Alabama’s Nick Saban has been called a dictator and a devil.
           
Both are accurate. He has total control over his program and he’s a devil of a coach - and that’s a compliment.
           
Those are two reasons his team is 10-0 and ranked No. 1 in the nation.
           
LSU coach Les Miles allegedly called Saban the devil, although Miles denies saying that. Miles surely has been frustrated by so many people saying he’s won with Saban’s talent. He’ll be even more frustrated when Saban starts stealing recruits out of the Bayou State.
           
Saban is not all that popular as a coach. Maybe it’s his ability to recruit. Maybe it’s his $4 million salary. Maybe it’s his fast lane to success. He’s raising the bar for his colleagues, which can’t help his popularity.
           
When Florida coach Steve Spurrier was asked why, in four years, he hasn’t had nearly the success Saban is having in his second year at Alabama, Spurrier smirked: “Poor coaching, I guess.”
           
Saban has upped the time line for rebuilding a program. He inherited a team with mediocre talent and has them challenging for the national championship in Year Two.
           
He’s having what Georgia coach Mark Richt would call one of those “magical” second seasons.
           
Richt had one, leading Georgia to a 13-1 record and an SEC championship in his second season.
           
Meyer won the national title in his second season at Florida and went undefeated in his second year at Utah.
           
Gene Stallings went 11-1 in his second year at Alabama. Dennis Franchione won 10 games in his second year at the Capstone.
           
Ken Hatfield won 10 games in his second year at Arkansas.
           
Terry Bowden won his first 20 games at Auburn and Tommy Tuberville and Pat Dye won nine in their second season on the Plains.
           
Spurrier won 10 games and the SEC title his second year at Florida.
           
At LSU, Saban won the SEC in his second season and Les Miles won 11 games and the Sugar Bowl in his second season.
           
Lou Holtz went from 0-11 to 8-4 at South Carolina.
           
There is something special about second seasons for SEC coaches.
           
But nobody has done a more special job than Saban. Miles inherited more talent at LSU. And Meyer inherited much more talent at Florida.
           
As one Alabama fan told me: “I knew he was good, but I had no idea he was this good.”
           
Just one more reason for Saban’s coaching colleagues to dislike him.
             


LSU’s Season Not A Surprise            
           
It should come as no surprise that LSU has struggled to a 7-3 record and was unable to repeat as West Division champions.
           
That’s the norm, rather than the exception, for defending national champions.
           
Not since Nebraska in 1994-95 have we seen a team repeat as #1. And in the SEC, five of the last six national championships lost at least three games the next season.
           
Alabama won the national championship in 1992 but went 9-3-1 the next season and was forced to forfeit every win but one due to playing an ineligible player.          
           
Florida went 10-2 and finished second in the East after winning the title in 1996.
           
Tennessee went 9-3 and failed to win the East after taking the 1998 crown.
           
LSU won it all in 2003, then went 9-3 the next season.
           
Florida was the national champ in 2006, then went 9-4 with a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback.
           
It’s worth noting that Florida in 1997 and Tennessee in 1999 finished in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll. The other three were ranked in the top 20 and this year’s LSU team won’t crack the top 10.
           
Meyer has a good idea why last year’s Gators lost three SEC games and fell to Michigan in the Capital One Bowl.
           
“We had some entitlement issues with guys who had no impact on the national championship,” Meyer said. “We had a lot of confusion about work ethic and accountability.”
           
A lack of both proved harmful to Florida ’s efforts to repeat.
           
“I’m glad that issued has been cleared up,” Meyer said.
           
In essence, Florida wasn’t as hungry in 2007 as it was in 2006. That’s natural. A coach might not like it, but that’s human nature.
           
It’s hard to tell how much better LSU would be with deposed quarterback Ryan Perrilloux. He might have been the difference against a Georgia or an Alabama.
           
Then again, LSU might not have been as hungry.
           
Still, LSU could win more games this season than Saban did after his 2003 title.
           
That would at least give Les Miles one feather in his cap against Saban.
 


Georgia Defense Hard To Defend
 
A team many picked to finish #1 is #10 in the SEC in scoring defense. Georgia has allowed 23.8 points per game, with Alabama (41 points), LSU (38), Kentucky (38) and Florida (49) jacking up those numbers.
           
Georgia finished SEC play 6-2 but outscored opponents 215-214. The 214 points is the most allowed in SEC play although Kentucky, LSU and Arkansas could surpass that total. Kentucky (210) has one SEC game left, LSU (192) two and Arkansas (187) two.
           
Sometimes scoring defense can be misleading. For example, LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee has thrown seven interceptions that have been returned for touchdowns. Special teams scores can also skew actual numbers.
           
Perhaps a better barometer of defense is total yards allowed. Georgia ranks sixth in the SEC and 24th in the nation. No SEC team has allowed more touchdowns and the average yards per play against the Bulldogs is 5.0 — tied for eighth in the SEC.
           
By any standard, Georgia’s defense has been disappointing. But the Dawgs still have a chance to match last season’s 11-2 record. Last year’s team finished No. 2 in the nation. This year’s team won’t crack the top six.
           


Extra Points
           
Kentucky went from #1 in the nation in scoring defense to #36 in four weeks. The banged up Wildcats surrendered 63 to Florida, 42 to Georgia and 31 to Vanderbilt
           
South Carolina went from #1 in the SEC in total defense to #4 after giving up 520 yards to Florida.
           
LSU’s 37 points in the last 16.5 minutes against Troy was more than the Tigers had scored in six games.

While new clock rules have cut the average number of plays in an SEC game to about 135, LSU (80 snaps) and Troy (89) combined for 169 in a game that lasted 3 hours, 48 minutes and was not televised. The teams combined for 113 pass attempts and 58 incompletions.
          
Auburn (107), Tennessee (115) and Mississippi State (116) rank among the 12 lowest scoring teams in the nation. Six SEC teams rank 72 or lower. Only Florida is among the top 25.
           
South Carolina, Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt rank no higher than 96 in the nation in total offense. No SEC team ranks among the top 20.
           
Six SEC teams average more than 150 rushing yards per game and all are bowl eligible. Kentucky (eighth) and South Carolina (12th) are the two exceptions.
           
Four SEC teams rank in the top 10 in total defense and 11 rank among the top 41.
           
Only two SEC teams rank among the top 55 in pass offense. Seven SEC teams average less than 180 passing yards per game and rank no higher than 94th.
           
SEC teams have returned nine punts for touchdowns and five kickoffs for touchdowns.
            

Crucial Penalty Doesn’t Cost Vandy

During the middle of the fourth quarter, Vanderbilt was nursing a 14-point lead at Kentucky when quarterback Chris Nickson ripped through the secondary for more than 30 yards.
           
It would be an historic run. It would put Vandy in field goal range for a game-clinching score. It would mark the first time since 1982 the Commodores would be bowl eligible. It would snap a streak of 17 consecutive losses in bowl-eligible games.
           
Alas, Vandy was called for holding on Nickson’s brilliant run, wiping out the first down, the field position, the probable score and leaving in doubt the outcome.
           
Wasn’t that just typical Vanderbilt - snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and causing Bobby Johnson to anguish once again about being so close, but no cigar.
           
Kentucky quickly scored to cut the margin to seven points, then got the ball back and was driving inside the Vandy 30 when cornerback DJ Moore made a terrific interception on a fourth-down slant play with two minutes left.
           
Vanderbilt’s Johnson got a Gatorade shower.
           
Vanderbilt’s program got a gorilla off its back.
           
There is still a chance Vanderbilt won’t get a bowl bid. The SEC has nine bowl tie-ins. Eight SEC teams are now bowl eligible. Auburn has to beat Alabama to become bowl eligible and Arkansas must beat Mississippi State and LSU to become bowl eligible. If either fails, Vandy is in. And if Florida and Alabama get BCS bowl berths, Vandy is in.
           
