Random Thoughts from Around the SEC
by outsidethesidelines on Oct 17, 2011 11:00 AM CDT
in Football
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With week seven of the college football season in the books, a few thoughts:
Alabama: Trent Richardson decided to film his obligatory Heisman promo in Oxford and he practically made a laughingstock of the Ole Miss defense. The 'Bama defense toyed with the Rebel offense and judging by the composition of the crowd in the second half this was practically a home game for the Tide. Might be a stretch to say this is a better team than the 2009 squad, but at the least you cannot legitimately say it's any worse at this point. It's still almost hard to believe that the two major in-state universities in states bordering each other and so similar in culture, demographics, and socioeconomic status could produce such disparate on-field results.
Auburn: We'll be expecting a Thank You card in the mail. Sincerely, co-signed, Nick Saban and Les Miles. Auburn wins with relative ease despite only gaining thirteen first downs and 278 yards of total offense, going 1-13 on third downs, completing only seven passes, averaging fewer than four yards per carry from the tailbacks, missing two field goals, racking up 79 yards in penalties, and losing the time of possession battle. Is Auburn going to fall ass backwards into an 8-4 or 7-5 season? Yes, yes they are. Bad football reigns victorious again down on Harvey's Corner. Stop me if you've heard this before. Given Barrett Trotter's struggles, Chizik and Malzahn have decided to go with a three-man rotation at quarterback. Not sure we've ever seen that this late in the season in conference play in recent memory.
Florida: Death threats may not be Chris Rainey's area of expertise, but fielding punts sure as hell isn't. Florida put on the worst sixty minutes of football since Mississippi State in the infamous 3-2 fiasco and allowed Auburn to win with relative ease despite posting a poor performance in their own right. Florida has looked worse the past two weeks than at any point in my lifetime, and with three conference losses by mid-October about all the Gators can do at this point is get Mark Richt fired. 7-5 could be a real stretch at this point.
Georgia: Note to Todd Grantham, you keep acting like a drunk ass clown in a scarf and barf sports bar and you'll soon be one. Aaron Murray flashed memories of 2010 for the first time this season and Marlon Brown looks poise to shake the semi-bust label, all of which was necessary because Malcolm Mitchell did not play and a worn out Isiah Crowell was a complete non-factor against the 'Dores. Defense did just enough to get by, but giving up 28 points and 350 yards of offense to a Vanderbilt team whose starting quarterback completed only four passes makes you wonder. Needed win in Athens as Richt avoids a disaster, but also one that highlights their rather obvious shortcomings, and on the whole something of a bad day for UGA as South Carolina continues to find a way to win despite playing terrible football. They have to run the table from here on out and hope for a Carolina upset to reach Atlanta.
LSU: The Bayou Bengals slowly went through the Vols like a methodical machine. The offense have a bit of a slow day, but Jarrett Lee was efficient and they did more than enough against an out-manned Tennessee team. The defense looks a bit shaky on the defensive interior in the running game, and that will be how 'Bama must attack them, but with the speed and aggressiveness of this unit it's fun to watch them play. The offense seemingly lost a punch when Jordan Jefferson went into the game, but really this game was a glorified exhibition in preparation of the Tide.
Ole Miss: So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night, Houston Nutt. You never really were worth a damn and only God knows how you lasted this long, so, um, yeah I really don't know how to do this nicely. Colonel Reb suffered his most lopsided loss since the Kennedy administration descended upon Oxford. Likely season-ending injuries to Marcus Temple and Wayne Dorsey will only make this team worse than it has been to date, hard as though that is to fathom. This team doesn't have the talent, and it looks like they've just quit at this point. 3-9 might be a bridge too far.
Mississippi State: On the year the Bullies are 2-0 against Conference USA and 0-4 against the SEC; you tell me which conference they ought to be in. New face under center now with Tyler Russell but he produced the same old terrible results. Defense looked solid, which means absolutely nothing given that South Carolina was opponent. Now Dan Mullen hopes to fight through Kentucky, Tennessee-Martin, and Ole Miss to earn a return trip to Birmingham. It's like old Croom times in Starkvegas.
South Carolina: Connor Shaw was just as bad as Stephen Garcia and nowhere near as entertaining. Face it, folks, this is a loss for America. Alshon Jeffery looks like he partook in the Mike DuBose S&C program, but he pulled the Gamecocks through with a key touchdown catch late. Marcus Lattimore going down for the year is the last thing you want to see happen to what is by all accounts a good kid and a hard worker, but the on-field impact is hard to gauge despite the media talk to the contrary. Lattimore is probably one of the more overrated players around, he provided nothing for the Gamecocks on Saturday before the injury (2.3 yards per carry), and that offense figures to be bad regardless of his availability. Even with the Lattimore news, it's not necessarily a bad day for Carolina with Florida and Tennessee falling hard. Tennessee could pull the upset in Knoxville in two weeks, assuming they survive back-to-back fights against 'Bama and LSU better than the Gators did, but otherwise a win against Florida or a Georgia loss to anyone clinches the East for the Gamecocks. 'Bama and LSU have to be salivating at the thought of getting this team in the Georgia Dome.
Tennessee: Nothing good ever happened with one of the Simms sisters under center and we've got a decade of incompetence to prove that theory. Matt Simms was a disaster and Da'Rick Rogers was a non-factor outside of one impressive catch-and-run. Tauren Poole had a solid showing, as did the Tennessee defense, but the Vols never seriously challenged the Bayou Bengals and will be hard pressed to push the Crimson Tide this weekend. 'Bama notwithstanding, Dooley's only real hope to salvage this season is probably an upset over South Carolina in two weeks. Lulu and Junior are gettin' upset.
