Week 3 SEC West Thoughts

[ShotgunDawg]

Well, 3 weeks down and we know a little more. Here are my West rankings, each team’s biggest question, and some other thoughts.

1. Bama - They look 14 points+ better then any team in the country. They have no question marks other than I’m not sure what their offensive identity will be if they are in a close game.




2.0. Mississippi State - Above average in all 3 phases and Fitz threw the ball as well as I‘ve ever seen him last night. However, easily the weakest part of MSU’s team is their CB, and, with Peters likely done, I have no clue who is going go cover Bama’s WRs and Auburn and LSU’s physical WRs. It’s scary what a good QB &/or physical talented WRs may do to us.
2.1. LSU - I think MSU is better, but you can’t deny LSU’s resume. For all the MSU fans that say they want teams ranked on their accomplishments and not their helmet, you can’t argue against LSU’s ranking. I think we are better, but their resume speaks for itself. I just don’t think Burrow is very good and I think either Auburn’s DL isn’t near as good as we thought or LSU’s OL played above itself yesterday. Either way, Burrow throws ducks and that just isn’t sustainable.
4. Auburn - They are physical and stout, but something isn’t right. We talked about this last week. They are average on the OL and at RB, and Stidham’s sum is less than his parts. Surprisingly, while really good, their DL just doesn’t appear dynamic. They have a number of really good players on the DL, but I’m not sure any of them are great. I think 3 of Simmons, Sweat, Rivers, and Green would start for them. They failed to put pressure on Burrow yesterday and that doesn’t make sense.

5. A&M - Solid team, but only Jameis Winston has ever thrown on Clemson like Mond did. Does Mond look anything like Winston? Feels like fools gold with A&M to some degree vs Clemson. We’ll know more on them next week, although I’m not sure you can compare any team vs Bama.

6/7. OM and Ark - Air. Both teams are air. They just float with no direction or structure. I have no clue who is better.


National Thoughts:

Teams ranked above us

Bama - Great
Clemson - Flawed. Something isn’t right.
Georgia - Good but not as good last year
Ohio State - Should be ranked 3rd. Better than Clemson
Oklahoma - Ole Miss with 1/4 better defense. Not a top 5 team. Defense is bad.
LSU - Not sold. RB and QB are slap average. Doesn’t add up
Stanford - Absurd. MSU is 10+ points better
Notre Dame - MSU is 14 points better. Were outplayed by 17ing Vandy at home.
Penn State - Solid. MSU is 6-8 points better.
VT - MSU is 10 points better. Vaulted up rankings due to beating FSU. How does that look now?
Auburn - 1 loss team. Flawed. Why are they here?
Washington - LSU light. Solid defense but extremely limited offensively. 1 loss. Why are they here?
West Virginia - Has only played 2 games. Solid team. Oklahoma light.

IMO, MSU should be ranked 7th. I’m ok with LSU being ahead due to resume. The others being ahead is a joke.

Long year and many things can and will change. What seems like a certainty today can drastically change tomorrow. Best to take things week to week and not look to far ahead.

[Bully13]

Bamer's got the best coach and best players. They've added a passing game out of necessity or insurance policy, whatever you wanna call it.

Bamer having a passing attack is about as fair as a rock band having not only Jimmy Page, but Bonzo on the drums.

I think our DL can put enough pressure on opposing QB's to cover up any deficiencies we may have in pass coverage.

[IMissJack]

6/7 IMO the rebs will beat Ark by a significant amount. If you want some high quality woe is us, go to one of the hog message boards. In general it seems that their fans don't see a way out of the current condition, and some are asking if they should leave the SEC.

[ShotgunDawg]

6/7 IMO the rebs will beat Ark by a significant amount. If you want some high quality woe is us, go to one of the hog message boards. In general it seems that their fans don't see a way out of the current condition, and some are asking if they should leave the SEC.

If Arkansas would just run the option like Mullen did with Relf in his first Egg Bowl, Ark could score 30, right?

[ShotgunDawg]

Bamer's got the best coach and best players. They've added a passing game out of necessity or insurance policy, whatever you wanna call it.

Bamer having a passing attack is about as fair as a rock band having not only Jimmy Page, but Bonzo on the drums.


Yeah. They are scary good. Not sure if they’ll play a game within 20 points all the way to the natty.

Then I’ll make another post about needed college football recruiting reform*

[IMissJack]

If Arkansas would just run the option like Mullen did with Relf in his first Egg Bowl, Ark could score 30, right?
I'm not saying they are not both bad teams. I'm saying that I don't know if AR has the talent to run the power run game like Relf could. SMU beat North TX by about 20 last year I think, with Chad Morris as coach. AR is very bad.

