SEC football starts Saturday, so dive into these game-week links
It’s SEC Game Week. Here are some Monday SEC links to get the week started:
Final projected Auburn depth chart. Josh Vitale of the Montgomery Advertiser writes, “Gus Malzahn has stressed throughout the preseason about how important it is for Auburn to have not just a two-deep depth chart, but a three-deep. As of one week out from Saturday’s opener against Kentucky, the Tigers were on track to have all of their players available to take the field. But that hasn’t been the case throughout the preseason, and it can’t be assumed going forward as the threat of COVID-19 lingers — 11 players tested positive over the past four weeks, and it resulted in 15 more players being quarantined.”
[Expert predictions for Kentucky football in 2020]
Sports are back on campus. Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News writes, “If you didn’t notice the masks, you might have taken the first athletic contest on the University of Alabama campus in over six months as relatively normal. There was a decent crowd of family and friends on hand, maybe 200 or so, sweltering in the humidity that, even on a cloudy afternoon, characterized the lagging last days of Tuscaloosa summer in September. Even though there was no sun visible in the sky, there was something new under the sun indeed.”
Georgia’s top receiver takes new approach. Brandon Sudge of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer writes, “At many times through his freshman season, Georgia wide receiver George Pickens would log on to social media and see a plethora of highlight plays. Most of them featured himself, No. 1 making an acrobatic or flashy catch for the Bulldogs. He knew those plays got people riled up. Pickens didn’t hesitate to say it. Everyone had an opinion.”
Georgia could have unexpected starter at quarterback. David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports, “Kirby Smart said this past week that JT Daniels, a transfer from Southern California, has yet to be medically cleared from the torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered in last season’s opener against Fresno State. D’Wan Mathis sat out last year after undergoing surgery to remove a cyst from his brain but has made a recent push to become the league’s most unexpected starter.”
Starting linebacker opts out at Texas A&M. Robert Cessna of the Bryan/College Station Eagle reports, “Linebacker Anthony Hines did a good job filling holes for Texas A&M’s defense last season, but now he’s created a huge one for the Aggies by opting out of the season less than a week before the opener.”
Ed Orgeron showed his style on “60 Minutes.” Glenn Guilbeau of the Shreveport Times reports, “LSU football coach Ed Orgeron was featured on the 53rd season premier of CBS’s ‘60 Minutes’ on Sunday night in a colorful 20-minute piece. But his mother, Cornelia ‘Coco’ Orgeron, may have stole the show.”
Florida-Ole Miss series features twists and turns. Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun writes, “The teams will open the season Saturday for only the second time in the modern era of college football. There were three forgettable openers in the 1940s (Florida scored 10 points in three games, all played in the state of Florida), but certainly there were a lot of Gators who were there the last time these two teams opened the season in 1989.”
Missouri pieces will have expanded roles. Dave Matter of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports, “Missouri football fans won’t get to see Barry Odom coach his new team until the Arkansas Razorbacks visit Faurot Field in two months, but until then, for better or worse, they’ll see plenty of his recruiting contributions up and down the Tigers’ roster. While Odom’s staff misfired on a handful of high-profile local prospects in the 2019 class, Mizzou will break in some less heralded additions this fall, starting when No. 2 Alabama visits for Saturday’s opener, notably on defense.”
New Arkansas coach offers charisma. Mike Griffith of Dawg Nation writes, “Sam Pittman is right at home settling in at a place called ‘The Catfish Hole’ in Fayetteville, Ark., for his head coaching show. The former Georgia offensive line coach is as well-liked and well-traveled as they come, and this is the start of his head coaching legacy. The 58-year-old Pittman has no head coaching experience or coordinator experience at the college level.”
What Tennessee learned from preseason. Blake Toppmeyer of the Knoxville News-Sentinel writes, “COVID-19 and its contact-tracing quarantines affected the offensive line, and a few players seized the opportunity for a bigger role — like Jahmir Johnson, who is in line to start at left tackle alongside Trey Smith. Wanya Morris started 12 games at left tackle last season, and Johnson started the other.”
Saturday SEC football schedule
- 12:00 - Florida at Ole Miss (ESPN)
- 12:00 - Kentucky at Auburn (SEC)
- 3:30 - Mississippi State at LSU (CBS)
- 4:00 - Georgia at Arkansas (SEC)
- 7:00 - Alabama at Missouri (ESPN)
- 7:30 - Tennessee at South Carolina (SEC)
- 7:30 - Vanderbilt at Texas A&M (SEC alternate)
This story was originally published September 21, 2020 at 7:41 AM.
