College Football
Geaux Tigers
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The SEC is Alabama’s conference, at least lately.
The SEC West is even more specifically Alabama’s division in Alabama’s conference. For residents of Tuscaloosa and its many supporters, that’s terrific; but for everyone else, it’s less than ideal. It’s a drag on most college football programs but maybe most of all it’s a burden to bear for Louisiana State University.
The main reason for that burden is the man at the top of Alabama’s successful run; former LSU head coach Nick Saban.
Ed Orgeron had big enough shoes to fill when he took over the Tigers’ program from Les Miles but really, he’s trying to fill the shoes of Miles who was trying to fill the shoes of Saban – and Saban’s success has loomed large ever since he left.
Miles brought a national title to LSU, but the Tigers haven’t beaten the Tide in the regular season since 2011.
When the university removed Miles from the top spot in 2016, Orgeron was tasked with two things: bringing the program back to the top, which also meant shaking off Saban and his team’s dominance as well.
Pretty much only Dabo Swinney can claim to have truly matched Saban’s level of success – against Saban, crucially.
Orgeron hasn’t yet come close. He has made great strides getting LSU back to being a fearsome program. The Tigers notched double-digit wins last year and finished in the top 10 for the first time since 2011.
Dave Aranda led a typically stellar defense out of Baton Rouge in 2018, and QB Joe Burrow found another gear late in the season and brought the best out of the team’s offense (which would have finished the season on a much higher note if not for the bagillion overtimes in their loss to Texas A&M).
Promisingly, much of Orgeron’s 2018 talent is returning for 2019 and coupled with the third best recruiting class in the nation, LSU’s prospects and looking very good.
Burrow is returning alongside most of his favorite targets from last year and the offensive line tasked with protecting him is stocked with veteran players.
Offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger has plenty to play with, especially if he wants to try out improving LSU’s underutilized running game with recruits John Emery or Tyrion Davis-Price.
Aranda has got a likewise deep defensive squad for 2019, even with the loss of first-round picks Greedy Williams at cornerback and Devin White at linebacker. White’s shoes could be filled with the likes of K’Lavon Chaisson or Micah Baskerville, and Kristian Fulton showed off his upside when he was on the field last season. That’s the one thing these potential replacements aren’t guaranteed, health.
That recruiting class is a natural consequence of a big season for LSU and Orgeron has rewarded the university’s faith in him since 2016. Wins lead to recruits, which in turn lead to more wins, which in turn lead to more recruits and so on and so on.
However, even with the double-digit wins and top 3 recruiting class, there is still the black spot: Alabama.
The Tigers have a very good shot at winning 11 games in 2019. They’re the favorites in nearly every game. Nearly, because the Crimson Tide waits on the schedule, salivating at the opportunity to hang another 29-0 loss on the Tigers like they did last season.
The Tigers will be good this season. They’re good already. But the shadow of Nick Saban darkens the hope and excitement of the 2019 season for the Tigers.
Is having 10 or 11 wins and being victorious in bowl games enough to satisfy LSU when Alabama is annually wiping the floor with them and contending for national championships?
Return To Rocky Top For Vols?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Tennessee is a proud member of the SEC. The Vols are second, only to Alabama, in all-time wins and tied with UGA for second in SEC titles with 13 behind only Alabama.
2019 will mark the end of the worst decade in Tennessee football history. The 2019 Vols will try to avoid a third straight losing season under second year head coach Jeremy Pruitt, who inherited a huge mess to clean up in Knoxville after the Lane Kiffin, Derek Dooley, and Butch Jones experiments went terribly wrong.
Tennessee has not won an SEC title since 1998, and hasn’t played for one since 2007, which was the last time this program won 10 games in a season.
When Pruitt was hired, he told everyone to be patient because it was going to take a few recruiting cycles to get the Vols back into contention with the upper tier of the SEC.
Jeremy Pruitt is a tough hard-nosed football coach that knows the recipe for winning. Will Tennessee give him the time to get the job done? That is the real question.
For the first time in three years, Tennessee heads into the season with the same starting quarterback it had in the opener the previous year with Jarrett Guarantano. Guarantano should make big improvements in 2019. Tennessee has a really good set of wide receivers with Jauan Jennings and Marquez Callaway.
