¶ Intro
Welcome to the solid verbal. Pull that for me. I'm a man, I'm for.
I've heard so many players say, well I want to be happy.
You want to be happy for a day? Edo State is that? Whoo whoom? And Dan and Tie SEC Preview part say it? Tie, Yeah, I got a request out on discord that I never stopped doing that. Oh good, it seems like it's been a big hit.
Well, that's the power of signing up to be a verballer at verballers dot com. You get to control what Tye says. You get to pull the puppet strings.
Not exactly, but not opposed to that either, Okay, not opposed to that. We appreciate everybody's support out there. I am ty he is Dan. This is the solid verbal. This is part two of our ongoing SEC preview series, really of our ongoing college football twenty twenty four preview series. Right now, we've got both the ACC and the Big Twelve in the books. We've got part one of the SEC where we talked through our contender tiers. Also in the books, you can go back and listen to that episode.
It's the last one out there on the feed today that we're actually going to start talking about specific SEC teams, and we're going to do so with a focus on these eight Remember there are sixteen teams now in the SEC. We're going to talk today about Georgia and Texas, about Ole miss and MISSOO, about Texas, A and M and Florida, and about Mississippi State and Vanderbilt to close things out. Yes, so for for you that you focused on, for for me that I focused on a little bit more intently
as well. So excited to get into the nitty gritty about these teams and much much more. Hit follow hit subscribes that you don't miss any of our episodes on whatever platform you enjoy listening to podcasts on DAN. That's the rule. You know how it works by now, Yes, I absolutely do so. On the last episode we talked through our tiers, you and I both had Georgia and Texas pretty high. I don't think that is unique as compared to other college football people out there, folks who
study this sort of thing. Most people kind of in an agreement that both Georgia and Texas deserve to be at the top. But where it gets interesting is when we start talking about the teams like the old Misses and the miszoos and certainly the texts A and MS where there's change to discuss in some cases, and influx of talent via the transfer portal. Florida, of course, is a very very interesting topic for discussion on a number
of different fronts. And then you got teams like Mississippi State and Vanderbilt that notably are at the bottom here but are both starting over in some respect trying to reboot something within their program to see if they can get to greater heights. Where do you think you'd like to start with this discussion?
I think we should start with Texas because they sort of encompass a lot of what's new and interesting about this conference, and we're not doing Alabama this episode, so we're not starting with the defending champ. I'm sure we'll get to Georgia next, but I don't know, let's start with the new. And the new with Texas is they're here. The new with Texas is that they've joined the SEC.
They have an SEC schedule, And with Texas and Oklahoma, of course comes the end of divisions, so everybody's schedule looks sort of different. Right, there's protected matchups, but I don't know, divisionless football is a new thing, and Texas is one of those teams. So Texas brings back a ton As, a Big twelve playoff team for a second.
Please you you're doing this again to me? Ah, sod? Where should we start? That's danger the SEC. We need to work on our communication here. I was waiting give me a runway so that I could shoehorn that sound in.
But it's okay, Okay, Sorry, I apologize. So I'm very excited to talk SEC foot.
¶ Texas Longhorns Preview
I know, I know, I know, I appreciate that. Okay.
Can I get back to what I was saying?
Please do I apologize, sir? Okay? Can you?
I'm very excited about Texas football, and the things that make me excited are the experience that Sark has been there, that there's continuity on the staff. Look, it's not to echo the laziest talking point of all, but it all starts up front. And Texas is entering into this conference
with if not the best offensive line. A conversation that they have the best offensive line in this country, especially or in the conference, at least anchored by Calvin Banks, left tackle, All American and he's probably going to be top five to seven pick or whatever. In the twenty twenty five NFL Draft. They should be able to run, they should be able to throw, and they should be able to throw, replacing a lot both at receiver and
tight end. But when you add in Isaiah Bond from Alabama, John Tay Cook, you know, former five star Silas Bolden from Oregon State, Ryan Wingo a five star coming in, Like, there are too many options for this passing game not to work really really well. Considering it Sarks, bread and Butter, considering the talent here, considering the experience, considering the line protecting Quinn Eewers, and maybe arch manning of Quinn Eewers
goes down. There's just there's very little way, even with Texas's schedule, and I know George's on this schedule, that they're not going to have a top ten to twelve offense in America, if not higher.
Oh, they're going to score thirty eight points a game with this offense.
They're in a great starting place there. What I really like about where Texas is at is we knew what was the weak point of Texas. We knew that danger to Texas last year. By the end of last year and seeing certain quarterbacks have success was they weren't getting home off of the edge, and their DB's were losing one on one battles deep. They were giving up big pass plays. And it wasn't just on the secondary. Wasn't
just on the pass rush. But if you have a pass rush, it's easier on the dbs, If you have sticky Will Johnson type corners, it becomes easier for everybody to get to the quarterback and to get the defense off the field. Texas has developed youth really well at all three levels, and guys who are rotation guys step in along the line at the linebacker spot, at both linebacker spots really and in the secondary. They also went into the portal once again to build up depth in
the secondary, to build up depth at edge rusher. Trey Moore is that big name from UTSA they were after. I mean, this is sort of a common theme in the league right now, is building up beefy depth, you know a defensive tackle, which Texas did its best to do, you know, whiffed on a couple of transfer targets, but brought in guys and by and large, Texas should be in a very good spot now. The schedule is not the easiest in terms of what they have in a row,
and I think there are trappy moments. You know, they have Oklahoma and Georgia. I think in consecutive weeks they do so Oklahoma of course in Dallas, and Georgia is in Auxton.
Yeah, in Texas it's in Austin.
Still, that's a horrific back to back for most teams. We'll see if it is for Texas. But there's a reason they're a contender. There's a reason that, like Okay, so their defensive tackles aren't quite where they were last year with Biro Murphy and Devandre Sweat. Very few teams you know, can say that they are. So I think Texas in a great spot. I really really do. We'll see like linebacker depth, will see defensive tackle depth, and that's when you start getting into the end of the year.
Their run is looks like what Florida at Arkansas, Kentucky at A and M. You know, getting that Kentucky defense a week before traveling to College Station. It's just I don't know if it's going to be trickier as a look ahead spot playing against Kentucky or against A and M. After in a body blow spot. I mean, the emotion will be there, the motivation will be there as they reignite that rivalry with.
A and M.
But you really can't look at Texas and say like, oh, here's a major, major question and so yes, it's a transition to a new conference. You know, Sark doesn't have, you know, the experience game planning against all of these defensive coordinators and going to all of these stadiums. But look, they go to Alabama and beat them on the road.
Well he kind of does, though he was in the SEC before he was at Texas.
Yes he was. But I'm saying, with this roster, with this place whatever. Yeah, but that's me nitpicking, that's me. That's a half truth at best.
I mean, I just think it says an awful lot about the job that Sark's done that they lost their top running back, their top five wide receivers both Sweat and Murphy off the line who you mentioned earlier.