Vanderbilt wouldn’t have beaten Kentucky if Johnson hadn’t thrown caution to the wind and played Moore all over the field. The senior had never caught a pass at Vanderbilt, yet caught two for touchdowns in the first quarter. He also intercepted two passes and returned punts.
           
Moore’s yeoman effort is one reason Vandy will be practicing during the Christmas holidays for the first time in 26 years.
           
Vandy (4-3) is also a win over Tennessee away from tying the school record for most SEC wins in a season, set in 1935.
             


Gators Ring Up 50 Points On Former Coach
 
CBS analyst Gary Danielson said during the Florida-South Carolina game that Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier wouldn’t respect Urban Meyer if Meyer had a chance to hang 50 on USC but didn’t.
           
Spurrier certainly did it as Florida’s coach. He liked to run it up and rub it in.
           
Spurrier got a taste of his medicine at The Swamp, as Meyer put 56 on the #1 defense in the SEC. Of course, not all 56 came against USC’s defense. The Gators returned an interception for a touchdown, recovered a lateral on a kickoff at the USC one-foot line, and got 10 more points off special teams play or USC turnovers.
           
Florida made a case for being the nation’s best team, even though the Gators have one loss. Since falling to Ole Miss, Florida has averaged over 50 points against the next six opponents — three of them ranked. In a 19-quarter stretch, the offense had scored a touchdown on 34 of 54 possessions (discounting two at the end of the half). That’s remarkable efficiency.
           
And Florida’s much improved defense has forced more punts (33) than points allowed (26) in the first half. The Gators have outscored opponents 227-26 in the first two quarters and they’ve scored eight non-offensive touchdowns.
           
No wonder Spurrier thinks these Gators are better than the 2006 version, which needed to block a late field goal to hang on against the Gamecocks.
           
By the way, Spurrier has a winning record against every SEC team except his alma mater. He’s 1-3 against the Gators.
 


Tebow In Running For Heisman
 
Winning the Heisman Trophy has become a numbers game.
           
You’ve got to be on the #1 team, or be the #1 rusher or the #1 passer or the first guy to have 20 touchdown passes and 20 touchdown rushes in the same season - like Florida ’s Tim Tebow last year.
           
Tebow accounted for 55 touchdowns last season. He won’t account for that many this year. He might not get to 40. But he’s just as good a quarterback this season as last, if not better.
           
Because he’s such a running threat, he makes Florida run game go. And he’s become a better pocket passer, having completed right at 70 percent of his throws over the last six games.
           
Tebow will be on my Heisman ballot again this year, but I’m not sure I’ll put him first again.
           
While Tebow has had a terrific season, Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell has been off the charts. He has completed 71.7 percent of his passes for 4,077 yards and 36 touchdowns with just five interceptions for his second-ranked team (9-0). Harrell has been at his best against three ranked teams the Red Raiders defeated - Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma State.
           
How Harrell plays against Oklahoma this Saturday could define whether he wins the Heisman.
           
Some would argue that Harrell faces softer defenses in the Big 12 than Tebow faces in the SEC.
           
There may be some truth to that, but folks, SEC defenses aren’t all that good this year. Their national defensive numbers are a product of poor SEC offenses and poor non-conference opponents. And look at how West Virginia, Georgia Tech, Tulsa, Texas and Troy sliced up some SEC defenses.
           
By the way, it was interesting to hear CBS report that Tebow spent time with Spurrier at the Heisman Trophy ceremonies and the Dave O’Brien banquet and said he could never play for Spurrier. No explanation was given.
      

               
Extra Points

Florida’s Percy Harvin has scored a touchdown in 12 consecutive games, one shy of the active streak of 13 held by Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree.

LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee has throw seven interceptions this season that have been returned for a touchdown. If that’s not a national record, it’s got to be close.

Kentucky true freshman quarterback Randall Cobb did about all he could against Vanderbilt, passing for 144 yards, rushing for 71 and returning punts. He’s one of the top three freshmen in the SEC this season.

Spurrier said Kenny McKinley is one of the best receivers he’s ever coached, putting him up there with Reidel Anthony, Jacquez Green, Ike Hilliard, Chris Doering and Clarkston Hines. McKinley is USC’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and consecutive games with a catch.

How about this one: Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Kentucky are bowl eligible but Tennessee and Auburn are not.  
 
 
 
My MrSEC.com Power Poll Ballot

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Georgia
4. LSU
5. South Carolina
6. Ole Miss
7. Vanderbilt
8. Kentucky
9. Auburn
10. Arkansas
11. Tennessee
12. Miss State

Who’s The Better Coach: Spurrier Or Meyer?

When Florida hosts South Carolina this Saturday, the Gators will be positioning for a shot at a national championship. The Gamecocks will be positioning for a shot at a better bowl game.
           
That’s the difference in the two programs.
           
Florida one won four consecutive SEC Championships in the 1990s.
           
South Carolina has won four bowl games since 1892.
           
When you analyze these teams today, you might ask: Who has the better coach? Is it Urban Meyer? Or Steve Spurrier?
           
No doubt, Meyer has several built-in advantages, not the least of which he has one of the elite coaching jobs in the country. The Meyer resume: 17-6 at Bowling Green, 12-0 and a BCS bowl win at Utah, a national championship at Florida.
           
The Spurrier resume: six SEC Championships but none since 2000, an ACC title at Duke, a school-record 28 wins in his first four years at South Carolina .
           
What Meyer did at Utah matches what Spurrier did at Duke. Meyer has not sustained success at a school the way Spurrier did at Florida, but Meyer might be on his way at Florida.
           
I judge a coach based more on what he did in recent years, not the past 20. For example, Bobby Bowden isn’t as good a coach now as he was 10 years ago. Neither is Joe Paterno. And neither is Spurrier.
           
Some say this is one of Spurrier’s best coaching jobs. I disagree. South Carolina has won seven games because of its defense, not Spurrier’s offense. It was Spurrier who messed up the offense by starting Tommy Beecher, then Chris Smelley, then Stephen Garcia.
           
Meyer has adjusted well to the rigors of the SEC. He has tweaked his offense. He has conquered his rivals. He has motivated his players. He can beat you with an explosive offense or skilled special teams. And he’s in position to challenge for a second national title in three years.
           
Because of the difference in programs, I’d say winning eight games at South Carolina rivals winning the SEC at Florida. But winning the SEC is still tougher.
           
Meyer is in position to do that now. And now, he’s the better coach.
 


Is Saban Worth $4 Million Per Year?

Has Alabama coach Nick Saban been worth his $4 million average salary over eight years?
           
It’s hard to justify salaries. Is Alex Rodriguez worth $25 million to the New York Yankees? Is Tom Brady worth $18 million to the New England Patriots? Is Kobe Bryant worthy of a $116 million contract?
           
If those players bring in that much revenue to their team, the answer is yes. But how do you determine that revenue boost?
           
At Alabama, it’s simpler. You look at ticket revenues, donations, souvenir and concession sales. You might also look at national publicity, a #1 ranking and possible BCS bowl revenue.
           
Maybe even bragging rights. How do you put a price tag on bragging rights? How do you measure the worth of beating Clemson and Georgia and LSU? And maybe Auburn for the first time in seven years?
           
Without knowing exactly what the additional revenues are at Alabama since Saban took over, my answer to the Saban question is a resounding “yes.”
           
To take a team with mediocre talent in his first season and be 10-0 and #1 in his second season is a remarkable coaching job - probably the best in the nation. Certainly the best in the SEC.
           
If Saban wins a national title at a second SEC school that he has had to rebuild, it would be hard to argue that there’s a better coach in the country than Nick Saban.
 


Was The Loss To Alabama The Beginning Of The End For Miles?
 
In his first two years at LSU, Les Miles won a national championship, an SEC title and 34 games - not to mention three bowl games in decisive fashion.
           
He deserves credit for what he achieved, even if he did so with Saban’s talent.
           
