SB Nation - Tyson Lee

LSU In Review - Week Four Vs. Mississippi State

BSD — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:00:30 -0000

by Rogelio V. Solis - AP

2 months ago: LSU defensive tackle Al Woods (97) signals after the defense denied Mississippi State a last minute fourth quarter touchdown during an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. LUS won 30-26. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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Final - 9.26.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
LSU Tigers	13	3	7	7	30
Mississippi St. Bulldogs	14	0	7	5	26

Complete Coverage >

The LSU offense did their best to lose their road game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in week four of the season. But the LSU defense and special teams were not going to let it happen.

Jordan Jefferson had a career game completing 15-of-28 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns of 4 and 58 yards to Brandon LaFell, who caught six passes on the day for 101 yards. But the LSU ground attack sputtered for just 30 yards on 31 carries. In fairness, the TIgers lost 18 yards on two sacks, and lost 37 yards rushing on special teams gaffs and in taking an intentional safety. But still. Russell Shepard was the leading rusher with 26 yards on 4 carries from the wildcat formation. Keiland Williams and Charles Scott combined for just 35 yards on 15 carries for the day. LSU converted only 2-of-13 third downs and only managed 12 first downs in the game.

But the Tiger defense bailed them out again. Patrick Peterson grabbed a tipped ball on Mississippi State's first pass of the game and scampered 37 yards for a touchdown. Then in what appears to be a recurring theme this year, LSU shot themselves in the foot. Peterson got flagged for unsportsman like conduct giving the Bulldogs a short field to work with on their drive. But first the holder and center couldn't hook up on the PAT, and they didn't covert. The Bulldogs took the short field and drove 66 yards for a score. They were aided by a pass interference penalty in the endzone that set up a first and goal at the two.

Later in the first quarter, with LSU up 13-7, a snap went over the LSU punter Derek Helton's head. Helton fell on it, but it set up a first and goal for MSU at the LSU 1 yard line. The Bulldogs punched it in to take a 14-13 lead at the end of one.

LSU was set up beautifully in the second quarter when MSU running back Arnil Stallworth fumbled on his own 25 yard line and the Tigers recovered. Shepard then picked up 15 yards on two successive running plays. But then the offense stalled, and LSU was forced to settle for a 22 yard field goal.

MSU took their next drive well into LSU territory before Brandon Taylor intercepted a pass from Tyson Lee at the LSU 17 yard line. After an LSU three-and-out, the Bulldogs were driving again right before the half. But they bungled their own snap on a field goal attempt just before intermission, and the score remained 16-14.

LSU came out firing on their first play of the second half when Jefferson hit LaFell on their 58 yard touchdown hookup. Later in the quarter the Bulldogs responded with a bomb of their own when Lee hit Marcus Green for a 50 yard touchdown to pull the score to 23-21.

On the ensuing drive, the Tigers would blow a chance for more points when a 40 yard pass to R.J. Jackson set up a first and goal at the MSU seven yard line. Jefferson threw two incomplete passes, and then on third and goal at the seven, Jefferson tried to run it in coming up short at the two. Then LSU kicker Josh Jasper missed the chip shot field goal and LSU came away empty allowing the Bulldogs to hang around.

With the game in the balance, it was becoming obvious the offense wasn't going to pull it out on their own. So the special teams stepped up on the first play of the fourth quarter. Chad Jones, who LSU fans will not hesitate to tell you is TEH AWSUM, fielded a punt at his own seven yard line. Then in a return that featured more cuts than a person sticking their arm in a bucket of broken glass, Jones returned the kick 93 yards for the score. The extra point was true and LSU took a 30-21 lead.

On MSU's next drive, the Tigers once again gave up a big play of 46 yards on a pass by backup quarterback Chris Relf to O'Neil Wilder to the LSU 21 yard line. From there the LSU defense held up, and MSU was forced to settle for a 22 yard field goal to pull within six points.

With just 10 minutes to go in the game, a long sustained scoring drive could have sealed the game for LSU. They started out promising gaining 29 yards on their first two plays. But then that was it. Four plays later, Helton punted into the endzone for a touchback, and LSU had only consumed two minutes on five plays. After a failed MSU drive, LSU got the ball with just under six minutes to play and a chance to ice the game. But this time they only gained 9 yards on 5 plays after consuming 1:55, and LSU had to punt from their own 12 yard line.

MSU took the ball at the 50 with 3:53 to play and drove down the field. An 18 yard rush by Anthony Dixon gave them a first and goal at the LSU 2 yard line and it looked like the Tigers were going down. Dixon ran for one yard on first down, and then he got stuffed for no gain on second down. Tyson Lee threw an incomplete pass that was broken up by Chad Jones. Then Lee tried to sneak it in on fourth down, but came up short. The LSU defense saved the game, and the Tigers advanced to the ugliest 4-0 record in the country. But it was good enough to launch them into the top five in the polls.

Drive Chart

FULL SCREEN VERSION

Quotes From The Game

"I still want to run the football. It’s too fundamental to me not to be important, and I want that. I want it for Charles Scottand that offensive line and Keiland Williams, and I want to be able to come off the football." - Les Miles

"Russell Shepard got into the game for a short series, and I really wanted to get him back in the game in the second half. The difference is that we wanted to be in two-back, and we wanted to throw the football, and that’s not necessarily what we want to do with Russell Shepard in the game." - Les Miles

"The offensive line flat out sucks right now. There's no nice way to say it. They suck. They know they suck." - And The Valley Shook

"After the TD to open the half, LSU's offense went into the tank. LSU only had three 1st downs from that point on. The defense wore down as the half went on, but that was due to an offense that simply didn't show up for the second half." - And The Valley Shook

Postseason in the the SEC

Acid Reign — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:00:21 -0000

3rd team All-SEC?

War Eagle, everybody. The postseason of 2009 is on us, and the regular season is over. This time last season, I think most folks were glad it was over. Of course, December 2008 would turn out to be a terribly tumultuous month! We ran a head coach and staff off, at a cost of a cool $5 million. We hired a 5-19 replacement as the new head coach. The program was quite frankly in disarray! We were the laughing stock of the SEC, hands down.

A year later, how'd that work out for us? Against long odds, Auburn's football team won more than they lost, and they won the hearts of the fans. I don't think ANY of us are ready for the season to be over! In just one season, Auburn has vaulted to a New Year's Day bowl, and a winning record. A tremendous recruiting class seems to be in the making. There are 5 other 7-5 SEC teams, and I don't think they are laughing now!