The running game must improve this fall with Ty Chandler, who is the best playmaker on the roster.
The offensive line play was horrible in 2018 and must get better but how with transfers, medical retirements, etc.?
Jim Chaney comes back from Georgia as offensive coordinator and is very well respected in the college football ranks.
Defensively, the Vols look good at safety and have some young talented corners.
Tennessee recruited the JUCO ranks hard for defensive line depth.
This team will be better in 2019 but the won/loss record may not reflect that.
Here are my game by game predictions for Tennessee in 2019.
Aug. 31 | Georgia State | Knoxville: The Vols take care of Georgia State at home 34-17 to go to 1-0 on the season.
Sept. 7 | BYU | Knoxville: The Cougars come to Knox Vegas and get beat by Tennessee 31-27. Vols go to 2-0 on the season.
Sept. 14 | Chattanooga | Knoxville: Vols win easy 41-13 to go to 3-0 on the season.
Sept. 21 | at Florida | Gainesville: The Swamp is not very kind to Tennessee and it won’t be again in 2019. Florida wins 31-20. Tennessee drops to 3-1 and 0-1 in the SEC.
Oct. 5 | Georgia | Knoxville: Dawgs won 41-0 in 2017 at Neyland Stadium. UGA is the most talented team in the SEC East and the team the Vols have to catch up with in recruiting. UGA wears UT down and pulls away for a 38-17 win. Tennessee goes to 3-2 and 0-2.
Oct. 12 | Mississippi State | Knoxville: This is a game UT must win. It will be tough as nails but the Vols get back on track with a 24-20 win. UT goes to 4-2 and 1-2.
Oct. 19 | at Alabama | Tuscaloosa: 12 straight losses to Alabama and have given up 40 points or more in 7 of them. This is another ugly one. Alabama 42-10. 4-3 and 1-3 in SEC.
Oct. 26 | South Carolina | Knoxville: Battle of two pretty much even teams. Give UT the edge at home 21-17. 5-3 and 2-3.
Nov. 2 | UAB | Knoxville: Vols get bowl eligible 38-13. 6-3 on the season.
Nov. 9 | at Kentucky | Lexington: Another tough one on the road. Give me the Cats 27-24. UT goes to 6-4 and 2-4 in SEC
Nov. 23 | at Missouri | Columbia: Tennessee is not winning in COMO. Mizzou wins 41-27. 6-5 and 2-5 in SEC.
Nov. 30 | Vanderbilt | Knoxville: Vandy hasn’t beat Tennessee in four straight games since 1923. Not happening in 2019. Vols get to seven wins with a 35-20 win over Vandy.
Tennessee finishes the regular season at 7-5 and 3-5 in the SEC and probably goes to the Music City Bowl in Nashville.
A winning season to close out the worst decade in Tennessee football history. Will the Vols ever be what they once were again? I hope they make it back. We miss you Big Orange.
Plain Auburn On The Plains?
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Auburn is a very interesting program. It seems like every 4-5 years they have a great team but in between that, the Tigers are average.
They finished the 2018 season 8-5 and demolished Purdue 63-14 in the Music City Bowl.
They lost star quarterback Jarrett Stidham, he graduated and was drafted by New England in the fourth round.
Gus Malzahn is an offensive coach and the Tigers are supposed to have an explosive offense. He needs a good signal caller for the offense to be at its peak. Malzahn is on the hot seat so it’s going to be crucial for him to pick the right guy.
His overall record is 53-27 and he’s 2-4 in bowl games. His best season was in his first year (2013) and the Tigers won 12 games and played in the national championship. Since then Auburn has hovered around the 8-win mark with the lone exception of the 2017 season (10 wins).
There are two true freshmen that will see significant playing time. Bo Nix is a five star recruit and he was the No.1 dual-threat QB in the nation. The newcomer at quarterback broke numerous records while leading Pinson Valley High to back-to-back state titles with his father, Auburn legend Patrick Nix as the head coach.
He had more than 12,000 total yards of offense in his career and recorded 161 total touchdowns, including 127 scores through the air. He earned practically every in-state award you can imagine including the state of Alabama’s Mr. Football.
