First and 10: Laugh all you want, but the SEC East is the best division in college football
1. I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …
Let me take you back to a time not long ago when a coach and his vision changed the dynamic and direction of the divisions in the SEC.
And how it’s happening again.
When Nick Saban arrived at Alabama in 2007, it ignited a chain of events that forced the West Division to get better and end the dominance of Florida, Tennessee and Georgia in the East.
Ole Miss hired Houston Nutt away from Arkansas after the 2007 season and played in back-to-back major bowls. Arkansas hired Bobby Petrino away from the NFL and eventually played in back-to-back major bowls.
At the end of the 2007 season, Auburn ran off a coach (Tommy Tuberville) who lost for the first time in 7 years to Alabama and hired another (Gene Chizik) who struggled to win at Iowa State — before landing a unicorn (Cam Newton) and winning a national title.
Mississippi State hired Dan Mullen, the hottest assistant in the game, away from Florida.
All of this happened in 3 years. Three measly years.
Now it’s happening again.
How fitting that in what could be the last year of divisional play in the SEC, the East Division has finally become a factor again — thanks to Georgia and coach Kirby Smart.
When Smart arrived at Georgia in 2016, it took 2 seasons (like Saban) to play for a national title. Since Georgia’s loss to Alabama in the 2017 Playoff championship game:
— Florida fired 2 coaches, one who led the Gators to 3 New Year’s 6 games in 4 seasons.
— Florida hired a Group of 5 coach (Billy Napier), who had ties to Saban, and paid him more than $7 million a season.
— Tennessee fired 2 coaches, ratted itself out to the NCAA to get rid of one (Jeremy Pruitt) and completely reshuffled its athletic department for the better.
— Kentucky coach Mark Stoops veered from his successful defense-first philosophy, hired two NFL assistants as offensive coordinators (Liam Coen, Rich Scangarello) and signed a true throwing quarterback (Will Levis) from the transfer portal.
— South Carolina fired a coach (Will Muschamp) who could recruit but couldn’t develop a quarterback and hired a career assistant (Shane Beamer) who can recruit and finally found a quarterback (Spencer Rattler) in the transfer portal.
— Missouri and Vanderbilt both fired coaches who had pockets of success for young coaches who can recruit.
“It’s pretty easy to see the bar,” Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz said. “To win the division and get to the (SEC) championship game, you might have to be the best team in the country.”
2. Offense is everything
Like everything else in college football of late, change means more offense.
Florida fired Jim McElwain because his offenses were horrific and hired Mullen, whose offenses weren’t — until they were in his last season.
The Gators then hired Napier, whose offense at Louisiana set school records. He ran the offense, he coached the quarterbacks, he called the plays — and he’ll do the same at Florida.
Tennessee got tired of watching caveman ball with Pruitt. It hired Josh Heupel and the Blur Ball offense he orchestrated at UCF that averaged nearly 40 points a season over 3 years. In one season at Tennessee, Heupel’s offense set numerous school records — and the Vols are a trendy pick to do more damage this fall.
Beamer won 7 games at South Carolina despite an offense that was 104th in the nation in scoring and 110th in total offense. It took one offseason for him to completely reshuffle the offense through the transfer portal, adding immediate help at quarterback (Rattler), tailback (Christian Beal-Smith), wide receiver (Corey Rucker, Antwane Wells) and tight end (Austin Stogner).
Missouri fired loyal (and successful) alum Barry Odom for Drinkwitz, whose career trajectory went from offensive coordinator at NC State, to head coach at Appalachian State to head coach at Missouri — in less than 2 years.
His offenses those 2 years prior to accepting the Missouri job: NC State (34 ppg.), App State (39 ppg.). Significant improvement on offense this season will save his job.
Kentucky, the kings of crawl ball under Stoops, changed to a hybrid college/NFL offense that moved more through the quarterback. Expect UK to throw even more this season with Levis, who had 16 TDs over the last 8 games of 2021.
The goal is to find the greatest possible way to stress a defense. More times than not, it comes down to 1 position.
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3. The East is back, the Epilogue
If the quarterback means everything in football (and it most certainly does), the East will be the best division in the SEC for the first time in nearly 15 years.
Outside of Alabama Heisman winner Bryce Young, the East quarterbacks are as good — and potentially better — than the West.
The top 4 quarterbacks in the West: Bryce Young (Alabama), Will Rogers (Mississippi State), KJ Jefferson (Arkansas), Max Johnson (Texas A&M).
The top 4 quarterbacks in the East: Will Levis (Kentucky), Hendon Hooker (Tennessee), Rattler (South Carolina), Stetson Bennett III (Georgia).
The remaining 3 quarterbacks in the East are all high-ceiling dual-threat players: Anthony Richardson (Florida), Tyler Macon (Missouri) and Mike Wright (Vanderbilt).
“If you’re talking about pro potential, it’s not really close,” an NFL scout said of the SEC quarterbacks. “You’ve got 3 guys that, potentially, can start (in the NFL) with Levis, Rattler and Richardson. Then there’s Hooker, another guy who can move (up draft boards) this year. The better you are at that position, the better your team. All 3 of those teams — Tennessee, Kentucky and South Carolina — are going to surprise the hell out of people because of quarterback play.”
4. The unique double
Bryce Young will begin this season in a rare spot: a returning Heisman Trophy winner.
A rare spot, that is, with a very predictable future.
Since Ohio State’s Archie Griffin won back-to-back Heismans in 1974-75, there have been 8 players with an opportunity to win the award a second consecutive season.
All 8 failed.
The closest anyone came to winning it again was Oklahoma running back Billy Sims, who won the award in 1978 and was runner-up to USC tailback Charles White in 1979.
The breakdown:
- 1990: Ty Detmer (BYU); 1991: 3rd (Desmond Howard, Michigan).
- 2004: Matt Leinart (USC); 2005: 3rd (Reggie Bush, USC, now vacated).
- 2007: Tim Tebow (Florida); 2008: 3rd (Sam Bradford, Oklahoma).
- 2009: Mark Ingram (Alabama); 2010: finished outside top 10 (Cam Newton, Auburn).
- 2012: Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M); 2013: 5th (Jameis Winston, FSU).
- 2013: Jameis Winston (FSU); 2014: 6th (Marcus Mariota, Oregon).
- 2016: Lamar Jackson (Louisville); 2017: 3rd (Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma).
Young’s biggest competition this season is likely from Ohio State QB CJ Stroud, who could keep Griffin’s record intact and in the Ohio State family by winning the award.
The bigger obstacle might protection from a shaky Alabama offensive line, and a completely revamped wide receiver corps that includes 2 key transfers (Jermaine Burton, Tyler Harrell).
Of the 8 who failed, only 1 had a legitimate gripe at winning the award: Tebow.
Though he finished 3rd in the voting, he had more 1st- and 3rd-place votes than Bradford and runner-up Colt McCoy of Texas. He was well behind both Bradford and McCoy in 2nd-place votes.
The argument can easily be made that a majority of voters thought Tebow was the best player in the nation in 2008. But the discrepancy in 3rd-place votes — Tebow had 320, McCoy 230, Bradford 196 — forged a conspiracy that voters purposely placed Tebow at No. 3 to avoid a repeat win for the most visible college athlete ever.
The media and fan carnival that surrounded Tebow for 3 seasons isn’t remotely close to what Young has endured in 1 season as starter. In fact, it’s the polar opposite.
Young is the most boring Heisman winner (in a good way) in decades — and that might be the exact thing that helps him pull it off.
5. The Weekly Five
The 5 best East vs. West games in 2022:
1. Alabama at Tennessee, Oct. 15: The Vols will get one big upset this season. Why not here, in a wild environment.
2. Florida at Texas A&M, Nov. 5: Gators’ 3rd trip to College Station since 2012 could be a statement game for Napier.
3. Georgia at Mississippi State, Nov. 12: A dangerous, sleepy spot for Georgia after back-to-back games against rivals Florida and Tennessee.
4. South Carolina at Arkansas, Sept. 10: After a season-opening tuneup against Georgia State, it gets serious in Week 2 for Rattler in the SEC.
5. LSU at Florida, Oct. 15: A big spot in a bitter rivalry for a coach (Napier) both schools wanted.
6. Your tape is your résumé
An NFL scout analyzes a draft-eligible SEC player. This week: Georgia TE Darnell Washington.
“He might be the most intriguing guy on the board. He looks like (Rob) Gronk(owski), and runs like him, too. If you’re that big and run high 4.5s to low 4.6, the first question is why has he not gotten on the field more? He was banged up, he had a better guy in front of him; I get it. At some point, that becomes want. How badly do you want to play, and can you get in the best shape of your career and earn more playing time this season?
“He has top-15 talent, there’s no question about that. We’re going to find out this year if he really loves football. The length, the athleticism, the hands, the reach; he’s a matchup nightmare.”
7. Powered Up
This week’s Power Poll, and one big thing: Win total odds for the 2022 regular season — and the line buster:
1. Georgia: 10.5. Does the fiery focus remain after winning it all in 2021?
2. Alabama: 11.5. Who plays offensive tackle? The offensive line can’t give up 41 sacks again.
3. Texas A&M: 8.5. QB Max Johnson takes a huge step in Year 3, his first season with Aggies coach/QB guru Jimbo Fisher.
4. Kentucky: 8.5. Winning at Florida in Week 2 is everything. Win, and starting 7-0 isn’t out of reach. Lose, and doubt enters the picture.
5. Arkansas: 7.5: A 3-game (in 4 weeks) road stretch of Mississippi State, BYU, Auburn.
6. LSU: 7.5. Find a quarterback from 3 solid options and hit the over. Play all 3 because no one makes it work and the under is a lock.
7. Mississippi State: 6.5. It’s QB Will Rogers’ 3rd season in Mike Leach’s offense. I’m crushing this over.
8. Tennessee: 7.5: The offense will be better than any outside of Alabama. The defense is a giant question.
9. South Carolina: 6.5. Rattler has the talent and the motivation, and he is playing for NFL money. Take that trifecta and hit the over.
10. Ole Miss: 7.5. I’m sold on Kiffin, but I’m not sold (yet) on either quarterback. Hello, under.
11. Florida: 6.5. Richardson playing at his ceiling is good for 8 or 9 wins despite a roster full of turnover. But can he stay healthy?
12. Auburn: 5.5. With that defense and smart play at quarterback, can begin a manageable first-month schedule 4-0. There are 2 more wins the rest of the way.
13. Missouri: 5.5. Three-game stretch at Auburn, Georgia, at Florida before the second week of October will dictate the season. Lose all 3, and there’s no avoiding the under.
14. Vanderbilt: 2.5. Need 2 wins in 3 nonconference games (Hawaii, Elon, Northern Illinois) and the over is reachable.
8. Ask and you shall receive
Matt: Why wouldn’t the SEC add Clemson, Miami and Florida State and North Carolina, and lock up the South? You’ve then cornered the hottest recruiting area, from Texas to North Carolina. No one would touch that conference. — Gary Porter, Memphis.
Gary:
Expansion is value-based, and all 4 of those brands bring significant value to the SEC in multiple sports. All 4, however, aren’t available until 2036 due to their media grant of rights deal with the ACC.
I wrote last week that the SEC is sticking at 16 because it feels good about where it’s positioned, and because the SEC presidents want the FBS structure moving forward. That said, everything could change if Notre Dame leaves for the Big Ten — and the Big Ten moves to 20 teams.
Notre Dame alone to the Big Ten won’t change the dynamic of the SEC’s future. While the Irish are certainly a big brand addition, the SEC presidents believe in both the brand and product on the field of the current 16 teams.
