2015 SEC Football Projections

[jbcarol]

Chris Low @ClowESPN  ·  Apr 10

Texas A&M has tweaked its run game with new OL coach Dave Christensen. Aggies using more gap scheme stuff than just inside and outside zone.

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  2h 2 hours ago

SEC spring games: What we didn't learn http://es.pn/1NybZ3c

Forget the quarterback battle. Florida goes as its offensive line goes, and if that group can't stay healthy, the Gators are in trouble. It's a unit that's thin already after losing five major contributors from last season's squad, but injuries to Roderick Johnson and Trip Thurman left Florida with just six scholarship offensive linemen available for the spring game. Consider that along with the five freshmen who have yet to step on campus, we don't know what Florida has up front...

How can you evaluate quarterback play or better yet judge an offense when you're missing your top playmaker and three starting offensive linemen? There's a reason coach Hugh Freeze didn't want to have a spring game. But he went through with it anyway, knowing the offense will look much better when Laquon Treadwell is 100 percent and the offensive line is healthy again. There were some positives as the other wide receivers made plays and running back Jordan Wilkins had a couple of really nice runs, but this is still a major question mark...

[jbcarol]

Glenn Guilbeau @LSUBeatTweet  ·  Apr 16

Les Looks To 2015 Final Four. Spring Notes: http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/sports/college/lsu/2015/04/15/les-miles-points-college-football-playoffs/25855639/ ...

BATON ROUGE – The last time LSU went 8-5 in football before last season was in 2008, and Coach Les Miles said it was unacceptable. Then his team promptly went 9-4 before a run of 11-2, 13-1 with a Southeastern Conference title and BCS national championship game appearance and a pair of 10-3 seasons.

When the Tigers went 8-5 in 2014, Miles had to watch other teams reach the first College Football Playoff.

"We have a college playoff direction, and that's kind of where we're headed," Miles said Tuesday night as his team returned to spring drills following spring break. "We're looking forward to playing to those expectations. I think any time that you line up as LSU, the expectations are great. I think our football team understands that. Our coaching staff does."

LSU has one more practice Thursday before the spring game at 1 p.m. Saturday in Tiger Stadium.

"It was certainly not a perfect practice after a 10-day break," Miles said. "But yet, there was some real improvement there. I like us. I think we're improving. I like this team. This team works hard. They improve. They're talented. If they do right things and continue down this path, we'll be a really good football team."

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"We like our first teams. We just need to make sure that we develop some depth that allows us — when we substitute — to have the same style of performance from that LSU Tiger even though he's a little younger."

[jbcarol]

Chris Low @ClowESPN  ·  Apr 17
Average size of Arkansas' starting offensive line this spring is 6-5 1/2 and 320 pounds. The new-age "Hogs."

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  1m 1 minute ago

The unfortunate condition of Florida's offensive line http://es.pn/1Dhx2N9

With the current shape of Florida's offensive line, it might not matter who becomes the starting quarterback this fall. Who knows if there will be enough quality bodies up front to protect him?

There is a major offensive line crisis in Gainesville, and it's not something new coach Jim McElwain can fix overnight or in one season. The unfortunate state of the Gators' line started with misses, injuries and transfers that began to pile up, starting the 2011 recruiting class. The icing on this bitter cake came when Florida lost a combined 47 starts from five players along last year's offensive line, leaving it with just eight scholarship offensive linemen to start the spring.

[jbcarol]

 Chris Low @ClowESPN  ·  16h 16 hours ago

Gators will be multiple defensively, but you will see pieces of what they did last year as well as what Miss. State and Bama did last year.

Visited with Florida coaches and players, and lot of work to do. But nobody is conceding anything in Year 1 under Mac

Write down Alex McCalister's name as one of the SEC's breakout stars in 2015. Gators think he can be a pass-rushing force.

Gators threw 33 TD passes and 35 interceptions in SEC games over the last 5 seasons. Those numbers will improve under McElwain.

[jbcarol]

 Seth Emerson @SethEmerson  ·  Apr 20

Spring is over, which means time for position-by-position analysis. Let's start with the defensive backs, shall we? http://www.macon.com/2015/04/20/3704192/georgia-post-spring-analysis-defensive.html ...

Georgia post-spring position analysis: Linebackers. http://www.macon.com/2015/04/21/3705829/georgia-post-spring-analysis-linebackers.html ...

Georgia post-spring position analysis: The defensive line. http://www.macon.com/2015/04/22/3707993/georgia-post-spring-analysis-defensive.html ...

