Rick Figurin
pigskinpress.com

Alabama-Nick Saban
Nobody can deny what a terrific season ‘Bama had in 2008, but there are two things that pop out at you: the loss to Florida, and the bowl game loss to Utah. Both very good teams, but those are the kind of losses that keep you from elite status in the SEC. The question is whether ‘Bama can get over the SEC hump that is Florida and LSU. Saban has done a terrific job on the recruiting trail, and should be primed and ready to go for it this year and next. When you’ve brought in the caliber of players he has, it comes down to execution, strategy and crunch-time decisions. This year will really show where this program stands in the SEC.
Stock: Steady

Arkansas-Bobby Petrino
Two conference wins does not make a great season in the SEC, but Petrino and the pigs were able to do some good things. A win over LSU and Auburn, combined with some flashes of brilliance on offense give Razorback fans something to be optimistic about. Adding QB Ryan Mallet will only help matters. The recruiting has been up and down, but he’s managed to bring in some talent at the skill positions. Look for Arkansas to keep climbing in the SEC ranks.
Stock: Rising

Auburn-Gene Chizik
Auburn fans are still scratching their heads over this hire. Chizik did some nice things at Iowa State, but winning wasn’t one of those things. Nobody can question what Chizik did as a coordinator, but leading the charge is a whole different animal. His first recruiting class is solid but not spectacular. Chizik needs to win in a hurry to silence his critics, and being bowl eligible will not be good enough.
Stock: Dropping

Florida-Urban Meyer
Meyer is a born winner; he can recruit, he can strategize, and market his program. Unfortunately he’s missing one piece of the whole package and that is keeping his players out of trouble. Meyer has now had 24 arrests during his tenure at Florida which is not an accolade to be proud of. Florida has lost a bit of its shine, and yet Meyer has not been held accountable. The Gators will continue to be a dominating SEC team, but there getting closer and closer to having a Miami type stigma attached to them as “Criminal U”.
Stock:Dropping

Georgia-Mark Richt
Last season’s pre-season number one had their fair share of struggles and found that a BCS championship was just a pipe dream. However, Georgia still won 10 games including the Capital One Bowl. Richt is easily one of the Top 3 recruiters in the country, but that being said, shouldn’t Georgia be more involved in the national championship picture? It’s hard to knock a guy who knows how to win, but Richt is not quite in the upper echelon of coaches just yet.
Stock: Steady

Kentucky-Rich Brooks
You can’t expect the same things out of Brook's program as you would from Florida or LSU; it’s just not gonna’ happen. That being said, Brooks has done a terrific job of making Kentucky football matter again; especially at a time when the basketball program is in the dumps. Brook’s recruiting classes generally are not SEC quality, which speaks a lot to his ability to get the most from his players. Brook’s program is clean and able to win which speaks volumes about his character and leadership.
Stock: Rising

LSU-Les Miles
Miles has done a spectacular job at LSU. Top 10 recruiting classes, a national championship, and most importantly wins. That being said, it feels like LSU has been forgotten in all the Florida, Alabama hype of the last 18 months. There’s no doubt that Miles is one of the top coaches in all of football, and we feel one of the most likely to jump to the NFL with success. Last year was not a banner year on the bayou, and another 8-5 year could start some chatter; nothing to worry about for now.
Stock: Steady

Ole Miss-Houston Nutt
Ole Miss is nobodys pre-season number one, but there is a LOT of hype surrounding Ole Miss football for 2009. Nutt probably should not have been pushed out of Fayetteville, but one team's trash is another team’s treasure. Nutt got a lot of mileage from QB transfer Jevan Snead; throw in wins over big names like LSU and Florida and you’ve got yourself instant hype. Is there any substance to the Ole Miss bandwagon? We think so, and that’s why Nutt is a hot commodity.
Stock: Sizzling

Mississippi State-Dan Mullen
Sly Croom got big press in Starkville for being the first black SEC coach, and quite frankly he was doing a better job rebuilding than most gave him credit for. New head coach Dan Mullen will have his work cut out for him, not only on the football field, but in keeping Miss. St. relevant in a conference where there are so many big names, programs, and players. Recruiting class #1 was ranked #19 by scout.com, which brings optimism to fans, and if he can bring some of that Florida Gators magic with him he may be in Starkville for a long time.
Stock: Steady

