How the West was Won: 662 Dawg’s 2015 SEC West Predictions
By 662Dawg
1. Miss State – 11-1 (7-1)
I know that you’re surprised, but so am I. This is the first time in my lifetime that I have ever picked the Bulldogs to win the extremely tough SEC Western division.
The Bulldogs return the best quarterback in the SEC and arguably one of the best in the country. It doesn’t stop there.
The Bulldogs are loaded on offense and this will be the most athletic offensive line in coach Hevesy’s Bulldog career. Each projected starter on the line will have at least three years experience in the Bulldog program and will have seen a considerable amount of game action.
With the likes of Junior running back Ashton Shumpert, receivers De’Runnya Wilson and Fred Ross this offense will be even more explosive than in 2014.
Look for wide receivers Donald Gray, Malik Dear and Jesse Jackson and tight end Justin Johnson to make the biggest impacts among newcomers on offense.
On defense, the Bulldogs lost a few key contributors, but they played a ton of guys at key moments of ball games last year. At first look it says the Bulldogs only return four starters, but when you look closer, those starters didn’t include Will Redmond, Richie Brown, Chris Jones, AJ Jefferson or Nelson Adams, who played at least half the time last year. I look for Chris Jones to finally live up to the hype with added playing time.
This talented unit will be led by Manny Diaz in his first year back in the Bulldog program. I look for this defense to be considerably better than last year, if on coaching alone.
2. LSU – 10-2 (6-2)
I feel like some people are overlooking this LSU Tigers team and the talent that they have coming back. The Tiger offense, led by Leonard Fournette, is set to be one of the best rushing attacks in the SEC. The quarterbacks have a full year of SEC experience and may be ready to lead a potent offense with an explosive receiving core that’s led by Travan Dural & Malachi Dupree. I do not expect this passing game as a whole to become explosive, but with playmakers such as Dural & Dupree, it will be respectable no matter who wins the starting quarterback job between Junior Anthony Jennings and Sophomore Brandon Harris.
On defense, it seems as if year in and year out LSU has one of the better units in the nation. They always replace extremely talented players with players just as talented. Kendall Beckwith is due to break out and become a star and the LSU secondary is one of the best units in the nation led by Jamal Adams, Jalen Mills and TreDavious White.
3. Auburn – 10-2 (6-2)
Auburn has key components to replace on offense but never count out a Gus Malzahn led offensive attack. Jeremy Johnson gained valuable experience behind Nick Marshall last year and is looking to become one of the better quarterbacks in this league. He holds the key to whether Auburn is a two loss team or a five loss team. Look for Juco transfer Jovon Robinson and Sophomore Roc Thomas to become a two-headed monster.
On defense, the Tigers made one of the best hires of the offseason when they brought in former Florida head coach Will Muschamp. I look for Auburn to be much improved on this side of the ball and that improvement will be aided by the return of Carl Lawson, who suffered a season ending injury last year and true Freshman Byron Cowart who is one of the most talented Freshman in the country. Senior linebacker Kris Frost is a potential All-American.
4. Alabama 9-3 (5-3)
Can we finally see a down year from the Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide franchise? I know some of you may be asking yourselves how can I consider 9-3 a down year, but three regular season losses and a fourth place finish in the West isn’t exactly a typical Nick Saban kind of year.
The struggles will more than likely come from the offensive side of the ball. The Crimson Tide are still searching for their quarterback and we are only a few weeks away from kickoff. I think it will eventually come down to a Jacob Coker and David Cornwell battle, but highly touted incoming Freshman Blake Barnett may have something to say about that. Whoever wins the job will have two talented targets to throw to in Sophomore receiver Robert Foster and Junior tight end OJ Howard. Expect star running back Derrick Henry to have a lot of open holes to run through on the left side running behind one of the best offensive tackle’s in the country in Cameron Robinson.
