarland told reporters at the SEC spring meetings this week.

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“LSU has its best team it’s had since Nick Saban left,” McFarland said, via NOLA.com. “This team is better than the 2011 team. This team has more star power than the 2011 team.”
The topic was brought up when McFarland mentioned that LSU coach Les Miles was one of three SEC West coaches – along with Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn – on the hot seat this season.

“If you look at the West this year, Alabama is breaking in a new quarterback, its star tailback is gone, defensively its stalwarts are gone,” McFarland said. “Ole Miss, all the defensive guys are gone. Mississippi State, Dak (Prescott) is gone.

“It’s kind of setting up if you look at it. Who’s better than LSU? When you say, ‘Alabama because of the Saban factor.’ I’ll give you that. But if you look at the SEC from top to bottom, who’s better on paper? So what does it come down to at that point? Health and execution week in and week out. Nobody can predict health, but the execution comes down to how well the team is prepared and the coaching staff.”

Though many of the players were recruited by Saban, Miles helped guide LSU to the 2007 national title. The Tigers again reached the national championship game under Miles in 2011, only to lose to Saban’s Crimson Tide.

LSU ultimately had 22 players, including five first-round picks, drafted into the NFL from its 2011 team.

LSU’s 2016 team already has been projected to have as many as seven players taken in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft, which would break Miami’s record of six in 2004. Running back Leonard Fournette, wide receiver Malachi Dupre, safety Jamal Adams, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, cornerback Tre’Davious White, offensive lineman Ethan Pocic, linebacker Kendell Beckwith and defensive end Lewis Neal – all of whom will be vital for LSU this season – make up a group of Tigers players who could be taken high in the draft.

 

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NFL Draft Evaluation - Juniors

The rising number of juniors leaving school early for a shot at the NFL and growing trend
of those going undrafted have SEC coaches looking for some type of quick fix. Currently,
once a student athlete declares for the NFL draft, they cannot retain their college eligibility.
Those who go undrafted must go the undrafted free agent route. According to NFL.com,
30 of 96 underclassmen to enter the 2016 NFL draft went undrafted, including six from the
Southeastern Conference. In 2015, 24 underclassmen (about 33 percent) went undrafted.

That was true for college basketball players until this summer. Last year the NCAA passed
a rule allowing underclassmen to test the NBA waters and then return to school if they weren't
expected to be drafted. Fifty-seven players who declared early for the NBA draft opted to
return to college, including five from the SEC.

SEC coaches believe there are two things they have in common with the NFL. The NFL don't
want players who aren't ready and the NCAA doesn't want them to leave too early when the
student athlete isn't ready. Stayed tuned..........

 

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Future SEC Head Coaches?

Here's ten SEC assistant coaches with a good chance of running their own programs in the
not so distant future.

Lane Kiffin, OC, Alabama
Jeremy Pruitt, DC, Alabama
Mario Cristobal, OL, Alabama
Rob Smith, DC, Arkansas
Rhett Lashlee, OC, Auburn
Geoff Collins, DC, Florida
Eddie Gran, OC, Kentucky
Dave Aranda, DC, LSU
Ed Orgeron, DL, LSU
Bob Stoop, DC, Tennessee

This season, Kirby Smart (Georgia), Barry Odom (Missouri) and Will Muschamp (South
Carolina) made the step up from assistant to head coach.

