This SEC spring preview prompts me to ask you all a question that’s been on my mind for a while: how well are the new Big 12-style offenses of Missouri and Texas A&M going to translate into the SEC?
Last season, those two schools finished in the top twelve in the country in total offense (the best showing for any SEC school was Arkansas, at #29). They didn’t do so well in total defense, though, as Texas A&M wound up 59th and Missouri ranked 61st. Only two SEC schools ranked lower (Auburn and Mississippi) – and both of those schools have new defensive coordinators this season.
So how will the whole immovable force and irresistable object debate play out? In the for what it’s worth due to small sample size category, remember that TAMU and Arkansas faced off last season. The result was an 80-point, 1209-yard shoot out. It was Arkansas’ worst defensive showing in 2011. But it was also one of the Hogs’ most productive offensive games of the year. (Tyler Wilson had the fifth-highest passing yardage total in SEC history.) And on the other side, things came out about the same way.
Now Arkansas didn’t rank among the conference elite in defense (47th nationally; 8th in the SEC), so, again, take that with a grain of salt. But, still, there’s little question that the typical Big 12 offense was more successful last year than was the typical SEC offense. How much of that can you attribute to crappy Big 12 defenses?
One area to look at for an answer might be Texas, which had, statistically speaking, a competent defense, and, in Manny Diaz, a former SEC defensive coordinator running the show. TAMU was slowed down by the ‘Horns defense. Missouri was, too.
So where do you think things stand after all my number shuffling?
Get The Picture 
When I read that I noticed that Miss St, Ole Miss & Auburn all have a lot of questions on offense. That’s music to Bama & LSU’s ears. Just keep tossing them into the briar patch.
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“immovable force and irresistable object “? Uh, ah never mind.
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Hell, I don’t know.
I’m pretty sure the Ags are in deep shit, but Mizzou has a fair chance at Atlanta.
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I think both Mizzou and A&M are solid but they’re facing an uphill battle preparing for teams and a conference they’ve never played before. For a WHOLE season basically.
I’d be surprised if Mizzou was better than 6-6. Not because I think the East is that great but have you seen their schedule? Not only do they get Bama and A&M out of the West but their out of conference includes games with @Central Florida and with Arizona State.
I’d wager A&M ends with the better record even with their West schedule.
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This palate tickler of supposition served so early in the UGA/Mizzou main course could whet or kill our appetite. Unless you have a 5-6 course main between now and Sept, desert will be served before we start digestion.
The key will be their O vs our D. The game will be won or lost there. Right now we feel like we will take it, but it’s a long way to Spring and Fall training that will ferret out their O strengths for us to see and prepare against. While there is reason to select our O over their D, they could place the SEC mantle of good D around their shoulders just so they won’t look so bad against the SEC in their initial game. I think we win, but the scrap will hail their acceptance into this conference in the tradition of “Do-it-in-the-dirt-til-death”. It could be a mean game with season-long consequences for either or both teams
There is a long way between the lips and the sweet cup of victory. Is the appetizer being served too early?
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“There is a long way between the lips and the sweet cup of victory. Is the appetizer being served too early?”
+1…you’ve been practicing.
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Hehe. “palate tickler of supposition” got me way before.
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Yeah…more vague sexual innuendo from the El Toro.
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It’s going to be interesting.
I wonder if the Missouri and A&M people have discoverd SEC blogging yet.
I’m not seeing a lot of activity out of them.
Senator…you’re hitting 10 million this week! Maybe today?
You’ve really got a good thing here! Thanks for a great site that I enjoy daily! (I’m such a sycophant).
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I post regularly at secfanatics.com and we have quite a few Mizzou and aTm fans onboard.
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I post at sectalk.com. Several newbieTigahs and Ags over there catching hell also. A few have come in guns blazing, but the majority are just asking for us to hang less than fitty on ’em.
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I’m predicting the Big 12 offenses will come down to earth in the SEC. Off the top of my head most of the encounters between SEC teams and OOC teams have highlighted that the defenses in this league are just that good or put it another way for every Ark TAMU there’s been 2 or 3 LSU Oregons. I think the Mizzou game will be a barometer for what type of team Georgia will be in 2012. I know a lot of people have this pegged as a trap game for Georgia and it very well could be. But if Georgia indeed takes the next step as a program in 2012 (which is a very real possibility) we’re probably going to see James Franklin running for his life from Jarvis and Murray lighting up the Mizzou D for a very rude welcome to the SEC.
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Mitchell on D may be the key against Hail Marys thrown Doral- Green’s way. Both of those events will occur in that game.
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I am one who gives Mizzou an pretty good chance at winning the East but the Tigers have to beat Georgia in their very first SEC game for Missouri to do it. If Mizzou can win that game (and it is being played at Missouri where the Dawgs have never been before) they get the tiebreaker over the Dawgs. Mizzou could then lose 1 SEC game (Bama, probably) and still win the SEC East. This also assumes a win by Missouri over USCe which won’t be easy, either. But the rest of Missouri’s conference schedule looks doable–UK, UT, a weak Florida, Vandy and Texas A&M (which is going through a coaching change). I don’t see Missouri losing OOC games to Central Florida or Arizona State (which is also going through a coaching change). Missouri could be the surprise of college football next season. UGA does NOT need to take this game lightly. Even if Missouri loses to UGA, USCe and Bama I see the Tigers being 9-3 in the regular season next year, which is exactly what I predict will happen. Win a bowl game and there is a 10 win season.
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You’re scaring me Mayor. I don’t see Mizzou being that good, but I really have to admit I’m mostly guessing. I’m hoping you’re very wrong!
I’m certain Missouri is “respectable” and the game against the Dawgs will be touted as a “trap” game…much as Boise was last year, but CMR has a good record on the road with big games.
I just wish we could see them against Fl or SC first.
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Realistically Mizzou is the 3rd best team in the SEC East behind UGA and USCe. That said, if Mizzou were to upset the Dawgs and get the tiebreaker over them then it is likely that Mizzou wins the East as UGA will (IMHO) beat USCe. If Mizzou were then to lose to USCe we could end up in a three way tie but I see USCe losing more than just 1 SEC game. See 2011.
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Fu won’t be as weak as they were last year. Never look askance to the lizards.
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Missourah — the new Sakerlina!
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I like both aTm and Missouri for 3-5 in the league in 2012, as it ought to be for a pair of newcomers.
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I’m wondering…does anyone have an idea…..if Missouri’s recruiting was impacted in a positive way as a result of becoming an SEC program? And what of the Aggies….I wonder if the two new sisters used the conference affiliation as a recruiting tool.
If you think about it, being the farthest West SEC team could really, really pull in the players from the father reaches of the country. These two programs could get really good, pretty fast. If the Aggies now have the trump card of belonging to the nations (arguable some places, but not here) supreme conference, they will almost certainly get fat on Texas talent…..Maybe the SEC should have taken two teams from Texas and left Mo where they were.
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Not a bad idea, but why dilute the antiTexas crowd with another Texas team? Let’s dilute them by the SEC recruiting like hell in Texas. You are going to get some UT bound people as well.
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Along those same lines, I’m curious as to how this will impact the teams formerly on the western geographical periphery of the conference, viz., Arkansas and LSU. My guess: LSU will be just fine, but Ark will suffer a bit.
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Solid defense will usually stifle or slow down any offense. The only recent exceptions to that I can think of would be Vince Young, Tebow, or Cammy-Cam.
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