Willy Robinson has seen it all.  With more than 30 years of coaching experience, the Arkansas Defensive Coordinator has been exposed to great defenses and, on the other end of the spectrum, defenses like the one he had at Arkansas last season.  Heading into 2009, the Hogs promise to be one of the most improved units in all of college football.  Of course, when compared to 2008 there really is only one direction this group can go. 

The starting front seven from 2008 returns along with a bumper crop of defensive back signees that plan to make an immediate impact on this team.  One year into the Robinson system, you hear words like “comfort” and “understanding” more and more.  The players feel like they are ready to play and react instead of think when the ball is snapped.  That is a far cry from last September.  Coach Petrino believes the second year will show growth.  “The second year, you see a lot of improvement because the players understand what you expect, they know what they need to do, and they’re comfortable with what you’re doing,” he said.

At one point last season, the Hogs started five sophomores and four freshmen defensively.  According to Head Coach Bobby Petrino, who reviewed the starting lineup the Friday night of game week, “I didn’t sleep very well that night.”  The youngsters grew from shoats to full-fledged Razorbacks over the course of the season, though, with the expected ups and downs along the way.  It is hard to tell much from the first two games against Western Illinois and UL-Monroe given that both were sloppily played.

The next game, though, against Alabama was shocking.  With the unexpected week off (thanks to Hurricane Ike that moved the Texas game back 2 weeks), many expected the Razorback defense to tighten the screws and be ready for the multiple offense at Alabama.  All hopes were dashed, though, early when Alabama went up 28-0 and never looked back.  The Tide did not need the passing game that day.  After almost 300 surrendered rushing yards later, the fact that these young Hogs would need to grow up in a hurry was obvious.

The next week at Austin was equally disheartening as Texas piled up 52 points and could have scored even more.  Coming off back-to-back games in which the team gave up a combined 101 points, there was little hope from the fans or those covering the team.  One can only wonder what those defensive team meetings must have been like.

Something happened the next week against Florida, though. The Hogs ended up losing 38-7 to the eventual national champs, but the defense played inspired football.  Jerry Franklin picked off Tebow to snap his consecutive pass streak without a pick (a UF record 203 attempts).  The Hogs held the Gators to 17 points after three quarters.  With a little help from the sputtering offense, who knows what may have happened?  Ultimately the Hogs were worn down by a superior team, giving up a few big plays in the final period.  But the worm had turned, or at least moved a bit.

The win at Auburn showed that the defense had tremendous heart.  The loss at Kentucky was gut-wrenching, and yet again the offense let the D down late by not being able to close the game.  Ole Miss escaped Fayetteville despite a gritty, inspired effort by the defense.  The key may have been Tulsa, where the Hogs shut down the high-flying Golden Hurricanes for most of the game, leading to a much-needed win.  The 89 points given up in those four games were still less than the two massacres against Bama and Texas, and more importanly showed steady improvement.

The trip to South Carolina was a huge disappointment, and the wear and tear of the season showed the final two games against Mississippi State and LSU, giving up 31 and 30 points to those two squads respectively.

Heading into 2009, the Hogs expect to be much different.  All the kids that played in 2008 are men now.  And to help things out, the coaching staff went out and recruited some genuine blue chip talent for the secondary.  Don’t expect a defense like 1961 (school record 177.4 yards allowed/game), but this group will definitely keep the Hogs in enough games to make some noise this year.  And by the end of the season, we may be looking at a group that shows just how formidable it can be when all pistons are firing at once.

Defensive Line

You can’t talk football without talking about the men up front.  Arkansas has a “man child” or two along the front, but the unquestioned leaders is senior Malcolm Sheppard.  Describing his own game, Sheppard says “I don’t think it’s necessarily so much one thing as much as a fearless aggression, doing whatever I have to in order to make a stop.”  At 6′ 2″ and 291 lbs, Sheppard appears ready to shed the label of being too small.  He will be expected to provide pressure up the middle and showed last year that he can do it by racking up 6.5 sacks.  Talking about his defensive leader, Coach Petrino said “Malcolm is a very good football player. He’s a guy that has tremendous quickness, has great anticipation as far as the snap count goes, and can really be disruptive to the offense with his penetration, his ability to rush the passer.” 

Zach Stadther, who saw plenty of action as a freshman, comes back and will line up over the ball at nose tackle.  Stadther (6′ 1″, 289 lbs) is very quick but has that low-center of gravity d-line coaches love.  He and Sheppard will provide a nice combo of quick linemen that can bunker down against the run, too. 

Senior Adrian Davis (6′ 4″, 252 lbs) hopes to be in the backfield a lot this season.  Coaches and fans alike keep waiting for that break-out year from Davis, who has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career.  Sophomore Jake Bequette (6′ 5″, 271 lbs) lines up on the other side of the line after a standout freshman campaign.  If players like Damario Ambrose and new signee Caleb Evans come along quickly, don’t be surprised to see Bequette get some snaps on the interior.  Like before, the Hogs will operate with a rotation up front in an attempt to keep everyone fresh and limit the opportunities for injury.  Patrick Jones enters fall camp as the backup behind Sheppard.  Big Alfred Davis (6′ 1″, 326 lbs) should also figure into the rotation up front as a redshirt freshman.  Jones certainly has the size (6′ 1″, 309 lbs) to be a true anchor in the middle.  Freshman DeQuinta “DeDe” Jones (6′ 5″, 307 lbs) should also see the field this fall, especially after spending the summer in Fayetteville working out and learning from his older teammates.

Linebackers

This group was the primary concern entering fall camp a year ago, but now this appears to be an area of strength.  With more experience coaches are high on the (linebacking) Hogs going into camp.  According to Coach Petrino, “All three linebackers, if we were to start today, the guys that we started, played a lot of football last year. I think Jerry Franklin played every play but six a year ago.”  Senior Wendel Davis looks like he may be ready to make “the leap” this season.  Davis is listed at 6′ 1″ and 230 pounds and hits like a truck.  He also has the speed to drop into coverage and really help the Hogs when they want to play zone.  Junior Freddy Burton returns, too, and looks like a football player.  The six-foot two-inch, 231 pounder from Morrilton is active and fast from the strong side.  Burton looks the part of a starting SEC linebacker, and now he gets his chance to prove it.  Sophomore Jerry Franklin of Marion, Arkansas, will start camp as the #1 guy on the weak side.  Franklin came to Arkansas as a safety but added weight to play up front last year.  Now at 6′ 4″ and 241 pounds, Franklin has the size to go along with his speed.  Hopefully some of the reserves can keep him from taking the pounding he did in 2008.

Khiry Battle is gone, but some would call that addition by subtraction given his off-the-field woes.  Jermaine Love (5′ 10″, 230 lbs) needs to step up and provide some depth behind Davis.  Bret Harris and Jelani Smith will also get looks at linebacker and special teams, along with signees like Austin Moss and Terrell Williams.  Redshirt freshman Tenarius Wright (6′ 1″, 238 lbs) could also factor into the mix at either linebacker (his natural position) or defensive end (where he logged time in practice last year and in the spring).

 Secondary

“A lot of times your secondary takes a lot of criticism when it’s not all their fault,” Petrino said to SEC media recently, “’cause if the quarterback doesn’t have pressure in his face, if you can’t play zone coverage at times behind a four man front, then it puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the secondary.”  While that may be true, the secondary had plenty of lapses last year.  And that has led to open competition for spots this season.

You may as well take the post-spring depth chart and light it on fire.  The starters won’t be known until mid- to-late-August as coaches evaluate the new talent with the experience that returns.  Junior Isaac Madison appears to be the favorite at one of the corner positions, but he will be pushed.  Ramon Broadway has been through the wars, and Jerell Norton showed he has the talent to succeed back in 2007.  But with new additions in Rudell Crim, Darius Winston, and David Gordon, the competition will be fierce.  Winston was a high school All-American at Helena-West Helena (Ark) Central, and Gordon won the Oklahoma 100m & 200m championships while in high school.  Crim was regarded by many as the top defensive back prospect coming out of junior college.  Andru Stewart, who transferred from College of the Sequoias (CA) before the spring semester, will also press for playing time.

At safety, all the buzz will center around Anthony “Juice” Leon.  The junior transfer started his career at Florida State, then traveled to California for junior college before settling in Fayetteville.  Matt Harris will not give up his spot without a fight, though.  And Elton Ford has been cleared to participate in fall drills after a promising freshman season was cut short by a neck injury.  If healthy, Ford will definitely be a factor at the safety position.  Jerico Nelson saw the field a lot as a freshman and will compete for playing time as well.  Leon will get looks at both safety positions before coaches determine where exactly he fits in the system. The Hogs have very capable help at safety already, but the addition of Leon makes this unit much better.

 Special Teams

John L. Smith returns to the field as Arkansas’ special teams coach this season.  A coaching mentor to Head Coach Bobby Petrino, Smith has not roamed the sidelines since his days at Michigan State from 2003-2006 — where he was namesdBig 10 Coach of the Year in 2003.  The shoe was on the other foot for Coach Petrino for years, as he worked for Smith at stops at Idaho, Utah State and Louisville.  When given the chance, Petrino jumped at the opportunity to hire his old boss.  “He’s brought a lot of experience to our staff. His relationships that he’s already developed with our players and our coaching staff will help us be much better,” said the head coach.

The special teams last year were abysmal, and Coach Smith plans to change things up.  One change you will not see, at least right away, is a different place kicker.  Junior Alex Tejada is back to try and prove he was worth all the ink during his recruitment.  He had offers from LSU, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, and Nebraska but chose the Hogs early in the process.  After a strong debut, his sophomore campaign was shaky at best.  With a season-long kick of just 30 yards in 2008, Tejada needs to show off the booming, accurate leg that got him on the field as a freshman.

One of the first things Coach Smith wanted to do at Arkansas was bring in a new punter after the graduation of Jeremy Davis.  Former Hawai’i punter Briton Forester hopes he is the man Smith is looking for.  He lettered for the Warriors in 2006 and 2007 before transferring back to the mainland last year and attending Palomar College in California.  He comes to Arkansas as a junior with two years of eligibility remaining.  Ryan Mallet actually spent time at punter this spring, too.  He could fill that role if Forester is to falter.

No one stepped up to fill the role of punt returner last season, as the Razorbacks ended the year with a team average of 5.3 yards/return.  The punt return game will be something Coach Smith needs to address immediately.  With so many speed burners on the team, it seems highly unlikely this group will repeat the dreadful season of 2008.  Jarius Wright will get another look, as will players like Joe Adams, and David Gordon.  A healthy Jerell Norton must be thrown into that mix as well.

As poorly as Arkansas performed on punt returns, the kickoff return team was much different.  While no one will replace Felix Jones anytime soon, Dennis Johnson impressed as a freshman.  The Texarkana native cut loose for a 96-yard touchdown return against Tulsa last year which proved to be the difference in the game.  Elton Ford also showed flashes before injury ended the year for him.  With a 21.1 yard/return average, the special teams put the offense in good position more times than not.  Expect Johnson to once again get his hands on the ball often with a wide open competition for a second option deep.

OUTLOOK

There is no doubt this team will be better than the 2008 version.  Experienced players, increased talent, and a coaching staff that has grown closer together as a unit are the ingredients needed to make a jump.  The biggest problem facing the 2009 Razorbacks is a brutal schedule that includes road trips to Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, Oxford and Baton Rouge.  Winning one of those is not out of the question, but the Hogs will definitely need to have all the key pieces in place to knock off one of the conference heavyweights this year.

The home schedule is more forgiving, and a neutral site game in Dallas against Texas A&M might feel like a home game for the Hogs.  Dallas is the largest base of Arkansas alums outside of the state.  Most Razorback faithful count any game in Dallas (in any sport) an additional home game.

The season really stumbles out of the blocks this year.  Missouri State comes to Little Rock to kick off the 2009 campaign on Labor Day weekend.  The next week is Arkansas’ only open week before a brutal 11 week grind against some of the best competition the nation has to offer.  Georgia comes to Fayetteville the third week of September in what many see as a national coming out party for Ryan Mallett and the Arkansas offense.  That game will be on either ESPN or ESPN2 at 6:45 local time, and the crowd will most definitely be ready to open Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium for the year.  The month ends with a trip to Alabama and the mighty Crimson Tide.  Navigating the month with a winning record will be tough, but a win against Georgia could be considered a coin-flip at this point in the summer.

October starts with the trip to Jerry World in Dallas and the new Texas Stadium.  The Aggies are coming off a difficult season, and some wonder if they are a year away.  Regardless, the Hogs look to leave north Texas with a victory and a lot of exposure.  Coach Petrino is very excited about the new series saying, “It will be great for our recruiting. It already has helped our recruiting in the state of Texas. I think it will give us a lot of recognition throughout the country.”