And they lost their running back like two thirds of the way into the year last year.
Yeah, but still the point stands, there's a lot walking out the door and they're over under is still ten and a half going into what amounts to a much TOFTFER Conference. Now the over under is ten and a half. I would not bet on Texas going over ten and a half. And it's not because I don't like the team. It's because so much is changing. I like their talent. But to your point of, Okay, they've got Oklahoma and
Georgia on back to back weeks. Okay, they've got Kentucky in that defense a week before squaring off against Texas A and M. We don't know yet what the bumps in the road are going to be for this team going into this conference.
No, and look, if we're talking about Texas as a twenty twenty three playoff team last year, that path is different. It is they beat Alabama on the road, but the week to week path in getting And this is no disrespect intended, because these are a lot of quality teams on this listing of teams, but going through Kansas State getting Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, a lot of teams that just don't have the tech, don't have don't recruit on the level of a lot of the teams on Texas's
new schedule. It's a different animal. And the other concern I would have with Texas, that's nothing they can control. They can't Texas can't control how Kansas recruits, they can't control how TC recruits and whatever. But the other animal here is something that I think we've we put in the past a little bit, where so two years ago they struggle in the second halves of games and we're just like, man, why are they losing this? Why are they not scoring this? Why are they swing three points
in this second half loss to an inferior roster. Last year against Washington specifically, they're like, well, the running backs are fumbling a little, but they're running for seven yards of carry and they've abandoned the run in the second half and they're putting it all on Quinn yours. Now Washington has this ability to sort of pin their ears back and look at a more predictable second half Texas offense.
The question then is, like sark toe to toe as an offensive coordinator in a big game and proved against Alabama on the road for sure last year. Is it going to be an every week thing that Texas either survives in spite of itself or loses something that they might not have had to because of you know, three weird three and outs in the second half against Georgia against Kentucky against A and M or something like that. That would be the concern as things become more difficult.
Yeah, and look, I also think playing this type of schedule brings into focus the fact that quinn Ewers has had some health concerns in the past. Now they've got arch Manning behind him, yep, who hasn't played meaningful snaps. I think they feel good about their quarterback depth for obvious reasons. But one of those other points that I think worth is worth mentioning at this early juncture, and more to my point of we don't fully know what
that transition into the SEC will look like. We assume it will go rather smoothly in that Texas's position well to deal with it. Yeah, but who knows?
Who knows it's It's also I haven't been in a few years, but I've been to a few Texas games. It's not always an SEC the best of SEC, even though we consider Texas in this grouping. The environment at DKR it's a little quieter, it's a little less rowdy, it's a little less electric, it's a little bit less of a frenzy. Maybe it's changed the last few years as they've gotten better, but it's it's not exactly the
hornet's nest that is multi sport field tie. Let's go to Georgia then, I mean, when we did our last episode, it seems the two teams that we felt best about were Texas and obviously Georgia. Thirteen and one last season lost to Alabama in the SEC title game. We'll talk about Bama on the next episode. Then went to the Orange Bowl and smoked Florida State by sixty points, just killed him. Obviously there were reasons for that, okay, but Georgia is a very good team, and Georgia was kind
of at full strength going into that game. So now going into this new season, they're at a dynasty level with this program. Kirby Smartest done a really good job, and there's no reason to think that they won't get there again.
This is probably one of those times where I'm supposed to have a hot take. I've got the volcano behind me, take a toa I've got other takes that will throw in that volcano, and I'll play my sound as we go through the course of this episode in the one after it. But I don't have a take. I don't have anything spicy that's going to rack up downloads of use or whatever like Georgia is take proof at this point from my standpoint.
At least for on field stuff.
For on field stuff, yes, of course for onfield So not going down that rabbit hole.
I'm glad you said not going down that road, because that would have been an appropriate continue not going down
¶ Georgia Bulldogs Preview
that road.
Beautiful.
Yeah.
The best way I can describe this team on the field is that they are painfully yet scary. Boring. Okay, it's boring. It's boring. We already kind of know what we're going to get. And that's despite the loss of Brock Bowers, the lad McConkie and two guys in the backfield and many others. They're twenty ninth nationally in returning production, so they lost a lot but still rank very highly in terms of what they have coming back, which is something of a rarity, if I'm being honest with you.
Here an elite team from a year ago that has this much back. Part of the reason why I like Michigan last season, it's popular pick to win the National Championship. I wasn't alone in that they have so much back from their team in twenty twenty two, obviously there was a lot to like. In twenty twenty three, they end up winning the National Championship. Not to be cliche, but the same is true for Georgia as it was for Texas.
Where does it start, Dan, It starts up front, and this is going to be maybe the four straight year where they've got an offensive line that's a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, which they give out to the best offensive line in the country. Yep, you can just sort yeah, you can just sort of work backwards from there. Man, it's not that complicated. You got a Heisman caliber quarterback in Carson Beck. They bring over Trevor Etn from Florida, going to run the rock. They've got a stable of
running backs. If it's not Trevor Etn, plenty of guys they could count on their receiver room. Maybe a bit weaker now with the dismissal of ra Ra Thomas due to his legal issues, but still dominic love it and Dylan Bell and Colby Young who comes up from Miami, London. Humphreys who was a big play guy from Vandy. He comes in oh an oscar dealt by the way, all right, We're going to talk a lot about Rock Bowers is leaving. He was maybe one of the better tight ends in
the history of the game. Oscar delp is pretty good. He was good in relief effort when he had a step in for Brock Bowers on a full time basis here and there last season. Now he's going to be the duke.
Ro Roh Thomas suspended indefinitely. He was the last thing I saw.
Off the team. He's gone, He's off the team. Yeah, Oh okay, I'm just listed off names here. That's not the point of this, but it kind of is the point of it, right Like if you have been following this team, or this show or this damn sport for the last handful of years, you know, most of the names have just rattled off, not a whole lot of unknown quantities. And it's kind of the same deal on
defense too. Loaded up front with Michel Williams, who might be a first round draft pick, will be a first round draft pick, na Zerr Stackhouse, There's a ton of experience in the linebacking corps, high level talent behind them. On the depth chart. If anything's weak, I guess it's the secondary. But I'm really reaching here. I'm really splitting Harris. They got a lot of do it's back there. Yeah,
Georgia's week spots would be many other team's strengths. Again, I wish I had something spicier for you, but I don't.
Well, it's the schedule. I think it's it's not a week spot per se, because everybody that they play is more terrified of Georgia than Georgia is of it. But I think again, if you have the schedule in front of you, it's like maybe the most difficult first five weeks of defense that a team might play in the country. Again, if you're like an average you know, your replacement level team, there's no team that I think has a more difficult is it? For the first five weeks it's Clemson, Kentucky?
Who else is on there?