Joey Gatewood is also competing for the starting quarterback spot. He’s a 4 star recruit and the top ranked athlete in the country.
Gatewood is taller at 6-foot-5 and 233 pounds. He also draws comparisons to Auburn legend Cam Newton from his own teammates at Auburn, which he doesn’t much like to hear, by the way.
Gatewood arrived at Auburn with incredible numbers from high school, even though he shared playing time at Bartram Trail in St. Augustine, Florida as a senior.
He still managed to pass for 1,468 yards and 12 touchdowns while also running for 1,100 yards and 16 touchdowns. He split reps with Riley Smith, who went on to sign with Boise State. They rotated series evenly, and the coaches never deviated from that plan, even when one quarterback may have been playing better than the other during the game.
The season kicks off August 31st against Oregon at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. The Ducks were 9-4 in 2018 and they are led by talented senior quarterback Justin Herbert. I give the edge to Oregon.
The next two games are home against Tulane and Kent State. Both are easy wins.
The first conference game is September 21st on the road at Texas A&M. I think the Aggies win this one.
They play Mississippi State at home the following week and beat the Bulldogs.
The next three games are all on the road against Florida, Arkansas and LSU. The game I fully expect them to win is Arkansas. Florida will beat Auburn. I think the LSU game will be close. They return quarterback Joe Burrow so I give the edge to the purple and gold Tigers.
They return home versus Ole Miss and that’s a win.
After a bye week, Georgia comes to town. UGA wins this game.
The SEC plays scrimmage games before the season finale and Auburn’s opponent is an FCS team, Samford. This is an easy win.
The final game is against their bitter rival and SEC bully, Alabama. The Crimson Tide will win.
This will be a tough season.
SEC Heated Seats
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In most years, after a season ends there is some turnover within the coaching fraternity.
I say “most” because after last year’s college football season, for the first time since back when Disney Animation used to turn other people’s stories into movies instead of just “reimagining” their own, the SEC did not have any turnover at the head coaching position.
I know this season hasn’t even started yet, but I feel it’s safe to assume there won’t be a repeat this time around.
Below are all the SEC coaches and the likelihood I think they’ll be coaching somewhere else following this upcoming season.
Commit a felony before they’re fired: Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, Dan Mullen, Jimbo Fisher.
In Saban’s case, I’m not even sure committing a felony would get him fired. In fact, I feel pretty sure if that ever happened at least a dozen Crimson Tide fans would plead guilty to whatever the charge was, and then probably be given a key to the city.
As for the other three, they’re not going anywhere, and nor should they be.
The car has a heated seat, but it’s summer time, so there’s no reason to turn it on: Ed Orgeron, Jeremy Pruitt, Mark Stoops, Joe Moorhead.
Short of some kind of national scandal I don’t think either of these four have much to worry about it.
LSU loves Orgeron, Pruitt is only in his second year, Stoops just lead Kentucky to arguably their most successful season in the program’s history, and Moorhead followed the most successful coach at MSU with a decent season of his own.
I’m not saying it can’t happen to either of these three, it’s just not likely.
Phew, is it normally this hot in November: Will Muschamp, Barry Odom, Matt Luke, Derek Mason.
There always seems to be that one coach that is relieved of his or her job that catches people off guard; all four of these could be that coach this year.
Muschamp and Odom are almost mirror images of each other since taking over USC and Missouri, respectively.
A third-place finish or better for either will save a job; a fourth-place finish or below and the football gods won’t be quite so kind.
Luke has done a good job bringing some semblance of respectability to Ole Miss, but is he the long-term answer? At what point do you make that change?
I think Mason is a good coach, but would you really be surprised if he’s gone after another 6-7 season. At some point Vanderbilt has to get tired of the “good, for Vanderbilt” moniker, right?
Does Two Men And A Truck have any trucks available to rent this Christmas: Chad Morris, Gus Malzahn.
Obviously, the name that stands out is Malzahn. I’m sorry, but unless Auburn were to win the West (I don’t think so) or only lose to Alabama I just don’t see Gus making it to next season. I know people like to say “you get what you pay for”, but ask Auburn how they feel about that right now.
As for Morris, Arkansas is coming off their worst season in program history and this season doesn’t look to be much better. Sometimes you’ve just got to cut your losses.