Auburn heads to Fayetteville the following week with the trip to Gainesville looming on the horizon.  I don’t expect the Hogs to be looking past Auburn, though, as those two games look like a split.  The most anticipated trip of the year is to Oxford, and it comes after the Florida game.  Even battered and bruised, the Razorbacks will be pumped up to take on the Rebels and their head coach.  After two emotion-filled weeks and three bruising SEC games, Arkansas celebrates Halloween with Eastern Michigan.

November begins with a visit from South Carolina and another non-conference game against dangerous Troy.  Both of these are winnable games at home.  The Razorbacks hope to carry a minimum three-game winning streak into their contest with Mississippi State in Little Rock on the season’s penultimate weekend.  Finally the Hogs head south to Baton Rouge to end the year against LSU.  For the first time in more than a decade this game will be played on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and not that Friday.  LSU hopes this breaks the spell of 2 tough losses in the past 2 seasons.

Most likely:  It looks like an 8-4 season for Arkansas with 7-5 possible if the breaks go the wrong way.  Winning against either Georgia or Ole Miss should get Arkansas to 8 wins assuming they beat the following:  Missouri State, Texas A&M, Auburn, Eastern Michigan, South Carolina, Troy, and Mississippi State.

With a little luck:  Bobby Petrino’s Razorbacks could really make a statement by winning both of those swing games and making a run at 9-3.  A Cotton Bowl berth would most likely await the Hogs with a season like that.

Best case scenario:  Stealing a win against the Big Three looks like a very tough get this year.  Many national pundits point to the October trip to Gainesville, but that seems very unlikely.  I actually like the Hogs to give LSU a run for their money in the Battle of the Boot to end the season.  The past 3 games have been great contests, and there is nothing to suggest this year will be any different.  A 10-2 season would launch Arkansas into the discussion for a trip to Orlando and the Capitol One Bowl.

Arkansas Offense:

Returning starters: 8

Key Players: Ryan Mallett, QB, Michael Smith, TB, D.J. Williams, TE,  Wade Grayson, C, DeMarcus Love, OT

One to Watch: Jarius Wright, WR

­Impact Newcomer: Broderick Green, TB

Arkansas Defense:

Returning Starters: 11

Key Players: Malcolm Sheppard, DT, Wendel Davis, LB, Jerry Franklin LB, Anthony “Juice” Leon, S, Adrian Davis, DE

One to Watch: Rudell Crim, CB

Impact Newcomer: Anthony “Juice” Leon, S

Key Game(s): Georgia, Sept 19, @ Ole Miss, Oct. 24, @ LSU Nov. 28

Schedule/Predicted Result: (8-4)

9/5     Missouri State (LR)              W
9/12   OPEN DATE                             —
9/19   Georgia                                    L
9/26   at Alabama                             L
10/3   Texas A&M (Dallas)             W
10/10  Auburn                                   W
10/17  at Florida                                L
10/24  at Ole Miss                            W
10/31  Eastern Michigan                W
11/7    South Carolina                      W
11/14  Troy                                       W
11/21  Mississippi State (LR)        W
11/28  at LSU                                        L

What a difference a year, and a vowel make.

 When Bobby Petrino resigned from his position as Head Coach of the Atlanta Falcons prior to the completion of an ill-fated 2007 season to take over the helm of the Arkansas Razorbacks, he was vilified by countless members of the national media.

A sports media mob mentality regarding Petrino quickly, and collectively took affect as irate, attention-seeking opinionistas across the nation took a look at Petrino’s meandering coaching resume’ the regretable and admittedly less-than-ideal circumstances surrounding his departure from the Falcons and quickly labeled him a everything from a “coward” to a “wanderer”.

Now, with the first year of a complete program overhaul under his belt, the name-calling has seemingly subsided, and SEC defensive coordinators are the ones “wondering” whether they can slow down a system that even Petrino’s staunchest critics admit is one of the most dangerous in all of college football.

Georgia Head Coach Mark Richt, a widely respected offensive mastermind in his own right, was effusive in praising Petrino at SEC Media Days last week.

“(Petrino) knows what he’s doing,“ Richt said.  “He absolutely is a great quarterback developer, and he has a scheme that will allow that quarterback to have a chance to be great. He knows it takes defense and special teams to win also. I mean, he’s just an outstanding coach.”

Richt, the SEC Head Coach with the longest tenure at his current school, knows what it takes to build a program in in the rough and tumble conference, and thinks Petrino may be ready to make some noise after going 5-7 a year ago.

“If you look at the history, recent history anyway, of Southeastern Conference coaches, and coaches I think around the country, there’s been a lot of instances where their second season they kind of broke out,” Richt added.  “That’s where he’s at. So that makes me a little concerned, too, that he’s now had a whole year to go through all the debugging of things, and now everybody is on the same page and ready to roll.’

Petrino’s prowess as an offensive guru was built in large part on his tenure at Louisville.  In his four seasons as the Cardinals’ Head Coach (2003-2006) Petrino went 41-9 with two conference championships, two Top Ten finishes and a 24-13 BCS FedEx Orange Bowl win over Wake Forest in 2006.

His Louisville teams finished in the top 10 nationally in total offense in each of those four seasons, and were in the top 5 in three of them.

If Petrino is able to get Arkansas rolling to the top of the NCAA stat sheets in 2009, it will be due in no small part to his offensive philosophy, which he has dubbed “Feed the Studs”. 

Simple in theory, but sometimes more difficult to implement, the Petrino approach is to locate his best playmakers and methodically feed them the football in a position to make big plays.

QUARTERBACK

The system is only as effective as its quarterback, though, and luckily for Petrino and Razorback Nation that position will be in the hands of Ryan Mallett, a quarterback with a skill set that could ultimately translate into big things in Fayetteville.

Mallett (6-7 238), a high school All-American from Texarkana, originally signed with Michigan out of high school after passing for 8,331 yards and 76 touchdowns and being named the 2006 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Texas.  He was ranked as one of the top 5 high school players in the nation.

Mallett replaced the Wolverines starting QB Chad Henne after he was injured during the second game of the 2007 season (a home loss to Oregon on the heels of an embarrassing 34-32 defeat to Appalachian State a week earlier).

He then started games at Michigan’s “Big House” versus college football bluebloods Notre Dame and Penn State in the weeks that followed and though his stats were somewhat pedestrian (23-44 for 260 yards and 3 touchdowns in those two starts) Mallett showed that he is not fazed by the glare of college football’s spotlight. 

He finished his only season at Michigan with 892 yards passing and 7 touchdowns and transferred when Wolverines Head Coach Lloyd Carr was fired and replaced by Rich Rodriguez, who runs an offense that relies on an extremely mobile quarterback–something that Mallett is not.

With plenty of options after such a stellar high school career and college debut, Mallett chose to play for Petrino and the Razorbacks, the team he followed as a youngster.

“Ryan had always had a want and a love to go to the University of Arkansas,“ Petrino said. “He has a lot of relatives in the state. So, when he decided to transfer from Michigan, he says that the first phone call he made was to us. He came down, took a visit, got a good understanding of what we wanted to do offensively, kind of knew what we did at Louisville when he was being recruited before, and made the decision to come and attend the university, which we’re very, very happy about”.

After sitting out the 2008 per NCAA transfer rules and enduring a troubled offseason that included an injury and an arrest, Mallett is undoubtedly looking forward to getting back on the field and focusing on football.

He possesses one of the strongest arms in the nation, but it can be both a blessing and a curse.  Mallett has worked in the offseason on developing touch on his passes and only breaking out his fastball when needed.

Mallett has a fan in starting tight end D.J. Williams, who has learned how to take the heat from the QB’s high octane passes.

“He’s got one of the strongest arms I’ve every seen,” Williams said. “In practice, I’ve got to bring a couple of pairs of gloves because he tears the gripping off with his passes. I know he had some problems at one time, but he’s got great character. I’m glad he’s a Razorback, and he’ll be something to watch.”

Nipping at Mallett’s heels more than many expected, though, is redshirt freshman Tyler Wilson from Greenwood, Arkansas.  Wilson played in two games last season for the Razorbacks as a true freshman but received a medical hardship and retained the year of eligibility after missing the remainder of the season due to mononucleosis.

In his limited playing time, Wilson was 11-22 for 69 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions.  He received a significant number of reps in spring practice and the Red-White Spring game and is more fleet of foot than Mallett.

Although he has not stated how he will divide the snaps at quarterback (Mallett should get the bulk of the snaps), Petrino is not averse to using multiple signal-callers in order to give already burdened defensive coordinators something else to have to consider.

In 2004 at Louisvillem Petrino used two quarterbacks–senior Stefan Lefors, and freshman Brian Brohm–with great success, as the Cardinals finished the season number one in the nation in total offense.

“That was hard to defend because Stefan was a move around, play action, naked, sprint out guy, and Brian Brohm was a drop back passer,” Petrino said. “I felt that was probably one of the toughest things to defend when you could do both of those things.”

Redshirt Freshman Jim Youngblood (6-2 225) is a stocky, but mobile signal-caller that is listed as the number three quarterback.

OFFENSIVE LINE

None of the Razorback Qbs will be particularly effective if the Arkansas offensive line fails to do a better job of pass protection in 2009.  In 2008 the Razorbacks allowed 46 sacks and were 118^th in the nation in that category, finishing ahead of only Hawaii.

All-American and 2007 Rimington Award winner for best center in the nation Jonathan Luigs is no longer around to lead the offensive line after being taken in the 4^th round of the NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Junior Wade Grayson (6-4 296), a Harrison, Arkansas native, takes over for Luigs at Center.  He is a versatile athlete that started all 12 games last season at weak guard, and has physically matured, gaining thirty pounds since signing with Arkansas in 2007.  Grayson hopes to develop into the kind of player that another former Goblin, All-American Brandon Burlsworth, was for the Razorbacks.

In addition to Grayson the two other returning starters on the Hogs’ offensive front are tackles Ray Dominguez (6-4 329) and DeMarcus Love (6-5 315).

Dominguez, a Bainbridge, GA, native, started 10 games last year at right tackle, and struggled at times in the transition from former Head Coach Houston Nutt’s run-oriented attack to Petrino’s more balanced scheme.  His experience of a year ago should make him a better player in 2009.  Dominguez will be backed up at right tackle by redshirt sophomore Grant Freeman (6-7 298) from Paris, AR.

Love (6-5 315) is a redshirt junior from Dallas who Petrino has lauded this offseason for his leadership and work ethic in the weight room. Mammoth Matt Hall (6-9 328) is listed as the second-string right tackle.

Although he is not technically a returning starter, 5^th-year senior Mitch Petrus (6-4 315) rejoins the Arkansas offensive line to man one of the guard positions.  He began spring drills listed as the starter at left guard but will begin fall camp as the starting right guard.

Petrus was a second team All-SEC selection in 2007 who redshirted last season because of academic issues.  Despite the layoff, the league coaches thought enough of the former fullback to name him to the preseason All-SEC third team in 2009.

Petrus is a beast in the weight room that can bench over 500 pounds, but he has spent his time off trying to become more flexible so that he can add some punch to the Arkansas offensive line.  Fifth -year Senior Michael Aguirre (6-5 320) has two career starts and is listed as Petrus’ backup.

 Redshirt sophomore Grant Cook (6-4 322) from Jonesboro, AR  begins the season as the starter at left guard.  He has been a spot starter during his career, and will have to hold off Monticello, AR native Seth Oxner (6-4 315) for the starting left guard spot.

Oxner began spring practice in a battle with Cook and will enter the season vying for the center spot with Grayson.  Even if he does not supplant Cook or Grayson, Oxner figures to log his fair share of snaps in 2009 at both positions.

Junior College transfer Zhamal Thomas (6-5 343) originally signed with LSU out of high school and redshirted there in 2006.  Thomas’ athleticism has already caught Petrino’s eye, and he could factor heavily into the mix.

“I would anticipate (Thomas) to really get in there and make a run at it,” Petrino said.  “I didn’t see it, but I was told he actually did a back flip the other day out on the indoor field. I would like to see it. I’d like to see a 350 pound guy do that.”

If the offensive line can improve in pass protection and continue to open holes in the running game, it may be the Razorbacks’ “skill” position players who are doing flips by season’s end.

RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

Mallett’s primary target will likely be junior tight end D.J. Williams, who was recently named to the 2009 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List after being a semifinalist for the award in 2008.  The Mackey Award is given annually to the nation’s best tight end.  One of 30 players on the list, Williams is only returning semifinalist from last season.

The 6-2, 215 pound junior from Little rock caught 61 passes for 723 yards and 3 touchdowns, and was named All-SEC first-team selection by the Associated Press in 2008.

Williams was also impressive off of the field, as he has been nominated for the 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, which honors college football players who make outstanding contributions in areas of volunteerism and civic involvement.

Williams credits Petrino for helping him progress as a player.

