How the WEST will be won

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Posted: 8/17/07

Alabama

Nick Saban,

1st season, 91-42-1
Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Stadium/Capacity: Bryant-Denny Stadium, 92,138
Last Season: 6-7 (2-6 SEC) - Tied for 4th in SEC West

Overview: With all the news about the new head coach in Tuscaloosa, you'd think Nick Saban was elected head of something bigger than Alabama football. But for better or worse, there's nothing bigger in Alabama than the Crimson Tide, proven again by the record 92,138 fans who filled Bryant-Denny Stadium for the A-Day spring game.

Though it may take a couple of seasons for Saban to turn the Tide into a contender, Alabama returns 14 starters from last year's 6-7 squad. The offense is led by junior quarterback John Parker Wilson and senior wide receiver D.J. Hall, who set a school record with 1,056 receiving yards last season.

The problem with Alabama (more specifically, their fans) is patience. Since Paul "Bear" Bryant, the Crimson Tide has gone through coach after coach looking for excellence.

Now, they think they've found the man to bring them back to prominence. For $4 million a year, they'd better be right.

Key Returning Players:
QB John Parker Wilson
WR D.J. Hall
DE Wallace Gilberry
CB Simeon Castille
Key Losses:
RB Kenneth Darby
FB Le'Ron McClain
DT Jeremy Clark
CB Ramzee Robinson

Toughest Stretch: Oct. 13 at Ole Miss, Oct. 20 Tennessee, Nov. 3 LSU, Nov. 10 at Mississippi State

LSU

Les Miles,

3rd season, 50-25
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Stadium/Capacity: Tiger Stadium, 92,400
Last Season: 11-2 (6-2 SEC) - Tied for 2nd in SEC West

Overview: How is a team that loses four players to the first round of the NFL Draft still ranked in the top five in every preseason poll? Apparently the LSU Tigers know how to reload. Former LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell was taken first overall in April's draft, but his replacement, senior Matt Flynn, is ready to take over in Baton Rouge.

Flynn has shown himself to be capable of leading the Bayou Bengals, throwing for 10 touchdowns and two interceptions as a backup. Flynn's presence, combined with the return of 15 starters, makes LSU the favorite to win the SEC Championship.

"What happens in every year is the team that wins the championship, they're the team that answers some questions about their team. They answer them between now and when they get to the back end (of the season). There's work to do for every one of us," head coach Les Miles said.

Key Returning Players:
DT Glenn Dorsey
WR Early Doucet
LB Ali Highsmith
QB Matt Flynn
Key Losses:
QB JaMarcus Russell
WR Dwayne Bowe
WR Craig Davis
FS LaRon Landry

Toughest Stretch: Oct. 6 Florida, Oct. 13 at Kentucky, Oct. 20 Auburn, Nov. 3 at Alabama

Ole Miss

Ed Orgeron,

3rd season, 7-16
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Stadium/Capacity: Vaught-Himingway Stadium, 60,580
Last Season: 4-8 (2-6 SEC) - Tied for 4th in SEC West

Overview: The Rebels come off a 4-8 2006 season looking to rebound in all facets of their game. Unfortunately, the loss of five defensive starters, including linebackers Patrick Willis and Rory Johnson, will only complicate the matter. Going into the season, the starting quarterback job is up for grabs with Brent Schaeffer and Seth Adams competing for the job after Shaeffer struggled with the starting job last season.

Senior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis is coming off a 1,000-yard season and will be asked to carry much of the load again for the Rebels due to the lack of a solid starting quarterback. Green-Ellis will be joined by eight other returning starters, which can only help. The Rebels also signed 22 recruits in February to bolster their depth. If Green-Ellis can have some breakout games against strong opponents, and some young guys can step in on defense, the Rebels may be able to become bowl eligible by the end of the season.

Key Returning Players:
RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis
WR Marshay Green
DB Jamarca Sanford
WR Brent Schaeffer
Key Losses:
LB Patrick Willis
LB Rory Johnson
DB Trumaine McBride
TE Lawrence Lilly

Toughest Stretch: Sept. 22 Florida, Sept. 29 at Georgia, Sept. La. Tech, Oct. 13 Alabama

Arkansas

Houston Nutt,

10th season, 103-66
Location: Fayetteville, Ark.
Stadium/Capacity: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, 72,000
Last Season: 10-4 (7-1 SEC) - 1st in SEC West

Overview: The name Darren McFadden is pretty much all you need to know about this year's Razorback team. Last year, McFadden had a sophomore season for the ages, racking up more than 2,000 all-purpose yards on the way to winning the Doak Walker Award (given to the nation's best running back) and becoming the first Heisman Trophy finalist in Arkansas history.