Georgia post-spring primer: Special teams. http://www.macon.com/2015/04/23/3709887/georgia-post-spring-analysis-special.html ...

[jbcarol]

"We need to get our mojo back ... we need into get our identity back," Saban said Thursday...

"We used to be a team nobody wanted to play," he explained. "We've had a few distractions with the last couple years that I think have affected how we've finished the season."

[jbcarol]

Sam Khan Jr. retweeted
Arkansas Razorbacks @ArkRazorbacks  ·  7m 7 minutes ago
The KODY WALKER SHOW continues...

[jbcarol]

 Sam Khan Jr. @skhanjr  ·  14h 14 hours ago

What we learned from Arkansas' spring game: http://es.pn/1EDmNbU

Peter Burns @PeterBurnsESPN  ·  16h 16 hours ago

VERY impressed with what I saw from Brandon Allen and the #Arkansas Razorbacks today in their Spring Game. Big times ahead in Fayetteville.

The Razorbacks have even more running back depth...

Brandon Allen's accuracy is improving: The senior quarterback was efficient and accurate on Saturday, completing 17 of 21 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions in two quarters of action. Of his four incompletions, three hit receivers in the hands (two were dropped and the receiver was ruled out of bounds on the other). Teammates and coaches have noted that Allen's confidence has been rising throughout Arkansas' spring practice and that seems clear. A 65-yard touchdown pass to Keon Hatcher hit Hatcher perfectly in stride. While it should be noted Allen's performance was against the second-team defense...

The Hogs have talent on the defensive line

Tight ends will be heavily involved

[jbcarol]

 AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  2h 2 hours ago

Auburn a big favorite against Louisville; national title odds improve http://ow.ly/Mbetk

Auburn is a 12 1/2-point favorite to beat Louisville in the season opener Sept. 5 in Atlanta. The Cardinals are coming off a 9-4 season under first-year coach Bobby Petrino, the former Auburn coordinator...

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  3h 3 hours ago

Alabama a double-digit favorite over Wisconsin, moves up in national title odds. http://ow.ly/Mb1bA

According to 5Dimes.com, Alabama is a 12-½ point favorite to win its 14th straight season opener...

The Crimson Tide and Badgers will meet Sept. 5 in AT&T Stadium...

[jbcarol]

 AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  3h 3 hours ago

Check out Auburn's potential offensive starters, backups in 2015 http://ow.ly/Mb3RR

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  5h 5 hours ago

Sebastian Tretola more than one-trick-play wonder http://es.pn/1DD65DK

"You kind of get hit in the face with junior college, coming from D-I," Tretola said. "You have scholarship checks and you're getting fed all the time and getting gear. You go to juco where you're in a dorm in the middle of nowhere and it's all football all the time. That's all you have, 17-, 18-, 19-, 20-hour bus rides to games. It definitely humbles you."

After being a self-admitted "knucklehead" who didn't go to class at Nevada and wound up academically ineligible, Tretola matured and will now need only three hours in the fall semester to graduate, according to Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema. He had a stellar season in 2014, played every game (starting 11), allowed zero sacks and committed only four penalties in 690 snaps...

[jbcarol]

 Michael Casagrande @ByCasagrande  ·  17h 17 hours ago

Alabama favored to win SEC, one Vegas sports book says. http://bit.ly/1DEDZYT

Alabama is also the favorite in the SEC, according to 5Dimes.

Alabama +300

Auburn +425

Georgia +475

Ole Miss +525

Tennessee +900

LSU +1050

Arkansas +1200

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  3h 3 hours ago

Take Two: Which SEC team made the most progress this spring? http://es.pn/1ENIF4v

With Arkansas and Tennessee both holding their spring games this past Saturday, the SEC is officially finished with spring football.

SEC reporters Greg Ostendorf and Alex Scarborough each pick their team that made the most progress this spring.

[jbcarol]

SPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  14m 14 minutes ago
Will Mississippi State be undone by inexperienced offensive line? http://es.pn/1EpaEEu

[DeltaBoy]

Dak can not do it alone and he lost ton off that O Line.

