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 6 …
Kentucky’s potential downfall …
This from an SEC coach on the evolution of Kentucky: “It’s been fun as hell to watch, but I keep thinking that team is one strong run defense away from getting exposed. Watch their games, watch (QB Terry) Wilson and tell me he’s a guy who’s going to make those third-down throws when you need it. If a team can get them in 2nd- and 3rd-and-long, then you’re forcing Wilson to make a quarterback play. He’s done some nice stuff when he breaks contain, but if you can force him to sit in the pocket and find a receiver, you’re going to win most of the time. The problem is, no one has been able to stop what they do running the ball, so (Wilson’s) deficiencies haven’t been exposed.” …
How to beat the blitzing Gators
Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has a reputation as a blitz-happy gambler. Last week alone, the Gators blitzed on a majority of third-down opportunities against Mississippi State, and Grantham called a zero blitz on the Bulldogs’ last play of the game – a fourth-down gamble that ended with a sack and turnover on downs to seal the victory.
These gambles, however, have another name: “Third-and-Grantham,” where sometimes, the risk outweighs the reward.
“If you’re blitzing like that, with that frequency, it’s because you have deficiencies elsewhere,” one SEC coach said. “Every coach in the world wants to get there with the four guys up front and cover in the back. If you’re not doing that, it’s because you’re concerned about coverage. So how do you beat that? Gotta have a smart quarterback who sees it, and smart receivers who recognize and adjust and can win in the quick game, the slants. You’ll kill blitzes with big chunk plays if you’ve got a quarterback who sees it and can react to it.” …
Joe Burrow has an admirer
When asked how a team presses LSU QB Joe Burrow, who has started all of five games in his brief LSU career and hasn’t thrown an interception, another SEC coach said, “Well, clearly not with pressure. Miami brought everything, and he stood in there, got hit, and made some accurate throws. Auburn came after him with the same, and so did Ole Miss. Hell, if I were Florida, I’d sit back in combo coverage, try to confuse him and force him to make the right decision.” …
NFL scout: Get Jaylen Waddle the ball
The entire SEC – and the college football world – is focused on the impact of Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa. One NFL scout, though, says another Alabama player has been vastly overlooked. “I love the small kid, the wide receiver (Jaylen) Waddle. He’s a chunk play waiting to happen. I would get the ball in his hands any way I could. Passing game, jet sweeps, returns. Shoot, I’d run a play for him at tailback, block the heck out of it and see if he can make a guy miss to break a big one.” …
Dangerous game for MSU DBs
If Mississippi State was tired of seeing the quick passing game last week against Florida, expect more of the same this weekend from Auburn. And every other week until the Bulldogs adjust and get better at tackling on the outside. The danger this week for Mississippi State: Auburn has a quarterback (Jarrett Stidham) who can hit downfield throws. So when Mississippi State moves corners closer to the line of scrimmage to eliminate angles, they’re taking chances on Auburn’s receivers running by them into the second level and Stidham making an accurate throw. “You’re not worrying about that last week with (Feleipe) Franks and those receivers,” one SEC coach said. “You better be ready for it this week. Stidham is one of those hot throwers. He gets a couple early, he gets comfortable and you’ve got problems all game.” …
NFL scout sees a problem with Georgia
One NFL scout on the one thing he’ll be watching this weekend in the SEC: “Georgia has been kind of sleepwalking since they manhandled South Carolina. They looked bored last week against Tennessee. (Georgia coach) Kirby (Smart) might be fighting the same thing (Alabama coach) Nick (Saban) did early on at Alabama: complacency. Those guys have won a championship, and it becomes how badly do you want more? It may not be a problem this week against Vanderbilt, but if they screw around and aren’t focused next week at LSU, they’ll lose. No doubt about it.”
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