This isn’t about Florida allowing FSU and Miami into the league, or South Carolina allowing Clemson. The power to do so ends if the Big Ten moves to 20 teams.
Notre Dame’s desire to go to market as an independent and assess its value (its current NBC contract is through 2025) could keep everything as it currently stands — for the immediate and long-term future of the sport.
9. Numbers
25. The 25 reasons Mississippi State QB Will Rogers should be at SEC Media Days: After breaking nearly every freshman passing record in school history, Rogers broke 25 school records in 2021.
Among the highlights: breaking Day Prescott’s records for single-season total offense (4,638 yards), passing yards (4,739) and passing touchdowns (36). Also set a record with 10 consecutive games with at least 300 yards passing, red-zone touchdown passes (26) and completion percentage (73.9).
10. Quote to note
Alabama coach Nick Saban on 8- or 9-game SEC schedule: “I’ve always been for more conference games and improving the schedule. Eliminate the games that fans, players and supporters are not interested in. The 9-game format is a start in that direction.”
The East has won the SECC game one time since 2009, that was UGA in 2017.
Hardly back. Hardly the best division in the conference, much less the nation.
Hayes is an idiot.
The only other contender is the B1G East. OSU/UGA would be a tossup. After that the rest of the SEC East would hold their own (even Vandy vs Rutgers). IMO.
i’m not nearly as optimistic as you are about an sec e vs big 10 e match-up. there’s a legit chance that the sec e could go 1-6 or 2-5 in a straight-up, match-up of 1s vs 1s, 2s vs 2s, etc. some games could be close, but a record like above wouldn’t do the conf or division any favors.
also, bad take on rutgers and schiano. rutgers would wipe the floor with vandy…..but rutgers wasn’t/isn’t the worst team in that division either.
We obviously disagree. Rutgers three wins last year were against Cuse, Delaware and Temple. I believe Vandy would have handled them as well. Rutgers lost to OSU by about six touchdowns. Don’t see how Vandy would have done any worse. Michigan beat OSU last year and several SEC East teams played UGA as well as Michigan did.
rutgers went 5-8. 4 of their 8 losses were to ranked teams, of which included 3 from teams which finished in the top 10. for as bad as the tosu loss was, they hung with mich.
as for the straight-up, cross-over match-ups, i guess we’ll just agree to disagree. i will say that i thought uga played the ob with their hair on fire…and it was fantastic. mich had no idea what they were walking into.
Ohio State vs. UGA
Michigan vs. UF
Penn St vs. Kentucky
Michigan State vs. Tennessee
Maryland vs. USCe
Rutgers vs. Mizzou
Indiana vs. Vandy
You really only see 1 or 2 wins in there.
i’m bringing it back to context, my original statement. i said, ‘there’s a legit chance that the sec e could go 1-6 of 2-5…,’ not that they could only wind 1 or 2 of the match-ups. i stand by that.
there are a lot more unknowns attached to 2-5 of the sec e than there is with those teams in the big e. those four games could all be losses. uga vs tosu is a toss-up, as you said. the only sure ‘w’ i see in the mix is rutgers over mizz.
Can’t obviously compare by division but the B12 with a 5-2 bowl record and bowl wins over Ole Miss and Notre Dame was a darn good conference last season.
Baylor, OK ST and OK were and are not up there with UGA/Bama but would have been among the top teams in the SEC after these 2.
Ole Miss QB down just a couple plays into the game. Instantly changed the odds. Injuries happen but with the Ole Miss defense being usually awol last year, it was instant “they’re done” if they can’t outscore you.
I think you missed the point. Hayes is making a case and a darn good one for the East to be back.
But did he really make “a darn good one”? Seems like he is applying the same logic that leads to the Texas is back hype every season.
Seems you are very smart, another great comment sir. I am proud to own you. Ok then, nice chat, have a wonderful day.
Tell your wh@re wife I want my change…
I think you have a bit of a crush going on with BT and myself Chumper….and as a Jawjuh fan you don’t even own a lick of self-respect, let alone anyone else who does
I think he did make a good case. Where is the offensive excitement in the west outside of Bama?? More offensive guys are being recruited in the SEC as a whole. TN, UK, SC, Mizzou. Or at least have more offensive minded head coaches. That always leads to more wins. A couple might be over hyped but at least there’s hype about them. Richardson’s is a bit over the top for a guy that threw 6TD’s and 5 INT’s and has yet to have a season as a starter under his belt. The smoke for Hooker and Levis are legit and maybe Rattler. Out west, Young, ok, legit. Jefferson has had year and shows some skill. Outside of that? That’s a nope at this time for proven legit. Texas is recruiting well and their head coach is an offensive guru, proven in the SEC. They hype there is warranted, even more so if they start winning at a much higher level at Texas. So yea, I don’t see that many offensive minded coaches in the west. Leach is one but the floor fell through last season.
****More offensive guys are being recruited in the SEC east as a whole ****. Especially coaches.
“Where is the offensive excitement in the west outside of Bama?’
Ole Miss
TAM
You are a moron.
I can’t wait for “talking season” to be over. If Mizzou doesn’t find a competent qb they won’t win 4 games.
“If Mizzou doesn’t find a competent qb they won’t win 4 games.”
MIZZOU IS GARBAGE.
“Back?” Perhaps. But the best Division in CFB?
Vandy is Vandy. Mizzou? South Carolina finished 1 game over .500. UF struggled. KY has a lot to replace. TN? Will score a lot of points but win a lot of games?
Calling the SEC East the best division in CFB is a WAG.
“I think you missed the point. Hayes is making a case and a darn good one for the East to be back.”
Expound, please. UGA is the only relevant team in the East. UGA is the only team to win a national title since 2008.
Since 2008, Alabama, Auburn and LSU have won titles from the West.
Five of his first seven power rankings are from the West, yet he says the East is better. He’s right about one thing, we are all laughing.
Wrong. I think he’s basing this on the QB level rise. Outside of Young in the west, who else is there?? Who is highly talented and stable? The east has Hooker, Levis, Rattler(still unproven like Richardson) and SB. That is still stronger than the west at QB. Here’s a thought. Bama was a few seconds away from not making it to the post season, had the Bama player stayed in bounds. Ole Miss likely wouldn’t have made a the high caliber bowl they did had Joe Milton of TN not run out of bounds.
Arkansas has a very solid QB.
Miss State has a good QB
You have no idea what you’re talking about. Where do you think Jefferson at Arkansas is ranked, in your mind. 42-35 last year against us. First time in years playing Arkansas we kept praying for the clock to run out…and not because we were bored. That was Jefferson and Burks.
Your comment would be a good point if Hayes wrote that the East was better from 2009 to 2021.
He’s taking about 2022. The year 2009 has no bearing on that.
So he is saying the East is better in a season that hasn’t actually happened yet?
So there is absolutely nothing to back up his comment?…. That’s something to hang your hat on for sure..
Have we worked out the difference between fact based comments and what if conjectures and opinions, I can’t recall. By the way, great use of the word “so” in two consecutive paragraphs, bonus literacy points, my friend. Good talk, stay safe and sleep well.
“Have we worked out the difference between fact based comments and what if conjectures and opinions, I can’t recall. “
Fact = your wife is a wh@re…
Interesting @Bamatime…does his wife know your mom? Maybe you can find out who your dad is.
BamaTime-When you have to resort to name calling and bringing people’s families into the discussion, you already lost.
Absolutely pathetic responses from you, quit being such a loser on here.
JTF 3 HOURS AGO
Ohio State vs. UGA
Michigan vs. UF
Penn St vs. Kentucky
Michigan State vs. Tennessee
Maryland vs. USCe
Rutgers vs. Mizzou
Indiana vs. Vandy
You really only see 1 or 2 wins in there.
Wow, you really think Maryland would beat SC? Mizzou would lose to Rutgers? LOL Indy dropped off the map last year. TN would hose MSU. Penn state hasn’t impressed the last two years and the UK offense is better than Penn st’s. UF owns Michigan, its a thing no matter how good Michigan is. Michigan has no speed and no dynamic passing game of any kind. OSU vs UGA? OSU. lol Last year maybe not but this year? Edge to OSU.
Again, you are just stupid. I was posing that scenario to poster PtheRicker above. Can you not read and comprehend anything?
Comprehension is not gwhite’s strong suit. He’s more enamored with a hand-picked selection of stats and game scores at specific points in time than final scores and wins/losses.
Yes, I think Georgia is the only sure win against all of the Big Ten except Ohio St. We saw Tennessee, in what was a home game, lose to Purdue, who was without 4 of their top players. (cue gwhitey calling the last play, which was illegal a TD)
I also think this so called “writer” is underestimating Ole Miss and LSU. Take Georgia out of the East and they are no better than either side of the Big 10 or 12.
Whoa, whoa, whoa….. let’s tap the brakes on that UF owns Michigan line. Unless you are including all of the various directional schools, our record against the MI big boys is spotty at best.
“TN would hose MSU.”
TN will finish at the near bottom of the SEC East again, you clown.
Hayes likes his position at SDS as “Troll1” he starts every post now with the obvious lie.. “I don’t want to get on a soapbox”
He has no idea that Macon is likely to finish 3rd string in the QB room at Mizzou, and that’s IF Sam Horn doesn’t make a big splash as a true freshman.
Tend to agree w/ your final “idiot” point.
Bama looks better than UGA this year, at least on paper, and Vandy blows for the East. But after that it gets pretty murky.
JTF’s translation: No way the SEC is on the rise as a whole because that is a threat to UGA..lol Murky..lol. The majority of SEC east teams outside of UGA are implementing drastic changes for focus on the offenses and QB talent. While UGA is saying, “our offense is great and our D will make sure of that” LOL
I implied nothing of the sort. I’ve come to the conclusion that you are just stupid.
Well, Jiff, it’s accurate. The SEC east is on the rise evidenced by their new focus on offense. I’m stupid but everything I argue you can’t refute. You lose to elite offenses in the post season far more than you ever won them. Unless your dense or touched in the head, its due to offense. That is why even in this article they know the top two offenses in the SEC is or will be Bama and TN. Offenses is how you consistently win titles and has been for at least the last 8 to 10 years. No one cares about any of your conclusions..lol
I didn’t argue what you said. I argued what you said I said.
Have you know reading comprehension skills.
This article is about East/West matchups, not UGA.
JTF, it took you long enough to come to that conclusion. He is another Negan.
Before arguing with him, you must understand that gwhitey places no value on offensive line and defense. He thinks having a 25 yr old QB and hurry up, hurry up offense trumps everything. He sits home and watches the Missouri game over and over. Again, I can not wait until Heupel has to play with college age kids and not mostly 5th and 6th yr seniors.
“You lose to elite offenses in the post season far more than you ever won them. Unless your dense or touched in the head, its due to offense.”
CKS has lost two postseason games, you moron. One was to Bama in the NC, in which UGA’s defense lost the game, and the other was to Texas, which was a stinker on both sides of the ball but special teams played a big part in losing that game.
Gwhite, you have no place to call anyone an idiot. You have the football IQ of a preteen that has just discovered Madden on xbox.
It’s simple GWhite. Tennessee will be on the rise of they can beat a decent team. Teams “on the rise” don’t lay an egg against also rans in bowl games in their own backyard.
And you are a chump among chumps.
1998
Hang in there, everyone… about 40 more days wandering in this wilderness. Then we’ll be in the promised land of the season.
THIS! Thank you.
No it’s not. Good lord.
Georgia will go undefeated in the division, again.
The Hillbillies are the most overrated team in CFB, a title that usually goes to Notre Dame or Tosu.
Kentucky is going to take a step back.
