I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …

It’s so easy to get caught up in it, regurgitating the same definitive yet hollow statements until you’ve convinced yourself beyond a doubt.

I’m here to tell you, my friends — how can I gently break this? — that you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.

Forget about those myths you’ve been hearing and focus on football.

“Sometimes you get deep in the weeds of ‘if this, then that’ stuff,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “At the end of the day, it’s about playing better than the other guy.”

Truer words could never have been spoken.

It’s completing a high percentage of passes, protecting the ball and tackling. It’s not rocket science, and it sure as all get out isn’t some age-old coaching axiom.

When those three things happen, the best team wins at a high percentage rate.

Yet here we are, in the middle of talking season, spreading nonsense and feeding the monster of misinformation. Now that it’s officially game week — that’s right, Week Zero, baby — it’s time to straighten the crooked lines before next week’s grand opening.

I debunk the 3 biggest myths of the SEC season out of peace and love — and because, well, some of you might have a close relationship with our friends at FanDuel. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

2. The Lanning Lore

New Oregon coach Dan Lanning, the former DC at Georgia, knows Georgia’s personnel so well, he’ll set up the perfect game plan to pull the upset.

This one arrives with multiple levels of misinformation, including but not limited to: Lanning’s “knowledge” of Georgia, the carryover of Oregon’s rise in “physicality” under former coach Mario Cristobal, the Bo Nix factor and Oregon’s win at Ohio State in Week 2 last season.

While Lanning did solid work for Georgia under Smart, it’s not close to the same thing as Smart leaving Alabama after 9 seasons, ready to finally make his mark as a head coach.

Georgia had better players in Smart’s first season of 2016 than Oregon does now. Smart, in his first season as coach, won 8 games and didn’t get his first signature win until mid-November with an upset of top-10 Auburn.

Oregon is traveling to Atlanta for a de facto Georgia home game, with a new quarterback (Nix) and without its best offensive player from last season (TB Travis Dye transferred to USC). The same Nix, who in 3 games against Georgia as the Auburn starting quarterback, had 1 TD, 2 INTs and completed 56 percent of his passes — and lost 3 games by an average of 17.3 points.

Nix will be playing with an Oregon program that, under Cristobal, made huge strides to become more physical and less finesse. But in 3 games last year against the 2 most physical teams in the Pac-12, Oregon lost to Stanford and Utah (twice) by a combined 66 points.

Finally, there’s the Oregon win last year at Ohio State. An impressive moment for Cristobal’s program, no doubt — but a win against a team playing a first-year redshirt freshman starting quarterback (CJ Stroud) who was still figuring it out. A win at Ohio State that was led by 3 players no longer with the team: Dye, TB CJ Verdell and QB Anthony Brown.

So to recap, Oregon, because Lanning knows the Georgia personnel, because Bo Nix has played against the Bulldogs and won’t be intimidated, and because Oregon has a recent history of a big nonconference win on the road, can play spoiler in Week 1.

Got it.

3. The legend of the legs

QB Jayden Daniels will give LSU an added dimension offensively with his ability to extend plays with his dynamic running ability.

This one was pushed as much by new LSU coach Brian Kelly as anyone.

Before we go further, the statement is actually 100 percent true. Any quarterback who can extend plays — and/or avoid bad plays — with his ability to break containment and stress defenses is a valuable commodity.

You know what’s more valuable? A quarterback who can complete a high percentage of passes and stress defenses in the run game.

In 3 seasons at Arizona State, Daniels completed 62.3 percent of his passes, but barely 60 percent last season. One NFL scout told me Daniels is a “project” as a thrower and can be forced into “predictable throws and outcomes” when game-planned.

“He didn’t trust protections, he didn’t trust his ability to go through progressions,” the scout told me. “When he did square (his body) and throw in the pocket, he threw a nice ball. But if he didn’t see it within the first 1-2 (seconds), he was out (of the pocket) and running.”

That might work to extend plays in the Pac-12, but there’s too much speed in the front seven of SEC defenses, too many run lanes that close too quickly.

Kelly has a history of developing quarterbacks, and once won the Big East at Cincinnati by playing 3. He’s going to need Daniels and redshirt freshman Garrett Nussmeier — who is the most talented thrower on the roster — to win games this season.

While Daniels’ ability to stress defenses with his legs will help at times, it won’t be a game-changer unless he can become more consistent as a thrower.

4. The QB guru

Texas A&M is a championship contender because coach Jimbo Fisher is a quarterback whisperer, and will have QB Max Johnson set up for success.

Early in his career as an assistant and head coach, Fisher earned the reputation as a developer of elite quarterbacks.

