Randy Smith: SEC East Predictions 2017

  • Monday, August 7, 2017
  • Randy Smith
Randy Smith
Randy Smith

In 2016 I bought all the Tennessee hype that everyone else did. It was time for the Vols to return to the top of the SEC East and I picked them to win it. Had Tennessee not lost to South Carolina and Vanderbilt they would have faced Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. But........they did and finished 9-4 for the second straight year. Now some folks in the media are saying if Butch Jones doesn't win at least nine games again this fall, he will be fired. I don't believe that for one minute. Unless the Big Orange goes completely in the tank, I believe Butch will be back for a sixth season in 2018.

Here is a look at how I see the SEC East stacking up this season.

7. Missouri Tigers
It's really hard to find a team that would qualify for the last place team in the East, but we have to pick somebody. And since dead last was where the Tigers finished in 2016, that's where I'll put them. Things aren't completely dark for Missouri. They have quarterback Drew Lock returning and last year Lock was second in the SEC in passing yards with 3,399 yards. The Missouri defense was atrocious giving up almost 500 yards per game. I see some improvement but it will take a lot for the Tigers to reach a bowl game. They were 4-8 a year ago.

6. Vanderbilt Commodores
Vanderbilt beat Tennessee for the third time in the last five seasons and not only did they win but that loss along with an earlier loss to South Carolina, kept the Vols out of the SEC Championship Game. Vandy returns a veteran group in 2017, including running back Ralph Webb who rushed for 1,280 yards a year ago. The offense should be better, in fact it needs to be better if the Commodores climb the SEC East ladder. Only nine touchdown passes, a league low were tossed last year. The defense which is always decent under head coach Derek Mason will be good again. If Vandy gets a few breaks, they could even finish higher in the East, and they're a good bet to be back in a bowl game after this season.

5. South Carolina Gamecocks
Will Muschamp used quarterback Jake Bentley and smoke and mirrors to finish 6-6 on the year last season. That's of course before the Gamecocks lost in overtime to South Florida in the Birmingham Bowl. Even though the future looks bright for Muschamp and company, the talent level is not where it needs to be to contend in the SEC just yet. The biggest weakness for South Carolina is in the lines. A big improvement there would make things a bit more tolerable for Gamecock fans. They are still a year or two away from contending in the East, but they will be relevant. A solid group of receivers should make things easier for Bentley. 

4. Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky is so excited about the 2017 season they are trying hard to sell 40,000 season tickets. Mark Stoops has done a solid job so far in his first four seasons, and the talent level is there for a banner season. The Wildcats had the third best rushing offense in the SEC last year, but the defense was unable to stop no one when they had to. The Cats seem to be stuck on four wins in league play and if that improves, they could actually contend for the East title  Kentucky returns 18 total starters from last year's 6-7 squad and quarterback Stephen Johnson is more than capable but Stoops must find targets for him to throw to. In all, Kentucky could be a dangerous team.....one that's scary good.

3. Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee was 9-4 for the second straight year in 2016, and now with somewhat of a rebuilding chore of sorts ahead for Coach Butch Jones, Vols' fans are a bit testy. A win over Georgia Tech in the opener would go a long way toward easing the anxiety a bit. Even though Josh Dobbs, Alvin Kamara and several more key contributors are gone, Jones has recruited well enough in the last four years to have as much talent as any team in the SEC other than Alabama. The key at quarterback is junior Quinton Dormady who is more than capable of leading Tennessee to the SEC East title they failed to win a year ago. There is plenty of support behind Dormady in red shirt freshman Jarrett Guarantano and John Kelly is dependable at running back. You can look for the Vols to improve their overall passing game behind a veteran offensive line. If the Big Orange can keep everyone healthy on defense and they make certain improvements, the Vols will contend in the East. 
 
2. Florida Gators
Last year Tennessee was the pre-season pick in the East and Florida won it. Two years ago, Georgia was the pre-season choice and Florida won it. So why doesn't anyone feel they should tab Florida to win it in 2017? Coach Jim McElwain has recruited well in his almost three years on the job and the level of talent among skill players is as good as its been in years. That's the good news. The bad news is there are a lot of question marks for the Gators on defense, especially in the front seven. Oh, did I mention that Florida is having to break in a new starting quarterback for the third straight year? Offense has always been McElwain's strength and if he can develop a solid quarterback to go with his other great skill players, the Gators could win it again. Time will tell.

1. Georgia Bulldogs
As head coach Kirby Smart enters his second season in Athens, he has one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC in Jacob Eason and two solid running backs in Nick Chubb and Sony Michel returning. The offensive line that will operate in front of those guys however is a bit suspect as is the Georgia defense. The Bulldogs had a great recruiting year but it's doubtful that many of those guys will be able to contribute right away. Georgia's biggest problem a year ago was the inability to win close games. They need to fix that right away. With a lighter than usual schedule on the calendar, and if the 'Dogs can keep everyone healthy, this could be a banner season. Ten wins is very realistic. Perhaps the biggest game of the season for Georgia will be at Tennessee on September 30th. 

* * *

Randy Smith has been covering sports on radio, television and print for the past 45 years. After leaving WRCB-TV in 2009, he has written two books, and has continued to free-lance as a play-by-play announcer.  His career has included a 17-year stretch as host of the Kickoff Call In Show on the University of Tennessee’s prestigious Vol Network. He has been a member of the Vol Network staff for 30 years. He has done play-by-play on ESPN, ESPN II, CSS, and Fox SportSouth, totaling more than 500 games, and served as a well-known sports anchor on Chattanooga television for more than a quarter-century. In 2003, he became the first television broadcaster to be inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame. Randy and his wife Shelia reside in Hixson. They have two married children, Christi and Chris Perry; Davey and Alison Smith. They have five grandchildren, Coleman, Boone, Mattingly, DellaMae, and CoraLee.

He can be reached at rsmithsports@epbfi.com

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