Thats a heck of a schedule. Kind of feel bad for them. The only real breaks they get are Citadel. After that, I see no guarantees, but I'd put them ahead of UCF, Vandy, and maybe UNC. UK will finish well ahead of them this year IMO. Thoughts?
South Carolina finishing 2nd to last in the East? I'd put money on it.
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Don't feel bad for them . They've delighted in our pain for years.
I hate South Carolina as much as anyone, but if Steve Spurrier has taught us anything, it's that when you bet against him, he'll find a way to embarrass you.
I think South Carolina is going to surprise some people. Their offense was elite last year, but their defense was terrible. I think we'll see that defense improve this year now that they have a new DC. They still have ELITE athletes all over that team, and you could take a couple plays here and there last year and that would've been a 10-win team.
Don't sleep on South Carolina...recent history tells us it's not smart. As long as Steve Spurrier is their coach they'll have a chance to win big. Spurrier has too much of an ego, is too good of a coach and is too competitive to have hugely disappointing seasons in back-to-back years. He's had to hear all offseason about losing those close games (Mizzou, UK, Auburn, UT)..those are all games that they SHOULD have won..they'll be back this year..Spurrier does that when people sleep on him. They still have elite talent, a great coaching staff, and one of the best home field advantages in football (not to mention they're playing in a wide-open SEC east). They're my dark horse to win the East outside of Georgia and Mizzou.
I think South Carolina is going to surprise some people. Their offense was elite last year, but their defense was terrible. I think we'll see that defense improve this year now that they have a new DC. They still have ELITE athletes all over that team, and you could take a couple plays here and there last year and that would've been a 10-win team.
Don't sleep on South Carolina...recent history tells us it's not smart. As long as Steve Spurrier is their coach they'll have a chance to win big. Spurrier has too much of an ego, is too good of a coach and is too competitive to have hugely disappointing seasons in back-to-back years. He's had to hear all offseason about losing those close games (Mizzou, UK, Auburn, UT)..those are all games that they SHOULD have won..they'll be back this year..Spurrier does that when people sleep on him. They still have elite talent, a great coaching staff, and one of the best home field advantages in football (not to mention they're playing in a wide-open SEC east). They're my dark horse to win the East outside of Georgia and Mizzou.
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I agree with this, SOS is probably past his prime but he is still one of the top coaches in the country. They lost 2 games with a 2 TD lead in the 4th quarter last year, that isn't something that happens very often. Like us they are hoping their qb situation settles itself early in the fall, but their defense should be better, their offense took a hit, but Wilds is a pretty good back who will get a chance to play in the NFL and Cooper is as good as anyone in the conference. SOS has always circled our game, and he might this year, but after what UK did to him last year and you playing him before us I think UK might be circled this year. Look at what A&M did to them, like they didn't have a clue what to do defensively, because he focused on our offense all summer and preseason. The old looking ahead because A&M was rebuilding their offense after losing Manziel and that big WR.
I dunno, they lose a lot of offensive firepower from their starting (and only experienced) QB, and their RB. They lost a lot of experience off of their defense as well, and it was already bad. As of this spring, their defense was already very poor from all of the talk that went around. I don't expect much from them. Jadaveon Clowney isn't walking through that door.
I'd be surprised if SC finishes that low. Kentucky and Florida probably have more holes on their rosters than SC does. Vanderbilt is almost certainly going to be the worst team in the conference. I do think South Carolina will be better this year than last year, but their schedule is tough, especially if North Carolina is as improved as some of the "experts" predict. Looking at the rosters and at history, I would expect UGA, UT, and Mizzou to round out the top three (I'm not suggesting it will be in that order) followed by USC and UK (again not sure in that order); with Florida and Vanderbilt rounding out the bottom of the division.
Shane Ray and Markus Golden are being replaced by a couple of two star players. A lot of offensive playmakers being lost as well. The streak has to die sometime, and this year looks about as good as any.
The problem is that Georgia SHOULD have won last year. South Carolina SHOULD have won in 2013. Mizzou has benefited from a weaker East division, but they have only had one losing season in the last 10 years; they have had 5 seasons with 10+ wins over the last 8 years. So while I don't think they win the SEC East this season, it's likely that whenever the teams that should win it blow it, Mizzou will be there to benefit.
They didn't lose much defensively, they return their best defenders and have brought in JUCO help. UK. doesn't need to head into Columbia taking them lightly regardless of the outcome of the NC game. SOS didn't prepare for a&m last season. Wilds is a good back, if a an doesn't step expect to see Cooper in the wildcat and tons of read optio. Carolina concerns me more than Auburn. Overrated last year and again this summer.
Stevie isnt going to makeup for Thompson adn Davis that easily. They are going to have a very down year.
I don't know about elite offense, they were #33 in total offense last year. That's good but I'd hardly call it 'elite'. And that defense was #92 a full 17 spots lower than Kentucky was.
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