SEC really is down this year..

[57stratdawg]

a lot of it has to do with injuries, but there isn't another national title contender besides Bama.

UGA, UF, and LSU are way down over years past. I think where it really shows up is in that 3-6 range. In the past I've felt like the 3rd to 5th best team In the SEC could contend with other conference's champions, but I don't think that's the case this year.

 

[patdog]

I've been saying this all fall. The SEC is still the deepest league around, but there's just not the quality in the top 4-6 teams that we've seen the last several years.

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

Which is going to make our 1-7 conference record that much more embarrassing.

 

[coach66]

I agree and the decline in most of the teams defenses is sad to see. Have the

defenses declined so much or is it the rise of offense's. Probably both.

 

[stinkfoot]

This has been the best year in the SEC of overall qb's in quite some time....

defenses declined so much or is it the rise of offense's. Probably both.

if not ever. I think the defenses surprisingly get better after this group of qb's leaves. The bowl games should give us a good idea about the depth of the conference. For instance, LSU is projected to Gator right now. I feel sorry for the big 10 team that gets to deal w/ that. SEC could have a very good bowl record this year even if Bama doesn't whip FSU (which will happen if they are both in the title game).

 

[patdog]

I think it's more bad defense than great offense. Those great SEC defenses in the last several years didn't have much trouble stopping the high-powered OOC offenses.

 

[57stratdawg]

A lot of defensive talent got drafted last year. Specifically LSU. It's easy to 'reload' when you have Srs and couple Jrs leaving for the NFL, but when you have almost all Jrs leaving, it's almost impossible to maintain that level.

I just think teams 2 through 6 aren't where they have been in the past.

 

[patdog]

I remember in the LSU-Georgia game, the announcers said how many defensive players for the 2 schools from last year were now in the NFL. I think it was something like 14 or 15. Ridiculous. And, like you say, especially for LSU since they lost so many juniors to the NFL.

 

[Sutterkane]

They showed LSU's starting defense Saturday and I think they had 2 seniors. They will return almost everybody.

 

[engie]

I'm with Stinkfoot on this...Hard to know if the defensive talent in the SEC is down -- or if the offensive talent is up.

I think it's the perfect combination of the defensive talent being young -- and it being a talented, senior-laden QB league this year.

Either way, I see it flip flopping back to "normal" next year for the most part.

 

[RebelAlumnus]

It's both issues. Alot of defensive talent left last year, and not just from the senior class.

Also, there are 3 QBs who will be drafted in the first 3 rounds in Mettenberger, Manziel, and Murray. Wallace is most improved and the guy at AU is a good fit for Malzahn.

 

[Philly Dawg]

Its only down from the standpont of the number of national title contenders. From any other objective measure, the SEC is as strong as ever.