“Sometimes, I’m in practice, and he’ll be getting on me, but when I look at the video, I see he was right,“ Williams said. “One thing he’s been telling me for a while is that I need to work on my blocking. Typically, when you tell a player anything’s wrong with their game, they’ll be offended, but when you adjust, you see he was right, and that’s why he’s just about as good as anyone in the country.”

Redshirt junior Ben Cleveland (6-4 256) is a very capable second tight end whose production has been slowed by injuries and the emergence of Williams as the primary receiver at the position.

Chris Gragg (6-3 230) moved to tight end from wide receiver in the spring.  His lone catch last year was a big one–a 25-yard reception versus Louisiana Monroe on 4^th-and 1 that helped the Hogs salvage a 28-27 victory at War Memorial Stadium.  Gragg, barring injury, will not see much playing time in ‘09, but could develop into a big target in time.

Mallett should have plenty of other options at wide receiver, including sophomores Joe Adams (5-11 182), Jarius Wright (5-10 180) and Greg Childs (6-3 217) as well as seniors London Crawford (6-2 205) and Lucas Miller (6-3 205).

Adams caught 31 passes for 377 yards and a touchdown a year ago and is extremely elusive.  Wright is a big-play threat that was all the rage in the ‘08 preseason, but struggled out of the gate before having big games versus Tulsa (5 catches for 124 yards receiving), South Carolina (a 70-yard touchdown catch, the first of his career) and LSU (46-yard touchdown catch).

Childs and Crawford have the size of prototypical NFL receivers, and Miller, who is coming off of kneee surgery after tearing ligaments in ‘08, may have the best hands of the group, as he displayed in his record-threatening 10-catch, 201 receiving yard performance against Mississippi State in 2008 in a 31-28 Razorback loss.

True freshman Cobi Hamilton (6-3 209) is a lanky, lightning quick former teammate of Mallett’s at Texas High in Texarkana who chose the Razorbacks over the Longhorns and several others.  The Arkansas staff would like to redshirt him, but he could be called on if injuries occur or his freakish athleticism is too much to ignore.

RUNNING BACK

Arkansas was terribly thin at running back at times last season, and has rectified that situation by amassing an impressive stable of running backs.  After waiting his turn behind All-Americans Darren McFadden and Felix Jones during his first three season on The Hill, Michael Smith enjoyed a breakout season in ‘08 but broke down due to shoulder and hamstring injuries before its end.

Smith started 10 games in 2008 (he was suspended for the opener and missed the finale due to injury) and racked up 1,072 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.  In addition to being Arkansas’ leading rusher, Smith also caught 32 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns and was the Hogs’ second-leading receiver. 

Smith’s 1000-yard rushing season was only the 9^th in school history and it earned him second-team All-SEC honors from the league coaches and Associated Press.  He had surgery in the offseason and is back to full speed.

Unlike last year, Smith should have plenty of help in a suddenly crowded backfield.  Sophomores Dennis Johnson (5-9, 205) and De’Anthony Curtis return to the fold and are searching for more carries.

Johnson showed that he has big-play potential in Arkansas’ season-ending 31-30 victory over LSU in 2008, in which he piled up  230 all-purpose yards including 18 carries for 127 yards.  Curtis was a highly touted freshman entering last season who failed to show much explosiveness in ‘08 and had a costly turnover late in Arkansas’ 21-20 loss to Kentucky after taking over for a dinged up Smith.  Curtis had a solid spring, though, and is listed as the number two tailback.

A pair of true freshmen, Ronnie Wingo, Jr. (6-3, 218) and Knile Davis (6-0, 213), possess the speed and athleticism to play right away in the SEC.  Wingo, an All-American from St. Louis, Mo., chose the Hogs over Missouri and was ranked the number two prospect in in the Show Me State. 

He earned that ranking by showing his opponents the back of his jersey for a whopping 48 touchdowns and 4,449 rushing yards during his career at Class 6A St. Louis University High School.

Davis was selected as the second-best running back in the state of Texas by the Dallas Morning News, despite being hampered by injuries throughout his high school career. He missed games as a junior because of a broken collarbone, and then broke his right ankle during the second game of his senior season ending his high school career.

 Davis graduated from Fort Bend Marshall High School early, and enrolled at Arkansas in the spring semester hoping to gain a leg up on his competition.  But he again broke his right ankle, this time during Arkansas’ fourth spring practice, and missed the remainder of the workouts.

This time around, Davis had the ankle repaired by world-renowned orthopedic surgeon to the sports stars, Dr. James Andrews, whose patients include athletic icons Michael Jordan, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith. 

Davis, who was born in 1991 and won’t turn eighteen until the Hogs’ fifth game of the season, has tremendous skill.  In light of his injury history, though, Davis will have to prove he can stay healthy before fans should get too excited about his immense talent.  Davis has been cleared to practice when fall camp opens.

While Wingo and Davis are big backs by just about any standard, the biggest thumper of all the Razorback tailbacks will be Broderick Green.  Green, a Parade High School All-American and Little Rock product, transferred to Arkansas in the spring after two seasons at Southern California.

At USC, Green played in six games in 2008 and carried the ball 32 times for 168 yards and three touchdowns.  He redshirted in 2007.

After being granted a waiver by the NCAA which allows him to be immediately eligible in 2009, Green (6-2 248) should help the Hogs out right away in 2009 in the short yardage/goalline situations that plagued them in 2008.

Senior tailback Brandon Barnett (5-8 211) missed time in the beginning of spring practice because of family reasons, and upon his return, suffered a broken leg.  Given the injury and the logjam at the position, Barnett may be the odd man out. Redshirt junior Van Stumon (6-1 266) and sophomore Mitchell Bailey (5-11 227) will split the fullback duties.

KICKER

Junior placekicker Alex Tejada struggled mightily last season, going 4-9 on field goal attempts after making 17-23 in 2006.  He will be given another shot to prove himself in ‘09 but is on shaky ground after missing some key kicks in ‘08.

OUTLOOK

Petrino thinks his squad will be better, but with a schedule that features road games at Alabama, Florida, Ole Miss and LSU, he,  just like the SEC defensive coordinators plotting to slow the Hogs down, is left to wonder just how much the improvement will be reflected in Arkansas’ won/loss record.

“We’ll play better football…” Petrino said.  “How many wins that comes out to is yet to be seen. What we need to understand is we got to get the game in the fourth quarter in a position to win, then, hopefully, our off season conditioning, our off season strength work, and our depth will allow us to win more games than we did a year ago.”

“Have a very good football team… I’ve never been more anxious to coach a football team.” Florida Gator Head Coach Urban Meyer (July 23, 2009)

Coming off two national championships in the past three years, the University of Florida has emerged as the best program in college football.  Head Coach Urban Meyer has the Gators at the top of the college football world, and this group may be even better than last year.  With a loaded defense coming back (everyone on the two-deep from 2008) and the best player in the game (Tim Tebow), the Gators are poised to head back to the SEC Championship Game and perhaps another BCS title.

A key element of any championship team is an experienced quarterback.  The Gators have the best team leader in football in Tim Tebow.  With 2 championships and a Heisman Trophy under his belt, there is little left for Tebow to prove.  A throwback in the sense that he actually seems to enjoy college, Tim Tebow eschewed the big money awaiting him in the NFL to try and win yet another championship in Gainesville.

You cannot talk about Tebow without addressing his strong convictions and the sometimes-nauseating media coverage.  To say he has seized his moment in the sun would be dramatically understating what he has done.  In response to a question at SEC Media Days about why he came back Tebow said, “You know…I think the important things that I looked at were number one, was the opportunity that I had to have an influence in the state of Florida and around the South, for the U.S. for that matter.”  Unlike Thom Brennaman, I do not believe my life would be altered forever if I spent just a few minutes around this kid.  But I do believe he has a confidence about him that helps him lead the Gators to great heights. There is little doubting that Tim Tebow is the best college football player in the country, and he has the tools around him that make him even better.

Emmanuel Moody is a game-changing back.  According to Meyer, “Emmanuel looks terrific.  He physically looks fabulous.”  Meyer has been in search of a big-time back that can lineup and wear down opponents, and this may finally be the year the Gators have that weapon.  Between Moody, Chris Rainey, and Jeff Demps, Florida appears to have a growing stable of top-quality backs that can take some of the pressure off Tebow in the running game.

While Percy Harvin has moved on to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, there are plenty of talented athletes left in Gainesville that are eager to take his place.  The biggest question at the position right now is whether or not Riley Cooper returns.  The two-sport star was drafted by the Texas Rangers in June, and he still has not made a decision about whether or not to turn pro in baseball and forego his senior season.  Deonte Thompson projects as one of the leaders at the position with experience and speed to burn.  And David Nelson is coming off a strong finish to the 2009 season, hoping to make a big impact as the Gators defend their title.  Also, look for Demps to lineup as a slot receiver/running back hybrid, much like Harvin has done the past few seasons.  True freshman Andre Dubose will also get a shot at that role early.

The go-to receiver this season looks to be the tight end.  Aaron Hernandez is big and mobile.  Even more important, he appears to have developed a strong bond with Tebow.  With the quarterback’s trust firmly in place, Hernandez should expect to have a big senior year.

All-SEC twin brothers Mike (6′ 5″, 320 lbs) and Maurkice (6′ 5″, 318 lbs) Pouncey  are back to lead a very talented (and big) offensive line.  The right and left guards bookend Sam Robey, the new starting center at Florida.  Carl Johnson started 8 games last year at left tackle and returns.  Marcus Gilbert projects as the starting tackle on the right side.

The defense is what makes this group of Gators so menacing.  All eleven starters and their backups return from a championship defense in 2008.  Teams are going to struggle to score on Florida, which will give the offense time to break in its new receivers and offensive line unit.  Coach Meyer recently said, “We’re very confident, very comfortable with who we have in the middle of our defense right now.”  The center of the defensive line is Lawrence Marsh who can both stuff the run and get to the quarterback from the interior.  Jermaine Cunningham and Carlos Dunlap return as premiere rush ends and expect to meet in the backfield regularly.  Unsung but productive tackle Terron Sanders rounds out a stout front wall.

What Tebow is to the offense, Brando Spikes is to the defense.  The two are quite different off the field, with Tebow embracing the media while Spikes avoids them.  On the field, though, Spikes runs the show defensively.  A.J. Jones is back to man the strong side linebacker spot, and Ryan Stamper returns on the weak side.  This is the type of linebacking crew that can make Coach Meyer boast about his confidence up the middle.

The secondary is loaded.  Joe Hadden is a can’t-miss future NFL cornerback.  Janoris Jenkins faces a potential suspension after his arrest this offseason, but he will certainly be a big factor on the field once Coach Meyer lets him play again.  Ahmad Black and Major Wright also return with great speed and coverage abilities.  Many believe sophomore Will Hill will get on the field sooner than later, potentially as a nickel back or in the rotation at safety.

 

OUTLOOK

The road to Atlanta runs through Gainesville.  The SEC Championship Game has become a de facto national semi-final, so winning there would launch Florida to Pasadena and a chance at back-to-back championships.  The schedule sets up well for a run at 12-0, and potentially a re-match with Alabama at the SEC Championship Game.

September opens with a glorified scrimmage against Charleston Southern before Troy invades The Swamp.  The Trojans will put up a bit more of a fight, getting Florida good and ready for Tennessee.  The Volunteers are at least a year away from competing at a championship level and should offer little resistance.  The month ends with a dangerous trip to Kentucky after the rivalry week.

Florida is unbeaten after their open week under Urban Meyer, and that is what they get before the most difficult road trip of the season at LSU.  The Tigers are not quite back to the level we saw in 2006 and 2007, so don’t be surprised if Florida comes away with a win.  The most dangerous home game on the schedule actually comes from Arkansas.  The Hogs head to Gainesville for Homecoming the week after LSU.  You’ll hear lots of comparisons to the Ole Miss game from last year, but the Gators will be ready this time.  The following week includes a trip to Starkville and Mississippi State before ending the month on Halloween against Georgia in Jacksonville.  That should be a party!  It should also be a tough, hard fought victory for Florida.

Vanderbilt starts the month of November at The Swamp in what should be a good “relaxer” for the Gators.  Florida heads up to see the Ol’ Ball Coach the second week of November before heading home to close the season against Florida International and Florida State.

The schedule is tough, but it is also manageable.  This is the schedule of a champion.  Expect Florida to at the very least claim another SEC East crown.

Most likely:  It’s very difficult to predict an unbeaten season.  There are enough “trap games” and difficult roadies to expect Florida to lose one.  The 2 most likely spots are at LSU or against Georgia in Jacksonville.

With a lucky break:  The Gators have a great chance to go unbeaten.  Taking care of business away from The Swamp means a very likely perfect regular season and SEC Championship.

Best case scenario:  Florida hoists the trophy in Pasadena as back-to-back National Champs, Tim Tebow wins his second Heisman Trophy, and Urban Meyer signs a 20-year extension.  (I was running out of ways to imagine things getting better.)

