AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2008 > March > 07
Friday, March 7, 2008
Spring ball: Breaking down the SEC West
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Let’s close out our week by breaking down the SEC West for Spring Football 2008.
ALABAMA
Last season: 7-6; beat Colorado (30-24) in Independence Bowl.
Starters returning: Offense 9, defense 6.
Top story lines: Jim McElwain takes over as offensive coordinator and has to find a way to breathe some life into a unit that really struggled down the stretch in 2007. It won’t be easy without receivers, DJ Hall, Matt Caddell and Keith Brown; the defense simply didn’t have enough athletes to play the way coach Nick Saban wanted to play last season. Look for Saban to put younger, but more talented, players in positions to succeed this spring. It’s hard to get a true picture of Alabama until its No. 1 recruiting class—featuring WR Julio Jones—arrives this summer. Quarterback John Parker Wilson (18 TD, 12 INT in 2007) has his third offensive coordinator in as many seasons. He needs to get better this spring or risk losing some playing time in the fall.
ARKANSAS
Last season: 8-5; lost to Missouri 38-7 in Cotton Bowl.
Starters returning: Offense 5, defense 6.
Top story lines: First-year coach Bobby Petrino would have an easier job if running backs Darren McFadden (the Heisman runner-up in 2006 and 2007) and Felix Jones had returned for their senior seasons. Both are going pro and now Petrino and company have a lot of work to do…Part of Petrino’s immediate problem-the lack of a consistent quarterback-could be solved if the NCAA grants Michigan transfer Ryan Mallett a waiver to play immediately. Don’t expect that to happen. Petrino will recruit well at Arkansas and he’ll need some help from this incoming class. But the Hogs are going to go through some growing pains in 2008 as Petrino establishes his program.
AUBURN
Last season: 9-4; beat Clemson 23-20 (OT) in Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Starters returning: Offense 7, defense 6.
Top story lines: Auburn has a new offensive coordinator (Tony Franklin) and a new defensive coordinator (Paul Rhoads); Franklin got a leg up on installing the spread offense by joining the staff last December… Spring practice started on Feb. 24 and there have already been some casualties. QB Chris Todd, a junior college transfer who started his career at Texas Tech, has come up with a sore shoulder (but no structural damage), leaving the door wide open for Kodi Burns to lock down the job; looks like DE Sen’Derrick Marks will be moving to DT; also look for TB Mario Fannin (from Hampton) to blossom in Franklin’s spread offense because of his ability to run and catch the ball. It will be interesting to see how the Auburn defense plays after the departure of DC Will Muschamp to Texas.
LSU
Last season: 12-2; beat Tennessee (21-14) in SEC championship game; beat Ohio State (38-24) in BCS championship game.
Starters returning: Offense 7, defense 4.
Top story lines: LSU began the spring without quarterback Ryan Perrilloux, who was suspended for the third time in 10 months for violating team rules. Perrilloux’s status for the future is uncertain; There was good news when DE Kirston Pittman was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. He will team will DE Tyson Jackson and DT Ricky Jean-Francois, the defensive MVP of the BCS championship game, to give LSU one of the best defensive lines in the country despite the loss of all-world DT Glenn Dorsey. LSU may have lost the best senior class in school history, but the Tigers are still the team to beat in the SEC West.
OLE MISS
Last season: 3-9.
Starters returning: Offense 7, defense 9.
Top story lines: Houston Nutt takes over as the new head coach of the Rebels. If a couple of things fall into place, Ole Miss may be pretty competitive in 2008. QB Javan Snead, a transfer from Texas, is finally eligible. If Snead is as good as advertised and if RB signee Enrique Davis (Hargrave Military Academy) is the real deal, new offensive coordinator Kent Austin has a chance. Davis won’t get to Oxford until this summer. Despite the shortcomings of the previous coaching staff, they left some good athletes in Oxford. Given a new challenge, Nutt could make Ole Miss a tough out in 2008.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
Last season: 8-5; beat Central Florida (10-3) in Liberty Bowl.
Starters returning: Offense 7, defense 8.
Top story lines: Last season’s 8-5 team was built on defense but this spring coach Sylvester Croom has to find replacements for two quality ends, Titus Brown and Avery Hannibal; on offense sophomore quarterback Wesley Carroll came a long way in 2007 but needs to improve; Mississippi State will be able to run the ball with two very good backs (Anthony Dixon, Christian Ducre) and three returning starters on the offensive line. After building for three seasons, coach Sylvester Croom had the breakthrough year in 2007. Don’t expect this program to take a step back.