This season, the SEC will send a record ten teams to bowl games. There are some tough challenges facing the SEC. I think most of the nation would love to see the SEC fall off its high-horse and lose big this bowl season. Texas will be a tough test for the SEC Champion, and the loser of the SEC title game will have to lick their wounds and get ready for another rough test. The Sugar Bowl is likely to match unbeaten Cincinnati against the SEC runner up, and if Cincy loses, then undefeated TCU. Penn State will be an extremely tough test for offensively-challenged LSU in the Capital One Bowl. Auburn's sometimes leaky defense will be tested by Northwestern in the Outback Bowl. Might be a record for points scored in that bowl! The Cotton will be a dangerous bowl, as both Ole Miss and Oklahoma State had hoped for much bigger things, this season. Likely bowl opponents in the second tier are Virginia Tech, North Carolina, U Conn, Texas A&M, and the Houston Cougars. SEC teams need to be on their games to match the success of the past three seasons. The SEC has won 19 of its last 26 bowl games.

The net yards per pass prizes, and ruminations on the SEC Championship Game, after the jump!

At the beginning of the season, I examined the net yards per pass of the projected starters in the SEC. Now that the regular season is over, let's see how they did:

SEC Eastern Division	Record	Record	Starting	Net Yards per pass	Net Yards per pass
Team	SEC	Overall	Quarterback	End of Season	Preseason
Florida	6-0	8-0	Tim Tebow	8.1	8.6
Tennessee	4-4	7-5	Jonathan Crompton	5.5	3.8
Georgia	4-4	7-5	Joe Cox	5.7	6.6
South Carolina	3-5	7-5	Stephen Garcia	5.8	3.5
Kentucky	3-5	7-5	Mike Hartline Morgan Newton Will Fiddler	3.4 4.1 3.3	3.9
Vanderbilt	0-8	2-10	Larry Smith Mackenzi Adams	3.4 3.8	3.4 3.8

SEC Western Division	Record	Record	Starting	Net Yards per pass	Net Yards per pass
Team	SEC	Overall	Quarterback	End of Season	Preseason
Alabama	8-0	12-0	Greg McElroy	6.8	8.1
LSU	5-3	9-3	Jordan Jefferson	6.1	5.1
Ole Miss	4-4	8-4	Jevan Snead	4.9	6.3
Arkansas	3-5	7-5	Ryan Mallett	8.4	4.6
Auburn	3-5	7-5	Chris Todd	7.0	4.4
Mississippi State	3-5	5-7	Tyson Lee Chris Relf	3.4 3.2	4.9 1.4

Only three quarterbacks managed to finish at 7.0 or above, but every bowl eligible SEC team finished with a quarterback over 4.0 yards per pass. Those that did not attain 4.0 are sitting home for the holidays. It's been an odd year, in that most of the very experienced returning quarterbacks actually had statistically worse years in 2009. Tim Tebow's numbers are still good enough for second place, but he's down a half yard. Mike Hartline and Tyson Lee declined, too. Jevan Snead plunged from pre-season All-SEC 2^nd team to 9^th place in the league. Snead paced the SEC with 17 interceptions. Long-time backups Joe Cox and Greg McElroy both saw their stats shrink, thrust into starting roles. The winners in the improvement department are Ryan Mallett, Chris Todd, Stephen Garcia, and Jonathan Crompton. Crompton survived a HORRID September, to finish with a respectable 5.5 net yard per pass.

Ryan Mallett performed well enough to cause All-SEC voters to do some head-scratching. Who IS the best SEC quarterback? If you were arguing on strictly an MVP-type basis, you'd have to give the award to Mallett. Without him, Arkansas easily finishes in the West cellar. Looking at what each quarterback brings to the field, Tim Tebow ALONE makes Florida two-dimensional. However, is Arkansas' one dimension better than Florida's two? Total yards tell the tale: Mallett has 3387, and Tebow has 2962. Comparing the teams, Florida put up 5416 yards, and Arkansas 5272. To me, it's a tough comparison. I think if Tebow has a good game in the SEC title match, he'll win the All-SEC quarterback sweepstakes. If Bama's defense makes Tebow look human, it's Mallett's prize. Number three in the league HAS to be a surprise to everyone: Chris Todd. In this context, he's had a pretty amazing season.

I don't have a strong opinion on who is going to win the SEC title game. Both teams sport awesome defenses and good depth. I think Florida is a little better on offense, and a little better on special teams. And, I think Florida has the best player in the league calling the signals. I see another close Florida win, but it's certainly not carved in stone. The DUI arrest of defensive end Carlos Dunlap could be a distraction factor for the Gators. Alabama received a serious wake-up call in the Iron Bowl against Auburn. It could play out differently on the field, than on paper. I can remember ten years ago, a heavily favored Florida team was dismantled by a more motivated Bama group, 34-7. There have been surprising SEC Title game results this decade, to be sure! There was LSU's stunning 31-20 win over UT in 2001, The 34-13 LSU blowout of UGA in 2003, and Georgia's blowout of LSU in 2005. I'll watch this one for fun, as just a fan of the game! And yes, I'd rather see the West win. But I can't bring myself to say the "RT" words...

The Mississippi State Preview

outsidethesidelines — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:30:25 -0000

More photos » by Rogelio V. Solis - AP

Mississippi State quarterback Chris Relf (14) reaches for a first quarter snap as offensive linemen Addison Lawrence (62) and Craig Jenkins (75) lead the rush against Jackson State during an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. Mississippi State won 45-7. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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With it's 24-15 win over LSU, Alabama officially clinched a berth in the SEC Championship Game when the first week of December rolls around. The divisional race is over, and the Tide will get its long awaited rematch with the Gators in Atlanta. Of course, though, with three games left on the regular season slate, Alabama still needs to win out to ensure itself that a trip to Pasadena will be on the line once we square off against Florida. Even with the SEC West in the bag, 'Bama still has everything to lose with one misstep.

Mississippi State, on the other hand, has been one of the surprises of the conference in 2009. They were widely expected to be very bad in Dan Mullen's debut campaign, but in fact they have been very competitive. They currently sit at 4-5 with hopes still alive of making a bowl game, and to date their biggest problem has been a ridiculously tough schedule that has forced them to face five top fifteen caliber teams in their first ten games.

Let's take a closer look at the match-ups.

Alabama Offense v. Mississippi State Defense

With his performance against LSU, if nothing else, Greg McElroy -- and the Alabama offense as a whole -- took a step in the right direction. Things are far from perfect to be sure. McElroy still made a lot of mistakes, the red zone inefficiencies continued, untimely penalties remained, and we only scored two touchdowns. Even so, for the first time since Arkansas left town, the Alabama offense clearly showed signs of improvement over its previous performance. We moved the football all afternoon, hit a couple of big plays, and Mark Ingram remained his usual dominant self. Moreover, both Julio Jones and Marquis Maze looked to healthy again, a big addition to the offense.