He coached 4 NFL first-round picks, including No. 1 overall picks JaMarcus Russell (LSU) and Jameis Winston (Florida State). But since Winston’s phenomenal 2-year run at FSU in 2013-14, Fisher’s quarterbacks have been average — including his first 4 seasons at Texas A&M.

Now we enter Year 5 in College Station, and Fisher and his staff have recruited so well in the past 4 years that everything is set up for a championship run. Everything, that is, except the quarterback.

Since Winston’s 2014 season, Fisher’s quarterbacks have a respectable TD/INT ratio of 152/66. But stop me when you see a guy that could win a championship: Everett Golson, Sean Maguire, JJ Cosentino, Deondre Francois, James Blackman, Kellen Mond, Zach Calzada, Haynes King.

Now Fisher gets another shot with Johnson, a smart, efficient thrower who played well for 2 seasons at LSU despite the constant turmoil of a pandemic and coaching turnover. Everything is set for a run at a title — if Fisher and Johnson can produce a season that resembles what Winston and Russell (2006) had.

That’s where we reach the rub in the road.

Johnson doesn’t have the arm talent of Winston or Russell — or even Calzada — even though he showed winning intangibles over the past 2 seasons at LSU. He throws on time and throws a very catchable ball.

But his accuracy (59.8 percent) must improve into the high 60s percent and according to one NFL scout, Johnson “has to develop that killer instinct. He’s a tough kid, but he has to start hitting those tight window throws and making big plays. Anyone can hold onto the ball and not force it, and settle for 4th down.”

5. The Weekly Five

Five Week 1 revelations.

1. The speed of Alabama WR Tyler Harrell.

2. The natural ability and footwork of LSU freshman LT Will Campbell.

3. The pursuit and athleticism of Georgia MLB Jamon Dumas-Johnson.

4. The playmaking and explosiveness of Kentucky freshman WR Dane Key.

5. The power and speed of Florida freshman TB Trevor Etienne.

6. Your tape is your résumé

An NFL scout analyzes a draft-eligible SEC player. This week: Alabama OLB Chris Braswell.

“A really intriguing guy. He can run, he has that explosion off the edge and he’s a long guy. But he doesn’t have the consistent production. (Will) Anderson and (Dallas) Turner are the edge guys, and my guess is they’ll find a way to get all three on the field in specific down and distance. (Braswell’s) not the biggest guy, not one of those 265-pound edge guys. He has had a problem his entire career of gaining bulk, and my guess is he’ll play at about 240 this year. He has that bend you love to see with long guys — you get around the edge and reach and grab at the (QB’s) arm or the ball and make something happen. I’ve seen it before with Alabama guys who were big-time recruits, and the light comes on in their last season.”

7. Powered Up

This week’s Power Poll, and one big thing: every game, every winner.

1. Georgia (11-1, 7-1): Oregon (W), Samford (W), at South Carolina (L), Kent State (W), at Missouri (W), Auburn (W), Vanderbilt (W), Florida (W), Tennessee (W), at Mississippi State (W), at Kentucky (W), Georgia Tech (W).

2. Alabama (11-1, 7-1): Utah State (W), at Texas (W), Louisiana-Monroe (W), Vanderbilt (W), at Arkansas (W), Texas A&M (W), at Tennessee (L), Mississippi State (W), at LSU (W), at Ole Miss (W), Austin Peay (W), Auburn (W).

3. Arkansas (9-3, 5-3): Cincinnati (W), South Carolina (W), Missouri State (W), Texas A&M (W), Alabama (L), at Mississippi State (L), at BYU (W), at Auburn (L), Liberty (W), LSU (W), Ole Miss (W), at Missouri (W).

4. Texas A&M (9-3, 5-3): Sam Houston (W), Appalachian State (W), Miami (W), Arkansas (L), at Mississippi State (W), at Alabama (L), at South Carolina (W), Ole Miss (W), Florida (W), at Auburn (L), UMass (W), LSU (W).

5. Kentucky (9-3, 5-3): Miami, Ohio (W), at Florida (L), Youngstown State (W), Northern Illinois (W), at Ole Miss (W), South Carolina (W), Mississippi State (W), at Tennessee (L), at Missouri (W), Vanderbilt (W), Georgia (L), Louisville (W).

6. Tennessee (9-3, 5-3): Ball State (W), at Pittsburgh (W), Akron (W), Florida (W), at LSU (L), Alabama (W), UT-Martin (W), Kentucky (W), at Georgia (L), Missouri (W), at South Carolina (L), Vanderbilt (W).

7. LSU (8-4, 4-4): Florida State (W), Southern (W), Mississippi State (L), New Mexico (W), at Auburn (W), Tennessee (W), at Florida (W), Ole Miss (W), Alabama (L), at Arkansas (L), UAB (W), at Texas A&M (L).

