Sec notebook

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good overview on lsu.....
http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/lsu-football/film-study-qb-brandon-harris-goes-will-tigers/


[FONT=&quot]Fournette is a transcendent star. The kind you build a program around. The kind you hand the ball to again and again...[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Think Todd Gurley with extra inches in height and extra pounds in muscle.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]The 2016 off-the-bus champion may well be LSU. The school returned NFL caliber players and has, perhaps, the greatest collection of athletes in the country on both sides of the ball.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Dupre and Duval are the second and third heads of LSU’s three-headed monster on offense. Their combination of speed and length makes them a devastating duo at all levels of the defense. They can high-point the ball in contested catch situations, and their catching radius diminishes the accuracy concerns of their quarterback, Harris.

But we’ve been down this path with LSU before. If only Zach Mettenberger had put it together earlier the school wouldn’t have wasted an offense that featured Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry and Jeremy Hill.

LSU has had great talents before, and they’ll have great talents again, but they likely won’t realize quite what they had in Fournette until they open the 2017 season with someone else stood behind their quarterback and with Fournette playing on Sundays.[/FONT]

 

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Vanderbilt

The first two years of the Derek Mason era were marked by instability and uncertainty. In
retrospect, Vanderbilt's 7-17 record wasn't all that surprising. This fall, Vanderbilt returns
14 starters and 22 different players who actually started at least three games in 2015. That
doesn't include left tackle Andrew Jelks and wide receiver C.J. Duncan, who were Vandy's
best players at their positions in 2014 before missing all of 2015 due to injury. Mason also
shuffled his staff, hiring Jeff Genyk from Wisconsin to run special teams and coach running
backs, bringing C.J. AhYou from a lower position at Oklahoma to run the defensive line, pro-
moting Chris Marve to inside linebackers' coach, and then looking west to bring in Cameron
Norcross from Fresno to coach the offensive line and Osia Lewis from San Diego State to
handle outside linebackers. With a revamped coaching staff and a roster more suited to play
Mason's style, 2016 could be a breakout year. At least better than last season's 4-8 record.

Sidenote: Vanderbilt has 58 letter winners returning for 2016. Last year, that number would
have ranked the Commodores in the top 10 in the country. Thirty seven have started at least
one game.

Sidenote: Vanderbilt ranked No. 28 in total defense last year and No. 116 in total offense. Expect
much of the same this season.

 

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Missouri

You might want to avoid Missouri when the Tigers are a favorite after an underdog
win (1-8 against the spread) and when they are a favorite after winning a game
straight up and against the spread. (11-27 against the spread)

Give Missouri a good look when they are playing as a favorite coming off a double
digit loss. (16-6 against the spread) and as a favorite when they are coming off
a straight up and against the spread loss. (20-7 against the spread)

 

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steele....

[h=2]SEC East[/h][h=2]1. Tennessee Volunteers[/h]

Butch Jones has done a steady, careful job of building this UT roster. The Vols have gotten better each year, going from five to seven to nine wins, and last year they were four plays away from being undefeated and in the playoff. Tennessee has an experienced team with 17 returning starters (including veteran quarterback Joshua Dobbs) and get games versus Florida and Alabama at home. Tennessee is my pick to win the SEC East and is a legitimate national title contender.
[h=2]T2. Georgia Bulldogs[/h]

The Bulldogs have not been to the SEC title game since 2012 despite being the favorite in the division most years. Last year their season went south when running back Nick Chubb was injured, but he is back this year along with a veteran offensive line and experience at quarterback. UGA has just three SEC home games but does have 14 returning starters, and Kirby Smart inherits some decent talent. They get Tennessee at home, and a win on Oct. 1 will make them a legitimate SEC East title contender. Remember that last year the East was won by a first-year head coach (Jim McElwain), and Smart hopes to duplicate that.
[h=2]T2. Florida Gators[/h]

Florida has the advantage of having only three true SEC road games this year with UGA being at a neutral site. If the Gators take care of business there and continue their streak against Tennessee (11 straight wins), they could be in a second straight SEC title game. The Gators do have just 12 returning starters and lose a lot of talent, but they also have a lot of talent returning. The Gators were a surprise team in 2015 and have the potential to be one again in 2016.
[h=2]4. Missouri Tigers[/h]