Vanderbilt: As predicted in this piece a week ago, Vandy gave Georgia a run for their money, fighting 'til the clock read 00:00 before falling to UGA 33-28. Jordan Rodgers completed four passes in four quarters. Yikes. With semi-competent QB play, Vandy pulls off the upset. Give James Franklin credit, this team doesn't roll over anymore, and another tip of the hat for standing up to Todd Grantham in the postgame.
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I'd say Ole Miss was already a laughingstock
Though Richardson gave the dead horse some pretty good kicks.
Writer (and a handsome one at that),
And the Valley Shook
During our midseason slump in 2009:
vs. Ole Miss, USCe, UT –
Greg McElroy – 43/83, 359 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT
Mark Ingram – 70 carries, 519 yards, 2 TD
In 2011 vs. Vandy, Ole Miss –
AJ McCarron – 42/54, 461 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT
Trent Richardson – 36 carries, 290 yards, 5 TD
Obviously USCe, Ole Miss, and UT in 2009 were better than Vandy, Ole Miss and UT in 2011, but this offense hasn’t slipped at all.
I do feel that AJ has more ability that Greg did at that point in the season...
Also agree about the level of competition though.
Fumbles. It was always Fumbles
And I think that unlike in 2009
AJ has Saban constantly chewing his ass to make sure there is no complacency.
by Durdens Wrath on Oct 17, 2011 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions
and the play calling hasn't been as conservative
I think the coaches are making a real effort to keep the pressure/tempo going on offense for 4 quarters this year.
We still run the ball when the game is in hand, but it’s not “Darby up the middle”, there’s some creativity.
"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead." -Thomas Paine
I agree with you
I think AJ is a little more likely to sling the ball too than Greg was. Sometimes, that is not a bad thing as it makes him less predictable. It also saves him a few hits along the way from DEs.
by ApothecaryMark on Oct 17, 2011 8:26 PM CDT up reply actions
one would have to wonder...
if we could kickoff the ball into the endzone…and not allow so many yards off returns,thus allowing the defense to operate without that ‘handicap’, the total yardage stats for the opponents would be rediculous this season….
well, its not like we’re superman or anything like that…
/snickersthenfiendishlygiggles
Tigers Hide and rooooll that TIDE!
If we're not Superman...
I call Batman… cause that guy will physically abuse anyone that gets in his way.
Fumbles. It was always Fumbles
by DocFumbles on Oct 17, 2011 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
POW!
"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead." -Thomas Paine
DAM!
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
NIce
"There's a lot of blood, sweat, and guts between dreams and success." -Coach Bear Bryant
"I thInk everybody should take the attItude that we’re workIng to be a champIon, that we want to be a champIon In everythIng that we do. every choIce, every decIsIon, everythIng that we do every day, we want to be a champIon."
-- Nick SabaN
Jeremy Shelley
if Shelley can kick it to the 5, but only 50% of the time, who kicks off? do you take Foster’s kicks to the 15 every time or the occasional decent kick from Shelley? also, that’s all we have? it’s hard to swallow. can Mandell kick off? i’m going to pay closer attention during pre-game warmups this saturday.
I didn't fully realize just how epic November 5th will be
until I noticed Kentucky and Ole Miss also play that day. Should be one for the ages.
Vandy and Florida that day could also be a good close game.
Any news on Cade?
Will he be back? Because as bad as he was at kickoffs, Shelley is worse. Can’t we get someone out of the stands like TXT did?
Also, I finally understand the retarded field goal call. If we don’t try and go for it, the fake won’t work as well.
Fake
But for a fake to work in the future, the other team has to believe that there’s actually a chance of making the FG and make them set up a block on the low, line drive kick. If a kick is going to be 8 yards short, the defense doesn’t need to try to block it. They’ll just play safety and put a returner back there.
Am I...
…the only person that thought the kick was botched. I haven’t got to see a replay, but on the initial viewing, it looked like he stutter stepped or something funny happened right before he kicked. I thought he intentionally kicked it like that to begin with.
The coaching was botched more than the kick
Stop the cute shit. If you’re gonna run a play, run a play. If you’re gonna kick, punt. That FG was idiotic and Cade getting hammered was exactly what the coaching staff deserved. There has been precious few missteps this season, amazingly so, but that was the worst. Hopefully one day we can look back and laugh while staring lovingly at our championship rings.
"That rug really tied the room together."
by pantsfucious on Oct 17, 2011 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions
As CNS would say
when something works, it was a good call. When it doesn’t work, it was a bad call.
I can only imagine how we might be praising Saban for giving Cade confidence going forward if the ball would have gone through the uprights.
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
FWIW...
…the Tide fans in my house were questioning the decision before the play. pants has a point.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 2:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Actually, I agree.
It was an extremely questionable call, whether it worked or not. Same with settling for a field goal late in the game (still keeping us down by 4 points) for Arkansas ’07, even though it eventually worked out.
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
Really?
I don’t see those as comparable at all. I thought the FG call in ‘07 was smart — a doable kick with time left for another score. I don’t see much similarity between the two.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions
Agreed
It was a two possession game at that point, so get the 3 outta the way first. Not preferable, but still a solid option.
"That rug really tied the room together."
by pantsfucious on Oct 17, 2011 2:25 PM CDT up reply actions
Actually
we were down by 7 at the time. That FG still made us have to get into the EZ just to send it to OT.
