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Last season, one of the SEC’s magic numbers — 1,891 — finally fell when Derrick Henry broke Herschel Walker’s SEC single-season record for rushing yards.
What will 2016 bring?
Here’s a look at one school record for each SEC East program that could be rewritten this fall.
Florida
Record: Longest field goal.
Record holder: Chris Perkins, 60 yards, vs. Tulane in 1984.
Who will break it? Eddy Pineiro. And when he does, you better believe it will go viral. Pineiro might post a Vine during the commercial break before he kicks off.
Perkins’ field goal not only is the Gators’ longest, it’s tied for longest in SEC history.
Pineiro posted a video of a 77-yard field goal.
https://vine.co/v/i7lMdxFph5L
Gators fans can only hope he’s this comfortable performing in front of an audience.
Eddy Pineiro on Twitter: "Trick shots after practice ?? pic.twitter.com/hkwGSEqITO"❤️? ? I see you @eddypineiro1 https://t.co/W6cRNoT03q
— Alyson Turk Griggs (@AlysonTurkGrigg) March 10, 2016
Georgia
Record: Rushing yards in a season.
Record holder: 2014 Bulldogs, who piled up 3,352 behind Nick Chubb (1,547) and Todd Gurley (911).
Who will break it? Chubb is well on his way to recovering from knee surgery, and Sony Michel ran for 1,161 yards last season after taking over for Chubb.
They’ll try to become the first tandem in Georgia history to each rush for 1,000 yards in the same season and could get some help in the chase from freshman Elijah Holyfield. Terry Godwin could pitch in with a few jet sweeps.
Kentucky
Record: Receiving yards in a bowl game.
Record holder: Steve Johnson, 124 yards in 2007 Music City Bowl.
Who will break it? Garrett Johnson. The most obvious obstacle is Kentucky has to get to a bowl game, something the Wildcats haven’t done since 2010.
If they get there, it likely will because Eddie Gran and Darin Hinshaw have gotten the most out of sophomore quarterback Drew Barker and receivers like Johnson and Dorian Baker.
Johnson led the Wildcats with 694 receiving yards and had a pair of 100-yard receiving games, including a career-best 160 against Auburn. He had 154 against Florida as a freshman.
Johnson’s nickname is “Juice,” his reminder to always bring that swagger.
Missouri
Record: Punts in a season.
Record holder: Corey Fatony set the record in 2015 with 81, when he also broke the Tigers’ mark for punting yards in a season with 3,477.
Who will break it? Fatony was just a freshman last season and made several freshman All-American teams.
https://twitter.com/SECstagram/status/712488187789180928
Obviously he needs help from the offense in this pursuit, and new coordinator Josh Heupel is hoping this is one record the Tigers don’t come close to breaking in 2016.
I thoroughly enjoy walking to my classes after leg day (:
— Corey Fatony (@coreyFATony) January 27, 2016
South Carolina
Record: Career interceptions
Record holder: Bo Davies, 14, from 1969-71.
Who will break it? Skai Moore. This probably isn’t the primary reason he chose to skip the NFL Draft and return to the Gamecocks, but Moore enters his senior season with 11 career interceptions.
He has been remarkable consistent, registering four as a freshman, three as a sophomore and four again as a junior. He’s led SEC linebackers all three seasons.
His cover skills are so good that there was talk about moving him to safety.
Muschamp notes that Skai Moore will play linebacker, but they "will certainly use him in the deep part of the field." #Gamecocks
— Spurs & Feathers (@SpursFeathers) March 14, 2016
Tennessee
Record: Career kickoff returns for touchdown
Record holder: Willie Gault, 4, 1979-82
Who will break it? Evan Berry, and that might not be the only record he breaks in 2016.
Berry has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns and already has 1,217 kickoff return yards. He needs just 638 more to break Gault’s career record, and last season he destroyed the school and SEC record for return average with 38.29, which led the nation.
Top 25 Plays of 2015 #12: Evan Berry's 100 Yarder https://t.co/R0ryiviwtw pic.twitter.com/n6k5B0dO3l
— RockyTopTalk (@RockyTopTalk) December 13, 2015
Vanderbilt
Record: Rushing yards in a season
Record holder: Zac Stacy, 1,193, set in 2011.
Who will break it? Ralph Webb — and he’ll break Stacy’s career leader in the process. Webb enters his junior season with 2,059 career yards, 1,084 behind Stacy.
Webb ran for 1,152 yards last season, the second-best season in Vanderbilt history.
Spring Preview: Running backs. @chrislee70 breaks down the Commodore RB's led by Ralph Webb https://t.co/eYa57LIZKA pic.twitter.com/dnekRwmpFs
— VandySports.com (@VandySportscom) February 10, 2016
Managing Editor
A 30-time APSE award-winning editor with previous stints at the Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer, Executive Editor Chris Wright oversees editorial operations for Saturday Down South.