Missouri will contend with Florida for the honors of best defense in the SEC East this year with almost everyone back in the front seven and with Barry Odom (last year's defensive coordinator) taking over as head coach. The Tigers' offense figures to be much improved as 6-foot-4, 221-pound Drew Lock is now a sophomore and they add running back Alex Rossfrom Oklahoma and wide receiver Chris Black from Alabama. They had little offense last year (9.1 ppg in the SEC, 245 yards per game). I don't think Missouri will win the SEC East like it did in both 2013 and 2014, but the Tigers look like a much stronger team.
[h=2]5. Kentucky Wildcats[/h]

The Wildcats have won just four conference games over the past four years but have managed to stay out of the basement the past two, coming within inches of getting to a bowl each year. UK has nine starters back on offense and looks solid on that side of the ball. The defense is inexperienced but does have talent. They are No. 13 in the SEC in my special-teams rankings. I give the Cats a good shot at their first bowl game since 2010.
[h=2]T6. Vanderbilt Commodores[/h]

I was impressed with the improvements coach Derek Mason had on defense last year, going from 33.3 points per game in 2014 to 21 in 2015. Vandy actually has my No. 3-rated linebacker corps in the SEC and it's not too often I get to make that statement. The offense will be improved, but it is still in the lower half of the SEC, as are the special teams. The Commodores do open with South Carolina at home, but their other SEC home games are versus Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee, teams that were a combined 18-6 in SEC play last year, meaning most of the winnable games are on the road. This is an experienced squad with 15 returning starters, and they are capable of contending for a bowl.
[h=2]T6. South Carolina Gamecocks[/h]

Last year, South Carolina had a league-worst minus-109.4 yards per game differential in SEC play, and this year the Gamecocks are inexperienced. There are a lot of factors pointing up for SC this year, as it had four net close losses last year (could have easily been a bowl team). I think the Gamecocks will flirt with bowl eligibility, but with the majority of their most winnable games on the road, the schedule has me calling for them at the bottom of the division.

---

[h=2]SEC West[/h][h=2]T1. Alabama Crimson Tide[/h]

While Alabama comes in at No. 116 in my experience ratings, I'll point out that last year the Tide were No. 124 and actually go from just 10 returning starters up to 11. Inexperienced quarterback? No problem. With Bama's No. 1 recruiting classes every year, they just reload. The biggest question this year is the schedule. My top four rated teams in the SEC are Bama, LSU, Tennessee and Ole Miss. Bama plays each of the other three on the road this year. However, it is still capable of winning yet another SEC and national title.
[h=2]T1. LSU Tigers[/h]

LSU has the second-most experienced team in the SEC with 17 returning starters (eighth most in the FBS). The Tigers should get improved quarterback play and have a Heisman contender in running back Leonard Fournette. They add Dave Aranda as the defensive coordinator and he did great things with Wisconsin's defense, which had less talent than he inherits here. While the Tigers play four SEC bowl teams on the road, they get their toughest SEC games (Ole Miss, Bama) at home. Five of my nine sets of power ratings call for LSU to go unbeaten this year. The Nov. 5 game against Alabama could feel like a playoff game in Death Valley. The Tigers are on the prowl for a second national title this decade.
[h=2]3. Ole Miss Rebels[/h]

Ole Miss had a 4th-and-25 play stopped in overtime, but a lateral and miracle pass resulted in a loss to Arkansas, and that one play kept the Rebels from the SEC title game. The Rebels are a little less experienced this year with just 10 returning starters back (they had 16 last year), but compared to LSU and Alabama, they have a large edge at quarterback withChad Kelly. This team is capable of contending for top SEC honors.
[h=2]4. Auburn Tigers[/h]

Auburn was the only team in the SEC West to have a losing conference record last year (2-6). The Tigers have only 12 returning starters this year. They go from No. 115 in my experience ratings to No. 94. I expect John Franklin III to win the quarterback job and give them that mobile player their offense so desperately needs. Since getting to the national title game in 2013, Auburn is just 15-11 (6-10 in the SEC), but the Tigers have eight home games this year. Auburn was actually the media's pick to win the SEC last year, and I think it will be an under-the-radar team in 2016.
[h=2]T5. Texas A&M Aggies[/h]

