Posted this here wondering if this has any ramifications for us vis-a-vis recruiting in particular:

Quote:The SEC is a shell of its former self, and Alabama will reap the benefits
play
1:00 PM ET
Mark Schlabach
ESPN Senior Writer

Auburn, which was supposed to be Alabama's biggest challenger in the SEC West, lost to Clemson two weeks ago and needed a fourth-quarter touchdown to pull away from FCS foe Mercer on Saturday.

LSU, which fired former coach Les Miles because he didn't beat the Crimson Tide enough, lost its first SEC game this season under coach Ed Orgeron by 30 points.

And Florida and Tennessee, which combined for three field goals in the first three quarters at the Swamp on Saturday, finally surrendered to the law of averages and at least put a dramatic ending on what was largely an unwatchable rivalry game.

Three weeks into the 2017 season, and as SEC play hits full stride this coming weekend, the gap between the No. 1 Crimson Tide and the rest of the league is just as wide, if not wider, than ever before....

rest is here

To top it off, South Carolina lost to UK, if only because they missed 3 FGs and an XP.

Bama will take advantage at the top, UK will take advantage at the bottom.

It's bad for us if UK is able to take advantage.

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I imagine they will be able to - Ole Miss, Mizzou, South Carolina, Tenn, Florida, Auburn, and Vandy are all *very* beatable - even for UK. They have a decent shot a breaking the 30 game losing streak to Florida, although I certainly hope they don't.

Can't afford for UK to be good. We don't need them getting any kind of extra recruiting boost over us
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Funny how the article didn't mention Miss St and the thrashing they put on LSU after taking LaTech to the woodshed the week before. Maybe LSU diesn't totally suck. It is possible Mullen finally has put it all together at State. Bama has to go to Starkville this year. Maybe Bama's challengers this year will not be a usual suspect.

(09-18-2017 03:45 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  Posted this here wondering if this has any ramifications for us vis-a-vis recruiting in particular:

Quote:The SEC is a shell of its former self, and Alabama will reap the benefits
play
1:00 PM ET
Mark Schlabach
ESPN Senior Writer

Auburn, which was supposed to be Alabama's biggest challenger in the SEC West, lost to Clemson two weeks ago and needed a fourth-quarter touchdown to pull away from FCS foe Mercer on Saturday.

LSU, which fired former coach Les Miles because he didn't beat the Crimson Tide enough, lost its first SEC game this season under coach Ed Orgeron by 30 points.

And Florida and Tennessee, which combined for three field goals in the first three quarters at the Swamp on Saturday, finally surrendered to the law of averages and at least put a dramatic ending on what was largely an unwatchable rivalry game.

Three weeks into the 2017 season, and as SEC play hits full stride this coming weekend, the gap between the No. 1 Crimson Tide and the rest of the league is just as wide, if not wider, than ever before....

rest is here

Don't forget A&M's colossal first week meltdown against UCLA... It's an open question whether Summlin crosses the goal-line at the end of the season with his team or not.

(09-18-2017 05:48 PM)digibrink Wrote:  To top it off, South Carolina lost to UK, if only because they missed 3 FGs and an XP.

Bama will take advantage at the top, UK will take advantage at the bottom.

UK is to the SEC as Miami is to the MAC. They can beat bottom feeders but there's still a long way to go before they're competitive in the SEC, especially with Eddie Gran driving the O.

Missouri has become a dumpster fire. Welcome to the Sec.

A shell of its former self? I don't know about that one. Alabama has won championships when the SEC was supposedly more balanced. Maybe Nick Saban should get some love as one of the greatest coaches ever leading a big time program consistently heads and shoulders above the rest of the conference. Don't give me the line about anyone could coach and recruit at Alabama. Other than Saban after Bear Bryant, only Gene Stallings won a nationall championship and had consistent high success coaching Bama. Other coaches since Bear...Ray Perkins, Bill Curry, Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione and Mike Shula. Not exactly barn burners by Alabama standards.

Back to the OP, we're just three weeks in and the writer of the article is making judgments about an entire conference. Don't count out Auburn this year just yet. They crapped the bed on offense at Clemson but that is one of the loudest, hardest places to play as a visiting team. Oh, Clemson could very well repeat as national champion. Mississippi State? Georgia? They look pretty tough thus far. Who knows? Plenty of time to find out...

Auburn barely got by Mercer.

(09-18-2017 10:08 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  A shell of its former self? I don't know about that one. Alabama has won championships when the SEC was supposedly more balanced.

Back to the OP, we're just three weeks in and the writer of the article is making judgments about an entire conference. Don't count out Auburn this year just yet. They crapped the bed on offense at Clemson but that is one of the loudest, hardest places to play as a visiting team. Oh, Clemson could very well repeat as national champion. Mississippi State? Georgia? They look pretty tough thus far. Who knows? Plenty of time to find out...

Sure Alabama won when the league was more balanced, but the SEC has been a shell of its former self for years. The media still likes to pump up the SEC because it creates clicks, and ratings, but they have not been that good for quite awhile. The East has been a bit of a dumpster fire since Urban left. The SEC West has had some good teams, but Alabama has run that conference for half a decade now.

There is no elite conference anymore.

(09-18-2017 07:20 PM)digibrink Wrote:  I imagine they will be able to - Ole Miss, Mizzou, South Carolina, Tenn, Florida, Auburn, and Vandy are all *very* beatable - even for UK. They have a decent shot a breaking the 30 game losing streak to Florida, although I certainly hope they don't.