Exactly what Alabama does in this game is hard to say. The performance against LSU was promising of greater offensive production to come, but there were still enough mistakes made to cause someone to be legitimately concerned at the prospect of regression. Of course we all hope that the offensive juggernaut is close to returning, but no one can definitively claim that to be the case.

Making matters even more difficult to project is that we really do not know how we will attack this weekend. In the first half against LSU we spread the field, went with an empty backfield a relatively high percentage of the time, and threw 25 passes. In the second half, though, we significantly altered our offensive attack. Even when you factor out the three kneel downs to end the game, we nevertheless ran the football on 22 of the 33 offensive snaps in the second half, throwing only nine passes in the process (one of which was a trick play out of the Wildcat). In short, we went pass happy in the first half, but after getting little success via the air (only approximately 140 passing yards on 25 passing attempts), we flipped poles and went run heavy in the second half. Which end of the spectrum will Alabama be on this weekend? No one really knows.

The good news is that the Mississippi State defense looks to be the easiest we've faced since Arkansas headed back to Fayetteville. It's not necessarily a bad unit, mind you, but it has been far from impenetrable. The pass defense has been fairly decent, but the run defense has struggled and they have been unable to consistently rush the quarterback. Defensive coordinator Carl Torbush -- 'Bama fans will remember him as Franchione's defensive coordinator in 2001 and 2002 -- has done a good job of putting together a functional defense despite having the terrible triage of inexperience, a lack of top-end talent, and a lack of quality depth.

The strength of this Mississippi State defense is clearly in the linebacker corps. Starting middle linebacker Jamar Cheney is probably the best defensive player in the conference that you've never heard of, and K.J. Wright is a great athlete. Chris White rounds out the group, and he's a solid player in his own right. The quality depth isn't there, but it's no mistake that the top three tacklers on this defense all reside at linebacker, and if nothing else the frontline guys are generally very good.

The problem is that in the trenches and in the defensive backfield, the horses just aren't there. JUCO transfer Pernell McPhee -- a prospect 'Bama coaches were very high on -- has been great at defensive end, but the rest of the line has been fairly ineffective. It's basically a hodgepodge of middling players, mixed with some guys playing out of position and some kids barely removed from high school. Largely the same story goes for the defensive backfield as well. The secondary had a good bit in talent in 2008, but graduation has forced almost a total rebuild and while Torbush has done a pretty good job with those guys, it's far from an outstanding unit.

All told, for all of the good work that Torbush has done to date in Starkvegas, again this is still the weakest defensive unit we've faced since Arkansas. Depending on how our offense performs this Saturday, Mississippi State has enough shortcomings to present us with some opportunities. If we play relatively well on offense and continue to improve, we ought to score more than our fair share of points.

Alabama Defense v. Mississippi State Offense

The real advantage for the Tide, however, comes when our defense takes the field. Dan Mullen will eventually run the spread option in Starkvegas, but he just doesn't have the kind of players he is looking for right now. He did a good job in recruiting some talented players in his first recruiting class, and the early returns are relatively positive, but this is a unit that still has a long way to go. The Alabama defense, on the other hand, has practically been an immovable object for most of the season, and few teams have been able to muster any real amount of success.

To be sure, Mississippi State has shown a few signs of improvement offensively this year. Mullen has done a good job of molding his ideal offensive scheme to fit the unique skill sets of the players that he has on hand, and the end result of that is the Bulldogs end up with the look of a traditional I-formation power attack masquerading in a lot of spread option sets. This is still not a very good unit, and one that is still near the bottom of the SEC in both point and yardage production, but it's a clear improvement over a year ago, and it's certainly nowhere near as bad as they have been the past several years.

The strength for the Mississippi State offense is clearly in its backfield, particularly with senior tailback Anthony Dixon. The Jackson native was a highly-touted recruit coming out of high school when he signed with Sylvester Croom, and he could have gone just about anywhere in the country. Eschewing the notion that there is no role for a big tailback in the spread option, Dixon has had a standout senior season. He's already over 1,000 rushing yards on the season, and he's the best power runner that we will face all season. Much like former Bulldog Jerious Norwood, a career in the NFL awaits Mr. Dixon, and he should be respected accordingly. Moreover, Christian Ducre also gets a lot of touches at tailback, and he's a fine back in his own right. His biggest problem is simply the quality of the player in front of him.

And in all fairness, the Mississippi State offensive line is a fairly decent group in its own right. Left tackle Derek Sherrod is a bit raw, but no one doubts his athleticism, and the rest of the group has a decent amount of experience. They are far from world-beaters, but they haven't been the complete liability that many MSU offensive lines were during their darker periods of this decade. It probably says a fair amount about this group that Dixon and Ducre have had the success that they have had, and that they should finish near the top of the SEC in Adjusted Sack Rate.

The real problem for Mississippi State has been at quarterback and wide receiver. Tyson Lee does as good of a job as he can running the spread option, but realistically he's just not the guy they are looking for. He's entirely too small to be a pocket passer in this league, and the arm strength isn't very good either. Moreover, while he's a pretty decent runner, he's nowhere near the kind of quarterback who can get by on his athleticism alone. He's a tough competitor, but he simply hasn't been very productive. He hasn't been able to generate a lot of big plays in the passing game, likewise on the ground, and he turns the ball over entirely too much.

The wide receiver corps is really more of the same. True freshman Chad Bumphis is the best of the group -- and he's yet another one that Saban recruited very hard last year -- but it's rarely ever a good sign when a true freshman is clearly your most productive wide receiver. Brandon McRae, O'Neal Wilder, and Leon Berry are the starters, but none of them have really able to do anything special. It says quite a bit when, through nine games in a season, your most productive wide receiver doesn't even have 300 receiving yards.

All in all, the raw firepower just isn't there for the Bullies. Alabama will certainly have its hands full trying to stop Dixon -- and I imagine he will have his fair share of success -- but if the Alabama defense plays anything like it has throughout the rest of the season, it's hard to see Mississippi State scoring very many points unless we give them a lot of freebies with turnovers or special teams breakdowns. For 'Bama, limiting Dixon likely means bringing the MSU offensive attack to a halt. Even though it's a somewhat better unit than what we have faced from MSU in recent years, none of the Tide's previous four SEC opponents have been able to generate more than 13 points offensively, and the Bulldogs likely won't be able to break that streak either.

Putting It All Together

On paper, Alabama is clearly the better team between these two. We have far more high-end talent than the Bullies, likewise for quality depth, and frankly it's not even close in either category. We're a good bit better than Mississippi State in almost every single capacity regardless of how you analyze things, even on special teams. Based on that, you would say that Alabama ought to win this game in a relative route.

