Us
Print
E-mail
Rate
Dawgs, Gators are SEC’s best
 |
| University of Florida running back Percy Harvick (right) runs away from Tennessee defenders during Florida’s 59-20 win in Gainesville last year. FILE PHOTO |
Rivals splitting up predictions in conference polls.
By JOHN ZENOR
Associated Press
Georgia and Florida are rivals with much in
common.
Both have a talented junior quarterback, a dynamic playmaker and a youthful-looking coach with a ridiculous career winning percentage.
One of them is also the hot Southeastern Conference team du jour. Which one depends on who’s picking.
They both fit the bill, but coach Urban Meyer, quarterback Tim Tebow and the Gators already have a national title and a Heisman Trophy.
The Bulldogs have averaged a hair above 10 wins in coach Mark Richt’s seven seasons, but they haven’t added to the SEC’s expanding trophy collection.
Might this be their year? Richt’s peers think so, picking Georgia preseason No. 1 in the coaches poll. League media, on the other hand, picked Florida to win both the SEC East and the overall championship.
Tough crowd, this SEC.
The Dawgs will leave any politicking to the end of the year. They’re already trotting out references to last September’s Appalachian State win over Michigan.
The message: Beware Georgia Southern, the opening opponent.
“We can’t listen to the hype and the media,” Georgia defensive tackle Jeff Owens said. “We don’t want to end up like Michigan last year losing to App State. We’ve got to learn from their mistake.”
Games at South Carolina, Arizona State, LSU and Auburn are more dangerous. Not to mention the Florida rivalry across the state line in Jacksonville, intensified by the Bulldogs’ end zone dance in last
season’s win.
Defending national champ LSU is getting overshadowed largely because, unlike Florida and Georgia, there’s no proven quarterback on the roster. Ditto for Auburn, Tennessee and South Carolina.
LSU’s Les Miles is the fifth current SEC coach to win a national title, and new Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino had a pair of one-loss seasons at Louisville. Not to mention Tommy Tuberville’s unbeaten 2004 season at Auburn.
“To claim that many national championships among your group of
coaches, it’s kind of intimidating sometimes, I guess,” Richt said.
Then again, he ranks fourth among active
coaches by winning
79.1 percent of his games, right behind Meyer, No. 3 at 81.4 percent.
Florida and Georgia both have the bulk of their starters back, and each has at least one legitimate Heisman candidate.
Bulldozing quarterback Tebow is going for two in a row, but versatile Percy Harvin also is getting plenty of buzz. So is Georgia’s sophomore tailback Knowshon Moreno.
The Bulldogs also have quarterback Matthew Stafford and a potentially dominant defense that returns nine starters from a group that held high-powered Hawaii to 10 points and forced six turnovers in the Sugar Bowl.
The Gators should be improved on defense, with eight starters back from a unit that ranked last in the SEC against the pass. Meyer, though, knows he has plenty of company among SEC teams with notions of a title.
“Once again, any given nine think they’re going to play in a conference championship,” he said. “I don’t know if you see that
anywhere else in America.”
His quarterback is hungry for victories after the Gators followed up a national title by losing four games.
“I’d trade (the Heisman) for a national championship any day of the week,” Tebow said after an
offseason that included three mission trips to
foreign countries. “It was a dream come true to win the Heisman, but it doesn’t compare to a national
championship.”
A capsule look at the East Division teams in predicted order of finish:
* GEORGIA — Key players: QB Matthew Stafford, Jr.; RB Knowshon Moreno, So.; MLB Dannell Ellerbe, Sr.; CB Ahser Allen, Jr. Returning starters:
8 offense, 9 defense.
Notes: Moreno emerged late last season, and the normally stoic Richt came out of his sideline shell. The result was a strong
finish and a No. 2 final
ranking. Moreno could have some help in the backfield from highly touted freshman Caleb King. Defense must replace SEC sack leader Marcus Howard.