This season, Miles has most of his recruits. He also has three losses. He’s played three teams currently ranked in the top 20 and didn’t beat any of them. Florida and Georgia outplayed the Tigers, but Miles let one get away against Alabama.
           
Was the Alabama defeat the beginning of the end for Miles?
            
First off, until 2000, LSU had just 10-win seasons in history. LSU has a strong tradition, but it doesn’t match Alabama’s.
           
Secondly, it’s unreasonable to expect Miles or any LSU coach - Saban included - to average over 11 wins a year. Saban averaged 10 in his last four years at LSU
            
Miles has recruited well at LSU. He fell victim this season to being caught without a quarterback after the dismissal of Ryan Perrilloux.
           
LSU will probably go 9-3 prior to playing in a bowl. If LSU wins the bowl, it would mark Miles’ fourth straight season with 10 wins. Miles happens to be the only LSU coach in history to win 10 in back-to-back seasons.
           
Miles’ second three seasons won’t be nearly as successful as his first three. He’ll go from 34 wins to about 28. In the process, he will be criticized for going on fourth down, for throwing a pass with one second left on the clock, for wearing his hat too high on his head.
           
That’s what happens when you win too many games too soon - with someone else’s talent.
           
Miles can have several more 10-win seasons at LSU, but he better not lose three or four in a row to Saban or the seat in Baton Rouge will be hotter than Tabasco sauce.
 


Will Vanderbilt Become Bowl Eligible?
 
The pressure is building at Vanderbilt.
           
After a 5-0 start, the Commodores would surely make it to a bowl game for the first time since 1982.  Wouldn’t they?
           
Not so fast, my friend.
           
A close loss at Mississippi State and a stunning loss to Duke have created doubts. Now 5-4, Vandy has just three more chances to become bowl eligible: at Kentucky, Tennessee and at Wake Forest .
           
In the past 12 years, Vanderbilt has not won two games in a season in the month of November.
           
Why?
           
“Probably the people we play,” was the short answer from coach Bobby Johnson.
           
Vanderbilt and Kentucky are about even in talent. The x-factor for the Wildcats is true freshman quarterback Randall Cobb, who had 187 total yards against Georgia and scored three touchdowns in a 42-38 loss.
           
Johnson is impressed by Cobb, who has played receiver, punt returner and quarterback for the Wildcats.
           
“It looks like he’s played quarterback the last three years,” Johnson said. “He looks real comfortable.”
           
Cobb has shown an ability to pass, scramble and run the option. He might be the main man in the way of Vanderbilt becoming bowl eligible.
 


Extra Points

Spurrier said his defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson gets a bonus if the Gamecocks finish in the top six in the SEC in total defense. The Gamecocks are ranked No. 1 going into the Florida game.

The Disappointment Bowl this weekend matches Georgia (8-2) against Auburn (5-5).

Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville might have to beat Georgia or Alabama to save his job, although a $6 million buyout to be paid over 366 days might be a tough pill for the Tigers to swallow.

Meyer said he does extensive background checks on recruits before signing them and he’s rejected some for misbehaving: “I’m not saying I’m getting too old for that but I’m not going to put up with it anymore.”
   

Never before has the SEC Championship game matchup been settled so soon.
           
Alabama’s win over LSU clinched the West and Florida’s win over Vanderbilt clinched the East.
           
If each team wins out as expected, we might have the nation’s top two ranked teams squaring off in the Georgia Dome. Top-ranked Alabama (10-0) has Mississippi State and Auburn remaining and would likely remain #1 if unbeaten.  Third-ranked Florida (8-1) has South Carolina, The Citadel and Florida State left.
           
The combined records of Bama and Florida could be 23-1 - the best ever for the SEC title game. Next best is 21-2-1 in 1994: 11-1 Alabama and 10-1-1 Florida.
           
Florida is the hottest team in the country, averaging over 50 points in their last four wins.
           
Alabama is the best coached team in the country, winning decisively on the road against Georgia and Tennessee and beating an inspired LSU team in rowdy Tiger Stadium.
            
While Florida quarterback Tim Tebow hasn’t matched his Heisman Trophy numbers of 2007, he’s still worthy of an invite to New York. He accounted for five touchdowns in an easy win over Vanderbilt. Tebow’s not running as much, but he’s still mighty effective when he does.
           
Nick Saban has taken an Alabama team that went 6-6 in the regular-season the past two years and done a masterful coaching job. The Tide uses a strong run game, a strong run defense, and solid play from quarterback John Parker Wilson. This is Alabama’s first #1 ranking since Bear Bryant was the coach.
           
Alabama is so focused, a Tide assistant didn’t realize his team had clinched the West until told by a reporter.
           
Interestingly, the teams rank 1-2 in the SEC in scoring offense, scoring defense, rushing offense and third-down conversions. They rank 1 and 3 in rush defense.
           
Florida has the better quarterback.
           
Alabama has the better power run game.
           
Florida has more offensive speed.
           
Alabama has a better run defense.
           
Florida has better special teams.
           
Alabama has a better third-down defense.
           
It should be one of the best SEC championship games ever.
           
The rankings tell you so.
 


LSU A Quarterback Away From Clicking
         
No wonder Les Miles doesn’t like Nick Saban. No wonder LSU’s coach doesn’t like to speak his predecessor’s name.
           
For years, Miles has had to listen to people say he won with Saban’s talent, he won an SEC title and the national championship because of the players Saban recruited.
           
Although Miles is 10 months removed from hoisting the national championship trophy, the whispers are starting again.
           
Where does LSU go without Saban’s players? With a third loss this season, are the Tigers going back to an 8-4 team? Can they find a quarterback?
           
Quarterback Jarrett Lee’s four interceptions were pivotal in an overtime loss to Alabama, once again showcasing the importance of the position.
           
Give LSU a Tebow, and the Tigers might be undefeated. Give the Tigers a Matt Stafford or a John Parker Wilson, and they’re a top 10 team. Give them Ryan Perrilloux and they might be an 11-1 team. Give them Lee and they might finish out of the top 20.
 


Tennessee Suffers An Embarrassing Loss     

Was Tennessee’s decision to fire Phillip Fulmer validated by the loss to
Wyoming on Saturday, or did it contribute to the defeat?
           
Probably both.
           
I felt Tennessee players would destroy Wyoming in a show of support for Fulmer… or play uninspired because of the emotional blow of losing
their coach. I still thought a lackluster effort would result in a win
over one of the 20 worst teams in the nation.
           
No offense to the Cowboys - and Wyoming has no offense - but the Cowboys are the worst team to beat Tennessee in the 24 years I’ve covered the Vols. Army was bad in 1986 and Duke wasn’t very good in 1988.
           
Two others that rival the Wyoming defeat: North Texas State in 1975 and Rutgers in 1979 - but I didn’t see those games. And there were the 1958 losses to Florida State, a relative newcomer to the football ranks, and to UT-Chattanooga.
           
Will Overstreet, a former star player at Tennessee (and a voter in our MrSEC.com Power Poll), blasted the team’s lack of effort. He said they quit and didn’t come to play.
           
Others were more sympathetic, citing the team being emotional drained
and distracted by the firing of their “father figure.”
           
Fulmer took the podium in the media room after two of his players - Wes Brown and Jonathan Crompton - were emotional in their comments. Brown broke down. Crompton tired to pick up the pieces, but he, too, was teary eyed.

Crompton said the players wanted to send their coach out on a
three-game winning streak. That won’t happen, not with the loss to Wyoming.
           
Fulmer said the players don’t owe him anything. Fulmer also said he
should apologize to the fans.
           
There weren’t a lot of fans to apologize to. Actual attendance was about
75,000. Many said they would go to homecoming as a show of support for Fulmer. Maybe some did. Most did not.
           
And that’s a big reason athletic director Mike Hamilton pulled the plug on the Fulmer Era.
 

Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton is about to find out what Joe Dean, Vince Dooley, Jeremy Foley and Mal Moore discovered in previous years: It’s tough to hire the right football coach at an elite program.
           
