2015 SEC Preview Welcome, SEC fans… Most of you have come to this page of this SEC 10. I’m on the Executive Leadership Team for the preview very, VERY skeptical. Some of you were Paul Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award, coerced into buying it. given in Houston, nine seasons running. “It’s not Phil Steele or anything.” some will say. 11. I constructed the Lombardi Award Watch Yeah, it’s different than that. There are things in List from scratch for three years. here that you’ll never find in any preview. 12. My full-time job is as a football analyst and Some of you did it as a favor to a friend or even sideline reporter for the Houston Texans. me (thanks by the way!). And, it’s going to take a Essentially, I do all the nerdy football stuff for while for most of you to warm up to me; that’s our in-house media group. I’m so fortunate to totally cool. So, I figured I’d introduce myself, so work with one of the best play-by-play men in to speak the league Marc Vandermeer (who was the 1. My name is John Harris. Hi. Voice of the Miami Hurricanes for their last National Championship) and analyst (SEC 2. I’m a coach’s son, played college football, Network game analyst too) Andre Ware. Oh, coached HS ball and covered college football and I get to interview my former Brown since 1995. Yep, the year of the internet! University teammate Bill O’Brien every game. 3. I played HS football in Texas, just outside of Weird how the world works. Houston. 13. I also contribute to TexAgs.com as their 4. I played college ball at Brown University. football X’s & O’s, non-maroon colored That’s in the Ivy League. Yeah, I know, I glasses guy. Gabe, Billy & the guys are great. know…there’s a plethora of Ivy League jokes 14. This whole preview/website business is my just screaming at you right now. secondary business and a great way to keep 5. I’ve been a calculus teacher, a Physics teacher me from working on my golf game (I stink!). and a senior accountant for a big four firm 15. I did everything you see here. I wrote it. I (Ernst & Young). I’m not proud of this but designed it. I edited it. There is nothing in I’ve embraced the nerd factor, so to speak. this preview that you can attribute to anyone 6. I coached seven years of HS football in else. I only say that because if you have an Jacksonville, Florida. I was the 2000 District issue, a problem or a disagreement, the onus 1 Coach of the Year after my school earned a is on me, no one else. Accountability, right? district co-championship and the first playoff As you can hopefully tell by now, I know a wee berth in school history. bit of football. I tried to give you as much as I 7. My first SEC game was January 1, 1993, one of know and as different a preview as you’ll find. the banner days for the conference, when I’ve watched hours of games but studied these Alabama defeated Miami 34-13 in the Sugar SEC teams for hundreds of hours this offseason. Bowl. I’d never seen anything like it. Ever. I’ve bought college football previews for years 8. Thanks to my great friends in Jacksonville, I and loved taking them to the beach on summer saw many great games of the Spurrier era - vacation. I didn’t print any copies for you to do 1994 Auburn, 1995 FSU, 1996 FSU in that, well, this year. I don’t know/have a Tallahassee, 1997 Tenn., 1999 Tenn., 1999 FSU. publisher or anything like that and I might lose I saw three or four Cocktail Parties, including some sales because it’s an e-magazine, but who Georgia’s upset over Florida in 1997. knows what can be done in the future? I’m a one 9. I wrote for College Football News for five man band and sort of like it that way (I think). I years, been a CFB analyst for radio/TV for honestly can’t thank you enough, please enjoy! nearly 18 years. Sincerely, JH @jharrisfootball http://footballtakeover.com 2015 SEC Preview Alabama Poll a hundred different SEC many that saw THAT coming The 2015 Season and Alabama football fans. How after the loss to Ole Miss. Sure, many of them will tell you that the loss to Ohio State was a gut Head Coach Alabama’s 2014 season was a punch and a half, but that Head Coach: Nick