* FLORIDA — Key players: QB Tim Tebow, Jr.; WR Percy Harvin, Jr.; DE Jermaine Cunningham, Jr.; LB Brandon Spikes, Jr. Returning starters:
8 offense, 8 defense.
Notes: Tebow and Harvin shouldn’t have to
shoulder so much of the load. Redshirt freshman tailback Chris Rainey
figures to get plenty of
carries, along with
USC transfer Emmanuel Moody. ... Defense ranked last in SEC yards passing, but three freshmen started last year, including hard-
hitting safety Major Wright.
* TENNESSEE — Key players: QB Jonathan Crompton, Jr.; RB Arian Foster, Sr.; OT Anthony Parker, Sr.; S Eric Berry, So. Returning starters:
8 offense, 6 defense.
Notes: New offensive coordinator Dave Clawson has four starters returning on offensive line, including second-team All-American Parker. ... Berry and DE Robert Ayers lead defense that ranked 11th in SEC yards allowed last season.
* SOUTH CAROLINA — Key players: LB Jasper Brinkley, Sr.; WR Kenny McKinley, Sr.; S Emanuel Cook, Jr.; LB Eric Norwood, Jr. Returning starters:
7 offense, 10 defense.
Notes: Head ball coach Steve Spurrier turns to another quarterback, Tommy Beecher, and to son Steve Jr. for primary
playcalling duties. ... Brinkley returns after a medical redshirt and Ellis Johnson is the new
defensive coordinator.
* KENTUCKY — Key players: WR Dicky Lyons, Sr.; RB Tony Dixon, Sr.; CB Trevard Lindley, Jr. Returning starters:
4 offense, 8 defense.
Notes: ’Cats vying for third straight bowl game. Must overcome huge losses on offense, including the loss of backfield stars Andre’ Woodson and Rafael Little and receiver Keenan Burton.
* VANDERBILT — Key players: QB Mackenzi Adams, Jr.; CB DJ Moore, Jr.; WR George Smith, Sr. Returning starters:
3 offense, six defense.
Notes: Trying to avoid a 26th consecutive losing season ... The offense returns only three starters and none are linemen. Also, go-to receiver Earl Bennett is gone.
common.
Both have a talented junior quarterback, a dynamic playmaker and a youthful-looking coach with a ridiculous career winning percentage.
One of them is also the hot Southeastern Conference team du jour. Which one depends on who’s picking.
They both fit the bill, but coach Urban Meyer, quarterback Tim Tebow and the Gators already have a national title and a Heisman Trophy.
The Bulldogs have averaged a hair above 10 wins in coach Mark Richt’s seven seasons, but they haven’t added to the SEC’s expanding trophy collection.
Might this be their year? Richt’s peers think so, picking Georgia preseason No. 1 in the coaches poll. League media, on the other hand, picked Florida to win both the SEC East and the overall championship.
Tough crowd, this SEC.
The Dawgs will leave any politicking to the end of the year. They’re already trotting out references to last September’s Appalachian State win over Michigan.
The message: Beware Georgia Southern, the opening opponent.
“We can’t listen to the hype and the media,” Georgia defensive tackle Jeff Owens said. “We don’t want to end up like Michigan last year losing to App State. We’ve got to learn from their mistake.”
Games at South Carolina, Arizona State, LSU and Auburn are more dangerous. Not to mention the Florida rivalry across the state line in Jacksonville, intensified by the Bulldogs’ end zone dance in last
season’s win.
Defending national champ LSU is getting overshadowed largely because, unlike Florida and Georgia, there’s no proven quarterback on the roster. Ditto for Auburn, Tennessee and South Carolina.
LSU’s Les Miles is the fifth current SEC coach to win a national title, and new Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino had a pair of one-loss seasons at Louisville. Not to mention Tommy Tuberville’s unbeaten 2004 season at Auburn.
“To claim that many national championships among your group of
coaches, it’s kind of intimidating sometimes, I guess,” Richt said.
