"Anonymous SEC coach" digs at opposing SEC coaches

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell‏ @Michael_Carvell

Anonymous SEC coach on state of the Razorbacks: 'It's time for Bret Bielema to put up or shut up'

Gridiron Now reporter Jimmy Hyams polled anonymous SEC coaches for their opinions on their peers:

    "It's time for Bret Bielema to put up or shut up," one coach said. "It's time to make substantial improvement, or the people in Arkansas will realize they've got the wrong guy. He hasn't done anything significant yet. What's he done that Houston Nutt didn't do in five years?

    "He beat LSU and Ole Miss in back-to-back years. If that's what your standard is, then you're happy. He's never been in contention in the West. He's never been in contention for a BCS bowl. He's one of those guys that over-promises and under-delivers."

Another coach added that new wrinkles in strategy and having a senior quarterback under center will be beneficial:

    "Philosophically, they've made a lot of changes. They've gone from a power run game to throwing it more. Even on defense, they've changed dramatically. On defense, they were very vanilla. I guess they're expanding that in a major way.
     "The quarterback (Austin Allen) will give them a chance. He's a very good player. But winning eight or nine games, that's going to be hard."

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell‏ @Michael_Carvell

Anonymous SEC East coach on Tennessee: "They ought to fire Butch Jones"

"Any time Vanderbilt beats Tennessee, they ought to fire the coach at Tennessee," one coach said. "They fired Derek Dooley. They ought to fire Butch Jones. Vanderbilt should never beat Tennessee. There's not an excuse on the planet for that."

Vanderbilt used a huge second half last season to vault themselves to victory over the Volunteers.
Commodores had 608 yards of total offense in their 45-34 win.

"When you're in your fourth year of a program and the defense is that bad, that ain't good." one coach said. "The thing about Tennessee this year, they don't have a quarterback, they don't have a running back and for all those guys they've signed, I don't see any dominant, draftable players on the roster.

"A part of me says Butch Jones has gone a good job. A part of me says no. I think he's too concerned with what the media says than doing his job. If you win, the media doesn't matter. If you lose, everything matters. I think he gets caught up in public opinion. I think he's an insecure guy."

[jbcarol]

Michael Carvell‏ @Michael_Carvell

Anonymous SEC East coach on Kirby Smart: 'If Georgia goes 7-5, he's Derek Dooley at Georgia'

"They lost to Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt," Smart's fellow SEC East coach said. "That has got to get corrected. If Georgia goes 7-5, he's Derek Dooley at Georgia. Derek was a 6-6 guy."

"If Kirby doesn't get it done by his third year, they'll fire his ass."

However, that same coach indicated that Georgia has the players to improve significantly in 2017.

"I think Georgia is as talented as anybody in the league other than Alabama," he said.

[jbcarol]

Jimmy Hyams‏ @JimmyHyams

One SEC coach says Jim McElwain has done a great job; another questions whether can keep winning w/o a QB. Read:

"If you ranked Florida's teams over the last 15 years," one SEC coach said, "the last two would be in the bottom third, not the top third. They're average. ... Florida is an enigma. They've won without a quarterback."

McElwain has figured out a way to win big games, whether it's rallying from a two-touchdown deficit to beat Tennessee in 2015, upsetting LSU in Tiger Stadium last year or sweeping Georgia.

"Jim McElwain has done a great job," one coach said. "He's been to Atlanta the only two years he's been at Florida."

While Florida has won with defense the past two years, the Gators also have lost a lot of personnel to the NFL. Can they reload?

"They've lost a lot of good defensive players for a lot of years, and they've lost a lot of Will Muschamp's good players," one coach said. "It will be interesting to see Randy Shannon replace Geoff Collins (as defensive coordinator). Collins benefited from great defensive players Will recruited."

A key this season could be quarterback play.

"I think Feleipe Franks has a chance to be a very good SEC quarterback," one coach said. "But are they good enough in the offensive line to beat Florida State and win in Atlanta? Probably not."

[GolfnHog]

I see this crap as a total reflection of today's media. Let's see what we can stir up just to get a response.

[jbcarol]

I see this crap as a total reflection of today's media. Let's see what we can stir up just to get a response.

Jimmy Hyams‏ @JimmyHyams

One SEC coach says it's time for Arkansas coach Bret Bielema to `put up or shut up.' Read more about the West:

"The only thing that kept (Kiffin) from winning two national championships (in his three years at Alabama) was Nick Saban," the coach said. "If Lane called the game against Clemson, they (Tide) would have won. Nick's telling everybody he screwed that up."


Said one coach: "Philosophically, they've made a lot of changes. They've gone from a power run game to throwing it more. Even on defense, they've changed dramatically. On defense, they were very vanilla. I guess they're expanding that in a major way.

"The quarterback (Austin Allen) will give them a chance. He's a very good player. But winning eight or nine games, that's going to be hard."


"The offense has a really good quarterback (Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham)," one coach said. "As long as Gus Malzahn stays out of way and lets (new OC) Chip Lindsey develop a plan and call the game, Auburn will be better (on offense)..."


"I think Ed's got good coordinators at LSU," the coach said. "Matt Canada did a good job at Pitt. Pitt cut up Clemson. ... With Les Miles, the offense was as imaginative as you and I with crayons and color pencils.

