Is the East on it's way back?

[VFL-82-JP]

Yes and no. 4 of the last 5 national title winners have scored 35-45 points.

KB, it's true that the winners of the last 5 national championship games scored, on average, 38.4 points each.

But the important stat for the "defense wins championships" discussion is what the winning defenses held the OTHER teams to. And that averaged a more pedestrian 26 points per game. Just a shade under a TD each quarter.

In this offense-crazy era of college football, that ain't shabby. What it says is, if you have an awesome defense, your offense only needs to score around 30 or so, and you're probably gonna win.

[I personally believe "defense wins championships" is just a phrase, doesn't have much meaning. Because I can win a championship 9-6 or 48-47, with either a smothering defense or an onstoppable offense. The only key is that the combination of all elements of my team have to be a little better than the combined elements of your team]

Go Vols!

 

[HooahVol]

BTW, one other point about Saban possibly ending his reign. All these Bama fans that think Dabo would leave Clemson for Bama are smoking crack. Why in the world would Dabo leave that sweetheart of a job in the weakest conference in the nation to replace the GOAT? I am positive Dabo will spend his days worshiped at Clemson with cake walks to the playoffs every year.

 

[firedog28]

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.

That is a great point about taking 3* players and coaching them up,I believe Pruitt can do that.Also I hope we can get into recruiting the top players such as DABO is getting and coaching them up.IMO this is when we will start beating the best teams,when we start recruiting with them.LSU GA. are recruiting well also.It's always been about the Jimmies & Joes in my book!!

 

[McDad]

I wonder if down deep Saban would want another crack at the NFL before he gets too old. It is the only aspect of the game that has eluded him thus far.

Thought the same for a decade now. I believe that ship has sailed. He's too old to transition to the NFL.

 

[hog88]

Thought the same for a decade now. I believe that ship has sailed. He's too old to transition to the NFL.

The NFL is trending younger with HCs and Nick at 68 is a little long in the tooth. Now who knows with someone like Jerry Jones, I think he gets rid of Garrett after their annual 1st round loss and Jerry has had a hard on for Saban before.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Thought the same for a decade now. I believe that ship has sailed. He's too old to transition to the NFL.

What if Dallas were to offer him a $200 million dollar lifetime contract?

 

[McDad]

The NFL is trending younger with HCs and Nick at 68 is a little long in the tooth. Now who knows with someone like Jerry Jones, I think he gets rid of Garrett after their annual 1st round loss and Jerry has had a hard on for Saban before.

That would be interesting. Jones would never relinquish the control Saban would demand.

 

[McDad]

What if Dallas were to offer him a $200 million dollar lifetime contract?

Then I would faint after I cleaned up the mess made from the monkeys flying out of my butt.

 

[hog88]

That would be interesting. Jones would never relinquish the control Saban would demand.

That's the 64 million dollar question.

I don't think Saban takes another run at the NFL but if he did I think Dallas would be the most likely spot.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Then I would faint after I cleaned up the mess made from the monkeys flying out of my butt.

I think they will indeed throw a guaranteed money contract at him and it will be for an insane amount, just don't know if he'd be interested, or if his wife would. Women are 37-0 so if she says no then it'll be no.

 

[McDad]

That's the 64 million dollar question.

I don't think Saban takes another run at the NFL but if he did I think Dallas would be the most likely spot.

How is possible for you to be so astute and correct yesterday and be so befuddled today?

Agreed he's too old. But there is no way either Jones or Saban compromise on their non-negotiables in order to work together.

 

[hog88]

How is possible for you to be so astute and correct yesterday and be so befuddled today?

Agreed he's too old. But there is no way either Jones or Saban compromise on their non-negotiables in order to work together.

Dallas is pretty stacked with talent for the next 2-3 season, all they have been missing is coaching. I could see Saban/Jones doing a little compromising and teaming up for a short run at a Super Bowl.

If it were a rebuild no way in hell.

 

[McDad]

Dallas is pretty stacked with talent for the next 2-3 season, all they have been missing is coaching. I could see Saban/Jones doing a little compromising and teaming up for a short run at a Super Bowl.

If it were a rebuild no way in hell.

You are nuttier than a Christmas fruitcake.

 

[hog88]

You are nuttier than a Christmas fruitcake.

Without question but still a possibility. You're only talking a max of 4 years left for Saban, a solid chance at a SB ring might be big enough bait.

 

[Vfl2407]

I'll go out on a limb here:

GEORGIA BEATS LSU IN SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!

It came to me in a vision

I hope your Dream vision is heavily impaired.
My hatred for UGA is so strong. I will be rooting like hell for Coach Yah Yah and company.

 

[VolsSince78]

Here's Alabama's 2020 football schedule

USC@ Arlington,Texas
Georgia State
Georgia
Kent State
@Ole Miss
@Arkansas
Mississippi State
@tennessee
@lsu
UT Martin
Texas A&M
Auburn

I think Alabama finishes 11-1 with a loss to LSU and 2nd in the SEC West

I smell an upset in their 2nd game, a trap game between USCwest and UGA.
Too soon?

 

[DowsaTV]

I wonder if down deep Saban would want another crack at the NFL before he gets too old. It is the only aspect of the game that has eluded him thus far.

That's tough for me. I don't think he would want to rebuild anything. But he is welcome to come coach the Cowboys.

