Previews for Alabama and the rest of the SEC 2017

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

What do Jake Bentley, Nick Fitzgerald, Austin Allen, and Jarrett Stidham have in common? They're all trying to slow down whatever that thing is in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

I guess that's why this thread is here: To see if anyone can do that. More coming soon...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Kentucky

The first preview segment for the SEC: The Kentucky Wildcats

Last season: Let's be frank here. After a 12-24 record over his first 3 years, Mark Stoops was on the hot seat in Lexington. Thankfully, he's all right now after 2016; Kentucky scored 4 wins in the SEC, made a bowl game, and most importantly crushed Lamar Jackson and Louisville... in Louisville!
And I've got a funny feeling that this joyride may continue into 2017...

Good news: The Wildcats return 18 starters to the team, including a deep and strong offensive line. The passing game SHOULD be better than last year's 102nd ranking, and their top 4 tacklers on defense are back.

Bad news: Despite that, there are concerns about the D-line and it's ability to make plays. And QB Stephan Johnson can make plays, but his wide-receivers need to help him out; there were a lot of blown plays last season.

Key games:
9/16 @ South Carolina (A few media outlets have been heaping praise on Gamecock QB Jake Bentley during last season. Think we'll get a QB duel between him and Johnson here?)
9/23 vs. Florida (If you don't like Kentucky's chances here, consider this: Florida must go to Lexington right after their game with Tennessee.)
10/28 vs. Tennessee (And speaking of the Vols, I've got this nagging feeling that Kentucky is gonna take them out this season.)
11/18 @ Georgia (This game will have a bearing on who wins the SEC East in 2017.)
11/25 vs. Louisville (When the Wildcats stunned Louisville, it was their first win in the series since 2010. Let's see if Kentucky can start a new winning streak!)

Bottom line: Is Kentucky ready to seize the SEC East crown? Eh, not yet. But I think they can still surprise some people... maybe enough to finish 3rd in their division! It'll all depend on that passing game finding a rhythm, and quick.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Georgia

Preview segment: The Georgia Bulldogs

Last season: When Kirby Smart came into Athens with all this SportsHoopla, you couldn't blame the fans for being psyched. I mean, they had a strong running game and Jacob Eason over there!
...Yet Season 1 for Kirby didn't go too well. Yes they defeated teams like North Carolina, Auburn, and TCU, but how does Georgia almost lose to FCS team Nicholls State?! And a bottom-tier offense didn't help the Bulldogs out in losses to Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech, either.

Bad news: A lot of hand-wringing is being done on offense, with Jacob Eason hoping to fix his mistakes from a year earlier and a wide-receiver group that needs to give him more help. But the O-line is the biggest worry; it's being rebuilt almost from the ground up.

Good news: You know, maybe those new kids can help with that O-line; Georgia fans were woofing all spring long about the recruiting class they landed. The running game is an embarrassment of riches, and I feel that the defense (get ready for this) may be right up there with Alabama's. Of note, the D-line could be NASTY.

Key games:
9/9 @ Notre Dame (Like I said on a previous thread, this game will be critical for both squads. Not just in terms of rankings and bragging rights, but momentum as well.)
9/30 @ Tennessee (A note to people planning to visit Athens, Georgia: Try not to say the words "Hail" and "Mary" together until this game begins; Bulldogs fans may be a little sensitive about last year's encounter with the Vols.)
10/28 vs. Florida [in Jacksonville] (And now it's time for the annual role-call of Georgia's biggest rivals! For the Florida Gators, just know that Florida's offense will be churning nicely by this point.)
11/11 @ Auburn (For Auburn, all Georgia needs to do is repeat what they did last year. Don't change a thing! ...Well, maybe pay more attention to Auburn's passing game.)
11/25 @ Georgia Tech (And as for Georgia Tech, just don't let your guard down. You did that last year, and BAM! Qua Searcy burned you for the game-winning TD.)