Defensive coordinator John Chavis has a boatload of highly touted players on defense, including seven returning starters. The Aggies have the best defensive end combo in the country in Myles Garrettand Daeshon Hall, plus one of the better secondaries. The offense adds Oklahoma transfers Trevor Knight and Keith Ford to blend with one of the best sets of receivers in the country, making them my No. 1-rated SEC receiving corps. They do, however, need the offensive line to gel quickly with just two starters back. The schedule makes this team a true wild card as it gets Ole Miss, LSU and Tennessee (three of the top four teams in the SEC) at home, but the Aggies have proved they can win away games in SEC play (Kevin Sumlin is 10-6 in road SEC games). Tough to pick them this low.
[h=2]T5. Arkansas Razorbacks[/h]

In coach Bret Bielema's first two years of SEC play, he was just 2-14, but last year he jumped to 5-3 to tie for third in the powerful West. The yards per game differential has improved from minus-138.3 to minus-27.4 to plus-17.5 last year. The Hogs' defense looks to be as good as the 2014 edition, which allowed just 19.2 points per game (323 yards per game). My nine sets of power ratings give me a wide variance on Arkansas this year, ranging anywhere from 6-2 in SEC play all the way down to 2-6. The Razorbacks have only three true SEC road games and those are versus teams that were just 7-17 in the SEC last year. The key will be how the Hogs play in their home games. They play Alabama, Mississippi, LSU and Florida, and if they win those, they are a SEC West contender.
[h=2]T5. Mississippi State Bulldogs[/h]

Mississippi State was picked last in the SEC West by almost everyone last year, including the media and myself. Naturally, Dan Mullen had them achieve above expectations at 4-4 in SEC play, but 9-4 was stronger than anyone expected. Quarterback Dak Prescott moves on. Only three SEC teams have been plus yards in each of the past three years and surprisingly Mississippi State is one of them. Mississippi State is one of only two teams in the West to outgain its SEC foes each of the past three years (Alabama is the other). This year, of all the teams in the West, Mississippi State draws the most favorable schedule, as the Bulldogs are the only one to avoid Florida, Georgia and Tennessee out of the East, instead pulling Kentucky and South Carolina. They also get Arkansas, Texas A&M and Auburn at home, with the three toughest opponents (Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU) on the road, meaning most of their winnable games are at home. If you look at my power poll, I have Mississippi State rated seventh in the West (although still one of the top teams in the country), but the Bulldogs' schedule has me calling for a tie for fifth place this year.

 

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Best Teams Against The Spread Last 5 Years
(Power 5 Teams Only)

1. Kansas State 39-20 66.1%
2. VANDERBILT 37-21 63.8%
3. Baylor 36-22 62.1%
4. Clemson 36-24 60.0%
4. Oregon 36-24 60.0%
6. OLE MISS 35-25 58.6%
7. Washington St. 33-24 57.9%
8. Stanford 37-27 57.8%
9. Washington 33-25 56.9%
10. Duke 34-26 56.7%

Worst Teams Against The Spread Last 5 Years

1. KENTUCKY 18-37 32.7%
2. Virginia Tech 21-40 34.4%
3. Illinois 20-35 36.4%
4. TEXAS A&M 22-36 37.9%
5. California 22-34 39.3%
5. Kansas 22-24 39.3%
7. Oregon St. 23-35 39.7%
8. Arizona 24-36 40.0%
9. Colorado 24-35 40.0%
10. Purdue 24-32 42.9%

The SEC has two of the best ATS and two of the worst the past five seasons.

 

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Freshman To Watch

OL Jonah Williams (6-5, 300) Alabama
Remember the name because he might start in 2016 and eventually replace All-American
Cam Robinson at left tackle. The early enrollee was rated a five-star recruit and at right
tackle during Alabama's spring game. Saban said Williams was one of the most athletic
players he saw during the recruiting process and that Williams could play center, guard or
tackle. He called Williams very smart, very athletic with excellent feet.

OT Greg Little (6-5, 305) Ole Miss
A five-star prospect who was rated the No. 3 overall recruit in the country in the class of
2016 and the No. 1 rated offensive tackle. Little chose Ole Miss over Alabama and Texas
A&M after receiving offers from almost all the major schools. He has the size and strength
to jump right in and play this season. That's a good thing, because the Rebels need a new
left tackle.