In Kentucky? Alabama, Auburn are the Biggins. And then as you get into this week six, Week seven on the road at Texas that's on October the nineteenth, that's obviously going to be the marque matchup of the weekend. So defense, yeah, not really in short supply through the first half of the Georgia schedule, and it is a more difficult schedule than we saw last year, than we saw the year prior. It certainly is. I think many of these teams that
are on this thing have up their game. But I still really like Georgia chances just because, again, so many known quantities. There's a reason that even with the schedule ten and a half ste over under, I don't think i'd take the bet. Honestly, I don't think I would. I love Georgia, I think George's winning the SEC, but I'm not taking that bet. It's not because I think they're overrated. It's because there are some tough runs here. That neutral Cider against Clemson in Week one. Weird things
happen in Week one. Yeah, at Bamba at Bama. You could talk more about Bama on the next episode. Still a lot of talent there. At Texas at Old Miss. Anytime you go on the road in this conference, strange things can happen. By the way, that Old Miss game is a week after the Florida rivalry and a week before a home game against Tennessee. Talk about more beef on the schedule. They've got Auburn at home a week after the Bamba game.
Yeah, and Auburn gave him a lot of trouble last year.
Yeah, so I think despite the fact that I really like Georgia to win this conference to get back to that SEC title game, I think there's a good chance George drops one of these and they end up eleven to one, they still could hit that over. I don't know if they're losing two games, who's.
Doing like the SEC on ABC, who is the main voice of that, like the big game of the week.
Is it Joe Test I'm assuming it's going to be Joe Tess. I don't know.
My question is this, is there a chance, like come week four, Week five, whatever, that whoever is calling Georgia a few weeks into the year is going to mention that you can tell the Georgia offense for the first time in quite some time, really does miss brock Bauers and lad mconkey because of the safety valve and almost like how not underrated because they've gotten a ton of attention, and that we just assume that because Georgia recruits this well,
because they've hit the portal as well as they have, that they'll figure it out, which I think is a totally fair assumption. You don't get to be this good this often without figuring it out. But that was like, that was the main stay over two different quarterbacks, three different seasons in which they were excellent consecutively. That even with brock Bauer's injury last year, it was one of your favorite kinds of injuries. What did they call it,
the procedure, the tyrope. Yeah, yeah, and lad McConkie was injured as well, and they had like ninety something catches between them last year. It was like one hundred and twenty the year before that. The successful Georgia offense, as much as they leaned on power rushing and bruising teams up, that so much of the explosivity of this offense ran through brock Bowers.
In Lad McConkie.
And that they're underrated, but that we're perhaps underrating their departures.
Yeah, well, look, and they were mainstays. They were a big part of that offense. But to the point they were both hurt. Yeah, no, they were both dealing with a bunch. They needed to figure out how to win without those guys, and they did more often than not. They they absolutely did. I think the guys that they're backfilling with are fine. I don't know if anyone's brought Bowers, but Oscar delp was really good in a relief effort. Some of these guys that Georgia wentn and got in
the transfer portal at the receiver position. It's clear that they knew they wanted to beef up that side of things. They knew that they were going to have some folks walking out the door. So I think they'll be just fine. My expectation is it will be something you hear the announcing crews talk about early, but maybe not so much late. Okay, that's fair. And by the way, we haven't even mentioned Carson Beck. We mentioned him once, mentioned him once. He might win the damn Heisman Trophy.
Yeah, he's ridiculous and his moves crazy well, is accurate, is poised, and with whatever he had early on last season in terms of new quarterback adjustment period, he became exponentially more comfortable week over week last year and it showed.
It absolutely showed. One of the things that our friend Bill Connolly talked about in his preview of Georgia was just how effective Georgia is at working the middle of the field in between the hashes. And we could talk about that a little bit maybe when we get to the Jalen mill Roe part of our conversation here in part three. But the throw over the middle is extremely difficult.
There's just more that can go wrong. There are more guys in the middle of the field, and Carson Beck completed something like seventy four seventy five percent of his passes across the middle of the field. That's on top of what they were able to do in the running game, where they run between the tackles. That can beat you up over the middle. So there's just so many different ways this team can beat you. Carson Beck was very
responsible with the football last season. We had a couple instances a year ago where we were curious what Beck would look like when they turned more of the offense over to him. I remember, I want to say it was either the Kentucky or the a Zuri game, especially last season, or we talked about what is Carson Beck gonna look like if they take away the running game. He was superb more often than not. I have no
reason to expect otherwise this season. So for me, from where I sit, Georgia is the most proven quantity in this entire conference. Yes, the schedule is more difficult. No, I would not be surprised to see them drop a game, but they are still unequivocally my conference favorite and the team that I've gotten coming out of the SEC.
I mean, they did play more competitive games last year than they did did it the couple of years prior, and it was what Georgia Tech. They were a little bit careless late and that was somewhat of a game Miszoo went toe to toe with them for a good chunk of that game. They lose Tobama in the SEC championship game, so slightly more human. If there's anything that was a danger last year is you could run on them a little bit and Auburn was creative with it,
like you could. You could get some plays moving the ball on the ground against this Georgia team, and definitely wasn't the case those couple of years prior. And no more coach boom Ti, no must champ, no longer defensive coordinator.
All right, so you had Old Miss in your SEC title game. Yes, Ole Miss has an over under of nine and a half this year. They were eleven and two. A year ago beat Penn State and the peach Ball lost to Baman Georgia. And that was sort of my hang up when we talked about ole Miss on the last episode, that in those games in particular, they weren't especially close. Is this the year for Old Miss because they've got a ton back a huge hole in the portal lane Kiffin, as I said last episode, not just
using the portal plug holes. He did do it for those reasons, but he also did it to stack depth. Got a lot of depth in some positions. That's more of the case than others. But in this new era of the sport now or I end up playing more games, depth is kind of its own currency. I think Old Miss is set up really really well there. Stansterresian could get a boost from year number two under Pete Golding
running the defense. The schedule kind of beautiful. It seems set up for at least nine wins in all likelihood, maybe ten or more. I understand the optimism around Ole Miss, but again I come back to is this the year
¶ Ole Miss Rebels Preview
and what will change if so to make it that year?
Okay, Well, I think the offensive line is going to get better, which was a weak point last year. I think Jackson Dart, I mean, he's dealt with some offseason procedures, I believe, or treatment, whatever the word you want to look for. He was beat up last year and maybe that played a role, which, by the way, quick little apology if you want to play the sounds the boot
boop ba doo. I feel like I was a little bit unfair to Baron Morton, given that I didn't bring up his ac joint injury last year, and as somebody currently suffering from a much better injury than what I'm sure Baron or was suffering from my sympathies and hopefully he's back. And I was more aware of it looking at Jackson Dart, who was beat up all of last year and gutted through a bunch of these games, but ole miss in their wins. They weren't running away from
a lot of teams. And when I'm looking for like that next step, I'm looking for more comfortable wins against quality teams. And I think it is a skill to win and win those close games, beat against Auburn or Texas, a and ever or whatever. But these are, you know, the final year of Jimbo and an interim situation. It's year one of Hugh Freeze, and like I don't know, I feel like ole Miss should be further along if
we're going to consider them a true contender. And you're absolutely right to bring up not being competitive at all against Alabama those final three quarters, and certainly the whole game against Georgia, but ole Miss being as proactive as they have been in the portal stacking receiving talent, which I think will only make them more dangerous. And I still think they're going to be dangerous on the ground. With out Quinn Shawn Judkins, we'll see along the offensive
line they went. I think they got two of Washington's offensive linemen from last year inside, so hopefully that helps that that was the line that won the Joe More Award.