8. Mississippi State (7-5, 3-5): Memphis (W), at Arizona (W), at LSU (W), Bowling Green (W), Texas A&M (L), Arkansas (W), at Kentucky (L), at Alabama (L), Auburn (W), Georgia (L), East Tennessee State (W), at Ole Miss (L).

9. Florida (7-5, 4-4): Utah (L), Kentucky (W), South Florida (W), at Tennessee (L), Eastern Washington (W), Missouri (W), LSU (L), Georgia (L), at Texas A&M (L), South Carolina (W), at Vanderbilt (W), at Florida State (W).

10. South Carolina: (7-5, 4-4): Georgia State (W), at Arkansas (L), Georgia (W), Charlotte (W), South Carolina State (W), at Kentucky (L), Texas A&M (L), Missouri (W), at Vanderbilt (W), at Florida (L), Tennessee (W), at Clemson (L).

11. Ole Miss (7-5, 3-5): Troy (W), Central Arkansas (W), at Georgia Tech (W), Tulsa (W), Kentucky (L), at Vanderbilt (W), Auburn (W), at LSU (L), at Texas A&M (L), Alabama (L), at Arkansas (L), Mississippi State (W).

12. Auburn (7-5, 3-5): Mercer (W), San Jose State (W), Penn State (W), Missouri (W), LSU (L), at Georgia (L), at Ole Miss (L), Arkansas (W), at Mississippi State (L), Texas A&M (W), Western Kentucky (W), at Alabama (L).

13. Missouri (4-8, 1-7): Louisiana Tech (W), at Kansas State (L), Abilene Christian (W), at Auburn (L), Georgia (L), at Florida (L), Vanderbilt (W), at South Carolina (L), Kentucky (L), at Tennessee (L), New Mexico State (W), Arkansas (L).

14. Vanderbilt: (3-9, 0-8): at Hawaii (W), Elon (W), Wake Forest (L), at Northern Illinois (W), at Alabama (L), Ole Miss (L), at Georgia (L), at Missouri (L), South Carolina (L), at Kentucky (L), Florida (L), Tennessee (L).

8. Ask and you shall receive

Matt: I feel really good about Florida upsetting Utah. I’m a Gator, but I feel like the heat will play a role, and The Swamp will be magical. Those two have to be worth at least a touchdown. Tell me I’m not crazy. — Joey Dillon, Tampa.

Joey:

Instead of focusing on heat and The Swamp, you might want to focus on the team that brings back 17 starters from last year — including a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate (QB Cam Rising) and a physical and fast front 7 on defense.

I really like what Billy Napier has accomplished in such a short time in Gainesville. It’s organic and it’s real — from recruiting and developing, to mentally preparing and visualizing desired outcomes. You know, the Saban process.

The one thing I heard last week that makes me realize things will be different: Napier spent a good portion of the week zeroing in on the cost of undisciplined play. Penalties and poor habits lead to game-turning mistakes.

Like the 8 false starts by the Florida line in last year’s loss to Kentucky. Or Marco Wilson throwing the shoe of an LSU player in 2020 to extend a drive that finished with the game-winning points. Florida in 2021 was 13th in the SEC and 119th in the nation in penalty yards per game (70.6 ypg.). That won’t happen this year.

It’s all headed in the right direction, but 3 years of recruiting classes with too many misses has left this team in a precarious situation of very little impact talent behind a solid first 22.

That will become a factor in the second half against a deeper, and frankly, more talented Utah team.

9. Numbers

5.04. As much as Arkansas has focused this offseason on developing QB KJ Jefferson’s intermediate throw game, it can’t get too far away from what made the offense so impactful in 2021: the run game — and Jefferson’s part in it.

The Hogs led the SEC in 2021 with a 5.04 average yards per carry, and Jefferson averaged 4.5 yards and scored 6 TDs. But after sacked yards are eliminated, Jefferson averaged 7.13 ypc. That’s a big number to ignore moving forward in 2022.

TBs Raheim Sanders and Dominique Johnson will get a bulk of the carries, and Jefferson will still have a role in the QB run game. But the more he runs, the more he doesn’t throw and the intermediate pass game doesn’t develop.

More important: running means Jefferson absorbs more hits — the very thing that impacted the offense late last season.

10. Quote to note

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel on QB Hendon Hooker: “We’ve put a huge emphasis on when he breaks the pocket, it being a pass play, not a run play. Our guys understanding out on the perimeter where they need to get open, understanding space and how to function once the original play call breaks down and you go into the second design of the play. That can and needs to be a big part of our game.”