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
Err, should have read
That FG still made us have to get into the EZ (period). Meant we could have had 2 shots to get into the EZ to tie it up with the time remaining. We only needed 1 TD to at least extend the game.
Either way, it worked out back then. I seem to recall a bit of controversy at the time on that call (obviously muted after we won the game).
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
Certainly different plays
But considering the circumstances of the game, that seems riskier to me than Cade attempting a 52 yard FG (who seems to have that capability in practice) when the game is practically over.
With just a couple of first downs by Arkansas in ’07, game over. With a 7-point deficit before that FG, we were going to have to find the end zone either way.
But that was over 4 years ago, and the Ole Miss FG attempt was just 2 days ago, so it’s fresher. Not sure if that has anything to do with it, but I remember questioning the call.
Also, I’m not trying to compare the wisdom of the two calls. Just saying that they get magnified when they don’t work out.
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
My brain has air pockets
You’ll have to forgive my occasional lapses in memory haha.
"That rug really tied the room together."
by pantsfucious on Oct 17, 2011 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions
The 2007 call...
…was unconventional, no question.
My point about this call is that there seemed to be low odds of success before we saw the risk involved to our kicker. We could have either gone for a greater reward with maybe an equal amount of risk by going for it, or we could have punted and gained significantly better field position. We did neither. It didn’t cost us the game, so in one sense it didn’t matter. But like I said, none of the folks watching the game with me liked the call before the kick, much less after it.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 2:47 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm with ya on that
I didn’t like the call before the kick either. I thought we were going to fake it or come out of that formation like we did against Arkansas.
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
Yeah, I just assumed that there was no way we were going to kick it.
I thought maybe we were going to shift into a punt formation or something.
God bless our Dark Lord.
And not only was there low odds of success . . .
There was high odds of success in going for it. Everything we did against Ole Miss worked. In fact, we had just quickly gone from 2nd and 19 to 4th and 2.
We only punted once in the whole game. We had 10 pre-garbage-time drives:
One punt
One FG and one missed FG, both of which came after we were set back by a holding penatly
7 TDs
We got for it and I’d have to say it’s at least a 75% chance we make it.
Punting is not a good option for this team either.
The kicking game in all facets is an underrated Achilles heel going into the LSU game.
Fake hell,
we’re better off just lining up in our offense and going for it in those situations.
After 7 weeks of game film breakdown of our kicking game, no coach in his right mind would play anything other than base defense if we line up for a long FG.
"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead." -Thomas Paine
Couple Georgia notes from a UGA fan...
“Needed win in Athens as Richt avoids a disaster”
Game was actually in Nashville, in front of a 60% full stadium, 70% of which were Georgia fans, in a night game where some of the stadium lights went off. So, you know, one of those games. I’m not really inclined to worry too much about Georgia derping around for four quarters at Vandy; it’s just one of those things they do, apparently. Last time they really made fools of themselves in a win in Nashville, they ended the year #2 in the nation. Eh.
That said, if Florida wants a template for beating Georgia, there it is: Unleash a wide variety of gadget play hokum, chop block all night, and hope Georgia’s reeling special teams units continue to melt down on their own. Shoot, it’s not that much different than the way Zook would beat Georgia back in the day.
“They have to run the table from here on out and hope for a Carolina upset to reach Atlanta.”
I don’t think Arkansas beating South Carolina in Fayetteville would constitute an “upset.” In fact, if the Cocks can LOSE by less than 10, THAT’d be your upset. And with Lattimore out for the year, the games in Knoxville and against Florida aren’t exactly gimmes.
Wouldn't surprise me if the East finished like this:
GEORGIA
- Loss to Florida
- Win over Kentucky
- Win over Auburn
FLORIDA
- Win over Georgia
- Win over Vanderbilt
- Win over South Carolina
SOUTH CAROLINA
- Loss to Arkansas
- Win over Tennessee
- Loss to Florida
Add all that up, and Georgia’s your East rep.
by D.N. Nation on Oct 17, 2011 12:35 PM CDT up reply actions
Don't make me choose between cheering for Auburn or else cheering to see a team BSU handled play in the SEC CG.
ugghh
God bless our Dark Lord.
Pull for UGA, of course.
Everybody knows the three best SEC teams are in the West. We don’t want the Barn to have any claim to #4.
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
What if there was a meteor headed toward Earth
You could directly change its path to one of two places: A) AU, or B)anywhere not AU or Knoxville
"If wanting to win is a fault, as some of my critics seem to insist, then I plead guilty. I like to win. I know no other way. It's in my blood." -- Paul "Bear" Bryant
by GeauxCrimson on Oct 17, 2011 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions
My two cents
Alabama: Stay the course.
Auburn: I love that you call it Harvey’s Corner. That’s a keeper.
Florida: They still have yet to recover from the thrashing the Tide gave them in 2009 (and 2010 and 2011), made Tebow cry and made Urban have a nervous breakdown.
Georgia: Look at their record and they are not bad. Watch them play a game and they are.
LSU: If I am coaching this team, Jordan Jefferson only plays in garbage time or in case of a Lee injury.
Ole Miss: Do ya’ll remember how excited the Ole Miss fans were when they hired Nutt? He has set the program back another 10 years.
Mississippi State: I am convinced that nobody can win big here. The state doesn’t have the recruits and what you do have you split with Ole Miss. It has to be impossible to convince someone from out of the area to come to Starkville. Mullen should start job hunting.