[jbcarol]

 Adam Sparks @AdamSparks  ·  7h 7 hours ago

ICYMI: A game-by-game breakdown of @VandyFootball's 2015 schedule. http://tnne.ws/1HXSegg 

NOV. 28 at TENNESSEE

Sparks analysis: Last season, this game got Mason thinking that maybe he needed to call his own defensive plays. He took over the defense in a 24-17 loss, holding the Vols to 262 yards and picking off two Josh Dobbs passes. Many think this is the year that UT takes a jump back into the upper-echelon of the East Division, especially if Dobbs and running back Jalen Hurd can produce. But if recent history is any indication, this rivalry game will likely be close. Three of the past four meetings were decided by a touchdown or less...

[jbcarol]

The questions and concerns still exist.

Like just about everything else with Tennessee's offensive line, though, they're different this offseason.

At this point of the offseason a year ago, Tennessee had just two offensive linemen with starting experience and just six combined career starts. That inexperience showed, particularly early in the season in losses at Oklahoma and against Florida. The 43 sacks the Vols allowed were the sixth-most in college football last season.

Going into this season, though, the Vols have seven linemen with starting experience and return 64 career starts.

The added competition is what is most exciting for offensive line coach Don Mahoney, who believes the increased options up front are good problems to have.

"The urgency level by the players has been there, but the results need to be faster," he said. "And they see that in their play that if it's not happening faster by them, then they're going to get passed up. It's one of those things where it's (not) we need you to get better in the next couple of practices. We need you to get better now.

"That's the good part about it. That's requiring them to continue to push more, to continue to watch more film, to continue to work at a pace and understand that we want to strive for greatness in all that we do as a team and as a position.

"It's as healthy as it can be, but we still need more. We need to continue to improve the depth. We're still not where we need to be from a depth standpoint, but it's definitely improved."

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  18m 18 minutes ago

SEC post-spring power rankings http://es.pn/1I8uvu6

5. Arkansas: The Hogs should be a fun team to watch this fall. We know they can run with 1,000-yard backs Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins, but all accounts are that Brandon Allen made much-needed improvements at quarterback...

6. Tennessee: If not for so many injuries this spring, the Vols might be even more attractive. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs made strides this spring, and running back Alvin Kamara could be a star along with Jalen Hurd...

[jbcarol]

ESPN: Too-Early Top 25

21. Arkansas Razorbacks

After losing 13 consecutive SEC games to start the Bret Bielema era (and 17 in a row overall), the Hogs finally turned the corner at the end the 2014 season. With star tailbacks Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins both coming back, along with four starting offensive linemen, the Hogs are going to be a tough out in the SEC West. The Razorbacks will be tested early and often with SEC road games at Tennessee, Alabama, Ole Miss and LSU.

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  4h 4 hours ago

It's all about the details for Robb Smith and the Arkansas defense http://es.pn/1GKTcbS

Arkansas' defense ended last season on a tear, allowing single-digit points in three of its final four games, so naturally the Razorbacks had reason to feel good about where they were heading into spring football.

That's when defensive coordinator Robb Smith decided to check the ego of his collective group.

"At the beginning of spring ball, Coach [Smith] pulled up a clip of every bad play to show us what we could've corrected and what simple mistakes we made," junior defensive end JaMichael Winston said. "It was very eye-opening."

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  45m 45 minutes ago

SEC spring breakout players http://es.pn/1chM5Ah

DE JaMichael Winston, Arkansas: There's no escaping the absence of Trey Flowers and Darius Philon, but Arkansas' defensive line isn't throwing in the towel. Not Winston, at least. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound junior defensive end had a huge spring for the Hogs, garnering praise from coach Bret Bielema and defensive coordinator Robb Smith. Winston finished on a strong note, too, with three sacks during the spring game.

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  4h 4 hours ago

Post-spring roundtable: SEC team that answered the most questions http://es.pn/1E5kjxq

Sam Khan Jr.: Arkansas

Most of the big questions surrounding the Razorbacks had to do with who will replace three key defensive losses (Trey Flowers, Darius Philon and Martrell Spaight). At defensive end, JaMichael Winston looks like the successor to Flowers after turning in a strong spring, capped by a three-sack performance in the spring game. Philon's vacated three-technique defensive tackle spot will be filled by Taiwan Johnson, who started at nose tackle last season, but will slide over to Philon's old spot. And at weakside linebacker, where Spaight emerged last season, Brooks Ellis is taking over, moving from middle linebacker. Will all three reach the level of their predecessors? Too early to say now, but the Hogs feel comfortable with each of those positions. The main question surrounding the offense is how much the passing attack will improve to supplement the Razorbacks' stellar running game, but if quarterback Brandon Allen's spring performance is any indication, the Hogs will make some improvements in that area...