And I think Jackson Dart is the big question to me if he is clearly better and I thought he was good, I thought it was really good last year, but if he has taken that next step to where he given these receivers given what the position this defense should put them in, given their schedule, like Jackson Dart should be at least I don't fringe all SEC quarterback fringe Heisman, you know, given Lane Kiffin's success on offense, I don't think that's a crazy thing to say given
his experience, you know, on this roster in college football and coming back. So I like ole Miss a lot, I really really do. I think the firepowers there. I think they're gonna get after the quarterback better. I like the portal moves they made on defense. Walter Nolan is that big, big move in the middle where he should be a lot more disruptive against the run, which ole Miss can definitely stand to be more disruptive against the run.
I think it's great. I think the big danger they pose is just like so much speed everywhere on this offense, and the danger to themselves is protecting Jackson Dart and perhaps playing down to teams at times. Because I think the defense is going to still get better. I think there's still a ton of room to improve, and I think they've addressed enough there that they will. It's to me and what, Princely, I want to hear you say it?
Can you try and say it? Uman Lian Uman Mealen, Uman Mealen There, Princely Uman Mealen, Uman Mealen.
What's really cool about the Florida or his entry on the Florida team website And they're starting to do more of this, which I think is a good thing, especially for idiots like me. You can actually play a voice file, a sound file of that player. Oh, I appreciate that. That's really pronouncing their own name. You know, it's legit.
Yeah, and I haven't even mentioned Juice Wells, by the way, the embarrassment of riches on offense transferring in from South Carolina. So schedule wise, look, Ole Miss has Georgia and then a bye and then they're at Florida. That's a if you're going to play both of those teams, and you know, playing the Swamp is always difficult in its own way,
that's a good way to do it. H Kentucky at South Carolina, which again I'm not looking past at LSU certainly not looking past with some of Ole Miss's recent defensive issues. And then they get a buye before Oklahoma. It's not an amazing schedule, but all things considered, missing the teams that they miss, I think it's pretty great. Considering their experience, consider considering their depth at this moment, I think they're in a great position.
Do you think if Jackson Dark gets drafted into the NFL, he'll still do the Anakin Skywalker I black things. I should hope. So yeah, I feel like that's kind of his brand at this point. Yeah, Look, if the defense improves, the defense takes a jump forward. In year two, hunderd peak colding.
I mean, weren't bad. This was like a top forty hours defense.
No, no, no, they weren't bad at all. But it is still the thing that I think comes up most frequently and you talk to people about old miss and how they feel or don't feel. Yeah, if the defense takes a step four under peak Golding in year two, watch out, the.
Pass rush was pretty good. They weren't terrible at anything. If they can get excellent at something right, stuffing everybody on the ground, getting after the quarterback, erasing things, and getting back to like a land shark look which look, they're very active. I mentioned offensive line, very active in the portal at dB as well. Then that's when they become truly a dangerous program. If they can do something excellently on defense, which is I think what's been holding
them back. They haven't had that thing.
So we'll say you mentioned the Florida Gators. Yeah, I spent two and a half hours studying the Florida Gators. I'm so sorry. Four and a half is the over under five and seven. Last season missed a Bowl for
the first time since twenty seventeen. It's no wonder Billy Napiers on the hot seat coming into this this year, and man, that four and a half line, it's just shockingly low for a successful, a historically successful program like this to see that number, even for people like you and me who do this all the time and we're always on the lookout for news and we understand trajectories of programs and what it at number knocked me back.
It really maybe it's just a sucker bet type number, right that you're just trying to.
Loll coople in. It could be we know that over unders are greatly influenced by schedules. Oklahoma, who we're going to talk about next episodes another really good example of that. A team that might be better, but who's win loss record could be worse. That's why they're a seven and a half. Florida is projected to have the toughest schedule in America, and for that reason alone, it looks pretty beak for Billy Napier making it through this season. The irony, though,
¶ Florida Gators Preview
is that when you look at Florida in a vacuum separate from the schedule. They've got the hall of a team that take a step forward almost everywhere. Okay, just a question of whether or not their strides that they take forward are offset by like a I don't know, four and eight or five and seven records might not be able to see it because of the schedule.
That number could also be that number every year we see it in major conferences, minor conferences, whatever, that like, it starts out poorly, somebody gets rid of a coach, or even they don't get rid of the coach, and just the wheels fall off.
And there's a lot of wheels falling off potential because of the schedule. I talked about that UCF game in what is it, Week four or five pretty early in the season. That to me could be one of those games. But that aside, I came out of by Florida study feeling somewhat optimistic about where the team is headed, at least directionally. Okay. For one, they were super young last season, and they got a lot from their freshmen. You know,
the saying freshmen becomes sophomores. Another year in the system I think should help raise the floor for the Gators. I also think Flarida will be pretty dangerous on offense, at least more dangerous on offense. For all the eye rolling that we did that I did, especially about Graham
Mertz a year ago, he was really good. Yeah, just three interceptions, completed seventy three percent of his passes and that's the Spider line that gave up a sack one out of every ten dropbacks, which is crazy and was one hundred and fifteenth in the nation. So looking back, say what you want about Billion Napier. Absolutely a good move to bring in Graham Mertz and give him the keys. So now he's back. Graham Mertz is back. You add in DJ Lagway. They're big time recruit into the quarterback room.
Maybe we'll see him a bit this year. I would expect we would. He does not have the pressure of having to be the true freshman going through this gauntlet of a schedule, trying to resurrect the program. Try and keep Billi Napier employed by the university. I think that's a good situation for him. Can use him in spots. Great Trevor etn transfers out, but Montreal Johnson, who actually led the team in rushing good. He's back. The receiver
room is stacked. This was not an explosive offense last season. That's an obvious area where I think they need to improve. They've said as much, but my sense is that barring injury or any kind of unforeseen circumstances, this is the top twenty top twenty five caliber offense, they should be pretty good, Dan, I assume so. Yeah.
I mean they were right around They were between forty and fifty last year, returning what they returned. I don't think that's a crazy thing to say.
I don't know.
I mean, if the offensive line is better, then yeah, they weren't great.