[Liverpooldawg]

Ole Miss will roast the Swine.

[ShotgunDawg]

I'm not saying they are not both bad teams. I'm saying that I don't know if AR has the talent to run the power run game like Relf could.

That’s all they did under Bert. If I’m Morris, I’m circling that game as my opportunity and putting in a special gameplan.

You just can’t go 0-8 in league play.

[Bully13]

I'm not saying they are not both bad teams. I'm saying that I don't know if AR has the talent to run the power run game like Relf could. SMU beat North TX by about 20 last year I think, with Chad Morris as coach. AR is very bad.

Since when is power needed to run against tsun defense? tsun couldn't stop a wounded canary.

[dawgday166]

Pretty good write up. Not sure I'm buying Bama being 20 better than everyone yet tho. They have some weaker points IMO than normal ... just haven't faced anyone that can expose those yet. They looked like this early on last year too. When they get 2 TDs gifted to them against us, and 2 or 3 against Ga, then they win Natty. They may become hands down the best team this year, but same type of scenario that played out last year could this year again too.

I think Ga can play with them now. Clemson's O is a concern if playing Bama. OSU may could play with them too. I'll bet LSU will give them a scrap in BR this year. They almost always do. Their D is pretty stout and if Burrows can improve, they may could have a shot. Most teams roll over and play dead against Bama like OM did after they couldn't stop their O, then Bama gets to rolling on both sides of ball ... LSU & AU usually won't back down from them tho. They'll at least smack them a little usually ... especially if they have good Ds. We'll see what TAM has for them this week.

Not sure I'm ready to buy us being #2 just yet either. Maybe.

[lastmajordog]

I was touting DOGS would replay 14 by ripping LSU.....don’t know know now.....they seem to be able to hit those 10-20 yd passes more than in the past......will probably be a DOG fight.....no pun intended....

[lastmajordog]

Bamer having a passing attack is about as fair as a rock band having not only Jimmy Page, but Bonzo on the drums.

Or Eric Clapton calling in Duane Allman to play slide guitar on Layla......

[ShotgunDawg]

I was touting DOGS would replay 14 by ripping LSU.....don’t know know now.....they seem to be able to hit those 10-20 yd passes more than in the past......will probably be a DOG fight.....no pun intended....

Burrow just doesn’t look the part to me. The results are there but I’m just not sure.

I’ll be interested to see how he handles pressure. Auburn did very little blitzing yesterday

[hacker]

From what I've seen, Burrow is a good decision maker and game manager type of quarterback. Maybe not the most physically gifted QB.

[ShotgunDawg]

From what I've seen, Burrow is a good decision maker and game manager type of quarterback. Maybe not the most physically gifted QB.

Agree. He completed some passes that looked like punts yesterday. Wobbly

I’d be in on LSU if they were mixing Burrow with a Fournette/Guice type RB, but they don’t have that. Meaning, Burrow is going to have to win some games for them.

Yesterday, without the benefit of some pass interferences, LSU loses. Just feels unsustainable to me.

[Skydawg1]

I thought some of his "back shoulder throws" yesterday, were actually severely under thrown balls. Just my uneducated opinion. He's no Hodson.

[justwin]

Bamas DL has dropped off from last few years.

If Bama doesn’t have tua, 3 loss team. Very evident the gap between tua & hurts vs OM.

Arkansas is going to lose next several games, but they will revert back to running devwah and can still see them beating OM at home 2nd half of season. Morris needs to pick either story or the young guy and go with him exclusively. The rotation is killing them


As for LSU, I’m so glad we didn’t sign that midget helaire. LSUs only shot is their dbs get ints.

Stidham is overrated. He can’t operate with pressure as proven again last week. The rb they had last year masked a lot of poor play

Mond has turned a corner. Never thought he would beat out starkel. Definitely got some incredible bounces vs Clemson though

[TUSK]

Bamas DL has dropped off from last few years.

If Bama doesn’t have tua, 3 loss team. Very evident the gap between tua & hurts vs OM.

Arkansas is going to lose next several games, but they will revert back to running devwah and can still see them beating OM at home 2nd half of season. Morris needs to pick either story or the young guy and go with him exclusively. The rotation is killing them


As for LSU, I’m so glad we didn’t sign that midget helaire. LSUs only shot is their dbs get ints.

Stidham is overrated. He can’t operate with pressure as proven again last week. The rb they had last year masked a lot of poor play

Mond has turned a corner. Never thought he would beat out starkel. Definitely got some incredible bounces vs Clemson though

I don't think this is true.

