Just feel somehow UGA will lose two regular season games this year. Because, well, Georgia.


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I know the next few teams are still coming but I'm really thinking the Vols will take a step back this year. If they couldn't win the East with the players they had last year, I can't see how they lose most of their starters and new QB and go anywhere but backwards. If true, I will enjoy seeing the misery.

I agree that it's hard to accurately predict how teams in our conference will end up this season.

For me, it will mostly boil down to two things.

Coaching and the QB position.

Looks like Coach Mac is doing fairly good so far in 2018 recruiting. According to this site - the 2018 recruiting class now stands at #2 in the SEC and #8 in the nation.

Let's hope he and his staff continues their success at Florida so we can enjoy many more of their appearances in the SECCG!

JessN said:

Wouldn't surprise me at all. This is going to be a very difficult year to pick in the SEC because you've got a mass of about 6-7 teams all fairly close to one another in the middle of the conference lineup.

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Yeah, I agree with that assessment just hope it doesn't bite Bama.


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Regarding Florida's QB situation...this just in:

Del Rio sends a message to Florida Gators fans

Bazza said:

Regarding Florida's QB situation...this just in:

Del Rio sends a message to Florida Gators fans

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What was his message? That he sucked last year but hoped to suck less this year? He was horrible last year. Gator fans had better hope that he isn't their starter in 2017.

B1GTide said:

What was his message? That he sucked last year but hoped to suck less this year? He was horrible last year. Gator fans had better hope that he isn't their starter in 2017.

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Much talk this season about grad transfer Malik Zaire and the upcoming redshirts Franks and to a lesser extent Trask....and then the freshman Toney getting some buzz after his performance in the spring game....seems like in the media and talk forums...LDR is nothing more than yesterday's news.

LDR played very well last season - when he was not injured.

The reality is, regardless of one's opinion of his skill set as QB....he is a fierce competitor and will be again this season.


From the article:
"he threw for more than 250 yards and completed at least 55 percent of his passes in the only two games he was healthy, a feat no Florida quarterback had reached in back-to-back games since Tim Tebow in 2007."

Additionally LDR has more game experience than any other QB on the roster - which is a huge consideration.

Anyone who has paid attention the past couple years (since Coach McElwain was hired as head coach) knows about the absurd number of injuries they suffered last season, including QB, as well as the loss of their starting QB Will Grier in the first season who had lead the team to a 6-0 start. Not having depth at that position hurt them. This year not only do they have talent at that position, they have depth.

I myself am of the opinion regardless who plays at the QB position, the decision will be made by out staff based on who gives us the best chance to win. And there's no way anyone outside the coaching staff (especially us fans) could make that call with the same degree of credibility.

And one last comment about our offense....this season we will have a very decent O-line for the first time in many years. Plus a plethera of playmakers in TE, WR, and RB position.

More than anything.....it will be interesting to me to see how our play calling goes and if it can maximize the talent we have on that side of the ball this season.

Bazza said:

"he threw for more than 250 yards and completed at least 55 percent of his passes in the only two games he was healthy, a feat no Florida quarterback had reached in back-to-back games since Tim Tebow in 2007."

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Wow! Pretty amazing that FL has remained competitive with such weak QB play over such an extended period of time.

B1GTide said:

Wow! Pretty amazing that FL has remained competitive with such weak QB play over such an extended period of time.

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Most of the time that we stayed competitive, it was because of our defense. But as was demonstrated in the national championship game between Bama and Clemson - a defense can only hold out so long - and when too much is asked of them - they become too gassed to perform properly. That's exactly what happened in many of Florida's losses.

JessN said:

What I can't understand about Florida is with all the speed in that state, how the Gators don't put three wide receivers in the NFL every year. It's ridiculous the amount of track-level talent that comes out of that state but the biggest issue on offense they have this year is a threadbare skill-position depth chart.

Refer back to the "Ranking the Units" article, in particular the comments about where Florida fell in the mix in the 2016 preseason. And TideFans.com was one of Florida's biggest "fans" last year in that regard. And it isn't like Muschamp didn't recruit well. It's almost like Florida was probation-limited for 3-4 classes in a row. That's one area where McElwain will have to turn it up.

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Recruiting is improving quite a bit Jess - especially on offense. I just took a look at our roster for 2017 and we have 14 listed as WR, 8 listed as TE, 6 RB, 7QB, a resounding 19 on OL!