McFadden's presence alone guarantees Arkansas another bowl game appearance, but the talent that surrounded him last year took a big hit with the graduation of many proven seniors and the transfer of highly-touted freshman QB Mitch Mustain to Southern California.

Opponents will be keying on the backfield of McFadden, Felix Jones, and fullback Peyton Hillis, so the passing game will have to be more of a factor if the Razorbacks want to repeat as SEC West champions. Then again, McFadden threw for three touchdowns last season.

Key Returning Players:
RB Darren McFadden
RB Felix Jones
FB Peyton Hillis
WR Marcus Monk
Key Losses:
DE Jamaal Anderson
CB Chris Houston
OT Tony Ugoh
OG Robert Felton

Toughest Stretch: Nov. 3 South Carolina, Nov. 10 at Tennessee, Nov. 17 Mississippi State, Nov. 23 at LSU

Auburn

Tommy Tuberville,

9th season, 96-49
Location: Auburn, Ala.
Stadium/Capacity: Pat Dye Field at Jordan-Hare Stadium, 87,451
Last Season: 11-2 (6-2 SEC) - Tied for 2nd in SEC West

Overview: With all the hoopla over Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban, the Auburn Tigers are being overlooked - and that's just the way they want it. Auburn returns many talented players to a team that went 11-2 last season.

They will need to improve on offense, many times last season they couldn't put points on the board.

"We didn't have a good offense last year for several reasons. One, Brandon (Cox) was a little bit beat up. We pulled the plug about middle season and just started pounding it and trying to win on defense and kicking game. It worked pretty good for us most of the time."

The Tigers lost tailback Kenny Irons, but they have a load of talent in the backfield. "Yeah, we lost Kenny, but we've got Brad Lester, Ben Tate, Mario Fannin, Tristan Davis," said Cox.

"Even Carl Stewart can play some tailback so we have the talent. Kenny was a great player, but we are loaded in the backfield."

On defense, defensive end Quentin Groves, who needs four sacks to break Gerald Robinson's all-time sack record.

Key Returning Players:
QB Brandon Cox
DE Quentin Groves
OT King Dunlap
DE Sen'Derrick Marks
Key Losses:
RB Kenny Irons
WR Courtney Taylor
OG Ben Grubbs
CB David Irons

Toughest Stretch: Sept. 29 at Florida, Oct. 6 Vanderbilt, Oct. 13 at Arkansas, Oct. 20 at LSU

Miss. State

Sylvester Croom,

4th season, 9-25
Location: Fayetteville, Ark.
Stadium/Capacity: Scott Field at Davis Wade Stadium, 55,082
Last Season: 3-9 (1-7 SEC) - 6th in SEC West

Overview: Bulldogs coach Sylvester Croom opens the season on the hot seat after three straight abysmal seasons at Mississippi State. The team from Starkville is seven seasons removed from its last bowl appearance and is 9-25 in the last three seasons.

Croom was asked about his job status last month and said, "If you're asking me whether I'm worried about whether I'm going to get fired, no. I've coached for 30 years. I've never had to go look for a job. I've always had one. The good Lord has blessed me with one. I know we're doing things the right way. I know our plan is on track."

The Bulldogs return 17 starters from last season, including oft-injured QB Michael Henig and sophomore tailback Anthony Dixon, and the pieces are there for a possible turnaround.

But for a program that is still on NCAA probation, it will take a while to return to some sort of respectability in the SEC.

Key Returning Players:
RB Anthony Dixon
QB Michael Henig
LE Titus Brown
CB Derek Pegues
Key Losses:
OG Brian Anderson
DE Michael Heard
FS Jeramie Johnson
LB Quinton Culberson

Toughest Stretch: Oct. 13 Tennessee, Oct. 20 at West Virginia, Oct. 27 at Kentucky, Nov. 10 Alabama