Last night was an excellent start to the season with an all out SEC war between South Carolina and Vanderbilt. Vandy gave it everything they had, but Connor Shaw, Marcus Lattimore, Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor were not going to be denied. Tremendous start to what promises to be a stellar season in the SEC and nationally. Here’s a look at this weekend’s games with predictions.
Last year’s record: 107-51, (68%); This year: 0-1 (blown no call didn’t help).

 

 

Alabama vs. Michigan

Where: Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Time: 8 PM ET/7 CT

Network: ABC, Brent Musberger and Kirk Herbstreit

Line: Alabama by 14

Analysis: Crimson Tide has some new faces on defense and that’ll be interesting to see how guys like Trey DePriest, Dee Milliner, Vinnie Sunseri, Ha Ha Clinton Dix and Deion Belue handle the rigors of the 2o12 season. But while these guys are new as starters, most of them except Belue have played a lot. I like Trey DePriest; think he’s going to be a stud. With C.J. Mosley and Nico Johnson, the Tide has good leadership and an excellent linebacking corps. The d line will be anchored by tackle Jessie Williams, the Australian who can bench a freight train. Damion Square is a very good player at dend. There is a lot of talent out there on defense, and to me, I think these guys have learned their lesson about coming off a national championship year. Quite a few of them were on the 2010 team and saw the struggles that group had with a little complacency from winning it all the year before. That was good for the guys in this group. S has said this group is very focused. Kirby Smart will have a good defense.

Offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier looks to me like he’ll have A.J. throwing more and have a more passing-oriented offense. Don’t get me wrong, Nussmeier knows his line–which is stellar–is going to be able to allow the running game to pound and flourish, but I believe S will be able to open it up a little more in the passing game under Nussmeier, and a terrific quarterback in A.J. McCarron. You could just see the confidence and momentum A.J.gained off the national championship victory. He’s highly competitive, smart and he has unlimited talent. He’s going to be special this year. Eddie Lacy, if healthy, should have a big year, and T.J. Yeldon is primed for a nice freshman year. He’s a very fine freshman running back. Jalston Fowler will provide some tough yards and Dee Hart was a five-star player out of high school, so if he can stay healthy, he will surely produce.

The receiving corps will be kind of a committee group but Kevin Norwood is excellent. I expect Kenny Bell and DeAndrew White to be stellar wide receivers and freshman Amari Cooper looks like a real player. I really like Christion Jones, too. He can be the Marqis Maze of this team; electric, exciting, good in the punt return game.

The oline is the strength of this team along with A.J. Barrett Jones, Chance Warmack, D.J. Fluker, Anthony Steen and Cyrus Kouandijo (will have to double check the spelling on that all year) will be exceptional. They will be like five mack trucks rolling over smart cars most of the year. This group will dominate. There are some pretty good backups there too. I expect Cyrus’s brother, Arie, to make an impact at guard. Should be a dominant unit.

Michigan is all about Denard Robinson. He’s an exciting player, without a doubt, and he might peel off some good runs against the Tide. But I think the Tide has too much speed for Robinson just to go off. And I don’t think he’s a great passer by any means. He seems to throw a lot of dying quails. He can be effective in the passing game, but he gets passes batted down, because he can’t be an inch over 5’10”. Running back Fitz Toussaint is a nice running back, but his availability is unclear. It may be a first quarter suspension, or he may start. Brady Hoke is keeping that under wraps. They’ve got another pretty good runner in Thomas Rawls. Toussaint is 5’10”, 202, and is the shifty, quick guy, while Rawls is a little bigger at 218 and has good power. Their defense is solid. Kenny Demens is a very good middle linebacker and Craig Roh is a good pass rusher at defensive end.

