A pressing question for every SEC West team exiting spring practice
With LSU and Ole Miss wrapping up their spring scrimmages over the weekend, every SEC program has officially entered the offseason.
Late last week, we looked at a pressing question for each team in the East Division. Today, we do the same with the SEC West.
Alabama is a heavy favorite to get back to Atlanta, but there’s a very interesting battle brewing between Texas A&M, Arkansas and maybe Ole Miss or Mississippi State for the No. 2 spot in the division. Then there are the the two Tigers, as both LSU and Auburn look to avoid the cellar-spot this fall.
Here’s one pressing question for each SEC West program as we enter the offseason…
Alabama: Will the offensive line be the Crimson Tide’s kryptonite this fall?
When the official preseason polls are released, Alabama will rank No. 1 — and firmly positioned as preseason favorites to win the national championship. The Tide have the best quarterback (reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young) and top defensive player (Will Anderson, the guy who probably should’ve won the Heisman!) in the country, but a questionable offensive line could be the difference between another trip to Atlanta and Nick Saban’s seventh ring with the Tide.
While several starters were sidelined during the spring, Young was sacked umpteen times in the spring game. Saban had to bench Anderson just so the offense could get some work in.
Both starting tackles from 2021 are gone, and converted tight end Kendall Randolph and former five-star JC Latham struggled badly on A-Day. Help is on the way at least, as Alabama landed Vanderbilt transfer Tyler Steen, who started 10 games last season.
The question isn’t whether Steen, Randolph or Latham can block Will Anderson & Co., but are they good enough to protect Young from the pass rushers at Ohio State, Georgia and Texas A&M?
Arkansas: Can a reloaded secondary repeat its 2021 play?
Barry Odom’s defensive backs were quietly one of the strong suits of the Razorbacks’ team a year ago, allowing just 58 percent of passes against to go completed and intercepting 13 balls — third-most in the SEC.
But Greg Brooks Jr. and Joe Foucha are now playing for division rival LSU and Montaric Brown, who led the team with five picks, is hoping to find a home in the NFL this fall.
Safety Jalen Catalon and corner Myles Slusher are back, but Odom needs transfers Latavious Brini from Georgia and Dwight McGlothern from LSU to be instant impact starters.
Auburn: Do the Tigers have enough front-seven depth to survive the SEC grind?
Obviously, the quarterback battle on the Plains is the primary question that must be answered before the fall, but entering the offseason, Bryan Harsin must decide if he should hit the transfer portal for more defensive line and linebacker depth.
The Tigers’ starting DL looks quite solid — edges Derick Hall and Eku Leota and interior linemen Colby Wooden, Jayson Jones, an Oregon transfer, and Marcus Harris. But depth is a major concern after eight players entered the transfer portal. The Tigers need more complimentary pieces surrounding Wooden and Harris, so it’s a big offseason for guys like Jeffrey M’ba, Marquis Burks and Zykeivous Walker.
The staff has also challenged former blue-chip recruit Dylan Brooks to at least give them something as an edge presence behind Hall and Leota.
Auburn’s linebacker room is also undergoing a rebuild, as it lost close to 200-combined tackles from Zakoby McClain and Chandler Wooten. Owen Pappoe returned to school, but he’s struggled to stay healthy and was out during the spring. Are Wesley Steiner and Cam Riley, two mostly unproven pieces, ready to carry the load?
They might have to be.
LSU: Can the Tigers piece together a competent offensive line?
We could certainly talk LSU’s continued quarterback battle here or its ongoing makeover in the secondary (five portal additions, all of whom may start in the fall), but in an effort to not be repetitive, how about the guys blocking whoever becomes QB1 in Baton Rouge.
The Tigers’ offensive line was mostly a disaster in 2021, allowing 38 sacks (third-most in the SEC) and struggling to open up holes in the run game (just 3.3 yards per carry).
Brian Kelly grabbed a pair of potential starters from the transfer portal (Tre’Mond Shorts and Miles Frazier) and signed five-star in-state tackle Will Campbell, among others. All three players started in the spring game, with the freshman at left tackle. Time will tell if Shorts, a transfer from ETSU, is an SEC-caliber starter or if Frazier, who played tackle at FIU, can lock down a guard spot.
Veteran swingman Charles Turner seems like the most certain starter at center, but elsewhere, LSU really enters the summer with open competitions are guard and both tackle spots. Campbell really impressed this spring, but only time will tell if Kelly is comfortable starting a true freshman at left tackle in Week 1.
The Tigers were missing a couple linemen this spring (Garrett Dellinger, Anthony Bradford and Marlon Martinez) who will battle for snaps, and we’ll know fairly soon if Kelly is satisfied with unit’s depth or if he goes portal hunting again after the May 1 entry deadline.
Mississippi State: Does Mike Leach finally have a kicker (or two) he trusts?
The Bulldogs return 18 of 22 starters, including veteran quarterback Will Rogers and playmakers like wideouts Jaden Walley and Austin Williams as well as versatile tailback Jo’Quavious Marks. I’ve previously discussed MSU’s concerns at offensive tackle with Charles Cross and Scott Lashley now gone, but what about special teams?
Leach sounded off on his kickers multiple times in 2021, as the Bulldogs made just 56% of their field goal attempts (14 of 25), which ranked No. 124 in the country.
The Bulldogs finished 7-6 a year ago, and lost three games by 3-points or less. Special teams was often the difference, so Leach went out and recruited a pair of transfer kickers, adding Massimo Biscardi from Coastal Carolina (7 for 8 on field goals in 2021) and Ben Raybon from Northern Colorado. Will either make a difference this fall?
Ole Miss: Can the Rebels’ defensive line improve against the run?
Via transfer portal additions and traditional recruiting, Lane Kiffin believes Ole Miss’ defensive line is as deep and talented a unit the Rebels have had since he arrived in Oxford.
I noted in my post-spring game report I thought Ole Miss’ pass rush still looked stout despite Sam Williams off to the NFL. The challenge for first-year defensive coordinator Chris Partridge will be to improve Ole Miss’ run defense, though.
The Rebels allowed nearly 200 rushing yards a game in 2021, surrendering 4.51 yards per carry — 11th in the SEC. They allowed 25 rushing touchdowns, second-most in the conference.
Ole Miss’ up-tempo offense is always going to make it challenging on its defense, which is why shoring up their run game is paramount to the unit’s overall success this fall.
Texas A&M: Will Jimbo Fisher settle on a quarterback during fall camp or keep the job semi-open until a showdown with Miami in Week 3?
The Aggies have the most interesting quarterback battle in the country this offseason — a three-way competition between LSU transfer Max Johnson, incumbent Haynes King and five-star freshman Conner Weigman. The latter is considered the heir apparent, while King has long been a favorite of Fisher’s. Then there’s Johnson, who beat the Aggies last season and has the most experience amongst the group.
Cases can be made for all three options, but with little separation this spring, the question for Fisher will be if fall camp is enough time to decide the battle?
King was named the starter last season a week before the opener, but with a couple cupcakes before a marquee matchup against Miami in Week 3, could Fisher opt to simply cut the competition down to two and then see a couple live reps in games before picking a QB1 in mid-September?