Bold Prediction:  Florida goes into Baton Rouge and wins by 2 touchdowns.

“The plan had to be we had to create national attention immediately…We had to put Tennessee in the national media.” University of Tennessee Head Coach Lane Kiffin (July 24, 2009)

I think Coach Kiffin can say with great confidence, Mission Accomplished.  If only they could get the USS Abraham Lincoln to float down the Tennessee River for him to make that proclamation.  Talk about creating a buzz!

From accusations of cheating, to disparaging a small Floida town, to violating NCAA rules, Lane Kiffin has certainly put Tennessee back on the national stage.  It was all part of his master plan; now we get to see if winning is part of that plan, too.  The Volunteers struggled through a 5-7 campaign in 2008 that exposed the deteriorating talent on Rocky Top, especially at the skill positions offensively.  That looks to be changing, as Kiffin and his staff pulled off some remarkable recruiting coups, led largely by the addition of #1 overall recruit (according to Rivals.com) Bryce Brown and flashy wide receiver Nu’keese Richardson.

Kiffin’s father, Monte, will head up the defense after leaving the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  The elder Kiffin, at 69-years-old, inherits a unit that suffered through offensive ineptitude and bad luck in ’08 despite having one of the game’s best safeties in Eric Berry.  With a little more production offensively (115th out of 120 last season), both Kiffins hope to see a big turnaround from the steady decline of the past two years.

The main question entering fall camp in Knoxville centers around the quarterback position.  Senior Jonathan Crompton has got to be considered the favorite to keep the starting position, but Coach Kiffin has made it clear that the starting job — at almost every position — remains up for grabs.  “Eric Berry is a starter.  Outside of that, we have 21 jobs open.”  Hoping to steal that job is junior Nick Stephens, who started six games last year.  The plan is for the two to split snaps early in camp while the coaching staff makes its evaluations before naming a starter.  With JUCO transfer Nick Lamaison and former minor league baseball player Mike Rozier (walk-on), the depth is pretty thin going into camp.  Consider the fact both Crompton (ankle) and Stephens (wrist) have a history of injury problems, Volunteer fans should be a little concerned about depth behind center.

Senior Montario Hardesty returns to Knoxville as the starter at running back.  By reading the papers, though, one would hardly know it.  Freshmen Bryce Brown and David Oku will be counted on to contribute early and often.  Both show all the signs of being top-flight SEC backs.  Sophomore Tauren Poole is also expected to contribute.

The receiving group at Tennessee has received plenty of attention this off season, and none of it positive.  Serious injuries have left the Volunteers looking for volunteers to step up immediately.  Senior Austin Rogers is out for the year with an ACL tear, junior Denarius Moore is recovering from recent foot surgery, and junior Gerald Jones suffered a rehab setback on his ailing wrist.  Moore and Jones could both return by early October, but that still leaves a huge void as camp starts.  Freshman phenom Nu’keese Richardson will now be counted on to play immediately.  According to Kiffin, “Even if those guys were healthy, we were looking for that.  This is more of an opportunity for him stepping up.”  Fellow freshman Marsalis Teague should expect a great shot at early playing time, too.  Coaches will also turn to senior Quinton Hancock early this season.  Also, look for the tight ends to play a bigger role early.  Both Luke Stocker and Jeff Cottam could see plenty of balls thrown their way this year.

The offensive line should be a plus for the Vols this season.  It’s a more experienced group that has adopted a zone-blocking scheme, which takes out a lot of the thinking.  These guys will be able to line up, find their area, and put a helmet on someone.  Center Josh McNeil provides an experienced anchor up front.  Vladimir Richard is back at the starting left guard position with senior Chris Scott manning the tackle position on the left side.  The right side has a little more confusion with the starting spots, but it does look like Jacques McClendon will get the nod a guard.  A battle during camp is expected between Jarrod Shaw and redshirt freshman Aaron Douglass for the right tackle slot.

The old saying goes “Defense wins championships,” and no one is more aware of that than Monte Kiffin.  The head coach’s father won a Super Bowl championship as the defensive coordinator at Tampa Bay, and now hopes to add a national championship while at Knoxville.  He has the perfect centerpiece around which to build with All-American Eric Berry at safety.  Said Lane Kiffin, “To have Eric, a guy that could come down and play nickel as well as be a safety, I think NFL teams are going to fall in love with him.”  The question remains, though, Who else will be there to help?

Junior Chris Walker takes over for Robert Ayers at defensive end.  The former linebacker brings quickness to the position, a la Dwight Freeney.  Junior Ben Martin projects as the starter at left end with Wes Brown moving inside to the tackle spot.  Big Dan Williams (6′ 3″, 327 lbs) is the leader on the inside, though, likely to draw plenty of double-teams that could open things up for Brown.

The linebacking corps provides the most questions for a defensive unit that ranked third in the nation in total defense last year.  Rico McCoy is the only starter that returns with any experience.  The future NFLer need to provide leadership while the younger players develop.  Junior Nick Reveiz looks to be the future at MLB, but Herman Lathers may just run past him once camp opens.  LaMarcus Thompson should step up as the starting SLB this fall.   

As good as Berry is, he cannot play all four secondary positions simultaneously…at least I do not think he can.  Good thing for Volunteer fans (and Berry) is that cornerback Dennis Rogan also returns to start this season.  True freshman Janzen Jackson, a former LSU commit that switched very late in the recruiting process, could step in and play immediately at the free safety position.  Sophomore Art Evans is the leading candidate to start at corner opposite Rogan.

Junior Chad Cunningham is back as the starting punter at Tennessee, and fellow junior Daniel Lincoln returns to handle the kicking duties.  A host of speed burners will get an opportunity to return kicks and punts this year, including Berry.  Don’t be surprised if Kiffin puts one of his head-turning freshmen back there just to get some athleticism on the field and save his every-down players.

 

OUTLOOK

One thing we can certainly say for Tennessee is that everyone will be watching.  That appears to be one major goal for Coach Kiffin, and now the product has to catch up to his mouth.  There is certainly enough talent on Rocky Top to expect a quick turnaround this season, but questions at QB and WR make us wonder if 2009 may be a little too early to project great things.  Add in a top-heavy SEC East and road games against at Alabama and Ole Miss, just getting back to a bowl game seems like a reasonable goal.

September opens with a nice warm-up against Western Kentucky before UCLA makes the long trip across country.  I expect UT to pull off wins in both games before heading down to the Swamp for their annual late-September war.  Tebow and the Gators will prove too much again this year, leaving the Vols at 3-1 after their win over Ohio the following week.

Auburn and Georgia visit Neyland to open October, and the Vols should win both — but the Georgia game could be trouble.  While no coach truly enjoys going to Tuscaloosa, the Vols do get that trip after their open week.  The extra prep time will not likely produce a win on the road, but the good news for Tennessee is the schedule after that game.  South Carolina visits on Halloween, and Memphis comes across the state to being November. 

A road date at Ole Miss looks difficult now, but things may change by then in Oxford.  Vanderbilt comes to a revenge-minded Neyland Stadium the following week before the Vols head up to Lexington to take on Kentucky in the battle for The Beer Barrel. 

Most Likely:  While it is tempting to say 8-4, it looks like 7-5 is the most likely.  There are just too many questions offensively before we can go and predict great things for this season.

With a lucky break:  With improved QB play and production from the WR spots, Tennessee could definitely make a jump to 9-3 with wins over Georgia and Ole Miss. 

Best case scenario:  This looks like a 10-2 team at best.  It’s hard to project a win over Florida or Alabama this season, and the Vols would need to beat one of them to get back to double-digit wins this year.

Bold prediction:  Bryce Brown rushes for 1,000 yards as a freshman.

Final thought: Kiffin has a plan.  That plan obviously centers around recruiting, bringing in the best talent available.  No doubt, it is easier to win if the talent is there.  What needs to be seen now, though, is can this still inexperienced coach get things done on Saturdays.  If he can, the Volunteers appear to be headed back to regular SEC Championship Game appearances.

“I can tell you that coming off last year, eight victories and a bowl win was not enough.  Our football team’s a little more wanting, a little bit more ambitious.” LSU Head Football Coach Les Miles (July 24, 2009)

The 2008 LSU Tigers looked nothing like the previous season’s National Championship team, and Les Miles expects the 2009 version to look nothing like last year’s edition.  Turnover on the defense and less turnovers from the offense could lead LSU back to the top of the SEC West in 2009.  Former Tennessee Volunteer assistant John Chavis takes over the defense, promising to bring an aggressive style of play to Baton Rouge.  Offensively the Tigers have Jordan Jefferson and Jarret Lee both coming back with one year’s experience under the belts.  More than anything, though, the Tigers are hungry.  According to Miles, “You never expect to finish second, not at LSU.  I think our team has prepared in earnest.  I think it will be seen this fall.”  For many programs and fans, a bit of regression after winning a National Championship – while not ideal – can be tolerated.  At LSU some fans were openly calling for Miles’ head after an 8-5 campaign. 

Jordan Jefferson gets the nod going into camp as the starter at quarterback.  Jarret Lee will push for playing time, but the sophomore Jefferson seemed to have earned the team’s trust after a Chick-fil-A Bowl win over Georgia Tech.  Coach Miles reports that Jefferson has had a “great summer” and will be much more confident going into his second year.

The big star on offense will be Charles Scott, the bruising running back that churned out 1,174 yards and an eye-popping 18 touchdowns last year.  At 5’ 11” and 233 lbs, Scott will leave linebackers battered and bruised each Saturday evening.  Senior Keiland Williams returns and will get first crack as Chuck the Truck’s primary backup.  Richard Murphy and Trindon Holliday can expect to see carries out of the backfield, too.

Senior Brandon LaFell returns to Baton Rouge after surprising most observers by turning down what many believed a spot in the NFL’s first or second rounds of the 2009 draft.  He reeled in almost 1,000 yards last season with 8 of his 63 catches going for touchdowns.  Chris Mitchell will try to balance the field, taking over for Demetrius Byrd.  And don’t be surprised to see freshman Russell Shephard, recruited as a quarterback, get time at wide receiver just to get him on the field.  Miles still believes “firmly that he can be a great quarterback,” but he is too athletic to leave on the sideline.  Senior tight end Richard Dickson returns as a solid if unspectacular workhorse. 

The offensive line at LSU, to no one’s surprise, should be great this season.  With tremendous depth and experience, Miles says this group should give LSU “a great chanced to be a dominant offensive line.”  Tackle Ciron Black is expected to impose his will on SEC defensive linemen this fall.  Black returned for his senior season to “go out a winner,” and his linemates can go a long way to making that dream a reality.  Josh Dworaczyk also projects to be a key factor in the offensive line’s success.

The LSU defense is the area of the team that looks to make the most improvement this year.  John Chavis has a long history of success at Tennessee, and he has brought his fiery attitude to an area that is known for embracing its fiery personalities.  Chavis hopes to bring the swagger back to the Tiger defense.  According to linebacker Jacob Cutrera, “He’s a fired up guy every practice…He’s brought a lot of intensity and the way he does things has helped out.”  Cutrera and his fellow linebackers will need to play soundly in the middle while LSU breaks in a new front line.  Gone is Tyson Jackson, and Charles Alexander returns as the only starter up front.  Drake Nevis and Rahim Alem should keep the tradition alive, though, of stellar Tiger front lines.

Chick-fil-A Bowl defensive MVP Perry Riley returns with Cutrera behind the line.  Kelvin Sheppard projects as the other starter at linebacker, hoping to replace the aggressive play of Danny Beckworth, who starts his NFL career trying to make the team in San Diego.

The LSU secondary will be led by Chad Jones, who could be one of the SEC’s best by the time the season is done.  Jai Eugene is also expected to contribute heavily along with senior Chris Hawkins.  Brandon Taylor should push for serious playing time, also.

Colt David is (finally) gone as the LSU kicker.  Josh Jasper is likely to take his place, although he has a long way to go if Jasper wants to replace David.  Derek Helton projects as the replacement for Brady Dalfrey as LSU’s punter.  The electrifying Trindon Holliday will once again return kicks, giving LSU a home run threat every time the ball is kicked deep.

OUTLOOK

The LSU schedule sets up well for a run at the SEC Western Division title.  September starts with what I think is a very dangerous trip to Washington.  The Tigers should survive the trip to Seattle, but Tiger Nation may not have fingernails left by the end of the game.  LSU returns to the comfort of Death Valley for a back-to-back home games against Vanderbilt (upset alert) and UL-Lafayette.  The month ends in Starkville and likely a 4-0 start.

October opens with a bang, traveling to Georgia then hosting Florida.  Navigating both of those weeks unbeaten seems unlikely, but a loss to either will not eliminate the Tigers form a trip to Atlanta.  A much-needed open week falls between Florida and Auburn.  Tulane visits Baton Rouge for the I-10 Battle on Halloween. 