Floriduh sucks.
Mizzou sucks.
Vandy is still Vandy.
Bama, Arkansas, TAMU, Missy State, Ole Miss, LSU, and even Auburn, as a group, are much better.
Oh, and I forgot a blurb about Sakerlina because, well, they’re Sakerlina. Forgettable.
The SECCG is what can happen if offenses get more ahead of you. The top offenses in the SEC will be Bama, TN,………….UGA/UK/AR……SC/UF/LSU. UGA is in this distance range for now because we don’t know if the offense could carry the team if it had to in games where the D is a non-factor.
SOS from gwhite.
Hey, when you compare the offenses of Georgia and Hillbilly U when we played, which offense played better?
Also, when you compare the Georgia and Hillbilly U offenses based on first half performance (considering we shut down our passing offense in at some point the second half of almost every game we played), did you know that Georgia’s first half offense outperformed Hillbilly U’s first half offense in almost every single category?
Funny how it works when you can’t just cherry pick b.s. stats like you do all the time.
Corch Irvin Meyers, New USC Trojans Corch (2020) Even the writer knows UGA’s offense isn’t what TN’s and Bama’s is. In games where your D is matched, your beaten and mostly it’s not even close. We are growing elderly watching this play out year in and year out. lol. Stop your nonsense. Also, your literally further south than us in TN. You were featured on cops Duck Dynasty as a whole..Calling us hillbillies is like the Beverly Hillbillies calling the Brady’s hillbillies. lol Just stop lol. You look like a .. m o r o n making the comparison. You also have more homie hillbillies being that close to Atlanta..lol
We outscored you and just were a better offense, even against a harder regular season schedule. Live with it. Teamrankings dot even states it. Also, we out gained you on the ground for the entire season..lol. Sad but true, us being a first year rebuild 71 scholarship team and all..lol
Corch, compared to years past when you had Sonny there, you’ve slipped some in the rushing game. You’ve slipped a lot in the passing game against elite teams. That is fact and non-refutable. Now, use your head and ask yourself, what is the common factor here for that cause? Come closer…..”coaching focus”, Not enough on the offense. Your NFL future QB’s are still on the bench and you’ll have at least one transfer out before he ever get’s a shot. JT already did, preceded by Eason and Fields. See a pattern yet?
LOL.
AGAIN… when you compare first half numbers when we were actually throwing the ball, Georgia outpeformed Hillbilly U in almost every single offensive category.
I’m sorry we didn’t suck, like Hillbilly U sucked, and had to keep throwing the ball to have a chance to win down to the wire in the fourth quarter, but good teams, like Georgia, don’t have to do that.
Of course, you wouldn’t know anything about wha good teams have to do on offense. LOL.
Corch Irvin Meyers, New USC Trojans Corch (2020) Literally, you are the only one talking about first halves here! lol. I’m talking about the year in total. Also, TN played a harder schedule. You beat TN in no category in throwing the ball..lol. Not yards her game and not QB percentages. What are you talking about? lol. As a game whole and season whole TN was more productive and against harder teams. Also, we owned the first quarter in scoring over any other team. You were 4th in that category too.. It’s not bad stat to have but you also have to consider who you were playing and what advantages you had as far as depth. All these stats add up to UGA being a competent offense, not a dynamic one. You beat the teams your supposed to by way of your D getting stops etc , wear down the other offense and D of foe. But not a team that comes anywhere close to do this in the post season. The losing record against the eventual national champion is staggering, and teams in the post season with higher ranked offenses(UF 2020) etc.
No one says you sucked,, at least until you get to the post season. That is when disaster strikes. Because for too many seasons, you were a lazy offense that didn’t scheme anything dynamic and playing in what has been a weaker SEC east the past several years, only compounded your offensive issues against the better teams. This also proves for how good your D is or was, your offense has not kept pace. The post season record proves it. To get really good at offense you have recruit, develop and scheme right and use every opportunity in the regular season to use it. Even against bad teams. UGA does not do this. They run the ball and run clock out. That is literally crazy to do and than act surprised when you get a game like the SECCG was. It’s really that simple.
“The top offenses in the SEC will be Bama, TN,”
TENNESSEE IS GARBAGE.
Yes, we even outrushed you offensively for the year in the SEC. Just stop lol.
2021 Southeastern Conference Leaders
Rushing Offense – Games vs. Conference Teams Only
through 01/10/2022
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
Name G Att Yards Avg. TD Att/G Yards/G
1 Mississippi 8 361 1653 4.58 20 45.13 206.63
2 Tennessee 8 327 1625 4.97 14 40.88 203.13
3 Kentucky 8 303 1616 5.33 13 37.88 202.00
4 Georgia 10 378 1951 5.16 22 37.80 195.10
So Georgia had more yards rushing, more touchdowns rushing, a better yards per carry average rushing… and your particular brand of idiocy claims Hillbilly U was a better rushing team?
Sounds about right.
My God, it continues to amaze me not one Vol fan steps in and tells this guy to shut up. Georgia came into Knoxville with a flu bug infecting the team and not only won, but made it look easy. They went on to win the NC while the Vols luckily got by Kentucky and finished 7-6. Why would any vol fan pick an argument with a team that was clearly better at every position and showed it on the field? The answer can only be referred to as football ignorance.
I will keep asking this, if Hooker is so great and had such an outstanding season, at his ADVANCED college age, why on Earth did he not turn Pro?
Because he makes the rest of them, except TruVol, look better by comparison.
Corch Irvin Meyers, New USC Trojans Corch (2020) Let me explain how it works. It’s what you average, not what you totaled. So you got beat in the only stat that matters. The average. 206.63 to 195.10 per gain attempt with avg. It means we didn’t need as many attempts as you to gain yardage. It means you ran the ball so much that when it was time for you to throw the ball, you sputtered or lost (Clemson and SECCG). I hope that helps.
BoondockSaint Great, the most m o r n i c two posters from the fan bases of UGA and Bama in the same comment section..lol. Voted by your own fan bases by the way..lol. Why would Hooker turn pro with only the one season? No QB does that re re. Not even Young! See, this is what I mean. DENSE. You go two years or the extra year to improve your draft stock. At 24 cause, gee that’s so old. Dumb again, you got the formative years at Va Tech, you get two years if you have the extra year to perfect what you excelled in. That drastically improves your draft round pick. Is this your first year in understanding any of this? No one plays in a new system for one year at QB and than goes pro if they have an extra year. No one.
Corch. The reason TN beat you is the overall att/g. This means per attempt we gained more yards. TN 203.13 vs 195.10 for UGA. All those numbers average out to the total line. You know, the row at the end. That is how TN beat you in rushing offense? Now do you get it? Attempts per gain. When the rushed the ball, we did it better per fewer attempts needed for gain.
Corch, so that in mind is total yards gained with attempts factored in. Did you just think it was the average and total without the number of attempts? LOL you did…hillbilly..lol
4.9 ypc is not better than 5.3 ypc gwhite 7-6 isnt better than 14-1 and almost beating perdue isnt better than playing for titles or dragging michigan in the orange bowl ..btw i believe ut trailed the dawgs 24-10 at the half and 41-17 at the EOR. ut didnt even sniff the endzone in the second half till 330 left in the 4th.. the game was so far over your fans left the stadium. dawgs had 41 rushing attempts for 274 yrds thats 6.7 ypc …what did UT have ..lets seeoh yeah 36 for 55 a whopper of 1.5 ypc …STFU
“Yes, we even outrushed you offensively for the year in the SEC. Just stop’
How’s that 7-6 championship trophy looking in your single-wide, ma’am?
Gwhite is going to raise a national championship banner if Tennessee wins 9 games this year. They won 7 games last season and are the second best team in the SEC and the country, so surely if they win 9 games they are the best in the nation.
See ya in Nov. Corch.
I’m sure you know more about Georgia than I do. However, you really don’t about Kentucky. UK will have it’s best team since 1977 this year – I know that has been a long time – and you may not remember it – but it might be familiar to you? 33-0 ring a bell? Anyway, Georgia has the horses for sure – but if you think Kentucky is taking a step back you aren’t aware of what is happening in Lexington! The individual star power MAY not be a great as the previous years – but the overall team is stronger! Baring injuries, the game in Lexington on November 19th will not be an easy one for Georgia!
The East might be trending in the direction of being the best division in college football, but the SEC West and B1G East are currently either equal to or better than the East.
the sec e has consistently been the #2 or #3 division since the big 10 separated into divisions. that said, with the flux that is #2 – #5 in the sec e right now, the edge goes to the big 10 e…at least going into the season.
I agree
LOL. Um no. Did you forget who all is in that conference? This is all also based on the offensive minds that have been hired compared to the SEC West. And the B1G East’s offensive minds? LOL Are you jokeing??lol
Offensive minds means nothing. That’s like declaring a team is better because they put up more yards even though they didn’t score more points. Or like saying a team is better because they ranked higher in a small handful of statistics, even though their win-loss record was worse. The SEC West routinely wins more against the East and the B1G East has more heavy weights than the SEC East. Potential means nothing until or unless it turns into actual results.
Sportswriters can’t leave the past behind.
“This isn’t about Florida allowing FSU and Miami into the league, or South Carolina allowing Clemson. The power to do so ends if the Big Ten moves to 20 teams.”
No school ever had the power to do so. Writers should know this.
Well you are absolutely wrong. The SEC has to vote unanimously to add any more teams. If one team says no, that’s a hard veto.
? Vandy can keep an expansion candidate out of the conference?
Follow the $. If additional teams add value to the SEC, ESPN will make the decision and not the AD at Vandy.
Disney owns the SEC and FOX owns the B1G. These two are the movers and shakers in today’s CFB. These two are in a battle for CFB hegemony.
BTW, when Clemson looks at the $ Vandy will be making and Oregon looks at the $ Rutgers will be making no wonder both are righteously ticked off.
Today, we have a Power 2 instead of a Super League.
The 32 to 40 most competitive teams should be in the Super League.
1 commissioner. Forget about parochial conference BS. Form the Super League Network and go pay for view and the money would be unbelievable.
All other sports continue to compete in a school’s existing conference.
UCLA women’s soccer team plays at Rutgers on a Wednesday night but it’s all about the “student-athletes,” right?
The SEC controls the SEC. Rules and votes matter.
You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. The number is 75%. The reason UF, UGA, and SC thought they had power because they were united. Now, three isn’t enough to stop anyone. You should do a bit of research before trying to correct someone. Just my advice.
Yeah sorry LSUSMC, I’d been up for 30 hours and had just finished a 60 hour 4 day work week. I was definitely wrong about that. Good call
Take a break, and enjoy. You’ve earned it.
As to ‘control.’ I do wish you were correct but everything today is driven by money including but not limited to the kick off times. If Sankey had control would the Sugar Bowl kick off so late in the evening?
I think ESPN had input on OK/TX joining the SEC just as FOX had input on SC/UCLA to the B1G.
Along with Bowlsby, FOX was not happy with ESPN’s part in taking away OK/TX. Disney and FOX are in a major league battle for CFB hegemony.
IF FOX can convince ND to join the B1G before 2025 (ND can leave the ACC for far less $ than full time football members) do not be surprised if FOX makes a big time run at Texas.
PS – Always enjoy your posts.
I think the East is definitely getting better, but they haven’t caught the West yet. The facts outweigh hope.
True, but I haven’t seen anyone posts any “facts” yet. Just supposition. Which is fine.
We’ve seen the head to head for the last 15 years or so. It’s all about the West.
But we’re not talking about the last 15 yrs or even last year.
Well then it’s all clearly speculation. The facts will come out at the end of the year. The West will win the head to head again, and people will start talking about the East being better, again. Rinse and repeat
We agree. Speculation.