Of course, Dan Mullen and his Bulldogs deserve a lot of credit. These guys do not look particularly formidable on paper, yet somehow they've been able to pull it all together and make things work. As I mentioned earlier, they have played four legitimate top-fifteen caliber teams -- as of right now, those four teams have a combined record of 33-4 -- and have kept it close and competitive in every single contest, even though on paper those games should have been lopsided routes. I really see no reason to expect that they wouldn't do the same thing against Alabama.

Moreover, while the Alabama defense looks to be able to be its usual dominating self, again we really do not know what to expect offensively. Hopefully the juggernaut will return, but if the struggles continue I don't think anyone should be overly surprised. Furthermore, we're probably pretty beat up after a physical game with LSU, and I'm sure Mullen used the off week to his advantage. And finally, for whatever reason, Alabama has historically played sloppy football against Mississippi State.

All in all, I think you have to feel pretty confident about our chances for victory in this game if but for nothing more than our defense. On the other hand, though, a blowout is far from imminent, and this game looks to be a relatively close one. 'Bama probably won't lose, but we probably won't blow MSU out of the water, either. One way or the other, though, this week is just like any other week in the SEC... you play at a high level or you risk defeat. Hopefully the offense will continue to make steps in the right direction, the defense will continue to play at a high level, and that we can leave Starkvegas with the win in hand and a healthy squad heading back to Tuscaloosa.

Hope for the best.

THE LOCAL VOICE #93 - Win and Go Bowling

The Ghost of Jay Cutler — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:01:05 -0000

On October 24, all was well.

The Rebels had taken the rival-ish Razorbacks to a proverbial woodshed before beating the proverbial pig turds out of them. "Hou-ston-Nutt Hou-ston-Nutt" rang throughout the stands, players were able to boast personal records, and Rebel fans walked back to The Grove to, for the first time in a while, eat their cold chicken tenders and sip their juleps with a satisfied grins on their faces.

On October 31, every last bit of that came crashing down.

The Auburn Tigers, in one quarter alone, scored more points on the Rebels than any opponent had thus far this season. They executed well while the Rebels executed poorly. The Rebels lost in a surprising and shameful fashion on a Halloween that saw all of the fun sucked out of it before it was even dark outside. The players, coaches, and fans were all dejected and have likely been so since, as a poorly put together slap fight against a team from Flagstaff, Arizona, is damn near the opposite of what the doctor would order for an ailing football squad.

This weekend, two teams that contrast sharply in the aura that currently surrounds their program will square off in our fair Oxford. On the one hand, you have the listless Rebels who, after seeing whatever hype the media thrust upon them come crashing down in a few short weeks, are looking down the barrel of a schedule which could realistically deny them bowl eligibility-assuming things don’t drastically change. On the other hand, you’ve got the Tennessee Volunteers who, despite having lost to Auburn, their rival Gators and Tide as well as a bad UCLA team, have ridden the highs of beating a once-upstart South Carolina team and stomping the nonsense out of the Georgia Bulldogs to a program euphoria not seen in Knoxville in far too long.

For us, it seems like the Houston Nutt experiment isn’t working as well as we had hoped. For them, it seems like the Kiffin/Orgeron experiment is working better than they had hoped.

Really though, these teams are more evenly matched than casual observers may realize. Both have a talented yet horribly inconsistent quarterback. Both have young offensive and special teams playmakers coupled with a few hard-working veterans. Both have strong defenses that yield very little space for the opposition. And both have coaches who are known more for their personalities than their actual coaching abilities.

And truly, both teams really need this game.

If Tennessee wins this game, convincingly or not, they’ve got a more-orless downhill slate with upcoming games at Vanderbilt and Kentucky. They finish 3-0 and they’ll finish with 8 wins. That could put them—I never thought I’d write this a month ago—at 2nd in the East if things fall their way. That would likely mean an Outback Bowl bid for the first year head coach Lane Kiffin and his Volunteers.

If the Rebels win this game, especially in a convincing fashion, the confidence could carry the Rebels to a victory over the hated LSU Tigers. In the unlikely event of both of those victories going the way of the Rebels, there is hardly a snowball’s chance for Tyson Lee’s midget brigade to defeat a then-amplified Ole Miss team. A return trip to Dallas, while not Atlanta or New Orleans, should be more than enough to satiate a Rebel fan base hungry for something of which to be proud. Such wins won’t be easy, and they won’t come cheap for this band of Rebels, but it is certainly well within the realm of possibility.

So yeah, I guess I’m saying that the winner of this game has a great shot of winning out and making a New Year’s Day bowl.

I hope someone doesn’t show this newspaper to Bradley Sowell; I would hate for the pressure of the implications and possibilities that could result from this Saturday’s match up to be too much for him.

Hotty Toddy, Rebel fans. Let’s beat Tennessee for the first time ever in Oxford (disclosure: we’ve only played them in Oxford four times) and send Ed Orgeron home with a newfound appreciation of just how good some of the guys he recruited actually are at football.

Homecoming Week Around the SEC

Acid Reign — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:20 -0000

(Green Auburn safeties will have to keep an eye on Mims!)

War Eagle, everybody! It's a lot more fun to talk football after a big win, isn't it? We've reached the home stretch of the 2009 SEC season, and much of the league is hosting FCS and mid-major conference cupcakes, this weekend. Auburn hosts Furman, Kentucky hosts Eastern Kentucky, Georgia hosts Tennessee Tech, Tennessee hosts Memphis, and Ole Miss hosts Northern Arizona. None of those games should even be close, although we'll keep a sharp eye on the Georgia game, scouting the Bulldogs. Will the much maligned Bulldogs struggle against Tech?

There is an important matchup in the early SEC network game, this week. Arkansas hosts South Carolina, and it's a critical game for both schools. Whichever team loses that one will be saddled with the "bust" label, big-time. I'm looking out my window, and yes, I do see red and yellow leaves! That means it's time for South Carolina to start losing games in earnest. For much of the past decade, South Carolina has had fast starts, then major losses in late October and November, to finish as a third-tier bowl team or worse. Arkansas was expected to be a dark horse division contender, and much improved, this season. Alas, entering November, Arkansas is 1-4 in the league. With South Carolina, Troy, Mississippi State, and LSU left on the schedule, the Razorbacks will have to split those games to finish ahead of last season's record.