They got to get the line sorted out right. If they're dangerous for all the reasons I described, they're in danger because the line it's just too leaky. Yeah, the line stats from last season were lousy. They're very bad in pass protection. Better in the game, But the line, first and foremost is central to what Billy Napier wants to build. He is on the record saying as much he wants to play the physical running game, wants that to be the main thing, and it like kind of
has been. You could see maybe that he's trying to make it so, but the line just has not been there. I think it'll be better this year. I think it helps to be better this year. But if they're in danger at least at this point as we record this in late July early August, that's why. That's the main reason all that being said. Okay, I am burying the lead a big time way. Florida is in danger if it cannot figure out this damn defense. It's been the running joke for how many years? Two years now? Yep.
This was a bad defense headed into last season, those bad defense. Coming out of last season, Billy Napier went with like a near full line change on the coaching staff. Kept Austin Armstrong, but added Ron Roberts, who I think previously was Armstrong's mentor. So there are two guys to know the same system right along the line. We've already talked about losing guys like Prince Lee Uman Mile said it the wrong way, Umane Uman Mealen, excuse me Aleen, Yeah,
lose him in the portal to olbyss. But they also did some good work in the portal. They plugged some holes. Cormani MacLean, former five star, comes down from Colorado we'll see, we'll see, We'll see. Joey Slackman, my token transfer from a small Ivy League school. I'm overly excited to see comes in from Penn. L. J. McCrae, big time get in the recruiting. Gable on the defensive line was like the top rated defensive lineman in the country. Jamar Jane
is still back at linebacker. It does not feel like a talent thing, Dan Rubinstein. The talent is there, talent's there. If they can't get the talent organized enough to get better on defense, that's on them.
I think the talent's there to like compete for the ACC. I just think you look at their opponents and how their opponents recruit, and how their opponents are stacking depth on defense and finding more than just you know, a game changing receiver like That's the difference to me is that there are pieces, but not a grouping, not a palette.
I'm not talking about winning the conference, no, I know, I'm talking about getting a damn bowl game game.
I know, I hear you. Even talent is there for that.
This is a brutal schedule anyway you want to measure this. It is a brutal schedule, but the talent is on this team to go to a bowl, and if they don't, and if it collapses, this is on the coaching staff. It would be the right move to get billion Apier. It probably would have been the right move last year to get rid of billion Apier. But the game of another bite at the apple here and the talent there. So if it does not come to fruition, if they do not take some stride forward, it's on him. Even
against the brutals kin, I agree. The schedule, by the way, is a joke. I mean, walk me through it. First three games are home against Miami, against Samford, against Texas A and m Next week on the road at Mississippi State. That should be a win. I hope that's a win before a bye week. Then comes that home game against UCF, which is a week before the Tennessee matchup. And I could see that UCF game being very consequentially.
kJ Jefferson beat him last year, right.
KJ Jefferson beat him last year. It's a UCF team that could be dangerous for many of the reasons we described in our Big twelve preview episodes. I would not look past that game and I would not count that as a gimme. But then you're like, you know, at Tennessee home against Kentucky, neutral site against Georgia, at Texas home against LSU, these are all in a row by the way home versus All miss and then they go out the year at Florida State. You got to be
kidding me. They've got Georgia and Texas on back to back weeks. Their November is a car crash. This schedule is brutal.
Okay, can I ask you this if I'm going to tell you that I am a time traveler, I've come back from December, which is when you always say that we'll know more by and I tell you know what, I'm not going to tell you what Florida's record is. I'm not going to tell you how they did in these games, but I'm going to tell you this, they were legit pretty good this year.
What is to you?
What does that mean? Record wise? Like, if Florida is legit pretty good, they could start out the season five and zero. Right, these are beautifully blue and orange colored Florida Gator glasses. I'm now putting on sure, right, if they're legit pretty good, that they're not careless with the ball, that Trey Wilson has big games, that the defense comes together a little bit more, and they're fine, They're not amazing. They can beat Miami at home, Samford, Texas A and
m at home. They can go on the road and beat a New Mississippi State, and they can beat UCF at home. No, it gets trickier from there. So let's say they lose to Tennessee, they lose at home to Kentucky, and they lose to Georgia. They're five and three. They lose to Texas, but beat LSU, so that's six and four, beat Ole miss seven and four, and then beat a struggling Florida State team who has taken a step back on offense and finish.
Eight and five. I answer your question, I think quote unquote legit good Florida against this schedule relative to their talent on hand, because legit good Florida still isn't going to go ten and two against this.
Right, Let's I'm saying, I think they're fully captive eight and four.
Either're fully captid eight and four, seven and five, okay, and that would take a huge step forward. By that, I'd be a huge step forward. I do think you have to look at this within context, because if they go seven to five or eight and four against this, that represents a major strive forward, and that would be a big deal for Billy Napier. I don't think they could fire them if you win seven to five, eight and four against this, because that would represent so much
of a positive step forward. I don't think they could do it now. I think he should get a raise at six and six. You can make that case. Where you can make that case, there's a whole separate conversation about whether the powers that be at Florida still feel invested in Billi Napier, and so I'm curious to see what happens if they encounter some headwinds through the first five six weeks of this season, because that UCF game looms pretty damn large.
Okay, we're going A and M.
Yeah, let's go A and M. Actually, uh, seven to six. Last year they got rid of Jimbo. They lost to Oklahoma State in the bowl game. I looked at A and M. You looked at them in more and more detail than me, But I looked at them and I said, is it just beer? Should they be pretty good this year? You know? Like, what is the range of Texas A and M outcomes this season?
So I think you start with the fact that I I think we agree that they're getting a coaching upgrade, an in game coaching upgrade, a vision upgrade, a coach who is willing to adjust, a coach who is willing to take in more ideas. And I think there is reason to be confident that Mikelcho, especially given his experiences both the head coach and as a major coach at Texas A and M, that they will lose fewer winnable games than the Jimbo Fisher Texas A and M.
I'd agree with that.
Yeah, So it's very difficult for me to see, even with what I think is a pretty difficult schedule, considering they start with Notre Dame, it's very difficult for me to see this A and M team not making a Bowl, Like I don't think they have a loss to app State in them, Like I just I think they're going to be a better run program and they're just going to win what they should win inside of a game,
not how we like look at a team. So floor and ceiling I have as six and six floor, nine and three ceiling.
I wrote down the exact same the exact same thing.
For Yeah Buddy Digital high five for Texas A and M.
I mean, there's still a lot of talent on hand even after they lost so much in the portal thirty one guys. I think it speaks to the draw of Mike Elko and that vision that they were able to bring a lot of talent back in to kind of backfill, and how the roster in a pretty good spot. It does not feel like they are starting over from a talent standpoint, may maybe philosophically so.
And I think depth wise they are depth.
