SEC Football: 5 Defensive Players To Keep An Eye On In 2011

The offense is usually the sexiest part of watching a football game, but it's the quick, strong, athletic guys on the defensive side of the ball who—for my money—deserve a great deal of the credit for a football team's success.

So, which SEC players showed us enough in 2010 that we might consider this 2011 season to be their year?  Here are five guys whom I think are almost there:

1. Stephon Gilmore (CB), South Carolina: The junior cornerback was an All-SEC selection in 2011 and is atop many lists coming into 2011 as he is expected to do even greater things. Todd McShay has already penciled him in as a first-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and he's been named to the 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List for the coming college football season. Gilmore (79 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, and three interceptions) led the Gamecocks in tackles last season. He's got enough talent to play just about anywhere Steve Spurrier might want him (he's already played a little quarterback and done some work on special teams) but he makes his living locking down his side of the field—making quarterbacks think twice about challenging him.

2. Devin Taylor (DE), South Carolina: One of the more unheralded parts of the South Carolina defensive line last season (you can find a great profile of Mr. Taylor here), this junior defensive end completed his 2010 campaign with 46 tackles (13 for loss), 7.5 sacks, and eight pass breakups (There's a guy who knows how to use his 6'7" frame and long arms to his advantage). Look for him to step into a bigger role this season and make some serious noise in the SEC.

3. Danny Trevathan (LB), Kentucky: It's quite perplexing why Trevathan decided to play one more year for the Wildcats. I mean, how on earth can he do much better than his 2010 line of 144 tackles (16 for loss), two sacks, and four forced fumbles? Seriously, he would have been one of the top linebacker prospects in this past years draft had he left. However, his decision to stay means the Wildcats will still have a strong leadership presence on their defense in 2011—even if their offense is full of holes. Look for Travathan to be the new focal point of a team that no longer has a Derrick Locke or a Randall Cobb. The added media spotlight could prove beneficial as long as Trevathan keeps his head and plays good football.

4. Malik Jackson, (DE/DT), Tennessee: Jackson transferred to the Vols from USC—taking advantage of the NCAA's g generosity in allowing players from USC to explore playing options elsewhere in light of sanctions imposed on the program after the Reggie Bush investigation—and upped his profile tremendously in the process. Last season, the 6'5" playmaker from Cali tallied 48 tackles (11 for loss), five sacks, and one interception on a Tennessee defensive line that had a ton of potential but was still feeling its way under new head coach Derek Dooley. Look for Jackson to garner a lot more attention from offensive lines this season, making the work of his linemates a lot easier, while making his case as one of the best defensive players in the SEC.

5. Alec Ogletree, (LB), Georgia: Georgia has a few guys who are poised to make their presence felt this season—Kwame Geathers, Bacarri Rambo, and Brandon Boykin to name a few—but the spring move of sophomore Alec Ogletree from safety to linebacker bears watching. The talented in-state product is a natural off the edge and coach Grantham's decision to get him around the ball more should tighten up Georgia's defensive front. Paired up with USC transfer, Jarvis Jones, many expect to see Ogletree break out in a big way this season.

Related articles

• SEC Football: Top 5 Wide Receiver Candidates for 2011 (theladysportswriter.blogspot.com)
• SEC Football: Will Trent Richardson Be The Best Running Back in the SEC in 2011? (theladysportswriter.blogspot.com)

Kentucky Wildcat QB, Mike Hartline, Gaining Ground As NFL 2011 Draft Prospect

The Kentucky Wildcats offense has been nothing short of explosive this season.

Some might think that was to be expected given the presence of both Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke, but that would be short-changing the above-average job that senior quarterback Mike Hartline has done for the team this year.

Hartline ranks 13th in the nation, 1st in the conference, in passing (2,402 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions)— a surprising feat given the fact that Ryan Mallett, Greg McElroy, and John Brantley were mentioned ahead of Hartline as the conference's top quarterbacks to start the year.

His strong play has started to peak the interest of NFL draft scouts too as his name is moving up on some draft boards as a potential late-round selection in the 2011 draft.

As of now, he is projected as a 6th or 7th round selection and, before you scoff at the notion of that being relevant, recall the sheer number of players who were either drafted beyond the fifth-round, or not at all, yet managed to have great success at the pro level.

The last two Kentucky quarterbacks to be drafted—Jared Lorenzen (who won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants in 2008) and Andre Woodson (drafted in the sixth-round in 2008)—are not currently playing professional football.

Woodson was signed to a contract with the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League (UFL) in summer of 2010, but was later released. Lorenzen is the quarterback's coach at his old high school.
 

Georgia Bulldogs Football: The Secondary Needs To Tighten Up Before Facing Florida

As Georgia fans bask in the glory that is a satisfying three-game winning streak, it seems only fitting to throw some water on those flames of confidence by mentioning one teeny, tiny, miniscule, little detail: the secondary did not play well last night.

For all the domination the front seven seemed to exact on the young, inexperienced, offensive line of the Kentucky Wildcats, the secondary still managed to give up way too many big plays on third-and-long, and there were far too many occasions of receivers getting behind Georgia's defensive backs for big gainers after the catch.

