For most of the season, it’s seemed inconceivable that any player other than Leonard Fournette could honestly be considered the most valuable player in the SEC. Now, in a world where we know 31 yards on 19 carries is possible, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which LSU’s stud sophomore climbs back to the top.
To be clear, Fournette had no chance against Alabama. The Crimson Tide regularly had up to seven defenders on the LSU side of the line of scrimmage by the time the whistle blew. But the fact remains that as talented as he is, Fournette is no different than any other running back. His value is limited by his offensive line’s ability – or, in this case, a lack thereof.
Maybe one of the best things going for Derrick Henry is that he’ll never have to face the Alabama defense on national television.
For first-timers, here’s our mission statement:
We’re endeavoring to sort out the conference’s best players by taking into account all the things the Heisman Trophy voters tend to leave out. To top our list, you don’t need to be a household name playing for a national title contender — though, if we’re being honest, it doesn’t hurt. We aim to find the best player in the conference who is also his team’s most indispensable piece.
We consider a player’s track record because past results tend to be a pretty good predictor of future performance, but as we move deeper into the season, the reputation a player has developed over the course of a career will fade in the equation, replaced proportionately by what they’ve done for their teams lately.
On to top 10:
10. JONATHAN BULLARD, FLORIDA
Last week: Not ranked
The skinny: Bullard dropped out of the rankings for a spell, but mostly due to the excellence of others rather than any shortfall of his own. The senior tackle has been strong all season, leading one of the SEC’s top run defenses with 13 tackles for loss (third in the conference), while adding five sacks.
9. EDDIE JACKSON, ALABAMA
Last week: 9
The skinny: Jackson remains tied for the SEC lead with five interceptions on the season and captains the back end of a Crimson Tide unit that ranks first in the conference and sixth nationally in pass defense efficiency.
8. MYLES GARRETT, TEXAS A&M
Last week: 5
The skinny: Nobody in the conference gets to opposing quarterbacks as frequently as Garrett, who leads the SEC and ranks second in country with 10.5 sacks. But whether it’s scheme, technique or skill, the fact that the Aggies rank last in the league against the run can’t go unmentioned.
7. LAQUON TREADWELL, OLE MISS
Last week: 6
The skinny: The gap between Treadwell and the rest of the conference’s receivers is growing wider every week. He crossed the 1,000-yard mark with seven receptions and 132 yards against Arkansas, putting him nearly 300 yards ahead of his nearest competitor in the SEC. If only the Rebels’ secondary was playing as well.
6. BRANDON ALLEN, ARKANSAS
Last week: Not ranked
The skinny: It’s unlikely any player has transformed his reputation more over the course of the season than Arkansas’ senior quarterback. He was a decent game manager last season, but as injuries piled up for the Hogs in 2015, so did the pressure on Allen. Early on, he didn’t always handle it well. Arkansas lost close games to Toledo, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M due largely to the offense’s struggles in the red zone and late in games. Allen’s performances in tight wins over Tennessee, Auburn and Ole Miss represent a comprehensive U-turn in that regard. He’s played flawlessly in clutch situations, and after throwing for 442 yards and a school-record six touchdowns against Ole Miss, the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Week ranks first in the conference in passing efficiency and yards per attempt, and second in passing yards and touchdowns.
5. VERNON HARGREAVES III, FLORIDA
Last week: 7
The skinny: The most boring MVP campaign in the modern SEC history continues, as Hargreaves’ lock-down coverage ensures that his gets few chances to show his skill. The Gators had more passes defended last week than Vanderbilt had completions, pushing Florida’s pass defense efficiency ranking to No. 11 nationally and No. 2 in the SEC. Hargreaves leads the team and is tied for the third in the conference with four interceptions.
4. REGGIE RAGLAND, ALABAMA
Last week: 4
The skinny: Ragland didn’t put up huge numbers in the Tide’s impressive win over LSU because no Alabama player did, underscoring the point that the continued success of the defense is more about the sum of the stellar parts than individual standouts. Ragland leads the team in tackles on the season, but just as importantly, the senior linebacker is the man charged with directing the defense on the field.
3. DAK PRESCOTT, MISSISSIPPI STATE
Last week: 2
The skinny: Prescott was excellent again in the Bulldogs’ 31-13 win over Missouri, throwing for more than 300 yards against a defense that hadn’t given up 250 through the air in any game this season. Now comes the stiffest test he’ll face this season. If Prescott can lead Mississippi State to an upset of Alabama this weekend, it’s almost a sure thing that he’ll be leading this list next week.
2. LEONARD FOURNETTE, LSU
Last week: 1
The skinny: LSU’s struggles against Alabama are evidence of Fournette’s value to the Tigers. With their star sophomore bottled up at every turn, the offensive game plan fell to pieces. Despite last weekend’s disappointment, Fournette remains the nation’s leading rusher by more than 150 yards.
1. DERRICK HENRY, ALABAMA
Last week: 3
The skinny: Right now, Henry is the surest bet for consistent offensive excellence in the SEC. He’s scored in 14 straight games, and after three touchdowns against LSU, he’s tied for the most in the country with 17. He’s carried at least 26 times in five straight contests, including a career high of 38 last weekend, and averaged 166 yards per game in that span. The Tide have offensive weapons to support him — notably freshman WR Calvin Ridley and backup RB Kenyan Drake — but Henry is the engine driving the Alabama offense this season.
Brent Holloway is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia, LSU and Mississippi State.
