A quick scroll through the SEC West depth charts

[MetEdDawg]

From what I can gather, out of all 7 teams in the West, we will lose the 2nd fewest players out of all the teams. Here's the numbers I found from looking at the depth charts:

Alabama- Looks like they will lose 13 guys due to either being seniors or being named Clinton-Dix or Kouandjio, and the potential is there for them to lose 15-17 total based on the number of other juniors they have. That's a lot of people to lose and not feel some effects.

TAMU - They will lose 12 including Manziel and Evans. Might lose Ogbuehi and a few others, so they could be sitting around 15 players lost.

LSU - They will lose at least 9 including Odell Beckham. Even with as many juniors as they had leave last year, they could very well lose that many again. Jarvis Landry, couple junior OL, Ego Ferguson and Anthony Johnson on the DL. All of those have the potential to leave. So that could put them in the 11-14 range of number of guys lost.

Auburn - This is where it sucks. Auburn loses 6 guys and I don't see any juniors leaving early for them. They will bring back a lot of guys next year from this team. Need to see what happens this year but they could very well be the favorites in the West next year.

Arkansas - They will lose 10 seniors. Not sure they would have any juniors leave early, but if they did, that would put them in the 11-12 range.

Ole Miss - They lose 8 from their 2 deep. Their roster fluctuates so much from year to year though that they may have a few guys leave early, transfer out, transfer in, stuff like that. So they lose 8 with the possibility of a guy like Moncrief and maybe one other. So potentially 10 guys.

MSU - We lose 8 from the two deep and there is really no one on the team that is going to leave school early for the draft. Just isn't going to happen.

All of this to say that according to a quick glance at the numbers, we return quite a few guys from this team that won two OT games, won the Egg Bowl, hung with Bama for 4 quarters, hung with LSU for 3, gave TAMU quite a show, and started 3 different QBs this year. I think the future is bright regardless, but when you see what everyone else is losing in the West, I feel pretty damn good about our chances next year.

TAMU will be ripe for the taking in Starkville. We may see one of the better games in conference next year when we play Auburn. Arkansas loses a lot, LSU still loses alot, and wow does Bama lose a ton of players. Add in the fact that we play Vandy at home and @UK where we've never lost under Mullen and you have to feel confident about our chances of getting 8 wins and being in every ballgame we play.

[MarketingBully01]

Yep, couple that with a manageable schedule and 2014 could be a special year.

[Saltydog]

well....However, they don't scare me......Are they good, yes and they have improved since we played them earlier in the year but they aren't dominant like some of the past LSU and Bama teams and I think we can beat them at home next year.......Hell, we should've beat them this year........In any event, we should win a min of 8 games next year and with a little luck 9 games or more.......We beat aTm next year at home IMO.....Their defense still won't be good and losing Manziel will put them a step back...Key games for us will be Auburn, Vandy and UM......Those are three winnable game and two of them are at home.......

[Goat Holder]

Man f*ck Auburn. Ya'll know as well as I do that they aren't near as good as their record. These charmed breaks aren't going to fall for them next year. They are an 8-4 team on paper, should have lost to us, A&M (Manziel hurt), Georgia and Bammer.

We'll beat their ass. I'm more worried about Ole Miss.

[Coach34]

Auburn will be good- but they have a toughass schedule in 2014.

They travel to Oxford, Starkville (we have the week off to get ready while they play LSU), Athens, and T-Town
They also add SC to the schedule- and SC only loses 5 SR's and Clowney
They go to K-State OOC

[Coach34]

Ole Miss is gonna be pretty good next year. They have to replace some OL guys. They will lose 2 of their top WR's in Logan and Moncrief. But they return damn near everybody on defense.
Bama is Bama
A&M will take a step back without Manziel and Evans
UPig is still building but will be salty
LSU is still LSU

West will be tough as always- but we will have a good football team next year. We should take down the Pigs and A&M, and with a week off to get ready- need to beat Auburn. Got to find a way to head into Oxford with 8-9 wins already

[Goat Holder]

Actually our bye week is before Texas A&M, which is before Auburn. Nonetheless, I expect us to handle A&M and Auburn both next season.

[CadaverDawg]

How much do your feelings change if we lose Geoff Collins? We need to pay that guy now.

[Coach34]

Actually our bye week is before Texas A&M, which is before Auburn. Nonetheless, I expect us to handle A&M and Auburn both next season.

you're right- my bad

[Coach34]

How much do your feelings change if we lose Geoff Collins? We need to pay that guy now.