At LSU, Dean hired Curley Hallman and Gerry DiNardo before landing Nick Saban. Hallman had five straight losing seasons. DiNardo had two - the last two during a five-year run.
           
At Georgia, Dooley hired Ray Goff and Jim Donnan before settling on Mark Richt. In seven years, Goff had two teams that won more than six games. Donnan did much better, winning 35 games in his last four years, including all four bowl games. Yet, he was fired, in part, because he couldn’t beat Tennessee or Florida.
           
At Florida, Foley hired Ron Zook, who had three straight five-loss seasons, not including a knockout blowout delivered by a fraternity house. Urban Meyer came along to clean up the mess.
           
At Alabama, Moore brought in Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione and Mike Shula. DuBose had two losing seasons. Franchione bolted after Year Two for Texas A&M. Shula had one winning season in four years. Saban was hired to resurrect a second SEC program.
           
If Hamilton could hire Saban, Tennessee wouldn’t have to worry about continuing a downward slide. But Hamilton can’t hire Saban. He can’t hire Meyer. And he won’t get a Jon Gruden or a Pete Carroll.
           
There aren’t many sure-fire hires in college football.
           
And I don’t see a young Saban or a young Meyer among the available candidates.
           
Whichever direction Hamilton goes, he better not make a mistake.
           
The outpouring of support after Phillip Fulmer’s forced resignation has been stunning. Members of the athletic department have contacted several former players to gauge their reaction. The response: What the hell have you done?
           
Some have said they won’t support the athletic department again until the athletic director is gone.
           
More than one former player is withdrawing his financial support. Others have said they will scrutinize Hamilton more carefully than ever.
           
The UT compliance office has fielded several calls from players or parents of players inquiring about transferring. One came from former Vol offensive lineman David Douglas, whose son, tight end Aaron Douglas, was the state of Tennessee ’s top-rated prospect in 2008.
           
Former Vol All-American kicker Fuad Reveiz teed off on Hamilton.
           
“There are a lot of things I’m infuriated about,” Reveiz said.
           
He cited the way the ouster was handled.
           
“It disgusts me that it was done with three games left,” Reveiz said. “I heard the athletic director say it was done with three games left so we could feel good about him (Fulmer). That’s a bunch of crap. To let the guy hang in the wind for three games is disgusting. … It’s nuts.”
           
Reveiz feels a special bond to Fulmer, who was an assistant at UT when Reveiz was the kicker. Reveiz also has two sons who walked on at Tennessee, one of whom has since been given a scholarship.
           
“You don’t judge a coach on two out of 17 years,” said Reveiz, referring to 2005 and this season. “Last year was the best coaching job he’s ever done and he lost to the eventual national champion by two plays in the SEC Championship game. If we’d had any offense (this year) we’d have won three more games.”
           
And at 6-3 - rather than 3-6 - Hamilton would not have forced out Fulmer.
           
Reveiz said if you hire someone with Fulmer’s credentials, you’d have to pay him $3.5 million. Fulmer’s average salary over his seven-year deal is $3 million.
           
Will Hamilton pay more than $3 million for the next coach? Perhaps, depending on who the new guy is.
           
One of the prime candidates is North Carolina coach Butch Davis. He has said he’s not interested. But what do you expect him to say while he’s coaching the Tar Heels: “Sure, I’d love the Tennessee job. Beats the heck out of being in Chapel Hill.”
           
Davis made $1.7 million his first year. He is making $2.5 million this year and it escalates to over $3 million with incentives over the five-year duration.
           
Would Davis leave North Carolina if Tennessee is willing to pay more than $3 million? Maybe.
           
Another hot name is Texas Tech coach Mike Leach. Leach makes $1.75 million and has a $500,000 buyout. He’s quirky and unorthodox but he has a great offensive mind and he’s obviously done something right to get the Red Raiders to #2 in the latest BCS poll. But based on Leach’s personality, he’s a longshot for the job.
           
Minnesota coach Tim Brewster has a connection to UT associate athletic director John Currie. Brewster won one game his first year at Minnesota but he’s 7-2 this season. He coached under Mack Brown at North Carolina and at Texas. He’s considered a great recruiter.
           
Lane Kiffin, former coach of the Oakland Raiders, is another name. I don’t see this happening. What has Kiffin proven? That he’ll stand up to a crazy man like Al Davis? Kiffin showed his smarts as an assistant at Southern Cal, but at 33, is he ready to take over a program like Tennessee?
           
Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly and Tulsa coach Todd Graham were endorsed by former Ohio State coach John Cooper.
           
Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State, Mike Dantonio of Michigan State, Randy Edsall of Connecticut, Chris Peterson of Boise State, Bronco Mendenhall of BYU and Kyle Whittingham of Utah are other head coaches who might be of interest.
           
If Tennessee goes the coordinator route, watch for Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.
           
Tennessee hopes to have a coach in place in early December.
           
The Vols have lost one commitment since the Fulmer ouster and two uncommitted players have ruled out Tennessee.
           
It’s been a tough season for Tennessee football.
           
It’ll get tougher if Hamilton doesn’t make the right call.

The forced resignation of Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer sent shock waves throughout the college football world.
           
“I hate it,” said former Ohio State coach John Cooper, who was forced out in a similar manner to Fulmer. “It’s going to happen if you stay in it long enough. It happened to me. It happened to ( Michigan coach) Lloyd Carr. He did a great job. He’s a Hall of Fame coach. And they’ll appreciate him down the road. (Coaching at Tennessee ) is not as easy as everyone thinks.”
           
Fulmer made it clear during his jam-packed press conference that he wanted to stay. In 16-plus seasons, he had won 150 games, one national championship and two SEC titles. And he was confident he could turn around a team that is 3-6.
           
Athletic director Mike Hamilton, who, in the past four years, has fired a men’s basketball and a baseball coach, didn’t agree.
           
While Hamilton didn’t go into details about his reasoning, it’s clear he was unhappy about Fulmer’s fall from grace. In recent years, Fulmer has had a poor record against rival schools Florida, Georgia and Alabama, and since 2000, he’s 1-9 at home against top 10 teams with an average margin of defeat of 17 points.
           
Plus, Tennessee has averaged about 85,000 in three of its five home games at 102,000-seat Neyland Stadium. Alabama had more than 25,000 fans in the stands and outnumbered the UT unfaithful in the final stages of the fourth quarter.
           
Fulmer’s approval rating is at an all-time low. In a poll run by a local newspaper, 78 percent of fans said they would not re-elect Fulmer as head coach.
           
While reluctant to leave, Fulmer said it was time to unite a divided fan base.
           
The show of support from Fulmer’s players and friends was overwhelming as he received at least three standing ovations. Perhaps Hamilton was a bit overwhelmed as well.
           
More than 60 players jammed into a small media area for a 5pm press conference. They occupied about 40 seats reserved for the media. When some of the players were asked to move to make way for the media, many said not just “no,” but “hell, no.”
           
After an emotional Fulmer read a prepared statement, Hamilton read one as well. While Hamilton spoke, Fulmer never looked at his boss. After Fulmer took a few questions, he departed the podium, stage right - to another standing ovation.
           
When Fulmer left, so did the majority of players, not waiting around to hear what Hamilton had to say.
           
One player, senior receiver, Josh Briscoe, did wait, and asked Hamilton a pointed question about why the decision was about economics.
           
Offensive lineman Ramon Foster said the ouster was not a stand-up move by Tennessee.
           
Fulmer addressed his team at 4pm and told them of his resignation. Many already knew because in a Sunday night meeting, Hamilton told Fulmer of his decision and the news broke Monday morning.
           
When Hamilton addressed the players, I’m told, many rebelled, yelling, cursing and throwing chairs. It was an ugly scene.
           
The anger spilled over to the press conference an hour later.
           