If last season was a fairytale ending you can expect the end of this season to resemble that of a John Wick movie; there won’t be a lack of carnage.
The Coach’s Corner
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There are a few things I look forward to ever summer: vacations, beautiful weather, and SEC Media Day.
I have no idea why I look forward to Media Day with the enthusiasm of a teenage boy on prom night; maybe it’s because the summer months are fairly slow and it’s something to write about?
Could it be that sometimes they’re actually a tad bit entertaining? Regardless of the reason, with media days approaching here is what you can expect to see or hear from all 14 SEC coaches.
Dan Mullen. Mullen will start things off that Monday morning wearing a 2019 Florida Gators SEC Championship t-shirt, assuming the Gators are favored to win the conference title because he’s going ahead of Nick Saban and Kirby Smart.
Ed Orgeron. Reporters will bring in those interpretation headsets used during U.N. Conferences and still nobody will understand what the hell Orgeron is saying. Still, odds are at least one reporter will try and run through a wall.
Barry Odom. Most of Odom’s time will be spent asking the media to put in a good word with his fellow coaches, just in case he’s looking for a job at this point next year.
Kirby Smart. Smart will bring the transcript of all Nick Saban’s answers from last year’s media day and recite them accordingly. Things will get a bit dicey when he makes a reference to his quarterback, Tua Tagoviaola.
Matt Luke. This session will be one of the shortest of the summer. Luke will merely state “Still not Hugh Freeze”, will receive a standing ovation, then turn and leave.
Jeremy Pruitt. With Phillip Fulmer by his side, all questions will be directed to the Tennessee Athletic Director; nobody loves Phil Fulmer more than Phil Fulmer.
Jimbo Fisher. Fisher will spend most of his time subliminally mentioning Willie Taggert’s name whenever something negative comes up.
Nick Saban. The part of Nick Saban will be played by Bill Belichek. Everyone will be confused as to why “Saban” is talking about the Miami Dolphins and the leap Sam Darnold will make in his 2nd year with Jets. Yet, no one will question his remarks in fear of being yelled at.
Chad Morris. If it wasn’t bad enough Morris was at the helm during Arkansas’ first ever 10 loss season, he gets stuck with this slot at media day. Good news is most of the media will probably be eating lunch, so it may not be too painful.
Joe Moorhead. Moorhead will appear on the podium wearing a “My Name Is Joe Moorhead” sticker. No questions will be asked.
Will Muschamp. The final media day will begin with the South Carolina coach. If a coach nobody really cares about answers questions that don’t matter, does anyone really pay attention?
Gus Malzahn. I’m pretty sure Malzahn will spend his entire time reciting Chris D’Elia’s “Brinks” standup routine, because that’s what I would do if I were being paid $7 million a season with his coaching record.
Mark Stoops. This may be the first year Stoops doesn’t spend most of his time answering questions about Kentucky basketball or what his brother Bob is up to. Who am I kidding, that’s still going to happen.
Derek Mason. As the final session approaches all of the reporters but two will have already left, forgetting that Vanderbilt is still part of the SEC and that Mason has actually done a decent job.
Saban Rolling Out?
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The other day the Southern Sports Edition posted a story “The Question of the Day”, which consisted of 50 questions the southern sports fan should ask concerning sports in our region.
There were a lot of intriguing questions asked- you should give it a read if you haven’t already- but the one that stuck out to me was “How much longer will Nick Saban coach?”
I knew Saban was older than I originally thought (he’s 67 to be exact), but I hadn’t really spent much time pondering how much longer he’ll actually continue to coach.
It’s difficult to gauge the happiness of someone who is obviously allergic to smiling and showing joy more than once a month, but when you’ve dedicated your life to something and had the type of success Saban has achieved, you just don’t think of that person giving it up.
I admit, I don’t really pull for anyone in the SEC, so I can understand how that conversation may come up a little more often amongst fans.
If I had to guess, and that’s strictly what this is, I would say it’ll be at least 4-5 more years before Saban calls it quits.
Since 2008, Saban’s second season at Alabama, the Tide have finished tied for first or won the SEC West outright in every year except two, 2010/2011.