 

[Ten_Titans]

One point not made about how bad Bama's defense has become is the obvious missing piece. Jeremy Pruitt.

Eh. Bama's defense was good before Pruitt got there and it was good last year.

I think the missing piece is all their linebackers getting hurt.

Oddly enough, as much as everyone assumed Henry T picked us for early playing time, I think he would have played just as much at Bama.

 

[sona]

I think Florida will play for the SEC Championship next year but I don't pay enough attention to know who they are losing or how well they are recruiting. I just expect them to derail Georgia.

 

[sjt18]

That is a great point about taking 3* players and coaching them up,I believe Pruitt can do that.Also I hope we can get into recruiting the top players such as DABO is getting and coaching them up.IMO this is when we will start beating the best teams,when we start recruiting with them.LSU GA. are recruiting well also.It's always been about the Jimmies & Joes in my book!!

IIRC, Dabo's early success came with classes that averaged ranking around 10th to 15th.

I have said for a very long time that the guy who ultimately pulls UT out of the ditch will either be good at finding 3* players who are actually 5* talents... or will just catch some breaks with guys that had higher ceilings than anyone knew. Just on football knowledge alone... I think Pruitt has a better shot of being that guy than either of the last two HC's. I trust his ability to find a 3* contributor than Jones' ability to recognize that a 5* is overrated.

 

[sjt18]

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?

Oh. I'm not as anti-Bama as many UT fans... I'm more anti-UF. So I don't think there's wishful thinking in this....

I think Bama is probably on the decline. Dynasties don't last forever. I don't know if Saban has or is becoming complacent like Fulmer did... but his players just don't look like the guys he fielded at the height of his dominance. The recruiting sites give points for how hard Saban recruits someone so you can't exactly go off recruiting rankings to assess his current talent. They just don't look "special" anymore and especially on D. I think they are on the fade.

I think that leaves a power void at the top of the West that will be filled by 3 teams... none of which will be as good or as dominant as Bama has been. Bama won't completely drop out but will be on more of an equal plain. I think those teams are Auburn, LSU, and TAM. I've never been a big Fisher fan but the recruiting base he has now is just ridiculous. He'd have to try hard to fail.

I don't think O comes close to being an elite coach. What he does well... LSU isn't good at this year. I think this is a high water mark for them due to Burrow.

I actually don't think Malzahn is elite either... and Auburn just seems to have a knack for finding ways to blow themselves up.

Overall, I think the West takes a step back, the East takes a step forward, and the SEC as a whole for at least the next few years drops a few pegs.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Top to bottom I dont think the East ever stands up to the West.

Vandy and Kentucky will always drag the East down some.

Even Mississippi and Arkansas have their moments occasionally in the West.

UT, FL, and GA are trending in the right direction to be at least competitive against Bama, LSU, and Auburn again but I don't think FL or the Vols are near there yet.

 

[JonGrudensAgent]

Oh. I'm not as anti-Bama as many UT fans... I'm more anti-UF. So I don't think there's wishful thinking in this....

I think Bama is probably on the decline. Dynasties don't last forever. I don't know if Saban has or is becoming complacent like Fulmer did... but his players just don't look like the guys he fielded at the height of his dominance. The recruiting sites give points for how hard Saban recruits someone so you can't exactly go off recruiting rankings to assess his current talent. They just don't look "special" anymore and especially on D. I think they are on the fade.

I think that leaves a power void at the top of the West that will be filled by 3 teams... none of which will be as good or as dominant as Bama has been. Bama won't completely drop out but will be on more of an equal plain. I think those teams are Auburn, LSU, and TAM. I've never been a big Fisher fan but the recruiting base he has now is just ridiculous. He'd have to try hard to fail.

I don't think O comes close to being an elite coach. What he does well... LSU isn't good at this year. I think this is a high water mark for them due to Burrow.

I actually don't think Malzahn is elite either... and Auburn just seems to have a knack for finding ways to blow themselves up.

Overall, I think the West takes a step back, the East takes a step forward, and the SEC as a whole for at least the next few years drops a few pegs.

I disagree with Bama being in decline to an extent.

I think it's more on an issue of them having an identity crisis of sorts as loaded as they have been with those WRs and Tua the past couple of seasons. I don't recall a team having the kind of top end talent at WR like they have had recently.

Focus has been on the wide open offense and the defense hasn't been quite as dominant. Still giving up 18 ppg isn't bad at all in this day and age. They just looked really bad in their 2 biggest games this season.

The talent is still there on both sides of the ball, I'd expect them to send at least 10 to 12 to the NFL next season.

I tend to think Saban will hit the reset button to an extent next year and get the focus back on running the ball and defense with all the impending defections and that defense will get nastier next year.

Hope you're right though. I'd rather they decline and implode to the point that Saban hangs it up.

 

[901 Orange]

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.

I hear that but Ga has so much talent in the state that uga cant take it all. Thats how u get guys like Callaway, Tank, Roman, Wanya etc

 

[bpalmer28]

The two best SEC teams are still in the West......and it's not real close.

That’s what they say... guess we’ll see. I actually think Georgia at least gives LSU a scare in the SECCG. I’m not ready to call the upset, but it wouldn’t surprise me. You know that old saying about defense? It’s still true IMO