Bottom line: On paper, Georgia SHOULD be the favorite to win the SEC East; they got that great defense, a strong running game, and good recruits that can fill in anywhere they need it. Yet they've underachieved 3 years in a row, so we'll see if Georgia can break that habit. Otherwise Florida, Tennessee, or (god-forbid) Kentucky will steal the East from them... again.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Tennessee

Preview segment: The Tennessee Volunteers

Last season: On the surface, you'd think that Tennessee would be happy with 2016; they matched their win total from a year ago and snapped that long losing streak against Florida! AND they won another bowl game! Why are you Vols fans being so hard on Butch Jones?
...Oh, I get it! You're mad because Alabama cleaned your clocks. Come on! Nowadays that happens to everyone... Hold on, one of them is handing me a list of their losses in 2016.

...Wait a minute. Now it's starting to come back to me. Didn't I pick you guys to win the SEC East and make the "New Year's Six" last year? And then the Vols go and lose to teams like South Carolina and Vanderbilt. Oooooo...

2017 X-factor: Mounting pressure- During the offseason, an SEC coach (on condition of anonymity) said this to Lindy's magazine: "Any time Vanderbilt beats Tennessee, they ought to fire the coach at Tennessee. ...Vanderbilt should never lose to Tennessee."
It wasn't just the loss to Vandy; it's the fact that most of us picked Tennessee for the East and we were wrong. Couple that with Joshua Dobbs departing Knoxville, and right now it's a little tense over there for the fans and for Butch.

Good news: A great offensive line should ease transition pains that comes with breaking in a new QB, and the skill positions looks set with RB John Kelly and WR Jauan Jennings as starters. The secondary looks to be better, and Tennessee's special teams may be the best in the SEC.

Bad news: Jarrett Guarantano (to me at least) looks like the favorite to be the starting QB (he has a good arm and very mobile), but can he lead the offense like Dobbs did? Oh, and let's hope that this defense can be more physical and healthier than 2016's.

Key games:
9/4 vs. Georgia Tech (For Georgia Tech, it's about starting off on the right foot. But I think this one's more important for the Vols, especially for their psyche.)
9/16 @ Florida (Congrats on beating the Gators [finally]! Now let's see the Vols beat Florida in "The Swamp" [they haven't done that since 2003]!)
10/14 vs. South Carolina (A straight-up revenge game for the Volunteers, who lost to South Carolina 24-21 last year. But they better save some of that anger, because after this is Alabama...)
10/28 @ Kentucky (...and then this tough game against the sneaky Wildcats.)
11/18 vs. LSU (Apologies to Vanderbilt, but this is the bigger game in November for the Vols. LSU will be going to Knoxville for the first time since 2011.)

Bottom line: Yeah, I ragged on Tennessee a little bit, but I think they can surprise somebody in 2017. If the defense shows signs of improvement, Florida and Georgia may wanna be careful in the race for the SEC East. Otherwise, the heat gets turned up in Knoxville. Hand me a marshmallow!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Alabama

Preview segment: The Alabama Crimson Tide

Last season: Forgive me for becoming "chick-friendly" all of a sudden, but I'm now thinking that Alabama's 2016 season was just like the chick-flick "Moulin Rouge": It started out so wonderfully, with much singing and romance with Nicole Kidman (AKA: Nick Saban) and Ewen McGregor (that awesome defense) painting the town red... until it all went tragically wrong thanks to tuberculosis (AKA Deshawn Watson).
How else can you describe what happened in Tampa that denied Alabama that national title?

Bad news: Alabama had QUITE a few defections to the NFL (which I'll get to later), which could make places like the O-line and cornerback a little weak. Brian Daboll looks like a good offensive mind, but after what Lane Kiffin did he's got a tough act to follow. And depth at the QB spot is not great, so let's hope Jalen Hurts stays healthy...

Good news: ...because if he does, then Alabama's offense will be the efficient powerhouse it's always been. And as usual, with all of those awesome recruiting classes Nick Saban can just fill in ANY holes the team has.
Just let me list 4 players right off the bat that 'Bama has: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Da'Ron Payne, Bo Scarbrough, and Calvin Ridley. And all 4 of them are JUNIORS!