Michigan is a solid football team that can win nine or 10 games  this year, but they’re not going to win this one. ‘Bama is too athletic for Big Blue, and the oline will get it done for the Tide leading the way for Lacy and company to run the ball effectively and for A.J. to have time to find Norwood, Bell, White, Jones and company. I expect Jones to do something special tomorrow night. He’s an explosive players. Expect more explosive plays out of the offense this year. The defense is a little bit of a question mark. There is a lot of talent, but it’s somewhat similar to 2010 in the experience area. They’ll need to overcome their inexperience. Johnson, Robert Lester, whom I failed to mention earlier but who is an outstanding safety, and Mosley will need to lead along with Square. If these guys can step up and lead, the younger guys can pick it up from there. They’re all talented. I like the Tide to take care of business tomorrow night in Jerry’s World.

Prediction:

‘Bama 24, Michigan 10

Auburn vs. Clemson

Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Chick-fil-A Kickoff game

Time: 7 PM ET/6 PM CT

Network: ESPN

Line: Clemson by 3 1/2

Analysis: This has been a difficult offseason for Gene Chizik and his program. The shootings at Auburn were an inexplicable tragedy. The other incidents with Zeke Pike getting kicked off the team, losing Jovon Robinson to grades, and then the worst behavioral issue as far as impact on the team, starting center Reese Dismukes getting  indefinitely  suspended for public intoxication. But this is still a good football team. There is a lot of talent. Kiehl Frazier will try to prove that he’s the man for now and the future for AU at quarterback. He had a very good spring game, and while he struggled some in the summer, he is clearly the best quarterback on the roster. I think Kiehl can throw the football effectively in the pocket. Kiehl can get the job done and could even be a pretty dynamic player this season. He can certainly make things happen running the football too. He’s got some good backs behind him with the always reliable and explosive Onterio McCalebb back  there. Onterio is  backed up by the highly capable Tre Mason and exciting newcomer Mike Blakely. Corey Grant has been hurt a little bit, so not sure about his availability for the game. The wide receiving corps will of course be led by the stellar Emory Blake, who looks like he can have an electric senior year and be primed for a possible high draft pick in April, 2013. Lutz will be outstanding at tight end. He should be another go to target for Frazier. It’s time for Trovon Reed to step up. I think he’s ready to do that. He’s battled injuries so far in his career, but I see him breaking out this year. Quan Bray is an excellent player. I just like the way he looks; highly athletic and explosive. I expect some good things out of Jaylon Denson from Hoover too. Jaylon is 6’3″, 210 and a big target. Receiving corps should be very good.

The offensive line is the question mark. Tunde Fariyike will be under the gun at center. Greg Robinson and true freshman Avery Young will start for the first time. But they’re talents. Guards Chad Slade and John Sullen will have to be leaders tomorrow night. I think Fariyike will be fine. He’s a very big, athletic kid and sounds smart. He can get the job done. There is exceptional young talent on the line, but they’re just young. Believe they’ll be OK though and the future looks very bright at that position with four-star freshmen all over the place on the two deep. Tomorrow night they will be tested. It’ll be good for them. I think they can get it done.

The defense is soild. The dline will be awesome led by dend Corey Lemonier, tackle Jeffrey Whitaker and end Dee Ford. There is very good depth there as well. They can be a dominating group and that means a lot to the success of your football team. Linebacker is solid with the always reliable Darren Bates being the leader there. Jonathan Evans and Jake Holland are solid players. I really like the secondary. Again, these guys are fairly young, like a lot of this team, but they’re highly talented. I expect big things out of strong safety Jermaine Whitehead. Chris Davis and Ryan White will be exceptional corners, but they will certainly be tested tomorrow night by Clemson’s standout receiving corps even though the Clemson Tigers will be without Sammy Watkins. There is still good talent there. I look for Quan Bray to have an impact returning punts. He’s explosive.