[Charlee08]

1. Alabama
2a. LSU
2b. Miss State
4. Auburn
5. Texas A&M
6. Ole Miss















7. Arkansas

[ShotgunDawg]

1. Alabama
2a. LSU
2b. Miss State
4. Auburn
5. Texas A&M
6. Ole Miss















7. Arkansas

LSU for now but, if we both played our "A" game, we win.

[Bothrops]

I think LSU is our first L. Their passing game will improve and that defense will be tough to deal with. Baton Rouge will be brutal after Kentucky, Florida and Auburn.

[ShotgunDawg]

I think LSU is our first L. Their passing game will improve and that defense will be tough to deal with. Baton Rouge will be brutal after Kentucky, Florida and Auburn.

We have an off week before LSU. their passing game can't improve much because their QB tgrows ducks

[smootness]

Teams ranked above us

Bama - Great
Clemson - Flawed. Something isn?t right.
Georgia - Good but not as good last year
Ohio State - Should be ranked 3rd. Better than Clemson
Oklahoma - Ole Miss with 1/4 better defense. Not a top 5 team. Defense is bad.
LSU - Not sold. RB and QB are slap average. Doesn?t add up
Stanford - Absurd. MSU is 10+ points better
Notre Dame - MSU is 14 points better. Were outplayed by 17ing Vandy at home.
Penn State - Solid. MSU is 6-8 points better.
VT - MSU is 10 points better. Vaulted up rankings due to beating FSU. How does that look now?
Auburn - 1 loss team. Flawed. Why are they here?
Washington - LSU light. Solid defense but extremely limited offensively. 1 loss. Why are they here?
West Virginia - Has only played 2 games. Solid team. Oklahoma light.

I think we are clearly better than Virginia Tech, West Virginia, and Notre Dame. I think we're also almost certainly better than Penn St, Stanford, Auburn, Washington, and LSU.

[LC Dawg]

We have an off week before LSU. their passing game can't improve much because their QB tgrows ducks

That off week is HUGE. If we take care of business against KY, FL, and Au we go into Death Valley rested and confident with LSU coming off a probable beatdown by Georgia.

[StateDawg44]

That off week is HUGE. If we take care of business against KY, FL, and Au we go into Death Valley rested and confident with LSU coming off a probable beatdown by Georgia.

That's really the kicker to the whole LSU weekend. We get a break week before and they will have a tough game the week before and likely be banged up and nursing wounds.

I still think they will be our toughest test this regular season though. Besides bammer of course.

[biggun]

I don't think this is true.

Without Tua, @ LSU and vs MSU would both be 4th quarter wars, similar to Bama @ MSU last year but still worst case Bama would go 10-2 but more likely 11-1 with Hurts as starting QB.

[biggun]

Our pass defense is our biggest question mark this season. Last week, the middle of the field was wide open, just like it was in our losses last year. Not sure if it is the LB’s not getting enough depth or the safeties playing too deep or just not reacting quickly enough but it was a problem last week and has been for quite a while.

Adding insult to injury is Peters now being out, he best be back by Auburn if not sooner as Rayford is not an SEC starting CB and I am afraid we will all see that starting Saturday night.

[TUSK]

Without Tua, @ LSU and vs MSU would both be 4th quarter wars, similar to Bama @ MSU last year but still worst case Bama would go 10-2 but more likely 11-1 with Hurts as starting QB.

agreed.

[Commercecomet24]

Our pass defense is our biggest question mark this season. Last week, the middle of the field was wide open, just like it was in our losses last year. Not sure if it is the LB’s not getting enough depth or the safeties playing too deep or just not reacting quickly enough but it was a problem last week and has been for quite a while.

Adding insult to injury is Peters now being out, he best be back by Auburn if not sooner as Rayford is not an SEC starting CB and I am afraid we will all see that starting Saturday night.

We are a bad matchup for uk's offense. They like to run the ball and throw high percentage passes(screens, slants, quick throws). They don't go down the field much at all. Their offense predominantly takes place within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. They've thrown 2 td passes to 3 ints and have only thrown for 392 yards.We are so fast on defense that type of offense doesn't matchup well against us. We'll see how it plays out but I don't see them moving the ball or scoring much.

[MetEdDawg]

The thing about those teams in front of us is that I only fear Alabama. They are the only team where I look across the LOS and say hey they may have a decided advantage against us in multiple places in talent.

I think we now possess the coaching ability to go toe to toe with virtually anyone. Moorhead may not have tons of experience, but he's got the personality of what successful coaches look like and he's surrounded himself with a hell of a staff. Basically I don't see many staffs where I say they have an advantage over us.