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With 2016 comes obligatory New Year’s resolutions. Here’s a list with one suggested resolution for each SEC football team.
ALABAMA — GO UNDEFEATED
Yes, that’s a lot to ask. Especially when some Crimson Tide supporters are satisfied merely with an SEC title followed by a national championship. Of Nick Saban’s three (four, if the Tide beats Clemson) national title teams at Alabama, all but one lost in the regular season. His 2003 national title team at LSU also lost a game. Saban’s Alabama teams always have elite talent (the Tide was favored in 72 straight games before closing as a 1-point underdog this season at Georgia), generous facilities and resources and an all-star coaching staff. So why lose to Ole Miss two years in a row?
ARKANSAS — GET PREPARED EARLIER
The Razorbacks have been outstanding in the second half of the schedule the last two seasons against difficult opponents. They won four out of their last six in 2014 and five of their last six this season. But they were clobbered by a mediocre Auburn team in the 2014 season opener. This season, they lost three straight, the first two to Toledo and Texas Tech. Bret Bielema needs to win games before the days get cold and the opponents are banged up. It won’t be easy next season with Brandon Allen, Alex Collins and Sebastian Tretola gone from the offense.
AUBURN — FIND A QUARTERBACK
Gus Malzahn thought Jeremy Johnson would be another star quarterback to follow Cam Newton and Nick Marshall. It may have looked that way in practice, but not when the games started. Without a skilled, mobile quarterback, Malzahn’s preferred hurry-up offense won’t fly. Sean White didn’t look like the answer. Junior-college transfer John Franklin III was originally recruited to Florida State. But the three-star recruit isn’t considered as talented as Newton or Marshall. The Tigers should be a player in the graduate transfer market.
FLORIDA — FIND A DIRECTION ON OFFENSE
Simply blaming Treon Harris is too easy. The problems with the Gators offense run deeper than that. Most of a depth-challenged offensive line is gone. So is Will Grier. The Gators had no playmaker in the backfield this season and haven’t gotten a commitment from an elite RB prospect yet. Freshman Antonio Callaway has breakaway speed, but had only 30 receptions and four TD catches this season prior to the Citrus Bowl. Jim McElwain needs to find an identity on offense. And that begins with finding some playmakers. The coach has commitments from at least three receivers in his upcoming recruiting class. The first priority is finding a quarterback. Four-star, in-state recruit Feleipe Franks may need to develop fast.
GEORGIA — FIND A QUARTERBACK
We’ll see how Kirby Smart fares as a head coach. The defense shouldn’t be any problem. That’s Smart’s specialty and he and his staff inherited a wealth of talent. Finding a playmaker to run the offense is the main challenge. Three candidates tried and failed in 2015. Brice Ramsey, the No. 2 choice, returns. A highly touted prospect, Ramsey might develop into a solid player. But Smart and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney may pin their hopes on incoming five-star QB Jacob Eason, initially recruited from Washington state by Mark Richt.
KENTUCKY — WIN THE SWING GAMES
Mark Stoops needs to take the Wildcats to a bowl game in Year No. 4 to get his program untracked. The Wildcats squandered a great chance in 2015, falling apart down the stretch, including a loss to Vanderbilt. The formula in 2016 isn’t that hard. New Mexico State and Austin Peay should be gimmes. So the Wildcats need to find four wins among games with Southern Miss, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Missouri and Louisville. Mississippi State also should be vulnerable after losing Dak Prescott. With Drew Barker, the Wildcats have a talented quarterback as a cornerstone.
LSU — DEVELOP A QUARTERBACK
The Tigers always bring in great talent. But Les Miles and Cam Cameron can’t seem to develop a quarterback to match the quality of the rest of the team. Maybe Brandon Harris will continue to improve — he was impressive against Texas Tech in the Texas Bowl. Losing Franks to Florida when Miles’ future was called into question, was a painful blow. LSU should make a strong pitch to a graduate transfer. Miles doesn’t want to squander a chance to contend for titles in Fournette’s final season.