There was no excuse for the 353-yards that was given up to Mike Hartline—minus Derrick Locke and with little help from Randall Cobb.

Chris Matthews and La'Rod King absolutely killed Georgia. Combined, the two tallied 7 catches, 171-yards, and 3 touchdowns. That's too much freedom for comfort, and Georgia is going to have to address that problem—Vance Cuff, in particular, looks like he may need more coverage help.

Cuff was caught lunging on more than one occasion as a Kentucky receiver was able to get behind him for a catch and score. Cuff, obviously, was in need of more help from the safeties because, on an island, he was burned all day.

That said, it seems fair to mention that Kentucky has a plethora of talent at wide receiver, most of them big, most of them physical, but Georgia has to find a way to maximize the skills of their defensive backs when facing a more physical receiver. This is not a new issue, Georgia has had problems with big receivers all season.

Alshon Jeffery of South Carolina (7 receptions for 103-yards), Greg Childs of Arkansas (3 receptions for 82-yards), and Justin Hunter of Tennessee (4 receptions for 110-yards) all had some of their biggest games of the season against Georgia.

Florida may be reeling right now, but the Bulldogs don't need to give the Gators any glaring holes to trample through. Remember, the Bulldogs were on a four-game losing streak of their own before finally getting back on track—don't underestimate the motivation of Urban Meyer where his Florida Gators are concerned.

This is a match-up where the "better" team isn't necessarily the one that wins.

The secondary needs to find a better way of working together to contain both the receivers and the quarterback. Last night, Mike Hartline found too many easy passing lanes to throw the ball through and that's not what you'd like to see. Granted, Hartline is a much better quarterback this season than he has been in years past, but consistency must be found somehow if Georgia intends to finish strong.

Georgia Bulldogs Football: 10 Things You Need To Know About Kentucky

The Georgia Bulldogs have enjoyed their stay in Athens, GA these last two-weeks, as both the offense and the defense seemed to find their rhythm. Now, it's time to take their show back on the road again as the surging Bulldogs will take on the feisty Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington.

For many, this game will be the true barometer of whether or not Georgia's last two wins were a result of good play or bad opponents—some aren't so sure it's not more the latter than the former.

Either way, it's time to see how much improved this offense and defense is against a better, more challenging, opponent.

If you've been following this blog all season, you know how this works, 10 points of interest about the Wildcats will be offered up as FYI—take them for what they are worth.

Here's what you need to know about Kentucky:

1. Their pass offense is good. 

The Wildcats are currently ranked 25th in the nation—2nd in the conference—in passing offense. The maturation of Mike Hartline has been the difference.

The senior is comfortable in this offense, proficient in calling plays, and confident in his ability to lead this team back—no matter what the deficit. He is playing his best football of the year, so far, and was a major catalyst in the Wildcats big win over South Carolina last week—passing for 349-yards and four touchdowns.

2. The offensive line is better-than-advertised. 

The Wildcats had to replace four players from last season's unit, but that hasn't seemed to matter much. This group has developed a great chemistry together, and have done a tremendous job of keeping Mike Hartline upright this season—allowing only six sacks through seven games.

3. They are porous against the run. 

They managed to keep South Carolina (who lost their leading rusher in the second half) and Akron (who ranks 100th in rushing offense this season) under 100-yards rushing, but they have consistently given up 175-yards or better to every other opponent they have faced this year—including 211-yards to Mississippi and 311-yards to Auburn.

Note: The Wildcats have given up 45 rushing plays that have gone for 10 or more yards this season. 

4. That said...they have issues with mobile quarterbacks. 

Trey Burton, of Florida, had his biggest game of the season against the Wildcats (scoring five rushing touchdowns), Jeremiah Masoli, of Ole Miss, scored four times (scrambling for one touchdown and tossing three more), Cam Newton, of Auburn, tallied 198-yards and four scores. Quarterbacks who have the potential to run, and roll out of the pocket, give the Wildcats fits.

5. They're defensive line is capable of dominating—if they get on a roll. 

The defensive line is young, but hungry. They have had a few really good performances this season—three weeks ago against Ole Miss, they tallied eight tackles for loss (TFL)—and some not so good. However, they remain focused and ready to meet the challenge each week.

Mark Crawford, a JUCO transfer from Kansas, has been a great leader on the line and provides the emotional spark the team needs when things get tough. Keep an eye on him at defensive tackle. He's already got 3.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks on the year.

6. Randall Cobb is still the man. 

The junior wideout is responsible for 1,155 total yards for the Wildcats this season, and remains a weapon that has to be accounted for at all times. He, along with Derrick Locke, remain two of the most important pieces to the success of Kentucky's offense.

7. Chris Matthews may have had his coming out party last week. 

Senior wide receiver, Chris Matthews was an enigma for South Carolina last week. He finished the game with 12 catches, for 177-yards, and one touchdown. It was his second 100-yard receiving game of the year (the first came against Florida).