2017 X-factor #1: The NFL Draft- Last April, 10 players from Tuscaloosa were selected in the NFL Draft, and even with Nick Saban still here replacing all of those guys won't be easy to do. Plus, remember those 4 players I mentioned? How many of THOSE guys will leave for the NFL after the season? 2...3... or maybe all 4?
X-factor #2: Saban's new contract- We all thought that if 'Bama won the national title (or even if he didn't), Nick Saban would retire. Well, we were all wrong; Saban sighed a contract extension that puts his salary at $65 million... $11,150,000 of it in 2017 alone!
But let's be realistic here; you guys may be outraged, but Nick Saban isn't leaving that money on the table to go work for peanuts at ESPN. He's not stupid.
I guess the question now is: How long will that contract last before Saban says "Enough" and leaves?

Key games:
9/2 vs. Florida State (Tickets for this game on StubHub are already at $460 dollars... and climbing!)
10/7 @ Texas A&M (This may be Alabama's first real test in the SEC, as they take on an Aggies team that'll be beyond desperate for a big win for their coach.)
10/14 vs. Arkansas (Last time Alabama played a multi-year starting QB, it was last January against Clemson. So Alabama might wanna be careful against Austin Allen.)
11/4 vs. LSU (And then, it'll be time for the annual bloodbaths against the Bayou Bengals...)
11/25 @ Auburn (...and the Tigers. But wait! Could Auburn actually have a quarterback this season?)

Bottom line: ...You know what? I'm not hiding it anymore; Alabama's my pick to win the whole thing. They got Jalen Hurts, all of that 5-star talent, a nasty defense, and most importantly, motivation.
And they got a Nick Saban that is pissed. And we've all seen what happens when Nick Saban gets pissed.

 

[outofyourmind]

Bottom line: ...You know what? I'm not hiding it anymore; Alabama's my pick to win the whole thing.

Not with 3 loses they won't.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Auburn

Preview segment: The Auburn Tigers

Last season: Despite no passing game and some spotty defensive performances, Auburn managed to do well enough in the SEC to reach the Sugar Bowl. And that allowed fans to turn down the heat on Gus Malzahn... just a little bit.

Bad news: Auburn lost it's top 2 pass-rushers from last season, so youngsters will have to step up on the D-line. Wide-receiver is also a worry, as there's no "go-to" receiver right now.

Good news: Strangely, that's about it for the bad news; Auburn has a LOT of depth on all sides of the ball. There's a deep secondary, a running game that could be among-st the nation's best (just ask Chandler Cox), and a strong O-line.

2017 X-factor: QB Jarrett Stidham- Almost the SECOND Jarrett stepped onto the Auburn campus, people started praising him as Auburn's solution to a quarterback game that's been lacking in recent years, with Lindy's going so far as to say "Yeah, Auburn, this is the quarterback you've been looking for". Oh, we'll see if that's true soon enough.

Key games:
9/9 @ Clemson (Ah, here we go! If Jarrett's as good as you say he is, he should have no problem defeating a drained Clemson squad.)
10/14 @ LSU (Last year's "Battle of the SEC West Tigers" basically was a "Loser Leaves Town" match, as Auburn sent Les Miles packing. This year, expect yet another bloodbath.)
11/4 @ Texas A&M (You know what's funny about this series? Since Texas A&M joined the SEC Auburn's been winning every game in College Station, and A&M's been winning every game in Jordan-Hare! Funny, right?)
11/11 vs. Georgia (You know what wasn't funny? Georgia tripping up Auburn 13-7 last year... just as Auburn was starting to think playoff.)
11/25 vs. Alabama (And of course, there's the old stand-by.)