The headlining matchup this week is LSU at Alabama. Alabama can clinch the Western Division with a win. Only LSU could catch them in that event, and Alabama would own the tie breaker. LSU can take command in the division race with a win, but would likely have to win out the remainder of their schedule to actually win the division. With Ole Miss and Arkansas closing out the end of LSU's schedule, it's do-able, but it won't be easy. Ole Miss or Mississippi State COULD conceivably finish the SEC season at 5-3 and get a share of the division title, but it's unlikely, at best. Auburn could also finish at 5-3, but to catch Alabama, the Tide would have to drop all three of their remaining league games. And if the Tide does that, LSU would get a 5^th win, and LSU owns the tie-breaker against Auburn. So essentially, the SEC West is a two horse race at this point, and everyone else is jockeying for bowl position.

Incredibly, every team in the West might go to a bowl, this season! The two Mississippi teams have the hardest road. Mississippi State would have to win two of their last three, against Alabama, Arkansas, and Ole Miss. Ole Miss needs a win over either Tennessee, LSU, or Mississippi State to become bowl-eligible. The Egg Bowl may well determine who sits home for bowl season, this year. Arkansas needs a split in their remaining schedule to make it to a bowl. I think the Razorbacks can do it. Alabama, LSU and Auburn are already bowl eligible.

Net Yards Per Pass revisited, after the jump! (Plus a small Furman preview!)

Into the last stretch of the season, let's revisit SEC net yards per pass, see how the teams are doing, and how it correlates to winning. Vanderbilt's Larry Smith has joined Kentucky's Mike Hartline on the sideline for the rest of the year, so I've included some backups on those two teams.

SEC Eastern Division	Record	Record	Starting	Net
Team	SEC	Overall	Quarterback	Yards per Pass
Florida	6-0	8-0	Tim Tebow	7.3
Georgia	3-3	4-4	Joe Cox	5.0
South Carolina	3-3	6-3	Stephen Garcia	6.0
Tennessee	2-3	4-4	Jonathan Crompton	4.7
Kentucky	1-4	4-4	Mike Hartline Morgan Newton Will Fiddler	3.9 2.0 3.2
Vanderbilt	0-5	2-7	Larry Smith Mackenzi Adams (in limited action.)	3.4 6.5

SEC Western Division	Record	Record	Starting	Net
Team	SEC	Overall	Quarterback	Yards per Pass
Alabama	6-0	8-0	Greg McElroy	6.4
LSU	4-1	7-1	Jordan Jefferson	6.3
Auburn	3-3	6-3	Chris Todd	6.9
Ole Miss	2-3	5-3	Jevan Snead	4.2
Mississippi State	2-3	4-5	Tyson Lee Chris Relf	3.8 4.3
Arkansas	1-4	4-4	Ryan Mallett	8.4

Ryan Mallett continues to defy gravity, and tops the league. Despite that, Arkansas has not been able to win SEC games against teams not named "Auburn." Tebow is second, and Auburn's Chris Todd is third. At this point in the season, the critical thing in the above stat is taking care of the ball. Every one of the quarterbacks at 6.0 or better has not thrown many interceptions. Mallett has 3 picks, Tebow has 4, Todd has 3, McElroy has 3, Jefferson has 4, and Garcia has 5. By comparison, Jevan Snead has 13 picks, Joe Cox has 12, Tyson Lee has 11, and Jonathan Crompton has 10.

Shifting gears a bit, Auburn hosts Furman at 12:30 PM CST, on pay per view only. The Paladins will enter Jordan Hare Stadium with a 4-4 record. In their only previous game against an FBS opponent, the Paladins were pounded 52-12 by Missouri in Columbia. Furman has a respectable FCS offense that averages 27.6 points per game. In most Furman losses, the defense has been the real issue. Furman is giving up 30 points per game, and over 429 yards. The defense is playing bend but don't break, and has only generated 11 turnovers in 8 games. Teams are screening and drawing the Paladins to death.

Players to watch on the Furman offense include All-Southern Conference flanker Adam Mims, who has 55 catches on the season and a couple of TDs. The Paladins also like to run the reverse to Mims, and he's averaging 8.4 yards per carry. Furman likes get the ball into the hands of this 5'9" receiver. Senior Jordan Sorrells is the quarterback, a 6'2" specimen with a solid arm. Sorrells has 14 TD passes this season, against 6 interceptions. His net yards per pass is 5.7. Keep an eye out for change-of-pace quarterback Chris Forcier, a UCLA transfer. He has yet to complete a pass this season, but he averages 6.5 yards per carry on designed runs.

We'll have an open thread up Saturday, as always. Feel free to drop in and get fired up! There won't be the usual play by play, as I'm going to have to watch the game on the road, due to not having digital cable/satellite! I have to say, this new TV package has been inconvenient. I'm going to have to switch providers, or upgrade, before next season. It drives me crazy for Auburn games to be on TV, and not on channels I get! War Eagle, and let's pound the Paladins!

Mississippi State Bulldogs v. Florida Gators Game Day Linkage

jeremyflint — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:15:32 -0000

There is plenty of information out there leading up to the game tonight in Starkville. Let's get right into the Game Day Linkage for October 24.

Starting off in Florida, there are plenty of previews of the Gators vs. Bulldogs. The Orlando Sentinel says that the Gators should be comfortable since their best games this season - Kentucky and LSU - have been on the road. They also say that we have the closest thing to Percy Harvin in freshman receiver Chad Bumphis.

Jacksonville.com has the match-ups to keep an eye on in tonights game. The most interesting matchup will be Anthony Dixon vs. Ryan Stamper. Stamper is a weakside LB but will be starting in place of Brandon Spikes who is banged up with injuries.

In fact, the entire Gator D-line has some sort of injury right now and they may only have 2 starters on the line tonight.

Tim Tebow is on pace to break Herschel Walker's rushing TD record. He only needs 1 more to break the record of 48.

Of course there is also talk of how much Mullen knows about the Florida offense, his close relationship with Tebow and his long history working with Urban Meyer. You can read about that here and here.

Chris Low of ESPN says that Mississippi State is pulling out all the stops for this game. There is a high probability that this game will break the record for largest attendance (56,118), which was set against Alabama in 2007. A few other notable numbers related to this game:

Florida has not won in Starkville since 1985, when Galen Hall was the head coach.
The last top 5 program that the Bulldogs knocked off in Starkville was Florida, who came in ranked #3 in 2000
The last Gator loss in Starkville cost Ron Zook his job. He was fired 2 days after a 38-31 loss.

Over on our side of the SEC, Veazey talks about the similarities between Tyson Lee and Tim Tebow off the field.

Also, Pernell McPhee, a Florida native, was "two seconds" away from becoming a Gator.

Rick Cleveland opines about the rough times the Gators have had in Starkville over the years.

And Anthony Dixon has the chance to increase his legacy at Mississippi State today by helping knock off the #1 team i the land.

Poll

Will Mississippi State knock off the Florida Gators tonight in Starkville?