Tennessee: Lane Kiffin
We called for the removal of Phil Fullmer before the 2007 season, but we never expected him to be replaced with Lane Kiffin! Kiffin has started his tenure in Knoxville off on the wrong foot. While trying to bring the Vols’ back into the national spotlight, Kiffin has managed to accuse several schools of cheating, use scare tactics to land recruits, and violate some recruiting rules. It’s obvious that Kiffin is trying to step it up as a big time coach in a big time program, but in the process the university is being talked about ONLY in the context of Kiffin’s missteps. That’s not the start the fans had hoped for, and it’s not a good representation for one of America’s most storied football programs.
Stock: Plummeting

South Carolina-Steve Spurrier
Take away Steve Spurrier’s past and he’s a good coach doing a good job. However, Spurrier is not just any coach, he’s the “ol’ ball coach”. That being said, Spurrier has not met expectations with the Gamecocks. While Spurrier has brought in some fine recruits, especially on the defensive side of the ball, he’s failed to find a big time quarterback similar to those he had at Florida. We believe a voluntary resignation could be in the near future for Spurrier, who seems to be lacking the spark needed to rise to the top of the SEC.
Stock: Falling

Vanderbilt-Bobby Johnson
Johnson took Vandy to their first bowl game since 1982, need we say more? Johnson is still struggling to get highly tauted recruits, but considering academics and admissions he’s holding his own. What Johnson is doing is finding spots on the field for his recruits earlier in their careers, which pays dividends in the win column sooner. It’s not reasonable to expect Johnson to lead this team to a bowl every year, but every third or fourth season should be the new expectation. Johnson has the Commodores sailing in the right direction.
Stock: Rising

Rick Figurin
pigskinpress.com

A- A.J. Green- The Georgia Sophomore had a phenomenal freshman campaign, but will need to elevate his game to accommodate for a largely inexperienced signal caller. If Green stays through his junior season, he’ll beat Terrance Edwards’s record for receiving yards (3093).

B- Berry, Eric- In our mind, the best DB in SEC history; unfortunately he won’t be around after this year to complete his stat sheet. Berry plays the ball in the air better than any DB in modern college football history.

C- Chizik, Gene- Can you say scrutiny? Chizik’s hiring has the Tiger nation divided on the future of Auburn football. Chizik’s credentials as a coordinator are impeccable; unfortunately, his two seasons at Iowa State are unforgettable. Which Chizik will lead the Tigers?

D- Defense- Seven teams return eight or more starters, including Florida who will welcome back 11! Nobody will need this more than the Vanderbilt Commodores who will have to pull one upset to get bowl eligible…heads up South Carolina.

E- Eric Norwood- Some thought this guy was not SEC caliber coming out of H.S., but he’s now one of the best kept secrets (nationally) in college football. Look for double digit sacks and a rising stock come draft time.

F- Florida- We would be ill advised not to list the Gators. If the receiving core matches the production of the three-headed monster in the backfield this season, there’s no reason the Gators can’t repeat.

G- Georgia vs. OK State- We hope a LOT of Bulldog fans make the trip to Stillwater, as this will be the prize game on the SEC non-conference schedule (sorry Va. Tech vs. ‘Bama). Georgia is really going to need to put pressure on OSU QB Zac Robinson or it could be a long day for Mark Richt’s boys.

H- Houston Nutt- With all due respect to Bobby Petrino, Arkansas fans gotta’ be kicking themselves a little for letting Houston Nutt get away. Nutt has pumped new life into the Rebels program, and with it comes a LOT of national hype for this year’s team.  Great pass rush will be scary to watch…especially for SE Louisiana on Sept. 19th.

I-Ingram, Mark- Huge shoes to fill after RB Glen Coffee mowed down opponents for the Tide in ’08. The good news for Tide fans is Ingram will top 1,100 yards…but will not top Coffee’s 1383 yards from a season ago. Look for Trent Richardson to get 150 carries if not redshirted.