OLE MISS — IMPROVE CONSISTENCY
The Rebels have beaten Alabama the past two seasons. They beat Auburn and LSU this season, too. They’ve been to two major bowl games, but don’t have as much as a division title in the SEC. Hugh Freeze is bringing in more hot-shot recruits, including five-star QB Shea Patterson. But the Rebels probably will lose three players to the first round of the NFL Draft, including playmaking WR Laquon Treadwell and star pass protector Laremy Tunsil. Chad Kelly will probably return at quarterback. But he’ll need a new supply of weapons to keep the Rebels near the top in the SEC West. The Rebels must find a way to give a solid performance in every game, not just against the West powers.
MISSISSIPPI STATE — KEEP THE FAITH
Dan Mullen has shown his system works, taking the Bulldogs to six straight bowl games. Losing Prescott, who accounted for about 70 percent of the team’s offense, leaves a gaping hole in the offense. If standout receivers Fred Ross and De’Runnya Wilson leave early, Mullen’s job becomes tougher. This could be a rebuilding year. But considering the foundation Mullen has built, it doesn’t have to be a losing season. Mullen has a proven formula. With punching bags South Alabama, UMass and Samford (not Stanford) lined up, the Bulldogs should keep their bowl streak growing.
MISSOURI — EMPHASIZE RECRUITING
The Tigers overachieved the last decade under Gary Pinkel, according to recruiting rankings. But the Mizzou staff, especially defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski, found a way to develop marginal prospects into menacing pass rushers. The Tigers have hit a few home runs in recruiting — Blaine Gabbert, Dorial Green-Beckham, Sheldon Richardson and Terry Beckner Jr. — but for the most part, they’ve lagged behind the rest of the SEC in raw talent. Barry Odom’s choices of his staff indicate he knows how important improved recruiting is to Mizzou’s future. Now he has to do it.
SOUTH CAROLINA — BE PATIENT
The Gamecocks won’t be good right away. Not without a good quarterback — it’s hard to believe four-star recruit Brandon McIlwain will be an instant first-year star. Given the history of Will Muschamp and Kurt Roper, it might be easy for South Carolina fans to panic if the Gamecocks struggle early. But Muschamp must have learned from his experience at Florida. Sticking with Roper was a gutsy move, considering his inability to pull Florida out of the mud in Muschamp’s final season. Steve Spurrier showed he could recruit great talent to South Carolina. Muschamp will too. But like Spurrier, he’s unlikely to win big immediately.
TENNESSEE — WIN CLOSE GAMES
The Volunteers have teased us with late-season runs the past two years. Unlike Arkansas, the Vols have feasted on the weakest part of their SEC schedule in November. Tennessee should contend for the SEC East title next season, led by QB Joshua Dobbs and RB Jalen Hurd. The Vols could have accomplished so much more in 2015. They lost close games to Oklahoma and Alabama, two of the four playoff teams. They were within one play of beating Florida and Arkansas, too. The Vols must take Appalachian State serious in their opener then stay focused throughout the hoopla involving a game against Virginia Tech at Bristol Motor Speedway. It’s up to Dobbs, who will be a third-year starter, to find a way to win the close games that make a difference between the Outback Bowl and a playoff berth.
TEXAS A&M — CHANGE THE CULTURE
Kevin Sumlin has brought in plenty of talent. But it either underachieves in big games or transfers away. Kenny Hill, Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray each looked like future star quarterbacks only to transfer away. The Aggies need to toughen up. They can’t stand up to the best teams in the SEC West at the line of scrimmage. There’s been steady turmoil in College Station, dating back to the offseason before Johnny Manziel’s final season. Texas A&M has all the tools and facilities needed to join the elite in the SEC West. The Aggies need to toughen up and quit finding excuses.
VANDERBILT — CAPITALIZE ON OPPORTUNITIES
The Commodores can’t be satisfied with winning a few SEC games. They need to capitalize on the current situation in the SEC East and qualify for a bowl game. Missouri and South Carolina have new coaches and are reeling after poor seasons. Georgia has a new coach, but no proven quarterback. Kentucky collapsed down the stretch. Florida is weak at quarterback. Tennessee hasn’t shown it can win close games. Vanderbilt has a dominating defense. Quarterback Kyle Shurmur showed potential late in the season. Vanderbilt won’t have many better opportunities to make a bowl game than 2016. The Commodores need to take advantage.