[jbcarol]

 Brent Zwerneman @BrentZwerneman  ·  6h 6 hours ago

Although Texas A&M 10th in SEC rankings, Aggies hoping Sumlin's 4th season in College Station like his 4th at UH: http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/05/texas-a-aggies-10th-in-sec-power-rankings/ ...

In 2011, Sumlin led the Cougars to a 12-1 finish, with the lone setback a 49-28 loss to Larry Fedora's Southern Miss squad in the Conference-USA title game. Soon after, Sumlin headed on to A&M and Fedora wound up at North Carolina.

The year prior to UH's breakout season under Sumlin, the injury-bitten Cougars finished 5-7 in 2010. That somewhat mirrors a disappointing A&M squad last season, although the Aggies had a better record at 8-5 (despite a sixth-place finish in the seven-team SEC West, following third- and fourth-place finishes in his first two seasons)...

[jbcarol]

 Tony Barnhart @MrCFB  ·  13h 13 hours ago

The @MrCFB Spring Tour continues today at LSU, where new DC Kevin Steele has some very big shoes to fill. http://www.tonybarnhart.com/college-football/new-dc-kevin-steele-has-big-shoes-to-fill-at-lsu/ ...

Eight of the 14 SEC schools will begin the 2015 college football season with a new defensive coordinator.

You read that right. A quick review:

Auburn: Will Muschamp, the former head coach at Florida, does his second tour of duty on The Plains.

Florida: Geoff Collins comes over from Mississippi State to join the staff of new head coach Jim McElwain.

LSU: Kevin Steele, Alabama's linebackers coach, replaces John Chavis, who went to Texas A&M.

Mississippi State: Manny Diaz, a former DC at Mississippi State, Texas and Louisiana Tech, returns to Starkville to replace Collins.

Missouri: Barry Odom, a former Missouri player who spent the last three seasons at Memphis, takes over for Dave Steckel, who became head coach at Missouri State.

South Carolina: Jon Hoke, who has been in the NFL the past 13 seasons, reunites with Steve Spurrier. Hoke will share the title with Lorenzo Ward but will make the calls during the game.

Texas A&M: Chavis takes over for Mark Snyder, who was relieved of his duties.

Vanderbilt: Head coach Derek Mason decided to be his own defensive coordinator after releasing David Kotulski.

Now of those eight guys, which one has the most pressure to perform at a high level this season?

I'm going with Steele, the former head coach at Baylor who also has worked for Tom Osborne at Nebraska, Bobby Bowden at Florida State and Nick Saban at Alabama (twice). Here's why:

No. 1: Steele is being asked to replace one of the best defensive minds of our generation. Great defense was a given during Chavis's six years at LSU and the 20 years before that  when he worked at Tennessee, his alma mater. While the LSU offense has struggled for the past couple of years it was "The Chief's" defense that gave the Tigers a chance to win on most Saturdays. Last season LSU was first in the SEC in total defense (316.8 ypg) and second in scoring defense (17.5 ppg)...

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  4h 4 hours ago

SEC coaches and players with the most to prove http://es.pn/1GPhD87

Bret Bielema, Arkansas

I chose Bielema because he has a chance to compete for the SEC West title. Slowly, Bielema has brought the Hogs back to some sort of SEC relevancy during his two years in Fayetteville. This team absolutely has what it takes to make a strong SEC run this fall. No team has the 1-2 punch at running back that the Hogs have with Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins, the offensive line could be better and more athletic and Brandon Allen is making strides at quarterback in Dan Enos' new offense. We still aren't sure about the playmaking ability at receiver...

I have some reservations about the front seven on defense, but Bielema seemed confident about that group coming out of spring, especially with the progress made by JaMichael Winston and Taiwan Johnson. There's depth on defense, and that's good. So, get it done, Hogs. You ended the season winning four of your last six. Bielema's punch-you-in-the-mouth formula is working --

[jbcarol]

Hugh Kellenberger @HKellenbergerCL  ·  5h 5 hours ago

Ole Miss won with guys that were supposed to be too short/heavy/light/something. It did anyways. Now what? http://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/2015/05/05/kellenberger-draft-numbers-tell-whole-story/26963747/ ...

Here is a full and complete list of the NFL draft picks who played at Ole Miss from 2012-14 (I promise it will not take very long, so do not skip ahead): Donte Moncrief and Senquez Golson.