 

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Arkansas Schedule

This shapes up to be the most impressive SEC home schedule in the history of Razorback
Stadium. The Hogs host reigning national/SEC champion Alabama, plus SEC powers Ole
Miss, Florida and LSU (soooey pigs). Before hosting Alabama, the Razorbacks open their
SEC season against Texas A&M at the neutral site of the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium in
Arlington, Texas. The Hogs are 0-4 against the Aggies in SEC play, making September 24
as vital as any of the home dates. Non-conference upsets to Toledo and Texas Tech last
season cost the Hogs a 10-win season, and Arkansas can't take its eye off the non-conf ball.
The Hogs open with Louisiana Tech (9-4 last year) in Fayetteville, immediately followed by
a game against a tough TCU team, which is looking for quality follow-up to its 11-2 season.

Sidenote: Arkansas tied with South Carolina for the fewest fumbles lost (3) last season.

 

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2015 Bama recruit, Christian Bell, announced he will transfer. He was the protypical tweener....not big enough for defensive end, not quick enough for outside LB. He grayshirted last year so will have a full 4 years of eligibility remaining and is the 4th defensive player to leave the team this spring/summer (bell, burgess-becker, mo smith, thomas)


no word on what school Bell will choose. Burgess-Becker chose UCF, Thomas went to Northwest Miss CC, and Smith is down to USCw, Miami, or Louisville for a graduate transfer.

Bell should be a really good defensive end at a non power-5

 

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[h=1]3 biggest issues for Jim McElwain to overcome in Year 2 at Florida[/h]
[FONT=&quot]The finish was a complete fade. There was zero offense, and barely enough defense to stumble past Vanderbilt and Florida Atlantic — at home. It was hard to watch.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And that was before the 2015 Florida Gators finished off Jim McElwain’s first season as coach with losses to Florida State, Alabama and Michigan by an embarrassing combined score of 97-24.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]But amid the rubble there was an awakening. The Gators weren’t quite back, not by a long shot, but they had shown glimpses they were getting there, and it only took McElwain one season to get the message out. They did, after all, win the SEC East, however messy it looked at times.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“Despite the ugly finish, McElwain brought a new vibe to the program, selling out The Swamp four times and overseeing facility upgrades,” wrote Athlon Sports in May in its lookahead to the 2016 season.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]But after Athlon’s applause came the cold reality: “But to take the next step on the field, McElwain must develop a long-term answer at quarterback.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Which leads us perfectly into the top three issues McElwain faces as he tries to translate a 10-4 revival of a season into even more success in Year 2. And it’s hard to argue that solving the quarterback position in 2016 isn’t the place to start.

[/FONT]
[h=3]DEL RIO OR APPLEBY?[/h][FONT=&quot]Last season was a disaster at quarterback, and disaster might be a kind word. Will Grier started out looking like a godsend, revitalizing the offense and leading Florida to huge victories over Tennessee and Ole Miss. But after Grier’s suspension for PED use, UF’s offense went nowhere under Treon Harris.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yes, the Gators almost won at LSU with Harris under center and, yes, they throttled Georgia in the next game. But the offense fell apart from there, and while there were issues at other offensive positions, it was the feeble quarterback play that was infecting the rest of the unit.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]So what will McElwain do in 2016? With Harris moving to wide receiver, the answer seems to begin with Oregon State transfer Luke Del Rio, a former walk-on at Alabama.

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The redshirt sophomore Del Rio appears to have the lead in the quarterback competition heading into fall camp, which is exactly the point: The Gators aren’t used to such uncertainty at a position that’s been filled by such names as Shane Matthews, Danny Wuerffel, Rex Grossman, Chris Leak and Tim Tebow. Del Rio might yet join those names, but right now he’s just trying to become McElwain’s most crucial answer in the present.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Del Rio is familiar with the scheme run by offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier. But he’s being pressed by Purdue transfer Austin Appleby. Of course, McElwain is staying optimistic.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“We really have good arm talent,” said McElwain, according to onlineathens.com. “I’m excited about being able to stretch the field vertically. It should be a lot of fun.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Still, quarterback is the Gators’ biggest question heading into 2016. Del Rio carries a great deal of potential. But right now, what he also carries is a giant label of the unknown. For McElwain to take those good Year 1 vibes and turn the Gators into a true contender, he needs his quarterback to be a lot better than a mystery.[/FONT]
[h=3]CALLAWAY (MAYBE) AND WHO ELSE?[/h][FONT=&quot]Another mystery for McElwain? That would be the group of weapons the quarterback will be throwing to this fall. Clearly, the Gators were lacking in that department last year, in addition to their problems at quarterback.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Antonio Callaway burst onto the scene with a vengeance as a freshman, catching 35 passes for 678 yards and four touchdowns, and adding 435 yards and two touchdowns on punt returns. But Callaway (below) and new fellow wide receiver Harris were suspended indefinitely in January for violating the university’s code of conduct policy. They missed spring practice.

