Is the SEC’s future too tied to a single ship?
Since Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama’s already undisputed place atop the SEC landscape has only grown in altitude. Saban, who had won a national title at LSU prior to taking the Alabama job, has won four more national titles since 2007. Had Alabama knocked off Clemson in January, Saban would have tied Paul “Bear” Bryant for total number of titles, but would have done it at a substantially quicker pace. Many already believe Saban has supplanted Bryant as the best college coach that ever was; a win over Clemson would have galvanized those opinions.
2016 Previews: Rating the units of SEC teams
August 8, 2016 Comments Off on 2016 Previews: Rating the units of SEC teams
While college football might be a numbers game to some, putting objective numbers down to predict a team’s chances in the upcoming season can be a challenge – some say impossible.
The system we present to you tries to do the impossible. What follows is a ranking of every position group of every team in the SEC, and we try to make the results as objective as we can.
Continue reading …TideFans.com’s preseason top 25 and SEC rankings
August 8, 2016 Comments Off on TideFans.com’s preseason top 25 and SEC rankings
Projected 2016 SEC Standing and National Top 25 rankings
Continue reading …SECCG wrap-up: Bama plays to its strengths, takes advantage of Gator errors
December 6, 2015 Comments Off on SECCG wrap-up: Bama plays to its strengths, takes advantage of Gator errors
As gameplans go, the one Alabama used to defeat Florida for the 25th SEC championship in school history was stunningly simple: Alabama would use its defense to choke the life out of an anemic offense forced to work behind a thin, under-talented offensive line. Then the Crimson Tide would feed Florida a steady dose of Derrick Henry until the Gators wilted under the constant pressure.
Sometimes, gameplans don’t play out the way they’re put together on chalkboards. But this one did.
Continue reading …Arkansas recap: Hogs too limited to capitalize on Bama mistakes
October 11, 2015 Comments Off on Arkansas recap: Hogs too limited to capitalize on Bama mistakes
Alabama football games are rarely defined by one quarter, but the Crimson Tide’s 27-14 win over Arkansas was almost entirely about the fourth quarter plus 1:39 of the third.
And it never should have come to that.
The Crimson Tide spun wheels for most of Saturday’s game against Arkansas, victimized by spotty offensive line play, inconsistent quarterback play and playcalling that often veered into the realm of the obtuse. But the best defensive line in college football – perhaps the best defensive front seven – and a secondary that continues to improve every week kept Arkansas from really doing anything about it.
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How far the Aggies go in 2015 will be determined by how quickly new defensive coordinator John Chavis can right the ship. The Aggies have never lacked for offense since joining the SEC, but their built-for-the-Big-12 defense just can’t cut it. In addition to Chavis, head coach Kevin Sumlin finally seems to be getting serious about allocating assets to the defensive side of the ball. The Aggies might also find themselves better on offense simply by getting rid of Kenny Hill, who had become a distraction there. Texas A&M will put up a ton of points, but can the Aggies keep opposing offenses from doing the same?
Continue reading …Previews 2015: Mississippi State Bulldogs
August 16, 2015 Comments Off on Previews 2015: Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State overachieved greatly in 2014, in the process solidifying Dan Mullen’s hold on the head coaching position in Starkville – and, unfortunately, lifting future expectations. As often happens with Mississippi State, success does not appear to be sustainable. The Bulldogs simply haven’t recruited consistently enough to remain in the SEC’s upper echelon, and had its starting quarterback not elected to return to school, State would be staring a losing record in the face. As is, the Bulldogs will do well to get back to the postseason.
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Relative to talent, there has probably not been a team fall short of expectations as spectacularly as Ole Miss has done it over the past couple of years. Ole Miss lost two of its last three games in 2014 by a combined score of 72-3, failing to achieve offensive balance or take advantage of several packed recruiting classes. The window isn’t closing yet for Ole Miss, but uncertainty in the offensive backfield makes the Rebels vulnerable. Most of the uncertainty, though, falls back to a coaching staff that is starting to take some heat for its choices.
Continue reading …Previews 2015: Arkansas Razorbacks
August 10, 2015 Comments Off on Previews 2015: Arkansas Razorbacks
Bret Bielema’s second-year success was as important for his future as it was Arkansas’. Bielema led Arkansas to a 6-6 record and then a dominating bowl win over old Southwest Conference rival Texas, giving some credence to the idea that old-school football might still have a place in the SEC. Arkansas will be boring, but probably effective. The offense is one of the most experienced in the SEC, but the defense, which overachieved in 2014, was gutted by the graduation cycle.
Continue reading …SECCG wrap-up: Tigers can’t play spoiler to Bama’s storybook run
December 6, 2014 Comments Off on SECCG wrap-up: Tigers can’t play spoiler to Bama’s storybook run
This may not be the most dominating Alabama team in the school’s long, multi-championship history. But it is one of the most likable.
Every time Nick Saban talks about the 2014 edition of the Crimson Tide, his genuine affection for the team comes flooding out. Unlike the 2013 team, which suffered from leadership-related short circuits on both sides of the ball, the 2014 Alabama team is a strange combination of lunchpail mentality with the quick-strike ability of a coiled rattlesnake. The offense is led by the country’s unlikeliest elite quarterback, who is built like a sawed-off fireplug, runs like a whippet and has an uncanny knack for rising to the occasion.
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