SEC Offseason News

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GEORGIA has announced a proposal to name the Sanford Stadium playing field after
former coach and athletic director Vince Dooley. Provided the proposal is approved and
it will be, the Dooley Field dedication would take place on September 7, the day Georgia
opens the season. Dooley was head football coach for 27 years compiling a 201-77-10
record. He won 6 SEC championships and the national title in 1980. He also served
as AD for 15 years. Good move on Georgia's part.....well deserved.
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Georgia football fans may have noticed something this week. Following an update to the
247Sports composite recruiting rankings, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets now have a
higher recruiting ranking than Georgia. Georgia Tech is No. 10 and Georgia is No. 11 in
the 2020 cycle. No worries Bulldog fans...short-term storyline.
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Georgia fans can worry about finishing 13th in the Southeastern Conference in tackles for
loss and 12th in sacks a year ago, and that has to be fixed in order for Georgia to make a
run at another SEC championship, not to mention playoff possibilities. Smart knows the
problems and is working hard to improve the defensive production.
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TEXAS A&M, alongside in-state counterpart Texas, were the only two schools in the
country to bring in over $200 million through their athletic departments last year,
bringing in nearly $212 million. Rounding out the top five are Ohio State ($185.4),
Michigan ($185.2) and Alabama at ($174.3). Georgia (6th), Florida (8th), LSU (9th)
and Auburn (10th) make the top ten.

Sidenote: Aggie football coach Jimbo Fisher has $67.5 million guaranteed money in
his contract. Guessing A&M can afford it.

 

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While LEGALIZED BETTING is still something most SEC states don't allow, you
can now walk into Mississippi casinos and find sportsbooks that are completely
legal. Tennessee recently decided to join the list of states that will have legal-
ized betting, however, the Volunteer state is only permitting online bets, not
betting at physical brick and mortar stores. That also means that anyone who
lives in a border state of Tennessee or visits the state will soon be able to wager
online legally once they cross the state line.

 

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Before Tennesseans jump into their new found legalized sports betting. They might
need to take a look at their own Vols team before wagering them as a home favorite.
Over the past five seasons, the Volunteers are a money burning 6-14 when giving
points at Neyland Stadium including 0-2 last year. (0-2, 1-3, 2-3, 1-3, 2-3) Ouch!

 

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AUBURN head coach Gus Malzahn enters his seventh season with the Tigers posting
a 53-27 overall record, including 8-5 last year. Malzahn's offense finished 11th in the
Southeastern Conference during the 2018 season averaging just 390 yards per game,
and if you take out 179 points scored against Alabama State, Liberty and Purdue, the
offense averaged only 22 points per game. A rocky part of the offense last year was
the play of the offensive line, especially in the running game. This season the offensive
line is a veteran group that might not be special, but is loaded with five senior starters.
If nothing else, it's going to be a steadier unit that should be more dependable than last
year, especially running the ball. Now the skill guys have to come through.

Sidenote: The Tigers are 19-1 straight up the last 3 years when it rushes for 200 yards.

 

[mws]

What did the ACC have? The three Clemson players plus Jones from Duke and Burns from FSU and the outstanding center from NC State and Lindstrom from BC?

Seven out of 32 is not too bad, either.

 

[mws]

Top 10 Players Drafted

Alabama: 10
Ohio St.: 9
Oklahoma: 8
Washington: 8
Georgia: 7
Texas AM: 7
Auburn: 6
Clemson: 6
Notre Dame: 6
Ole Miss: 6

Does that say anything about the coaching at Clemson?

 

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Does that say anything about the coaching at Clemson?

Clemson has an excellent staff from top to bottom. Dabo is demanding but he treats them
right and they all want to be there. No turnover like many successful programs.

 

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The Sporting News has come out with their Top 25 quarterbacks for 2019. Six SEC
signal callers make the list and four ex-SEC quarterbacks who transferred also made
the list.

Current

#2 Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
#3 Jake Fromm, Georgia
#13 Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
#14 Joe Burrow, LSU
#20 Feleipe Franks, Florida
#23 Kelly Bryant, Missouri from Clemson

Transfers

#5 Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma from Alabama
#8 Shea Patterson, Michigan from Ole Miss
#11 Justin Fields, Ohio State from Georgia
#19 Jacob Eason, Washington from Georgia

#1 was Lawrence from Clemson.

 

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MISSISSIPPI STATE - With three studs gone off of last year's No. 1 defense in the SEC, it's fair
to say that the offense will probably have to pick it up a bit. Nick Fitzgerald struggled (51%) as
a passer last year where the unit ranked No. 13 in the conference with just 175 yards per game.
Kaytaon Thompson provided a few glimpses throwing the ball that suggest he could provide a
boost. He threw three touchdowns in the spring game and had a 6-to-1 touchdown to interception
ratio in limited action last year. The receiving corps struggled during 2018, but tall targets like
Stephen Guidry (19) and Osirus Mitchell (26) should become bigger factors with Thompson slinging
it around. Coach Joe Moorhead will be looking for more balance between his offense and defense,
especially in conference play. Being No. 1 in defense and No. 13 in offense won't cut it.

 

[LSUpete]

Ranking Justin Fields, a qb that couldn't make the starting lineup before transferring to another school, ahead of Joe Burrow is just ridiculous. And, Burrow is much better than Kellen Mond as well. Mond is an interception throwing machine.

 

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Ranking Justin Fields, a qb that couldn't make the starting lineup before transferring to another school, ahead of Joe Burrow is just ridiculous. And, Burrow is much better than Kellen Mond as well. Mond is an interception throwing machine.