South Carolina: Spurrier is getting a big helping of karma. Connor Shaw has a big game and he dumps Stephen Garcia. Now it looks like Shaw is just as bad. Additionally, he does not develop any other running backs and now it’s trial by fire.
Tennessee: Vols fans are getting impatient? Already? They need to realize that is going to take some time to undo the mess that Fat Boy and Lame Kitten left in their wakes.
Vanderbilt: It must be sad to think this is what they consider good.
Mississippi State: I am convinced that nobody can win big here. The state doesn’t have the recruits and what you do have you split with Ole Miss. It has to be impossible to convince someone from out of the area to come to Starkville. Mullen should start job hunting.
I went and looked at the all time winning percentages of coaches at Mississippi State and interestingly enough, from 1960 forward Dan Mullen has the best overall record of any Mississippi State coach (through the end of last season anyway.) Jackie Sherrill is next best with an even .500 record. Mullen’s all-time record is one game above .500 right now. So basically, now and Sherrill were the glory years in Starkvegas.
Sherrill = bada$$
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 8:01 PM CDT up reply actions
Didn't he castrate a bull on the field?
Man. He might as well have had those balls fried fresh and served them to the boys.
I will put an asterisk next to an Alabama Crimson Tide "fake national title" the second one is given. That day has not and will never come. But to be fair, I'll give you 1941 if you give me 1945 and the Missing Ring of 1966.
by NewAnachronism on Oct 17, 2011 8:36 PM CDT up reply actions
…I thought that was freshman initiation.
It's not what you've done but what you are doing that matters.
Make its ass quit -TWEsq to me concerning my fight against Multiple Sclerosis
by AlabamaJammer on Oct 18, 2011 6:49 AM CDT up reply actions
Sherrill should have left earlier than he did
Those last few years really set them back.
Fumbles. It was always Fumbles
Hard to 'cruit...
…with an NCAA microscope up your behind….
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 8:23 PM CDT up reply actions
Considering Jackie was a cheatin' mofo
Mullen is looking like a genius. I agree he should consider another job if offered.
by ApothecaryMark on Oct 17, 2011 8:34 PM CDT up reply actions
Even considering that,
I think Mullen’s HC stock dropped big time by him going there to coach. Even if he’s doing excellent coaching there, there isn’t the talent there to put it on display week in and week out. It’s almost like he doesn’t even have a resume for the past two years, and that can’t be good trying to shop himself around to other schools.
"Let's go be champions, boys!" - Greg McElroy
(Formerly SugarBowl93)
by RememberTheRoseBowl on Oct 17, 2011 8:41 PM CDT up reply actions
He has a resume.
When’s the last time Bully hung 50 on a Big Ten school in a bowl game?
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
My random thoughts.
I keep saying watch out for Auburn. I have confidence we will beat LSU. But the calls at AU, and their dumb luck, continue to scare me. Each week I am amazed at how they somehow win. Teams like this are dangerous. They will get it handed to the them in Baton Rogue, and probably drop UGA in Athens, but if we have a flat preformance like we had the 1st half the last 2 weeks vs. them in Auburn will make it a long afternoon. Think we would win, but close. I was out when their bootleg NCAA decision came down but I was not surprised that they lucked out against the NCAA.
Also I’m hoping for SC to win the East. If so we could possibly avenge our 3 losses from last year all in one year.
The SEC is as down this year as I’ve ever seen. I don’t get it. We have lead the nation in overall recruiting, in attendance, in TV money, in coaches etc. How can we have only 3 really good teams. Right now I’d say from SC to UK is no stronger than the Pac 12 below Stanford and Oregon, and maybe not that good.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
I just hope we dominate AU enough
that the b.s. refs can’t make up for it.
If I was Muschamp, I’d have taken any amount of fines the SEC could have given me and called out those refs after that first botched punt return where the Auburn player clearly did not give Rainey a chance to catch the ball.
"If wanting to win is a fault, as some of my critics seem to insist, then I plead guilty. I like to win. I know no other way. It's in my blood." -- Paul "Bear" Bryant
by GeauxCrimson on Oct 17, 2011 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I have to reluctantly concede that you had a point about AU this summer. (grumble grumble)
But there is still absolutely ZERO chance that we will come out flat against AU. That game has been circled since last November. It will get ugly.
God bless our Dark Lord.
As lucky as those bastards always are
this year takes the cake. Mississippi State, Florida, and USCe all derped a win right on over to those morons. I could kick Garcia’s punk ass for going 9/23 against that sorry ass secondary after what he did to us last year.
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
Utah State!
Utah State!
/sgusted
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions
Actually both teams have it circled.
No doubt the Barn is practically salivating over the chance on their home field to deny Bama a shot at the National Championship. They thought they were on the verge of doing that in 2009 but then watched in horror as “The Drive” unfolded before their eyes.
That is why they are extra dangerous.
LSU is on our terf and they have as much to lose as we do. They might even choke a bit.
However, Auburn has nothing to lose. They can free wheel it. Triple reverse with a pass back to the qb. Send an 11 man blitz. Fake punt, onside kick, fumblerooskie you name it.
If you remember how lose we played the 1st half last year until we actually started to tighten up. I expect Auburn to be as lose as you will ever see them.
I think we will win, but this game is far, far from automatic. I do not think they have the O to come back on us like last year if we get a big lead. But, if they open up a lead…man it will be hard then.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
I think they'll need all three of their QBs.
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
So...
…tell us what you think about the Auburn game….