Yes

20 votes

No

46 votes

66 votes | Poll has closed

The UVA Preview of Doom

BirdGT — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:21 -0000

by Andrew Shurtleff - AP

I don't like UVA. (AP Photo/Andrew Shurtleff)

View full size photo »

Some people are picking against Tech due to history. A sad history. The history isn't a reflection of program stature. It's a reflection of match ups, coaching preparation, and in-game decision making.

UVA played Georgia Tech teams that were either mismatched or poorly coached. From this perspective, I want to look at our apparent weaknesses and compare them to UVA's ability to exploit them.

Kickoff Coverage Woes
In all of our games, GT is giving up 25.3 yards per return. We're terrible at covering kickoffs. Why? We've allowed 38 returns on 43 kickoffs because we can't kick very far. We've only had one touchback all season and an ACC-leading three kickoffs out of bounds. Our kickoffs are the 6th longest in the ACC, which is good but the problem is that we also allow the opponent to return 95% of those kicks.

So, here's our current situation. We score a lot in the game. We on average give up a lot of big plays in the kicking game. The opponent has less grass to cover. Our defense looks bad when they give up "easy" TD's.

The kickoff team has to get better. Play calling is typically predicated on where your offense is on the field. If the offense starts on their own 40 or the 50 every drive, then they can call whatever they want. If the offense starts on their 20 or 30, then the defensive coordinator can dial up whatever defense he wants and the offense has to play more conservatively.

Luckily, this category is a wash GT fans. UVA has a pretty terrible return unit that only averages around 17 yards per return (last place in the ACC). I just kinda wanted to rant on our terrible kickoff coverage.

Our Run Defense Against the Cavs
2007 - Cedric Peerman, 28 carries for 144 yards
2005 - Wali Lundy/Jason Snelling, 32 carries for 131 yards
2003 - Wali Lundy, 27 carries for 96 yards
2001 - Bryson Spinner/Antoine Womack, 23 carries for 128 yards

All years of UVA wins in which their primary runners tore us up for big yards/carry. When we shut down the UVA running attack ala 2002 and 2006, we won. They only ran for 104 yards total in those two losses.

Under Al Groh, UVA averages a 48.4% 3rd down conversion rate against GT in Charlottesville. Those odd year Al Groh teams only averaged a 40.0% 3rd conversion rate. We never get the AL GROH offense off the field when it matters. Groh uses his big offensive line to push us around. He runs up the gut, to the edge, and all the way to Grandma's house. He's never really had a game breaking running back but he always has HUGE offensive linemen.

This brings us to this year's game. Groh brings in an offensive line that averages 6'6" and 300 pounds on the dot. Match that up with our relatively small defensive tackles and we might have a long day on our hand. Thankfully, the Cavs have a pretty poor running game this season. Even against a terrible Maryland team, the Cavs only managed around 60 yards on the ground.

Secondary is Second Rate
There is nothing more indicative of our road-home, Jekyll-Hyde syndrome than our secondary. Look at these numbers:

But hold on. We shouldn't be talking about this home-away nonsense. If we drafted the the I-A QB's we've faced in a fantasy draft, who would we take first? Let's line 'em up in order of QB efficiency: Tyrod Taylor, Jacory Harris, Christian Ponder, T.J. Yates, Tyson Lee, & Kyle Parker. Are we playing better defense at home or are we just facing better passers/offenses on the road? Probably a mixture of both.

Jameel Sewell would sit right above T.J. Yates in that list so he'd be the "fourth best" passer we've faced thus far. Being the "fourth best" passer we've faced doesn't mean much as Sewell has only thrown 1 TD in the last three games. He's not being asked to make big plays. We gotta force the issue with him. Force him into mistakes. He's a senior quarterback but he's not a good senior quarterback - a Sean Glennon or Chris Turner talent level that will buckle under pressure.

How Does GT Win?
I don't know how we win. I'm worried about how we're going to lose. UVA is inferior to us in every facet of the game. Our weaknesses are glaring but theirs are debilitating. They beat a terrible Indiana team, a terrible Maryland team, and an offensively inept UNC team. They should not be on the same field as us but somehow we'll fumble 8 times. I am not looking forward to UVA.

I feel like the Philadelphia Eagles making the trip to Oakland. There is no good game film on UVA because they've scratched their offense. We've both played UNC but UNC's offense is so bad there was no game. Literally, no game film. Stats don't mean anything. We are playing a UVA team that will be playing backyard football and is currently reinventing their offensive identity. They still have a defense and Charlottesville brings with it a heavy, heavy sports curse.

I am worried.

Predictions.

Bird: We tie the Cavaliers 20-20. I don't think we'll win but I don't think the Cavaliers can beat us.

Dane: God, please don't make me do this. This past week was so much fun. You know what? We should lose this game. It's just what is supposed to happen. If Paul Johnson and his shamanistic voodoo football majick cannot lift this one, then we might as well forfeit all future games played in Charlottesville.

What? What are you looking at? I'm not predicting anything. There is enough bad mojo on this game without me opening my filthy sewer and ruining it for everyone. Take it away, Winfield.

Winfield: All year I have been optimistic about this game and now that it is upon us, I don't know what to think. How can you pick the Jackets when they continue to break your heart in Charlottesville? Ehh screw it. We break the curse! (barely) Georgia Tech 21 Cavs 20

Five Questions With For Whom The Cowbell Tolls

mlmintampa — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:00:25 -0000

We exchanged questions and answers with SB Nation Mississippi State writers For Whom The Cowbell Tolls. We did not ask if Anthony Dixon puts his pants on, just like the rest of us, one leg at at time. Except once his pants are on, he makes gold records.

1. Mississippi State finished 2008 as 113 in total offense. They are now 53rd. How much is this due to Dan Mullen and how much due to just using the talent that was there?

I think it is a combination of the two. Croom had a complicated offensive scheme and was unwilling to adapt his playbook to the talent level on the team. Mullen is just the opposite. He knows that we have average talent, and has adapted his spread offense to put us in the best position to win ballgames. A big key to that adaptation is making Anthony Dixon the feature of the offense. Also, now that we are spreading the field a little more, the pressure on the offensive line is less than it was last year, giving them the opportunity to open up running lanes that didn't exist last year because the defense could just stack the box on us. We also have some freshmen and JUCO transfers that have been able to step in and contribute right away. Players like Leon Berry and true freshman Chad Bumphis. We also have a pretty good stable of running backs in addition to Dixon: Christian Ducree, Robert Elliot and Arnil Stalworth.

