Each week, Matt Hayes uses his sources around the country to bring you insider knowledge about what’s going on in the SEC ahead of this week’s games.
This is what he’s hearing from SEC coaches and NFL scouts in Week 3 …
LSU
Don’t look at LSU’s anemic offensive numbers (last in the SEC in total offense; 13th in passing offense) and aim your blame at QB Joe Burrow. The more likely culprit: the offensive line, which has been horrendous in pass protection. LT Saahdiq Charles, who was suspended for last week’s game, is back this weekend against Auburn and its nasty front seven on defense. LSU struggled to protect in the season opener against Miami, but was saved by a strong running game and some critical explosion plays (25 yards or more). Even last week’s rout of FCS Southeastern was an adventure in pass protection. “They’re not that proficient in the passing game to have breakdowns on the line,” one NFL scout told me. “Burrow can make some nice throws, and they’ve got guys that can go get it on the outside. But that’s not happening if (Burrow) is on his back.”
Florida
Florida will have a renewed effort to get the ball to its two best players: TB Jordan Scarlett and WR Van Jefferson. Scarlett had seven carries and caught two passes for 59 total yards against Kentucky, and Jefferson caught two passes for 31 yards.
In two games this season, Scarlett and Jefferson – the team’s most dynamic and dangerous players on offense – have combined to touch the ball 21 times in 133 plays, or roughly 15 percent of the offensive snaps. That can’t continue moving forward, or Florida’s offense will continue to struggle no matter who plays quarterback. …
Ole Miss
It wasn’t that long ago that Ole Miss had back-to-back wins over Alabama, games that, as much as anything, built Hugh Freeze’s reputation. One SEC coach told me this week, “The big secret that really isn’t a secret is (Freeze) wasn’t recruiting as well at the end as when he first got there. You can see it now on the lines of scrimmage and defense. I mean, who did they play (last week), Southern Whoever, and gave up those points? They can’t get after the quarterback, and they can’t cover.” And that’s bad news against an Alabama offense that’s better than it ever has been throwing the ball. The telling number going into this week’s game: Ole Miss has one sack in two games – against an average FBS team and an FCS team. …
Auburn
Auburn wants to get freshman TB JaTarvious Whitlow more involved in the offense, but not at the expense of pass protection and ball security – the two biggest concerns as SEC play begins. Whitlow is an uber-talented runner, as shown by his 122 yards rushing against Alabama State and some tough between the tackles runs against Washington. But there’s a reason he touched the ball only nine times (8 rush, 1 catch) against Washington: “I love what I see from him,” one NFL scout said. “He’s running on pure ability right now, just vision. It’s a risk-reward type thing. Do you really want him in there in case he misses an assignment and (Jarrett) Stidham can get blindsided? When (Whitlow) is in there, they’re running the ball. At least for now.” …
South Carolina
Speaking of running the ball, South Carolina gave up on running the ball much too soon against Georgia, and the idea moving forward is to get aggressive in the run game. Will Muschamp has talked all offseason about South Carolina becoming more of a line of scrimmage program, yet the Gamecocks came out in a five-wide set on the first series of the game and kept throwing for much of the first half with the game still close. The Gamecocks never had a chance to go back to the run in the second half. “Will is a big ‘I’m tougher than you guy,’” one NFL scout said. “He’s trying to build that mentality. You’re not showing that mentality when you open a big game like that – against a team that wants to impose its will on you – throwing it all over the place.” …
Alabama
An NFL scout told me this week Ole Miss could show a path forward for future Alabama opponents. That path: throwing against a rebuilt Tide secondary. Jordan Ta’amu has been one of the best stories of the young season, even though he has put up big numbers against inferior defenses. But, the scout told me, “don’t look at the inferior defenses. Look at the way he throws the ball on time, and the accuracy – those were big problems for him last November. He throws a nice ball, and only Alabama has better receivers. If (Ole Miss) can protect (Ta’amu), they’ll score points. They might expose Alabama a bit in the process, too.”
Matt Hayes is a national college football writer for Saturday Down South. You can hear him daily from 12-3 p.m. on 1010XL in Jacksonville. Follow on Twitter @MattHayesCFB