Not so fast. Looking at present and potential, the SEC east is focusing more on the offense than the west. Evidenced in recruiting and hiring offensive minded coaches. Or coaches that are now focusing more on offense. Ole Miss has as much to prove this season as SC does. So does LSU. SEC east teams that are focusing more on having a much higher standard offensively: TN, UK, SC, Mizzou, UF. Teams shifting to build more on offense: Vandy
Teams that aren’t focusing on it enough: UGA
Team that absolutely waxed the entire East last year – UGA.
“the SEC east is focusing more on the offense than the west.”
UGA is the only great team in the west, you retard.
*east
Against ranked competition last year, Tennessee gave up an average of 41 points and scored an average of 20 points. When Tennessee actually starts beating ranked teams at all, let alone beating more ranked teams than they lose to, then you can start crowing about Tennessee’s offense.
Gwhite…we would just like to remember how to tackle and fill gaps. Generally speaking, we turned that side of the ball around with CDM…just couldn’t stop anyone.
Tennessee’s offense will look like.the number 2 offense in the conference…but then they will play a decent team and it will be exposed. Just like.last season…any decent team rolls them.
Providing your a decent team this year..lol You won’t shift the focus to your offense over your D and this season, might convince your coach to do that. My prediction is it will. Once your D is less, you are now at the mercy of having to win games more based on offense and that is the rub for UGA. SC rolled you when you were a better offense.. lol. No one on your staff has a record as good at building offense as does the TN staff. You beat the lesser teams but are always in a dawg fight or lose in the post season due to lack of focus on the offense. Don’t be shocked if SC upsets you again..lol Your literally starting a QB who will never start in the NFL and one season removed from the R o n a and you think all these SEC east teams that were down last year is just who they are and that had nothing to do with their records last year. Wow. lol
very analytical take kirk. Once again you prove to be the class moron with nothing but drivel. Maybe you can save up your paper route money and buy a brain since that ga education apparently didnt take, you ignorant wretch.
But Tennessee’s offense looked completely different against Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss and Florida. Explain.
Well, for one, Hooker wasn’t starting when we played UF. Secondly, UGA and Bama were deeper. But still looked better than both offenses of UGA and Bama lol. How close and how long you keep it close in a game tells you about how good a scheme is. Losing late like TN did against Bama was a depth issues on the D. Nothing more. If you took TN’s offense and placed it with UGA’s D last year, that would be an undefeated team. All TN needs to do to beat either school is be better defensively. Bama exposed the weak part of our D and that was over persuit in the middle and backs. They get there but miss the QB and he’d go up the middle for huge gains. You can only make this mistake so many times before the rest of the D tires, especially in your secondary. That was a depth issue and caused TN to fail to get off the field on third down, leading to longer D snaps and so on. Better question is if Bama’s offense was so good, how were they one score winners of LSU, Auburn etc, lose to A&M and get blown out later in the natty game by the UGA D and literally UGA’ s worst part of the D beat you in the natty game. The secondary.. lol. TN we understand, lack of depth, first year etc, but Bama? No, overrated offense.
“Hooker wasn’t starting when we played UF.’
Hooker is garbage.
How can you say Tennessee’s offense looked better than UGA’s when Tennessee only scored on the very first and very last play of the game against UGA? Also, remind me again what the score was?
Gwhite…no hate, but Huepel was going the other way at UCF…and some on that base were whining (believe it or not).
Seems to me he comes in with temps and offenses that trip teams up, but after teams get film and can better prepare..they catch up. Also, see the Big 12 defenses. When you have to practice against that type of offense…your defense loses some physicality. He has been able to move to the next gig before signing classes even get traction.
The SEC has been the closes thing to the NFL in terms of coaching, player development, etc….so we will see how this offense holds up in the years to come going against some of the best coaching in the game.
***temps = tempo
How can you just look at Kirk’s comment and gloss over the drivel that is gwhite? Lots of orange colored glasses this year.
Literally that is UGA and even in games they win handily, they never look dynamic. Than you get it pushed in in the post season against those better offenses on good teams. TN in every game shows good offense. It’s more fun to watch and gives you a better chance at beating teams deeper than you.
I would rather win than look dynamic.
“TN in every game shows good offense.”
Narrator: TN went 7-6.
UGA absolutely looked dynamic you blind fool. UGA had one of the most efficient AND explosive offenses last season.
Well yeah Gwhite…if that is the mission. Tenn is not trying to “steal” games moving forward though.
Not sure how you figure UGA wasn’t dynamic…and they have won in a variety of ways in the playoffs. You may not like them…hell I don’t, but currently they are the top dog ESPECIALLY on our side.
The East is improving each year, but they are still a long way off from being better than any team in the West. UGA is the exception.
LOL. The West is not hiring and recruiting like they are as a whole focusing more on the offense. Ole Miss will try but Kiffin is upproven if he can get and develop an elite QB. Coral was already there and darn good before Kiffin got there. Jefferson has potential and had a great first year, and than there’s Bama. All others are a big question mark as some are in the east but the SEC east hired mostly all offensive minded head coaches.
“Not hiring and recruiting as a whole”. Care to elaborate?
He thinks a hurry up offense is all that matters. He also thinks if he puts “lol” before every take, it somehow justifies his position.
He also does not understand that if you score 60 against a really bad defense and then less than 20 against the good defenses, the stats are skewed because of that score of 60. He is the sunshine pumping homer of SDS.
Your team spcifically for one year recruited a bit more for offense but by circumstance, it hasn’t shown. So far this year, your recruiting season isn’t up there, at least at this time. But your just not there offensively. Your trying to compete with vintage offense and its taking longer, always does than what TN is doing and what Bama can do.(SECCG as ex.) There is a couple of offensive minded coaches in the west, only a couple proven to be able to do it in the SEC at a good high level. The rest are unproven and are not known for their offensive resumes. Harsin, nope. Leach?Not in the SEC. Had a good first year but than nose-dived last year. Fisher, improving but not there and hasn’t been there quite long enough to sell his resume as offensive guru. Only Saban’s team has consistently stayed in the top ten. The SEC east, UGA just got there this year, TN’s CJH has a resume for offense guru and QB development and went up 100 rankings in year one. Stoops hired NFL minds to transform his offense from a ground game to more dynamic passing game.(It’s coming along). Eli for Mizzou is an offensive mind, right scheme, just is in the process for building an offense. It’s top priority. SC went full tilt to improve the offense with Rattler. They will actually play their transfer unlike UGA..lol (JT. Daniels). UF has been a team at least lately that saw what they can do with a prolific pocket passer and thinks Richardson can get to this level. Plus, Napier appears more offensive minded than D and it showed at his prior.
BoondockSaint Ugh, it’s like explaing football to my niece here. Nowhere did I ever say hurry up is all that matters. Done right and at the right time, it works. You failed to sub nearly as much against TN and that is what also kept the game close for three and a half quarters. I laugh,”lol” because its better than rolling my eyes or screaming due to your 10 year old football IQ lol. There, I lol’d because that’s funny. A good offense can score fast, quick and more than one way. TN did that better than any school that ran a hurry up as a prime. Scoring 60 against a bad D looks even better when you score 45 of it in the first, “quarter”. If you all could do that, you would. It’s also better than one score wins over UF, AU and LSU! lol. No matter how fast or slow you go!!! lol Than you get handled by A&M and blown out in the natty game. Yes, I’m so impressed with your offense. Did it ever occur to you all to try and win the game in the first half? No. You want to rep rotations more than you want to get ahead..lol That’s how you lost. Sunshine pumping is winning by the smallest margins you did than claim you could are elite by those standards. That is garbage even to the UF 2020 team..lol. Also, we weren’t supposed to be good, especially offensively. Predicted to win 3 or 4 games and we won seven and lost two due to refs and fake dives. lol. Literally two plays away from a 9 win season. A season in which we played better offensive teams than Bama played. Did you play Pitt or Perdue? No. Could they have beaten you? Absolutely, especially when you consider how close bad teams were to beating you.. and one average one(A&M did).
so gwhite when di scoring fas and not winning become better than winning by only one score …those 1 score games bama one got them a prize at the end of the season..im not sure if your aware but wins get you championship games and losses gets you the nobody cares bowl that UT couldnt outscore despite yall having all world offense and playing against a mediocre purdue team with a watered down roster…
@gwhite “So far this year, your recruiting season isn’t up there, at least at this time. ” Its July buddy.
“But your just not there offensively. Your trying to compete with vintage offense and its taking longer, always does than what TN is doing and what Bama can do.(SECCG as ex.)” Are you claiming Tennessee is “there” based on a 7 win season? That is ludicrous. Also, people forget, we lost 1 game in 2020 with an experienced but average QB. Last year we started a kid with no experience who lacked a lot of mental tools and still won 8 games in the tougher division. Also, UGA literally just won a NC with “vintage” offense.
“There is a couple of offensive minded coaches in the west, only a couple proven to be able to do it in the SEC at a good high level.” Who cares? Last time I checked, the team that won it all last year had a generational defense. Who are these “offensive gurus” leading their teams to 6-6 records in the SEC East? You cite a new coach in Billy Napier hailing from the Sun Belt, Shane Beamer and USC, and Eli Drinkwitz and the dumpster fire that is Mizzou. Being offensive minded apparently correlates to success and good football? Last time I checked, those three schools went a combined 8-16 in the mighty East with an overall record of 19-20. Seek psychiatric help.
“Fisher, improving but not there and hasn’t been there quite long enough to sell his resume as offensive guru.” He has done so much more than Heupel in his career. Comical you even state this.
“TN’s CJH has a resume for offense guru and QB development and went up 100 rankings in year one.” You are insane. Congrats on the offensive “guru”. Enjoy 7 wins in perpetuity because you can’t keep teams out the end-zone. Congrats on the top 10 recruiting class before any one signs on the dotted line. We will see what happens when Tennessee finishes 7-5 with embarrassing losses to anyone worth a you know what.
Also, just wanted to point out how brilliant Gwhite is.
“what TN is doing and what Bama can do.” So, just to reiterate, TN is the threshold for elite offense in CFB. You sir have verbal diarrhea and mental constipation.
Well, it’s only what year 3 for Kiffin now…
A&M, Miss ST, Ole Miss, LSU, Bama – no offensive coaches…unkay.
It’s tough to seriously consider the main points of the article when you are laughing all you want. Still laughing at the title.
Still laughing.
Ok…. let’s bookmark this piece and revisit it in early December when we compare head to head records of SEC East vs SEC West games.
Mat, Matt, Matt…. I LOVE UT and have 2 degrees from that amazing piece of God’s country. But you are on Crack if you think any team in the east (sans uga) is better than teams in the west. Are the teams improved over the horrendous level we had fallen? A resounding yes but the east has a long way to go to get even with, much less pass the west.
I hope I’m wrong and my beloved VOLS fool me and everyone else in the country but sir, I’m rarely wrong.
Probably Hayes’ worst column in awhile from an analysis standpoint. Kentucky, South Carolina, Missouri and Tennessee are all pretty well coached now, but their rosters all have huge talent gaps. Florida has more talent but is paper-thin at defensive tackle.
Stoops has done a phenomenal job at Kentucky but their offensive line losses to the NFL can’t be ignored. Tennessee plays three opponents with pass defenses that should stop that offense in its tracks (Alabama, Florida and Georgia), leaving the Tennessee defense exhausted in the fourth quarter.
I would take the rosters and coaches at Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU and Mississippi State in a heartbeat over Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina and Missouri.
