Who did they lose? Offense edition

As we look back to 2016, it’s time to figure out what parts everyone has to replace. So we break down the SEC picture, isolate the guys who won’t be back (this time on the offensive side of the ball), and start to ponder how their respective teams will fill the holes they leave. Here’s our guesses.

WEST

Alabama: WR ArDarius Stewart, TE O.J. Howard, OT Cam Robinson, OG Koren Kiven (part-time starter)

Stewart (54 catches, 864 yards, 8 TDs) and Howard (45-595-3) were key components in the Alabama passing game. Senior Cam Sims and sophomore Trevon Diggs might step up, and Miller Forristall is a likely tight end starter. Bama will be fine on the line, although Robinson was a star.

Arkansas: WR Drew Morgan, WR Keon Hatcher, TE Jeremy Sprinkle, OT Dan Skipper

Most of QB Austin Allen’s weapons will be gone in 2017. Morgan (65 catches, 739 yards, 3 TDs) and Hatcher (44-743-8) will be hard to replace, with senior Jared Cornelius (32-515-4) being one candidate to see more touches. TE Austin Cantrell will help fill Sprinkle’s shoes.

Auburn: Backup QB Jeremy Johnson, WR Tony Stevens, WR Marcus Davis, OG Alex Kozan

Auburn loses almost nothing on offense. Stevens (31 catches, 487 yards, 3 TDs) was the team’s top receiver, but his production shouldn’t be hard to replace. Kozan will be missed, but Auburn has a huge group of offensive linemen.

LSU: RB Leonard Fournette (below), WR Travin Dural, WR Malachi Dupre, C Ethan Pocic, OG Josh Boutte

Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Fournette (843 yards rushing, 8 TDs) was already somewhat replaced by stud junior Derrius Guice. Dupre (41 catches, 593 yards, 3 TDs) and Dural (28-280-1) were top receivers. Senior D.J. Chark will pick up some of the slack, and sophomore Dee Anderson is a big-play threat. Pocic was all-SEC, but LSU has tons of line depth.

Mississippi: QB Chad Kelly, WR Damore’ea Stringfellow, WR Quincy Adeboyejo, TE Evan Engram, C Robert Conyers

Kelly (2,758 passing yards, 19 TDs) was the best passer in the league, but soph Shea Patterson will hardly miss a beat. The Rebels did lose three of their top four pass-catchers, most notably Engram (65 catches, 926 yards, 8 TDs). Sophomore Van Jefferson (49-543-3) will return, and A.J. Brown (29-412-2) will likely star as a sophomore.

Mississippi State: WR Fred Ross, 3/5ths of the starting offense line, RB Brandon Holloway

MSU career receiving yards leaders

State will have to replace most of its offensive line and Ross, who became the school’s top receiver. WR Donald Gray (41 catches, 709 yards, 5 TDs) is a top candidate to pick up the slack. RB Holloway barely played and won’t be missed.

Texas A&M: QB Trevor Knight, WR Speedy Noil, WR Ricky Seals-Jones, WR Josh Reynolds, OT Avery Gennesy, OG Jermaine Eluemunor

A&M loses a lot of talent.  Knight (2,432 yards, 19 TDs) was a solid QB, and three of the team’s top four receivers will be gone. Fortunately, stud WR Christian Kirk (83 catches, 92 yards, 9 TDs) will return. Some untried receivers will get a shot in 2017, and the offense may center more around RB Trayveon Williams.

EAST

Florida: QB Austin Appleby

The Gators lose almost nothing. Appleby was competent but not especially exciting in part-time duty and will be easily replaced.

Georgia: WR Isaiah McKenzie, C Brandon Kublanow, OG Greg Pyke, OT Tyler Catalina

McKenzie was Georgia’s best receiver (44 catches, 633 yards, 7 TDs), and three-fifths of the offensive will be gone in 2017. The good news is that plenty of help is on the way in Kirby Smart’s recruiting class. Developing star sophomore TE Isaac Nauta will help pick up any slack in the passing game.

Kentucky: RB Stanley “Boom” Williams, WR Jeff Badet, C Jon Toth

Williams was Kentucky’s leading rusher (1,170 rushing yards, 7 TDs), but sophomore Benny Snell will be a hard-running lead back in his place. Snell also broke 1,000 yards for the year, so the cupboard is hardly bare. Badet (670 yards, 4 TDs) led the team in receiving yards and is a surprise transfer, but he struggled with drops; athlete Lynn Bowden of the 2017 recruiting class may see many snaps in his place. Toth was a quiet leader, and may be the hardest of the three to replace, but Kentucky has relatively solid line depth.

Missouri: TE Sean Culkin

Mizzou will return almost everyone. Culkin was a decent tight end (24 catches, 282 yards), but Jason Reese will fill in capably (8 catches, 97 yards, 2 TDs as a backup). Drew Lock should still have plenty of options to throw to in 2017.

South Carolina: OT Mason Zandi

As we run down the East, it’s pretty clear why the West was the tougher division in 2016 … the East mostly was playing a bunch of kids. The good news is for teams like Carolina, the kids are back. Add in a few new recruits, and watch the results improve.

Tennessee: QB Joshua Dobbs, RB Jalen Hurd, RB Alvin Kamara, WR Josh Malone, OG Dylan Wiseman

So Tennessee will lose Dobbs (2,946 yards passing, 27 TDs; 831 yards rushing, 12 more TDs) as well as Kamara and Hurd, who left at midseason, and top receiving threat Malone (50 catches, 972 yards, 11 TDs). The QB situation will tell much of the story. RB John Kelly (630 yards, 5 TDs) will return, and Jauan Jennings and Ethan Wolf are talented receivers. But Dobbs is the biggest loss, and what direction Tennessee chooses to go will tell the tale of their 2017 season.

Vanderbilt: C Barrett Gouger, OT Will Holden

With the QB, the running back and the receivers returning, Vandy should have little trouble promoting a couple of reserve linemen. Gouger in particular will be missed, but Vandy has a wealth of capable young linemen who are developing.