Does Georgia have a decided schematic advantage on offense?

I’ve previously taken note of what appears to be a talent deficit at quarterback in this season’s SEC…

I have no idea how accurate this list of SEC post-spring position rankings for quarterbacks will turn out to be, but if it’s anywhere close, what does it say that LSU is third?  Or that Georgia is sixth?

I’m thinking the conference better have some very stout running backs this season.

… and sort of lazily presumed the running backs would take up the slack.  But after reading this, I’m beginning to wonder what I was thinking.

Very clear stratification. LSU and Georgia are 1-2, and in that order on every ballot. Then we have the Bama/Tenn/Kentucky tier. There’s some disagreement on how much to rate production versus potential, as per usual, but it shakes out that all three are razor close. You could put them in any order.

We then have an anonymous middle tier down to about Mississippi St, before we get into the real dregs of the SEC. the surprising thing is how bad the middle of the conference looks. The top teams are great, but it gets pretty ugly, pretty fast.

1. LSU
2. Georgia
3. Tennessee
4. Kentucky
5. Alabama
6. Vandy
7. Arkansas
8. Ole Miss
9. Florida
10. Miss State
11. Auburn
12. Texas A&M
13. Mizzou
14. South Carolina

Regarding the the Bama/Tenn/Kentucky tier, I would give the Vols the nod because Dobbs gives them another legitimate runner, but overall, I think the point is well taken.  The conference ain’t loaded.  LSU and Georgia are loaded.  (Steele, by the way, lists LSU first and Georgia fourth in his national running backs position rankings, with Tennessee and Alabama making his top fifteen.)

Sure, both the Tigers and Georgia have questions at quarterback.  But how many other SEC teams do, too, and don’t have a running game with which to compensate?  If you don’t have much of either, considering how stout most SEC defenses are expected to be this season, where’s the scoring going to come from?

Admittedly, this is a good reason to like Tennessee’s prospects in the East, as the Vols manage to combine Dobbs with an above-average backfield, which at least on paper suggests they may have the most balanced offense in the conference.  Georgia’s running game, though, on that same paper, appears superior to the rest of the division, and it’s hard to see at the moment another program that has a good enough passing game to compensate.

Of course, it would be nice if Georgia’s backs stay healthy.