That's it. The first three seasons of coach Hugh Freeze's tenure have, to-date, produced two players that at least one of 32 NFL teams deemed draftable...

The 2009 recruiting class produced one draft pick, the 2010 none and the 2011 only two so far (Moncrief and Golson, third- and second-round picks, respectively). All of which means it was not too long ago Ole Miss was headed to a gunfight every Saturday with the kind of knife airport security just waves on through.

This paper hired me as its Ole Miss beat writer in the summer of 2011, and it just so happened that my first day was also the day players reported for camp that August. Even though I didn't know it at the time, basically what my bosses were doing was giving me a first-row seat to Ole Miss Football 2011: 99 Problems and Houston Nutt is Most Definitely One...

[jbcarol]

Georgia should be favorite in SEC East

While Georgia has a lot of questions, the East is still there for the taking. Missouri, which people keep overlooking, did lose a lot, especially on defense. Tennessee may still be a year away. South Carolina may be rebuilding. Florida definitely is. Kentucky and Vanderbilt, well, you know.

Georgia can still win the East even if it loses a game, or perhaps even two, depending on how things go elsewhere. Every division game is very winnable on paper. The hardest two right now project to be the out-of-division games: Home against Alabama and at Auburn. Win one of those two, and run the table in the East, and Georgia will be in Atlanta.

Still, Georgia fans are painfully aware by now that plenty can go wrong. The offense could take a dip, especially with the passing game concerns. The defense might not be as improved as expected. Or everything could go right, but Georgia still has one or two those annual egg-laying games...

[jbcarol]

David Paschall@DavidSPaschall
Sporting News preseason poll has 9 from SEC: Aub (3), Ala (5), LSU (14), Ark (15), Miss (16), Ga (18), Tenn (22), Mizzou (23) & MSU (25).
11:00 AM - 7 May 2015

[jbcarol]

MrCFB on Florida: They've gotta lot of work to do.

[jbcarol]

MrCFB on Arkansas: They've gotta chance to make some noise in the SEC West if they get that kind of defensive effort again this year.  The SEC West is going to be brutal again...

[jbcarol]

 Tony Barnhart @MrCFB  ·  29m 29 minutes ago

The @MrCFB SEC Spring Tour continues. After two SEC East titles, is it time we gave Missouri a little more love? http://www.tonybarnhart.com/college-footba

Georgia, which returns four of five offensive linemen and one of the deepest backfields in the conference, will likely be the preseason choice. Tennessee, which now has some quality depth in the third season under Butch Jones, should also get a bunch of votes. South Carolina has an uncertain defense while Florida has an uncertain offense. Kentucky is getting better but needs to improve on defense. Vandy has too many issues to list here.

So I can see Missouri being picked third. There are still a lot of questions about this team. Such as:

**–Can quarterback Maty Mauk, who is 14-4 as a starter, finally learn to stay in the pocket? ...

**–Can Mizzou, for the second straight year, replace a couple of pros on its defensive line? ...

**–And speaking of defensive coordinators: Dave Steckel had been with Pinkel for 16 years when he took the head coaching job at Missouri State last December...

**–Can Missouri possibly  replace the production of wide receivers Bud Sasser (77 catches, 1,003 yards) and Jimmie Hunt (40 catches, 698 yards)?

**–Running back Russell Hansbrough (205 carries, 1,084) returns but his running mate, Marcus Murphy (177 carries, 973 yards) is gone...

To be fair Missouri, like every team in the SEC, had a bunch of questions this time last year. But the Tigers figured it out and won the division...

[jbcarol]

USC football schedule analysis: Ranking opponents by toughness

1. GEORGIA

2014 Record: 10-3 (6-2 SEC)

Date/site: Sept. 19, Athens, Ga.

Returning Starters: 7 on offense, 5 on defense

Recent Result: 38-35 Gamecocks in Williams-Brice Stadium in 2014

The why: Playing the Bulldogs in Williams-Brice has been no sweat for South Carolina of late. Sanford Stadium is a different story. The Bulldogs have scored at least 40 points in each of the past three games against the Gamecocks in Athens and have won two of those games.