FIU has him as a candidate for their job- we have to weather that. I have no doubt we will give him a raise- just depends who comes calling for him.

[32 Dive]

A problem, as I see it, is that the top teams will recruit 4*-5* guys to fill their spots, while we have to pray some more develop...

[MarketingBully01]

This is shit. We need to not have any attrition on the coaching staff. We need to pay our assistants now!!!! We shouldn't lose anyone to a HC job at a crap school like FIU. Would be pitiful if that happened.

[Coach34]

This is shit. We need to not have any attrition on the coaching staff. We need to pay our assistants now!!!! We shouldn't lose anyone to a HC job at a crap school like FIU. Would be pitiful if that happened.

uhhhhhh

HC FIU 2X > DC at State

[MarketingBully01]

Really? Doubt it. If you fail which is a high probability because of resources and the conference you are in, you go into a coaching graveyard. DC for a top five defense that has a chance at a BCS bowl next year and the exposure of the SEC? You would think you would get a better opportunity then FIU if you want to be a head coach.

[Coach34]

Really? Doubt it. If you fail which is a high probability because of resources and the conference you are in, you go into a coaching graveyard. DC for a top five defense that has a chance at a BCS bowl next year and the exposure of the SEC? You would think you would get a better opportunity then FIU if you want to be a head coach.

Or if you are a good coach, you go make a name for yourself ala Hud The Great. ULL was shitty before he got there. FIU is located in Florida- where there is talent errywhere. It's a no-brainer- you dont stay at State over any head job really. One thing AD's want most of the time are coaches with head coaching experience.

He wins at FIU and then he becomes a viable candidate for most big jobs around the country.

[MarketingBully01]

We need to pay Collins enough where FIU won't be a good option for him. $500K should do it. That is what has been holding us back from being a great great program is coaching staff attrition. We need to pay everyone whatever it takes to keep everyone together for the 2014 season. Stricklin needs to get this done.

[smootness]

Really? Doubt it.

Yes, being a D1 head coach anywhere is better than being a coordinator at State or just about any other school in the country. You may be able to make the argument that, say, DC at Bama is better than HC at Georgia State. But FIU vs. State? Yes, he would absolutely take that if given the chance.

[MarketingBully01]

Would be hard considering FIU has a coach in Ron Turner....try again Coach.

[Coach34]

Would be hard considering FIU has a coach in Ron Turner....try again Coach.

1-10 this year Ron Turner?

I'm not saying Collins is going there- but they could possibly do something. They love Collins

[MarketingBully01]

They just hired him. Why would they fire him after one year? He inherited a shitty situation. I have not seen any articles that speculate him getting fired.

[Saltydog]

nt

[ScoobaDawg]

nt

HELL NO

[Coach34]

Let's just say Manny doesnt have any Mullen love

[OurState]

Or if you are a good coach, you go make a name for yourself ala Hud The Great. ULL was shitty before he got there. FIU is located in Florida- where there is talent errywhere. It's a no-brainer- you dont stay at State over any head job really. One thing AD's want most of the time are coaches with head coaching experience.

He wins at FIU and then he becomes a viable candidate for most big jobs around the country.

^^^ this. If you can recruit at all you can make a run at any Florida school. Not a BCS run, but you take a USF, UCf, FIU, FAU etc to a 20-25 ranking and you are a hot commodity. Like the current Miami coach.

[Political Hack]

Landry's gone. He bolted straight for the sidelines after the game Friday night and did a lap around the stadium giving every high fives and shaking hands. That's not someone who's coming back.

[mic]

Don't be surprised if CJ leaves early.. heard he is on VERY thin ice as is.. Not sure if Moncrief leaves .. There are lots of WR coming out this year that will prob be ahead of him.. 3 or 4 in the SEC alone

[Political Hack]

Landry, Odell, Evans, & Norwood would likely all be ahead of Moncrief and that's just in the SEC West. He'd be smart to come back for another year. That said, I hope he goes.

[mic]

Landry, Odell, Evans, & Norwood would likely all be ahead of Moncrief and that's just in the SEC West. He'd be smart to come back for another year. That said, I hope he goes.

I agree.. and that's not even counting possible the first WR taken in the draft Vandys Jordan Matthews..

[Goat Holder]

Moncrief is history. I have an insider there. His kid is helping make that decision for him.

[Coach34]

Landry, Odell, Evans, & Norwood would likely all be ahead of Moncrief and that's just in the SEC West. He'd be smart to come back for another year. That said, I hope he goes.