[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Callaway and Harris are back on campus now, but their status for the fall is still up in the air, and that sort of mystery isn’t good for a program looking to get its offense to catch up to its defense.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“Nothing’s been resolved yet, and there’s really not a time frame on it,” McElwain told reporters at SEC Media Days.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Getting Callaway back on the field would be huge for the Gators if there was an experienced quarterback waiting to throw passes to them. But there isn’t. And that makes his return even more important, though there will be an adjustment period to get in sync with the new quarterback.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Meanwhile, like dependable tight end Jake McGee, receiver Demarcus Robinson has departed for the NFL, depleting a skill-position group that is young, raw and full of question marks. Robinson was the Gators’ No. 1 receiver last year by default with a team-high 47 catches.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]This will mean extra attention on Callaway, as well as junior Brandon Powell (29 catches last year), who is coming off surgery for a chronic foot issue.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yes, junior college transfer Dre Massey will help the depth, as will a 2016 recruiting class chock-full of receiver star potential highlighted by Tyrie Cleveland (the nation’s No. 2-ranked wide receiver), Freddie Swain and Joshua Hammond. But these Gators can’t depend on freshmen in their current state, especially not after Cleveland’s recent arrest.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]McElwain has overhauled the offense since he took over in December 2014. And it’ll probably end up all coming together nicely. Just probably not this year, so the Gators will likely have to depend on their talented running backs and another stellar defense.[/FONT]
[h=3]CAN GATORS HANDLE 2015’S SURPRISING SUCCESS?[/h][FONT=&quot]Because of those running backs and that defense alone, the Gators figure to win plenty of games again this fall. They were picked to finish second in the SEC East behind Tennessee at Media Days. Which brings us to the third obstacle McElwain’s team must tackle in 2016, a mental one: dealing with success the right way.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Gators’ jump back to prominence was noble last fall. It brought fans back from the dark days of the Will Muschamp era. But while the jump to 10 wins last year was a big one, going from being a 10-win team to a national title contender is a whole different leap.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Expectations will be sky-high now that the Gators got a strong whiff of success in 2015. That only means this season should be about consistency on offense, continued overall growth and one vital thing in short supply in today’s society: patience.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Because rebuilding a culture of winning takes more than one year to do.[/FONT]

 

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best player on sec ....

http://interactives.indystar.com/USATNetwork/HeroesOfTheSEC/

 

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Freshman To Watch

QB Jacob Eason (6-5, 215) Georgia
Eason is probably Georgia's most anticipated true freshman since the great Herschel
Walker. It would be a shock if he doesn't win the starting job at some point, possibly
as soon as the opener. He enrolled in January and went through spring practice. Led
scoring drives on his first two possessions in the G-Day game. He's the most complete
quarterback prospect the Dawgs have had since Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions). It
may be difficult for Georgia to win big with a rookie head coach and rookie quarterback.

QB Brandon McIlwain (6-0, 205) South Carolina
McIlwain enrolled early and emerged as one of the top two candidates for the starting
quarterback job in the spring. He was the only one of the two to stay healthy and play
in the spring game. McIlwain passed up the opportunity to be selected in the 2016
MLB Draft, where he was projected as a top 50 pick. As a senior at Newtown, PA, he
threw for 1,720 yards and 18 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,545 yards with 31 scores.
Many Gamecock supporters believe he will be the starter opening night against the
Vanderbilt Commodores.

 

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Alabama - Careful when putting money on the Tide after a straight up loss when playing
the next game at home and as a favorite. Try a money burning 8-17 against the spread.

Careful when putting money on the Tide after a straight up AND against the spread loss
when playing the next game at home as a favorite. Again, a money burning 5-13 ATS.

For what it's worth......................

 

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SEC Receivers

Texas A&M, Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss have as good a group of receivers as any teams
in the country. Here's a quick hit on each.

Texas A&M - Two talented Aggies quarterbacks transferred away from the best receiving
corps in the country after last season. Texas A&M retains four guys who could be No. 1
targets almost anywhere in Christian Kirk, Josh Reynolds, Ricky Seals and Speedy Noil.
A new offensive coordinator, a faster paced offense and full season of Oklahoma transfer
Trevor Knight at quarterback could lead to some impressive numbers across the board.