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 8:02 PM CDT up reply actions
Right on...except
Bama will not have trouble with Auburn. If the Tide keeps playing like they are playing, no one can or will beat them. Especially the Barn. I predict a proper beatdown.
by AfricaMike on Oct 17, 2011 2:37 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
The SEC appears to be having a down year but who is better?
The PAC 12 has Stanford – who you know is not as good as Bama, LSU or I would say Ark – and they have Oregon who already lost to LSU and then who?
Big 10 has Wisconsin who really hasn’t played anyone except from an okay Nebraska team. PSU lost to Bama. We all knew Illinois wasn’t for real.
ACC has Clemson who is living on borrowed time. The #2 team Ga Tech just lost to frickin’ Virginia.
Big 12 has Okie & Okie State who play each other. KSU won’t last.
Boise has a lame schedule.
Everyone else is not worth mentioning.
So if the SEC is having a “down year”, who is better?
This is about the 5th straight down year
It’s the easiest story in the world to write.
“The SEC has proved it’s the mightiest college football conference in America. But is this year a down year at the top?” (Lists a bunch of made-up reasons this is a “down year.”)
They also love to point out when the SEC fails to go 9-0 in bowls, invariably failing to mention that almost every one of those games is an SEC team against some other team that is ranked a couple of spots higher in their conference, e.g., #4 SEC vs #2 Big Ten.
My memory is fallible...
…but I believe Sagarin said the same thing in 2008 and 2009.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 4:35 PM CDT up reply actions
2 dominant and 1 pretty darn good team
means “mediocre” conference year, no matter what.
If I counted correctly, the SEC has 48 regular season games, total. That’s 48 wins, 48 losses. Let’s say that Bama wins out, LSU loses only to Bama, and Arky loses only to both of them. That’s 8+7+6=21 wins, and 3 losses. That leaves 27 conf wins to divide among the other 9 teams. Even if the SEC goes 100% victory, out of conference, that is an average record of 7-5. If, say, Georgia was in Arky’s class this year, it would be even worse.
Of course, a few teams getting little of “their share” of the 3 conf wins each leaves more for the rest. But the league isn’t going to win every out of conference game, either.
But I’d argue that the conference isn’t, and hasn’t been terribly down. It is merely that each year, over the last several, a few teams have been extremely “up”. This has made some otherwise decent teams look worse than they are. Pile on several key injuries this year, and it looks even worse.
by Steven Mitchell on Oct 17, 2011 5:44 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm not talking about record as much as how these teams look.
Auburn, with just one SEC loss looks terrible. Even there stud back couldn’t do anything Sat.
Fla, they are just pitiful. They could not play any worse on offense.
UGA probably the #4 team in the conference right now and they almost choke away a game to Vandy. Plus their qb has gone backwards from last year.
MSU, their new qb looks worse than the old one and he was bad.
SC is lucky, or was lucky until they lost there offense in one quick blow.
Vandy actually is the pleasant surprise team to me. They look improved.
UT, lose one guy and that is it.
Then you come to Ole Miss, UK who are just terrible.
And, it is not just that the defense is better than the O. We have droped punts, blocked kicks, teams standing around not hitting anyone. PSU would be #4 in the SEC right now if they played in the SEC and they are just average.
If I were a UF fan I’d have “Fire Will Muschamp.com” up and going by now. They have mailed it in.
I’m sorry, but I think teams like USC, Arizona St., Wash, and Wash St. are better than UGA, AU, UF, and SC.
And, the Big 12, even though coming apart, has KState, A&M, Baylor, Texas, and TT. I think they would take out our middle schools.
But, come bowl season maybe I’ll be wrong.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
Why would the Big 12 play against 6th, 7th, and 8th graders?
Seriously, though, this is definitely a down year for the league (the 2nd in a row), but it’s still a better league than the rest.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 8:08 PM CDT up reply actions
Lemme help you with this one...
I’m sorry, but I think teams like USC, Arizona St., Wash, and Wash St. are better than UGA, AU, UF, and SC.
I have seen two of the four PAC12 teams in person and I can tell you that USC and ASU would be handled by the defenses that all four of those teams have. UF would have the most trouble in it’s present state, followed by SC, but they have 50/50 shots to win. UGA and AU would win by a couple of touchdowns 80-90% of the time.
Why? They do not have the two/three deep like the SEC does, and their lines are smaller in most regards.
It's not what you've done but what you are doing that matters.
Make its ass quit -TWEsq to me concerning my fight against Multiple Sclerosis
by AlabamaJammer on Oct 18, 2011 6:57 AM CDT up reply actions
My understanding (without knowing the exact formula for ranking each team)
is that conference games shouldn’t affect the answer. Those results average everyone’s ratings together (depending on which column you look at, though they all agree on the conference rankings anyway). So if Bama beats LSU, then Bama goes up and LSU goes down. But there should be no net effect on the conference’s rating. Only non-conference games matter when comparing conferences.
God bless our Dark Lord.
The
SEC’s biggest problem is the QBs.
Florida-Brantley got hurt, starting QB turmoil.
Auburn-against Florida, 3 different QBs took snaps
South Carolina: Garcia’s 8th year of eligibility was exhausted.
Vanderbilt: Made the switch from Larry Smith to Jordan Rodgers….
Ole Miss: Has started 3 different QBs this year.
Mississippi State: Benched Relf for Tyler Russell…is Dylan Favre next?
Tennessee: Tyler Bray got hurt, crappy Simms family member gets the starts
Kentucky: does not employ a QB.