Before the press conference, offensive lineman Vlad Richard was seen crying as he hugged a teammate. More tears were shed as Fulmer’s voiced cracked during his comments. About 10 minutes into his resignation, Fulmer’s wife, Vicky, went to the podium to put her hand on Fulmer’s shoulder.
           
Asked afterwards if she wanted to make a comment, Vicky said: `No, I stand by my man.”
           
Hamilton was asked why make the announcement now rather than wait until the last week of the season. He said he wanted the last three games to be a farewell to Fulmer and the Kentucky game Nov. 29 to be Phillip Fulmer Appreciation Day.
           
I don’t buy it. You could have sent Fulmer off with his day if you’d have announced the ouster Nov. 25.
           
I believe Hamilton felt compelled to pull the trigger with three games left to get a jump-start on his coaching search. I think he feels he’s competing with Clemson for a coach, and maybe Washington.
           
Here’s an interesting stat someone threw at me: The average hiring date of a college coach fired with more than three games left in a season is Dec. 12. The average hiring date of a coach fired the last week of the season is Dec. 16.
           
Would waiting another two or three weeks have really made that much difference?
           
It could when it comes to recruiting. I asked a college coach known as a terrific recruiter if it’s harder to keep commitments when you fire a coach on, say, Nov. 3, as opposed to Nov. 25.
           
Answer: Absolutely.
           
It’s easier to hold commitments when the window is three weeks instead of six. Look what’s happening at Clemson. The Tigers have had three recruits commit elsewhere while several others are making official visits to other schools.
           
And those other schools are voiding what had been a strong Clemson class by picking away at commitments.
           
Tennessee’s recruiting class ranks in the top five nationally after the recent commitment of star quarterback Tajh Boyd of Hampton, Va. How many commitments Tennessee retains depends on when the hire is made and who the hire is.
           
Fulmer said he was appreciative that he was offered a chance to remain at UT in the athletic department in some capacity. I doubt he’ll take it. Fulmer came across as a coach who believes he’s still got more good years. He turned 58 on Sept. 1. His age makes him less marketable. But his record would make him an attractive candidate.
           
It’ll be interesting to see if Fulmer follows in the footsteps of his close friend, David Cutcliffe. After Cutcliffe was fired at Ole Miss following the 2004 season, Ole Miss legend Archie Manning advised Cutcliffe to sit out a year, survey the landscape and determine if he wanted to enter the coaching arena again.
           
Cutcliffe sat out one year, took a second tour of duty as Tennessee ’s offensive coordinator, then was hired as Duke’s head coach in December 2007.
           
Cutcliffe was 50 when he was fired at Ole Miss. Fulmer is eight years older. That age difference might affect whether Fulmer jumps back into coaching in 2009 or sits out a year.
           
Fulmer’s close friend and former coaching colleague, Doug Mathews, thinks Fulmer will coach again.
           
Someone else told me Fulmer will coach again to stick it to Hamilton, to prove to Hamilton he made a major mistake by forcing him to resign.
           
Now Hamilton embarks on the search of his life.
           
After Hamilton fired basketball coach Buzz Peterson in the spring of 2005, he hit a home run by hiring Bruce Pearl.
           
He better hit another home run in his pursuit of a football coach or he might wind up like Steve Pederson at Nebraska . Pederson fired coach Frank Solich after a 9-3 season, hired Bill Callahan, and, when Callahan couldn’t revive the Nebraska program, Pederson was fired before Callahan.
           
Someone offered me a bet recently. He said Fulmer’s replacement won’t win 40 games in his first five seasons. That’s an average of only eight per season.
           
I’m not willing to make that bet.
           
Apparently, Hamilton is.
 

The SEC has won the last two national championships in football. It is usually the best conference in the nation. It recently reached an agreement with CBS and ESPN to pay the league $3 billion over the next 15 years, mainly for the right to carry football games.
           
Yes, typically, the SEC is king when it comes to football.
           
But folks, this isn’t a typical year.
           
In fact, since divisional play was introduced in 1992, this is the worst the league has been.
           
The SEC has three top 10 caliber teams in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. It has a top 20 team in LSU.
           
South Carolina, with a strong finish, could land a top 25 ranking.
           
Beyond that, the teams are average to bad.
           
I never saw this coming, not with the caliber of coaches and athletes that take the field each Saturday in the most football passionate part of the country.
           
Despite those elite coaches, the SEC just doesn’t have many elite teams.
           
Why? Quarterback play.
           
Tim Tebow, Matt Stafford and John Parker Wilson are the three best quarterbacks in the SEC.
           
Name another top-tier quarterback?
           
Let’s take a look at what happened this past weekend in SEC play. In the Tennessee-South Carolina game, neither quarterback completed 50 percent of his passes. UT’s Nick Stephens got benched after throwing an interception, returned, and finished 10 of 24 for 134 yards with four sacks. The Gamecocks’ Stephen Garcia was 9 of 19 for 139 yards.
           
Those are among the highlights.
           
Kentucky ’s starting quarterback was 7 of 13 passing for 56 yards in a win over Mississippi State .
           
LSU’s starting quarterback completed 8 of 20 passes against mighty Tulane.
           
Auburn’s quarterback was 27 of 43 against Ole Miss, but threw three critical interceptions.
           
Ole Miss’ quarterback completed 50 percent of his passes (15 of 30 for 140 yards).
           
Alabama’s quarterback passed for only 152 yards on 28 attempts against Arkansas State .
           
Even Stafford threw three interceptions in a one-sided loss at Florida .
           
Vanderbilt’s quarterbacks were spared by an open date. MacKenzi Adams and Chris Nickson have combined to complete 50.9 percent of their passes this season for a whopping 110.4 yards per games.
           
That’s what most quarterbacks in the Big 12 get in one quarter.
           
Entering Saturday’s games, only two SEC quarterbacks ranked among the nation’s top 40 in passing efficiency. Six of the top 12 SEC passers ranked 82nd or lower in the nation.
           
I admit, I’m a quarterback guy. I think it’s extremely difficult to win at a high level in college football without a productive quarterback.
           
For example, do you think LSU would have lost by 14 to Georgia at home (remember the Bulldogs returned two interceptions for touchdowns) and at Florida by 30 if Matt Flynn had been the Bengals’ quarterback?
           
Do you think Auburn would be 4-5 with Jason Campbell at quarterback? Or Tennessee 3-6 with Erik Ainge at quarterback?
           
As I watched South Carolina and Tennessee flounder during a boring SEC game Saturday night, I had another TV set turned to Texas and Texas Tech. The Texas teams were more athletic, better coached and much more proficient in the passing game. They played fast. The Vols and Gamecocks played like they were running in quick sand.
           
The debate that the SEC is better than the Big 12 borders on absurd. It’s not even close. When I went team-by-team from best to worst, I’ve got the SEC winning maybe four of the 12 games - if you count pushes. That’s it.
           
I think Florida could beat Texas Tech, but I’d take Texas over Alabama and Oklahoma over Georgia. I’d take Oklahoma State over LSU, Missouri over South Carolina and Kansas over Kentucky. Nebraska and Ole Miss would be a push. If Vanderbilt can’t beat Duke, would it beat Kansas State ?
           
Auburn and Texas A&M might be a 3-2 game. Colorado - Arkansas, Tennessee-Iowa State are toss ups. I’d take Baylor over Mississippi State because the Bears have a gifted young quarterback.
           
I can hear the defenders of the SEC: SEC defenses make SEC offenses look bad. No, poor execution and quarterback play make SEC offenses look bad.
           
As for SEC defenses, West Virginia scored 34 points on Auburn, Georgia Tech got 38 on Mississippi State and Texas got 52 on Arkansas. UCLA got 27 on Tennessee but was shutout by BYU and got just 10 on Arizona.
           
From another perspective, how would you rank SEC teams compared to the other 119 Division 1-A programs? Answer: Not very high.
           


Here’s my list, using a range for those outside the top 25.
           