Alabama - The Tide has a lot of mouths to feed, Calvin Ridley, as a freshman, made Bama
fans forget about Amari Cooper with a solid 1,000 yard season. Then there's ArDarus
Steward, Robert Foster, Cam Sims and tight end O.J. Howard. Add in Bowling Green transfer
Gehig Dieter and OC Lane Kiffin can expand the rotation with all kinds of weapons.

LSU - The Tigers don't have the receiver depth of Texas A&M or Alabama, but Malachi Dupre
and Travin Dural are one of the top duos in the Southeastern Conference and are next in
LSU's receiver pipeline to the NFL. Now, can the quarterback get them the ball?

Ole Miss - The Rebels are going to be fine after losing first round NFL draft pick Laquon Treadwell,
which isn't what you would expect. But most teams don't have Quincy Adeboyejo, Damore'ea
Stringfellow and tight end Evan Engram as returning threats. The advantage for Ole Miss is
they have the best quarterback in the league who can deliver the ball.

 

[cloverleaf]

Auburn

The Tigers have been a money burning 1-8 against the spread the game before playing
Vanderbilt....Ole Miss is before Vandy this season BUT Auburn is a money winning 5-1-1
their last seven games against the Rebels.

Go figure................

 

[cloverleaf]

Vanderbilt

Most bettors don't like backing a losing team like Vanderbilt. However, if you
wagered on the Commodores in conference play since the 2011 season, you
would have an impressive 62.5 winning percentage. In each of the past five
seasons, Vanderbilt has gone 5-3 against the spread in SEC games (25-15).

Sidenote: Vanderbilt is 0-16 straight up and 2-14 against the spread in GAME
SIX of the season the past 16 years. Kentucky is Game 6 this season.

 

[cloverleaf]

SEC - Best of the Best - Offense

QUARTERBACK
Chad Kelly - Ole Miss - Sr.
Josh Dobbs - Tennessee - Sr.

RUNNING BACKS
Leonard Fournette - LSU - Jr.
Nick Chubb - Georgia - Jr.
Jalen Hurd - Tennessee - Jr.
Sony Michel - Georgia - Jr.

WIDE RECEIVERS
Calvin Ridley - Alabama - So.
Christian Kirk - Texas A&M - So.
Fred Ross -Mississippi State - Sr.
Malachi Dupre - LSU - Jr.
Josh Reynolds - Texas A&M - Sr.

TIGHT ENDS
O.J. Howard - Alabama - Sr.
Evan Engram - Ole Miss - Sr.

CENTERS
Ethan Polcic - LSU - Sr.

GUARDS
Brandon Smith - Auburn - Jr.
Jashon Robertson - Tennessee - Jr.

TACKLES
Cam Robinson - Alabama - Jr.
Dan Skipper - Arkansas - Sr.

 

[cloverleaf]

SEC - Best of the Best - Defense

DEFENSIVE ENDS
Myles Garrett - Texas A&M - Jr.
Jonathan Allen - Alabama - Sr.
Derek Barnett - Tennessee - Jr.
Marquis Haynes - Ole Miss - Jr.
Carl Lawson - Auburn - Jr.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Davon Godchaux - LSU - Jr.
Montravius Adams - Auburn - Sr.
Jonathan Allen - Alabama - Sr.

INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Reuben Foster - Alabama - Sr.
Zach Cunningham - Vanderbilt - Jr.
Kendell Bechwith - LSU - Sr.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Jarrad Davis - Florida - Sr.
Tim Williams - Alabama - Sr.
Jalen Reeves - Tennessee - Sr.
Richie Brown - Mississippi State - Sr.

CORNERBACKS
Jalen Tabor - Florida - Jr.
Cameron Sutton - Tennessee - Sr.
Tre White - LSU - Sr.

SAFETIES
Jamel Adams - LSU - Jr.
Eddie Jackson - Alabama - Sr.
Tony Conner - Ole Miss - Sr.
Marcus Maye - Florida - Sr.

KICKERS
Daniel Carlson - Auburn - Jr.

PUNTERS
JK Scott - Alabama - Jr.
Johnny Townsend - Florida - Jr.

ALL PURPOSE
Christian Kirk - Texas A&M - So.
Evan Berry - Tennessee - Jr.