If Derrick Locke is forced to miss more time (leaving Cobb to perform more rushing duties), Hartline will be tossing plenty more passes Matthews' way—at 6'5", 219 pounds, he makes for an ample target.
  
8. Their third down defense hasn't been as impressive in conference play. 

Kentucky has held their non-conference opponents to less than 22-percent on third downs this season. However, in SEC play, they have been susceptible to allowing teams to extend their drives via conversions. SEC opponents convert at just over a 50 percent clip.

9. Their redzone defense is pretty bad. 

If an opponent can get inside the 20, they are likely going to get six. This season, the Wildcats have allowed the opposition into the redzone 25 times—19 of those resulted in a touchdown.

Note: They are dead last in the SEC in this category.

10. Their second-half defense is tough. 

The Wildcats, over the last two weeks, have done a phenomenal job of making halftime adjustments on defense—outscoring their opponent 38-6. On the flip side, they've been walloped in the first-half, of those same games, 59-27.

If a team can jump out early and contain the Cats' late, they stand a chance of escaping Lexington with a win.

*Most of the stats used in this article are available via courtesy of cfbstats.com. 

Steve Spurrier Gets Cocky and Cat's Go Wild: Kentucky Steals Big Win Over Top 10 Foe (VIDEO)

Remember all that chatter about Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks suffering a letdown this week over the Kentucky Wildcats, after defeating the former No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in Columbia last week? Well, that came to fruition tonight as the Kentucky Wildcats and, new head coach, Joker Phillips, got their first signature win over a ranked opponent.

The Gamecocks were leading the game with less than 1:00 minute to go in the fourth-quarter, but then Kentucky quarterback, Mike Hartline connected with Randall Cobb for a 24 yard touchdown reception—followed by a two-point conversion—making it 31-28 Kentucky with less than :15 seconds to play.

Stephen Garcia took over on his own 31 but, two big completions to both D.L. Moore and Tori Gurley placed the Gamecocks within striking distance of a field goal. Then, the unthinkable happened, Spurrier used his final timeout to draw up a play for one last shot at the end zone—he likely should have just gone for the tie but, for whatever reason, he decided to try and go for the win instead.

His gamble ended up being a poor one as Stephen Garcia was intercepted in the end zone—Wildcats win:



So close...yet, so very far away.

Nice win for the Cats' though, after the close loss to Auburn last week, they were bound to come out on the winning end of one of these eventually.

Is There Really Any Chance That Temple Beats Penn State?—The Lady's Friday Links (9/24)

The head coach at Temple University, Al Golden, has the Owls on the cusp of relevancy. After two winning seasons, their first bowl appearance since 1979 (in 2009), and a hot start (the Owls are currently 3-0), Golden has his program standing at the threshold of college football legitimacy.

After last weeks surprising win over Big East power, Connecticut, the Owls head into Saturday's match-up against Penn State with a lot of confidence—are the Owls for real? This game will surely be the one that answers that question.

Read more about the emergence of the Temple football program right here. 

Michigan State head coach, Mark Dantonio, is on the mend but his team will retake the field this weekend—hoping to remain undefeated.

Florida coach, Urban Meyer, will add his name to an exclusive group of head football coaches if/when he reaches the 100-win mark over the next four games. He would be the fastest coach, in more than 50 years, to reach the milestone—boy...it sure does pay to stay in-state and play those pansies, eh Urban?

The Alabama Crimson Tide are tentatively scheduling a game with the Michigan Wolverines. The match-up would take place in Dallas, TX in 2012—the Crimson Tide are really looking to expand their brand under Saban...well played.

Randall Cobb and the Kentucky Wildcats will look to get their program-defining win in The Swamp on Saturday night. Said John Clay, of KentuckySports.com, "You might expect a little more respect for a program that has been to four consecutive bowl games. You might expect a little more respect for a program that won on the road at Auburn and Georgia last year, that boasts a Randall Cobb, that competes in the SEC."—with all due respect to what the Wildcats were able to do last year, their schedule this year has been a joke. If they win at Florida, then they should join the conversation, but they are hardly worth a top 25 nod after beating a couple cupcakes and a pansy.

And speaking of Randall Cobb, he's mighty sensitive where his team is concerned. Red Lobster has lost his business for a little while after a hostess, unwittingly, dissed the Wildcats football program—you can hardly blame her, it was an honest mistake. 

This writer offers a different opinion on the Reggie Bush debacle, he seems to feel an injustice was done to both Reggie Bush and USC. Says Jerry Soifer, "Where is the media outcry against the people who bribed Bush and his family, taking advantage of a 19-year-old man and a family that had very little at the time?"...uh-huh. I have a better question, where was Reggie Bush's honor code? He wasn't nine, he knew what he was doing was wrong—I hardly feel sorry for him. It's called accountability. 

The cost to the Colorado Buffaloes to leave the Big 12 and become a member of the new Pac-12: a whopping $6.836 million—ouch.  

Before the start of the season, a lot of people felt like the Pitt Panthers were going to be major players in the BCS this season. Well, after last night, that notion took a big hit. 

Some cool video:

Bobby Petrino talks Bama: