Published September 15, 2011 - 12:43pm
NEW: Discuss this topic in the Google+ community for SEC fans.
As SEC play starts for mostly every team either this week or next week, here are several questions worth asking about teams in this conference right now.
Does Alabama really scare teams? When I look at Alabama right now, the offense is not that overpowering. AJ McCarron doesn’t scare me at quarterback, and the running game has yet to really get cranking behind this really hyped offensive line. Sure, the defense is stellar, but in a low-scoring SEC game, anyone can win if a play or two goes their way. Alabama will likely play a majority of its games close this season if the running game does not really get cranked up.
Can Arkansas keep winning without a known running back? We know this passing offense is electric with Tyler Wilson at the helm, with his four legitimate wide receivers. However, the Razorbacks became really good a year ago when Knile Davis emerged as the go-to running back and gave the offense a different dimension that was missing in the first half. Now that Davis is out, can the Hogs find a legitimate back to step in and produce? The Razorbacks are 37th overall in rushing offense, averaging 180 yards on the ground against two cupcake teams.
Can Auburn find a run defense? Right now, Auburn is sitting 112th out of 120 D-1 teams in total defense. This defense is giving up almost 280 yards on the ground per game and almost 500 yards of offense per game. The Tigers escaped the Mississippi State Bulldogs, but there are far better defensive teams than State in this conference to keep Auburn’s scoring at a minimum. They need something to happen, quickly. They will, however, win their fair share of shootouts, though.
Is LSU’s defense as good as Alabama’s? LSU has dominated two games defensively so far – one being a national contender in Oregon and one a cupcake in Northwestern State. There may not be as many big names on this defense as the Tide’s, but you can bet your boots they are as fast and as physical. We’ll re-evaluate this question when the season is over, no doubt.
Will Houston Nutt survive this season? The Rebels are sitting 1-1 right now, and Ole Miss will start this weekend against Vanderbilt in SEC play. Vanderbilt is riding a wave of momentum right now, and I can totally see the ‘Dores beating the Rebels at home. Furthermore, every game on the Rebels’ remaining schedule can be a toss-up.
Can Mississippi State consistently run the football on upper-echelon SEC defenses? State has run right though Memphis and Auburn, and both defenses have been terrible thus far. We’ll find out tonight night if the Bulldogs can run on a legitimate LSU defense. Dan Mullen will ride this rushing offense up until the last game if he has to. This will be an interesting question to be answered moving forward.
1. Injuries happen to every team, and they may happen to the Alabama D. If Bama can’t establish their running game, or if an opponent is strong versus the run, the tide offense may be in trouble.
2. With Dennis Johnson returning, the Hog running game is about to get a boost. Davis may not have gotten as many carries in 2010 if Johnson had been healthy.
3. Auburn will be lucky to win 7 games if their defense doesn’t improve.
4. LSU defense IS as good as bama’s. But LSU’s offense can be stopped by another good D…especially if Jefferson returns as the starter.
5. Nutt will survive the season, but not the post-season.
6. MSU will not be able to run the ball like they want to against Bama, LSU, or Arkansas.
Here are my thoughts to your lis Win Gates
1. On the money
2. Doesn’t matter. Everyone in the SEC is set up to stop the run. Ark has the best passing attack in the nation. Other than LSU and Bama, no one can handle a great passing attack, and I am not even sure these teams can handle this passing attack. If it ant broke, don’t fix it.
3. The upgrade from Utah St to Miss St was as huge. If you watched any of the Auburn games last year then you should know, Chizic does a great job getting his teams to improve after every game and he is going to get them better. Just look at how much better they were when playing SC the first time to playing them the second time.
4. On the money!!!
5. On the money
6. That QB is big and fast. He has great timeing and a good RB. They will run on anyone. Not like they did on Auburn, but they will do it well.
@jacobwaldrop I just registered ONLY to let you know that your Auburn biased opinions make me physically sick. I went back and read some of your previous comments, and you go out of your way to talk down about my University, even going as far as slinging mud at the Bear. You have to be a cow f****** Auburn fan, I can almost guarantee it! Do us all a favor and separate your stereotypes & biased opinions from factual statements, that way, the rest of us are only partially annoyed at what you say. Either that, or hold your breath until Auburn wins another b.s. Championship.
1: On the money mqlivingston,i sensed the biased opinion with him and jonny,i am not worried,Bama will get alot better in the running game,everyone forgets about Eddie Lacy.2:all of the razorbacks running backs can be as good as any SEC teams running backs in any given game. 3 Auburns run defense will get better,but they will not be able to stop the run game as good as Bama and LSU this year.4 Bama and LSU always have the toughest run defense in the SEC,to say one is better than the other,you might as well flip a coin on that one.5 Nutt will survive this season if they beat Ole Miss. 6 Miss State is unpredictable on the run game this year,they look good in one game,then not so good in another,but never underestimate Vick,he can be very explosive at times.
So, are you saying you were scared by McElroy? Really?
Maybe if he makes a mean face.
1) There was a time during the Bear Bryant era when Alabama had a good 7-point advantage just for being Bama. There was a mystique about them that was hard to overcome. The modern-era team doesn’t have that same swagger. Perhaps it’s because there are so many teams in our conference who are equal in talent and level of play than there was back then. I wouldn’t think anyone fears playing Alabama any more than they would Florida, LSU, Auburn or many of the other top SEC teams.
2) Auburn got a good look at Tyler Wilson last year, and it was my opinion then, as it is today, that Wilson was their best QB in 2010. I’m sure they’ll find a running back to carry the load for them, as Wilson’s arm will assure no one can key on the running game.
3) Auburn’s biggest problem with the run defense at the moment is youth, inexperience and blown assignments. They can come up gangbusters on 1st and 2nd downs, leaving a 3rd and long situation, and then totally blow their assignments on 3rd down. No one can say how long it’ll take for these kids to grow up, but for Auburn’s sake it had better be soon rather than later.
4) Personally, I think LSU’s defense is better than Alabama’s. LSU is giving up only 12 points per game, and two of those games were top 25 opponents, including the NCAA’s highest scoring team in 2010. I think their total shutdown of Mississippi State last night shows how good their defense is.
5) He’ll survive the season, but there will be a new coach on the sidelines for Ole Miss in 2012. I can see them losing to Vandy. When we lost to Vandy in 2008, I knew it was the beginning of the end for Tommy Tuberville.
6) I think this question was answered last night. I think it also shattered the perception that Mississippi State has moved from the pretender category to contender.
5)