Bottom line: Can you imagine that 7 months ago, Auburn was hoping Nick Saban would retire so that they can retake the state? Well, that didn't happen, so in 2017 Auburn will have to try to do it themselves. They DO have a talented roster, so if Stidham works out like everyone hopes he will, I see another "New Year's Six" bowl on tap for the Tigers.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Vanderbilt

Preview segment: The Vanderbilt Commodores

Last season: Phew. Finally! Derek Mason has Vanderbilt back on track (somewhat)! They grabbed enough wins to go bowling, and most importantly resumed their new tradition: Annoying the living hell out of the spoiled brats in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Good news: The discipline and talent on the team is getting better, as evidenced by the 'Dores secondary. RB Ralph Webb is back for one more year, and the wide-receivers in Nashville are the best Derek has had in his whole tenure.

Bad news: Injuries will be a concern for the 'Dores, as no QB other than Kyle Shurmur have thrown a pass. Both the O-line and the D-line have issues, and special teams still need some work. Oh, and losing Zach Cunningham won't help either.

Key games:
9/16 vs. Kansas State (Compounding all those problems is a BRUTAL schedule. It all starts with a visit to Middle Tennessee, then it'll be a Top-25 worthy team in Kansas State.)
9/23 vs. Alabama (Then, it's Nick Saban. 'Nuff said. [By the way, this is Alabama's first trip to Nashville since 2007]. But what could make it worse?)
9/30 @ Florida (Yikes. ...Well, at least it can't get any worse!)
10/7 vs. Georgia (Dammit! Are you SEC schedule makers THAT sadistic?)
11/25 @ Tennessee (Well, at least Vanderbilt will be toughen up for this BIG rivalry game against the Vols.)

Bottom line: Derek Mason's still looking for his first winning season at Vanderbilt, and with a veteran team returning he's got a shot. But unless his offense continues to improve, the 'Dores are gonna melt like hot butter under the heat of that schedule... and be forced to stay home come bowl season.

 

[Kelsen]

Not with 3 loses they won't.

Or with 5 losses. Or if they play in the NFL. That could go on all day.

So? What does any of this have to do with reality?


RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen
--
The trouble with ignorance is that it picks up confidence as it goes along.

 

[tducey]

Thanks for your opinion. I agree, Alabama looks like they'll be the team to beat again this year.

 

[Mistaken4193]

Bottom line: Can you imagine that 7 months ago, Auburn was hoping Nick Saban would retire so that they can retake the state?

LOL,When was the state ever theirs??

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

LOL,When was the state ever theirs??

Well... You guys WERE pretty terrible during the 1950's.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Florida

Preview segment: The Florida Gators

Last season: For the 2nd year in a row, Florida's offense was not so good. And for the 2nd year in a row, it didn't matter to coach Jim McElwain as he got the Gators to their 2nd straight SEC title game.
But getting your tail kicked in Atlanta by Alabama again had to hurt. Couple that with losses to Tennessee and Florida State, and it's safe to say the honeymoon's over right now in Gainesville.

Good news: Sayyyy... Florida may have their best players at RB and WR since Tim Tebow was there! Watch for Jordan Scarlett and Antonio Callaway to push the Gators offense forward. On defense, David Reese (a star playing as a freshmen last year) will anchor the defensive line.

Bad news: Depth at secondary is not good; I heard that freshmen may be called upon to fill in some key spots. The O-line is experienced, but can it generate some REAL push this season? And what's this I've heard about Florida naming a new starting QB?

Key games:
9/2 vs. Michigan [in Arlington] (8 players from Florida got selected in last April's NFL Draft. So why do I think Florida can still win this big-time opener? Because Michigan went through it's own talent drain, as well.)
9/16 vs. Tennessee (Florida won't need ANY fancy tricks to get psyched for this rivalry game. Not after what the Vols did to them last season.)
10/7 vs. LSU (Maybe the hardest home game the Gators may have all season. By this time, "Coach O" will have LSU rolling, so expect a close one.)
10/28 vs. Georgia [in Jacksonville] (Is it any coincidence that Florida had defeated Georgia the last 2 years, and both times they went on to the SEC title game? I think not!)
11/25 vs. Florida State (Same scenario as the Tennessee game, but substitute the Vols for the Seminoles. AND add the fact that they've beaten the Gators 4 straight times.)