It is no shock that the 4 best teams have the "best’ QB situation right now
Georgia with Aaron Murray-though not as good as advertised.
Arkansas with Tyler Wilson
Alabama with AJ (really…who would have thought)
LSU-with their odd mix of QB.
True.
But it shows a lack of coaching to have no back up plan in case of qb injury. Oregon’s qb goes down and they don’t miss a beat.
By the way, AJ could actually end up All-SEC. Now that shows right there what kind of shape we are in. I mean I’d take him over Wilson although I’d guess Wilson would get it right now.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
Dude, if there is one thing I believe with every fiber of my being...
It is that we will curb stomp Auburn this year. Not only is Alabama much, much better, but Saban has been focusing on Auburn this year like he focused on Florida in 2009. I believe it will be epic.
"You play fast! You play strong! You go out there and dominate the man you're playing against, and you make his ass quit! That's our trademark! That's our M.O.... as a team! That's what people know us as!" - Coach Nick Saban before the 2008 LSU game.
by 12NationalChampionships on Oct 17, 2011 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
I have a feeling we won't pull the starters.
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." -Bertrand Russell
If we get up big, we better pull them.
I’d hate to see a vendetta cause Prothro II. I don’t doubt that Saban wants to beat them like a rented mule, but I think he’s got too much ice water in his veins to risk the big picture on a vendetta once the game is in hand.
by Nico2.0 on Oct 17, 2011 7:55 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
37-0 sounds great to me.
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
Actually...
…I’m expecting the same number of points scored this year as last. 52-3.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 8:10 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Pull them when it is literally impossible for them to come back.
Until that happens put the pedal to the floor. I want 70 although I doubt we’ll get that.
As Saban says “I hate these guys!”
I have a feeling
that we can curbstomp them if the starters come out before the band gets ready for halftime.
I
love these posts almost as much as the Meltdown.
Bad football reigns victorious again down on Harvey’s Corner
Remember when we used to marvel at those Les Miles LSU teams’ ability to play like crap but get away with it due to superior talent? Auburn reminds me of that, only they’re now showing the results of a poorly managed roster thanks largely to Chizik’s predecessor. 2012 is going to be a very interesting/entertaining year down on the plains.
"A demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots." -H. L. Mencken
You are right. They look like a Les Miles coached team.
By the way, those dumb luck Miles’ teams gave us fits and beat us some too.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
Uh...
“Might be a stretch to say this is a better team than the 2009 squad, but at the least you cannot legitimately say it’s any worse at this point.”
Not a stretch. It has become increasingly obvious to Process watchers, that this team employs the Process better than any CNS team to date. It could be our misfortune to have a great team in a year of several great teams. Time will tell. Ive seen much more consistency on offense than I expected. We are healthy, coached-up and ready for the NCG Nov 5th. I will be a war. We win.
Proud mini-Saban.
by Tidee Whitee on Oct 17, 2011 1:18 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Injury-free is the key
But, I agree this team is better, as shocking as that statement is. I thought you could make the case that the 2009 team was the best Bama team ever.
"You play fast! You play strong! You go out there and dominate the man you're playing against, and you make his ass quit! That's our trademark! That's our M.O.... as a team! That's what people know us as!" - Coach Nick Saban before the 2008 LSU game.
by 12NationalChampionships on Oct 17, 2011 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions
I wasn't alive
But that 1961 team looks ridiculous on paper.
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." -Bertrand Russell
Agree with that one 100%.
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
1961...
…had one of the best defenses ever, as this team appears to have as well. I’ll continue to call the 2009 team the best ever…unless this team winds up 14-0. Then I might reevaluate.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 8:12 PM CDT up reply actions
This team would beat 2009 Bama by 7-10 points.
ooops, can’t add a FG, since we can’t kick those, but stlll…
Inanity @gothlaw
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is." -Sir Francis Bacon
by Stuck in the Plains on Oct 17, 2011 8:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Maybe...
…though Orlando McCain, Mount Cody, Javy, GMac, Julio, Heisman 22, Holla McGee, Kareem Jackson, and our senior OL, P, DL, and LB players may take issue with that statement. This team seems superior to that one in many phases of the game, but that team had better special teams, and more importantly, outstanding leadership. We know how they responded to adversity. We’re seven games in, but we’ve yet to learn what this group is truly made of in terms of, well, pluck and grit. I pray you’re right.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 8:34 PM CDT up reply actions
There is not a single player on this team I don't like.
The chemistry is outstanding.
Inanity @gothlaw
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is." -Sir Francis Bacon
by Stuck in the Plains on Oct 17, 2011 8:41 PM CDT up reply actions
There is not a single player on the 2009 team I didn't/don't like.
And I’m not disagreeing with the way the chemistry looks.
I will also agree that this team looks better than the 2009 team…but it’s too early for me to say that they are better. I won’t be able to say that unless they win it all. I also hope we are continuing this debate into January….
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 8:46 PM CDT up reply actions
Very fine point
I’ve previously said that I think 2009 had better individual players, but this overall team is better. However, your point about leadership is spot-on. Until they really get tested, we don’t know if this team has any grit. In 2009, they were tested for the first time against UT. We will see what happens in a few days.
by ApothecaryMark on Oct 17, 2011 8:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Actually...
…the 2009 team was tested for the first time against VT. Also, they had some better individual players, but this team has better players at more positions (which may be the exact same point you’re making). Anyway, these conversations, while not entirely pointless, will be rendered moot soon enough.
