Is the East on it's way back?

#1

HooahVol

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#1
I mentioned this on another thread but feel it would be a fun topic on it's own.

We all know the SEC East has been pretty bad over the past decade. If you had told me in the 90's there would be years UGA, UT, and Florida were all struggling with bowl eligibility I would have asked you what you were smoking. I am not sure how all the big three got so bad at the same time, maybe Saban and his absolute dominance at Bama played a role, but I truly feel the 2020's are going to see the pendulum swing back to the East. Look at the fact UGA is already back to their normal position, always finishing second. UF looks pretty good and improving under Mullen. And, of course, Tennessee now with signs of life, and I think the natural order is about to restored. Mark my words, Bama is not going to be great next year, I don't trust Coach O can keep this up at LSU, and the rest of the West teams are in a bad place. What say you guys, is the SEC power going to return to the East like what we had in the 90's and early 2000's?
 
#2
#2
It's all speculation at this point, but Georgia and Florida are going to be the Florida and Tennessee of the 90s, IMO. The way Georgia is recruiting is reminiscent to what Fulmer was doing then, and Mullen is a great coach with a great program, similar to Spurrier then. The rest of the East is well below those two programs right now. If the pendulum will swing, it won't be next year, IMO.

I think we have to wait another couple years to see what Jimbo is capable of and to see if you're right about LSU. Alabama will be Alabama until Saban quits. Auburn is just begging to get rid of Malzahn, which would be a mistake and a big advantage to the EAST, imo.

I don't think the pendulum will swing, but I do think the conferences could be pretty balanced in the next few years.
 
#3
#3
I’m not sure it’s possible for Tennessee to achieve the heights seen in the 90s when UGA is at its peak. We rely so much on recruiting boarder states and GA is a big one. The dominance in the southeast doesn’t help us. It’s now much more difficult to pull kids from GA, SC, and Alabama.
 
#4
#4
Florida has been off in the 2010's. We've been off for nearly 20 years. UGA though, I think they are 5th in total wins since 2000 so that's hardly down, but they only have 3 SEC championships since then to show for it.
 
#5
#5
Ultimately it will come down to the quality of the coaches.

If Pruitt recruits well and keeps quality assistants then UT will make the big 3 the big 3 again. When I say "recruits well" I am not talking about rankings or satisfying those who think those rankings are somehow equivalent to actual games. I am talking about finding players that can be developed and coached up into championship caliber players. I'm talking about taking a 3* OL like Dan Williams and turning them into one of the best DT's in the SEC. The point being there is more than one way to get there if you find the right players.
 
#7
#7
since the coaching carousel of 2017...
look at the coaches that have been fired within 2 years..
the SEC is a hard place to coach and win...
thankfully I believe Pruitt figured it out and has Tennessee on the way up from the ashes that were left behind from the last Administration...
I do believe Pruitt will have us competing for SEC championships and Natty's in the near future...
Clemson did it by sticking with Dabo...
Surely Tennessee can do it with all it's resources....
GBO
 
#9
#9
The two best SEC teams are still in the West......and it's not real close.
 
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#11
#11
We will know when it becomes exciting to watch teams in the east play and not have the confident feeling one team or another will win.
 
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#13
#13
Yes the east is getting better and closing the gap. There will always be swings through time, plenty of east members that aren't going to stay down forever. Georgia is gonna feel the gap close in time, it's coming. If they can't make noise in the playoffs with their talent in the next few years it will be hard to maintain recruiting dominance. I am excited about the next few years, Tennessee is coming back to the top! GBO!!!!!
 
#15
#15
I must begrudgingly say that Florida may be back. I think that their coach is a big weird nerd. However, he can Coach.
 
#16
#16
The East may be back. Last year and this one, it seems like we are. Of course, that's only 2 years, 2 data points, so it's hard to be conclusive. Still, the East actually beat the West last year, 9 games to 6:

1575387129718.png

But yes, it looks like perhaps we're back.

Especially if the Vols get back to competing seriously for the East...three good teams at the top to counter-balance LSU, Bama, and Auburn, that's key.

Go Vols!


p.s. It is absolutely no coincidence that the years of West dominance, 2009 to 2017, were also the bulk of the Vols' Dark Ages. The East needs us performing well.
 
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#17
#17
I don’t know if the East is back.

But, I do believe the East is going to be back to what we traditionally think soon.

I think Vandy is going to be really bad annually. I think Missouri and South Carolina are going to be bowl eligible 6-6 type teams for awhile. I think Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee will be in the top 3 year in and year out. Order will vary.
 
#18
#18
I don’t know if the East is back.

But, I do believe the East is going to be back to what we traditionally think soon.

I think Vandy is going to be really bad annually. I think Missouri and South Carolina are going to be bowl eligible 6-6 type teams for awhile. I think Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee will be in the top 3 year in and year out. Order will vary.
I think Kentucky will be in the same boat as Missouri and South Carolina finishing usually with 5-7 wins
 
#20
#20
Ultimately it will come down to the quality of the coaches.

If Pruitt recruits well and keeps quality assistants then UT will make the big 3 the big 3 again. When I say "recruits well" I am not talking about rankings or satisfying those who think those rankings are somehow equivalent to actual games. I am talking about finding players that can be developed and coached up into championship caliber players. I'm talking about taking a 3* OL like Dan Williams and turning them into one of the best DT's in the SEC. The point being there is more than one way to get there if you find the right players.

I agree a lot with your post. You didn't address the other part of OP's question. What do you think will happen in the West division?
 
#23
#23
It’s going to be Tennessee Georgia and Florida beating the snot out of each other every year for the east crown. Every other team will be fighting over the hind tit.
 
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#24
#24
If Tennessee beat BYU and Georgia State, where would they be ranked?

It’s just a thought relative to where Florida, Georgia and Tennessee would be ranked compared to LSU, Alabama and Auburn.

Those teams are a combined 2-2 against one another with LSU still to play Georgia
 
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