Your coach has done nothing yet gator. Yes our coach is gimmicky but so is yours. The teams in the west you named do have really solid coaching crews (sans miss st) but to leave out your staff is laughable.
I agree on us being left out as a questions mark…
How is Napier Gimmicky?
@Volbeef88, yes, Florida has a new coach, but his m.o. is anything but gimmicky if you look at his offenses at Louisiana. His preference appears to be a power running game.
As for roster talent, while every team in the East has some very good individual players, Florida’s roster talent as a whole is objectively and significantly superior to every other roster in the East except Georgia’s.
Florida’s last coach was fired precisely because he lost to rosters with lesser talent (and also because he was not recruiting top five classes).
While the 2022 247 Team Talent Composite isn’t out yet, I think that both LSU and Texas A&M will have more talented rosters than Florida. But that wasn’t the point of the discussion.
I wish Napier nothing but the best but the step up from G5 to P5 is not easy. See: Frost, Scott.
We don’t know a whole lot about what Sunbelt Billy will do as a game day coach. I mean, his recruiting is underwhelming so far, but the one thing anyone should no for sure is that Sunbelt Billy is NOT a gimmicky coach.
Heupel? Gimmicky. Sunbelt Billy? No.
Oh no another re re comment by Corch I have to torch. lol. TN was 11th nationally running the ball and beat UGA in rushing, yet we are gimmicky. lol Ok. You can’t be a gimmick offense and run the ball that well. We aren’t an air raid exclusive offense, we just do a good job of recognizing what the D gives us and we capitalize on it. If you don’t know how a team’s offense works, best to look up their stats before you make yourself look silly calling them gimmicky. Your offense in passing is beyond gimmick, it looks like duck luck and roll outs. LOL. Thats how you get your QB sacked 4 or 5 times a game even against D’s like TN’s. Sunbelt Billy proved he can run an offense in a lower conference and that is the most we know about him. That is still better than what your doing at UGA lol.
Again, all the stats you named showed that by far, UGA was the better rushing team.
But keep lying, gwhite. Being full of s–t is what you’re best at.
Sure you wouldtake any of them over Billy boy! But Stoops has earned his spot and Florida has hit rock bottom on talent. You have no clue what your talking about. If Gators were picked to finish anywhere above 3rd in east you would be agreeing that east is best conference by far but since Florida is the dumps so is east.
As much as I wish that were true, I’m leaning West right now.
I do agree that the East is trending upward.
If not true, good. IMO.
“As much as I wish that were true, I’m leaning West right now.”
Never ever ever ever underestimate LSU.
Spencer rattler was surrounded by talent at OU and couldn’t get it done. I’m not convinced he’ll be as great as writers expect him to be at SC. He will be Slightly above average at best
The kid has talent. His head wasn’t screwed on at OU. If he has been humbled and listens to Beamer I expect him to be pretty good. His problem was his ability, it was his attitude.
Source?
Dozens of articles, sports shows and friends who are OU alum and boosters.
So people speculating. Got it. Hopefully he is good enough to whip the sorry azz Vols though.
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Well it was partly attitude, skill was definitely an issue though. His film was not good last year. He was deciding who to throw to before the snap SO often. There are many breakdowns on this kids play showing him staring down his receiver, not even looking to the other side of the field, passing up wide open looks, for the guy he had already decided to throw to. If he doesnt learn to make reads and look off receivers, he has no chance of succeeding. He was also reportedly not a good teammate and a very selfish player. Hopefully that gets coached out of him and the SEC brings out the best in him.
But the competition he will be facing will be better in the SEC and he’s playing for a team that went 7-6 last season.
I don’t see him as a miracle worker in Columbia.
I’m not sure either but the will is there and focus by SC to focus more on the offense. They know that is how they will compete at a higher level.
Rattler Sure as hell smashed us in the Sugar Bowl @ OU. Yeah we played a bunch of 2nd stringers, but it was an embarrassment; start of the ending for CDM…and showed our development; well lack there of. Long gone are the SOS years…where next up was LITERALLY that.
Stetson Bennett is IV, not III.
Is it that he thought he was being downgraded from a 4* to a 3* talent?
SBIV has more rings than stars. I’m sure he is fine with that.
While the East is improved, I just don’t see it being better than the West top to bottom, let alone the best in the NCAA. Only about 40 days and the what ifs will be see. I think the coaching expertise has improved in the East, but it’s still early days and the coaches still have lots of holes to fill on their rosters to truly compete with Alabama and Georgia.
I’m (unfortunately) going with the viles to be the main challenger for dawgs in the east. Just got to find a way to stay fresh in defense as that ridiculous fastball offense rolls the scoreboard in the first half.
Hmmm
Well, the writer is talking about now and the future. The east is overall focusing more on offense than the west, whose better right now isn’t relevant. It’s the overall goal intent from the majority of schools in the east to focus more on offense than they do in the west. I agree with that. We are also already competing with UGA and Bama. Neither is what they have been and everyone else also is recruiting better. Throw in NIL and collectives, the rest can catch up pretty quick in play and production. We don’t yet know who these teams are until the season gets going and can only give our best guesses based on what we see, hear and fact study.
“The east is overall focusing more on offense than the west”
Tell that to Bama, LSU, TAM, AU etc.
“Laugh all you want, but the SEC East is the best division in college football.”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
For decades it was the east and only Bama in the west.. lol And you laugh? LOL. Where was the west in the 80’s and 90s? It was TN and UF for a long time. Than since 17 UGA came on. Date back even further it was TN in the east, Bama in the west. But almost never those two school were tops at the same time. Multiple year runs of success almost never happened for TN and Bama at the same time. Which division has more offensive success remains to be seen this season but the east is doing more to make offense the main focus.
“For decades it was the east and only Bama in the west”
Auburn and LSU laugh you, clown.
A more accurate statement would be “for decades, The Vols have been mediocre in a good year.
Well looking at last season 4 teams from the east finished below .500 in conference compared to two teams from the west. The west also won the CC last season..
The East seems to be trending in the right direction but there is a lot of unknowns.
“The East seems to be trending in the right direction but there IS a lot of unknowns”
There ARE a lot of unknowns also, my dear friend. Thanks for your riveting input. Now get back to work please, your company needs you to be productive today. Thanks.
You sure do seem to struggle with this “own” thing… You follow me around to articles just to post to me so I can talk about your wh@re wife… I have you so shook you just keep chasing me around…
Tell your wh@re wife I’ll pick her up at 6…
Which corner is she working today?
I’m taking one for the SDS team, as long as you are enamored with me, most everyone else can have decent discourse without being called childish names. Well, another great talk, my twins. Do work on the sentencing structure, plurals go with ARE, singular go with IS, you’re welcome, have a great day.
“I’m taking one for the SDS team, “
Your wh@re wife has taken a lot of teams on… That being said your not doing anything but giving me to opportunity to point out your wife is a wh@re…
You must already know that she is though since you just fish for the comment. Like usual you just follow me around to post to me like you’re a little puppy dog…
If you wanted to take one for the team you would just stop replying.. instead you just enjoy seeing your wife being called a wh@re..
Interesting perception you have there, my friend. And very nice sentence structure, you learn fast. Well, another great talk, have a safe ride home from work and remember to be kind to strangers, never know when one of them may be giving you emergency mouth to mouth. Stay well.
It’s simple really… You tried to troll and got it thrown back in your face and like you tend to do you get your feelings hurt and start following me around “trolling”…
It’s all good though because it’s to easy to talk about your wh@re wife…
Oh you should probably avoid kissing the wh@re on the lips…
I am in awe of your unflawed logic my very dear friend. Certainly puts the dead oak trees in Toomerville in perspective. I can see how that happened now. Mystery solved. Well, thanks for another great talk, have a blessed evening.
Your wh@re wife has been on her knees under a few oak trees..
This coming from a school still playing Rudy at QB..lol. Horrible record in the post season vs elite offensive teams in the post season. Would you even know elite offense if your coaches saw it? Kirby has been there long enough to change up the offensive dynamics. He’s playing 90’s offense in a pass/run dynamic age. Also, he’s still wearing visors. lol
At least Georgia has a post season. Tennessee’ is usually spent getting other teams’ boots out of their a**es.
Interesting. 3-1 in the playoffs with a win over Bama and a OU team that had what I feel most would consider an elite QB in Baker Mayfield and a pretty prolific offense.
But hey, we can’t all be runner ups in the Music City Bowl to the offensive juggernaut that is the Purdue Boilermakers LOL.
Go home GWhite…you are drunk
Gwhite, my SEC bro…we won with Wuerffel over Peyton (0-4 vs UF)…you think the Colts wanted Danny? We have Terry Dean who has a cannon…Eric Kresser who sat behind Danny before winning a chip with Moss at Marshall. Both prob had better arm talent…but Danny got the Ws. Not sure how you diss Kirby on his run in any capacity, after winning with Stet 4…it was the right move. I think he is a solid college qb.
UGA scored a zillion on OU after being down, smashed Michigan…beat Bama, lost to Bama on 4 & long in OT. Are you talking about the Texas game? Even so…its not like Texas was a scrub team.
**have = had
Umm, no. Wait 5-6 months from now and then consider writing that about the SEC east. Way premature. This isn’t a video game season.
Ohh man, people are not going to like this article.
No UGA fan likes it because they know all these other SEC teams are doing more to focus on their offense, unlike them.. So they fear teams being more competitive against them and they will be for that fact. Kirby is the only coach playing vintage 90’s run the boring bully ball offense only to get crushed by more modern offenses in the post season. The SECCG was simply Bama using a bare minimum to run a more dynamic scheme offensively that UGA fans still think are gimmick offenses. Well, the SECCG proved they can’t match it when its done right. Secondly, Kirby is still so stuck in the 90’s he’s still wearing visors. lol
How weird. They won the national championship. Tennessee fans should keep the laughter in the mirror until they actually get close to winning something.
The 90s was a better time than the 2020s.
They were also a long time ago. I enlisted in 98. I’m retired now.
I am trying to find these games where he was crushed.
Lsu didn’t want Napier. Lol..If they wanted him they would have hired him. Come on man. That’s common knowledge down here. The dude was on every local sports radio show begging for job.
True. He wanted LSU, bad.
What school would have chosen Napier over Kelly anyway? Not to say Napier can’t be good but Kelly is proven at a higher level division.
“ Missouri fired loyal (and successful) alum Barry Odom for …” really…successful? How dumb are you?
I think “success” is relative. Odom had the team bowl eligible when he got fired, which is where Drink took it over and is still at. Devine and Pinkel are the only coaches to really get the program higher than the bowl eligible bar heading into a season. Drink will not win or compete for Natty’s at Mizzou, that’s just the unfortunate reality, and an unrealistic expectation.
I consider Barry a bit successful in light of the fact he took over an ABSOLUTE dumpster fire that Pinkel enabled, and at least got the team to play a little bit. There’s really not much more you can say for Odom, he wasn’t particularly good as a defensive master mind and took a step backward visa vie the MU pass rush. He wasn’t going anywhere as a HC and probably peaked as DC.
Yeah, your Dline play was top tier for sure.
Now everyone will be chanting “East”. Then when that’s pared down it will come full circle and people will root for their team instead of bandwagoning on an entire 14 team conference.
USC fans will storm the field when the finally get 5 wins… LOL
the = they, you’re welcome. Nice talk, see you.
Your wife’s mouth = on my balls..
His wife probably doesn’t want to be kicked by that goat that your balls a currently slapping against
Who are you? Oh yeah, you’re the team that’s only won anything by cheating. Go away now.
No one is bandwagoning for the SEC, just debating about the best top-to-bottom division in CFB. Also, your new coach sprinted away from that entire 14 (soon to be 16) team conference.