November 7^th is circled on calendars across the Gulf Coast, as that is the weekend LSU travels to Alabama.  The winner of this game will have the inside track for the SEC West crown.  A late-season non-conference game against Louisiana Tech (upset alert #2) comes after Alabama and before a trip to Oxford and the annual game with Ole Miss.  The Tigers end the season at home with the “Battle for the Boot” against Arkansas. 

Most likely:  LSU is going to be very good this year.  Anything less than 10-2 should be considered a disappointment.  I expect LSU to drop one of the road games at Georgia, Ole Miss, or Alabama (most likely).  Beating Florida seems unlikely, but the home field advantage could push LSU over the top.

With a lucky break:  Eliminate one of the two losses from either Georgia, Florida, or Ole Miss, and LSU will be in the national title hunt.

Best Case Scenario:  It is unlikely, but LSU could run the table.  This may be a year too soon, but no one doubts the talent level at LSU.  If everyone lives up to expectations, there is not a game on the schedule LSU cannot win.

Bold Prediction:  LSU beats Ole Miss by 2 touchdowns

Final Thought:  LSU will almost certainly play in a BCS bowl or the Capitol One Bowl.  If things don’t come together this season, expect to make a national title run in 2010.

They have one of the most gregarious and likeable head coaches in the nation.  They get less respect from the media and their fan base (as compared to the hoops squad) than Rodney Dangerfield. And, they have a head-coach-in-waiting named Joker.

But, if they haven’t already learned their lesson, opponents of the 2009 University of Kentucky Wildcats will soon find out that taking them on is no laughing matter.

Seemingly entrenched on college football’s hot seat, all UK Head coach Rich Brooks has managed to do is lead UK to bowl wins in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history while also winning at least 7 games for three consecutive seasons for the first time in almost 60 years.

Now, after navigating his team through a 7-6 campaign that was capped by a Liberty Bowl win over East Carolina, and included near-misses against SEC powerhouses Alabama and Georgia, Brooks believes it is time for his program to rise to the next level.

“Somebody had the intelligence and guts to weather the storm and allow this thing to move forward,” Brooks said of his rocky first three years at the UK helm.

“Now, you know, we need to climb the ladder. This is not good enough. Going to Bowl games and winning them isn’t good enough. We need to compete for the SEC championship.”

If Kentucky is going to move up the ranks in the brutal SEC East, it will have to find a way to establish an offensive identity after struggling mightily at times last year.  The Wilcats won’t lack for experience up front with four senior starters led by Zipp Duncan (6’5 285). 

Duncan, a Kentucky native, signed with UK in the hopes of helping turn the program around, and he has done just that.  As he has done throughout his career, Duncan will change positions in 2009, as he moving from the interior of the offensive line to the all-important left tackle spot. 

He will be joined on the line by projected senior starters Justin Jeffries (6-6 320), Jorge Gonzalez (6-3 300) and Christian Johnson (6-4 330).

That group will be hard-pressed to equal its pass protection prowess from 2008, when the Wildcats gave up a mere 13 sacks.  However, if it can provide similar protection this season, junior quarterback Mike Hartline should emerge as more of a playmaker than the game manager he was a year ago.  If not, a vocal segment of the UK fan base may gets its wish–significant playing time for Hartline’s backup, junior Will Fidler.

Leading receiver Dicky Lyons, Jr. is gone, so Randall Cobb will be looked to, at least early, as the team’s primary playmaker. Cobb played quarterback and wide receiver last year as a true freshman, and was vital to UK’s success. 

He should spend most of his time at WR in 2009, though, and Brooks is expecting big things for Cobb following a season in which he threw for 542 yards and 2 touchdowns and ran for 316 yards and seven more scores.   Brooks also plans on using him as a QB in the “Wildcat” formation.

UK needs a second receiving target to emerge, and all signs point to it eventually being JUCO transfer Chris Matthews, who played Hardball at Los Angeles Harbor College in 2008 by making 86 receptions and posting numbers to match his freakish specs–6’6’ 210 4.4.

Gene McCaskill and Kyrus Lanxter also have big-play ability, but need to show it consistently on the field.  Tight end T.C. Drake had a dozen catches last year, and will look to be more of a threat in the passing game.

The running back corps is led by Alfonso Smith, who took a short pass and sprinted 71-yards down the sideline versus Arkansas for a game-changing touchdown in 2008.  Also in the mix will be junior Moncell Allen, and Derrick Locke.

Locke, a former track standout, looked to be a potential star after filling in because of injuries and gaining 521 rushing yards in 2007.  He suffered a career-threatening knee injury in 2008, though, and will be out to prove that he is still explosive.

On the defensive side of the ball, Kentucky lost a ton of talent (7 starters, including three defensive lineman) but return a pair of the best defenders in the SEC in cornerback Trevard Lindley (6-0 179) and Micah Johnson (6-2 256).

Lindley, a Georgia native, shocked many by passing up big NFL bucks to return for his senior season.  He is a lockdown cornerback with a nose for the ball.  Unlike most NFL-ready CBs, he is not a big talker– he lets his play on the field speak for itself

“Trevard Lindley, simply put, can line up against any receiver in the country one on one,” Brooks said. “And we would have a very optimistic feeling that he’s going to cover ‘em pretty darn good the whole game, not allow a lot of big plays. He not only can cover, he can make plays.”

Arkansas fans would like to forget Lindley.  He returned a Michael Smith fumble 66-yards for a touchdown just before halftime in Kentucky’s 42-29 win in Fayetteville over the Darren Mcfadden/Felix Jones-led Hogs in 2007.  The other starting cornerback, Randall Burden figures to have his hands full, as teams will likely avoid Lindley’s side of the field.  If Burden struggles, Paul Warford will get a long look.

At safety, Winston Guy (6-1 208) has the look of a player that is poised for a breakout season.  Guy, a Lexington, KY native, verbally committed to play for Arkansas two years ago, but later decided to stay home and play for UK.

He started his career as a cornerback, but moved to safety (while also excelling on special teams) and has taken to the position.  Many observers (including his head coach) predict Guy will emerge as a star.  Ashton Cobb and Calvin Harrison will also be in the mix in the secondary.

The linebackers are led by Johnson, a Ft. Campbell, KY native, who was one of the most highly touted recruits in school history, and last year, he showed why–racking up 93 tackles and earning 1^st Team All-SEC honors.  He, like Lindley, could have opted to leave school early and turn pro, but instead decided to return.

Sophomore Danny Trevathan (6-1, 220) will be asked to replace the production of the departed Braxton Kelly (93 tackles in ‘08) and Brooks thinks he has the talent to do so.  Sam Maxwell (6-3 248) will man the strong side, and he looks the part of an SEC linebacker.

While the unexpected return of Lindley and Johnson was fortunate, UK missed out on a defensive star trifecta when potential All-American defensive end Jeremy Jarmon also eschewed the chance to take his wares to the NFL, only to later be suspended by the NCAA after testing positive for a banned suspended.  The Washington Redskins drafted Jarmon in the NFL supplemental draft, giving up a third-round pick in 2010 to do so.

With Jarmon out of the picture, Cory Peters (6-3 295) is the only returning starter on the defensive line–but he is a good one, with All-SEC caliber talent.  Ricky Lumpkin(6-4 294) should start at the other tackle and JUCO transfer Mark Crawford (6-1 297) will provide interior depth.  Neither will be the force that Myron Pryor was on the inside, but they should be solid.  If eligible, incoming freshman Donte Rumph (6-3 260) could vie for immediate playing time.

On the edge, the ‘Cats will look to replace Jarmon’s explosiveness with Chandler Burden and Collins Ukwe (6-5 251).  Both have talent, and should mature as players throughout the year.

The schedule could be very problematic for UK.  The Wildcats open with Miami University (OH) and then have an open date before a three-week homestand that might leave UK battered and bruised.  The stretch opens with a clash against Louisville (that UK should win) but it closes with Florida and Alabama coming to Lexington in consecutive weeks.  Then, UK hits the road to face South Carolina and Auburn.

That is a stretch that could make any coach, even the inimitable Brooks, a little worse for wear.  If Kentucky can avoid a disastrous start, the schedule eases on the backstretch, with a roadtrip to Georgia being the only time UK will likely be a big underdog.  Look for the Wildcats to do some serious damage along the way, and vie for a fourth-straight bowl win if they can survive the first half of the season.

Kentucky Offense:

Returning starters: 9

Key Players: QB Mike Hartline, OT Zipp Duncan, WR Randall Cobb

One to Watch: WR Chris Matthews

Kentucky Defense:

Returning Starters: 4

Key Players: Trevard Lindley, CB, LB Micah Johnson, LB, Cory Peters, DT

One to Watch: Winston Guy, S

Key Game(s): Louisville Sept. 19, Alabama October 3, @ South Carolina Oct. 10

Schedule/Predicted Result: (7-5)

9/5 Miami Univ. (OH)               W
9/12 OPEN DATE                              
9/19 Louisville                             W
9/26 Florida                                   L
10/3 Alabama                                L
10/10 at South Carolina            L
10/17 at Auburn                           L
10/24 UL Monroe                         W
10/31 Miss State                            W
11/7 Eastern Kentucky               W
11/14 at Vanderbilt                      W
11/21 at Georgia                             L
11/28 Tennessee                            W

 

“If you turn on a game film, watch a team, all 11 players on the field on any given snap, play with a relentless effort, play with a passion for the game of football for 60 minutes of that game, we’ll have a successful season.” – Mississippi State Head Football Coach Dan Mullen (July 22, 2009)

Bulldog Football!  Catch the excitement!

It looks to be a long year in Starkville as Dan Mullen takes the helm of a program that has sunk to the bottom of the SEC West over the past 10 years.  Ever since their surprise 1998 SEC Western Division crown, the Bulldogs have struggled to maintain any level of success.  In steps Dan Mullen, architect of the Florida Gator offense that won 2 national championships in 3 years, to replace the historic yet ultimately mediocre Sylvester Croom.  Coach Mullen has grand plans.  “There will be a lot of similarities between our programs and the programs that (Urban Meyer) has done at Bowling Green, Florida, and Utah.”  That may fire up the booster clubs across Mississippi, but the fact is the Bulldogs are a few years away from making a statement in the SEC.

What Mullen has going for him, though, is that success is not unprecedented at Mississippi State.  Working against him is the recent emergence of Ole Miss as a power in the West.  If he can find a way to horde some offensive talent with his player-friendly system, Carl Torbush – the newly hired defensive coordinator – can build on the tradition of solid defensive teams at State.

The immediate challenge for this crew is the offensive transformation.  A West Coast offense under Croom, the Bulldogs have begun the transition to the spread offense.  Unfortunately for Mullen, Tim Tebow stayed in Gainesville.  The future at quarterback is much heralded freshman Tyler Russell, but MSU will likely turn to Tyson Lee to start the season.  The senior ran the Bulldog offense last year and has spring practice under his belt.  Mullen expects “the competition at (quarterback) to be pretty stiff” when fall camp opens.  Don’t be surprised to see more than one quarterback get significant playing time.

Anthony Dixon will be the star of the show while the quarterback position sorts itself out.  Dixon enters his senior season just 609 yards short of being the team’s all-time rushing leader.  He will have to wait one game to get started on his chase, though, after being suspended for the opener following a DUI arrest in July.  Christian Ducre will again spend time backing up Dixon.  Expect to see Mullen get Ducre on the field as a pass-catcher, as the wide receiver group needs a lot of time to mature.

Kendrick Cook, a DJ Williams-type player, will lead the receivers this season.  At SEC Media Days Mullen said, “We’re going to use Kendrick in a lot of different ways, whether he’s attached, a motion fullback, or flexed out” wide.  Redshirt freshman O’Neal Wilder could see significant playing time, too.  True freshman Chad Bumphis has created a lot of hope for the future at wide out.

The mammoth Derek Sherrod (6’ 7”, 310 lbs) is back to anchor the offensive line.  With some experience under his (larg) belt, Sherrod hopes to lead this group as it makes the transition form West Coast to the spread.  Pass protection has been a point of emphasis since Mullen’s arrival, and Sherrod & Co. will have to get better.  (Sound familiar, Hog fans?) 

With only five returning starters, the Bulldogs need to retool their defense.  Coach Mullen realized that early and got one of the best defensive minds in the business in Carl Torbush.  He and his coaching staff will look to linebacker K.J. Wright to lead this inexperienced but talented crew.  Senior Jamar Chaney joins Wright as a defensive leader.  If his ankle has healed completely, Chaney will help bolster the middle of the defense.  According to Torbush Chaney looks to be back to full strength.

Newcomer Pernell McPhee will anchor the Bulldog defensive front.  Sophmore Sean Ferguson is back to provide some stability to the front.  The defensive line will definitely need to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks while the secondary rebuilds this season.