2. A&M

2014 Record: 8-5 (3-5 SEC)

Date/site: Oct. 31, College Station, Texas

Returning Starters: 8 on offense, 7 on defense

Recent Result: Aggies 52-28 in Williams-Brice Stadium in 2014

The why: Turns out the Aggies weren't the best team in the country in last year, but they looked like it in Week 1


3. LSU

2014 Record: 8-5 (4-4 SEC)

Date/site: Oct. 10, Williams-Brice Stadium

Returning Starters: 9 on offense, 6 on defense

Recent Result: Tigers 23-20 in Baton Rouge, La., in 2012

The why: If the Tigers can get their quarterback position solidified (and that's a pretty big if considering neither Anthony Jennings nor Brandon Harris looked able to do it last year), LSU will be fierce. Running back Leonard Fournette is one of nine starters returning on offense and could be the toughest guy to tackle in the league this year. Kevin Steele and Ed Orgeron...

5. MISSOURI...

6. TENNESSEE...

8. FLORIDA...

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  May 15

Toughest stretch: Missouri http://es.pn/1FoHyIP

Tigers end the regular season going to Arkansas. Mizzou defeated the Hogs 21-14 last season to clinch the SEC East title but most expect the Razorbacks to be much-improved in 2015. This will be a stiff end-of-year test for Missouri, especially with it being on the road, though the Tigers have yet to lose an SEC road game since joining the league (sic).

Mizzou lost road games to then top 10 South Carolina, Florida, and A&M in 2012.

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  May 11

SEC post-spring bold predictions http://es.pn/1F9VAhn

1. The SEC will have eight 1,000-yard rushers: The obvious choices are Nick Chubb, Jonathan Williams, Alex Collins, Leonard Fournette, ...

2. Brandon Allen will have the SEC's highest QBR: (maybe ever)

3. The SEC's two-year national championship drought will end

4. Missouri won't win...

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  33m 33 minutes ago

Potential 2015 sleeper: Vanderbilt http://es.pn/1eaUpCt

Sleeper: Jay Woods, DT, RSo.

Why: Woods played in 12 games last year, starting five at defensive end and finishing the season with 31 tackles, including 1.5 for loss. People likely weren't very familiar with him around the league, but coach Derek Mason was very impressed with what he saw from his youngster in the Commodores' 3-4 defense last year. Now, Wood has packed on some pounds and has moved to defensive tackle...

[jbcarol]

 AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  3h 3 hours ago

.@Natalie_Pierre looked at all 14 SEC schedules. See where your team ranks --> http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/05/post_680.html#incart_river ... via @aldotcom

2) Arkansas

Opponents' combined winning % in 2014: 63.46

Opponents with winning records in 2014: 10

Toughest stretch: Sept. 26 – Oct. 10 (vs. Texas A&M in Arlington, at Tennessee, at Alabama)

[jbcarol]

 Michael Bonner @MikeBBonner  ·  15m 15 minutes ago

Mississippi State currently 66/1 odds to win the National Title. Dak Prescott is 8/1 (Third best) to win the Heisman Trophy per @BovadaLV

Heisman odds: Ezekiel Elliott 6/1; Leonard Fournette 15/2; Trevone Boykin 8/1; Nick Chubb 8/1; Dak Prescott 8/1

[jbcarol]

Kate Hairopoulos @khairopoulos  ·  May 18

Also...SEC West football storylines to consider as we wait for practices to begin in August: http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/columnists/kate-hairopoulos/20150517-hairopoulos-sec-west-storylines-to-watch-including-texas-am-s-running-game-new-qbs.ece ...

Calling the Hogs ... most improved

If Arkansas can continue its improvement from last season, which included snapping a 17-game SEC losing streak with a 17-0 win over LSU, it gives the West division a different baseline. Which team, led by a coach making at least $4 million annually, is destined to finish last?

The Hogs, under second-year coach Bret Bielema, won three of their last four games, including beating Texas 31-7 in the Texas Bowl. They finished 7-6 overall (2-6 in the SEC) and appear to be on an upswing. They are focused on building depth up front and must replace key pass rushers. Last season, Arkansas showed it can power run the ball, and the defense allowed an average of seven points a game in its final four contests.

"After walking off the field against Texas, we would've loved to play another three or four more games," Bielema said. "Our guys were feeling really good.

"Obviously we've lost some really good players, but our guys have used the momentum of that game and carried it forward. This spring we made a huge jump physically, the way we look, the way we walk, the way we handle our business."