Over his tenure he has won 5 National Championships, 6 SEC titles, regularly finishes in the top 3 in recruiting and just happens to be the highest paid college football coach.
I realize at some point all those things pale in comparison to allure of stepping away from the stress of the job, but when you’re on a roll like that, it makes it more difficult.
No matter when Saban decides to hang it up, part of the fun is trying to predict who will take the reins once it happens.
I think the first call obviously has to be to Dabo Swinney. I don’t think he’d take it- Clemson gave him an opportunity and you could argue they are premier program in college football- but he does have a history with Alabama and you can never underestimate just how convincing some boosters can be.
The second call I’m making- it’s at this point you may throw whatever you’re reading this on against the wall and figure out some way to put a voodoo curse on me- is Kirby Smart.
Again, much like Swinney I’m not saying Smart would take the bait, but depending on what happens over the next few years in Athens, I wouldn’t completely discount it.
After those two, it’s a who’s who of coaches they could go after. Do they stay within the Saban coaching tree and go after someone like Jimbo Fisher or Mark Dantonio? Or, do they go outside the “family” and hire someone with nonties to either Alabama or Saban?
Outside of Swinney and Smart, it would probably be in Alabama’s best interest to look outside the program. There are plenty of decent coaches with a connection to Alabama, but I think you’d be looking at Matt Doherty with UNC type situation as opposed to their current one with Roy Williams.
There are more pressing questions with immediate repercussions, but when it comes to our region’s most popular sport and the one man who has had a stranglehold in the SEC, the timing of his departure, and what may follow, just might be the most important one of all.
Flight Path?
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Coming off of his first full season as a head coach, in which he turned a 2-10 catastrophe into a 10-3 bowl-winning squad, it would be easy to envision that Georgia Southern’s Chad Lunsford is breezing through his summer.
Then again, he’s now an established FBS head coach, and those guys aren’t known for breezing through much of anything.
Less than a month after Georgia Southern’s Camellia Bowl victory last December, Lunsford found himself in the middle of a press conference reminding reporters and his team alike that – for all of the huge strides taken in 2018 – the Eagles had only finished third in their own division and that there was plenty more to strive for.
“One thing we’re talking a lot about this summer is embracing expectations,” Lunsford said. “Last year was a different deal because of what we were coming from. Now we’re back, and everyone needs to know exactly what the expectations are for the Georgia Southern football program.”
The Eagles surprised the entire college football world by sprinting out to a 6-1 mark last season, highlighted by a 34-14 drubbing of archrival and eventual Sun Belt champion Appalachian State just days after App had gained its first ever FBS top-25 ranking.
But losses to UL Monroe and Troy following that high-water mark kept the Eagles from participating in the first ever Sun Belt championship game.
“We had the opportunities to achieve our goals last season,” Lunsford said. “We didn’t do it. A lot of last year was about how we responded better to adversity, but we didn’t get it done in some games where it would have really helped us.
“When it was time for us to put ourselves in the driver’s seat, we didn’t. I think everyone understands now what it takes to go that next step and to deal with what we know is going to be an even tougher schedule this season.”
The 2019 Georgia Southern team was finally all together in one spot last week as incoming freshmen arrived on campus.
Full team workouts were still a few days away and fall camp won’t convene until early August, but Lunsford and his staff wasted no time in beginning the process of bringing together the 2019 squad as its own unique and special unit.
Following team activities throughout the week, players and their families all attended a huge cookout – complete with tons of food and even a huge water slide.
“College football is a business,” Lunsford said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t make it a family business. We want everyone from players, to recruits, to all of their families to feel like we’re all invested in this together.”
As a longtime assistant within the Georgia Southern program, the culture and personality of Lunsford made him a clear favorite of players when an interim had to be named midway through the 2017 season. He kept the same personality in taking the Eagles from a spiraling mess to a conference contender in just one season.
Time will tell how the 2019 team will fare, but the team is sold on Lunsford and he is just as confident that he can use his established culture and newfound momentum to demand and expect even greater things for his team this fall.
Atlantic Waves
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Let’s take a look at the ACC Atlantic division and predict how the teams will finish this season.
Clemson: The last time we saw the Tigers they manhandled Alabama in the national championship.