Yeah Pete, it will be interesting to see how Fields does at Ohio State. He had a terrible spring game causing some
concern among the Buckeye faithful. The QB I feel will have a standout season is Washington's Jacob Eason. The
kid has all the tools to really help the Huskies. Of course Jalen Hurts is the other I will follow closely. He contributed
a lot as a Bama player.

 

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Number of (Career) wins by current SEC coaches.

Jeremy Pruitt (5) Tennessee
Matt Luke (11) Ole Miss
Chad Morris (16) Arkansas
Barry Odom (19 Missouri
Derrick Mason (24) Vanderbilt
Kirby Smart (32) Georgia
Mark Stoops (26) Kentucky
Ed Orgeron (41) LSU
Joe Moorhead (46) Miss State
Will Muschamp (50) South Carolina
Gus Malzahn (62) Auburn
Dan Mullen (79) Florida
Jimbo Fisher (92) Texas A&M
Nick Saban (237) Alabama

Saban is definitely the elder statesman of the SEC having more wins than nine
other league coaches combined.

 

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ALABAMA football earns the second highest APR score in the Southeastern Conference.
Among the other 13 teams in the league, only Vanderbilt's mark of 991 was higher.
Fifteen Tide players graduated last fall and eight more received their diplomas earlier
this month.

(Adopted in 2004, APR is an NCAA initiative that monitors the eligibility and retention
of individual student-athletes during each term over a four year period. Teams must
earn a four year average score of 930 to compete for championships.)

 

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ALABAMA put together the greatest offensive season in its history last year, setting
school records for points per game (45), passing yards per game (327), yards per
play (7.8) and total yards per game (522). With Alabama returning more than a
half a dozen key players, including the quarterback and four all-conference quality
receivers, 2019 could be another year of setting records.

 

[mws]

ALABAMA put together the greatest offensive season in its history last year, setting
school records for points per game (45), passing yards per game (327), yards per
play (7.8) and total yards per game (522). With Alabama returning more than a
half a dozen key players, including the quarterback and four all-conference quality
receivers, 2019 could be another year of setting records.

Yes, of course. If coached properly, Tua should be much better this year, although it is also true that opposing coaches will have seen some relatively effective defensive tactics in the MSU/UGA/Clemson games that they can work with to slow down Tua. But that's the point of the coaching -- to get him prepared to deal with those tactics.

 

[Knightrofins]

Clover,

what do you think about the gators scheduling a future home and home vs Colorado?

while other SEC schools are scheduling home and homes vs ELITE programs, the gators choose Colorado.

Boss move or soft move??

 

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Clover,

what do you think about the gators scheduling a future home and home vs Colorado?

while other SEC schools are scheduling home and homes vs ELITE programs, the gators choose Colorado.

Boss move or soft move??

Colorado won 10 games in 2016 so you just never know. Their new coach certainly knows Florida well.

 

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The SEC went 13-1 in week one last year. The conference can only match that record
this season with Georgia and Vanderbilt meeting in the opener.

Week 1 Snapshots:

*Vanderbilt beat Georgia in 2013 and 2016 and, no, the three year pattern will not continue
in 2019.

*Auburn opens the season against Oregon in Arlington, Texas. The Ducks return 17 starters
plus an established quarterback. Ouch!

*Ole Miss opens against a dangerous Memphis squad that returns a 3,000 yard passer and a
1,200 yard rusher.

*Florida makes a short trip to Orlando to face rival Miami. The Canes enter the game with a
new coach, new offensive coordinator and new starting quarterback.

*South Carolina will travel north to Charlotte to face Mack Brown and his North Carolina squad.
The Gamecocks have almost every conceivable edge in this one with the Tar Heels starting over.

*Alabama should have demanded a better opponent in the Atlanta matchup against Duke.
Remember the Louisville opener last year.

Men, it's almost June...opening kickoff is just around the corner.

 

[Knightrofins]

The SEC went 13-1 in week one last year. The conference can only match that record
this season with Georgia and Vanderbilt meeting in the opener.

Week 1 Snapshots:

*Vanderbilt beat Georgia in 2013 and 2016 and, no, the three year pattern will not continue
in 2019.

*Auburn opens the season against Oregon in Arlington, Texas. The Ducks return 17 starters
plus an established quarterback. Ouch!

*Ole Miss opens against a dangerous Memphis squad that returns a 3,000 yard passer and a
1,200 yard rusher.

*Florida makes a short trip to Orlando to face rival Miami. The Canes enter the game with a
new coach, new offensive coordinator and new starting quarterback.

*South Carolina will travel north to Charlotte to face Mack Brown and his North Carolina squad.
The Gamecocks have almost every conceivable edge in this one with the Tar Heels starting over.

*Alabama should have demanded a better opponent in the Atlanta matchup against Duke.
Remember the Louisville opener last year.

Men, it's almost June...opening kickoff is just around the corner.

Are lines out yet for week 1 for all games?

Would love to know the South Carolina/North Carolina line. I think the cocks will take them to the wood shed

I see UGA winning an ugly low scoring game. Like a 27-6 kind of game

I think Oregon beats Auburn

Ole Miss beat up on Memphis last year (i was all over that game)

The gators should have a 70/30 crowd advantage playing in HOT and humid weather in an evening game. Both teams are used to humid conditions but the best "conditioned" team will win that game and kids could drop like flies in the 2nd half

The most important part of the Bama/duke game will be the last 5 minutes b/c that is when bama will have the ball and they will need to score that last minuted td to cover the zillion pt spread that they will be favored by