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  22h 22 hours ago

Meaningful SEC moments from last season that will resonate in 2015 http://es.pn/1LbFhis

4. Arkansas' defensive awakening: One of the best coaching jobs anywhere in college football last season was the gem turned in by Arkansas first-year defensive coordinator Robb Smith. The Razorbacks transformed defensively, which, coupled with the gains they've made on offense, is a big reason the Hogs could make noise in the West race this season. Arkansas finished 10th nationally in scoring defense (after finishing 89th the year before) and held six of its last eight opponents to 17 or fewer points. That's old-school football at its finest, which is exactly the way Bret Bielema likes it. The Hogs had already established that they could run the football on just about anybody. Now, they have the defensive mindset to go with it in what should be a wild ride in the West.

5. Magnolia uprising...

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  17s 17 seconds ago

Ole Miss Rebels preview http://es.pn/1Lk14o7

Last season was historic for the Rebels. They climbed to No. 3 in the AP poll for the first time since 1963 and finished ranked for the first time since '09. With 16 starters back, spirits are high in the Grove, but coach Hugh Freeze must replace three-year starting QB Bo Wallace and make two trips to the state of Alabama.

Whoever wins the QB job—the battle between juco transfer Chad Kelly and sophomores DeVante Kincade and Ryan Buchanan should stretch into the fall— will benefit from one of the SEC's most talented groups of targets. WR Laquon Treadwell (48 catches, 632 yards in nine games last season) didn't go through contact this spring after gruesomely breaking his left fibula against Auburn, but he should return at full strength this fall. Evan Engram (662 yards, 17.4 ypc in '14) is arguably the country's most talented tight end, and WRs Cody Core, Quincy Adeboyejo and Markell Pack combined for 81 receptions, 1,044 yards and 8 TDs for the No. 5 pass attack (263.6 ypg) in the SEC last season.

Rebels were No. 73 in the FBS last season with 155.5 rushing yards per game (the lowest output in Freeze's three seasons), and Jaylen Walton averaged just 8.1 carries for 45.1 ypg (lowest among SEC starting running backs). "We have to improve," Freeze says...

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  2h 2 hours ago

Texas A&M Aggies preview http://es.pn/1ISTeCR

With eight starters back on offense, including a core of explosive receivers, scoring once again shouldn't be a problem for Kevin Sumlin's Aggies. The question for A&M will be whether new coordinator John Chavis, formerly of LSU, can fix the leaky defense...

With A&M's offense, you typically know what you're going to get right away. Under Sumlin, when the Aggies have scored on their first drive, they're 20–5. When they haven't opened with a score, they're 8–6. Early points (15 first-quarter TDs in '14, fourth most in the SEC) help them dictate the playcalling: A&M tends to lean heavily on the pass, throwing on 57.9 percent of all plays last year (tops in the conference). But Tra Carson has averaged 4.9 yards per carry in his two seasons since transferring from Oregon, and following a run, Texas A&M posted an 80.0 QBR last season. So expect a nice blend of QB Kyle Allen and Carson in '15...

The Aggies converted 48.1 percent of third downs in wins last season compared with just 30.1 percent in losses. Allen has playmakers to target, like WRs Speedy Noil and Josh Reynolds, but his completion percentage was just 46.7 percent on third down, compared with 65 percent on first and second. Limiting Allen's reps by winning the time of possession battle is key to containing the Aggies' O.

Sumlin pulled off a major coup when he lured Chavis... Success in Chavis' scheme starts with effective play at defensive end and cornerback, and the Aggies have recruited well at both positions lately -- particularly with DE Myles Garrett, who set an SEC freshman record with 11½ sacks last year. With 36 sacks, A&M was 24th in the nation in '14, generating tons of pressure from the edge. When the Aggies sacked the quarterback at least three times, they went 6–1.

Aggies had the SEC's worst run defense in each of the past two seasons (216 rush yards allowed per game in '14), and holes at defensive tackle and linebacker allowed opponents to gain five or more yards on 44.8 percent of their carries last year, also worst in the conference. LSU ran for 384 yards, Auburn 363 and Missouri 335. "We've got a lot of work to do," Chavis says. "But the talent is here." The Aggies have promising young 'backers in Otaro Alaka and Josh Walker, and they received a key signature from 6-1, 330-pound DT Daylon Mack...

[jbcarol]

 AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  2h 2 hours ago

Athlon picks Auburn as a top 5 team in preseason magazine http://ow.ly/NjiSI

Athlon ranks Auburn No. 4 in its preseason poll, five months after placing the Tigers at No. 8 in January.