1. Alabama. The Crimson Tide has a good chance to be undefeated entering the SEC championship game against Florida.
           
4. Florida. I’m impressed with Oklahoma at this spot, but the Gators have more quality wins.
           
12. Georgia. I don’t want to punish the Dawgs too much for losing to two of the top five teams in the nation.
           
15. LSU has lost to two quality teams. The Alabama game will determine if the Tigers belong this high.
           
26-30. South Carolina. Because of defense, the Gamecocks are a border line top 25 team and could go 8-4.
           
30-35. Ole Miss. The Rebels handed Florida its only loss, a big feather in Houston Nutt’s cap.
           
35-40. Kentucky. Their win over Louisville looks better now. So does 3-point loss at Alabama.
           
40-45. Vanderbilt. The 5-0 start was a mirage. Commodores will be 7-5 at best.
           
50-60. Auburn. Decent defense but horrific offense. Not one good win.
           
50-60. Arkansas. Win over No. 18 Tulsa is impressive, better than anything Tennessee has done.
           
60-70. Tennessee. Program is much closer to Northern Illinois than Florida, Alabama or Georgia .
           
70-80. Mississippi State. Another horrific SEC offense. Lost to Louisiana Tech and blown out by Georgia Tech.
 


My MrSEC.com Power Poll ballot:

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Georgia
4. LSU
5. South Carolina
6. Ole Miss
7. Kentucky
8. Vanderbilt
9. Auburn
10. Arkansas
11. Tennessee
12. Mississippi State
 

Rumors have swirled around Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer’s job situation like leaves whistling through a hurricane.
           
Problem is: Most of the rumors aren’t true.
           
No, Fulmer’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, wasn’t in Knoxville to discuss a negotiated buyout Monday.
           
No, Fulmer didn’t agree to a settlement in the wee hours of Tuesday night.
           
No, Fulmer hasn’t said he’s agreeable to stepping down, but wants to be named director of football operations.
           
I ran that by a prominent booster who told me I was nuts for asking. Fulmer might stay, he said, but there’s no way he would be director of football operations.
           
Truth is, I believe, these talks aren’t nearly as far along as people think.
           
While I don’t believe Fulmer is returning, I don’t think Fulmer or his agent have been told that.
           
If South Carolina beats Tennessee, especially if the Gamecocks win handily, then there is a chance talks between Hamilton and Fulmer could occur next week.
           
But I’m told by a prominent booster nothing will be announced regarding Fulmer’s future until much later, either the week before or the week after the season finale against Kentucky.
           
Two boosters have told me Fulmer will not return. A third said Fulmer had to beat Alabama to survive, but didn’t want to discuss the matter after the Alabama loss.
            
Someone close to Fulmer told me Tuesday night that Fulmer would survive, that he would make changes to his offense - don’t know if that means staff or system - and was looking forward to a much improved team in 2009, thanks in part to a top 10 recruiting class that includes a top-notch quarterback that has privately committed.
           
The person close to Fulmer said Fulmer still has the passion to coach and believes he should - and will - be given the opportunity to turn the program around.
           
He is the only person I’ve talked to who is convinced Fulmer is coming back.
           
One other thing: I talked to four prominent boosters and someone close to Hamilton who told me Tennessee won’t - and has never - approached boosters about footing the bill to buy out a coach.
           
If ever it would have occurred, it would have been when UT fired men’s basketball coach Buzz Peterson three years ago and had to pay him $1.4 million. The UT athletic department had to borrow from the university - with interest - to pay off Peterson.
           
If UT didn’t ask boosters to foot the bill then, why would anyone think it happened previously, when buyouts weren’t nearly as significant?
           
If Fulmer is fired, UT would owe him $1.5 million a year over the next four years. If negotiations occur, it might be to pay Fulmer out over 8 to 10 years. Or it might be whether Fulmer is due the raises in the contract, a difference of about $500,000 over the life of the seven-year deal.
           
A group of boosters wouldn’t be summoned to pony up the money.
           
But don’t be surprised if a group of boosters is consulted on Fulmer’s future.
           
One thing that hurts Fulmer’s cause: The 25,000 or so Alabama fans who found their way into Neyland Stadium. By the fourth quarter, Alabama had more fans in the stands than did Tennessee.
           
I’ve covered Tennessee since 1985, and I’ve never seen close to the number of opposing fans in Neyland Stadium that I saw last Saturday.
           
The Crimson Tide took over Neyland Stadium much the same way UT used to take over Dudley Field when the Vols were whipping Vanderbilt.
          
It was a scene that turned the stomachs of even the staunchest Fulmer supporters.
 

South Carolina’s Defense Thriving

Statistics often can be misleading.
           
For example, Kentucky led the SEC in scoring defense until Florida got 63.
           
Tennessee was averaging 221 rushing yards after two games before SEC play. The average in SEC games: 79.2 with two games of 36 or fewer yards.
           
Vanderbilt was ranked No. 13 in the country before losing consecutive games to Mississippi State, Georgia and Duke.
           
LSU was No. 5 in the nation before losing by 30 to Florida and by 14 to Georgia.
           
But here’s one stat that might not be misleading: South Carolina leads the SEC in total defense and ranks fourth in the nation, allowing 256.1 total yards per game.
           
When you look at the game-by-game numbers, you realize it’s no fluke. You realize the numbers were not bolstered by bad competition. You realize this is a defense that has an outstanding secondary and can stop the run reasonably well.
           
South Carolina held North Carolina State to 138 total yards, Vanderbilt to 225, Georgia (the SEC’s No. 1 offense at 431 yards) to 252 and Kentucky to 218. Only Ole Miss (361 yards) and LSU (363) have gained more than 285 yards.
           
And South Carolina, which allowed over 540 rushing yards to Arkansas last year and ranked last in the SEC in run defense, has held three teams to less than 100 rushing yards and two others to less than 120.
           
No wonder Head Ball Coach Steve Spurrier called Ellis Johnson the best defensive coordinator in the nation.
           
No wonder South Carolina gave Johnson an extension at midseason.
           
Johnson inherited 10 starters from the SEC’s ninth best defense. Thus far, the Gamecocks are giving up 122 fewer yards per game. The run defense has gone from 209.3 to 115.8. It has gone from allowing 4.8 yards per carry to 3.3.
           
The pass defense led the SEC in 2007 with 168.8 yards per game. This year, USC is giving up 140.4 yards per game. The Gamecocks have surrendered an SEC-best three touchdown passes this season, one of the best figures in the nation.
           
Spurrier said plenty of high school prospects want to play defense for the Gamecocks. Now, he’s trying to find some that want to play offense for the Gamecocks.
           
Why, Spurrier has even taken to moving some promising wide receivers to the secondary, presumably as punishment. Dion Lecorn, the fourth-leading receiver last year, was moved to defensive back. So was freshman wideout C.C. Whitlock.
           
Has Spurrier gone Gene Stallings?
           
The secondary is led by cornerback Captain Munnerlyn and strong safety Emmanuel Cook. Cook is like Tennessee ’s Eric Berry: When you see a big tackle made in the backfield for the Gamecocks, it’s usually Cook.
           
Middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley and outside linebacker Eric Norwood are two of the best in the SEC.
           
Given that Tennessee ’s offense is averaging 221.2 total yards in SEC games, you’d think the Vols would have trouble surpassing the 200-mark against SC.
           
South Carolina is one win from being bowl eligible. It’s a Tennessee win away from perhaps an eight-win season.
           
If the Gamecocks do get to eight wins, it won’t be because of Spurrier’s offense.
           
It will be because of Johnson’s defense.
           
That’s an odd twist for a Spurrier coached team.
 


LSU Defense Struggling
 
Which team has replaced South Carolina at No. 9 in defense?
           
Try LSU. The Tigers were supposed to have one of the nation’s top defenses after finishing first in the SEC and third in the nation a year ago. Instead, Les Miles’ defense is giving up 316.4 yards per game - about 30 more per game than a year ago.
           
