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The SEC is a wild place, with teams’ chances at a division crown or playoff berth, or a coach’s job security, can vary widely week to week. Whose stock is rising and whose is dropping at the end of the regular season in the SEC East? SDS takes a look.
Rising
- Jim McElwain. Colorado State’s head coach seems destined to be the next head man at Florida, as Gators officials have been camped out at McElwain’s home for the past day or so. The former Alabama offensive coordinator seems poised to return to the SEC, and he’ll be a whole lot richer as a result. The Gators hope that McElwain can help revive a moribund offense and restore it to the levels Gators fans are accustomed to.
- Markus Golden. The senior defensive end is playing some of the best football in the SEC, regardless of position. Golden has two forced fumbles and 4.0 sacks over Missouri’s last three games, a stretch that saw them turn it on to clinch the SEC East. Shane Ray has gotten much of the attention for his record-setting season, but he wouldn’t be as effective without his partner in crime.
- Stanley Williams. Boom is the most exciting player the Wildcats have had since Randall Cobb, and he had the best game of his freshman season against Louisville. Williams had his third 100-yard game of the season against the Cardinals, going for 126 yards and two scores. It capped off a year that saw him rise to the top of Kentucky’s depth chart, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. The Wildcats ended the season on a six-game skid, but having a talent like Williams provides hope for the future.
Falling
- Mark Richt. Georgia has a habit of dropping games it shouldn’t under Richt, and they did just that once again against Georgia Tech last weekend. Around the SEC, there’s a perceptions that Richt is a great man but just a good coach, and the games that cost Georgia a chance at the SEC East title just add to that reputation. It would take a lot for Richt to lose his job, but patience has got to be running thin at this point.
- Vanderbilt’s staff. The fallout from the Commodores’ ugly season is coming swiftly. Offensive coordinator Karl Dorrell is out, and the team’s wide receivers and strength coaches are both gone as well. Derek Mason, who many were very optimistic about coming into the season, will be the next to go if next season goes the same way.
- The East’s title chances. It was almost a sure thing that the West’s division winner would be the favorite in the SEC title game, no matter who the East’s representative was. With Missouri going up against Alabama, the spread started at double-digits and has risen to more than 14 points early in the week. Mizzou opened last year as a two-point favorite against Auburn, but before that the East team hadn’t been favored since 2009, and haven’t won since 2008.
A former freelance journalist from Philadelphia, Brett has made the trek down to SEC country to cover the greatest conference in college football.