Not necessarily- the measurables will keep Moncrief in the 2nd round

[mic]

Not necessarily- the measurables will keep Moncrief in the 2nd round

I agree with that. but if he could of come out after last year could have been a possible 1st rounder.. I cant remember the draft last year but wasn't there only like 1 or 2 guys taken in the first round.?? looks like that could be 4 or 5 or more this year and that's just looking at the SEC guys..
Like Hack said hope he is gone and would love for CJ to (have) to test the waters also..

[Political Hack]

there's not a dumb enough team in the NFL to draft Moncrief over any of those guys, or Matthews. He could still slip into the 2nd round I guess, but there are a ton of WRs this year and not a lot of team needs at that spot that will force them to take early round picks.

I'd expect QB, OL, and DL to dominate the 1st as usual with RBs and WRs falling into the late first and later.

[Thick]

Not necessarily- the measurables will keep Moncrief in the 2nd round

I agree with you on this, and I think that he will open more eyes at the combine. He's got real good speed, he's big, physical, and has good hands. He's a good receiver that can go over the middle, and be a deep threat too. I hope that he leaves!!

[Thick]

there's not a dumb enough team in the NFL to draft Moncrief over any of those guys, or Matthews. He could still slip into the 2nd round I guess, but there are a ton of WRs this year and not a lot of team needs at that spot that will force them to take early round picks.

I'd expect QB, OL, and DL to dominate the 1st as usual with RBs and WRs falling into the late first and later.

The Jets, the Raiders, just to name a few.

[Coach34]

If I'm one of those doorknob teams sitting around 8-13 and I need a WR- I'm drafting Evans

[Political Hack]

If I'm one of those doorknob teams sitting around 8-13 and I need a WR- I'm drafting Evans

I don't think I could pass up Odell at WR. If I'm looking for Jimmy Graham, if go after Evans. He's a beast too even though I think he'll stay at WR.

[Political Hack]

The Jets, the Raiders, just to name a few.

the Jets and Raiders need a lot.

[Coach34]

Evans is a Dez Bryant-type beast without the shitty attitude. No way I pass on him for anybody out of LSU.

[maroonmania]

We need to pay Collins enough where FIU won't be a good option for him. $500K should do it. That is what has been holding us back from being a great great program is coaching staff attrition. We need to pay everyone whatever it takes to keep everyone together for the 2014 season. Stricklin needs to get this done.

500K minimum should be a no brainer for a DC we really won't to keep, no questions asked. Its the going rate and its the side of the ball where our coordinator has autonomy. I don't care too much what we pay our OC because we all know Mullen is going to micromanage that side of the ball anyway.

[Dawg61]

Auburn is so overrated. Give the conference a year to figure out Malzahn's gimmick offense and it won't produce the same results next year. It doesn't take much to swing Auburn from an 11-1 team to an 8-4 team. In fact in only takes one drive that ends in a punt. Just one time the whole entire game does our defense, Georgia and Alabama make one more drive stall out and they'd be 8-4. I think an entire spring and summer to figure out how to get Auburn to punt one more time isn't unrealistic. Marshall is horrible when you force him to throw and all you have to do to stop their run game is to crash the wide side of the field. Malzahn isn't going to run to the small side but maybe 4-5 times a game. Just don't give up TDs when he does and we'll beat Auburn. Force Marshall to throw 20+ times and we'll beat the shit out of Auburn.

[Johnson85]

there's not a dumb enough team in the NFL to draft Moncrief over any of those guys, or Matthews. He could still slip into the 2nd round I guess, but there are a ton of WRs this year and not a lot of team needs at that spot that will force them to take early round picks.

I'd expect QB, OL, and DL to dominate the 1st as usual with RBs and WRs falling into the late first and later.

I'm not sure how important your first contract is for the NFL (it basically doesn't matter in the NBA), but unless it drastically affects your future earnings to be drafted in a later round, I'd go this year if I were Moncrief. He doesn't look like a borderline NFL talent to me. The only question seems to be whether he'll be a good wide receiver in the NFL or a solid one. I'm basing this opinion in part on the fact that there's never been any drama surrounding Moncrief, so I'm assuming if he actually ends up on the lower end of his projections, he'll be professional and a hard worker, so he'll be able to keep a roster spot even if his talent is average or slightly below average for the NFL. I just can't imagine he'll improve that much as a player with another year in college, so I'm not sure what the benefit is to sticking around for another year and risking injury.