Dixie Fried Sports The South's Best Sports WebSite
Your Subtitle text
30 SEC Questions for 09
The SEC's Freshman of the Year for 2008 Georgia's A.J. Green
30 Questions For the SEC in 2009
3.2.09
As spring practice starts we look ahead at what questions face the SEC in 2009.
30. What Player has the most pressure in 2009?
A. Stephen Garcia QB South Carolina- Garcia comes into the spring as the number 1 QB at USC for the first time in his career. Chris Smelley has transferred to Alabama and record breaking WR Kenny McKinley has graduated, so all the pressure falls on Garcia. An elite 11 QB in high school, Garcia has yet to live up to Gamecock fan's expectations. The sophomore last season didn't perform well(65-122 832yds 6 TDs 8 INTs), but did show potential in a 2nd half comeback win over Kentucky.
29. What Coach has the most pressure in 2009?
A. Lane Kiffin Tennessee- The Vols' coaching job is a tough one to begin with, but Kiffin has put himself in a bad situation with his mouth this winter. Bragging about stealing top recruiters from USC and Bama, questioning Spurrier's recruiting test scores, and accusing Urban Meyer of recruiting violations are just a few examples of how Kiffin has angered those in the SEC. Kiffin is following a future college football Hall of Famer in Phillip Fulmer and if he doesn't win early his comments won't appear to be cute any longer with the hometown fans.
28. Who's the SEC's Most Underrated Player?
A. Michael Smith RB Arkansas- At only 5'7 180 its hard to get overlooked, especially when you spent the first 2 years of your career behind Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. Last season Smith ran for 1,072 yds and scored 8 TDs in only 10 games. Smith also showed he can catch in Petrino's offense with 32 catches for 298 yds and 2 TDs. It will be interesting to watch Smith develop in 2009 as Petrino has recruited some bigger backs to help take the load off Smith.
27. Who's the SEC's Most Underrated Coach?
A. Bobby Johnson Vanderbilt- Ignore the below .500 record, the man has the toughest coaching job in college football. Vanderbilt has the smallest fan base in the SEC, smallest stadium, produces the least amount of revenue, doesn't have an athletic department, and is the only private school in the SEC. Despite all these obstacles Johnson won the school's first bowl game in 26 years last season and even had the Dores in the top 15 last season. Vandy even hosted ESPN's College Gameday, something that has yet to visit MSU, Ole Miss, or Kentucky. As long as Johnson is at Vanderbilt they will continue to be in most games.
26. What's the Biggest game for 2009?
A. LSU at Alabama on November 7- While LSU was down a bit in 2008, don't expect that to last. Not only do you have the Saban-LSU storyline, but you also get 2 of the 3 most talented teams in the SEC playing each other late in the season. The past 2 seasons this has been a great game and this season should be no different. It's very possible both teams could be in the top 5 nationally at this point.
25. What assistant coach has the most potential as a head coach?
A. Gus Malzahn offensive coordinator at Auburn- Malzahn has only coached in college football for 3 seasons, but in those 3 seasons he's made a huge impact. In 2006 Malzahn debuted in the SEC at Arkansas. The season prior the Hogs only scored 283 points, but in 06 under Gus they scored 404 points. Malzahn also coached a Heisman runner up in Darren McFadden and was named Rivals.com offensive coordinator of the year. As OC at Tulsa the Golden Hurricane led the NCAA in total offense in 2007 and in 2008. In his first season Tulsa became the first NCAA team ever to have a 5,000 passed, 1,000 rusher, and three 1,000 WRs. Malzahn is also the one who has made the "Wildcat" formation popular in most the NCAA and now the NFL. Possibly the best QB-WR connection on the West Coast in 2009(Mustain-Williams) played under Malzahn at Springdale HS in Springdale, AR.
24. Who has the toughest schedule in 2009?
A. Georgia- What were the Bulldogs thinking? The first 5 games for the Dogs are @Oklahoma State, South Carolina, @ Arkansas, Arizona State, LSU, and @ Tennessee. There are very few BCS Schools recently that have ever played 3 potential top 25 OOC opponents as UGA does in 2009.
23. Who has the easiest schedule in 2009?
A. Ole Miss- The Rebels get the fortune of not having to play the SEC East's top 2 teams in 2009. Neither Florida or Georgia appear on the schedule. The SEC West's top teams Alabama, LSU, and Arkansas all come to Oxford. OOC games are against UAB, Memphis, and SE Louisiana. The road teams Ole Miss faces in the SEC next year have a combined record of 23-25 from 2008.
22. What's the worst OOC Game for the SEC in 2009?
A. Charleston Southern at Florida- Why are the Gators playing this game? In the State of South Carolina Charleston Southern would at best be the 5th best 1-AA team in the state. In the last 2 seasons against 1-A schools CSU has been outscored 118-17. The defending national champs did a poor job of scheduling OOC games for 2009.