They finished the year 15-0 and I expect 2019 to be more of the same. Clemson is by far the most talented team in the conference and it’s not even close. They remind me of Florida State in the 90’s when they ran through the ACC.
They have one tough game at home Week 2 against Texas A&M. That was a close game last season but it was on the road in a hostile environment. Trevor Lawrence is a Heisman frontrunner and he should win it. They will go undefeated again.
Syracuse: The Orange went 10-3 in 2018, which was a big surprise. We will see if they can sustain that success in 2019. They have 7 starters returning on defense and quarterback Tommy DeVito is a rising star. They play Clemson at home September 14th and that will be the biggest ACC game of the year.
They have had some success against Clemson recently, so I think that will be a close game. The ‘Cuse should win 9 games.
Florida State: The Seminoles are the gold standard for a dynasty in the modern ACC era.
Former head coach Jimbo Fisher had a ton of success but they did not play well in his final 2017 season. He was replaced with Willie Taggart and so far, it looks like a bad hire.
In his lone season in Oregon, the Ducks were 7-5. After he left, they were 9-4. FSU was 7-6 in 2017 and they slipped to 5-7 under Taggart.
The ‘Gulf Coast’ offense he brought to Tallahassee was terrible. Tailback Cam Akers is really the only bright spot for the team and he’s hoping to have a bounce back year. He rushed for over 1,000 yards as a freshman in 2017 but last year only had 706 yards. I think they can win 7 games.
NC State: The good news is the Wolfpack have 8 starters returning on defense. The bad news is on the other side of the ball.
Offensive coordinator and QB coach Eli Drinkwitz left to become the head coach at Appalachian State. They also lost three starters from a standout offensive line, two 1,000-yard receivers and quarterback Ryan Finley. All of those weapons led them to a 9-4 record and they were 6-2 in the ACC.
I expect them to take a step back because they have so much to replace on offense. They should win 7 games.
Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons were 7-6 last year, which is very good for this program.
An interesting fact is they have two players from the show QB 1 Beyond the Lights, Tayvon Bowers and Sam Hartman.
Hartman played well as a true freshman, throwing for 1,984 yards and 16 touchdowns in 9 games. They have the opportunity to go to their fourth consecutive bowl game and that should happen. They will win 6 games.
Boston College: The Eagles were 7-5 in 2018. They relied heavily on quarterback Anthony Brown and running back AJ Dillon. Both of them return this season so expect more of the same. They are good enough to win at least 6 games.
Louisville: The Cardinals were terrible last year, which got Bobby Petrino fired.
He was replaced by Scott Satterfield who had the same position at Appalachian State.
This is the worst team in the conference so I think they will win 3 or 4 games.
How The West Was Won
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Why don’t we take a look at the toughest division in all of College Football and that, my friends, is the SEC West.
Here are my SEC West Predictions for 2019:
Alabama 12-0: Tua will be the frontrunner for the Heisman, and Najee Harris may be the best overall running back in the SEC when it is said and done production wise.
The Alabama receiving corps with headlined by Jerry Jeudy are the best in college football.
Nick Saban is the best in the business, and the Tide has the best starting 22 players in the country.
LSU comes to Bryant-Denny, but dangerous road trips to Texas A&M and Auburn seem to be the only hurdles on the regular season slate. Alabama heads to Atlanta for another epic showdown with Georgia for the SEC Title.
LSU 9-3: Coach O has got the Tigers headed back in the right direction.
Joe Burrow is back under center for a second straight season. John Emery is coming in at running back, and LSU has the best defensive backfield in the conference.
With that said this team is not going to beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa. A tough road game at Texas in week 2, and dangerous SEC road trips to Starkville and Oxford in mid-season. I think the Tigers drop one of those Magnolia State road trips.
Texas A&M 8-4: This schedule is brutal with the SEC West slate plus Clemson and Georgia. Is this team ready for primetime?
The Aggies lost their leader rusher and tackler from 2018. Is Kellen Mond an elite SEC QB? Jimbo Fisher is an elite coach, but it’s still too early to proclaim the Aggies as great in this division.
The Aggies will lose to Alabama and LSU in the West this year.
Auburn 8-4: Gus Malzahn is sitting on the hottest seat in the conference.