After we won in 2009, I was convinced that I may never see a team that good again. This team has me thinking I’ll be eating my words soon, and I really, really hope they do. RTR.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 8:49 PM CDT up reply actions
This is Saban's 5th season.
And I believe it is the first team that has nothing other than his own recruits. All the players here have been “processing” from the beginning and I think that’s a factor.
Even if this team wins out it will be hard to say that it was better than the 09 team or that it was the best of all time. I don’t think the SEC is as good this year as it was in 09 although to Bama’s credit they are whipping inferior teams as they should given the weaker competition.
Oh hell,
I can’t help it. Jay Coulter has me splitting my sides…
Who would have guessed that the worst defense in America through much of the first month of the season would rise up and hold South Carolina to 13 points and Florida to only six points?
They rose up, ladies and gentlemen. Rose up.
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
by J Tadpole on Oct 17, 2011 1:25 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
it was a predictable response from that group...
Their idea of analysis is to say “Hey, we won and we’re all in” in 500 words or less.
Fumbles. It was always Fumbles
I, for one, might have guessed...
… had a wizard looked into his scrying pool and told me that Garcia would lose his sponsor’s number and flame out of the program before reaching step 12, and that USCe’s other touted “weapons” were, in fact, unloaded. Or if Jim Morrison came to me in a dream, riding a python, and promised (through s#&#y poetry) that Alabama would grind Florida into cereal box debris, benching their top two quarterbacks and one of their best players (leading into a Baton Rogue curb-stomping).
Then, I woulda totally guessed that Auburn’s confederacy of paint-huffing bumblenauts in the secondary could (ahem) “stop” them.
Is she purty?
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 2:48 PM CDT up reply actions
Shameless plug is shameless
but the article / excerpt / chapter / whatever is funny
Mark Barron, y'all.
by twominutedrill on Oct 17, 2011 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions
A little off topic but.....
did anyone notice the aTm commercials during the Bama game last week? I thought it was a nice touch by their program. I’m really excited about them joining next year.
They also played them during the CBS afternoon game.
They are definitely happy to be in the SEC, that is for sure.
I will be tuning in on Nov 12th
They play KSU. I am depending on them to beat KSU, then rub salt in their wounds by doing the “S-E-C” chant. That should thoroughly humble KSU after they did the chant to Mizzou a few weeks back as mockery.
"If wanting to win is a fault, as some of my critics seem to insist, then I plead guilty. I like to win. I know no other way. It's in my blood." -- Paul "Bear" Bryant
by GeauxCrimson on Oct 17, 2011 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions
When you're KSU...
…you take your shots when you can.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions
Already excited about A&M.
And Texas is not going to play them out of conference. I predict in time Texas will regret that arrogant move. A&M might be able to take them down in recruiting because of the chance to be in the SEC. The SEC seems a little down this year to me, but no doubt the home of future NFL stars unlike any other conference. More big & fast guys than anywhere else.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
not to mention that Texas is hitting rock bottom at the wrong time.
"Those are just facts and facts are just opinions and opinions can be wrong"
-Veronica, Better Off Ted
The way they're playing...
…they must be hitting the rock…
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 9:18 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I have no problem with saying this...
The State of the SEC is pretty piss poor right now. There are 2-3 elite teams (FWIW, I’m on record that Arkie wins 10 games), and some sorry-ass teams that are allegedly bowl teams (UGA, UT, SoCar, Auburn, UF, Missy State), and then the bottom of the conference is truly embarrassing: the MWC or WAC would be ashamed of the shit that Ole Miss and Kentucky put on the field.
There are quality bowl teams, and there are those who, by the grace of scheduling, get 6-8 wins. Include in that latter group every last team in the East.
It’s been an eyesore at times. USC/MSU, UGA/Vandy, and UF/Auburn ..alone, on one weekend… set football back 25 years.
Inanity @gothlaw
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is." -Sir Francis Bacon
by Stuck in the Plains on Oct 17, 2011 6:59 PM CDT reply actions
We're like to take a major league asswhipping come bowl season.
Of course, any SEC program not called Alabama can die in a fire as far I’m concerned. I want them to generally do well for the strength of the conference, but I do want them to take turns being humiliated. Yes, even Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
by Nico2.0 on Oct 17, 2011 7:58 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
Hear, hear!
Audemus jura nostra defendere
Every day we make it, we'll make it the best we can.
by animalcracker on Oct 17, 2011 8:12 PM CDT up reply actions
Look at the other conferences though.
They’re all top heavy. Wake Forest is #3 in the ACC right now. Illinois is tied for #4 in the B1G. Washington is 3-0 in the P12 after opening the season with a 3-point win over Eastern Washington. The Big East is a shit-fest. The only one with any balance is the B12.
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
Probably should have said "depth" in lieu of balance.
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
How in the world...
…could Arky not win 10 games? Do you mean you’re predicting they only win 10? Anyway, Bama, LSU, Arky, UGA, SC, and AU will definitely bowl this year. UT, UF, MSU, and even Vandy have a shot. Ole Miss and UK are, as you noted, purely horrible. Big East horrible.
FWIW, I wouldn’t put UGA/Vandy in the same category with those other two games. Hell, I wouldn’t even put USC/MSU in the same category as UF/Auburn, which was possibly one of the three or four worst SEC games played in my lifetime. But while Vandy lags in talent, they are a well-coached football team. I like watching them play. And UGA’s defense is not as bad as the final score indicates (though they’re a far cry from the great defenses in the SECW). It’s the mediocrest of divisions, but UGA has the inside track on the SECE. They’ll have to pull a Mark Richt to blow it…so…oh…well…nevermind.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 17, 2011 8:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Had a bet during the Bama game...
