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The SEC’s pre-New Year’s burning questions

Ethan Levine

By Ethan Levine

Published:

We’re less than a week away from ushering in a new year, and all 14 SEC teams have plenty to look forward to in 2015.

Here are the burning questions facing all 14 teams as we turn the page from 2014 and look ahead to a new year:

RELATED: SEC bowl matchups

1. Alabama: What tricks will defensive coordinator Kirby Smart have up his sleeve when the Tide face-off with Ohio State and third-string quarterback Cardale Jones?

2. Arkansas: When Bret Bielema and athletic director Jeff Long meet to negotiate a contract extension for Bielema, how will those talks be conducted? When all is said and done, how much will Bielema make in 2015 and how will it compare to other SEC coaches?

3. Auburn: How much will Gus Malzahn tweak his offense as it transitions from the Nick Marshall era to new starter Jeremy Johnson?

4. Florida: What kind of recruiting class can Jim McElwain salvage in a limited amount of time in Gainesville? How long will it take for the new coaching staff to begin delivering results?

5. Georgia: Who does Mark Richt turn to as he aims to restock his offensive coaching staff following the departures of Mike Bobo and Will Friend?

6. Kentucky: How will the Wildcats offense look in Shannon Dawson’s version of the Air Raid offense?

7. LSU: How much can Les Miles and his staff develop the Tigers’ young stars before the start of the 2015 season?

8. Mississippi: Will Chad Kelly end up at Ole Miss after all? Whether he does or doesn’t, who will be the Rebels starting quarterback in Week 1?

9. Mississippi State: Who will Dan Mullen call upon to replace the departed Geoff Collins as the Bulldogs next defensive coordinator?

10. Missouri: At risk of sounding repetitive, who does Gary Pinkel call upon to replace the departed Dave Steckel as the Tigers next defensive coordinator? Who will be part of Mizzou’s next crop of pass-rushers after Shane Ray and Markus Golden move on to the NFL?

11. South Carolina: Can Steve Spurrier stop the bleeding and salvage a productive recruiting class in 2015? Will the prospect of his career winding down continue to hold back the Gamecocks next year?

12. Tennessee: How much can Joshua Dobbs improve this offseason as the incumbent starter entering next year? What kind of impact will this year’s bowl appearance have on the growth of the program?

13. Texas A&M: Will Kyle Allen keep his starting job next season, or will A&M turn to five-star freshman Kyler Murray? How will the Aggies four- and five-star prospects assimilate with the team in 2015?

14. Vanderbilt: Who does Derek Mason bring in to serve as his next offensive and defensive coordinators? How long will it take the new staff to put its stamp on the program?

Ethan Levine

A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.

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