Who is going to be the starting QB? Will a running back up to Auburn historical standards surface? The front seven on defense will be solid and Derrick Brown may be the best defensive lineman in the conference.
Who knows about this team? Georgia and Alabama come to Jordan-Hare. Brutal schedule with the opener in Dallas against Oregon and a trip to Florida make it hard to predict big things for the Tigers in 2019 which usually means they play in the National Title game right?
A lot of questions right now in Auburn, Alabama. Gus is feeling the heat.
Ole Miss 8-4: This is my SEC West sleeper team. Yes, I see 8 wins on the schedule.
This team has some talent on offense with Matt Corral at QB. Ole Miss always has productive wide receivers. Can this defense hold up is the question?
I think the Rebels come back in 2019 after the probation period and go bowling.
Rich Rodriguez may have struggled as a head coach, but he is one of the best offensive coordinators in the business. This offense will cause problems in the SEC.
Mississippi State 6-6: The Bulldogs are going to struggle in 2019.
How do you lose three first round draft picks on defense from 2018 and improve on that side of the ball?
MSU gets in a bowl at 6-6 and the heat starts getting turned up on Joe Moorhead in 2020. Keytaon Thompson has talent at QB. The jury is out on the Bulldogs.
Arkansas 4-8: Chad Morris is in a total rebuild in Fayetteville.
It is going to take a couple more recruiting classes for Arkansas to be competitive again. Proud program that let a Big 10 coach come in and drive it over a cliff. Hog fans need to be patient with Chad Morris.
Bowl Teams: Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State
Division upset of the year: Ole Miss over LSU in Oxford on 11/16. LSU suffers a letdown after losing to Alabama on 11/9.
SEC Championship Game: Georgia over Alabama
Putting In The Werts
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In 2017, Shai Werts was a redshirt freshman who was thrown into the fire as the quarterback of an inexperienced offense that ended up posting the worst record in Georgia Southern history.
Last season, Werts entered the year with plenty of question marks around his ability to run the offense and take control of games.
He answered the questions with plenty of big plays and bold statements as he fueled one of the best turnaround stories in college football history. Werts looked smooth in driving the Eagles’ option attack and didn’t turn the ball over once all season en route to a 10-3 record and a bowl victory.
Now entering 2019 as a grizzled veteran and unquestioned team leader, Werts is ready for the added expectations.
“I feel good,” Werts said as he relaxed on a couch at the Ted Smith Family Football Operations Center Monday afternoon. “We’re ready for a big year. We’ve got a lot of games that will make it tough to top last year’s record, but that’s what we’re setting out to do.”
Werts was cheery and casual with his answers, but he isn’t taking anything for granted. His demeanor was the same coming off of a 2-10 season where not much of anything went right for him.
The cheerfulness is part of his outward personality, but it only partially hides a more serious side under the surface. That focus and determination played a large part in getting the offense on track last season and is still burning even after the success of 2018.
“We took a lot of pride in what we accomplished last year,” Werts said. “I know some people are still picking us to finish behind Troy (and Appalachian State) again this year. They are really good teams, but we definitely take it to heart that some people don’t think we can beat them.”
For each of his first two seasons, Werts had the benefit of some senior leadership in the backfield with him.
There is still plenty of talent at the skill positions, but several offseason transfers and the graduation of running backs Wesley Fields and Monteo Garrett and tight end Ellis Richardson leave Werts with far more career snaps under his belt than anyone else who will line up in the backfield.
That can be an issue in the Eagles’ triple-option scheme. Even if running backs have all the vision and speed in the world, all of the timing between players has to sync up perfectly in order for reads, gives and pitches to work as designed.
That’s where Werts is stepping up as a leader. “We have a thing at least once a week called ‘Blue Collar’,” Werts said. “It’s player-led, with no coaches. We’re just going over plays individually. We’re getting on the same page right now. When fall camp starts, that’s when it will be time to execute in game situations and see who steps up.”
The 2019 Eagles are a complete unit, with all incoming true freshmen checked in for their first day on campus. Workouts, meetings and a few team bonding activities will fill up the calendar in the coming weeks, with fall camp slated to begin during the first week of August.
Georgia Southern kicks off the 2019 regular season on Aug. 31 with a trip to Baton Rouge to take on LSU.