 

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RUNNING BACKS
Leonard Fournette - LSU - Jr.
Nick Chubb - Georgia - Jr.
Jalen Hurd - Tennessee - Jr.
Sony Michel - Georgia - Jr.

listening to the new Tuscaloosa radio show and one of them said he really believes the 2nd best RB in the SEC (1st of course Fournette) is Derrius Guice, Fournette's backup. obviously some of that is showing off his knowledge of college football but was really surprised since those guys know a ton about SEC players. definitely keep an eye on Guice

 

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good article...bear vs saban: http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/192285352/nick-saban-vs-bear-bryant-career-comparison

[h=2]SABAN VS. BEAR: THE BATTLE FOR BAMA[/h]
Over the last week, Sports on Earth counted down the 100 greatest coaches in college football history. The project was inspired by the success of Nick Saban, whose fifth national championship last January has propelled him into the thick of conversations about all-time great coaches.


Whereas once it seemed unthinkable for anybody to compare to Bear Bryant, Saban has made a legitimate argument to being not only the best Alabama coach, but the best college football coach period. We're not quite ready to make that declaration yet. Our rankings placed Bryant first, Notre Dame's Knute Rockne second, Saban third, Notre Dame's Frank Leahy fourth and Michigan's Fielding Yost fifth. It is an ongoing conversation, though, as Saban, at age 64, is still showing no signs of slowing down and has a potential top team again ready for 2016.
There are some similarities to the career trajectories of Bryant and Saban, as both have had four head coaching jobs, making the biggest name for themselves at Alabama. So how do their careers (college only) compare thus far? Let's go job by job.
[h=3]First Jobs: Saban at Toledo, Bear at Maryland[/h]Saban's path to Alabama was more of a winding road than Bear's. After playing at Kent State, Saban stayed on as an assistant to Don James (who would go on to win a national title at Washington), before a long journey that took him from Syracuse to West Virginia to Ohio State to Navy to Michigan to the Houston Oilers, before he landed the Toledo job at age 38. He went 9-2, losing two games by a total of five points and sharing the MAC title, but losing the head-to-head tiebreaker to Central Michigan, who played in the California Bowl. That was it for Saban, who leapt to the NFL to be Bill Belichick's defensive coordinator in Cleveland.
Note: SRS in charts refers to Sports-Reference's Simple Rating System data, which adjusts point differential for strength of schedule.

Bryant's first head coaching job was a step up from where Saban began. A star player at Alabama under the legendary Frank Thomas, Bryant assisted at Alabama and Vanderbilt before joining the Navy during World War II. After the war ended, he was hired by Maryland at age 32 and finished with a 6-2-1 record -- Maryland's second winning record in eight years. With that, Bryant jumped to the SEC at Kentucky.
[h=3]Second Jobs: Saban at Michigan State, Bear at Kentucky[/h]Saban returned to East Lansing in 1995 to coach a middling Michigan State program that had faltered with 26 losses in George Perles' last four years and had only one AP top-10 finish since Duffy Daugherty's national titles in 1965-66. He began his tenure by getting smoked 50-10 by Tom Osborne and Nebraska -- "You're not as bad as you think," Saban says Osborne told him afterward -- and had four mediocre seasons, with highs including upsets of then-No. 7 Michigan in '95, No. 4 Penn State in '97 and No. 10 Notre Dame and No. 1 Ohio State in '98. Saban finally got the Spartans rolling in 1999, with a 9-2 record and a top-10 ranking -- although he left for LSU before the Spartans beat Florida in the Citrus Bowl.

Kentucky tires to claim it won the 1950-51 national championship under Bryant, in a season in which it did go 11-1 with a Sugar Bowl win but finished No. 7 in the AP poll … because the final polls were taken before the bowl games. Kentucky had lost its final regular-season game to Tennessee, but then it beat No. 1 Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, thus creating a messy championship by today's standards. It's not a recognized championship, but nevertheless, it shows the success that Bryant had at his second stop. That team was the second of five straight top-20 finishes for the Wildcats, who had never had a ranked season before Bryant and wouldn't again until 1976. Unfortunately for Kentucky, Texas A&M called Bryant, who made the move in 1954.
[h=3]Third Jobs: Saban at LSU, Bear at Texas A&M[/h]Both Saban and Bryant moved on to big jobs at schools that had seen their football programs fall on hard times. LSU had two ranked teams in 11 years when Saban took over in 2000 and had not won an SEC title since 1988. Saban proceeded to win two SEC Championship Games in four years, knocking Tennessee out of the national title race in 2001 and punching its own ticket to the BCS title game in 2003. That '03 LSU squad went 13-1, topping Oklahoma 21-14 in the Sugar Bowl to claim Saban's first national championship and LSU's first since Paul Dietzel did it in 1958. Saban followed that with a 9-3 campaign, then jumped to the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