^^^^
This is why the Pac12 and Big12 are where they are now and the BI0 and SEC own cfb. Even your school administrators recognize this, hence the Machiavellian end to the @ “alliance”.
Where you all good way back when TX beat you? Do you even have a bandwagon anymore? LOL When TX beat you, that was the time you had a bandwagon. lol
That was a long time ago for sure GWhite, but it may have well been last week compared to the last time the Vols won anything lol.
“LOL When TX beat you”
How high are you?
E-A-S-T! E-A-S-T! E-A-S-T!
“Because it just means more than more!”
Ahhh, Pacific Coast hatred…smell it all the way from South LA….you booked any hotels for that trip to Rutgers big hoss?
SDS is a joke! Mention the video of TAMU offering recruits $$ and it gets moderated, but, you can get personal about somebody’s wife, no problem!
Yeah… that’s not what happened. Andy Staples has talked about it. Josh Pate has talked about it.
You’re lying about the context of the video. Stupid Gump.
Fwiw, the moderation on here only works by keywords. Nobody actually moderates these comments. If you type in the wrong word your post will say “waiting moderation” or whatever the verbage us, it won’t actually ever be approved. You simply have to figure which word is tripping up your comment and change it, or simply type it out differently. Ex. vac cine would cause this post to be “moderated”…
Odd that you just mentioned it, and no moderation.
He means if you didn’t put the space in between the “c”.
I was referring to the Aggies paying.
Sorry.
Hayes does not know or forgets that football, whether it be HS, SEC or NFL, is won in the trenches. Even during Spurrier’s days of throwing the ball around, Florida had VERY good offensive and defensive linemen. Georgia became a different animal under Kirby because suddenly, their linemen looked just like Alabama’s. The East has a long ways to go.
I want to thank Hayes and all the others who keep picking Tennessee to beat Alabama this year. No team/coach in the history of CFB has gotten more credit for a 7-6 season than Heupel. They all think the Texas AM game will drain the Tide and they will have no focus the following week. Rarely does Saban have bulletin board material. Thank you, thank you indeed.
TN never looked bad this season against bad teams lol. Bama looked horrible against UF, AU, LSU and upset by a green A&M team with a freshman QB first start who later transferred. So yeah, TN had the greatest growth of any team in the country offensively going up 100 rankings in offensive stat. This with a team with only 71 scholarship players and riddled with portal de-commits. They actually got under-praised for those efforts. Name the last time a team did all this in one year? Not even Bama ever did that.
“TN never looked bad this season against bad teams ”
7-6 says otherwise.
For the hundredth time, who outside of Kentucky did Tennessee beat that was any good. All that “growth” culminated in loosing to a B1G also ran in a bowl in your own back yard. Good teams boat raced the Vols lol.
Bama won.
In 2006, we won ugly all the way to Glendale AZ…and couldnt score that year but put up 41 on Buckeye U.
PS — 2021 Florida was a bad team bro…and we mashed yall per usual.
The only credit you all got this year was, “your not as good as you used to be”. lol And who knows if your on the rise or fall. The natty game makes us all wonder. When you’ve had a dynasty, when you struggle, no one is going to be impressed. Neither was Saban, by season’s end he was dogging his own players after the natty loss..lol That is not what inspires. TN looked better than anyone thought, you looked worse than anyone thought, because you rarely won convincingly against some bad teams. Plus the losses.
Man, you are the Simone Biles of mental gymnastics GWhite. Clearly Tennessee is better positioned because Bama couldn’t beat UGA twice (a team that boat raced the Vols in Knoxville) while dropping their own postseason game to Purdue? How on earth do you get there. The Vols have moved to the level of beating most of the bad teams they play and Kentucky. Congratulations I guess.
WTF ARE YOU SMOKIN? That was funny.
hes smoking crack. hes a well known crackhead and tn troll, like his buddy kirk from ga.
I’m not sold on that idea. I’d take the the following West teams straight up and if you want to argue your team from the East deserves to jump a spot, I’d still take the West against your team.
Bama over UGA
TAMU over Vols
Ark over Fl
AU over UK
Ole Miss over USC
LSU over Mizzou
Miss State over Vandy
TAMU over TN? Not at this time. The QB position is far from settled and prove. TN was two plays away from a 9 win season and not by their own fault. A&M avoided offensive teams like Pitt and Perdue. The win over Bama was probably more about Bama than A&M. AR over UF. Hmmm AR never scored a point on UGA? AU over UK? LOL. No man. Just no. I say that because UK has successfully transformed their offense from a WR QB to Levis. Levis and UK would be favored over AU this year. LSU over Mizzou? That is 50/50 at best this year until both take the field. MSU over Vandy, I think..lol. Leach cratered last season offensively. Both will be scratching to improve offensively. Bama over UGA, push. UGA beat them when last played and Bama wasn’t deep enough at WR to overcome missing a few starters.
“UK would be favored over AU this year. ‘
Auburn doesn’t play KY this year.
I think the talent still favors TAMU compared to the Vols. I do think offensive scheme would give UT a good shot at winning, but I think TAMU would be favored on a neutral site. Arkansas is probably going to win 9 games again. I am not sure Florida could beat them this season. I do agree UK could beat AU, but I’d call it a toss-up. Auburn could win 9 games or 4 and I wouldn’t be shocked either way. Kentucky will win 9, but their schedule is weak (again). Mizzou isn’t better than LSU and may never be, but this year might be the closest talent gap between the two. I’ll wait to pass judgement on Rattler, but outside of him being a top 10 QB in the nation this year, I don’t think they are better than Ole Miss. Ole Miss will be considerably weaker at QB, but probably not enough to give USCe the edge. And Vandy will be pretty terrible this year and not win an SEC game.
“I do agree UK could beat AU,”
UK DOES NOT PLAY AUBURN THIS YEAR.
Missed one. Ole Miss over USC. Hmmm, without Coral we have no clue who they are offensively. Their QB to start has to prove himself and so does Rattler with USC. Ole Miss had to fake dive in mass in two games to get to 10 wins for a bowl game they have no business being in..lol Kiffin is offensive minded but not sure he can get the collective donation to compete in the NIL world. Matching these two is more even going forward than comparing where they have been before NIL. But the SC do imo has been better for longer than Ole Miss’s.
*But SC’s D has been better for longer than Ole Miss’s.
Tennessee fans you better watch out or there will be nothing good to see about Tennessee football this year.
“Tennessee fans you better watch out or there will be nothing good to see about Tennessee football this year.’
gwhite works at Walmart as a greater.
Lol…the Vols aren’t the second best team in the East.
OK, then who is?
Kentucky will have a 9 win season again, but will lose 2 of three to UT, UF, OM and lose to UGA. so they have best shot at finishing 2nd, but UT will probably be favored to beat them even if they finish above them.
Florida has LSU and TAMU from the west and if they split those (beat LSU, lose to TAMU) Then they need to beat UK and UT to finish 2nd and I just don’t see it this year.
It is very possibly either one of them finishes above UT in east standings, but I’d take UT over either straight up and I think you’ll see UT favored against both this season.
I also think UGA makes it through the East/SEC undefeated this year, but UT’s offense will keep it interesting and put up more points than UF and UK combined against UGA.
Really, Vandy, that is cold
I don’t see a single QB in the East that will be a NFL QB
LOL. Hendon Hooker, Will Levis will be, Richardson imo more likely will be than not. Spencer Rattler, more likely to than not. Even if just a backup. That is still right there more likely that what we see in the west. Match the top 3. NFL bound for each division based on what we’ve seen.
Young to Hooker
Jefferson to Levis
Who in the west to Richardson?
Who in the west to Rattler?
Who in the west to SB?
Now lets go to potential back ups Unproven or committed. How many 5 star QB’s committed in the east or riding the bench? Nico for TN. Vandergriff and Beck for UGA. Bama only school in the west with a 5 star QB talent, on the bench or committed.
“Hendon Hooker”
HE EFFING SUCKS.
ron i dont see the hype with hooker. he was okay but i seen in the uga game he missed a lot of wideopen throws to the flats and outside the hash mark. took to many sacks and now coordinators all over the conference have film on him in the heuple system .. i think he regresses
Of course he’ll regress. He’s as old as Tom Brady after all lol.
I didn’t say any West QBs were going play in the NFL. Not comparing.
I’m saying I don’t see any East QB starting and being successful in the NFL
We hear it every year…. Tennessee is back, Florida is back, Kentucky’s going to challenge, ya da ya da ya da. And every year, it never comes together. Might as well quit saying it every year..
When your picked to win 3 or 4 games. Yes, you are back from being down but not back to being elite. Yet you can have elite play and production on offense but the D has to catch up and win more than 9 or 10 games regular season. TN was two plays away robbed from a 9 win season. UP 100 ranking points in total offensive stats. That’s pretty back. No other year has TN come back like that in such a short time. No team in recent memory went up 100 ranking points with a first year HC with a roster of only 71 scholarship players. Did all this in one year. Tell me another team in this division that has done that in recent memory? Any done that at all? No TN fan when they say, they are back means their a playoff team, but rather back to being relevant. On top of our play we can sure screw up a teams chances for getting into the playoff. A TN win or UGA, or Bama would be devastating and would make the SECCG a winter take all, no sneak in the playoffs game. I’d say that’s pretty relevant..lol And as many SEC east teams focus on the offense more, that only increases the odds of someone knocking off UGA during the regular season.
The East is catching up to UGA….the average margin of victory for Georgia might drop all the way to 20 or so against the East.
The Vols and Elite aren’t even in the same universe. You haven’t beaten an elite team or even hung with one. Kentucky is your signature win. Kentucky.
Interesting. He tries to make a case for the East being as good as the West, then in his power rankings, he ranks 5 West teams in his top 7.
i was about to post that same thing Bayou. His own column contradicts himself.
You have to say the west was better least season and determine this season later, especially with all the new coaches and staffs. I think they will be pretty even this season.
The writer means the SEC east is doing more to focus on the offense than the west as a whole and he’s right. From hiring offensive minded coaches to player recruitment. Drink, Heupel, Stoops, Beamer Jr, Napier have made or making offense the priority. What teams are taking 3 star QB’s compared to the teams getting 5 star QB’s and 4 star QB vs those going after 4 star QB’s and getting a 4 and than a 3? Confusing but the east is making a push and its dividends can only be measured after the season starts. The teams that were bad and hired vastly different style coaches whom are offensive minded and that will have success will demand to hire those kind of offensive minded coaches in the future. Teams like TN, UK, UF will and maybe SC and Mizzou if they have new offensive success. UGA has yet to turn this page and/or Kirby will have to switch to being a more offensive minded coach by way of hiring a OC who wants a more modern dynamic offense.
gwhite is the official SDS retard.
“pay no attention to the team that just won a title on the strength of their defense and had Hendon Hooker crying for his mama.”
-GWhite
[[INSERT THATS BAIT GIF HERE]]
This is quite literally the most obvious “off-season” bait article I’ve seen this year. The author is trolling us for clicks, trying to get us in here to comment on his ridiculous logic.
Props to Matt though, usually it’s a “Tennessee is back” article, so kudos for saying it’s the ENTIRE division.
(And you and I both clicked.)
Because it is the SEC and football is right around the corner! :)
Hallelujah
The West is absolutely stacked from a coaching standpoint when compared to the East. Saban, Fisher, Kiffin, Leach, Harsin, Pittman, and now Kelly. I agree the East is getting better, but the West has been continually upgrading as well. Quarterbacks will be a big question mark for the West this year, but I fail to see a world in which either Kelly or Kiffin produce bad quarterback play. The only team that I think could reasonably suffer from a bad quarterback in the West is Auburn, but even Harsin has a pretty good track record with development.
