SEC sports information directors predict 2018 SEC East division standings
The SEC East sports information directors have spoken, the Bulldogs will return to Atlanta for the second consecutive season under Kirby Smart.
That’s according to AL.com, which recently polled the seven SIDs from the SEC East and asked for a predicted order of finish. Interestingly enough, those polled don’t seem to have a ton of faith that either Dan Mullen or Jeremy Pruitt can immediately turn their programs around in 2018. Seeing Kentucky in a tie for third is also something you won’t see many other places this offseason but makes some sense considering the trajectory of Mark Stoops’ program.
Here’s how AL.com came up with the list:
For the 72nd time, AL.com/The Birmingham News has compiled the projected order of finish in the SEC East division as part of its annual preseason SEC football report. The order was voted on by the SEC East’s seven sports information directors. Schools could not vote for themselves.
How the voting broke down in the article from AL.com:
Hmm no love. Well I have seen vols picked from 3rd to last now. Just proves none of the yahoo prognosticators really have a clue. Only 86 days until the rubber meets the road!
Where in the world have you seen Tennessee picked 3rd?
Some writer from CBS…or Fox Sports….I don’t remember exactly, picked them 3rd behind UGA and USC. It was one of the dozen or so “standings” articles that have been posted in last couple of weeks.
The Kentucky pick surprises me a bit. We know the most about the top two. After that, it’s pretty much a crapshoot.
I do not believe UT will be looking up at Vandy in December. I also don’t think UF will be that weak. They have athletes and they have a very experienced HC. Both schools will be on a mission to regain respect, but I believe UF has a head start due to Mullen. UK – I will believe it when I see it. Not saying it can’t happen, but it’s not one I’d bet on.
Mullen didn’t get a head start last year with his experienced MSU team when they showed up in Athens. He had some talent there, not as much as Florida but we will see if he can make us of that Florida talent now.
*us=use
Lot’s of unexpected things could happen in this division, here are a few:
Vanderbilt could upset 2-3 division opponents with even better than usual defense
Kentucky could get another notch better this year, most likely will.
Georgia will have a VERY hard time repeating 2017, could lose 1-3 division games
South Carolina will probably plateau
Tennessee gets the breath of fresh air that short attention spans love and they will probably play better for it
Florida will be instantly better but make no mistake about them having multiple reasons for how they played last year
Missouri will play like National Champs in some games, how many depends on how much Barry Odom can shut up and let cardiovascular and local muscular fitness prevail.
You get both UGA and Bama this year. We’ll see how that “cardiovascular and local muscular fitness” theory shakes out. It sounds as if you’re saying if Odom just steps aside and let’s the natural Missouri beast loose, it’s lights out for the opposition. If that’s a correct interpretation, it’s one of the most outrageous things you’ve ever said on SDS.
Yeah that’s what he is saying. Missouri players have so much natural talent and athleticism that nobody can compete if Odom stays in the locker room
Well hell, Saban and Smart need to get up to speed on this little secret – drop all the wasted effort on these 5-star southeastern boys and raid Mizzou for those 2- and 3-star supermen! After all, we know that the recruiting rankings are a complete fabrication. Wolfman told us so!
it’s your inexperience in executing a practice plan under the limits of the NCAA that has you so confused
Actually, it’s the things you post that confuse me. Your position on some things can be a real head-scratcher, but the verbiage you choose to use at times clouds things even further.
Actually it’s your ignorance that has us confused.
“Georgia will have a VERY hard time repeating 2017, could lose 1-3 division games”
Unexpected things do happen but uga’s schedule is too soft to think that they would sink that low but nice try wolfman.
Wolfman, what color is the sky in your world today? Seriously man, where do you dream this stuff up, and what the heck does your last sentence even mean? “Let cardiovascular and local muscular fitness prevail?” Mizzou beating the heck out of weaker opponents while getting their taints handed to them against good programs has almost nothing to do with conditioning and almost everything to do with talent gap. Drew Lock is a stud. I’ve said that a dozen times already, but he’s surrounded by 2 and 3 star players. I know. I know. It’s a ranking system you don’t believe in; however, Mizzou’s recent body of work overwhelmingly proves otherwise. Mizzou hasn’t “played like national champs” since the ’16 game against Delaware State. Heck, Missouri State went 3-9 last year and the 43 points they hung on the Tigers was their second highest scoring game of the season. There’s a chance that Mizzou heads into the Kentucky game on a 5-game losing skid. I doubt that’s the case though. I think they’ll win one or both of their match ups between Purdue and Memphis – probably Purdue. Mizzou lacks the depth to run the UGA, SCar, and Alabama stretch unscathed. I just re-watched the 2018 Sugar Bowl. The abuse Bama’s D laid down on Clemson’s O-line and QB made me hurt 6 months removed.
I think Florida and Tennessee will be much better Than their numbers show on the list. I think we will be able to view the even worse ineptitude of the Butch Jones era by Pruitt making the best of what he has. Florida is talent rich and under Mullen and Grantham will do really well. Their defense will be the first to excel unless Mullen is able to find the right keys to the car.
I think Lock will regret not jumping to the NFL with Dooley on board. I don’t like to even use his name out of respect for his father’s accomplishment. If anyone is going to keep their offense afloat it will be the sheer talent that Lock shows.
We also have some unknowns but with the Mac/Werner combo. I think we will do well. We got rid of the kryptonite in Williams Brice as Roper left and we should be stronger for it. We lost Moore but have some great young talent coming back on defense that will take up where he left off.
I’m ready for the season to start.
Concerning your Missouri offense comments, you’re dismissing the offense being stacked without even mentioning the QB. 2nd year of returning all 5 offensive line starters, two gifted TEs (one 2nd team SEC)3 Freshman All SEC players, and receivers that gained somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,800 hundred yards. Lock has more quality parts around him this year than ever before. Losing Moore and Witter may hurt on paper, but there’s plenty of proven talent besides Lock.
I admit a lack of knowledge about the pieces on Mizzou’s offense. My lack of confidence has nothing to do with the players but the oblivious destruction that can be wrought by your OC. My hopes are he will serve your team well and that Mizzou has strong offensive development.
Dooley and the oblivious destruction comment made me giggle. Hopefully he has his $hit together this time around.
You know about the definition of crazy………doing the same thing over and over and hoping for different results? That’s Dooley and his journeyman status.
Dooley has never been an OC or QB coach before, so I’m not sure what you are referring to. This isn’t the same thing for him by any means.
This is the first positive piece of reporting I’ve seen on Kentucky thus far, asides from all of the preseason ALL-SEC returners we have.
I started the end of last season with high hopes for my Cats, but the more I’ve read the more I get that feeling of “Well the experts know better”, but at the same time, do they really?
There’s a great point that Kentucky really got worse the second half of last season, a few bone head coaching moves costed us a possible 8-10 win season last year (ehem two uncovered Florida wideouts)
I really believe we’ll improve this year, but they may not reflect in the win/loss record. This season we’ll be playing against 4 new head coaches- all four of those games are tough wins: Florida, Miss St., Texas AM, UT… if we can have improved coaching and a little luck in two of those games then finishing third could be a ‘could be’.
Anyway- I’m ready for football now! Go Cats! Go SEC!
A lot of love for SC, that may vanish after Sept 8.
You’re correct, I expect no love from UGA fans after Sept 8.