Bottom line: Oh, the schedule's not THAT bad, you wimps. Sure, you gotta deal with Michigan and LSU, but you only have 3 true road games! And if you FINALLY get that offense up and running, there'll be no excuse not to shoot for a 3rd straight SEC East crown.
I guess the big question now is this: Are these youngsters for Florida ready to make that climb right now?

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Mississippi State

Preview segment: The Mississippi State Bulldogs

Last season: Sorry, people of Starkville, but your Bulldogs kinda stroked me the wrong way in 2016. I mean, how was it possible; you guys lose to South Alabama, finish 5-7, and STILL make a bowl game?! But you know, if the Bulldogs had a better defense, maybe that wouldn't had happened.

Good news: There IS a chance that Mississippi State can fix their defense; their D-line looks formidable. And hey, how about Nick Fitzgerald filling the shoes of Dak Prescott? He threw for 37 TD's in his first year as a starter, and he might be better in 2017 with targets like... like...

Bad news: ...well, whattya you know? I can't think of anybody at wide-receiver that can be a true playmaker. The O-line is also an area of concern, and so is the kicking game (Freshmen Tucker Day may have to be both the kicker and punter).

Key games:
9/16 vs. LSU (Another strike against Miss. State is their hard conference slate, which may be even harder than Vanderbilt's. So I'd say stunning LSU would be a great first step to survival for them.)
9/30 @ Auburn (Then after dealing with Georgia, it'll be an Auburn team that by this time could be rolling offensively.)
10/14 vs. BYU (Another chance for Miss. State to defend the shield of the SEC against BYU... and let's hope it goes better than the last time.)
11/23 vs. Ole Miss (Just be forewarned: The Rebels WILL treat this "Egg Bowl" as their bowl game this season.)

Bottom line: Nick Fitzgerald will be a calming force for Miss. State, but question marks on defense and the O-line will make it hard for the Bulldogs to go bowling in 2017. But then again, if they manage to NOT blow it against teams like Louisiana Tech and UMass, then maybe they can sneak into a bowl game again.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Mississippi

Preview segment: The Old Miss Rebels

Last season: Jesus Christ, this is just a sad story. From 2012 to 2015, things were majestic in Oxford, Mississippi. Increasing win totals every year, major bowl games (including that Sugar Bowl win 2 years ago), and most importantly they were wooing away future NFL players from the other SEC schools.
Then came 2016. With the NCAA sniffing them out and outside noise getting louder and louder, the Rebels blew QUITE a few 2nd-half leads and finished 5-7 with no bowl.
Now thanks to people getting evil and manipulative, Ole Miss (and their coach Hugh Freeze) are facing a scary future.

Bad news: When you give up 55 points to teams like Mississippi State, you know that your defense sucks. And with a lack of talent (and recruits) coming in, 2017's defense may not be much better.

Good news: New QB Shea Patterson looked good in a couple of starts last season, and he'll help Ole Miss score some points in his 1st full year as the starter. The O-line may be the best Hugh Freeze has ever had in Oxford.

2017 X-factor: Motivation- Of course, there's the matter of the bowl ban Ole Miss has in 2017. With that staring the players in the face, it'll be interesting to see how motivated they'll be at the beginning of the season... and as the season progresses. That goes double for that worrisome defense.

Key games:
9/16 @ California (This game may be in Berkeley, but it's still a totally winnable game for the Rebels. And it'll be a must-win for them, 'cause consecutive road trips to Alabama and Auburn will soon follow.)
10/14 vs. Vanderbilt (After that little "death-march", the Rebels return home to seek revenge against the 'Dores. You know, the same team that crippled them 38-17 last year.)
10/28 vs. Arkansas (In addition to the blown leads, Old Miss had a few "near-misses" in 2016. Losing a heartbreaker against Arkansas 34-30 was one of them. [By the way, this series has been great the last couple of years!])
11/23 @ Mississippi State (Again, Miss. State scored 55 points against the Rebels! It was a total humiliation, and one that Ole Miss will hopefully fix.)