I was impressed generally. Against anyone in the conference not named LSU/Alabama, they win (and I’m not sold that they won’t beat LSU).
Inanity @gothlaw
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is." -Sir Francis Bacon
by Stuck in the Plains on Oct 17, 2011 8:23 PM CDT up reply actions
And, I excluded Vandy
No returns yet, but I do like Franklin. A lot.
Inanity @gothlaw
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is." -Sir Francis Bacon
by Stuck in the Plains on Oct 17, 2011 8:24 PM CDT up reply actions
I think, when you look at any conference
They’re all a fair degree of “Top Heavy”. As someone hinted at before, when you’ve got a few teams that are clearly better than everyone else in the league (LSU / Bama) it makes it seem a lot worse off than it is, especially when you’ve got a team that has looked so bad (Kentucky). and others that have disappointed (MSU, South Carolina) from expectations. Florida looked like they were fairly good before Brantley went down, and the lack of talented-QB recruiting has obviously hit them hard, and I don’t think you’ll find many teams in the country that can lose their Senior QB and the backup in a single game and really recover from it. Especially when you play the two most physical defenses in the country by far in back-back weeks (gulp).
For what it’s worth, too, South Carolina and Auburn are both 1 loss SEC teams right now. Arkansas looks good against teams not destroying everybody. But, for argument’s sake, what if Auburn finds a way to beat LSU this weekend (which would be a very LSU thing to do). Does that change the “top heavy” or “down year” deal for the SEC? I don’t think so.
Also, when you talk about bowl records as conference strength, you have to take into consideration that typically the SEC team plays a team that finished higher in the conference standings. And, even with that, the SEC went 5-3-2 in bowl last year (Arkansas should have beat OSU, as we’re finding out this year, and I still won’t credit Butch Davis with … that. Stupid rule.. /angry).
______________________________________________
Pat Summitt is already a legend, and will always be a Hero.
RE: Florida
That team is just rudderless right now. It is a worse version of Bama 2007: Some clear talent but way too many square pegs trying to fit the round holes.
It’s going to take 2-3 more years to turn this team into what Muschamp envisions. I also think that Weis is probably not the right OC for that either.
Inanity @gothlaw
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is." -Sir Francis Bacon
by Stuck in the Plains on Oct 18, 2011 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions
w/o looking it up...
the SEC went 5-3-2 in bowl last year
I don’t understand. Are you saying that there were two ties, or that it was either 5-3 or 5-2, or what? Again, it’d be the easiest thing in the world for me to look up, but I don’t want to. And you can’t make me. So there.
Thirteen.
The Sugar Bowl might be in that 2 at the end?
Although I don’t remember the rules with vacating wins. It may still count as a loss for Arkansas.
IIRC, Alabama, MSU, LSU, UF, AU won…UT, UGA, and USCe lost. Arkansas had their vacated debacle (but lost). UK, Vandy, Ole Miss did not bowl.
So 5-3-1?
Dave Robertson is growing up to be the new Mariano Rivera. My two universes of fandom can finally unite!
by SoGladILeftTheACC on Oct 19, 2011 9:00 AM CDT up reply actions
5-3-2...
…was one of the many crafty defensive schemes Dooley used against LSU last season, along with the 9-1-1 and the 4-7-13.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 20, 2011 12:15 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm thinking the Red Elephant Conspiracy...
Is getting the fruits of their labor. Also, to any Auburnites, it’s not called “cheating” if you follow the rules, have excellent coaching, and work your asses off like the Tide does and has. Auburn fails at all three. I hope Auburn gets 100 hung on ’em and our guys block their only field goal attempt.
I will put an asterisk next to an Alabama Crimson Tide "fake national title" the second one is given. That day has not and will never come. But to be fair, I'll give you 1941 if you give me 1945 and the Missing Ring of 1966.
I predict SEC teams
will do well in the bowls. Well, maybe not the Gamecocks. Well, maybe not Miss State. Never mind.
by AfricaMike on Oct 18, 2011 1:06 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
Well said.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 18, 2011 8:19 AM CDT up reply actions
Name one non RB from auburn…
Ok, now name one non RB that’s good.
Name one player you would trade for that plays for auburn. Seriously, this is the 8th best sec team. Boog luck is legendary, it’s pinnacled over the last 15 months, and it is amazing. I’m currently editing a mix tape of all the bs that has contributed to them winning, or should I say stealing games over the last 15 months. It’s time consuming but when I post it, even my fellow “bammers” will be shocked.
Bad calls, reviewed/nonreviewed and incredible luck. I hope to present this to a PAC 12 fan for instance and see the reaction. I’m so prejudice when it comes to booger eaters but the tape doesn’t lie.
by callmedeaconblues on Oct 19, 2011 12:02 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
Darth, throw me a bone
I know you’re legendary here at RBR and as a religious follower of this site (to the point it is almost embarrassing, as in branch dividian sp level commitment level) I should get what you meant, but I’m scratching my head…
by callmedeaconblues on Oct 19, 2011 3:48 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Philip Luzenkirchen
Whose name I spelled in correctly, but I would argue is a high quality TE. Other than that, I can’t do it.
Dave Robertson is growing up to be the new Mariano Rivera. My two universes of fandom can finally unite!
by SoGladILeftTheACC on Oct 19, 2011 9:00 AM CDT up reply actions
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