2. Anthony Dixon is on pace to be a 1000 yard rusher. Can he be stopped?

Dixon has been a man on a mission since missing the season opener against Jackson State. He has already set the new career rushing record, surpassing Jerious Norwood this past weekend against Middle Tennessee. The big difference this year is his size. He has slimmed down about 20 pounds from his playing weight last year, so he is more agile but still able to deliver those explosive hits at 235 pounds.

3. How much trust does Miss State have in Tyson Lee to pitch it around if the Bulldogs fall behind?

At this point in the season, we HAVE to trust Tyson Lee. He has had several bad games where he turned the ball over too many times and made some bad option reads (the LSU goal line play comes to mind), but he is our most experienced QB and has adapted well to Mullen's new offense. He is definitely more accurate on his throws than Chris Relf (the other QB that has seen playing time this year), but his arm is not as strong.

4. Miss State is in the bottom third of the SEC in defense. What schemes do they rely on and who is the standout that could cause problems for UF?

The defense seems to be playing in a 3-4 scheme this year. Occasionally they will go with 4 down linemen, but seem to stick with the 3-4. Our big playmakers on defense are Pernell McPhee, Kyle Love and Jamar Chaney. McPhee is just a monster at 6-7 270 pounds. He is a JUCO transfer from ICC and was one of the first to players that Dan Mullen visited when he started at State. So far this season, he has 19 solo tackles and 2 solo sacks, as well as 1 assist sack and 10 assist tackles.

5. What is it about Starkville that would make it such a terrible place for Florida? Is the water bad? Are cowbells really that annoying? Are there no good supermarkets or dry cleaners nearby? (It's not just football. Corey Brewer, Al Horford and Joakim Noah hated the place, too.)

Reading that article you linked to, I can say that the Hump can get pretty loud. It is a smaller arena and the fans are much closer to the court. As for football, the Gators have not has much success there at all. I think they have only won 3 of the 10 games they have played there. Steve Spurrier never won there, and you will probably recall the favor we did for you a few years back with Ron Zook. We all hope that Meyer has just as much success this Saturday.

Thursday Thoughts

Acid Reign — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:00:28 -0000

This person predicts LSU by thiiis much!

War Eagle, everybody! After a cool, fall-like weekend, we're back to air-conditioning in the car again. Such is October in the South. We're officially midway through the 2009 football season, and the championship and bowl races are starting to shape up. As most folks expected in the SEC East, Florida remains the team to beat. After the close call with Arkansas last weekend, is there anyone else on the Gator schedule who can pull the upset? Georgia and South Carolina are the only teams left on Florida's schedule who currently have a winning record. The Carolina game is in Columbia.

In the SEC West, most folks now agree that it's undefeated, number one-ranked Alabama's division to lose. The next three weeks will likely tell the tale, as Alabama hosts Tennessee this week, then after an off week, LSU. Should the Tide win both of those, no one will be able to catch them. Mississippi State, Chattanooga, and Auburn remain on the Tide schedule, and unless the Tide were to drop two of those three, they'll win the division.

LSU still has a chance in the West, but has a tough remaining schedule. The Bayou Bengals have already lost to Florida. They host Auburn this week, then finish a non-stop grind with Tulane, Alabama on the road, Louisiana Tech, Ole Miss on the road, then Arkansas. It's a brutal finish, and LSU just about needs to run the table.

Midseason Marks, after the jump! (As well as Auburn at LSU thoughts...)

Earlier this season, I began tracking SEC teams by virtue of their starting passer's net yards per pass. To review, net yards per pass is the total passing yards, minus 50 yards per interception, divided by the number of passes attempted. At mid term, here's how the SEC shapes up:

SEC Eastern Division	Record	Record	Starting	Net
Team	SEC	Overall	Quarterback	Yards per Pass
Florida	4-0	6-0	Tim Tebow	8.5
Georgia	3-2	4-3	Joe Cox	5.4
South Carolina	2-2	5-2	Stephen Garcia	5.7
Tennessee	1-2	3-3	Jonathan Crompton	4.3
Kentucky	1-3	3-3	Mike Hartline (out w/knee) Rest of the team	3.9 3.1
Vanderbilt	0-4	2-5	Larry Smith	3.2

SEC Western Division	Record	Record	Starting	Net
Team	SEC	Overall	Quarterback	Yards per Pass
Alabama	4-0	7-0	Greg McElroy	6.8
LSU	3-1	5-1	Jordan Jefferson	6.0
Auburn	2-2	5-2	Chris Todd	7.1
Ole Miss	1-2	4-2	Jevan Snead	4.1
Mississippi State	1-2	3-4	Tyson Lee Chris Relf	4.6 4.3
Arkansas	1-3	3-3	Ryan Mallett	8.0

Tim Tebow leads the league, despite what many folks are now calling a lackluster year for the Gator offense. Greg McElroy and Chris Todd have slipped a bit, but none of the quarterbacks have been in as much of a free-fall as Georgia's Joe Cox. Ryan Mallett continues to rate highly for the Razorbacks, despite Arkansas' place in the cellar. The early SEC schedule has been brutal, for Arkansas.

I suppose I've put off weighing in on this Saturday's Auburn/LSU game as long as I can. In my preseason matchup post, I worried a good deal about this game. I still think Auburn's D-line can hold their own with the LSU O-line. However, Auburn's linebackers have been worse than I predicted, particularly on the weak side. LSU runners may be poised for a breakout game. Auburn corners will have trouble with a good LSU receiving corps, and if Walter McFadden isn't healthy for the Tigers this week, it could be even worse. I had figured LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson would struggle in his first full season, and he has. Auburn has been worse at safety than I had expected. Mike McNeil has been a no-show, Zach Etheridge has been limited, and we've started a true freshman in McNeil's place. The burden is really on the Tiger defense, this week. Auburn MUST force some thee and outs, in order to stay fresh for the 4^th quarter.

On special teams, Auburn has largely been unable to punt themselves out of bad situations. Returns have been lackluster at best, although an early-season fumbling problem seems to have been fixed. Kick return coverage has been abhorrent. We might want to consider trying an onsides kick every time. We'd end up giving up about the same field position, I think! While LSU's special teams haven't been anything to write home about, they've been light years more consistent than Auburn.

Auburn's offensive line played like gangbusters out of the gate, but then the suspension of Byron Issom threw things off kilter, and the line really hasn't recovered, despite Issom's return. LSU will bring the best D-line Auburn has faced all year, at least against the run. LSU has not had many sacks. The LSU front seven is holding opponents to only 3.5 yards per carry, and the D as a whole is allowing only 3.6 net yards per pass. Auburn comes in averaging 5.4 per carry on the ground, and 6.8 net yards per pass. Something has to give, one way or another! Given Chris Todd's play of late, attacking a veteran LSU secondary will be a difficult proposition. Auburn's best bet is to try to get the running game established early, and continue to drag the LSU front seven from sideline to sideline.