To the delight of Hog fans, safety Derek Pegues is finally gone, as is Keith Fitzhugh.  Marcus Washington is the only returning starter.  Newcomers Jonathan Banks and Dennis Thames will be given a chance to earn playing time as true freshman – although Thames still faces a long road back after his arrest for public intoxication this summer.

Look for a new kicker and punter to lead the Bulldog special teams.  JUCO transfer Sean Brauchle is the projected starting placekicker, while Heath Hutchins should supplant Blake McAdams as the team’s punter.

OUTLOOK

There is no way to sugar-coat this:  Mississippi State is going to struggle.  That said, they should be much more fun to watch this year.  September starts with in-state SWAC program Jackson State coming to Starkville to begin the Mullen Era.  The Dogs head on the road the next two weeks, though, with trips to Auburn and Vanderbilt.  If MSU hopes to find its way to a bowl this season, getting off to a fast start is imperative.  If things come together in fall camp, those are both winnable games.  September ends with LSU invading Starkville.

The Bulldogs have an interesting matchup with Georgia Tech (who plays two other SEC teams – Vandy and Georgia – this season) to start October, followed by Homecoming against the Houston Cougars.  Mississippi State makes a rare trip to a Sun Belt Conference foe, traveling to Middle Tennessee State in the middle of the month before the “Teacher v. Student” game with Florida in Starkville.  Kentucky hosts MSU on Halloween in what will be a must-win game if the Dogs harbor hopes of the post-season.

The open weeks comes right before Alabama comes to Starkville, so if you’re looking for upset look here.  The Dogs travel to Little Rock to take on the Razorbacks on November 21 before heading back home for the Egg Bowl the following week.  Needless to say, this is a tough schedule for a team on the re-build.

Most likely:  4-8 with wins over Jackson State, Middle Tennessee State, and Houston.  Vanderbilt early and Kentucky on Halloween look like the most likely SEC wins, and it’s hard to imagine them winning both.  A late-season upset is not out of the question.  This is a tough schedule aside from JSU.  MTSU is expected to contend for the SBC title, and Houston can score points.

With a lucky break:  It all depends on how quickly the passing game comes together.  Thinking positively, 6-6 is within reach if MSU can knock off all their non-conference opponents, split with Vandy and Kentucky, and pick up one big upset.

Best Case Scenario:  I just don’t see any way for this team to win more than 8 games, and they should build a statue of Dan Mullen if it happens.  The trip to Starkville is dangerous for the Tide.  It’s hard to win in Little Rock, but the Dogs may catch Arkansas sleeping like the Hogs did LSU last year.  And you just never know what may happen in the Egg Bowl.  Winning two of those three – while almost incomprehensibly unlikely – would set the stage for a major upswing in Starkville.

Bold Prediction:  The Bulldogs knock off Florida, Alabama or Ole Miss this season.

Final Thought:  I’m a Dan Mullen believer.  This team is young and reminds me some of last season’s Arkansas team.  If MSU goes where I think they can get, the SEC West will be the best conference in the country on its own.

Senior quarterback Joe Cox (6’1 198) has patiently bided his time behind Stafford for most of the last three seasons, and his teammates and head coach, Mark Richt think he is up to the challenge.

Richt lauded Cox during SEC Media Days last week, noting that all but four of the 110 Bulldogs polled after spring practice tabbed Cox as the team’s leader.

“I think that was significant,“ Richt said. “He was the number one vote getter, if you want to call them votes…for a guy that hasn’t started but one game his entire career–that was about two or three years ago–I think that says a lot about what the guys think about Joe and what Joe has done in preparation for this moment.”

To be sure, Cox won’t be expected to replicate Stafford’s stats, which included a whopping 25 TDs and 3,459 passing yards in 2008. He will, however, be charged with spreading the ball around to the Bulldogs’ playmakers.

UGA’s biggest threat is 2008 1^st Team AP All-SEC WR A.J. Green (6-4 207), who has the look of an eventual NFL star. As a freshman last year, he nabbed 56 catches for 963 yards and eight TDs.

Defenses will focus on Green, though, so Cox will need to be able to count on other targets like Senior Michael Moore (6-1 207) and redshirt freshman Tavarres King (6-1 178). Aron White (6-4 227) is tabbed as the starter at tight end. Two of his three career receptions have been TDs.

Richt expects a talented group of backs to hit the ground running and collectively replace Moreno, who piled up 2,736 career rushing yards and 30 TDs at Georgia.

The returning group of running backs includes sophomore Caleb King (5-11 210), Richard Samuel (6-2 216), Carlton Thomas (5-7 178) and Dontavious Jackson (5-10 200).

An All-American and number one player in the state of Georgia coming out of high school in Norcross in 2007, King has battled back from a leg injury (broken tibia) sustained during his senior year at Greater Atlanta Christian.

King has paid his dues and should get the first shot to tote the note, but he will have to produce or lose carries to the other UGA running backs. In addition to the veterans, that group will also include much-heralded true freshman Washaun Ealey from Twin City, GA, who picked the home state Bulldogs early in the recruiting process  and will be looking to make an early impact.

Scholar athlete and fullback Shawn Chapas takes over for Brannen Southerland, who was one of the best in the country at the position a year ago. Chapas has greatly improved over his time at Georgia and has the skill set to lead the way for the game breakers and provide an outlet for Cox out of the backfield.

While outsiders see the loss of UGA’s go-to back, Moreno, as an issue, Richt thinks he has plenty of viable options in the backfield.

“I think I could probably blindly grab two or three of them, pick them up, and I would have confidence in whatever three I picked out, Richt said. “We will have success with them. Sometimes when you say no one has separated themselves from the pack, that’s bad if your pack isn’t very good. But if you have a pack of good ones, it’s hard to separate also because you have some pretty good guys around you…I think it’s more a situation of that than not having anybody outstanding. I think they’re all pretty outstanding.”

Junior Clint Boling (6-5 297) has played up and down the line in his career, but he is slated to start the season as the left tackle. He is a steady, talented lineman that provides versatility and experience. Trinton Sturdivant started 13 games at left tackle in 2007, but missed all of 2008 and spring drills in 2009 after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his left knee.

Sturdivant is said to be ready for action in the fall, and if he is, Boling could slide over to right tackle, reopening the left tackle position for Sturdivant and giving the Bulldogs a formidable pair of bookends.

Massive Sophomore Cordy Glenn (6-5 330) was named Freshman All-SEC last year by the coaches, and he will vie for starting spot at right tackle, too, putting pressure on Sturdivant to quickly knock off any rust from his long layoff or risk losing snaps.

Sophomore Ben Jones (6-3 294) returns at center after making 10 starts earning Freshman All-SEC honors in 2008. Sophomore Tanner Strickland (6-5 328) and Junior Chris Davis (6-4 290) were set to battle for the left guard position, but Strickland sustained a shoulder injury during offseason workouts, and will miss the ’09 season. Sophomore Justin Anderson (6-5 328) is listed as the 1^st-team right guard.

Senior defensive tackles Geno Atkins (6-1 290) and Jeff Owens (6-3 300) will start and rotate with Kade Weston (6-5 320) DeAngelo Tyson (6-2 294).

Junior Rennie Curran is not the prototypical linebacker, but his size, 5-11 222, belies his production (115 tackles in 2008 while earning 1^st-Team All SEC Honors from the coaches). Akeem Dent (6-2 226) gets the nod at MLB and Darryl Gamble (6-2 250) brings some size to the strongside. Reshad Jones (6-2 214) is a beast at strong safety, and Richt trusts senior free safety Bryan Evans (5-11 190).

Junior strong safety Quintin Banks (6-2 213) is coming off of a knee injury and could provide depth, if healthy, while redshirt freshman Bacarri Rambo (6-0 208) looks like he will be a contributor even if he probably won’t have the opportunity to draw “First Blood’.

If the Bulldogs are susceptible to a repeat of last year‘s up-and-down performance, though, it is on the edges of both the line, and the secondary. Historically a glamour position on the UGA defense, defensive end is a spot at which the Bulldogs need a wrecker of havoc to emerge.

The potential candidates–Senior Roderick Battle (6-4 259), Junior Demarcus Dobbs (6-2 274), Sophomore Justin Houston (6-3 259) and Junior Junior Kiante Tripp (6-6 270) all have potential that has, as of yet, not been fully maximized.

Battle and Houston arguably have the most athleticism of the DEs, but both are anything but bankable producers because of nagging issues (Battle has frequently been injured and Houston is suspended for the first two games of the season).

If UGA can’t find any playmakers off the edge their smallish cornerbacks, Senior Prince Miller (5-8 198) and Sophomore Brandon Boykin (5-10 182) could pay the price. Sanders Commings (6-2 214) and Makiri Pugh (6-0 196) are bigger, but not necessarily better…yet.

The biggest concern of all, though, for the Bulldogs has to be their unforgiving schedule. They open the season on September 5^th at Oklahoma State. The high-powered Cowboys will re-dedicate Boone-Pickens Stadium that night, and legions of orange-clad Okies will be lubed up and ready to make UGA’s opener a very difficult one.

Add out-of conference tilts with Arizona State (Sept. 26) and Georgia Tech (Nov. 28) to SEC clashes versus Florida (in Jacksonville), LSU (in Athens) and Tennessee (in Knoxville) and it’s easy to see why Richt thinks that, with their schedule and inexperience in the offensive backfield, the Bulldogs might have bitten off more than they can chew.

However, Cox and company welcome the challenge, and their newfound role as relative underDawgs. “I think (the offseason) really brought our team together,” Cox said. “With people telling you, ‘You won’t be as good’, you turn it around and use it on the field and in the lockerroom. When someone tells you that you can’t do something, it motivates you and you better yourself. We preached about that a lot this off season.”

Georgia Offense:

Returning starters: 7

Georgia Defense:

Returning Starters: 7

9/5 at Oklahoma St L
9/12 South Carolina W
9/19 at Arkansas W
9/26 Arizona State W
10/3 LSU L
10/10 at Tennessee W
10/17 at Vanderbilt W
10/24 OPEN DATE
10/31 Florida (Jack.) L
11/7 Tennessee Tech W
11/14 Auburn W
11/21 Kentucky W
11/28 at Georgia Tech W

  

Eighty-five wins in 10 years, including a perfect season, would often guarantee a coach some legitimate job security.  Considering that winning tradition was built in the toughest conference in America, you can’t blame Tommy Tuberville for wondering what more he could have done. 

The reality is that given the Renaissance in Tuscaloosa and Georgia’s recent success, Auburn’s administration felt like time was of the essence.  Shortly after AU’s 36-0 loss to then-#1 Bama, Tuberville submitted his resignation, and an era of uncommon stability came to an end.

Fast forward 8 months and Gene Chizik is talking about rebuilding a once-proud program.  Last year’s 5-7 record hangs over Toomer’s Corner like toilet paper once did after meaningful wins.  Excitement for the future centers around the architect of the 2004 defense that led Auburn to a perfect season and one of the brightest stars in offensive football coaching.   “We feel like we’ve assembled one of the best coaching staffs in the country, certainly in the league,” said Chizik at the SEC Media Days. 

Skeptics will say “You better!” given Chizik’s embarrassingly weak resume as a head coach.  No one believes it is easy to win at Ames, Iowa, but Dan McCartney had done pretty well.  Chizik, on the other hand, won five games in two years with one of those coming against a Division I-AA school (South Dakota State).  His Iowa State teams won 2 conference games in two seasons.  And this is the mastermind that is supposed to restore Auburn’s football tradition?

Chizik has turned the offense over to former Arkansas and Tulsa offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.  No one is making high school jokes about Malzahn, now.  The former Springdale (Ark.) High School head coach showed flashes of brilliance in his turbulent season as the Razorback offensive coordinator in 2006.  In two seasons at Tulsa, Malzahn was able to fully unleash his hurry-up, spread attack.  He is now prepared to take his second swing at SEC defenses.  “I feel very strongly in the efforts of running the football,” says Chizik.  Malzahn’s teams at Tulsa certainly did that, although the look will not remind Tiger fans much of the days of Bo Jackson. 

The central question on The Plains is, “Who will drive this new offensive machine?”  Kodi Burns comes back for another turn, having been recruited by Malzahn while he was in Fayetteville.  Many feel like his time has passed, though.  Junior Neil Caudle will probably start the season opener against Louisiana Tech.  He is the superior passer of the two, although Burns can make things happen with his legs.  Both could end up watching highly-touted newcomer Tyrik Rollison.  The Texan was regarded as one of the best dual threat QBs coming out of high school, and Malzhan certainly prefers a mobile quarterback.

Ben Tate is back to carry the load in the backfield after a frustrating second-half of the season last year.  Ontario McCaleb will push Tate and likely see some carries.  Malzahn had the luxury of McFadden and Jones at Arkansas, and proved he could use two superstars effectively.  Tate and McCaleb are far from those two NFL stars, but they can both expect to have some fun in this offense.