Do tell is about the coaching prowess of Harsin and those big wins for Kiffen and Mike Leach.
Harsin has literally consistently coached 3,000 yard passers his entire career. Harsin has also won a NY6 bowl game. Leach is the winningest coach at Texas Tech and coached Washington State to their best conference stretch in program history. And Kiffin basically retooled Alabama’s offense and turned it into the machine it is today and just posted Ole Miss’s first 10-win regular season. All great coaches. Not elite, but definitely not pushovers either.
East will be better if and when Bama and Aubie crosses over to East as the Sooners and Longhorns come into our beloved family.
Sec East
1. Ugaly Dawgs
2.kitty cats
3. Orange T
4. Roosters
5.Lizards
6. Mo
7. Commodes
SEC West
1.Pachyderms
2. LSWHO
3. Lee County Alabama University
4.hogs
5.collies
6.sharks
7. Cowbells from Starkville
Leonard’s Losers you aren’t.
I miss those takes on the radio, although at the time my CATS were almost always one of his losers. Go CATS!!!
Yeah… there will be no East or West moving forward. The SEC is getting rid of divisions, genius.
I think Jimbo Fisher is a good coach. Though a QB guru he is not. He had 4 full years to make a top QB out of Kellen Mond, and he didn’t do it. Mond never made it above the good level. Last year he could not turn Zack Calzada into a weapon. Jimbo is a good coach, and he will have success, but he is no QB guru.
He hasn’t been able to find one yet for his current team.
Ole Miss didn’t hire Nutt away from us, we as a fan base ran him off due to his continued mediocrity and under achievement. Never seen a coach achieve less with more than Nutt did.
A+M 3rd best team in the SEC?
I’ll only believe it when I see it. Johnson at QB is not Jameis.
27 TDS 6 INTS with a 144 passer rating last year with an abysmal O line and half his skill guys not playing. I think people will be suprised.
While the East is improving, it’s just not there yet when compared to the West. Outside of UGA, there’s still a talent gap there, though closer than it was.
I’d argue also that the Big Ten East may be better still as well, even if only slightly.
The difference between the SEC East and B1G East, to me, is the B1G East is more top heavy, and doesn’t really have middle of the road teams. Ohio St, Michigan, Penn St, Michigan St are good squads. Maryland, Indiana, and Rutgers however, aren’t turning heads. IU was also completely exposed last season.
The SEC East has the best team in UGA, and the worst team in Vandy (sorry, Vandy), but 2-6 are better teams than the bottom three in the B1G East, and could compete with Michigan, Michigan St, and Penn St, if not beat them outright.
I have no problem with pegging UK anywhere between 2nd and 4th. Too many unknowns from South Carolina and Florida too say they’re going to be great or awful or somewhere in between. Tennessee, I feel confident to say they should be favorite for 2nd.
I worded that horribly and I apologize.
What I meant to say, is the Ohio St, Michigan, and Michigan St have all showed the ability to win their conference and get to the Playoff. Penn St won the conference in 2016, but had two losses and got passed over, but I think they should have been in that year.
Whereas the SEC East has one team that has won a conference championship this decade and also made the playoff. No other team in the East has even sniffed the playoff, however, I would take all of them, minus Vandy, against anyone except Ohio St.
FWIW, IMO a great objective take.
We need more like you here, Dixie.
I appreciate all that you said. But I fail to see how Penn State winning the conference in 2016 has to do with whether they are better than, say Kentucky, in 2022.
Time to put down the crack pipe!!
Mike Slive, very impressive.
Love to see Mike as the commissioner of a 40 team Super league.
FWIW, I see every SEC team other than Vandy in the Super League. Whereas, I think the B1G would need to jettison 3 or 4 teams.
Article is just clickbait. Mizzoo and vandy make this impossible. Not to mention after the top 2. lul PURE clickbait
Is this a marching band ranking? Cheerleaders maybe?
g white where i come from 5.3 ypc is better than 4.9 ypc
Stupid hillbillies don’t know how to count, so we shouldn’t be surprised.
lOl you need to look to the last column son.. lol. That is Gained yards per attempt total. The only one stat that determines teams leading in rushing. Wow..lol Dude really? Where I come from we read what each stat means and how they effect the last column that determines who leads by way of its total..lol So, that is TN 203.13 to UGA’s 195.10. Gave over. TN wins the rushing yardage game per attempt made or gained. Kinda similar to a weight lifting contest. It’s how many attempts and based on your weight vs how much you lifted successfully. He who gains the most on fewer attempts gained, wins. In this case TN. Education complete. lol Blunt yard totals don’t matter. It’s the most yards gained on fewer attempts that determine the winner.
Geez, stop with the lol. You talk about people being stuck in the 90’s, lol stopped being used right after “You’ve got Mail” came out.
I can do that because I’m older than you.lolololol. Sorry, I’m old school, and what you just said, isn’t true. My kids use it all the time. LOL.
“My kids use it all the time.”
I feel sorry for your kids.
TreeD in order to over come how many yards TN gained on fewer attempts you needed to average a bit more than 5.3 a carry and .4 wasn’t going to do it. In order to overcome TN 203.13 total composite number you needed to either average more than 5.3 ypc or have fewer attempts. You didn’t do either, that is why TN for season out rushed UGA. Your only referencing a factor avg stat when the total overall composite state (the larger numbers in the last column) is the final determining winning composite number with all the other stats averaged in. It’s kinda like golf. Attempts MATTER! You can swing away all day in golf but someone puts it in with less strokes or attempts, they win. How far the ball flew(avg YPC) factors in but its the higher number of attempts it took to get your avg that caused also TN to out composite you for the year.
You mean like “swinging” 15 times and winning 14 is more than “swinging” 13 times and winning 7? TN was a joke last year.
Really? TN was better than Bama and UGA in rushing the ball overall for 2021. Bama was 11th, UGA 4th. TN was 2nd best. This is overall SEC for 2021. Doesn’t sound like a joke to me clown..lol Try stats. For a gen x’r you shame us all for not knowing math..
Than challenge me. C’mon, lets talk stats for rushing SEC teams and leader in passing for 2021? I promise I won’t lol? Who do you assume was the best QB SEC overall for 2021 in passing?
And yet UGA and Bama played for both the Conference Title and the National Championship while LOL Tennessee was getting whipped in there own backyard by a depleted and not especially good at full strength anyway Purdue squad.
“TN was better than Bama and UGA in rushing the ball overall for 2021. ”
TN went 7-6.
“Who do you assume was the best QB SEC overall for 2021 in passing?’
Some QB that won the Heisman… His name is not Han djob Hooker.
Dumb ice if your team avg 4.9 yards per carry and my team averages 5.3 my team is the better rushing team . It had more yards per game yes.. but seems to me only you and Dan Mullen think out gaining opponents trumps out scoring them .. btw it had 2832 yards 4.9 ypc on 577 Carries for 30 td… uga was 2864 5.3 ypc on 545 carries and 29 td .. .I don’t think you understand football I hope you don’t coach your kids or grandchildren
The Quarterback talent has vastly improved in the East. At least according to rankings and projections.
you need to look to the last column son.. lol. That is Gained yards per attempt total. The only one stat that determines teams leading in rushing. Wow..lol Dude really? Where I come from we read what each stat means and how they effect the last column that determines who leads by way of its total..lol So, that is TN 203.13 to UGA’s 195.10. Gave over. TN wins the rushing yardage game per attempt made or gained.
*made and gained*. If you run the ball more than TN, than you have to gain considerable more yards than TN to win that final overall determining stat. It was pretty close but TN based on attempts beat you and gained more on those attempts averaged. So, that means when TN ran the ball, though fewer attempts and total yards, gained more yards when you compare both team’s attempts and gained yardage. The final column in points is a composite of all those prior numbers, yardage, number of attempts. It means if its higher, you win. 203.13 to 195.10 for UGA. You all are forgetting that they factor in the number of attempts and only looking at the middle column for averages. If you run the ball more your you need to gain more yards per attempt to over come a team that runs the ball well on fewer attempts. Now do you all get it. I know counting is a huge issue down there in Novembers but seriously. lol
If you had fewer attempts or the same amount of attempts as TN and still maintained your 5.4 vs TN 4.9, than you win on the bases of YPC avg and your composite would be higher than 203.13. They base the winner of the rushing game for the season on the, “effectiveness” and on how many attempts. They do it this way because teams run more than others. So it always comes down to number of attempts and to maintain the highest YPC average you can. Overall TN and UGA ran the ball well but TN did it more efficiently than UGA based on number of attempts for the composite total after each column stat is added in for the average. They don’t do blunt average total only for the overall determining winning composite because every team plays a different schedule and level of competition. It’s how effective I was for number of attempts rushing against my foe, vs how you rushed against our foe for the season.
**how efficient you were, not effective**
Stop replying to yourself. Just stop.
So I guess tenn is better cause they had less yards on more attempts ..k I’m educated now .. woo
Kentucky at Ole Miss is intriguing as hell. I would defer to the columnist’s expertise, but then he picked Alabama at Tennessee as the best West vs East game. No disrespect meant to UT fans, but seriously, who thinks Bama is dropping any game to an East team other than Georgia?
I say if in doubt, choose the two most surprising 10-win teams from last year and at least include them in your Top 5.
I agree. Kentucky v. Ole Miss sounds like a much more intriguing matchup considering Tennessee has not beaten Alabama since the Bush administration.
When is the last time UK beat Ole Miss? Just asking. If TN is 5-0 and Bama is too, than that is a “something must give game” with the SEC runner up. I think UK and Ole Miss will be exciting but only one game has playoff implications if Bama were to lose. That will also be the top two offenses in the SEC and if both are 5-0, well.. you can understand why the writer prefers that game.
You are really dealing in hypotheticals…when was the last time TN was 5-0?
Classof93 When was the last time TN broke their own school record in scoring before last year? Before that you got to go back to 93. That means we are dealing with something very different and new at TN concerning offense. Both rushing the ball and passing.
If we’re going for hypotheticals, Kentucky could be 10-0 or 9-1 (if things break right) before hosting Georgia in Lexington. It’s not unrealistic.
People talking about UK “taking a step back” after a 10-win season maybe don’t realize the Cats didn’t receive a single vote in the 2021 pre-season AP poll.
But it’s ok. Men’s basketball is usually ranked in the top 5 pre-season regardless of returning experience. These sportswriters know a lot but ultimately don’t know much of anything.
“When was the last time that Tennessee broke their own school record in scoring”. Yet you still went 7-6 with a bowl loss to mighty PURDUE. Congrats on the school records and statistics. All that to go 7-6
Ha ha!!! Vols will not be 5-0 when they play Bama.there defense will have given up a game by then. The ky ole miss game will be way better game
Well, considering TN beat UGA in passing and in rushing composite this year and UGA beat Bama, than yea, according to stats TN has the ability to beat Bama at home. I mean A&M did, and UF, UA and LSU only lost to Bama by one score and the natty game results added. TN won’t be favored unless Bama drops a game or two, but they played a one score game last year for 3 and a half quarters before TN’s depth issues had Bama pull away. A&M and TN are on a very similar level in depth and in play. A&M slight advantage on D, TN advantage on offense over A&M. I think UK will be much improved on offense and think the Ole Miss UK game will be great and competitive. A game in which either could win. (I’m leaning UK though) vs Bama(media darling) in ruckus mustard bottle tossing in Neyland with (1 bottle actually thrown) 100K plus screaming TN fans(Neyland’s renovations are almost done) at Neyland makes for some craziness.