While Coach Boom was a good recruiter, under his direction, we never really focused on cultivating a proper offense, which IMHO had implications going forward which further hampered various aspects of our offense, such as sending WR's to the NFL, as you pointed out.

Your point about tapping into the resources of Florida's speed is a very good one. I think you will see how Coach McElwain and staff have turned the corner this season and gotten Florida back on track in that regard.

And with all of that said.....I'm still not sure how everything will go this year until the QB position is stabilized. Coach McElwain just gave a presser on Friday and if you go here you will see 4 or more bullet points discussing the QB position and how he is still evaluating. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Happens to all programs on a regular basis...part of what fall camp is for. But at the end of the day - it's still an unknown.

If nothing else, it's what makes following college football so interesting...and exciting.

Bazza said:

Recruiting is improving quite a bit Jess - especially on offense. I just took a look at our roster for 2017 and we have 14 listed as WR, 8 listed as TE, 6 RB, 7QB, a resounding 19 on OL!

While Coach Boom was a good recruiter, under his direction, we never really focused on cultivating a proper offense, which IMHO had implications going forward which further hampered various aspects of our offense, such as sending WR's to the NFL, as you pointed out.

Your point about tapping into the resources of Florida's speed is a very good one. I think you will see how Coach McElwain and staff have turned the corner this season and gotten Florida back on track in that regard.

And with all of that said.....I'm still not sure how everything will go this year until the QB position is stabilized. Coach McElwain just gave a presser on Friday and if you go here you will see 4 or more bullet points discussing the QB position and how he is still evaluating. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Happens to all programs on a regular basis...part of what fall camp is for. But at the end of the day - it's still an unknown.

If nothing else, it's what makes following college football so interesting...and exciting.

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How many of those offensive players are walk-ons? No way Florida has 56 scholarship offensive players.


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I agree with the Kentucky prediction. But some people have them going to the SECCG or at least in the mix with Florida and Georgia! That stuns me. It is like the Tennessee hype for last year -- based not on FACTS.

They beat Vandy, Missouri, S Carolina and Miss St, then upset a reeling Louisville who was falling like a rock. But suddenly many are on the Stoops bandwagon. According to the past few years in 'crootin Kentucky should beat Vandy and Missouri and finish 2-6 in SEC play.

RTR91 said:

How many of those offensive players are walk-ons? No way Florida has 56 scholarship offensive players.

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I just looked it up and according to Rivals we have 38 on scholarship on offense, 42 on defense, and 4 on special teams to make a total of 84.

LINK

Redwood Forrest said:

I agree with the Kentucky prediction. But some people have them going to the SECCG or at least in the mix with Florida and Georgia! That stuns me. It is like the Tennessee hype for last year -- based not on FACTS.

They beat Vandy, Missouri, S Carolina and Miss St, then upset a reeling Louisville who was falling like a rock. But suddenly many are on the Stoops bandwagon. According to the past few years in 'crootin Kentucky should beat Vandy and Missouri and finish 2-6 in SEC play.

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I think Kentucky wins the East. Being the best team in the SEC East isn't that big a deal. Mainly I want either Kentucky or Vanderbilt to make it to Atlanta before Ole Miss. It will make me smile.

DzynKingRTR said:

I think Kentucky wins the East. Being the best team in the SEC East isn't that big a deal. Mainly I want either Kentucky or Vanderbilt to make it to Atlanta before Ole Miss. It will make me smile.

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If Kentucky or Vanderbilt wins the East then Kirby and Jim both need to be tarred and feathered on their way out of town. Letting THIRTY and FORTY ranked recruiting classes beat 7th and 11th ranked classed is gross malcoaching.

Bazza said:

I just looked it up and according to Rivals we have 38 on scholarship on offense, 42 on defense, and 4 on special teams to make a total of 84.

LINK

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So a little different from the previous list of just going off the positions on the roster.

Redwood Forrest said:

If Kentucky or Vanderbilt wins the East then Kirby and Jim both need to be tarred and feathered on their way out of town. Letting THIRTY and FORTY ranked recruiting classes beat 7th and 11th ranked classed is gross malcoaching.

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Looking at Phil Steele's experience chart going into this year, Kentucky is the fourth most experienced team in the conference, and Vandy is the sixth most. Probably a little different now that Kentucky had a starting OL go down last week and is out for the season.

Most amazing thing about the conference ranking - Auburn is the most experienced followed by all seven SEC East teams then Alabama and the other five SEC West teams.

That suggests the East might be better in 2017 solely on experience.