In an odd way, your favorite SEC football team is a little like your family. The summer being football’s relative down time, there’s some house cleaning going on. Teams take an assessment of 2015 and try to figure out what they want to keep for 2016, and what they’re hoping to throw away in the new season. Here’s one thing to keep and one to dump for each West squad in 2016, and why fans should expect things to stay the same … or to change.

Alabama

Keep: Sacking opposing QBs

It’s hard to pick out just one keeper for Alabama. Obviously, keep winning national titles would apply, but when the numbers are broken down, it’s clear that Bama has many positive habits to keep. For one, another year with the defense racking up 53 sacks would be a good one. It’s not like Nick Saban’s previous defenses were chopped liver, but no prior Saban defense at Alabama had surpassed 35 sacks. The scary thing for opposing offenses is that Alabama may well repeat that performance with stars like First-Team All-SEC defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and Second-Team All-SEC linebacker Tim Williams returning (the two combined for 22.5 sacks in 2015) for the 2016 campaign. If they do, whoever is at QB, Alabama will be fine.

Pitch: QB protection issues

While Alabama was dominant in getting to opposing passers in 2015, the Bama offensive line had struggles protecting Jake Coker as it allowed 25 sacks, the most since 2010. Pending the outcome of Cam Robinson’s possible school discipline, Alabama will have three all-SEC starters on its line in 2016, and they should help improve the ground game (4.7 yards per carry in 2015, lowest since 2008) as well as the pass protection.

Arkansas

Keep: Protecting the QB

Arkansas has some uncertainty under center in 2016 as Brandon Allen will no longer be on the field. But Allen’s brother, Austin, should be a solid passer who can direct the offense. His transition to starting will be greatly helped if Arkansas continues to protect its quarterback as it has in recent years. In 2015, the Hogs allowed just 14 quarterback sacks. They also allowed 14 sacks in 2014 and eight in 2013. So in three years under Bret Bielema, Arkansas passers have been sacked just 36 times (for comparison’s sake, Florida QBs were sacked 46 times last year). Arkansas does lose three starters, but First-Team All-SEC performer Dan Skipper anchors a huge and talented group that figures to give Allen plenty of time to throw.

Pitch: Allowing other teams to pass

Arkansas’ biggest struggle in 2015 was allowing 275 yards per game in passing, 116th among FBS schools. The Razorbacks had  four games in which they allowed 350-plus yards passing, including 508 yards to Mississippi State and 380 yards to FCS’ UT-Martin. The good news is that three of Arkansas’ four secondary starters are back, and former Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads has been hired as defensive backs coach. If Arkansas can throttle back opposing passers, they could surprise in 2016.

Auburn

Keep: Pumping out 1,000-yard rushers

For the last seven seasons, Auburn has produced a 1,000 yard rusher. In 2015, it was Peyton Barber, who overcame the team’s offensive struggles to total 1,017 rushing yards. With Gus Malzahn’s spread attack, having the feature back who can grind out first downs and keep the Tigers in control of the clock is huge. In 2016, it will probably be Jovon Robinson, a 6-foot, 219-pound senior who rushed for 639 yards (5.5 yards per carry) off the bench in 2015. Sophomore Kerryon Johnson is also capable, if need be, of stepping into the role.

Pitch: A terrible passing game

Dual-threat passer Jeremy Johnson suffered the indignity of sliding from preseason Heisman candidate to backup. Replacement starter Sean White was serviceable, but no better. And then Auburn loses its top two pass-catchers after the season. Dual-threat JUCO transfer John Franklin III may be the man under center in a few weeks, and his performance will go a long way in defining whether Auburn is scratching for a bowl bid or fighting into the top of the SEC West.

LSU

Keep: Its electrifying running game

LSU didn’t just run for 257 yards per game last year (7th in FBS), they did it with style. As a team, the Tigers averaged 6.1 yards per carry, and Leonard Fournette and his capable backups were an eternal threat to break a big play. While Fournette gets the headlines, mobile QB Brandon Harris and reserves Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams all have big-time running skills. In 2015, LSU had games where they averaged 9.7 and 8.6 yards per carry. If it replicates that in 2016, it’ll be in good shape for the West race.