 

[rolltide]

With 51 players selected in 2016, the SEC led all Power 5 conferences in NFL draftees for the 10th straight year. Here’s a look at how each team has done since the turn of the century:
[h=3]ALABAMA[/h]Total players drafted: 80
Most frequent position: Defensive tackle (11)
Best at position: Terrence Cody, Marcell Dareus
[h=3]ARKANSAS[/h]Total players drafted: 51
Most frequent position: Wide receiver (8)
Best at position: Jarius Wright, Cobi Hamilton, Greg Childs
[h=3]AUBURN[/h]Total players drafted: 52
Most frequent position: Running back (7)
Best at position: Ronnie Brown, Cadillac Williams, Tre Mason
[h=3]FLORIDA[/h]Total players drafted: 85
Most frequent position: Wide receiver (12)
Best at position: Percy Harvin, Jabar Gaffney, Taylor Jacobs
[h=3]GEORGIA[/h]Total players drafted: 91
Most frequent position: Defensive end, defensive tackle (9 each)
Best at position: Quentin Moses, Robert Geathers, Geno Atkins

[h=3]KENTUCKY[/h]Total players drafted: 23
Most frequent position: Wide receiver (5)
Best at position: Randall Cobb, Stevie Johnson, Keenan Burton
[h=3]LSU[/h]Total players drafted: 89
Most frequent position: Defensive back (17)
Best at position: Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu
[h=3]MISSISSIPPI STATE[/h]Total players drafted: 32
Most frequent position: Defensive tackle (9)
Best at position: Fletcher Cox, Ellis Wyms
[h=3]MISSOURI[/h]Total players drafted: 32
Most frequent position: Defensive end (6)
Best at position: Kony Ealy, Michael Sam, Aldon Smith
[h=3]OLE MISS[/h]Total players drafted: 34
Most frequent position: Offensive tackle (6)
Best at position: Michael Oher, Stacy Andrews
[h=3]SOUTH CAROLINA[/h]Total players drafted: 50
Most frequent position: Defensive back (10)
Best at position: D.J. Swearinger, Stephon Gilmore, Chris Culliver
[h=3]TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS[/h]Total players drafted: 73
Most frequent position: Linebacker (10)
Best at position: Kevin Burnett
[h=3]TEXAS A&M[/h]Total players drafted: 49
Most frequent position: Wide receiver (7)
Best at position: Mike Evans, Terrence Murphy, Bethel Johnson
[h=3]VANDERBILT[/h]Total players drafted: 21
Most frequent position: Defensive back (5)
Best at position: Casey Hayward, D.J. Moore

 

[rolltide]

[h=1]UGA, Kirby Smart sign football coach's contract[/h][h=3]By MARC WEISZERupdated Friday, June 3, 2016 - 11:46pm[/h]2 comments

Georgia and Kirby Smart have signed the first-year football coach’s contract that pays him $3.75 million annually through the end of the 2021 season, according to a document obtained by the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday through an open records request.Smart had previously signed a memorandum of understanding with the school at the time of his hire on Dec. 6, 2015. Smart, athletic director Greg McGarity and president Jere Morehead have now signed the full contract.The breakdown of the $3.75 million is $2.27 million for media compensation (radio/TV and public relations), $1.08 million for equipment endorsements and a $400,000 base salary.Smart can make a maximum additional $1.6 million in performance bonuses which were outlined at the time of the memorandum of understanding including $1 million for winning the national title.The buyout terms were also already laid out then. Smart would owe Georgia $3.75 million if resigns in the first year and it is reduced each year of the contract. Georgia would owe Smart $13.5 million if he was fired this year and it is reduced during the length of the six-year deal.

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Other items in the contract include:
--Smart’s wife and children can travel with Smart to any road or neutral site Georgia football game as part of the school’s official travel party at no cost to Smart. He gets use of a 25 seat box and six tickets for home games, six tickets for away games and six tickets to the SEC championship game and for Georgia bowl games.
--Georgia athletics will pay monthly dues for a membership in Athens Country Club.

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RT, I'm pulling for Kirby Smart to do well at Georgia. He's been a LOYAL Alabama assistant coach
for several years and one of Nick Saban's favorites. Maybe his all-time favorite. But, Coach Smart
has his hands full at Georgia replacing a coach who won 10 games a season for 15 years. AIN'T going
to be easy that's for damn sure.

I look forward to watching Kirby and this challenge the next few years/