Wise Okay, yeah, they were hit a little bit on depth, but generally speaking from a talent standpoint, still really talented. There's obvious investment in this program. And Elko has been a guy who's been very very good coaching up defense, but has proven in his short time as a head coach that he knows how to get more out of less. So you put a guy like that in a situation like A and M that over under eight and a
half makes a little bit more sense. The range of outcomes, though, I like that won't come into more focus until we have health answers about Connor Wegman until we see this team out there.
Oh that's the whole thing. Yeah, even like Jalen Henderson was fine last year given the weird situation he entered into with you know, Connor Wagman going down to Max Johnson going down, Jalen Henderson looking like a more viable weapon. Look, the offensive line has been an issue. They've retooled it,
¶ Texas A&M Aggies Preview
They've brought in transfers. They lose, you know, a couple of gigantic literally gigantic defensive lineman Walter Nolan elt Overton. I don't know, they just bring back enough and enough promise that given Mike Elko as a defensive guy again we'll get to Ja Bateman in a second. That talent wise, they're in a good place. Superstars, we'll see losing Evan Stewart on offense. I still think there's enough dudes at receiver that excite me. There's enough youth, you know, Muse
Muhammad steps into a bigger role there. Ruben Owens, I really like, is a big running back. Think that could be you know, a nice battering ram in the way that you know, Duke has had success on the ground and Kansas State has had success on the ground under Colin Klin, new offensive coordinator. I think it's gonna be a balance offense. It's Connor Wegman health. I just hope he's lucky right at a certain point, he's just been unlucky. I don't know if he's you know, frail and made
of glass. I don't think that's the case. I think he is just you know, some guys are just snake bitten, and you have to approach that as a concern given his injury history. But if he can stay healthy, I think so much of what A and M has been through these last couple of years has been self inflicted.
That literally just eliminating. That is the difference between you know, losing to Auburn and beating Auburn, losing Ole Miss and beating Ole Miss losing to I guess it was Old Miss last year, the shootout game that they'll just win more. And so I like too much of this team's potential to be down on the fact that they had thirty one transfers. They bring in twenty eight transfers. You know,
des Rick's you know at corner and coming in. Cooper's gone, but even still linebackers in a good spot like, I don't know. My thing that is a danger right now is aside from you know, Connor Wegman health, I think Jay Bateman might have a little bit of like Ted Roof, like bring him in early, let him take the lumps when it doesn't go well on defense, you know, early for a defensive head coach. But it's really kind of
the defensive head coach's defense. Like he wasn't good at North Carolina, he wasn't mostly not good at Army, like I don't know, I felt like at Texas A and M, when you have the resources to bring in a big name coordinator or somebody from a big name defense or something like that that was a contributing coach, like you do it. And I'm not sure I get this. Maybe I'm wrong about Jay Bateman, but his track record suggests
that he's either been crazy unlucky or has not. And he was an Army by the way, when they were running an option, and it's one of the most advantaged places to call a defense because your defense generally gets a ton of rest if you have a successful offense.
I don't know that one gave me.
You know, pet chair aready caused for pause there but from a talent perspective, it's still depth. In this moment, I think he's going to recruit crazy well, and he's already started recruiting.
He's already started recruit. Can I can I pause you and ask you a question? Please? Do A and M hosts Notre Dame in week one? Yeah, it's the marquee matchup of week one. Yeah, we haven't done a Notre Dame preview yet. Obviously I'm going to be a little bit more plugged in on the Notre Dame side than you, and that's fine. I don't blame you. Who would you pick in that matchup?
Is there a spread or do you want me to just I think A.
And M's favored by about too, but for our purposes here, just consider it.
Even I'd probably lean in this moment A and M because it's at home in a pretty difficult place to play, because what they'll look like is going to be more mysterious.
Now.
Notre Dame has their own mystery mystery on offense, given new coordinator, new old coordinator and Riley Leonard who is coming off of injury, and michaelco is very familiar with I think I like the current A and M offensive pop upside more than Notre Dames, and considering it's at home, considering the mysterious miss, considering Marcus Freeman in big games against good teams, I think Mike Elcho is a better
head coach to Marcus Freeman. That's not a take, right, No, I'll give the edge without fully diving into matchups to A and M.
In this moment. It's a fascinating matchup. Yeah, and I understand why. I understand why the point spread is where it is. And this is not a Notre Dame preview. Obviously we're talking about A and M and a bunch of it can't be it's our show, No, But I think for both teams, the significance of that game cannot be overstated. Yeah, it's gonna be great. If you're A and M. You win that game at home against the top ten team, Suddenly expectations are dramatically different. Suddenly that
eight and a half over under looks very attainable. At nine to three kind of plateau looks a little bit more attainable because you're beating a team of that caliber at home. Notre Dame factors to be the playoff contender this year. Even if they lose that A and M game.
And on the Notre Dame side, obviously, if you go on the road place like College Station, that will be a milestone for somebody like Marcus Freeman to get the monkey off his back when a big game like that on the road against the team that we I think will be we believe will be nationally ranked by the end of the season.
Yeah, their schedule as such that there's no obvious killer back to back on this schedule, there's difficulties. And you know, how good is South Carolina. Well, if they're actually like, we'll get there. But if Leonora Sellers is really good, then LSU South Carolina consecutive weeks could be very difficult. Right If the Auburn offense gets better, traveling to Auburn
before hosting Texas could be very difficult. But as it stands now Texas A and M has no Georgia, Tennessee, Ole Miss and no Oklahoma for whatever you believe in Oklahoma. But like you also kind of have to look at it through the lens of like, well, who might be beatable in terms of the good teams. So schedule is pretty good and there's a lot of I'll use the word again. There's a lot of buttressing tie or a lot of.
What's the word.
I'm like buffering, not buttressing. Buffering. Right, there's a buffer zone between Florida and the rest of the SEC schedule. In Bowling Green, there's Arkansas, MISSOO Mississippi State. It's not terrible Mississippi State before LSU, which is now no longer the rivalry game because Texas A and M is Texas obviously South Carolina LSU. We'll see the new Mexico State, which I guess beware, but this is not Jerry Kill Diego Pavia and Auburn Texas. We think Auburn is going
to be pretty good, but it's not Georgia Texas. It's not Bama Texas, so.
I don't know.
It's Nobama too right for A and M Yeah, no, no Obama.
So I don't know.
All things considered, it's been a pretty good off season for Mike Elco.
Let's talk about the Missouri Tigers. Let's nine and a half over under eleven and two. A year ago, they beat Ohio State fourteen to three in the low scoring Cotton Bowl. Yes, big deal. Last year. One of the stories of the year. I am extremely high on Missouri with some qualifiers okay that I can get into here, but a lot back. Seventeenth nationally returning productions the easiest schedule in the SEC. As I said on Part one, the thirty seventh most difficult schedule in the country is
not the easiest schedule by any stretch. They should be favored in ten or eleven of their games. A great my dilemma with Miszoo is whether this is a better team or TV show. Okay, what do I mean by that? All right? The Luther Burden experience, Well, they're dangerous basically because the entire offense is back, with a notable exception of Cody Schrader, the run back, and I think one guy along the offensive line. That's it. Everybody who caught
a pass last season is back, including Luther Burden. Brady Cook, who had a renaissance here last year. He is back. Either Nate Knowle or Marcus Carroll, two guys that they got from the group of five from app State in Georgia State, respectively. One of those guys figures to be the straighter replacement. I don't have many questions about the offense. Dan They scored thirty two points a game last year. There's a good chance for pushing thirty five this season.
