GEORGIA BULLDOGS
Coach: Mark Richt
2007: 11-2 overall, 6-2 in the SEC
Head of the Class: The World's Largest Cocktail Party – the annual rivalry game between the Bulldogs and Gators – will feature the defending Heisman Trophy winner in Tim Tebow and it might feature the next Heisman Trophy winner in UGA RB Knowshon Moreno. He's a special player at a school that has seen its share of good RBs.
Underachievers: Matthew Stafford has thrown 26 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. Most observers believe this kid has star potential. Now he has to show it on the field, play in and play out with all the attention focused squarely on the AP's Preseason #1 team.
Academic Suspension: As if all the off-season arrests weren't enough for Richt to worry about, the loss of starting LT Trinton Sturdivant is crushing for a team that loves to run the ball and still hopes to play for a BCS Champtionship.
KENTUCKY WILDCATS
Coach: Rich Brooks
2007: 8-5 overall, 3-5 in the SEC
Head of the Class: The Wildcats had an exciting season last year based on some great play by upperclassmen at the offensive skill positions. Most of that talent is gone. The one place on the offense that wasn't depleted is the offensive line, and that's where Offensive Coordinator Joker Phillips will begin rebuilding.
Underachievers: For Kentucky to make any noise in the SEC East, they're going to have to get the defensive line to perform as well as they think they're offensive line could. They don't have a lot of depth, but a frontline of Myron Pryor, Jeremy Jarmon, and Corey Peters gives them a strong base.
Academic Suspension: Only one SEC team gave up more touchdown passes than the Wildcats. The secondary is going to have to improve because the 'Cats will face Matthew Stafford, Tim Tebow, however many QBs Steve Spurrier allows to pitch it around, and touted UT junior Jonathan Crompton.
LSU TIGERS
Coach: Les Miles
2007: 12-2, 6-2 in SEC
Head of the Class: These guys don't rebuild, they reload. LSU will say goodbye to leaders like QB Matt Flynn, FB Jacob Hester, and all-world DT Glenn Dorsey. Even tenured student Early Doucett is leaving. That's a lot of firepower to lose and yet no one thinks the Tiger cupboard is empty.
Underachievers: Les Miles. Make no mistake, LSU was the best team in football last year but had to struggle to get to the title game in no small part because Les Miles is an appallingly bad game coach with a poor disposition. Miles seems to live on the razor's edge, but the Tigers are again in the thick of the national picture.
Article comments
1 - Pico
"Make no mistake, LSU was the best team in football last year but had to struggle to get to the title game in no small part because Les Miles is an appallingly bad game coach with a poor disposition."
For a minute there I thought that Josh wrote this piece ;-)