Bottom line: Without a bowl berth to fall back on, Ole Miss will do one of 2 things in 2017: Fix their defense and surprise some people, or crash and burn. Considering what's been going on during the week with Ole Miss and that lawsuit that Houston Nutt filed, bet on the latter.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

How Ole Miss' sloppiness turned a straightforward investigation into a scandal

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Texas A&M

Preview segment: The Texas A&M Aggies

Last season: When Texas A&M was put at #4 in the CFP rankings in early November, Kevin Sumlin's job looked safe. Sure, for 3 years in a row his teams had a habit of collapsing in the second half.
But THIS year would surely be different; his offense was looking good, the team was 7-1, and that one loss was a forgivable one at Alabama. There was NO F--KING WAY A&M would collapse THIS time!
...And then the state of Mississippi ruined everything; Mississippi State stunned them 35-28, and then Ole Miss broke their hearts at College Station 29-28.
Fast-forward 2 months. After finishing 8-5 (with a bowl loss to Kansas State), Kevin Sumlin is on the hot seat... again.

Good news: I'm confident that A&M's offense will do well; WR Christian Kirk is an animal, and QB Nick Starkel looked good in the spring. A&M's special teams will be hard to stop as well.

Bad news: Line-play for A&M could sink the team again; question marks abound on a O-line that stunk last season. As for the D-line, it eroded badly late last season, and now with Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall gone it could be a hot mess.

Key games:
9/3 @ UCLA (Oh man... I'll bet FOX is already hyping this game as a "Hot-seat" bowl between Sumlin and Mora. On the positive side for A&M, they did beat the Bruins last year.)
9/23 vs. Arkansas [in Arlington] (A&M has won the last 5 games against Arkansas. So if that streak goes kaput, things will REALLY get hairy in College Station...)
10/7 vs. Alabama (...especially with this big game on the horizon.)
10/14 @ Florida (This is only the 4th time these two teams have met, and the first since 2012.)
11/25 @ LSU (You know, had the Aggies defeated LSU last year, maybe Kevin Sumlin wouldn't be on the hot seat right now.)

Bottom line: About the coach, I won't have a dog in this fight. Whatever happens, happens. That being said, if he gets this Aggies team to 9 wins with that schedule staring them in the face, I think he'll be just fine.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Louisiana State

Preview segment: The LSU Tigers

Last season:
WATCH: ESPNU hilariously re-creates radio call of LSU-Auburn ending

That link above has the perfect analogy for LSU's 2016 season. Many were hopeful that with the proper offense, Les Miles can save his job and maybe even win a national title.
But it didn't work. And with Les gone, Ed Orgeron had to step in and guide LSU to a 8-4 record. Now that Orgeron got his wish of being a full-time head coach again, let's hope things are a bit more stable in 2017.

2017 X-factor: New coach Ed Orgeron- On the one hand, Orgeron looks like the perfect fit at LSU: He's passionate, he's annoying, and he can recruit. On the other hand, he was a disaster the last time he coached at a SEC school (Ole Miss). I guess the big thing Orgeron can do is not try to run everything (like he did in Oxford).

Good news: Line play looks to be the strength for LSU this year; the D-line has a lot of returning veterans, and the O-line can only help with that powerful running game. QB Danny Etling has returned...

Bad news: ...but can he finally wake up a quarterback game that's been sleep-inducing over the last few years? Also, depth is not especially good.

Key games:
9/2 vs. BYU [in Houston] (We all know what happened last year when LSU started the season with a neutral-site game [just ask Wisconsin]. How LSU matches up against BYU's offense will decide their fate.)
10/7 @ Florida (It looks like LSU will be going to Gainesville for the next 2 years [thanks to that @$$hole Hurricane Matthew]. Expect another game that'll be low-scoring, but oddly appealing.)
10/14 vs. Auburn (In last year's game against Auburn, it wasn't just about losing Les Miles. It was about losing valuable momentum in the SEC West... which will be on the line again this year.)
11/4 @ Alabama (Blah blah blah, LSU needs to beat the Crimson Tide, blah blah blah, their QB play has to be good...)
11/11 vs. Arkansas (Jeez... For the 3rd year in a row, LSU has to face Arkansas right after Alabama?)