Gwhite. You continually prove the saying that ignorance is bliss. Bravo on your uncanny ignorance.
Opinions are like a holes, everyone has one. Talk stats and facts to me why you disagree. Otherwise come back when ay older with stats. “lol”.
“Well, considering TN beat UGA in passing and in rushing composite this year and UGA beat Bama, than yea, according to stats TN has the ability to beat Bama at home.”
So since TN had better offensive numbers against Georgia they should beat Alabama this year? Huh?
Here’s a stat for you. 41-17. Who gives a rat’s a** about stats, other than W and Ls?
“A&M and TN are on a very similar level in depth and in play. A&M slight advantage on D, TN advantage on offense over A&M.” Who’s your dealer? I’ll have what you having.
247 Talent Composite: A&M = 8th; TN = 18th
We are deeper at every single position minus QB and WR (maybe). Games are won in the trenches Gwhite.
The final score is all that matters . You write that on every article all the time how Vols had more this and that but they still lost them games.
The SEC East is the best division in college football….at being mediocre.
Offensively by the numbers for overall offense. Top passers in the SEC and rushing team, SEC vs SEC games only.
The top 4 passers of the SEC in 2021 QB rating:
1. Hooker
2. S. Bennett
3. Bryce Young
4. KJ Jefferson
The SEC east won this stat.
Team rushing offense final ranking same criteria SEC only games:
1. Mississippi
2. Tennessee
3. Kentucky
4. Georgia.
The SEC east had three teams in the top 4 for 2021. Advantage SEC East. Let me know if you want me to list the QB rating numbers for each and than rushing final yards per game for teams. But that is the result through all games. Overall the East’s offense was better at rushing and passing.
“Overall the East’s offense was better at rushing and passing.”
Narrator: TN went 7-6 and finished 3rd in the SEC East.
Where are you finding your stats gwhite cause ncaa and espn on my computer tell me different
Exactly this guy drives me crazy with all the numbers why they should have won but didnt
These stats clearly don’t correlate to wins so why are you banging your chest. Your defense sucks. Enjoy 7 wins.
“1. Hooker”
I highly doubt Bennett cares. In fact, Bennett is laughing at you right now.
1. Georgia….1 natty in 41 years
2. Florida….0 natty’s in the last decade
3. Kentucky…0 natty’s ever
4. Tennessee..0 natty’s in last 20 years
5. South Cack….0 natty’s
6. Missouri……0 natty’s
6. Vandy………need i say more
Bama in rushing for 2021 in the SEC. 11th..LOL. TN 2nd. Passing leader overall for SEC 2021 Hendon Hooker:QB ratings:1st 181.4. Bryce Young 167.52. Fake national titles by Bama, 3 lol. But we can focus on above mentioned present. Looks like your missing Sark..lol
“Looks like your missing Sark..lol”
It’s YOU’RE, you illiterate clown.
Bama won the SEC and made it to the championship games with some of their best players hurt.
UT finished in 3rd place in the SEC East.
Bryce was good for 3rd though. Shocking also to know we ran the ball almost twice as much as we(TN) threw it on the average.
“Bryce was good for 3rd though. ”
Hmmmm, who won the Heisman?
How does that mean that this one year that east Is not going to be better. Your stats mean nothing for this one season
I think Clemson’s rise kept the SEC East down. There is nothing close to Clemson in SEC West territory.
He lost me at SEC East has the best QBs: Rogers, Young and Jefferson and Max are collectively better than Hooker, Levis, Bennett and wild card Rattler/Richardson.
Top 5 teams the SEC East might be better probably close to even with West. But when you throw in Mizzou and Vandy, the SEC West is a better division.
Arky’s tough road stretch of MissSt, BYU & Auburn isn’t that daunting. Try Florida, LSU and Bama in a 4 week stretch.
I’d put Arky up one at an 8.5.
KY schedule is certainly worthy of 8.5 but they have to win on the road at FL, Ole Miss and TN. All the other teams seem to be about right.
Define what collectively means and how is it represented in the stat format for cfstats dot? Collectively isn’t a stat so no, they aren’t better as far as passer QB rating and overall efficiency. We come to a QB rating by all the stats: G, Att, Comp, Pct, Yards, Yards/Att,TD Int, Overall Rating, Att/G and Yards/G. All these are averaged. That gives you a QB rating number. So brother, there is no such thing as collectively better in stats. The stats can’t be added to or subtracted from. Some things QB’s did better than others but were worse at. And vice versa. Hooker was the most efficient QB in the SEC last year per his combined averages. That is how you get a QB rating or leading passer overall for the season.
Roger’s QB rating was killed by his high turnovers and lower yards/ attempts. Plus further hurt by too man attempts. Jefferson’s overall QB rating was less than three other QB’s. Hooker beat him in comp percentage, TD’s by ten, had one more INT, averaged less yards per attempt 9.1 to Hooker’s 9,7. Hooker also threw for more yards. His QB final rating was about 18 points below Hookers. He also averages about 20 yards less per game than Hooker. I think he could be the third best QB or at least tied for it. But no, he’s not collectively better. Your QB rating is your QB rating based on your averages. He’s the most like Hooker but not quite at Hooker’s level yet.
And whose Max? LOL He’s not listed by cfstats dot as any leading passer of any kind for the SEC. No, the west wasn’t better than the SEC east in leading passer or rushing. Ole Miss was the best rusher, followed by TN, UK and UGA. So that is three SEC east schools in the top for ranking for SEC vs SEC 2021. That means the top four rushing schools, 75% were SEC east schools. Bama was 11th overall in the SEC in rushing. And the key stats that put Hooker over Young for the season were these:
Young attempted 537 attempts to Hookers 303. Young completed more passes but his number of attempts is how Hooker beat him in completion percentage. 68% for Hooker and 66.7 for Young.
Yards/attempt was also a killer. Hooker had 9.7, Young 8.9.
Young beat him in touchdowns as he played more games than Hooker.
Young 47 Hooker 31 but what killed this was Young 9 INT’s to Hooker 3 INT’s. Young attemped on average 36.5 vs Hooker’s 23.3. Bama throws more than TN because their 11th in Rushing. That isn’t Bama 2020. Yards per game is Young 324 vs Hooker 226. So what does this all mean. It means Hooker is the more efficient QB per attempts and yards gained. A team’s offensive scheme will determine attempts and that varies. It’s what you do with the ball when passing it for the number of attempts. So Hooker won the overall passing for SEC QB. It’s easy to think that if your on a deeper team and win more games that you have a better QB. Not so. EAch has to be broken down and averages examined. Weighing the positives and negatives. Hooker beat Young by 181 to 167. Young is good for 3rd just behind SB. Scheme has much to do with many QB stats. This tells us two things. SB and Hooker are more efficient QB’s than Young. That is how a QB like Pickett can be drafted for a QB of an elite team.
before a QB of an elite team*
So, by your logic, offensive stats = success? Got it.
11th in rushing but still winning the SECCG and playing for a natty. Oh, and still blowing Tennessee out by 28.
And just to further point out how dumb you are, let us compare Bama vs TN in 2021 since you keep cite the 11th rushing offense. Clearly I am an Aggie who isn’t a big Bama supporter at the moment (shocking) but your rambling nonsense is too much.
Bama ran for 200 yards against Tennessee. Tennessee ran for 60. Bama through for 370 yards against Tennessee. Tennessee threw for 280. Tennessee had 10 first downs to Bama’s 32. Bama was 15/20 on 3rd down conversions. Tennessee was 2/13. Bama had the ball for 40 mins. Tennessee had the ball for 20.
How did offensive guru Heupel and that elite TN fare against real competition? Congrats on padding the stats against TN Tech, South Alabama, and Bowling Green.
threw*
Why Levis ranked 6th overall for leading passer for 2021.
He averaged 8 yards/att, only 24 TDs and tied for most INT’s in the SEC with Emory Jones. But I think he’s a great up potential if he’s schemed to pass more and make better decisions with the ball. Meaning avoid the turnovers or cut them down. I did find Max Johnson, he’s not ranked overall 8th in the SEC. Why? Only a 60% completion rate, 7.5 yards/att, 27 TD’s but six INT’s. That isn’t in anyway better than the higher ranked 7 QB’s above him. Those are why he’s at 144 overall QB rating.
now ranked*
CHEESE
D
I
C
K
He did improve a lot over the last six games or so. Hoping he continues to improve this year. He has the intangibles, just needs to put them all in one basket.
I’m a little late to this party but UGA is top dawg in the East. Florida and Kentucky hopefully not too far behind. But to compare the rest to Bama, LSU, A&M or even Arky now to the rest of the East is absurd. I’m sorry but top to bottom the west is still stronger and that’ll show this year in conference games.
Not offensively no. The SEC east has 3 teams in the top for the 2021 season. Ole miss, TN, UK and Georgia in that order.
Top passing QB
1. Hooker
2. SB
3 Young
4.Jefferson
All in that order. Wins and losses vary but overall the SEC east statistically were better in passing and rushing. cfstats dot..
The top 4 rushing teams were Ole Miss, TN, UK and Georgia ranked in that order. That is based on efficiency, totals and the average of them for your overall yard/game…
You obsess over cherry-picked statistics. You should focus on wins-losses and head-to-head results more. Tennessee lost to every ranked team they played, losing by an average margin of THREE touchdowns. That’s really the only stat that matters. Tennessee padded all of their offensive stats against middling and bad teams. And got boat raced by any team with a pulse, especially ranked teams. Good luck.
Does anyone at Tennessee call the offense “Blur Ball”?
Or is that the author trying to get that started? I don’t hate the name – I’ve just only seen it twice and it was both in Haynes articles.
GA will easily roll through the East this year. No contest. Someone will make a game interesting for a while, but the result in the end will be the same. The West will be competitive. The East/West W/L will again be lopsided, depending on who plays who.
And Bama will lose to Auburn or A&M. It’s givin.
It is official. Gwhite has replaced Negan as SDS’s biggest fool.
I would say that gwhite makes actual arguments, though. The strength of those arguments is irrelevant.
Negan, however, posts sermons.
That’s a fair distinction and raises a philosophical question: Is nonsense based on grossly misinterpreted and irrelevant statistics more substantive than long diatribes that resemble sermons?
I may need to do some meditation on that
I’m kind of a stats guy myself. But stats mean nothing if you aren’t winning games.
I agree with that
As of last season, I think the West top to bottom is better than the East top to bottom. That may not be the case this year. The most interesting game on Sept 3rd is the Gators against the Utes. A good litmus test on how strong the East will be.
True story
Hayes usually writes good articles. Here though, the points don’t support the title that the SEC East is the best division in CFB. In 2021 it was UGA, then KY and everyone else. In 2022, it should be UGA, TN, KY and everyone else. Outside of the Dawgs, no one else has sniffed the playoff. In the West Bama and LSU got it done, multiple for Bama. From FLA to Vandy, the East has been weak in recent yrs. Also not sure you can use the bottom 1/2 of the east as a comparison against or league divisions. What has SC, MiZzou, Vandy done in or out of the SEC in the last 10 yrs?
Oh no. The least is back.
FYI
The showdown is big ten east vs SEC West
Bama vs oh st
TAMU vs Mich
LSU vs Mich ST
OLE Miss vs PSU
AUB vs Maryland
ARK vs Indiana
MISS ST vs Rutgers
Gwhite is a fool for sure all these numbers when the only thing that matters at end of day is the final score. The east has lots improve on if they going to hang with west as much as I like my CATS we have not fared well against west teams in past.so until CATs and rest of east beside DAWGS start winning some then west is king
I’m ready for football