It should be one of the best ten offenses in the nation, full stop. My questions are about the defense. There's a lot of turnover on defense, and I think it's worrying right, not the least of which is Blake Baker, the aforementioned prized, perhaps overpaid coordinator for how we'll see now, Yeah, we will see, we will see. But they lose him.
They lose three solid defensive backs, their best linebacker, their best edge rusher, and three of their four intier defensive line There is a lot of turnover here, and even though I think Eli Drinkwitz did a really good job bringing in new talent via the portal and otherwise, I just worry that it might be too much for them to absorb. Okay, you know, like best case scenario. Best case scenario, it pops in MISSOO is legit top ten
team most of the year. Worst case scenario, they're a fun half team that plays in some shootouts and makes for good TV. Are they a TV show? Are they a team? Right? So the defense is really the only reason I'm not jumping on the over here because I like Missoo a lot, and like I said before, the schedule, the schedule's great. The games that loom the largest are at Texas A and M and at Alabama they're home
against Oklahoma. They play sub teams. It's not like a cakewalk or anything, right, But if you believe that Miszoo
¶ Missouri Tigers Preview
can win just one of those three games, then you bet the over man, you bet the over. You hope there are in any other hiccups all on the way.
Yeah, I think all of that is right. I also sort of think that in this sport we've seen enough that like success begets success that like sure there is momentum. You know, sometimes coaches are not good enough to take advantage whatever. I think Eli Drinkwitz has proven, especially with how he has sort of galvanized the money at Missoo, right,
that they're competitive on the recruiting trail, they're competitive. They get like the most promising Oklahoma offensive lineman, right, Caden Green comes in steps in to sort of bolster things, and I think he's relatively local too Miszoo. But you're right about concerns about the defense and new coordinator losing
key pieces. All of that is true. I think they're so advantaged on offense, and they're well coached enough, and I just have this sense that Miszoo, given their schedule, given their offense, is even if they're not as good as their final schedule indicates, their final record indicates, their final record is gonna be really good.
I think they'll be good. I think they'll be a good team. And and and to the previous point of what are like the range of outcomes from Zoo, the range of outcomes are pretty good. And they're they're definitely skewing higher than they wear Texas A and m. This is a good team. It's a great offense. They're going to score like crazy. And the only reason I can't get fully into Mazoo and go even more aggressive on
my Miszoo takes is because of that defense. Okay, and even that Dan even that, depending where you look and who you read, people have varying opinions about how much they actually lose, how much it will affect them versus won't affect them, if anything, That's the thing that everyone's pointed at. But even still there is disagreement over how much of an issue that's going to be for this team.
This season, so you know, But otherwise on the schedule, like I mentioned those three big games A and M, Alabama, Oklahoma, beyond that, Murray State, Buffalo, Boston College, and Vandy all at home before a bye. Right also at UMass home against Auburn, at South Carolina, at Mississippi State home against Arkansas. They drew the correct straw to try and make a run at this thing. This is easy by comparison, still an SEC schedule, but easy, way easier than their peers
by comparison. We just got to see on the defense.
I mean, my only question in this moment is I think you're absolutely right. Who are the quarterbacks that are good enough or at least that appear to be good enough in this moment on this schedule, Like it's at A and M. So, it's at Connor Weigman, who I think is pretty good. It's at Jaln Milroe in Alabama. I think he's a good quarterback. We'll see on Lenora Sellers, We'll see on Jackson Arnold, We'll see on Blake Shaping and Jeff Levi's offense. We'll see Hayling Green and Bobby Patrino's off.
Miss Castillanos the big guy, right, you're huge.
I seven foot four, four hundred and eighteen pound Thomas Castillanos.
He grew a foot since we did the BC preview.
Yeah, like I Diego Pavia could be very challenging. And other Tim Beck offense not v Tim back, other Tim Beck.
Yeah, I could talk about Van dy Nex. We got two teams left here that we're going to discuss.
But no Carson Beck, No, no quin Yours, no Jackson Dart no, whatever you think of Garrett nus meyern LSU's what should be a really good offense, Like good place, man, it's a good place.
Oh, it's a great place. It's a great place. And I almost felt guilty not being all in on Miszoo because we did that episode. No Nico right, No, Now, we did that episode a couple months ago, and we said Maszoo's projected as a top ten team and I could see them finishing as a top five team because of the schedule. I love this hype. I like him. I'm just very conflicted and that's why I had them in my So what's your number? Right?
What is with this schedule? What is there over under? Would you say?
No? Runners nine and a half over unders nine and a half. I'd still be inclined to go over. I'm not putting it in the volcano. I'm putting in the volcano. You want it in the volcano? Missoo ten wins? Yeah, oh, bartis why births.
I don't even think it's that hot. I think it's it's a gentle warmth.
Close things out. We got two teams left, yeah, two teams starting over in different respects Mississippi State and Vandy. But you mentioned Vandy, so let me do Vandy please? Two and ten. Last season, they only beat Hawaii and Alabama A and M. Then they lost ten straight. Not a great finish to the season for clark Lee. The issue at Vandy is talent. It is not any is a talent thing. And it's been tougher to recruit there
because of the academics you layer in the portal. For example, they lose their top four receivers, just makes a job harder. The lines have struggled. The pass defense a specially, has struggled the last few seasons. Clark Lee now has two two to ten seasons to his name. It was time at Vandy. Overall, he's won just nine games and three.
Years with the five and seven in there, Ty with and five and seven.
The five and seven. So Vandy's obviously in danger for all of these reasons and many more that I won't describe. I am not here to grave dance or spike the football on the doors. If you root for him, you already know. Here are the two reasons why they could be dangerous. They could at least be interesting this season. The first is something that you mentioned. Changes on offense. Tim Beck, the one from New Mexico State, Yep, not the other one. He comes over. He brought Diego Pavia
with him at quarterback. He also brought Jerry Kill with them to be an analyst.
Yeah.