Bottom line: It's hard to say what'll happen to LSU in Ed Orgeron's 1st full year. At least let's call them the wild card of the whole conference; they're loaded with talent, but can they FINALLY put it all together? Well, after last year's debacle, I've got my fingers crossed.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

South Carolina

Preview segment: The South Carolina Gamecocks

Last season: It was Will Muschamp's 1st year at South Carolina, so we weren't expecting too much. They DID manage to beat Tennessee and make a bowl game, but the offense doomed them to a 6-7 record.
But that's typical of Muschamp's team: Great defense, but the offense leaved a lot to be desired. And it'll be the same in 2017...
Wait... My dark side's telling me something... WHAT?! It may be the OTHER WAY AROUND?!

Good news: Hmmm... Well, 10 starters DO return on offense for the Gamecocks. And that includes their new franchise QB Jake Bentley. On defense, the linebackers look good (with Skai Moore back for one more year)...

Bad news: ...but nothing else on defense impressed Muschamp during spring ball. And line-play (once again) will be a problem for an SEC team, as South Carolina's O-line needs a lot of work.

Key games:
9/2 vs. NC State [in Charlotte, NC] (To me, South Carolina's first 3 games will be critical to their success [especially for their defense]. First is this neutral-site game against NC State...)
9/9 @ Missouri (...and then they'll try to hold off Missouri's offense in their SEC opener.)
9/16 vs. Kentucky (Then, it'll be a dogfight against a Kentucky team that's also looking to move up in the SEC East.)
11/11 vs. Florida, and 11/25 vs. Clemson (Why am I lumping these 2 games together? Because they're 2 of the Gamecocks's biggest rivals. And also because they lost to both of them last year by a combined score of 76-14.)

Bottom line: With Jake Bentley on their side, the future looks bright for the Gamecocks. But for 2017, Muschamp must restore the confidence of their defense. If he can't, 7 wins may be their ceiling this season.

 

[Wamu]

Vanderbilt

Preview segment: The Vanderbilt Commodores

Last season: Phew. Finally! Derek Mason has Vanderbilt back on track (somewhat)! They grabbed enough wins to go bowling, and most importantly resumed their new tradition: Annoying the living hell out of the spoiled brats in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Good news: The discipline and talent on the team is getting better, as evidenced by the 'Dores secondary. RB Ralph Webb is back for one more year, and the wide-receivers in Nashville are the best Derek has had in his whole tenure.

Bad news: Injuries will be a concern for the 'Dores, as no QB other than Kyle Shurmur have thrown a pass. Both the O-line and the D-line have issues, and special teams still need some work. Oh, and losing Zach Cunningham won't help either.

Key games:
9/16 vs. Kansas State (Compounding all those problems is a BRUTAL schedule. It all starts with a visit to Middle Tennessee, then it'll be a Top-25 worthy team in Kansas State.)
9/23 vs. Alabama (Then, it's Nick Saban. 'Nuff said. [By the way, this is Alabama's first trip to Nashville since 2007]. But what could make it worse?)
9/30 @ Florida (Yikes. ...Well, at least it can't get any worse!)
10/7 vs. Georgia (Dammit! Are you SEC schedule makers THAT sadistic?)
11/25 @ Tennessee (Well, at least Vanderbilt will be toughen up for this BIG rivalry game against the Vols.)

Bottom line: Derek Mason's still looking for his first winning season at Vanderbilt, and with a veteran team returning he's got a shot. But unless his offense continues to improve, the 'Dores are gonna melt like hot butter under the heat of that schedule... and be forced to stay home come bowl season.