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  23h 23 hours ago

Arkansas Razorbacks preview http://es.pn/1Sofmtd

Despite playing eight games against top-20 teams, Arkansas won four of its last six, shutting out LSU and Ole Miss after 17 straight SEC losses. The Hogs have a top O-line, and they've improved defensively under DC Robb Smith. "Last year wasn't a landing point, it was a launching point," coach Bret Bielema says...

...They return two 1,000-yard rushers in Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins, along with four starters on a mammoth offensive line that should be as good as any in the conference. Fifth-year senior QB Brandon Allen was healthy in '14, and it showed—he threw just 5 INTs on 339 pass attempts. Look for more play-action passing under first-year coordinator Dan Enos, especially targeting junior TE Hunter Henry, who led the SEC in first-down catches at the position (26).

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  May 22

Alabama Crimson Tide preview http://es.pn/1Ll5RWg

With a new QB, a void at WR and a once-machine-like D in need of fixing, a return to glory is a long climb.

In one season, Lane Kiffin changed everything. He took an offense that evoked 3 yards and a cloud of dust and turned it into a monster truck rally. The Tide attacked from all angles, dumping the huddle in favor of the hurry-up and in turn creating the most plays of 20-plus yards (81) in the Saban era. Of course, the personnel mostly responsible for the turnaround -- QB Blake Sims (3,487 pass yards, No. 2 in the SEC; 28 TDs, No. 1) and WR Amari Cooper (124 catches, No. 1 in the FBS; 1,727 yards, No. 2) -- must be replaced by a journeyman backup (Jake Coker) and a WR committee (ArDarius Stewart, Robert Foster and Chris Black) that had 33 catches. But Saban says it's no different from a year ago, when Kiffin took Sims, a four-year backup, and engineered the SEC's second-best offense (36.9 ppg).

Things get dicey when Kiffin becomes one-dimensional. In the Sugar Bowl loss to Ohio State, Sims had his second-most pass attempts (36). In a 14-13 win over Arkansas, Alabama was held to a season-low 66 rushing yards...

[jbcarol]

Chris B. Brown @smartfootball  ·  4h 4 hours ago
TCU coach Gary Patterson on gameplanning for Ole Miss (who TCU totally shut down):

[jbcarol]

tnsports @tnsports  ·  11h 11 hours ago
Picking the best weekly games of @SEC football 2015 http://tnne.ws/1HEdU2N  via @tennessean

Arkansas at LSU
This game will feature some of the conference's top running attacks. LSU's Leonard Fournette and Arkansas' Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins are among the league's best. Although the Razorbacks are coming off a 7-6 season, few non-Arkansas fans realize that they lost four games by a touchdown or less.

Other games:
Kentucky at Vanderbilt
North Texas at Tennessee
Alabama at Mississippi State
Georgia at Auburn
Florida at South Carolina
BYU vs. Missouri in Kansas City
Western Carolina at Texas A&M

[jbcarol]

 AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  14m 14 minutes ago

Oddsmaker projects number of Alabama wins for 2015 season. http://ow.ly/NsIu5

SEC win totals (according to 5Dimes)

1. Alabama, 9.5

2. Georgia, 9

T3. Arkansas, 8.5

T3. Auburn, 8.5

T3. Ole Miss, 8.5

6. LSU, 8

7. Texas A&M, 7.5

T8. Mississippi State, 7

T8. South Carolina, 7

10. Kentucky, 6

11. Vanderbilt, 3

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  3h 3 hours ago

Razorbacks are trending up in Bret Bielema's eyes http://es.pn/1J1Knk0

DESTIN, Fla. -- While on a little speaking circuit earlier this year, Arkansas coach Bret Bielema was informed that he became the first coach in school history to beat LSU, Ole Miss and Texas in the same season. Bielema, who is in his second year with the Razorbacks, engineered a team that pounded all three by a combined score of 78-7.

"I thought that sounded really good," Bielema said of his second-year feat...

"I don't like 7-6. It equals the worst record that I've ever had as a coach at Wisconsin," Bielema said.

Can Bielema have the same sort of success with the Hogs? Well, he feels pretty good about the team he has coming back for the season ahead. He has a senior quarterback; a burly, beefy, experienced offensive line; two All-SEC-caliber running backs; and what he believes is quality depth along his athletic defensive line. This isn't a perfect team, but with the momentum Arkansas gained from winning three of its last four games and the talent coming back (16 starters return), Bielema is pretty high on his Hogs.

"I like where we're going," he said. "I know we're a better football team than we've ever been since I've been here. I have a senior quarter, our kids do it the right way."