Gridironnow throws out early SEC power rankings

[HSVDawg]

With a Top 50 defense and just holding serve on offense from the last 4 or 5 games of last season, we should win 8-9 games at minimum. I don't see that for UK unless they just catch a ton of breaks. Grantham has had Top 50 defenses every year he has coached at this level, so I'd think that should be a given. The big question then becomes how well our OL can perform after losing 3 starters, and who can replace Ross as the go-to outside WR. Take care of those two areas and we'll be fine. Big question marks though.

[Bothrops]

We played without a defensive coordinator last year and Kentucky was at home - advantage Kentucky. However, they still almost lost the game. If Grantham is worth a sack of spoiled peanuts, we don't lose to Kentucky at home with Fitz and Williams.

[dawgday166]

People see what they want to see. In linking this FWTCT article it shows that Grantham's 3rd down defense at Louisville for the three years he was there was 3rd (2014), 3rd (2015) and 2nd (2016) in the ACC. Also shows that his defense in 2016 was 1st in scoring defense in the ACC. He's only overrated now because people have to find a way to put down a guy that MSU was able to hire. That's the bottom line.

http://www.forwhomthecowbelltolls.co...ace-with-beads

Funny thing about the 2012 MSU team and Chris Wilson's D (I didn't like Wilson either - not coordinator material IMO):
However, in his defense just a little:

MSU defensive stats:

Total D - 53
Scoring D - 34
Opp. 3rd Down Conversions - 82

MSU offensive stats for 2012:

Total O - 80
Scoring O - 60
3rd Down Conversions - 102

[lamont]

Is Fitz the next "check down charlie"?**

Nah- I think Fitz keeps trying to push the ball. I hope he does anyway

[Quaoarsking]

Their back-up QB outplayed our starting QB in 2016- and they will have their starting QB back in 2017....but suddenly we are supposed to be head and shoulders above them at QB in 2017???

Can you explain your theory on this for us????

You compare QBs by the whole season, not just one game. Fitz is a top 3 SEC QB this fall, maybe as high as #1. Kentucky is unlikely to have a top 10 QB, even if Jackson had a good game against Sirmon's defense. If we'd played Kentucky in November after Fitz put it together, we would have blown them out.

Even more striking is the gap between head coaches. Stoops is the 14th best in the SEC and it's not even close. 19-30 after 4 years is only a couple percentage points ahead of Croom's mark after 4 years, and Stoops has faced much easier schedules in the East.

[lamont]

We played without a defensive coordinator last year and Kentucky was at home - advantage Kentucky. However, they still almost lost the game. If Grantham is worth a sack of spoiled peanuts, we don't lose to Kentucky at home with Fitz and Williams.

We certainly should win the game being at home. They have the week off to get ready for us. Should be a good game

[TrapGame]

You compare QBs by the whole season, not just one game. Fitz is a top 3 SEC QB this fall, maybe as high as #1. Kentucky is unlikely to have a top 10 QB, even if Jackson had a good game against Sirmon's defense. If we'd played Kentucky in November after Fitz put it together, we would have blown them out.

Even more striking is the gap between head coaches. Stoops is the 14th best in the SEC and it's not even close. 19-30 after 4 years is only a couple percentage points ahead of Croom's mark after 4 years, and Stoops has faced much easier schedules in the East.

Exactly. How can anyone compare a QB going against our stank ass defense last season.

[lamont]

You compare QBs by the whole season, not just one game. Fitz is a top 3 SEC QB this fall, maybe as high as #1. Kentucky is unlikely to have a top 10 QB, even if Jackson had a good game against Sirmon's defense. If we'd played Kentucky in November after Fitz put it together, we would have blown them out.

Even more striking is the gap between head coaches. Stoops is the 14th best in the SEC and it's not even close. 19-30 after 4 years is only a couple percentage points ahead of Croom's mark after 4 years, and Stoops has faced much easier schedules in the East.

Kentucky is returning 2 QB's that have won football games. They will be fine next season. They will be better upfront- and we know the SEC is a LOS league. Return 9/10 on the OL and 6 of 8 on the DL. Stoops is finally recruiting better. They are even ahead of us right now in this Feb's rankings.

They will be solid next year and should challenge for that 3rd spot in the East

[Bully13]

KY did indeed flat out ass rape our defense last year and we were lucky the score wasn't lop sided.

[BB30]

Kentucky is returning 2 QB's that have won football games. They will be fine next season. They will be better upfront- and we know the SEC is a LOS league. Return 9/10 on the OL and 6 of 8 on the DL. Stoops is finally recruiting better. They are even ahead of us right now in this Feb's rankings.

They will be solid next year and should challenge for that 3rd spot in the East

Anyone with a pulse would challenge for the 3rd spot in the East. I think we are pretty even across the board except at QB, We have a definite advantage there. Stoops has recruited about on par with us the last 2-3 years. Being at home I think we win it but would not surprise me if we get beat.

[lamont]

Anyone with a pulse would challenge for the 3rd spot in the East. I think we are pretty even across the board except at QB, We have a definite advantage there. Stoops has recruited about on par with us the last 2-3 years. Being at home I think we win it but would not surprise me if we get beat.

We have the edge at QB...they have the edge on the OL. RB and WR probably a wash. Both teams need to get better on D. We're at home so we need to take it- but it should be a good game

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

KY did indeed flat out ass rape our defense last year and we were lucky the score wasn't lop sided.

Couldn't that have been said about a lot of the teams we played? I mean Samford racked up over 600 yards for goodness sake.