"The problem is they don't have a quarterback. They can't throw the ball. No. 5 (running back Darrius Guice) is a hell of a player. But any way you cut it, the quarterback situation has got to be resolved because the rest of the talent is good talent. The quarterback is average as grits."

Another coach isn't sold on Aranda: "Dave Aranda might have been good in the Big Ten, but he's just a guy to me in the SEC. Aranda is one of those young guys that promotes himself."

The coach added: "LSU's success will depend on how the coordinators produce."


"After one year in the NFL, (quarterback) Dak Prescott opened a big question mark on Dan Mullen," the coach said. "Mullen had a good four-year run (34-18), but did he underachieve with Prescott? Did he underutilize his skills?"


The quotes are from before Freeze resigned.

"They've had an explosive offense and an adequate defense," one coach said. "That train is pulling in for a bunch of repairs this year. They got some high-profile prospects (a few years ago), but I don't know how they've recruited on the second level.

"I label everything A-B-C and misses. If they didn't get the A recruit, they go to Cs and misses. If Alabama doesn't get the A, they get the B and every now and then take the C. ... They're not capable of beating Alabama like they did two years in a row."


"Texas A&M has had enough time to recruit to the defensive style they want to play," one coach said. "They have the longest-tenured defensive coordinator (John Chavis) and the most successful defensive coordinator in the league. You can't help but think they'll be better on defense."

The offense could struggle.

"Offensively, how are you going to replace (quarterback) Trevor Knight?" one coach said of the Oklahoma transfer who put up good numbers. "You lost two highly rated quarterbacks (in 2015) and replaced them with a grad transfer (Knight) who performed well. Now who takes over for Knight?

"They've always had receivers. The difference last year is they didn't have the offensive line they've had in the past. They'll be better in the offensive line, but they don't have the quarterback question answered. They've done a good job recruiting high-profile quarterbacks, but they keep transferring. Highly recruited quarterbacks don't stay if they ain't playing."

A&M has had at least seven quarterbacks transfer or decommit under Sumlin's watch.

"When you're losing good quarterbacks, you've got to evaluate how you're handling those guys, even though quarterbacks are prima donnas," one coach said.

Said another: "A&M has got two good veteran coordinators in Noel Mazzone and John Chavis. They've had good players. I don't think they lack talent. They haven't finished games or seasons. They've had team issues."

[jbcarol]

Jimmy Hyams: SEC coaches dish – and diss – on their SEC East coaching brethren

"If you ranked Florida's teams over the last 15 years," one SEC coach said, "the last two would be in the bottom third, not the top third. They're average. ... Florida is an enigma. They've won without a quarterback."

"Georgia is a little bit like Florida: solid on defense and they've got good players," he said. "They played with a freshman quarterback (Jacob Eason) and he played well at times. But the offensive line is a concern. The running backs (Nick Chubb and Sony Michel) will help Eason in some games, but against the right team when you can't run the ball, it puts it right back on the offensive line to protect the quarterback and the quarterback's got to throw it."

"Mark Stoops has done a great job," one coach said. "They're a scary football team because they have what I call 'Stoops fight' in them. Stoops is highly competitive and never gives up. I see that on tape when I watch his team. Therefore, they're dangerous. They may not be elite but they can beat anybody on a given day because of that fight they have."

"Barry taking over the defense is a huge deal," one coach said of Odom's move late last season. "He did a good job with the defense before he was head coach. They have good talent along the defensive line and with defensive backs. They just didn't play hard all the time or together."

"South Carolina has got a really good quarterback, two good running backs, three quality receivers, a good tight end," the coach said. "The problem is a deficiency in recruiting offensive linemen. They've signed a lot of linemen that aren't SEC-caliber. They're like Wake Forest kids.

"On defense, the defensive backs and defensive linemen – it's inexcusable what they're playing with. It will take time to get it right. Going 6-6 (last year) was a miracle, and this year their schedule is tougher. But they do have a quarterback they can win with and some skill-position guys. They should be much improved on offense."

"When you're in your fourth year of a program and the defense is that bad, that ain't good." one coach said. "The thing about Tennessee this year, they don't have a quarterback, they don't have a running back and for all those guys they've signed, I don't see any dominant, draftable players on the roster.

"A part of me says Butch Jones has gone a good job. A part of me says no. I think he's too concerned with what the media says than doing his job. If you win, the media doesn't matter. If you lose, everything matters. I think he gets caught up in public opinion. I think he's an insecure guy."

"Vanderbilt does a great job of developing players and schematically doing what their players can do," one coach said. "They are very well-coached on both sides of the ball and they compete. Mason has really done what (Mark) Stoops has done at Kentucky – bringing pride and a competitive spirit so that on any given day, they can get somebody. And last year they beat Georgia and Ole Miss and Tennessee. I see them being another bowl team."

While giving credit to Mason, another coach ripped Tennessee, which has lost three of the past five to the Commodores.

"Any time Vanderbilt beats Tennessee, they ought to fire the coach at Tennessee," one coach said. "They fired Derek Dooley. They ought to fire Butch Jones. Vanderbilt should never beat Tennessee. There's not an excuse on the planet for that."