21. What's the best OOC Game in the SEC in 2009?
A. Virginia Tech at Alabama on Sept 5- The ACC Champs travel to play the SEC West champs. 2 great defenses play each other. The Hokies hope that this trip is much nicer than the one they made to Baton Rouge a couple seasons ago.
20. Will Houston Nutt and Ole Miss become champions in 2009?
A. No- The Rebs certainly have some talent on their team and at the end of last season they were one of the hottest teams in college football. The problem is that Ole Miss is no longer the hunter, they are now the hunted. There's a trend with Nutt, when you least expect him to do well he wins(98, 02, 06). Following big seasons you think Nutt is returning the talent to win a championship, but he doesn't(99, 03, 07). Ole Miss is certainly a bowl team in 09, but a SEC Championship won't happen.
19. Who's the SEC's Best player?
A. Tim Tebow QB Florida- This is a stupid question, and I shouldn't have asked it, but since I'm answering the questions I will. Tebow already has 2 NC rings, a Heisman Trophy, and has the SEC rushing and total TD records for a season. Tebow has rare physical gifts, but its his leadership that makes him the great player he is.
18. Is Gene Chizik that awful of a hire?
A. No- If Auburn had hired Will Muschamp last season they would've been praised by many. Well, by hiring Chizik the Tigers basically hired Muschamp with 2 years of HC experience. Back in 2006 Chizik was Will Muschamp, a young up and coming defensive coordinator with lots of potential. Chizik made a bad career move by taking the Iowa State job, a place that is very tough to win at. He's put together a great staff and there's no reason to believe the Tigers won't be bowling this year. Chizik wasn't an awful hire, but getting rid of Tuberville was a bad move. Auburn will win more than it will lose with Chizik, but won't reach the levels that Tuberville took the program to.
17. Who made the better coaching hire Auburn, MSU, or Tennessee?
A. Mississippi State- After several years of putting fans to sleep with his offense, Sly Croom is no longer at MSU. When AD Greg Byrne started the search for a coach he stated he wanted an offensive mind, with Dan Mullen he landed that. Mullen brings a new interest to MSU football and a system that should fit the athletes in Mississippi well. Mullen has coached a NFL first pick, a heisman winner, and has 2 NC rings. The question becomes will Mullen be the next Richt or the next Brad Scott?
16. Is this Spurrier's final year at South Carolina?
A. No, Spurrier is staying- Every year there's a rumor that Spurrier is leaving South Carolina for another school or retiring. It's been reported in newspapers and on radio shows in the southeast the past few seasons that Spurrier would be taking jobs at Miami, Alabama, or A&M. Note to other media members(Paul Finebaum and Brian Curtis)......SPURRIER ISN'T LEAVING!!! Multiple times he's stated he's in it for another 4-5 years. While some see Spurrier as failing at USC, let's keep in mind he's the winningest 4th year coach in school history. He's also the only USC coach to have 4 consecutive bowl elgible teams. Spurrier had a top 5 recruiting class in 2007 and the 09 class was in the top 15. Building USC into a winner isn't an easy job, keep in mind 10 years ago the program was in the middle of a 21 game losing streak.
15. If Spurrier isn't leaving then who will in 2009?
A. Rich Brooks Kentucky- It's amazing what Brooks has done the last 3 seasons at Kentucky. For the first time in school history we've seen UK win 3 straight bowl games. 7 years prior to this run, UK had no bowl appearances. Joker Phillips has already been named coach in waiting and it seems as if Brooks is ready to grab a pole and head to the fishing hole.
14. What's the Best Division in College Football?
A. The SEC West- This season there are 4 teams that have a legit shot at the SEC West championship(LSU, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Alabama) the other 2 should challenge for a bowl game. There isn't a division that comes close to this one. All 6 schools have had 8 or more wins in a season the past 2 years. Saban and Miles have NC rings, Petrino won a BCS game, Nutt has won 2 SEC West titles, Chizik and Mullen have NCS as assistants. Each team in this division finished with a top 25 recruiting class in 09.
13. Who will be the most improved SEC team next year?
A. Arkansas- Last season I said Ole Miss would be the most improved SEC team(I was right check the archives) This season I'm going with Arkansas. The Hogs return 19 starters. At the QB position the Hogs do lose a starter, but there is no doubt they get an upgrade in that position. Ryan Mallet will replace Casey Dick at QB. At 6'7 251 Mallet is not only a big guy, but he's a big time player. Rated as the #2 QB in the nation by many coming out of HS, Mallet sat out last season after transferring from Michigan. Petrino will have a couple candidates to play the role of Michael Bush in his "Power Spread" and the defense should be much improved with plenty returning plus the addition of some big time recruits(Darius Winston)
12. What SEC Team will drop off the most in 2009?
A. Georgia- Losing Moreno and Stafford is tough, but the schedule the Dogs face in 2009 is tougher. While Georgia still has plenty of talent, don't be shocked to see Georgia in a lower tier bowl game in 2009. Georgia could be a very good team in 09, but look bad due to the teams they are playing. In a weaker than usual SEC East the Dogs still might finish 2nd overall though.