In the end analysis, Auburn will be at a severe disadvantage, in this game. LSU will be rested, and recovered from their loss to Florida. Coordinators Gary Crowton and John Chavis will have had an extra week to scheme against Auburn. The Auburn Tigers definitely seem to be showing some wear and tear, after seven straight games. To go into Baton Rouge, and win under these conditions will be a very tall order. Auburn must eliminate mistakes, play hard, and see what happens. War Eagle, win or lose! We'll have an open thread up on TrackEmTigers.com, Saturday morning! As always, chime in and have fun!

Perception vs. Reality

Acid Reign — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:00:30 -0000

Chris Todd is slinging the rock!

War Eagle, everybody! We're now officially through the first third of the 2009 college football season, and every team in the SEC has now played at least 4 games. It's been an eventful season so far, and one of the more prevalent themes this year, has been "perception." How is Auburn, (or any team) and the league perceived, around the country? The answer for the league in general, of course, is "pretty darned well." With three teams in the top 4, and 7 in the top 25, the pollsters are showing the SEC some love!

There has been widespread griping from many corners, till this week, about Auburn not being in the top 25, but I think it's been understandable. After last season's melt-down, Auburn wasn't really on anyone's radar. Auburn's early schedule, with the exception (possibly) of West Virginia, was not impressive, to the national voter. The Mountaineers haven't helped matters, by playing down to the level of every team they've faced, so far. Auburn got the attention of the pollsters by beating Tennessee in Knoxville. "Wait," you say! "Tennessee isn't that good!" Tennessee, as the second-best SEC team over the past 20 years, has a reputation. Yes, this is a down year for the Vols, but UT did slow the Florida juggernaut down. That made Auburn's win, and continued offensive fireworks notable to voters nationwide. The game being on the main ESPN channel didn't hurt, either!That's why Auburn vaulted all the way to 17^th "I tellya, we don't get no respect!" As bad as some folks think Auburn had it this year, 5-0 Wisconsin STILL isn't in the AP top 25! If the Badgers played 2-2, 19^th ranked Oklahoma right now, I'd sure pick Wisconsin!

Another widely held perception is that "Arkansas/Houston Nutt has Auburn's number." A trip to Fayetteville always elicits worry from the Auburn fan base. I suppose that the 34-10 beatdown in 1999, and the 42-17 meltdown in 2001 are indelibly etched in Tiger minds. Those WERE two of the worst performances in the Tuberville era, but the idea that we always struggle in Fayetteville is just plain wrong! Auburn has 5 wins, 2 losses in Fayetteville, all time. In 1993, in the ice and snow, Auburn rode fullback Reid McMillon to a 31-21 win. In 1995, the teams played in Little Rock. In 1997, Auburn dominated the Hogs for a 26-7 4^th quarter lead, before Clint Stoerner and Arkansas came roaring back. Auburn still won, 26-21. 2003 saw Gene Chizik's defense choke the life out of Matt Jones and the Razorbacks, 10-3. In 2005, Kenny Irons ran wild, and Auburn won going away, 34-17. In 2007, it was the Will Muschamp D shutting Darren McFadden and Felix Jones DOWN, for a 9-7 win. See? Auburn doesn't do that badly, in Fayetteville! The only game that wasn't competitive was the 1999 one (Tuberville's first year, Ben Leard concussion, no running backs, etc.), in which our doors were blown off. The 2001 game went into the 4^th quarter at 21-17, and was a dogfight. Unfortunately, we could do nothing but turn the ball over in the 4^th quarter, directly leading to 21 Razorback points. I certainly think Auburn will be competitive, this year in Fayetteville!

With most SEC teams having now played a couple of league games, let's revisit my net yards per pass statistic, and see how it correlates to the standings. That stat subtracts 50 passing yards for each interception, as you'll recall. Below are the SEC teams, as they are currently ranked in the standings, along with the starting quarterback. It's amazing how relevant that number is, so far.

SEC Eastern Division	Record	Record	Starting	Net
Team	SEC	Overall	Quarterback	Yards per Pass
Florida	2-0	4-0	Tim Tebow	8.7
Georgia	2-1	3-2	Joe Cox	6.3
South Carolina	1-1	4-1	Stephen Garcia	6.0
Kentucky	0-2	2-2	Mike Hartline	3.1
Tennessee	0-2	2-3	Jonathan Crompton	3.3
Vanderbilt	0-3	2-3	Larry Smith	3.5

SEC Western Division	Record	Record	Starting	Net
Team	SEC	Overall	Quarterback	Yards per Pass
LSU	3-0	5-0	Jordan Jefferson	6.4
Alabama	2-0	5-0	Greg McElroy	8.7
Auburn	2-0	5-0	Chris Todd	8.6
Ole Miss	1-1	3-1	Jevan Snead	4.6
Mississippi State	1-2	2-3	Tyson Lee Chris Relf	4.4 4.3
Arkansas	0-2	2-2	Ryan Mallett	8.5

Generally, teams with a quarterback who has a rating of 8 or better have done very well. Guys with a 6.0 or so are OK, and those in the 3-4 range haven't done so well. The biggest anomalies in this table are LSU and Arkansas. LSU is still unbeaten, despite Jordan Jefferson's mediocre rating. And Arkansas is currently last in the west, despite Ryan Mallett being ranked among the leaders. Mallett was well ahead of everyone else early, but playing Kirby Smart and Joe Kines defenses has brought his number down. By this metric, Auburn's Chris Todd is currently ranked 3^rd in the league, slightly behind McElroy and Tebow. We'll revisit this statistic several more times this season, and see how well it matches up with team success.

One perception that I had last Saturday night amazed me. How long has it been, since Auburn forced a good defense to play cover-two, most of the game? We've had at least one safety camped out in the box against our offense, for over a decade. Saturday, Tennessee respected Auburn's deep passing threat, and kept both safeties back most of the game. Those bombs to Zachary, Adams, and Fannin in earlier games, paid dividends against the Vols. It is a WHOLE lot easier to move the ball, if the opponent has to double cover both of your wideouts! Hats off to Terrell Zachary and Darvin Adams! They occupied 2 Tennessee defenders each, and allowed us to move the ball underneath. With 7 blockers, a quarterback and a runner, you can get a LOT done against 7 defenders.

This Saturday, I think everyone is looking for a big offensive day for both Auburn and Arkansas. The weather should be sunny, with a high in the upper 50s. Arkansas has brand-new artificial turf in Reynolds-Razorback stadium, and it should be a fast track! We'll have an open thread up early Saturday morning, here at TrackEmTigers.com! War Eagle, and let's beat the Hogs!