By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Timing is everything.

I met my wife at an impromptu party my roommates and I had in Chapel Hill over 17 years ago. We were originally supposed to hang out with another group of friends, but just didn’t want to, so we decided to have people over to our apartment, instead.

Had that not taken place I never would have met my wife and would be 37 years old, probably living in my parents’ basement, still believing BASEketball is the perfect date movie.

The reason I mention this- besides never passing up an opportunity for a BASEketball reference- is the timing is set up perfectly for Georgia to dominate the SEC East over the next few football seasons.

Part of the reason is Georgia has set themselves up nicely for the future. They’ve got a good coach in Kirby Smart and strong recruiting classes coming in.

The other reason, and this is where the whole “timing” things comes in, is the level of competition they’ll be facing within their own division.

If people have referred to the SEC East these past 3-4 seasons as being a dumpster fire, the next 2-3 years will be a flaming inferno of mediocrity. You might as well start putting together those Poseidon gifs right now; you’ll be able to use them.

I like some of the progress being made at schools like Vanderbilt, Missouri, South Carolina, and Kentucky. But, with all due respect to those four programs, unless something drastic we’re to change over the next year or two, neither of those schools should be able to compete with Georgia on the field.

And let’s be honest, Georgia’s path to the SEC East dominance won’t be because they’re able to consistently beat those four teams I just mentioned. Their success will be based on the outcome of their matchups against Florida and Tennessee.

They say if a quarterback drafted in the first round becomes a bust it can set a franchise back three or four years. I believe Florida and Tennessee are about to find out the same thing can be said for coaches too.

(You could argue, and correctly I might add, that after coaches like Ron Zook and Derek Dooley, both programs are well aware that fact.)

Let’s start with Tennessee. I know just about every Vols fan is salivating at the possibility of Jon Gruden returning to Knoxville. I guess it could happen, but so could me winning a Pulitzer for my article on Lane Kiffin’s tweets.

Just because it can happen, doesn’t mean it will, or even that it should. Whoever takes over in Tennessee, success won’t happen overnight.

Florida is basically in the same boat as Tennessee, they’re just not taking on quite as much water as he Volunteers.

There is some talent in Gainesville, and with the right coach- all indications point to Chip Kelly, as of now- it may only take a year or two before they are back where they believe they belong.

Since Spurrier left in 2001, they’ve pretty much struck out with everyone they’ve brought in, with the exception of Urban Meyer. Granted, Meyer’s hiring almost outweighs the other three coaching disasters, but not completely. I just can’t shake the feeling that Florida will somehow screw this up.

Either way, the bottom line is this: the next 2-3 years are set up perfectly for Georgia to dominate the SEC East. Coaching and talent will play a huge role, but like with most things in life, timing is everything.