While the Tigers’ run defense isn’t bad - 110.6 yards per game - the pass defense is allowing 205.9 yards per game compared to 182.7 a year ago. LSU’s secondary has struggled and the Tigers have an SEC-low four interceptions.
           
Alabama is second in defense after ranking sixth a year ago.
           
Florida is third after ranking seventh.
           
Tennessee is fourth after ranking 11th.
           
Vanderbilt, which was 16th in the nation and fourth in the SEC a year ago, is 37th in the nation and 10th in the SEC.
           
Kentucky is giving up 95 fewer yards per game but has improved from 10th in the SEC to eighth.
 


Florida Will Match Georgia Celebration
 
When the talent level is close to even, I believe you win college games with emotion. I believe revenge can be a motivational factor. I believe Georgia ’s celebrated celebration after its first score against Florida last year propelled the Bulldogs to a victory over the Gators.
           
I believe that same celebration is why Florida will beat Georgia this Saturday.
           
Yes, Matt Stafford and the Dawgs were impressive in beating LSU in Baton Rouge. But the Tigers had almost 500 total yards and played Georgia even except for two interception returns for touchdowns.
           
Florida’s offense is clicking, having scored 51 and 63 points in the last two games against SEC opponents.
           
It will score at least 38 against Georgia. And celebrate at the end of the game the way Georgia celebrated at the start of the game last season.
 


A Homecoming For 2 Coaches
 
It’s a homecoming of sorts in two SEC games this weekend.
           
Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville returns to Oxford, where he coached the Rebels for four years before bolting to Auburn.
           
Tulsa offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn returns to Arkansas, where he was offensive coordinator for one year under Houston Nutt before leaving after the 2006 season. Malzahn has guided the Golden Hurricanes to one of the highest scoring offenses in the nation.
           
This is the second celebrated return of a former coach to Arkansas in back-to-back weeks.
           
Nutt got the better of the Hogs when Ole Miss prevailed 23-21.
           
Malzahn will do the same, and his team will score more than 23 points.
 

Nine weeks into this season, who would have thought Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden would have eight more combined wins that Phillip Fulmer and Tommy Tuberville?
           
Who would have thought defensive-minded LSU would get torched for more than 50 points by both Florida and Georgia?
           
Who would have thought Vanderbilt would beat South Carolina, Ole Miss and Auburn and lose at home to Duke?
           
Who would have thought the only undefeated team in SEC play - and overall - would be Alabama?
           
Who would have thought LSU would be two games behind in the West Division race and Auburn three games out?
           
Who would have thought signees Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, Terence Cody and Don’ta Hightower would have such a profound impact on Alabama’s team?
           
Who would have thought Fulmer would be in danger of being fired after signing a 7-seven year deal with an average annual salary of $3 million?                   
           
Who would have thought Tuberville would be on the hot seat after winning 42 games the previous four seasons?
           
Who would have thought a 5-foot-7 running back from Arkansas would be leading the league in rushing?
           
Who would have thought Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson would have fewer interceptions than any SEC season-long starter except Tim Tebow?
           
Who would have thought Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick would be second in the SEC in passing yards per game?
           
Who would have thought Tennessee would be outscored 85-29 by rivals Florida, Georgia and Alabama ?
           
Who would have thought Florida’s only loss would be at home to Ole Miss?
           
Who would have thought Alabama would gain fewer than 100 yards rushing and passing against Tulane, yet be ranked No. 2 in the country?
           
Who would have thought the SEC would have just four ranked teams and be inferior to the offensive-minded Big 12?
           
Who would have thought six different teams would have started at least two quarterbacks?
           
Who would have thought Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt would have as many wins as Auburn?
           
Who would have thought Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino would have as many wins as Tennessee?
           
Who would have thought Georgia would trail Alabama 31-0 at home at halftime, but score 52 on LSU?
           
Who would have thought a true freshman (A.J. Green of Georgia) would lead the SEC in receiving yards per game?
           
Who would have thought that the leading tackler in the SEC would be a 5-foot-10 linebacker from Tennessee (Ellix Wilson) who replaced a first-round NFL draft choice (Jarod Mayo)?
           
Who would have thought that Vanderbilt’s Jared Hawkins (441 yards) would have more rushing yards than Tennessee’s Arian Foster (402 yards)? Hawkins had 267 last year, Foster 1,193.
           
Who would have thought Alabama ’s Glen Coffee (838 yards) would have almost 750 more yards than Terry Grant, who rushed for 891 last year?  
           
Who would have thought Auburn would give up 445 total yards to West Virginia and Mississippi State would give up 438 rushing yards to Georgia Tech?
           
Who would have thought a ranked SEC team would lose to UCLA, then UCLA lose the next week 59-0 to Brigham Young?
           
Who would have thought Arkansas would beat Auburn by more points than it beat Louisiana-Monroe?
           
Who would have thought SEC home teams would have won just 16 of 29 games?
           
Who would have thought Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Tennessee would have losing records in SEC home games?
           
Who would have thought Florida would score 63 on the SEC’s top-ranked scoring defense?
           
Who would have thought we’d see a 3-2 game?
 

Fulmer’s Days Might Be Numbered
 
Fulmer might have coached his last game against Alabama.
           
For that matter, he might have coached his last game against Florida and Georgia.
           
Alabama’s convincing 29-9 victory over the Vols in Neyland Stadium ran Fulmer’s record in the 2000s to 1-9 against top 10 teams in Knoxville with an average margin of defeat of 17 points.
           
Tennessee is also 15-16 in its last 31 SEC games.
           
UT not only lost to an Alabama team that is tied for the fewest scholarships seniors (nine) in the nation, but it appeared more than 20,000 in 102,000-seat Neyland Stadium were Alabama fans.
           
Late in the fourth quarter, Neyland Stadium had more Tide fans than UT fans. It was a similar situation earlier this year in a 30-6 home loss to Florida.
           
Just as disturbing to the Vol Nation is Fulmer’s 6-18 record against coaches at the other five elite SEC programs: 0-4 against Urban Meyer, 1-4 against Nick Saban, 1-3 against Tuberville, 1-2 against LSU’s Les Miles and 3-5 against Georgia ’s Mark Richt.
          

Don’t Say No To Bowl Bid
 
Mark Womack, executive commissioner of the SEC, said the league would frown upon a bowl eligible SEC turning down a slot in a bowl game. In fact, he said any bowl eligible team would be strongly encouraged to accept a bowl bid to one of the league’s nine tie-ins.
           
Why? Because all teams share in bowl revenue, which is about $2 million per year, Womack said.
           
If you don’t want to participate in a bowl game, then maybe you shouldn’t accept the bowl revenues.
           
The question was asked of Womack considering Auburn and Tennessee might be on the way to 6-6 seasons and possibly in search of new head coaches. Neither UT nor Auburn would be excited about playing in the Dec. 28 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., or the Dec. 29 Papajohn’s.com Bowl in Birmingham, Ala.
           
Seven SEC teams have at least five wins. Two others have at least four.
           
One of these years, the bowls might not have enough eligible teams. Womack said 71 teams were bowl eligible last year for 68 bowl berths.
           
What if there aren’t enough bowl eligible teams to fill the 68 spots?
           
Womack wasn’t sure, but he hopes it won’t come to that.
           
And he’s hoping the SEC has nine bowl-eligible teams.

Here’s our Week Nine preview which, due to some scheduling problems, will have to be delivered in column form rather than the usual webcast form.

Our apologies… and you can check in next week for a return to the webcast format:



WHICH TEAM FACES THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGE THIS WEEK?

That’s Kentucky at Florida. Kentucky is wounded. The Wildcats don’t have their best wide receiver, their most productive running back and their best defensive tackle.

Plus, Kentucky catches Florida coming off an open date and a 30-point win over LSU.

With the Gators’ offense clicking and Kentucky struggling on offense, this has the makings of a one-sided affair. Plus, Florida’s defense is much improved. In 2007, five Florida opponents scored at least 30 points and the Gators were last in the SEC in pass defense (258.5 yards per game) and eighth in scoring defense (25.5).

