The Southern Sports Edition
McIntosh County Academy Hires New Coach
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Not even one year ago, the McIntosh County Buccaneers were in the third quarter of a state title game in Atlanta; poised to score the go-ahead touchdown.
However, that was not meant to be as a fumble derailed that opportunity and then the floodgates opened in the fourth. Macon County sent the Buccaneers home with the runner-up trophy.
Much has changed in the span of four months. The Bucs will go into the 2018 campaign with a new Head Coach and Athletic Director.
Jacksonville Jaguars Draft
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Yes, I’m the guy that picked the Jacksonville Jaguars to in the AFC South last year.
I bought into the hype surrounding the Jags as they dove deep into the 2016 Free Agent pool and spend a lot of money but did not get a lot of return.
I don’t think defense is the problem in Jacksonville, as you read rumors that the Jags may go after some high profile Free Safeties in this year’s free agent pool to sure up the back of that defense. Myles Jack has Pro Bowl written all over him and I read where Jacksonville will make him an every down LB.
When you look at what is holding Jacksonville down; then look no further than the offense. Critics put the blame on the shoulders of Blake Bortles, but for Bortles to develop into a next level QB he needs OL help. The Jags OL needs some major upgrades.
Bortles is always one of the most sacked QB’s in the NFL and a QB cannot continue to take those kind of shots weekly.
We are going to focus on a major problem for Jacksonville and that is running back. The Jaguar running game is pathetic ranking 22nd or higher in the NFL for the last five years. You cannot win in the NFL consistently without a running game, and this is where the culture shift must start in Jacksonville.
Look no further than the transformation of the Dallas Cowboys in 2016 and that started when the Cowboys selected Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth pick and Elliott was the best RB who led the league with 1,631 rushing yards.
Jacksonville holds the #4 pick and they need to select one of the top two backs on the board. The two best backs in the draft are Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook.
Fournette was a 235 pound monster at LSU and has a blend of power and speed that many in the SEC have not seen since Herschel and Bo. Fournette only played 3 years at LSU and rushed for 3800 yards and had his last season cut short by injuries.
The SEC is the major talent pipeline to the NFL right now and Fournette would be ready immediately to step in day one and be the Jags number one back. He can catch the ball out the backfield as well.
TJ Yeldon could then be converted to a third down option which he is best suited for. Fournette is a work horse and needs 20-25 carries a game. A good running game will take a huge load off of Bortles.
Dalvin Cook is the best RB to ever play at FSU. Cook has better numbers in college than Fournette and was more durable. Cook has 4500 rushing yards at FSU in 3 seasons and 46 TD’s and he carried the ball almost 700 times in Tallahassee and seemed to get better deeper in games.
Cook plays at 210 pounds and is an excellent receiving option out of the back field. The ACC was the best conference in college football last year. Cook did not get the press he deserved, but this guy is a beast and has home run speed.
The Jags must take one of these studs with the 4th pick. Jacksonville has to get better fast in the running game and you have to have the horses to accomplish this.
If the Jaguars pass on either Fournette or Cook then how do you get better on offense in 2017?
Future of SEC QB
By: Drayton Hogarth
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
While the Southeastern Conference has been the dominant football conference for years, now there is one question that is difficult to answer, “Where are all of the quarterbacks?”
Media and college football fans have been pontificating in recent seasons, why doesn’t the SEC have more viable field generals if it is the greatest conference in the country?
Well, Alabama’s Jalen Hurts, Jacob Eason at Georgia, Gamecock signal caller Jake Bentley, and Ole Miss quarterback Shea Patterson are all looking to change that perception as each of them now starts for their respective schools.
These true freshmen have come in and earned starting spots at four schools around the conference. Be it by outright winning the job from the beginning of the season or by taking over mid to late in the season, these young kids have come onto campus, honed their craft and have seized their opportunities to lead their teams both now and into the future.
Even though the conference has long had a history of both power offense with a defensive-minded foundation, the run of quarterbacks dates back well into the annals of time as Bart Starr, Joe Namath, and Fran Tarkenton are some of the historic NFL names that got their start in the SEC.
The tradition continued until the last four years or so. In particular, with the graduation of Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger after the 2013 season, the SEC had hit somewhat of a lull in top flight NFL caliber quarterbacks.
Well, good news football fans, or bad news if you are an SEC antagonist, the level of quarterback play in the SEC is about to hit a very high level; likely an all-time high.
When you talk SEC football, one may as well start with Alabama. And this topic is no different as Coach Nick Saban has entrusted his current team’s offense to the hands of a dynamic dual-threat quarterback in Jalen Hurts.
Hurts has stepped in for last season’s starter of the National Championship team, Jake Coker, and has seemingly brought an added dimension of the quarterback read option to the mix.
Hurts, along with a dynamic defense, has put Alabama right back at the forefront of the college football championship again this season.
Georgia Bulldog, Jacob Eason, has the eye of the NFL already. The huge 6’6” 240 pounder out of Lake Stephens, Washington, has the size and amazing arm strength that the NFL desires.
Statistically, Eason has been fairly steady. However, it is when the game is on the line that the young signal caller has elevated his game and seems to truly get dialed in with his receivers.
At South Carolina, Coach Will Muschamp gave young Jake Bentley the reigns after the Gamecocks struggled mightily for the first half of the season. Bentley has come in and pushed the Gamecocks to possible bowl eligibility by showing good poise and a willingness to hang tough and make plays. Bentley shows just enough mobility to keep defenses honest.
The latest true freshman to get the starting nod is Shea Patterson at Ole Miss. The Rebels have had a hugely disappointing season after entering with major championship aspirations.
Recently, leader and longtime starting quarterback Chad Kelly went down with a knee injury. Rebels coach Hugh Freeze went against the norm and pulled the redshirt off of Patterson, three quarters of the way through the season and despite a 4-5 record.
Patterson came in and actually led the Rebels to a major comeback over the Aggies of Texas A&M. Patterson would throw for over 350 yards in his debut, and would shine in the fourth quarter going 7/10 for 119 yards and two touchdowns, including a dramatic scramble and pass on one of those scores.
So everyone can relax and just sit back and enjoy (even more) these next three to four years of SEC football as the quarterback position is in very capable hands.
