Ask Larry

By Larry Burton

Is the SEC improving as a whole or are the top teams just not as good this year allowing the the lesser teams to appear better?

 

Actually this is a question that was asked in one form or another by several people in several ways. The short answer is, the SEC overall is picking up as a conference with certain exceptions.

 

Mississippi State is still be foundering about with the same kind of team they’ve had for a while now, posting not only about the same kind of record, but sporting the same kind of team making the same kind of mistakes. And despite the gaudy numbers Texas A&M puts up, were it not for two Alabama fumbles, everyone would have seen early that they are down this year with an absolutely horrible defense, so it could be said that they are down from last year.

 

However, there are teams like Kentucky, that may post the same kind of record, but is definitely putting out a better product and improving as a team. Those kinds of changes may be harder for the average fan to see.

 

Easier to see is Tennessee, who is simply a fundamentally better coached team and that shows. Their big win last week was proof that unlike the Dooley era, when they had a chance to win a big game, they didn’t blow it with a stupid penalty like 12 men on the field or some other stupid mistake.

 

Auburn makes the biggest strides forward, but quite frankly, when you’re as low and as bad a team as they were last year, there’s nowhere to go but up. But they didn’t just improve what they’re doing, but how they approach each game. This year they’re playing with confidence.

 

While Alabama may have made Ole Miss look bad, keep in mind that they make most people look bad. By beating teams like Texas and now LSU, it’s obvious to see that they are improving team. And while we mention LSU, their record may not be better at this point, but their offense is much improved and the defense is coming along nicely. They are a better team than their record may show.

 

These improving teams nipped hard at the teams just underneath Alabama and those teams like LSU, South Carolina, Florida and especially Georgia have suffered. Georgia has simply not been the same team since they beat Tennessee on the scoreboard, but lost so many players to injury.

 

That is a dire warning to all SEC teams, there’s no easy game in the SEC, you may win the game and lose the war as Georgia has this season. That game helped kill their whole season.

 

And with no pun intended to Alabama, the true elephant in the room this season when you talk about the SEC being a stronger conference than ever is Missouri. In all humbleness, no writer that makes weekly predictions has an average much higher than I do year in and year out and no one, including myself, saw this Missouri Tiger Juggernaut coming down the road.

What is your take on Jalston Fowler not getting much playing time?

Sounds like you’re as big a Fowler fan as I am. Given his yard per carry average and usual soft hands out of the backfield, I know that’s a question many wonder. As I’ve said all year and the stats back up, Kenyon Drake is our best running back, but Yeldon gets the number one role. So where does that leave Fowler?

I asked that question myself to a coach on the staff and the answer I was given gives a “coach speak” answer, but reading between the lines here’s what I believe.

Alabama relies on a “One-Two” punch at running back, running backs get better as the game goes along and they get into a rhythm. Running three or four backs breaks that rhythm. The other reason is that Fowler is the “Alabama Insurance Policy” at running back. Should one of the top two go down with injury, Fowler could step in and easily be number two, but not if he re-injured himself.

It was pointed out to me though, that he is used in two back sets, third and short and goal line situations from the first quarter on as the H-Back in our sets.

I was told that they feel Fowler is as seamless replacement as either Yeldon or Drake in anything the offense would want to do and that they place little regard over things that fans do, like what “string” someone is.

If the type looks funny, or you wonder why I’m not more engaged this week, this was the week I took off to go to Tobago. Sorry if I don’t answer or reply more until next week. Bacardi the Wonder Dog though is monitoring email back home and having the house sitter type replies…. (G)

Larry is an award winning writer whose work has appeared in almost every college football venue. Now he primarily writes for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. https://twitter.com/LBSportswriter