This season, Florida has held 4 of 6 opponents to 10 or fewer points and ranks sixth in pass defense (178 yards per game) and second in scoring defense (13.0). Florida has Georgia the next week so Kentucky better hope the Gators looking ahead.
 


WHICH TEAM OR COACH MOST NEEDS A WIN TO SATISFY THE FANBASE?

Here we go again. Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee. Two prominent UT boosters told me Fulmer had to beat Georgia or Alabama to save his job.

UT lost to Georgia, Alabama is next. Fulmer has usually done well against Alabama with a 10-4-1 record - 11-4 counting a forfeit. He’s not lost to the Tide in back to back years.

But he’s 1-3 against Nick Saban and Saban’s Tide routed the Vols 41-17 last year with John Parker Wilson passing for a career high 363 yards. UT’s freshman-laden secondary played soft coverage a year ago. It should play much tighter coverage in the secondary which will make it tougher on Parker.
 
One other coach doesn’t NEED a win but he would certainly endear himself to his fan base with a victory and that’s Bobby Petrino at Arkansas, facing Ole Miss and former Razorbacks coach Houston Nutt.
 


WHICH TEAM IS MOST RIPE TO BE UPSET IN WEEK NINE?

Alabama going against Tennessee. This is Nick Saban’s first 7-0 team. There’s a bit of pressure that comes when you’ve extended yourself outside of your comfort zone.

Nobody figured Alabama would be No. 2 in nation at this juncture. The Crimson is without its best defensive player in run stopping nose tackle Terence Cody.

Alabama has been prone to second half lapses. The Tide gets out of the gate fast, having outscored 95-3 in first quarter. So Tennessee must keep it close early.

The Vols are coming off a confidence-building win versus Mississippi State. Tennessee also remembers the blowout loss at Alabama last year, so revenge is a factor.

UT coach Phillip Fulmer needs a win to perhaps save his job and he’s had some big wins with his back to the wall. Tennessee is #3 in the SEC in run defense and could contain the Tide run game, forcing John Parker Wilson to win with his arm.

I think this will be anybody’s game in 4th quarter.
 


WHAT ARE YOU MOST INTERESTED IN SEEING THIS WEEKEND?

Several things come to mind:

Vanderbilt getting a sixth win to become bowl eligible as Vandy hosts Duke…

Can Tennessee run ball and stop the run v. Alabama…

The outcome of Houston Nutt’s return to Arkansas as the Ole Miss coach…

But the marquee battle this week is Georgia at LSU. The last three meetings have been blowouts. That shouldn’t be the case Saturday.

The loser faces uphill battle in its respective division. The loser is also out of the national championship picture for all intents and purposes.

LSU has the better team. Georgia has the better QB. Can Matt Stafford get it done in a hostile environment? Can LSU’s run game get it done against the SEC’s best run defense? Should be an intriguing match-up.

Veterans of SEC warfare will tell you there are two staples to winning in this league: Defense and running the football.
           
Defense is revered in the SEC.
           
Running the ball is becoming a lost art or a lost emphasis — at least, among many teams.
           
Alabama leads the SEC in rushing this season. One coach after another will tell you how impressed they are with the Crimson Tide’s offensive line and running backs. They’ll tell you Nick Saban’s team is pounding the ball and dominating the line of scrimmage.
           
Alabama is averaging 209.3 rushing yards per game.
           
That’s penny-anny compared to the rushing numbers in the 1970s. Alabama averaged more than 300 rushing yards per game from 1971-79 behind Bear Bryant’s wishbone. If you didn’t average 280 during that time, you couldn’t win the rushing title. If you couldn’t average 200, you couldn’t run well.
           
How times have changed.
           
From 1969 to 1994, every team that won the SEC rushing title averaged over 200 yards. Since 1995, four teams have finished first at less than 200 yards per game.
           
This season, half the teams in the SEC are averaging fewer than 140 rushing yards per game. Six are averaging less than 4.0 yards per rush. South Carolina is at 2.9. The Gamecocks have five rushing touchdowns in eight games. Auburn has six in seven games.
           
What in Bo Jackson is going on?
           
Coaches will tell you that it’s harder than ever to run the football with consistent success. Teams are putting seven or eight men in the box, cheating a strong safety toward the line of scrimmage, employing run blitzes and sticking 365-pound behemoths on the nose of the center.
           
As good as Alabama has been this year, it ran for just 103 yards against Ole Miss.
           
Former Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe said running in the SEC was becoming about as difficult as running in the NFL, where a good day is 125 yards.
           
“Third-and-1 is a passing down in the NFL,” Cutcliffe said.
           
It’s not a passing down in the SEC, but it’s close. Third-and-2 has become a passing down for a lot of college teams. It’s become difficult to move the pile.
           
Tennessee is a good example. From 1989-1994 the Vols averaged more than 200 rushing yards per game each season. Since then, UT has averaged over 200 rushing yards just once - in 1998, when Tennessee won the national championship.
           
Two years ago, Tennessee averaged 108.8 rushing yards per game.
           
This is a team coached by a former offensive lineman, by a coach who likes to pound the rock as much as he does Rocky Top.
           
Some coaches will tell you that you can run the ball if you have the right mindset.
           
Under Houston Nutt, Arkansas led the SEC in rushing five of the past six years. It didn’t hurt to have Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, but even without them, the Hogs were averaging over 200 rushing yards per game.
           
Of course, Arkansas fans tired of Nutt, in part because his teams were seldom good in the passing game.
           
Striking a balance is the key. LSU in 2007 and Florida in 2006 each averaged over 200 rushing and passing yards per game.
           
It’s no coincidence that the top four rushing teams in the SEC this season - Alabama , Florida , LSU and Georgia - are the top four ranked teams in the Top 25 from the league. It’s worth noting that those are the top four teams in the SEC in passing efficiency.
           
It’s also worth noting that the six lowest ranked rushing teams in the SEC - Auburn, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi State and South Carolina - each has a losing record in SEC play.
           
Defense might win championships but the ability to run can sure win a lot of games.
                      


Top 3 Defenders In The SEC
 
Who are the three best defensive players in the SEC?
           
You can start with this week’s SEC Defensive Player of the Week - Eric Berry.
           
In 21 career games, Tennessee ’s brilliant sophomore safety has 10 interceptions and has returned them for an SEC record 397 yards. Folks, that’s 39.7 yards per run back. He’s 104 interception return yards off the NCAA record.
           
Berry is not only a terrific ballhawk with running skills, he’s a vicious tackler. For a man who weighs 195, he packs a punch. He’s the best and most talented Tennessee defensive back since Dale Carter in 1990-91.
           
Another outstanding defensive player is Florida middle linebacker Brandon Spikes. Spikes is third in the SEC with 9.2 tackles per game. He returned an interception for a touchdown against LSU. He chases down ballcarriers from behind. And he’s the main reason Florida ’s defense is considerably better than a year ago.
           
In 2007, five Florida opponents scored at least 30 points and the Gators were last in the SEC in pass defense (258.5 yards per game), eighth in scoring defense (25.5) and seventh in total defense (361.8).
           
This season, Florida is sixth in pass defense (178 yards per game), second in scoring defense (13.0), fifth in total defense (274.3) and has held four of six opponents to 10 or fewer points.
           
Another top defender is Alabama’s 365-pound nose tackle Terrence Cody. Matt Hayes of The Sporting News called Cody the Tide’s most valuable player.
           
Cody has helped Alabama rank fourth in the nation against the run (66.1 yards). The Tide is giving up 2.7 yards per rush and has permitted just one rushing touchdown.
           
With Cody in the first half, Alabama outscored Ole Miss 24-3. Without him in the second half, the Rebels outscored the Tide 17-0.
           


Meyer Disputes Runner-Passer Theory
 
Florida coach Urban Meyer scoffed at the notion that quarterbacks who are adept at running the ball don’t hav