Pitch: An inconsistent passing game

Brandon Harris is capable of running the Tigers offense smoothly and effectively. The problem is that he’s also capable of games where he doesn’t even complete 10 passes — that happened to LSU five times in 2015. Harris’ overall statistics are solid, but given the incredible ground game, it’s not too much to hope that he can throw consistently for 200 yards per game, instead of four sub-100 yard passing games, and a 105th national FBS ranking in passing yards per game.

Mississippi

Keep: Putting up points

The Rebels led the SEC and ranked 8th among FBS programs with a 40.8 points per game scoring average in 2015. Many figured Ole Miss would score points in 2015, but even an optimist wouldn’t have expected that type of explosiveness. For comparison’s sake, Freeze’s first three Ole Miss teams scored 31.5, 30.0, and 28.3 points per game. The difference? All-everything QB Chad Kelly was a big upgrade over Bo Wallace, and his 4,042 passing yards and 500 rushing yards demonstrated the impossibility of stopping the Rebels. Receivers Laquon Treadwell and Cody Core are gone, but Ole Miss returns a ton of playmakers and adds some explosive freshmen who will keep the Rebels offense on the must-see list.

Pitch: Turnover issues

For a very good team, Ole Miss was strangely poor in turnover margin, ending the season by breaking even. When the Rebels are forcing more TOs than they give away, as in their Week 3 upset at Alabama (+5 turnovers), they’re great. When they’re giving the ball away and not equalizing with their defense, they do things like lose by 28 points to Florida (-4 turnovers). A return to the form of 2014, when the Rebs were +7 on turnovers, could ease Ole Miss into a division title — and more.

Mississippi State

Keep: The bowl streak going

After a 5-7 campaign in Dan Mullen’s first year in Starkville, the Bulldogs have appeared in six consecutive bowl games. This year is likely to be a down year for the Bulldogs, following the matriculation to the NFL of all-world QB Dak Prescott. If Mullen wants to stay afloat in the most competitive division in college football, he has to find a way to cobble together enough wins to keep State playing in the postseason. Manny Diaz’s improving defense and a group of offensive playmakers, highlighted by Second-Team All-SEC WR Fred Ross, gives MSU fans reason to think that the streak will continue.

Pitch: QB protection issues

State allowed 32 sacks in 2015, which with the reliable and mobile Prescott under center, is a horrifying total. Whomever ends up winning the job to replace Prescott would benefit greatly by some improved pass protection. State does return three senior starters and will have some benefit from spreading around the offensive load, rather than defenses being able to anticipate —and tee off on — Prescott.

Texas A&M

Keep: A stingy pass defense

Defensive coordinator John Chavis has done a great job of changing the culture in College Station, and nowhere is that more evident than in the A&M secondary. Two years ago, A&M averaged allowing 32.2 points per game and 253 yards passing. After Year 2 under Chavis, those numbers were down to 22.0 points and 166 yards passing, which ranked 4th among FBS schools. A&M returns its safeties, and while the starting corners are gone, UCLA transfer Priest Willis should be one solid replacement. The Aggies’ pass-rush also makes a big difference, and all-everything linebacker Myles Garrett will play a big role in cutting down opposing QBs quickly.

Pitch: QB controversy

The 2014 and 2015 seasons bogged down for the Aggies in a shuffle of Kenny Hill, Kyle Allen, Kyler Murray and Jake Hubenak. While A&M has gotten excellent overall production from its QBs, the inconsistency of the players and the inability to settle on a clear leader has kept A&M out of the top tier of the West. The problem should be at least temporarily resolved with Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight leading the A&M attack. Knight’s experience is just one reason many are tabbing the Aggies as an SEC surprise for 2016.