Bryant's Texas A&M tenure started in 1954 with an infamous debacle: the brutal Junction, Texas, preseason camp that chased off a chunk of the team -- one that hadn't finished ranked since 1941 -- and ended with the Aggies going 1-9. The turnaround was swift, though, and the core of an improved team was built. Bryant's final three Texas A&M teams went 24-5-2, with the 1957 squad climbing to the top of the polls before suffering three straight defeats to end the season. The late-season disappointment continued for Texas A&M, as Mama called, and the Bear went home.
[h=3]Fourth Jobs: Saban at Alabama, Bear at Alabama[/h]Saban was an outsider when he got the job, but it was a necessary home run for Alabama, who lured him back to college from the NFL to fix a team that couldn't put consistently strong seasons together since the end of the Gene Stallings era a decade earlier. Saban's first team struggled to find its footing -- 7-6 with a loss to Louisiana-Monroe -- but that season marked the end of any sort of struggles. Since then, Alabama has been a nearly unstoppable machine, reclaiming the crown of the strongest, most powerful program in college football. Alabama has won at least 10 games and finished in the top 10 every year since 2008, played in a major bowl game seven of eight years, made the first two playoff fields and won four of the last seven national championships. Saban signs No. 1 recruiting classes every year, and that talent is molded into championship teams. He has also coached Mark Ingram and Derrick Henry, the only two Alabama players to win the Heisman Trophy.

Bryant coached 18 top-10 teams in 25 seasons, becoming the dominant figure in the sport. He coached two undefeated teams and won three national titles in his first eight seasons. After a dry spell, Alabama switched to the wishbone and finally integrated, and Bryant went on another dominant run that included a claim to the national title in 1973, thanks to the UPI's crowning of a champion before the bowls, and back-to-back titles in 1978-79. From 1971-79, Alabama lost more than one game in a season only twice. Bryant stepped down after the 1982 season and died a month after his final game.
For now, it's unfair to compare Saban's Alabama tenure to Bryant's entire tenure. Saban will turn 65 this fall, and he would have to coach at Alabama until he's 81 years old to match Bryant's Tuscaloosa longevity. It's impossible to know how long Saban will coach, but it's unlikely he'll stick around anywhere near that long. For now, we can compare what Saban has done in nine seasons at Alabama to what Bryant did in his first nine -- and the two look awfully similar.

[h=3]What's next?[/h]As mentioned, Saban's story is still being written, and there's a good chance he'll enter his 10th season with the Crimson Tide rated as the preseason No. 1. In Bryant's 10th year, Alabama opened ranked No. 10 and finished 17th, before a pair of unranked seasons at the low point of Bryant's tenure. Every dynasty must end, and while it seems impossible at the moment, Saban's run is bound to hit a rough patch, at least by Alabama standards, at some point.
Still, given the ridiculous amount of talent that Saban has recruited, it's just impossible to see the Crimson Tide slowing down in the next few years, giving Saban an opportunity to catch up to and even surpass Bryant, if he hasn't done so already.
It's difficult to compare eras, and our top 100 fully acknowledges that. There's no perfect way to compare coaches of different eras, and in many ways Saban faces more challenges than Bryant did, with scholarship restrictions that previously didn't exist and tougher paths to the national championship in the playoff system. There isn't parity in college football today, but there's more parity now than in the 1970s.
Bryant's legend is too strong -- he was too charismatic, too ingrained in Crimson Tide lore -- to ever truly be surpassed as an Alabama personality. But for over 20 years, Alabama had been looking for another Bear. On the field, at least, it has had the incredible fortune of finding him, and maybe even more.

 

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[FONT=&quot]Assistant coaches Jim Turner and Jeff Banks have been suspended without pay for two weeks, effective immediately after backlash from slides shown at an A&M all-football event on Wednesday, A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin announced on Friday afternoon. The two coaches will also have to serve 20 hours of community service, Sumlin said in a statement.[/FONT]