Idk that UK has even a decent shot to beat UF this week.

UF's defense will likely stifle UK. That said, their offense is anemic at the moment, due in large part to their star RB & WR being knuckleheads, but also the fact that their ramping up a frosh QB. I'd expect to see incremental improvements game to game.

I'm expecting a solid win by UF over UK. That said, as noted on here - Mizzou is trash now - so that's a likely win. They prolly find a way to lose to vandy, and any other quality SEC team (UT/ UGA/ etc). I think we're looking at another marginal UK season. business as usual.




mc

(09-18-2017 10:08 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  A shell of its former self? I don't know about that one. Alabama has won championships when the SEC was supposedly more balanced. Maybe Nick Saban should get some love as one of the greatest coaches ever leading a big time program consistently heads and shoulders above the rest of the conference. Don't give me the line about anyone could coach and recruit at Alabama. Other than Saban after Bear Bryant, only Gene Stallings won a nationall championship and had consistent high success coaching Bama. Other coaches since Bear...Ray Perkins, Bill Curry, Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione and Mike Shula. Not exactly barn burners by Alabama standards.

Back to the OP, we're just three weeks in and the writer of the article is making judgments about an entire conference. Don't count out Auburn this year just yet. They crapped the bed on offense at Clemson but that is one of the loudest, hardest places to play as a visiting team. Oh, Clemson could very well repeat as national champion. Mississippi State? Georgia? They look pretty tough thus far. Who knows? Plenty of time to find out...

I agree. Let's revisit the SEC come the playoffs and bowl season and see how they perform. Past history is a solid predictor and 'bama is a strong possibility to finish #1 and win it all.

Regarding Kentucky, they don't worry me too much. If they have an exceptional season, their coach will be off to a more elite program and some of those prized recruits may be back in play. Fickell is demonstrating an ability to sell around the conference issue. That won't be the case with every recruit but you won't get them all anyway. Winning here and building genuine relationships with area high schools will only strengthen his hand.

The SEC is the worst it's ever been by far. Alabama is great and everyone else pretty much sucks. Not only is the SEC East dreadful, but the West is now as well. Just look at the coaches throughout the league. They all suck except Saban. It's crazy, but their success has destroyed the rest of that conference.

I think it is too early to suggest that the SEC is bad. I think halfway through the season is a better indicator.

(09-19-2017 08:43 AM)Marcus Wrote:  The SEC is the worst it's ever been by far. Alabama is great and everyone else pretty much sucks. Not only is the SEC East dreadful, but the West is now as well. Just look at the coaches throughout the league. They all suck except Saban. It's crazy, but their success has destroyed the rest of that conference.

This may be a bit of an overreach. The SEC was down during The Ol Ball Coach's run in the early to mid-90s. Bama was ok to good, but other than one year stomped in ATL by the Gators. The entire west was pretty trash actually. Tenn was good due to, Manning, however they never won big games. UGA was doing absolutely nothing. The rest of the East was trash.

This iteration of the SEC is better than that.

Is it any surprise that Auburn struggled against Mercer? It's a natural letdown game following their slug fest vs. Clemson - which, btw, they fought Clemson da*n hard. Judging by their game vs Loserville, Clemson ain't down. They've reloaded. Idk that we really know that Auburn is not good just yet. UGA is solid-to-good.

I'm with the sentiment of those in this thread that it's far too early to make these judgments. The SEC has some of the best young QBs in the nation. It's going to take time for that talent to shine.




mc

(09-19-2017 07:28 AM)marcuscan Wrote:  

(09-18-2017 07:20 PM)digibrink Wrote:  I imagine they will be able to - Ole Miss, Mizzou, South Carolina, Tenn, Florida, Auburn, and Vandy are all *very* beatable - even for UK. They have a decent shot a breaking the 30 game losing streak to Florida, although I certainly hope they don't.

Idk that UK has even a decent shot to beat UF this week.

UF's defense will likely stifle UK. That said, their offense is anemic at the moment, due in large part to their star RB & WR being knuckleheads, but also the fact that their ramping up a frosh QB. I'd expect to see incremental improvements game to game.

I'm expecting a solid win by UF over UK. That said, as noted on here - Mizzou is trash now - so that's a likely win. They prolly find a way to lose to vandy, and any other quality SEC team (UT/ UGA/ etc). I think we're looking at another marginal UK season. business as usual.




mc

Missouri has had two successful coaches in their programs history-- Dan Devine (1958-1970) and Gary Pinkel (2001-2015). Take those two guys out and we are look at a program that is well below .500 all-time.

When Missouri was highly successful in the Big 12, they were recruiting the state of Texas hard. I have to wonder if they are unable to recruit the Lonestar State as well being in the SEC.

The SEC is still the top conference if you look at talent and putting guys in the league but the overall team quality is garbage. I really don't know what the discrepancy is. Can 13 SEC teams all have terrible coaching? The other area that doesn't match their overall talent is QB play. For a program like LSU to have high draft picks all over the field and throw out the complete mess they have at QB in the last 5 years is unexplainable. Heck even Saban has won without having good QBs. What was is best QB, a fourth round pick?

A few of these programs could be a monster with the right coach. If Tennessee fires Butch and hires Toledo's coach, they're fight for an SEC title in year one because of the talent Butch has recruited, but is incapable of properly coaching.

LSU made a huge error and Arkansas needs a new coach yesterday.