Saban (9th Year) disappointment? A good Buckeye offense hit on all Record at Alabama: 86-17, 3 SEC percentage of them will for a cylinders in the Sugar Bowl. championships, 3 Nat’l Championships few different reasons, I’d Overall: 177-59-1 imagine. But, the truth of the Entering 2015, the Tide must matter is that it was from a replace the previous year’s Coaching Staff disaster. Consequently, those starting QB again. Blake Sims Defensive Coord/LB: Kirby Smart (9th) thinking it was have taken a few had a solid season as a one-year starter but heading into 2014 Offensive coord/QB: Lane Kifn (2nd) too many sips of the Raised Expectation Ale that Nick camp, he was no lock to be The RB/AHC.: Burton Burns (9th) Saban has crafted over his eight Man. This year, seemingly, is no ST Coord/TE.: Bobby Williams (8th) seasons as head coach in different; it just won’t be Sims WR: Billy Napier (3rd) Tuscaloosa. under center. Jake Coker was thought to be the front runner OLB: Tosh Lupoi (1st) Think about it, the team lost a in 2014 after transferring from OL: Mario Cristobal (3rd) three year, two-time national Florida State, but Sims took the D Line: Bo Davis (4th, 6th in total) championship winning QB. In job and never looked back. Will Secondary/AHC: Mel Tucker (1st) his stead, it started a 2015 be Coker’s season? Can he quarterback that some thought top what Sims did in his one The 2014 Season should’ve been a running back. season? Most importantly, who The defense lost an all-time will the starting QB throw the 12-2 overall, 7-1 SEC great at ILB, its leader for the football to this season? Amari v. West Virginia W 33-23 past two seasons. Yet, heading Cooper is gone and so is nearly into the first day of 2015, the the entire WR corps. Derrick FAU W 41-0 Tide were on the verge of Henry is back, though, and So. Miss W 52-12 playing for another national Kenyan Drake is healthy. That championship. There weren’t pair will get PLENTY of work. Florida W 42-21 @ Ole Miss L 23-17 …by the numbers @ Arkansas W 14-13 Texas A&M W 59-0 Gone are Amari Cooper, Christion Jones and @ Tennessee W 34-20 Departing WR/TE % DeAndrew White - the Tide’s Returning WR/TE % @LSU W 20-13 three top receivers. Include T.J. Yeldon, Brian Vogler & Mississippi State W 25-20 90 Jalston Fowler and it’s clear Western Car. W 48-14 67.5 the Tide desperately need some young receivers to take a Auburn W 55-44 45 huge leap forward. WR isn’t a v. M i s s o u r i (SEC) W 42-13 22.5 spot that I worry about losing, Ohio State (Playoff) L 42-35 0 but when EVERYONE Catch % Yards % TD % departs…then I sweat a bit. @jharrisfootball http://footballtakeover.com 2015 SEC Preview - ARKANSAS’s OFFENSE Projected Offensive Lineup Pos. # Player Year Ht. Wt. Comments Returning starter…has thrown 34 career TD passes…sixth in QB 10 Brandon Allen Sr. 6’2” 210 lb. school history…not asked to be the star of the offense but as the season wore on, he was more asset than caretaker Stud No. 1…one half of the only 1,000 yard duo in the nation RB 32 Jonathan Williams Sr. 6' 224 lb. in 2014…little surprised that he didn’t declare for the 2015 NFL Draft…glad he’s back though Stud No. 2…the other half of the only 1,000 yard duo in the 3 Alex Collins Jr. 5’11” 224 lb. nation in 2014…only true highly rated recruit in Bret Bielema’s first recruiting class and he’s lived up to it big time Stud No. 3…not as well known but ESPN CFB analyst Andre 24 Kody Walker Sr. 6’2" 250 lb. Ware made sure I didn’t forget to mention Walker when talking about the Hogs’ running game…point taken, Dre. Get the rock in his hands…has the benefit of not facing nickel WR 4 Keon Hatcher Sr. 6’2” 210 lb. and dime coverage the majority of the time…caught a pass and converted a first down in 17 consecutive games. Played in all 13 games…do-it-all triple threat who can run, 1 Jared Cornelius So. 5’11" 195 lb. catch and return punts…best game was v. UGA - 4 rec., 38 yds. Started career at Nevada…transferred to JUCO before heading 81 Cody Hollister Jr. 6’4" 207 lb. to Fayetteville…started seven games for the Hogs in 2014. 2nd team All-SEC…will be a John Mackey Watch lister at a TE 84 Hunter Henry Jr.