They also landed Date Johnson, the quarterback from Utah in the portal. It's going to be more of an option attack, which I don't think think is the worst idea in the world, do I, And I'm not an option guy. And it's not to say they're gonna be Navy or Army overnight, but it's more of that. I don't think that's a horrible idea. At a place like Vandy, you need the line play in order to make it work, which they have not had. But I like thinking out of the box here, Okay, and if nothing more, it
makes it interesting, right, Diego Pinet makes it. He had the helmet twisted around, he runs hot. What's not to love about Diego Pavia? I think I'm with you. I think that that whole offense and some of the changes that Clarklee is trying to make there make this team interesting. And the second is that clark Lee has now taken over the rings on defense where he's got a good track record for being a coordinator. We are probably nearing the end of his run at Vandy. I hope not,
But yeah, I hope not either. I'm a rooting for it. But if and when that happens, he can kind of pick the spot as a coordinator, right, like somebody would hire him with a moment's notice. Sure, so maybe he makes that defense more interesting. Again, it's just a talent thing for Vandy. Do they got the horses to contend in this now sixteen team conference where they don't have the easiest schedule where they lost ten straight a year ago, where they're over under is three this season, they have
the lowest over under in the SEC. Again, I'm not
¶ Vanderbilt Commodores Preview
here to spite the football, Yeah, those are at least are two reasons why they could be somewhat dangerous or at a minimum interesting.
Yeah, they're going to be overlooked. There are teams on their schedule as I pull it up, but as I remember it, like, there are teams who could fall apart. There are teams who you could see having a very definitive weakness that they can't figure out.
And if Vandy is.
Better coached because of Jerry Kill, because Clark Lee has his fingerprints on the defense more than he's had, I think he's like they've recruited pretty well, They've lost a lot of those good recruits to other schools. I think the eye for talent is good. And there is something about merely being overlooked and feeling like you have nothing to lose that could make Vandy a little bit dangerous.
I thought they were going to be more dangerous than they were last year, and there was you know, aj Swan, and they were trying to be a little more direct with things and they didn't really match up and they couldn't get it done. So obviously there was some sort of behind the scenes messaging that said, we need to bring in more players, and I know we don't always do this, and we need to bring in somebody who can help. And I know as things fell apart at
New Mexico State that it became an attractive place. I think Jerry Kill didn't even go in with the idea of like trying to get hired as like an offensive coordinator something like that. He was just like, what about you know these guys, what about these guys? What about hiring me? I got nothing to do. Let's win some football games, and so I hope it works. So I hope it's a good marriage.
I do. I hope it works. But Van Vandy's got an uphill climb, just as they always have.
It'd be cool if they went to a bowl game, but it's real difficult to see with the schedule and where the conference is right.
Now, from an over under of three to an over under of four with Mississippi State Dan bring us Home Mississippi State five and seven. Last year they fired Zach Arnett, who our friends over at Athlon mistakenly referred to in their magazine as Will Arnette different Arnett. Gmc all signs point to this being a rebuilding gear for the Bulldogs.
What does the immediate future look like? What does it look like in the medium in longer terms, based on whatever indications we have now through just a couple months of the Levee regime.
Right, we know what this offense is going to be obviously, given his time at UCF, given his time at Oklahoma. We know that they're going to play pretty quickly. We know that they're going to try to get the ball to receivers quickly and you know, play with with a good kind of reckless abandon as Jeff Levy offenses have. If receivers that they've brought in from the portal and that they've recruited recently work out and they're somewhat explosive,
then there's a little bit of danger to them. Right, there's danger in a good way for Mississippi State. They already playing a difficult place to play. There are pieces along this defense that are interesting. They lost a couple big linebackers, of course, highlight by Bookie Wattson last year, but there are enough pieces up front on defense to
make them interesting. If they can stay healthy, they're gonna be running a three four, so they're switching away from Zach Arnett's three three five, So a new base, but you know most teams play Nickel anyway, it's Coleman Hutzler who comes in who's actually has a really impressive special teams background as well, but he comes in from Alabama most recently where he's coached I believe linebackers. So new system.
It's a year zero situation. It's been a weird situation all together because of Mike Leech's passing and how that sort of changed the schedule and coaching apparatus in Starkville. So I don't know, I think they're being very smart about how they're approaching things. You know, Blake Shapin is not looked at as like a high ceiling guy, but he's a guy with experience and was in a pretty bad situation at Baylor offensively last year. So we know the best of Blake Shapin is decently good. And so
you pair that with a very quarterback friendly system. You know, the big question for Mississippi State is, you know, what do they look like in week in, year two, year three? Right this year is kind of a wash. We'll see you get what they're going for with Jeff Levy that they're trying to, you know, higher from the lane. Kiff and Tree and you know, a younger guy, fun offense, and hopefully that resonates in state. Hopefully he'll continue to
recruit pretty well, which I think he will. So the danger is just that they don't have the pieces, they don't have the star power, and it's going to take a minute to rebuild this roster because last year clearly didn't work out, and they should be able to find it on both sides of the ball. We've seen the best of Mississippi State this past you know, Deck fifteen
¶ Mississippi State Bulldogs Preview
years or whatever. You can find top level offensive skill. Sometimes they're name Fred, which I always appreciate. You find all American caliber defensive linemen, linebackers, whatever, corners like. You can absolutely find an eight and four team in Starkville. And so if they're smart about how they build the offense, if the hires continue to be sound, Jeff Lebry hiring Jeff Leby's offensive coordinator is a good first step, I
think they'll they're they're ceiling this year. Their danger is that they're fun and nobody figures out how to stop them quickly enough in a game and they lose. But making a bowl game is a big ask this year. But you know, if they're in that like five and seven, six and six range and playing for something late that's interesting to me. Sure, absolutely.
Right in solidverbod gmail dot com. Let us know what we got right, what we got wrong. If you are on any of the platforms that allow you to comment, I'd love to hear your and be nice, but generally we'd love to hear what you have to say about what we got right, what we got wrong.
At least if you're going to criticize Tye, I just need the preamble of Look, we can all agree Tye is handsome and charming.
Com up, but I could deal with that, all right, Yeah, if you give me that, If you give me that, that we can seems like a great guy. But I don't know. Let's take on Miszoo is such that it's all I know. We're gonna get a lot of you didn't do your homework on socio. So that's okay, part of that, part of the part of the game here we all got to play. At this time of year, we're excited to play it. Look, we're halfway through all
teams in the SEC. On our next episode, on part three, we're gonna do Alabama and LSU, Tennessee and Oklahoma, Kentucky and Auburn, and then close things out with South Carolina and Arkansas. Hope you'll be here with us. Make sure you hit follow or subscribe if you have yet to do so. Going out to verbowlers dot com if you want to find out more about our Patreon community. To our exclusive community of hardcore for bawlers who get to listen to bonus episodes and add free content. Get access
to our Discord server. We've got college football twenty five dynasties spinning up. Dan, I need to talk to you about our recruiting strategy by the way, at my Okay, we'll talk about that offline a little bit, all right. Got got some news to share with you on that front, all right, And of course, yeah, follow us on social media and send us those emails at seliverball atmail dot com.
So I have ty part two officially in the books for the sec one more to go here where it just means more for that guy, Dan Rubinstein, for myself. Tie old man, talk y'all in a few days. Stay solid, Peace,