Hey guys, what are your thoughts on these picks? http://www.southernpigskin.com/modu...ile=article&sid=9&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
I think the East is now as volitile as the West. For the East I saw it's a u-pick 'em between UGA,UF and UT. And in the West between Auburn and LSU. It is almost useless to try and predict the SEC sometimes. Just remember Auburn fans, LSU was picked to win the west this past year and didn't make it to the SECCG and the last time LSU was mentioned for National Title possibilities we fell on our face. Be careful, the SEC can be brutal.
I think the big difference between LSU last year and the Alabama team of 2000 (preseason 4th in the nation - finished 3-8) is what the teams lost. As I mentioned before the season last year - while I still felt LSU would be good - it was going to be VERY difficult to replace the most prolific QB/WR in LSU history in Davey/Reed. That combo was flat out special and I think a lack of an effective passing game is what hurt LSU last year. The Alabama team of 2000 lost Chris Samuels and Shaun Alexander. Shaun Alexanders 1999 season was one of the most statistically impressive seasons of any SEC player in the last 5 years - and he ran for many of those yards behind Samuels - both players were I believe top 5 in the draft (or maybe top 10). Auburn is not losing anyone that crucial - that's where the biggest difference is.
chuck, Bayou Bengal was probably referring to 1998, not last year when he mentioned LSU's National Champ hopes.In 1998, LSU was preseason #6 and hadn't lost any crucial players from the year before (that I can remember anyway)and thats when they fell on their face (3-8) The SEC is impossible to predict.....For all we know Ole MIss might win it all next year.......HAHAHAHA..I crack myself up!!! All I know is that for the next few years its a battle of the Tigers in the West..
I think you're right about that season geauxscott. We had pretty much the same nucleus that went 10-2 and 9-3 the two years before. The victory @ Auburn put us #6 in the AP before we lost at home to Georgia 28-27. Sometimes bad breaks in a game can stay with you for more than one week. I think that's what happened that year. $#@!% Quincy Carter and Champ Bailey for beginning the downward spiral. Oh well, maybe we wouldn't have Saban now if we win that Georgia game. I think a victory would've changed things that year. The team began to "play not to lose" instead of to win. Never underestimate SEC opponents (except maybe Vandy).
I think we are still at least 2-3 years from talking MNCs. I hope fans will not get impatient with Saban. We have as good a group of players coming on as anybody, but we still lack consistency at key positions (QB). With this staff's ability, I don't see those kind of meltdowns happening.
Barring injury, AU has to be the favorite in the West and overall. BUT!! $hit happens. I would never wish an injury on anyone but it's part of the game.
I think that it is going to be wide open in the SEC next year. It all comes down to who proves it on the field and can take care of business. I have seen teams with inferior talent win because they were well coached and just wanted to win more than teams with alot more talent. I would take a person with an intense desire to win over a person with talent that just shows up any day of the week. The champions are the ones that have both talent and desire and can play for coaches that can maximize those traits. With Saban i think LSU has the right coach . I hope Mauck can stay healthy because i see him as a winner and a leader. That is almost as important as talent for a quarterback in my view. With Mauck healthy and a break here and there i see the LSU Tigers taking the West.
I think Mauck and Randall are pretty equal as far as athletic talent goes. But Mauck has that leadership quality, I think it is similar to Rohan and Josh Booty. They were both excellent atheletes but the players really seemed to rally around Rohan and that allowed the team to be more succesful.