On defense the Crimson Tide return Senior Jaran Reed and Junior A’Shawn Robinson on the line and they are one of the best duos of defensive tackles in the SEC. Senior Reggie Ragland and Juniors Ryan Anderson and Reuben Foster form a very talented linebacker core. Senior Cyrus Jones and Sophomore Tony Brown are capable cornerbacks but will have a future star in redshirt Freshman Marlon Humphrey pushing them for playing time.
This is a very talented defense, but can it overcome the shortcomings of the 2015 Crimson tide offense?
5. Ole Miss 7-5 (3-5)
Offensively Ole Miss will be very talented at wide receiver if Junior Laquon Treadwell comes back 100% from a broken fibula and transfer Damore’ea Stringfellow, true Freshmen Van Jefferson and Demarkus Lodge live up to their hype. Quincy Adeboyjo, Cody Core and Markell Pack round out what could be an explosive reviving core, but the Rebels have some serious question marks at almost every other position on the offense outside of tight end and left tackle.
Laremy Tunsil looks to anchor an experienced offensive line but this unit struggled mightily last year and will need to be much improved while breaking in new quarterback Chad Kelly. Kelly will have to be good, because the Rebels lack depth at the most important position on the field.
Tight end Evan Engram is one of the best in the nation.
Defensively, the Rebels will once again be very talented, but they lose a whole lot of production from last years defense. Cody Prewitt, Senquez Golson, Serderious Bryant and DT Shackelford may prove to be bigger losses than most people want to think.
With Junior safety Tony Connor, Senior defensive tackle Isaac Gross, Junior Robert Nkemdiche, Sophomore defensive end Marquis Haynes all returning the cupboard definitely isn’t bare and I do expect this to be a top five SEC defense, but I also expect it to take a step back.
A few things that will need to happen is for Robert Nkemdiche to finally live up to his hype, CJ Johnson to make a successful transition to middle linebacker after spending four years at defensive end and for former Juco’s Tony Bridges and Tee Shepard to live up to their billings. That’s a lot of moving parts and is the main reason I think this defense takes a step back in 2015.
Senior Safety’s Tre Elston and Mike Hilton are good football players and will provide great leadership.
6. Arkansas 7-5 (3-5)
Offensively, the Razorbacks will have one of the better offensive lines in the SEC led by Junior Dan Skipper. Running behind that massive line will be Alex Collins, who has All-American potential. This unit did take a huge hit when Johnathon Williams was lost for the year last week.
Senior Quarterback Brandon Allen returns and is one of the more experienced quarterbacks in the league but he still isn’t going to scare any defenses any time soon.
Senior Wide Receiver Keon Hatcher and Junior Tight End Hunter Henry are All-SEC caliber players and provide hope for the passing game.
Defensively, like the Rebels, the Razorbacks lost a whole lot of production and Senior leadership. Losing Martrell Spaight, Braylon Mitchell, Trey Flowers, Darius Philon and Carroll Washington will prove to be too much for the Razorbacks, because unlike the Rebels, they didn’t have a lot of depth on the defensive side of the ball.
With that said, they won’t exactly be terrible on defense because Junior Defensive End Jamicheal Winston, Junior Linebacker Brooks Ellis and Junior Safety Rohan Gaines return to give the Razorbacks some talented players to work with.
7. Texas A&M 6-6 (2-6)
Offensively, the Aggies will be among the best in the league with starting Sophomore Quarterback Kyle Allen, Sophomore Wide Receivers Speedy Noil and Ricky Seal-Jones, Junior Josh Reynolds and Senior Running Back Tra Carson returning to form a very talented offense.
Juniors Germain Ifedi and Avery Gennesy return to lead one of the better offensive lines in the league.
Defensively is where the problems exist for the Aggies. While I do expect them to be much better with new Defensive Coordinator John Chavis coming in, it would almost take a miracle to turn this unit around in just one year.
The talent isn’t exactly bare with Sophomore Defensive End Myles Garrett and Senior Cornerback De’vante Harris returning and several others with tons of potential, but taking this job will definitely be the biggest challenge of Coach Chavis’ career.