The receiving corps will get plenty of work this year – if the Tigers can find someone to throw the ball to them.  The real focus, though, is on the freshmen.  DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake project as future stars in the SEC.  Coach Chizik hopes they can hit the ground running right away.  “We hope they (Blake and Benton) can step up to the plate and help our offense this year,” he said.  There are some playmakers on campus, too, with Mario Fannin, Davin Adams, and Tim Hawthorne ready to lead the way while the young pups get acclimated to life in the SEC.  Look for Tommy Trott to be a leader for the entire offense, too.  The tight end can provide a great example for both the new pass catchers and the big uglies that will need to get dirty each week in the trenches.

Coach Chizik says Auburn “want(s) to create a physical brand of football,” and he has an offensive line that can help.  Big Lee Ziemba (6’ 8”, 304 lbs) broke the hearts of many Razorback fans when he left northwest Arkansas for Auburn.  Now, he’s a leader of the Auburn line.  The Tigers have an experienced group coming back this season with all five projected starters having gone through the SEC wars as either a starter or backup last year.  They will need to be quicker and in peak physical condition to handle the hurry-up, spread attack of Malzahn.

Former Duke Head Coach Ted Roof takes over as the defensive coordinator at Auburn, but don’t expect him to be alone in the meeting rooms and film sessions.  Coach Chizik will have a tremendous influence on a group that played well despite getting no help from its offense last year.  Senior Antonio Coleman leads the defensive front after surprising some by opting to come back for his fifth season.  According to Coleman “this has been the hardest summer of my life”, referring to the rigorous off-season training he and his mates have endured.  Expect Mike Blanc to anchor the interior line this season after spending the past few years as a backup.

Walt McFadden is back in the secondary, and his teammates will look to him to lead after the early exit of Jerraud Powers to the NFL.  Strong safety Zac Etheridge hopes to make the leap in his junior season to one of the best in the SEC if he can stay healthy.

OUTLOOK

It is never easy to rebuild in the SEC.  Just look at what happened in Fayetteville last season.  And, that was with a proven, successful coach at the helm.  The Tigers have their work cut out for them this season.  Making it to a bowl game seems reasonable, but I also would not be stunned if this group took awhile to come together and built slowly like the Hogs did in 2008.  Auburn’s defense, though, could give the Tigers a chance to hang around and win some they would otherwise likely lose.

September looks pretty manageable with the most dangerous game coming first.  Louisiana Tech is no joke, and I’m not sure I would want to break in a new offense and coaching staff against this squad coming off an Independence Bowl win–just ask Mississippi State what they think about the boys from Ruston.  That said, this should be an Auburn win that starts a four-game home stand to start the year.  Wins over Mississippi State, a declining West Virginia team, and Ball State should follow. 

October starts with an awful two-game road test that should send the Tigers back to Jordan-Hare 5-1 at best.  I’d look for both Tennessee and Arkansas to defend the home turf, but winning one of those two is not the longest of shots.  Auburn returns home for a dangerous game against Kentucky before they head to LSU.  Ole Miss comes to town on Halloween to end a brutal month for Auburn.

November starts with a breather against Division I-AA Furman before the trip up to Athens to take on Georgia in what is always an entertaining game.  Mercifully, the Tigers get an open week before the Iron Bowl on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Most likely:  Auburn has some growing pains offensively, but finds its way back to the post-season at 7-5.

With a lucky break:  If Auburn pulls off the back-to-back wins over Tennessee and Arkansas and avoids the upset against Kentucky, a 9-3 season could be there for the taking.

Best case scenario:  Winning at Georgia could get this group to 10 wins.

Bold prediction:  Auburn wins the Iron Bowl this year.

When South Carolina went out in 2004 and picked up the Porsche 911 of college football coaches, Steve Spurrier, no one could blame the Gamecocks fan base for dreaming about putting the top down, cranking up “2001 A Space Odyssey” and cruising to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game on a regular basis.

Now, as Spurrier enters his fifth season in Columbia, with a record of 28-22 overall and 15-17 in the SEC (and no more than 8 wins in a season), even Spurrier seems to understand why a segment of the eminently loyal Gamecocks fan base is suffering from a bit of buyer’s remorse.

Refreshingly unable or unwilling to mince words,  Spurrier appeared to acknowledge that this is a pivotal year for his regime once the breathless Woodward and Bernsteins at the SEC Media Days finally took a break from grilling him about Tebowgate to talk about his team.

“I feel very fortunate to be coming into my 17^th (season in the SEC),” he said. “ (I) just hope to make it next year. But if it doesn’t go pretty well, change is part of the coaching profession. We all understand that. We understand it happens.” 

He also seemed to suggest that he has lingering doubts, as well.  When asked about league head coaching newcomers “stirring” the pot as he had been one to do during his salad days as Florida head coach, Spurrier was, per the usual, brutally honest, even at his own expense.

“In life when you’re winning a lot, you’re winning sort of big, you naturally do that,” he said at SEC Media Days.  “ I’m not the only coach that has done that. And then when you’re 7-6, like I am now, you don’t have much to say. That’s just the way it is. I’m a 7 and sort of 6 coach right now. I don’t have all the answers and don’t pretend to.”

To be sure, Spurrier sees that the “Check Engine” light is on, and is searching for answers.  He hasn’t just tuned up the coaching staff–he has rebuilt it–with five new assistants and a new strength and conditioning coach.

New Running Game Coordinator and Offensive Line coach Eric Wolford will have his work cut out for him as he inherits a group that, while experienced, will have to shake off the demons from its 70 sacks allowed the last two seasons, combined.

Spurrier thinks he is up to the task on the sideline and on the recruiting trail, and has lauded Wolford as a rainmaker in the hunt for new talent.

The Old Ball Coach “sort of stole” (his words) new assistant coach Lorenzo Ward from Arkansas and Bobby Petrino, and in doing so, added another dynamic recruiter that has a wealth of experience, having played at Alabama, coached in the NFL (Oakland), SEC (Arkansas) and ACC and Big East (Virginia Tech, 7 seasons).

Ward was attracted by the opportunity to technically take over the defense coordinator position, a move that was made possible by the willingness of South Carolina native and veteran of SEC wars (and quick, but understandable, defections from the Arkansas staff) Ellis Johnson to vacate the title.

Johnson now holds the title of Assistant Head Coach and assistant coach in charge of the defense and linebackers. 

Also joining the staff are former Tennessee Volunteer running back Jay Graham (running backs), Jeep Hunter (tight ends) G.A. Mangus (Quarterbacks) and Craig Fitzgerald (Strength & Conditioning).

The good news for Spurrier and his assistants on the offensive side of the ball is that the quarterback carousel that has been an increasingly less productive staple of Spurrier-led offenses may be out the door (now if they can just work on the visor).

Sophomore Stephen Garcia (6’2 219) is the returning starter at quarterback, and he no longer has to worry about the faint odor of fresh potential pine as Chris Smelley has taken his wares to the University of Alabama baseball squad.

Garcia possesses all the tools to be a superstar, but has also displayed questionable decision-making on-and-off the field , and a work ethic that has had Spurrier openly prodding him for an increased commitment.

The struggles of the South Carolina offense a year ago cannot all be laid at Garcia’s feet, though.  In fact, the offensive line’s inability to keep him on his feet, and not his back, was a major factor in the Gamecocks’ offensive inconsistency in ‘08.

Senior Center and solid NFL prospect Garrett Anderson (6’4 307) returns to anchor the line. Given the struggles of the recent years, the waters around him may be fairly choppy. 

Former JUCO transfer Jarriel King started 11 games a year ago and seems to have the left tackle spot battened down.  Junior right tackle Hutch Eckerson (6-6, 290) has previous starting experience and should man that spot.

Lemuel Jeanpierre (6-4, 294) will be in the mix on the offensive line, as well as fellow veteran Seaver Brown  and Terrence Campbell, T.J. Johnson, and Quintin Richardson.

The “skill” positions desperately need a new leader with the departure of stalwart Kenny McKinley.  The most likely candidate is senior WR Moe Brown who is looking to become a dependable threat and lead on the field in the same way he does in the lockerroom. Junior Dion Lecorn also has experience and could emerge. Jason Barnes is a returning starter.

Weslye Saunders will start at TE, a spot that had been manned by USC’s biggest playmaker, Jared Cook. He will not be expected to match Cook’s production, but will be asked to provide a threat in the middle of the field for Garcia.  Cliff Matthews will also play tight end, but will see time at defensive end, as well.

The running backs do not currently have a home run hitter in their midst, having finished at the bottom of the league in rushing last year, but true freshman Jarvis Giles (5-11, 183) could fit that bill.

The offensive backfield could get also get a boost with the insertion of 2008 South Carolina Gatorade High School Player of the Year, Stephon Gilmore, (who projects long term as a cornerback) as the QB in the Wild Cat/Hog/Rebel/Dolphin offense. 

Gilmore is a sorely needed playmaker, and will be given plenty of opportunities to make an immediate impact.

On the defensive side of the ball, the secondary provides the frightening question marks, and linebacker Eric Norwood, who passed up an opportunity to head to the NFL, and the rest of the front seven, provide some of the answers.

A number of members of the Gamecocks’ ‘08 secondary made an early exit, though, and as a result, Spurrier and company will be asking some newcomers to grow up quickly. 

With All-league talent to go with their All-World names, Captain Munnerlyn, Stoney Woodson and Emmanuel Cook will be tough to replace, but the mostly likely candidate to shine is Gilmore.   Darian Stewart and Akeem Auguste are no slouches, either, and all of their efforts will be supported by Norwood and the other hosses in front of them.

In addition to Norwood, who had nine sacks last year in the shadow of departed superstar, Jasper Brinkley, Rodney Paulk is a solid breakout candidate at MLB in ‘09 after nabbing his fair share of Brinkley and Norwood’s leftovers last year.

And, a DL full of talented veterans like Matthews, Ladi Ajiboye (who had academic issues that led to his suspension, but should be eligible), Nathan Pepper and Clifton Geathers make its defense a clear team strength, even though it may be susceptible to growing pains in the secondary. 

Spencer Lanning and Adam Yates will vie for the spot vacated by one of the SEC’s biggest legs, Ryan Succop.

After getting blitzed to the tune of 118-30 in three consecutive losses to Florida, Clemson and Iowa (Outback Bowl) to end last season, the Gamecocks head right back into the fire with a September slate that features a nationally televised, Thursday night opener at N.C. State and a road trip nine days later to Georgia.

If South Carolina can beat the Wolfpack, it will have a chance to build some momentum with a rare four-week homestand that will feature Florida Atlantic, Ole Miss, South Carolina State and Kentucky.

Anything less than three wins during that stretch, though, will likely make the ride to improvement on Spurrier’s 8-win-high water mark at South Carolina a bumpy one–particularly in a Ferrari with quite a few miles on the odometer.

South Carolina Offense:

Returning starters: 7

Key Players: Stephen Garcia, QB, Moe Brown, WR, Garrett Anderson, C

One to Watch: Stephon Gilmore, QB

South Carolina  Defense:

Returning Players: 6

Key Players: Eric Norwood, LB, Ladi Ojiboye, DT, Darian Stewart, hybrid.

One to Watch: Clifton Geathers, DE

Key Game(s): @ N.C. State Sept. 3, Ole Miss Sept. 24, Florida Nov. 14, Clemson Nov. 28

Schedule/Predicted Result: (7-5)

9/3 at NC State                   W
9/12 at Georgia                   L
9/19 Florida Atlantic          W
9/24 Ole Miss                     W
10/3 SC State                      W
10/10 Kentucky                   W
10/17 at Alabama                L
10/24 Vanderbilt                 W
10/31 at Tennessee              L
11/7 at Arkansas                  L
11/14 Florida                       L
11/21 OPEN DATE
11/28 Clemson                    W

After years of futility and three excruciatingly close years, the Commodores finally broke through for a bowl game last season.  The reward for such a remarkable feat?  A trip to Nashville!  Wait…did I say trip?  I meant bus ride across town.

To be honest, those kids may have been disappointed but playing in December was a new experience.  The extra bowl practices combined with a Music City Bowl win over Boston College sent the Dores into the offseason with high hopes for continued success in 2009.  We love optimism, but the 2009 campaign will prove to be more difficult if for no other reason than Vandy can no longer sneak up on anyone.  Vanderbilt finally has the athletes on both sides of the ball to compete.  Sadly they do not have enough to win.

