The SEC is a wild place, with teams’ chances at a division crown or playoff berth, or a coach’s job security, can vary widely week to week. Whose stock is rising and whose is dropping as we wrap up bowl season in the SEC East? SDS takes a look.

Rising

  • Nick Chubb: It was hard to imagine the freshman star’s stock could soaring any higher, then he went out and put his name right alongside Georgia legend Herschel Walker in the Belk Bowl. Chubb went off for 266 rushing yards, the second-highest total in school history behind Walker. Chubb will be an early Heisman candidate in 2015 after the way he handled a heavy workload as a freshman.
  • The Missouri Tigers: Say whatever you want about Mizzou, the Tigers don’t seem to care. After handing it to a ranked opponent in their bowl game, Missouri looks poised to take on all comers in the East yet again in 2015. Maty Mauk still has work to do to become a top-tier SEC quarterback, but Mizzou nabbed a great defensive coordinator in Barry Odom to replace the departing Dave Steckel.
  • Florida’s coaching staff: Since the last time we checked in, Jim McElwain has made some phenomenal hires. Getting Geoff Collins to leave Mississippi State for the Gators is a coup, as is nabbing Randy Shannon to coordinate recruiting and coach linebackers. McElwain still have a few hires to make to fill out the staff, but he’s put together a very good group of assistants so far.
  • Vanderbilt’s coaching staff: Derek Mason made what appears to be two very good coordinator hires in Andy Ludwig and Wesley McGriff. The Commodores are still a ways from contending in the East, but Mason’s staff should be better in 2015.

Falling

  • Mark Stoops’ coaching staff: Kentucky lost one of the brighter young coordinators in the SEC in Neal Brown, despite problems fans may have had with him. While Shannon Dawson is a solid hire, it’s never good for a young team to have coaching turnover. Something needs to change in Kentucky, but the defense was more of a problem than the offense in 2014.
  • South Carolina’s quarterback situation: The Gamecocks have one of the biggest holes to fill in the East. Dylan Thompson wasn’t phenomenal as a senior, but he carried the South Carolina offense throughout the year and to a nice bowl win. Connor Mitch was Thompson’s backup this year but barely played, leaving the Gamecocks with zero experience for what could be another down 2015.