Then again, he ranks fourth among active
coaches by winning
79.1 percent of his games, right behind Meyer, No. 3 at 81.4 percent.
Florida and Georgia both have the bulk of their starters back, and each has at least one legitimate Heisman candidate.
Bulldozing quarterback Tebow is going for two in a row, but versatile Percy Harvin also is getting plenty of buzz. So is Georgia’s sophomore tailback Knowshon Moreno.
The Bulldogs also have quarterback Matthew Stafford and a potentially dominant defense that returns nine starters from a group that held high-powered Hawaii to 10 points and forced six turnovers in the Sugar Bowl.
The Gators should be improved on defense, with eight starters back from a unit that ranked last in the SEC against the pass. Meyer, though, knows he has plenty of company among SEC teams with notions of a title.
“Once again, any given nine think they’re going to play in a conference championship,” he said. “I don’t know if you see that
anywhere else in America.”
His quarterback is hungry for victories after the Gators followed up a national title by losing four games.
“I’d trade (the Heisman) for a national championship any day of the week,” Tebow said after an
offseason that included three mission trips to
foreign countries. “It was a dream come true to win the Heisman, but it doesn’t compare to a national
championship.”
A capsule look at the East Division teams in predicted order of finish:
* GEORGIA — Key players: QB Matthew Stafford, Jr.; RB Knowshon Moreno, So.; MLB Dannell Ellerbe, Sr.; CB Ahser Allen, Jr. Returning starters:
8 offense, 9 defense.
Notes: Moreno emerged late last season, and the normally stoic Richt came out of his sideline shell. The result was a strong
finish and a No. 2 final
ranking. Moreno could have some help in the backfield from highly touted freshman Caleb King. Defense must replace SEC sack leader Marcus Howard.
* FLORIDA — Key players: QB Tim Tebow, Jr.; WR Percy Harvin, Jr.; DE Jermaine Cunningham, Jr.; LB Brandon Spikes, Jr. Returning starters:
8 offense, 8 defense.
Notes: Tebow and Harvin shouldn’t have to
shoulder so much of the load. Redshirt freshman tailback Chris Rainey
figures to get plenty of
carries, along with
USC transfer Emmanuel Moody. ... Defense ranked last in SEC yards passing, but three freshmen started last year, including hard-
hitting safety Major Wright.
* TENNESSEE — Key players: QB Jonathan Crompton, Jr.; RB Arian Foster, Sr.; OT Anthony Parker, Sr.; S Eric Berry, So. Returning starters:
8 offense, 6 defense.
Notes: New offensive coordinator Dave Clawson has four starters returning on offensive line, including second-team All-American Parker. ... Berry and DE Robert Ayers lead defense that ranked 11th in SEC yards allowed last season.
* SOUTH CAROLINA — Key players: LB Jasper Brinkley, Sr.; WR Kenny McKinley, Sr.; S Emanuel Cook, Jr.; LB Eric Norwood, Jr. Returning starters:
7 offense, 10 defense.
Notes: Head ball coach Steve Spurrier turns to another quarterback, Tommy Beecher, and to son Steve Jr. for primary
playcalling duties. ... Brinkley returns after a medical redshirt and Ellis Johnson is the new
defensive coordinator.
* KENTUCKY — Key players: WR Dicky Lyons, Sr.; RB Tony Dixon, Sr.; CB Trevard Lindley, Jr. Returning starters:
4 offense, 8 defense.
Notes: ’Cats vying for third straight bowl game. Must overcome huge losses on offense, including the loss of backfield stars Andre’ Woodson and Rafael Little and receiver Keenan Burton.
* VANDERBILT — Key players: QB Mackenzi Adams, Jr.; CB DJ Moore, Jr.; WR George Smith, Sr. Returning starters:
3 offense, six defense.
Notes: Trying to avoid a 26th consecutive losing season ... The offense returns only three starters and none are linemen. Also, go-to receiver Earl Bennett is gone.
 |
||
| JAGA raffle prizes awarded |