J- Jevan Sneed- The sophomore QB was terrific for Ole Miss in 2008, leading them to a 9-4 mark including an impressive bowl win over Texas Tech. Expectations are sky high for ’09, and anything less than 11 wins with a Florida-free schedule, two 1-AA teams, and LSU at home should be seen as a disappointment.

K- Kiffin, Lane- We wish we could say we’re excited to watch Kiffin transform the Volunteers back to championship form, but Kiffin’s off-season mis-steps have put the national focus elsewhere. Will he misspeak? Will SEC opponents look to run the score up when possible? Unfortunately, until the Vols score a big win that’s what we’ll be watching.

L- Long Season! - We hated to see Sly Croom leave Miss. St., and we hate to report that the hemorrhaging will be even worse in Starkville for the 2009 season. The cupboard is virtually bare for new head coach Dan Mullen, and the Bulldogs could find themselves 1-5 headed into the MTSU game on October, 17th. If they don’t beat MTSU (who is pretty good this season) it could be a one win season.

Miami (OH) vs. Kentucky- For the first time in 17 years, these two will meet and it will be in Cincinnati. This is a great game for fans, and a must win if Kentucky hopes to be bowl eligible in 2009.

N- New Coordinators- Would Urban Meyer dare let new O/C Steve Addazio put his mark on the proven Tebow-centered offense? Would Addazio be arrogant enough to do it? Will Monte Kiffin be able to keep Tennessee around the 17 point per game mark on defense? Can John Chavis replicate his success on the bayou? Stay tuned….

O- ‘Ol Ball Coach- Is Steve Spurrier’s time growing short in Columbia? If it is, it won’t be at the hands of the A.D. but most likely due to a lack of interest on Coach Spurrier’s part. The coaching legend seems out of place and uninterested in coaching at times…but then again, rebuilding the Gamecocks is a far cry from the glory days at Florida.

P- Patrick Benoist- The Vanderbilt senior exploded onto the SEC landscape last season after limited production and experience his first two years. He may not have the name of some of the heavy hitters in the conference, but look for Benoist to squeak out 1st team All-SEC honors.

Q- Quality OOC Games- Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Georgia Tech, UCLA, NC State, Clemson, Washington, and Texas A&M make for great games and nice wins for the conference. Easiest OOC schedule? Ole Miss and Florida!

R- Richard Dickson- The LSU TE is primed for a big season! While Florida TE Aaron Hernandez gets more national attention, look for Dickson to pull in double-digit TD’s this season.

S- September, 5th- With Georgia at Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech squaring off with ‘Bama and (believe it or not) Louisiana Tech at Auburn, the SEC could be facing three OOC upsets. Yeah, we said it!

T- Tim Tebow- You gotta' love this guy (even if you hate him). He’s a leader, winner, believes in accountability and does it all with none of that creepy-home-schooled-kid feel. Tebow is a competitor and the camera loves him. Regardless of his pro-future, he will be remembered as one of the top 3 NCAA football players of all time.

U- Brett Upson- The Vanderbilt senior has great upside for a punter. He’s improved his average per kick each of his first three years; that’s good news for a team where he’ll see plenty of work!

V- Vladimir Richard- Along with Center Josh McNeil, they make up two of the best and strongest lineman in the league. They will have the task of helping top Tennessee recruit, RB Bryce Brown, put up big numbers on the ground.

W- Woodall, Justin- The Alabama safety is overshadowed by Tennessee’s Eric Berry when you talk about SEC DB’s, but quietly, the senior put up four interceptions while breaking up 8 passes a year ago. Look for another quiet but very productive season.

X- Xavier Nixon- This kid is the real deal, and while he may not start the season, the 6’6” tackle will see plenty of action protecting Tim Tebow.

Y- Youth at QB- Only four of the league's starting QB’s are seniors: Florida’s Tebow, Georgia’s Joe Cox, Tennessee’s John Crompton, and Mississippi State’s Tyson Lee.

Z- Zipp Duncan- The Kentucky Tackle has the coolest name in the league…although Ciron Black is pretty cool too!