11. What True Freshman will have the biggest impact?
A. Jarvis Giles RB South Carolina- Not since the days of Duce Staley has South Carolina had a true homerun threat at running back that the coaching staff didn't have to worry about suspending every few weeks. The Gamecocks get that in Giles, who is already on campus. Giles has shift moves and break away speeed that is needed in a Steve Spurrier running back. There is little competition infront of Giles and this big time Tampa recruit could be starting by week 1.
10. Who is the best NFL Prospect in the SEC?
A. A.J. Green- At 6'4 210 Green is a man among boys once the ball is snapped. As a Freshman Green had 56 catches for 963 yards and 8 TDs. In the fourth game of his college career Green was named SEC Player of the Week after having 8 receptions for 159 yards and a TD at Arizona State. While not elgible for the NFL draft for another 2 years, this kid is well on the way to be the top WR taken in the 2011 draft.
9. What will be the first upset of 2009?
A. Ole Miss at South Carolina- The Rebels are likely to head into Columbia on September 24 as a top 15 or possibly a top 10 team. Not much is expected out of the Gamecocks in 2009, but this is a Thursday Night game and the home team usually wins on Thursdays. Since 2003 USC is 4-1 during Thursday Night home games, the 1 loss was to #2 Auburn by 7 points.
8. What are we happy to get rid of in 2009?
A. Jefferson Pilot/Lincoln Financial/Raycom Sports- Finally the 3 Daves are gone, as are Brooks & Dunn intro videos. No longer will SEC fans get 3rd quarter scoring updates from games that ended an hour ago. With the new package deal with ESPN, SEC fans will get more quality broadcasts and less of Dave Baker. Let's just hope Bob Davie stays away from SEC stadiums
7. What should we get rid of in 2009?
A. Blackouts- This is the most overused fan activity in the NCAA over the last few years. Not since "The Wave" has a fan idea gotten so boring. Each week another school is having a blackout. Only 2 schools in the SEC have traditionally wore black uniforms during football games(South Carolina and Vanderbilt), the others need to stick to traditional colors. It seems as if only Auburn, LSU, Arkansas, and Alabama are the only schools who respect tradition enough not to mess with it. Every other school seems to want to change its helmet or jersey every few years
6. Is there a Heisman Candidate in the SEC besides Tim Tebow?
A. Probably Not- This season it could be once again Tebow and the Big XII QBs headed to New York. A.J. Green is possibly the closest thing to a candidate, but a sophomore WR isn't going to make it. Jevan Snead is a great QB, but isn't likely to put up big enough numbers to be a serious threat. Ryan Mallet is certain to put up big time numbers in Petrino's offense, but a first year starter isn't going to get enough attention nationally.
5. Who Do SEC Fans hate more Lane Kiffin or Paul Finebaum?
A. Paul Finebaum- Both have said things that have pissed off many fan bases, but right now Kiffin is the guy fans love to laugh at the most. Finebaum has at least proven himself in the southeast as a guy not to be messed with. If Kiffin starts winning though you could be looking at the Steve Spurrier, which seems to be Lane's goal.
4. Who will be the most improved player in 2009?
A. Kodi Burns- In the last 2 seasons Burns has been under 3 different offensive coordinators. The 3rd time is going to be a charm. Gus Malzahn was able to take a 1st year starter at Tulsa last year and make him into one of the nation's top QBs in a few months. Burns is very talented, he can run and he can pass. Last season Burns was 94-179 for 1050 yards 2 TDs and 7 INTs, he ran for 412 yards. Those stats are certain to improve with more stability at OC, especially without the Tony Franklin Soap Opera.
3. Who wins the SEC West?
A. Alabama- The SEC West is very balanced this year, but The Tide will repeat. Last year's team was loaded with young talent that helped Bama reach 12 wins. This year's team returns much of the same talent and adds Saban's 2nd consecutive #1 recruiting class. Sure the QB position changes leaders, but under Saban the QB is never asked to win too many games. LSU travels to Tuscaloosa, making the SEC West showdown the SEC's game of the year.
2. Who wins the SEC East?
A. Florida- The SEC East isn't near as balanced as the West and there is only 1 power team in the division this year. Florida returns nearly everyone on both sides of the ball including Tim Tebow. Sure Harvin is gone, but the Gators have so much speed on offense that they'll just plug in another big time playmaker. Florida wins the East, the SEC, and the National Championship.
1. If Florida does indeed win the SEC where does this dynasty rank?
A. Right up there with Nebraska of the mid 90s- Not since Tom Osborne's last 4 Nebraska teams have we seen a run like the Gators will produce in 2009. From 94-97 the Huskers went 49-2 and won 3 National Championships. This Gator team 4 year run won't end up with as good of a record, but there hasn't been a run like this since.
******Do You have a SEC Related Question and want to hear our response? Ask us at the email below and we'll post your name, location, question, and give you an answer on this site. Just keep the questions clean*******
Matt Barber
dixiefriedsports@gmail.com
