re: Way too early 2013 SEC rankings

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Alabama is returning virtually all of its skill position players on offense and most of the players on a defense that shut four teams out this past year are also coming back. The only question mark on the team next year is the offensive line.

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Truth. This is the year we should have been picked third, after replacing so many starters on D. I fully expected losses to LSU and Arkansas (pre-Petrinogate) this year. Next year, though, I see us as the favorite to win the west.

I don't think LSU will be winning the West playing UGA and UF from the East next year

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all depends if a miracle happens and joeckel, matthews, and moore all come back.

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That's the difference between a 9 or 10 win season similar to this one and perhaps a really special year for us next year.

Alabama has to be the favorite in the West.

Not only do they have the best coach and the most talent, but the SEC Office makes sure they get the easiest SEC schedule.

Bama's schedule will likely have them in front of the West again.

LSU has a gauntlet next year.

well, UGA's entire defense will likely be gone, but the offense could still remain virtually intact. they are also bringing in a big recruiting class with a number of JUCO and EE guys so who the hell knows what will happen on that front.

Umm, coaching changes and who actually leaves early still to be determined....but I like the order.

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all depends if a miracle happens and joeckel, matthews, and moore all come back. if all 3 come back then i think you cant really differentiate between LSU, bama, and us. it will come down to the schedule which favors us and bama. it will be a crazy season next year between us 3 if we get joeckel, matthews, and moore to come back

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LSU will beat A&M again next season.. easily. Alabama will probably be favored to win the west because they don't play a single decent team from the east..

Doesn't Bama replace 4 out of 5 on the Oline including 8 time starter Barrett Jones? I know the defense will be good, but it will be the first time in a while Bama is breaking in a new line.

Lsu returns 18 of 22 starters including 10 on offense and 8 on defense. We also get All-American left tackle Chris Faulk back. This assumes Mingo, Montgomery, and Reid all leave early. Should be really good again especially if the light has really gone on for Mett. My only concern is the schedule vis-a-vie Bama. We have 4 "at risk" games (UF, @UGA, @Bama, and A&M). Bama has 2 again (LSU, @ A&M).

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icheerforgeorgia:
South Carolina has a lot of guys that may or may not leave, that'll be the difference between them being first and them being third in the East.

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Oh really? Such as who? We do have some seniors who have no choice but to leave, and the unit that will take the biggest hit IMO will be at LB, where the entire 2-deep are seniors. We lose Holloman at Spur as well, and also Swearinger and Auguste at FS and CB as well.

DE Sutton will be a solid replacement for Taylor at DE opposite Clowney, and we'll have Surratt, Dixon, and Dukes to replace Jerideau at DT. SS Williams has really impressed as a first-yr. starter at SS, and we should have both starting CBs return next yr. as well, as they were both first-yr. starters as well this season.

On offense, Lattimore should'nt be back in time for next year, and we lose Miles to graduation (he's already graduated, really). But we'll still have a deep RB unit with Wilds, Davis, Carson, and Salley. We lose C Johnson and TE Cunningham, but have depth to replace them. We only lose 1 WR in Moore, who saw less and less PT as the season progressed.

We might see a drop defensively due to the LB losses, but should see an improvement on offense. We've lost leaders on defense over the recent seasons in Ingram, Gilmore, Matthews, Ajiboye, Robertson, Norwood, and our defense has remained pretty steady at worse, or improved at best...