Vanderbilt struggled to score with any consistency last season.  There is hope for 2009, but they must see improved play at the quarterback position.  Senior Mackenzi Adams comes back to lead an offense that ranked 112th in passing offense and 110th in passing efficiency.  Adams completed less than 50% of his passes and only had 5 TD passes compared to 8 interceptions.  His ability to scramble and make plays saved the Commodores, but Matt Jones he is not. Larry Smith, who started the Music City Bowl, will provide competition for the QB1 spot.  Smith is more of a caretaker that can scramble when need be.  Defenses will not need to devote a safety or MLB to spy on Smith during the course of a game. 

Vandy has lots of options at running back.  The problem for them, though, is that none of these options have proven to be exceedingly good.  Jared Hankins projects as the #1 guy to start the season, just as he did in 2008.  A foot injury derailed what could have been a 1,000 yard season and limited his activity in the spring.  Kennard Reeves is a bigger back (6’0″, 202 lbs) but only carried the ball 35 times last year, most of that coming in the final regular season game against Wake Forest.  Expect coaches to limit Hankins early and try to get Reeves and Gaston Miller (5′ 7″, 175 lbs) some carries in an effort to lighten the load. 

The receiving corps looks to be an upgrade for Vanderbilt this season.  Two transfers and some more experienced talent could help the quarterbacks’ numbers.  Junior Terence Jeffers is eligible this season after sitting out 2008 per NCAA rules after transferring from UConn.  In 2007 he led the Huskies with 44 catches and has the speed to take the ball to the house.  Sophomore Udom Umoh looks to build on his performance in the Music City Bowl where he hauled in 3 passes — his only three all season.  Sophomore transfer from Minnesota, Tray Herndon could also contribute in Vanderbilt’s three-receiver sets.  Redshirt freshman Akeem Dunham, a converted defensive back, could also press for playing time.  Sophomore tight end Brandon Barden (6′ 5″, 245 lbs) led the team with 4 TD receptions in 2008.  Barden hopes to emerge as one of the elite SEC pass-catching tight ends in 2009.

All five starters on the offensive line had to be replaced in 2008, and they experienced the expected growing pains.  The group gelled, though, and now looks to be a reliable force in 2009.  The Commodores are led by senior center Bradley Vierling.  Senior right tackle Thomas Welch (6′ 7″, 310 lbs) is the star of the line.  Projected as a sure-fire NFL draft pick, Welch leads the way when Vandy decides to run to the right side.  Junior Reilly Lauer (6′ 6″, 275) is a converted DT that continues to develop on the left side.  Lean and athletic, Lauer could emerge as a real star on the left.  Senior Eric Hensley moved inside last season to take over at right guard.  He has the ability to slide outside if injuries warrant, but guard is his more natural position.  Kyle Fisher rounds out the offensive front.  A sophomore, Fisher is versatile enough to slide outside if need be although he started the final four games of 2008 at left guard.

Throughout their years of mediocrity (and that is being kind), Vanderbilt has established itself as a reliably good defensive team.  Year in and year out, the Dores put pressure on opposing offenses to execute.  Despite losing DJ Moore (Chicago) and Reshard Langford (Philadelphia) to the NFL, the Vanderbilt defense will apply pressure to SEC offenses all season.

The entire front seven returns and senior CB Myron Lewis is back to lead a talented secondary.  Lewis projects as the best pro prospect on the team.  He and his secondary mates will benefit from a strong front line that will put pressure on quarterbacks.  Senior Broderick Stewart leads a very talented defensive line that will pose problems to any offense.  He missed the final two games last season with a foot injury but is ready to dominate the interior.  Also on the outside, Vanderbilt has ultra-talented senior, and Conway, AR native,  Steven Stone (6′ 5″, 272 lbs).  Stone piled up 5 sacks last season and can play the run as well as pass rush.

Senior Patrick Benoist led the team in tackles last season with 109, and he returns to anchor the linebacker corp.  Only 6-feet tall and 220 lbs, Benoist plays much bigger and with great passion.  Chris Marve handled the middle linebacker duties last year like a veteran despite playing extensively as a freshman.  His experience will only help clog the middle of the field.  John Stokes is tall and lean (6′ 5″, 228 lbs) and can move very well at the other outside position. Only an injured shoulder could slow him down last season.

As we mentioned, Lewis is the best player and group leader in the secondary.  At 6′ 3″, 205 lbs Lewis looks to join Moore in the NFL after this season.  On the other side of the field the Commodores will rely on a converted WR, sophomore Jamie Graham.  Ryan Hamilton finished third on the team in tackles last year from his free safety position and picked off 3 Jevan Sneed passes in the upset of Ole Miss.  Look for Hamilton to emerge as one of the SEC’s best this year.  Replacing Langford at the strong safety position is Sean Richardson, a sophomore who made a name for himself as a special teams all-star in 2008.

Vanderbilt turns to redshirt freshman Ryan Fowler to take over the placekicking duties.  Like all freshmen, Fowler will need to prove he can convert in clutch moments early to ease the fears of the Vanderbilt faithful.  Senior Brett Upson is back as the starting punter, carrying a 40.1 yard-per-punt average last season.

OUTLOOK

Vanderbilt will never be a regular contender for the SEC East crown, let alone overall SEC Championships.  That said, Bobby Johnson has built a hell of a program from virtually the ground up.  Their facilities lag far behind the rest of the SEC, their recruiting budget is laughably small, and the Commodores have no winning tradition.  Returning to a bowl game this year should be the team’s goal.  If the breaks go right, they may even get to leave Nashville for the post-season in 2009.  Navigating the typically treacherous SEC schedule could prove too much for a team with no offensive identity that relies upon its defense to win games.  Twelve games in twelve weeks will take a toll on this group, likely leaving the Commodores home for Christmas.

Vanderbilt should survive September at 2-2 with wins over Western Carolina and Rice.  Ole Miss will look to avenge last season’s embarrassing loss in Oxford.  Coach Johnson would be wise to cancel the trip to LSU if the conference will let him.  October looks like more of the same with winnable games at home against Mississippi State and on the road at Army.  Georgia and South Carolina are games where Vandy should compete, but depth in October will start to make a difference.  Georgia Tech hits Nashville on Halloween in an interesting non-conference affair.  Paul Johnson is building something in Atlanta, but you just never know what may happen with these games.  The smart money says the Jackets will be a little better and prevail, even on the road. 

November starts with a trip to Gainesville and The Swamp.  Kentucky heads to Nashville the next week, which sets up a critical game for both schools.  If Vandy has anyone left standing at this point in the season, this could be a winner.  Vanderbilt closes the season at Knoxville before finally getting their open week…about 6 weeks too late.

Most likely:  The Commodores fall to 4-8 after being worn down by a relentless schedule.

With a lucky break:  Vandy could end up 6-6 with wins over Kentucky and Georgia Tech.

Best case scenario:  8-4 with additional wins over Ole Miss and South Carolina.

“Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. There’s no better rule.”  Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

 On its face, 2009 looks like a potential banner season for the Ole Miss Rebels.  Fresh from an impressive 9-4 campaign in 2008 that was capped by six consecutive wins, including a 47-34 Cotton Bowl triumph over the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Houston Nutt’s squad is this year’s off-season media darling.

The Rebels can be found in most preseason Top Ten lists, and, undoubtedly, there is a lot to like about Ole Miss as it heads into 2009.  First, the Ole Miss schedule is remarkably soft.  In fact, it’s so soft that when I read the transcript of Houston Nutt’s SEC media days press conference this week, in which he was asked to “talk about having to play in tough environments such as Memphis, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt” I actually blushed.

Memphis is the premier non-conference opponent on the Ole Miss slate. ‘Nuff said.  Additionally, the SEC schedule sets up like a stacked deck of cards for Ole Miss with its toughest road games coming at Auburn and South Carolina.  The Rebels host Alabama, Tennessee, LSU and Arkansas and also have the good fortune of avoiding perennial SEC powerhouse Georgia. 

 Most importantly though, they miss a revenge-fueled Florida squad led by College Football Savior/modern-day Knute Rockne, Tim Tebow.

 If that is not enough to get Johnny Rebs everywhere all Hotty Toddied, they are also undoubtedly delighted to have transplanted Texan quarterback Jevan Snead returning to the helm after he blossomed last year in the Magnolia State.

 Snead was a much-heralded prep All-American who originally signed with Texas, but transferred to Ole Miss after playing five games at UT in 2006 as a freshman.  In 2008, his first season in the SEC, Snead passed for a salty 2,762 yards and 26 touchdowns. 

He also threw 13 interceptions, but eight of those came in the month of September.  The growing pains were most evident in a four-interception clunker of a loss against Vanderbilt in Oxford.

Snead responded to that low point the following week by leading Ole Miss to an improbable 31-30 win over Florida in Gainesville that was the first of nine consecutive games (to end the season) in which he avoided throwing multiple interceptions.   He is in position to be one of the best quarterbacks in college football in the coming season.

On the other side of the ball, Ole Miss returns eight starters from a stout 2008 defense, as well as its enigmatic headliner, the oft-injured, but uber-talented NFL defensive end in waiting, Greg Hardy.

 Throw in 2008 1^st team All-SEC placekicker Joshua Shene, who is the active conference leader in field goals with 42, and it is easy to see why the national sports punditocracy is aflutter over the Rebels.

But, history has taught us a number of valuable, but painful, lessons about Houston Nutt.  Even his fiercest detractors would admit that he has the innate ability to snatch unlikely victories from the jaws of defeat, often at times when seemingly everyone outside of his immediate family thinks the train is coming off of the tracks.

But, unfortunately for Ole Miss fans (and Arkansas fans during his tumultuous tenure in Fayetteville), he also has displayed a consistent, and mind-numbingly frustrating inability to sustain prosperity. 

I won’t recount the 1998 season, because it contained a confluence of events that led me to (at least in my mind’s eye) erase a few months of my life as if I was a character in the Will Smith movie “Men in Black”.

But I DO remember 2003, and the galvanizing 4-0 start for the Razorbacks that featured a blistering of Texas on a sweltering day in September and a come-from-behind, two-overtime win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa that was not for the faint of heart.

I also remember that at that point, a pattern began to emerge for Houston Nutt–extreme highs were met with equally extreme lows.  Nutt and the then Top 10 Hogs were riding a wave of momentum in ‘03 when they suffered a nationally-televised three-game losing streak by dropping home tilts versus Auburn and Florida before losing to Eli Manning and the Rebels in Oxford.

 

Then, in 2006, after a 2-year rebuilding effort and dalliances with Nebraska and LSU, Nutt again brought the Hogs to the brink of college football glory (the SEC Championship Game and, with a win, a potential BCS Championship Game appearance) only to have Razorback fans “Fish”ing for Kleenex.

A backfield that included 2-time HeismanTrophy runner-up Darren McFadden, fellow NFL first rounder Felix Jones and a heckuva third option, Peyton Hillis, carried the Hogs all the way to a Top 5 national ranking, but wasn’t enough to overcome the yipps that plagued the Nutt era at the University of Arkansas.

The Razorbacks limped to the finish in 2006 with losses to LSU (in Little Rock), Florida (in the SEC Championship Game) and Wisconsin (in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando).

I recount these near-misses not for my own, selfish, bitter purposes (OK, maybe a little) but instead to sound a cautionary note to Ole Miss fans–remember your history, as well as that of your head coach.

Ole Miss, despite the fact its gameday traditions include a “Walk of Champions” has not won a conference championship since the passage of the Civil Rights Act.  That is a long, 4 ½ decade walk (but it has featured the best tailgating of any stroll you have ever seen–just ask any Rebels fan).

And, its current leader, Nutt, has shown that he is what he is–a skilled, yet flawed coach that can invigorate a moribund program and bring notable success–but one who cannot lead the pack and finish with a kick.

He has earned SEC Coach of the Year honors twice (2001 and 2006) and has Ole Miss on the college football map, but he has never had a team finish in the Top 10 nationally, and was 2-6 in bowl games at Arkansas.

That is the kind of evidence that suggests looks are deceiving and the Ole Miss Rebels’ Great Expectations will end in great disappointment in 2009.

Ole Miss Offense:

Returning starters: 9

Key Players: Jevan Snead, QB, Dexter McLuster, WR, Cordera Eason, RB, Bradley Sowell, LT

One to Watch: Bradley Sowell, LT

Ole Miss Defense:

Returning Starters: 8

Key Players: Greg Hardy, DE, Kendrick Lewis, FS, Patrick Trahan, WLB

One to Watch: Patrick Trahan, WLB

Key Game(s): @ South Carolina Sept. 26, @ Vanderbilt Oct. 3, Alabama Oct. 10, Arkansas Oct. 24 and LSU Nov. 21

Schedule/Predicted Result: (8-4)

9/6 at Memphis W
9/12 OPEN DATE
9/19 SE Louisiana W
9/26 at South Carolina L
10/3 at Vanderbilt W
10/10 Alabama L
10/17 UAB W
10/24 Arkansas L
10/31 at Auburn W
11/7 Northern Arizona W
11/14 Tennessee W
11/21 LSU L
11/28 at Miss State W