This article originally appeared with The Red & Black on July 15, 2015 and can be found here.
HOOVER, Ala. — The Kentucky Wildcats started last season with a 5-1 record and appeared destined to go to a bowl game for the first time since 2010. However, the team struggled down the stretch and lost their final six games. It was a disappointing end to a promising year, but Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops believes he has pinpointed what went wrong.
This article was published with The Red & Black on July 15, 2015 and can be found here.
HOOVER, Ala. — The Alabama Crimson Tide were considered by many to be the favorites to win the inaugural College Football Playoff. The team fell short by one game, losing by a touchdown to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.
Saban was adamant when it was his turn to speak at SEC Media Days that this Alabama team needed to improve upon last year’s. He pointed specifically towards his secondary, which gave up a 47-yard touchdown pass in the Crimson Tide’s 42-35 loss to the Buckeyes. He also discussed his fast-paced offense and the consequences it has on the defense.
HOOVER, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference was mesmerized by a pair of freshmen running backs last season. Georgia’s Nick Chubb stepped up in Todd Gurley’s absence and recorded more than 1,500 rushing yards. LSU’s Leonard Fournette proved the hype surrounding him was real, taking 187 carries for 1,034 yards and 10 touchdowns.
This article originally appeared with The Red & Black on July 13, 2015 and can be found here.
HOOVER, Ala.–The Auburn Tigers made a splash in late December by hiring former Florida head coach Will Muschamp as their defensive coordinator. Although the former Georgia defensive back had a rough go of things in Gainesville, Florida, Muschamp is already winning over his new players at Auburn.
This article originally appeared with The Red & Black on July 12, 2015 and can be found here.
The Auburn Tigers saw their 2014 season derail after nine games. The Tigers’ 35-31 victory over then-No. 7 Ole Miss put the team at 7-1, but they followed it with four losses in their last five games to finish the year 8-5. Head coach Gus Malzahn is preparing for better numbers this fall, but the team has to succeed with some unfamiliar faces.
This article originally appeared with The Red & Black on July 10, 2015 and can be found here.
The Florida Gators thought they had the answer to replacing Urban Meyer in 2010. Fast-forward to today, and it’s evident that wasn’t the case.
This article originally appeared with The Red & Black on July 8, 2015 and can be found here.
The notion that the Tennessee Volunteers are back has floated around the Southeastern Conference for several years. Lane Kiffin was trusted as a competent leader, but he bolted after one year. Derek Dooley had fans hoping he could coach like his father Vince, but he found himself out of work after three subpar seasons.
The same ideas about the Volunteers competing for an SEC title dominated this offseason. The difference is there may be something to it this time around.
This article originally appeared with The Red & Black on July 7, 2015 and can be found here.
The South Carolina Gamecocks entered the 2014 season as the favorites in the Southeastern Conference’s East division and left with six losses and a fifth-place finish. Fresh off the team’s worst season since 2009, head coach Steve Spurrier must prepare for another slate of tough games.
This article originally appeared with The Red & Black on July 3, 2015 and can also be found here.
Verbal agreements in the business world don’t guarantee much. They are worth even less in college football recruiting.
College coaches can extend written offers to high school players from Aug. 1 until the first Wednesday in February, aside from a month-long dead period in mid-December. One of the most useful tactics for recruits is verbally committing, which means the player pledges to attend a school. The problem is these commitments are non-binding until pen hits paper on National Signing Day, which leads to chaos when players back out.
Jordan D. Hill 