SEC media days will present another opportunity to take a closer look at this year’s rosters and there will certainly be plenty to talk about in terms of team outlooks both on and off the football field. Here is a look at the key question that each team from the SEC West will have to answer in 2016.
Alabama: What Toll Will Off-Field Distractions Take On Team?
Nick Saban has his work cut out for him with some substantial turnover once again in 2016 and it doesn’t help that there has been a myriad of off-field distractions. Offensive tackle Cam Robinson and defensive back Hootie Jones were arrested on felonry charges, offensive lineman Charles Baldwin was dismissed from the team and defensive line coach Bo Davis resigned because of a potential NCAA violation. All of these things could add up to be a substantial distraction off the field and it will be interesting to see how the defending national champions persevere.
Arkansas: Can The Running Backs Be Trusted?
Rawleigh Williams III and Kody Walker have rushed for a combined 898-career yards and their relative lack of experience doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. The Razorbacks want to be a run-first team on offense but they will need their backs to step up and prove they can carry the load. The good news is Bret Bielema is the head coach and with him, there seems to be two consistent attributes: he’ll find a big, road-grading offensive line and some running back will be productive for him. He’s handled some special ones at Wisconsin but hasn’t produced any studs at Arkansas yet. We’ll see if he finds one this year.
Auburn: Will The Offense Bounce Back?
Auburn averaged 34.4 points and at least 484.2 yards per game over Gus Malzahn’s first two years as head coach, but averaged just 22.1 points and 359.8 yards per game a year ago. That drop off resulted in just seven wins in 2015. The offense will need to bounce back if Malzahn wants to keep his job beyond this season. He had a great start to his tenure with the Tigers when they played in the Championship Game in his first season. Since then, the trajectory has shown a decline. They won eight games two years ago and seven last year. If the offense doesn’t perk up and they don’t get better, he’ll land on the hot seat.
LSU: Will Harris Improve Enough To Contend?
One of the biggest issues that held LSU back from contending for an SEC championship last season was the play of their quarterback Brandon Harris. Tigers’ offensive coordinator Cam Cameron changed things up on offense in order to maximize Harris’ potential and it will be a similar storyline this year. LSU is only going as far as their starting quarterback can take them. While they can beat a lot of bad and mediocre teams with their defense and running game, they aren’t going to beat a team like Alabama – or many of the other contenders in the SEC – unless Harris becomes a serviceable passer.
Mississippi State: How Will School Deal With Simmons?
The Bulldogs allowed top recruit Jeffery Simmons to enroll despite a video surfacing that showed him repeatedly striking a woman who was on the ground. The school received plenty of criticism for only giving Simmons a one-game suspension and it will be interesting to see if anything further comes of it.
Ole Miss: What Impact Will Tunsil Allegations Have On Program?
The NCAA is looking in to allegations made about former Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil taking money from the school officials while enrolled. As much as the Rebels’ staff doesn’t want to talk about it, the allegations and the possible upcoming suspensions will be a lingering issue all season.
Texas A&M: Will Ford Deliver At Running Back?
All eyes will be on Oklahoma transfer Keith Ford to see if he can be the dynamic playmaker the Aggies so desperately need at running back. Tra Carson quietly ran for 1,165 yards a year ago and should factor in to the mix but Ford will be an X-factor for the Texas A&M offense. Remember that this is a guy that was a five-star recruit coming out of high school, so he has plenty of potential. Although the Aggies have seen a lot of turnover on their roster with transfers coming and going, Ford could help this backfield become one of the best in the SEC.