AU should be a very good football team this year, but the conference is so tough that it may be difficult to win nine games. But it’s certainly possible. This game is critical for the Tigers. I know Tajh Boyd threw all over the Tigers last year with four touchdowns and 300 plus yards passing, but I don’t think he’s going to do that this year. AU’s line is going to get pressure on him, and he’ll have to get rid of it quickly. Andre Ellington is a good back; he could get some yards. But I love what Brian Van Gorder brings to this Auburn defense. He brings toughness and aggressiveness, and the players have bought into Van Gorder’s philosophy. DeAndre Hopkins is about as good as Watkins at wide receiver for Clemson, so he’ll be a challenge for either Davis or White. Jaron Brown and Charone Peake are nice receivers, too. Clemson O line is decent, but I think the AU line will give them a lot trouble.

Clemson has plenty of SEC athletes on defense too.  Dabo has recruited very well. Xavier Brewer is a fine free safety. They’ll be physical and new dc Brent Venables, who came over from OU, has instilled that toughness in his group that Van Gorder has done at AU.

This will be a very good game. Clemson is a good football team and so is AU. I just think AU has better talent overall. AU is solid on defense, and good on offense. If the oline comes through, AU should be in good shape. There are three new starters on the oline, but they will do their job and AU prevail in an excellent football game.

Prediction: AU 20, Clemson 16

UAB vs. Troy

Where: Legion Field, B’ham

Time: 11 AM CT

Network: FCS-if you can find it-623 on DirecTV, 623-1 FCS HD

Line: Troy by 6

Analysis: Garrick McGee has said throughout the spring and summer that he has a good football team and I believe him. Jonathan Perry is an excellent player at quarterback in my opinion. He’s thrown some interceptions in the summer, but I think the Blazers can win with him. Actually, I think he’s a pretty dynamic player who can really run with it and is a nice passer. Just has to minimize the mistakes. O line is starting four new guys, but McGee doesn’t seem too worried about it. I think the running game is solid with Greg Franklin and Darrin Reaves among others. Defense will be led by inside linebacker Marvin Burdette. I just like the energy and positive attitude McGee has brought to this football program. He was a great hire by athletic director Brian Mackin and will be an excellent coach for the Blazers. He’s got a really good offensive mind. If the Blazers play pretty good defense and the oline can be productive this year, they could  have a nice season. Troy always tough. They give a lot of teams fits and Larry Blakely is an excellent football coach. They have a good qb in Corey Robinson. He’s not great, but he’s pretty good. They’re just a solid, hard-nosed football team.

This will be a major test for the Blazers and McGee in their initial outing. Blazers have to go to South Carolina after an off week then Ohio State after that, so this game is critical. I like the impact McGee has made so far. He wants to make UAB a highly reputable football program and I think he has a chance. Tomorrow would be a great way to get things started. Believe Perry will play well and the running game and line will do their part. Think defense will do enough. Should be an exciting opener.

Blazers 27, Troy 24

Tennessee vs NC State

Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta

First game of Chick-fil-A Kickoff

When: Tonight at 7:30 PM ET/6:30 CT

Network: ESPNU

Line: UT by 3

I think the Vols are a much improved program from last year. They were so young last year, but they’ve had a year to grow up and get better. Tyler Bray seemed to avoid getting kicked out of school, so he’ll be a good quarterback for them. I don’t think he’s in Tyler Wilson or Aaron Murray’s class yet, but he’s pretty good. Da’Rick Rogers got kicked off the team. The guy was just a walking time bomb. That’s tough on the receiving corps, but Justin Hunter’s return from injury is terrific news for Derek Dooley. The Vols are really high on Cordarrelle Patterson, a junior college transfer who is 6’3′, 205, and is a high four-star recruit out of junior college. He might help them forget about Rogers. Hunter will be a huge boost to Bray’s prospects this year. Rajion Neal is a nice running back, and while I don’t see him listed on the depth chart, Marlin Lane III was very impressive at running back in the spring game. Defense looks pretty solid. NC State is a pretty decent team, but I like the Vols to take care of business here.

Prediction: UT 27, NC State 20

Buffalo @ Georgia

Where: Sanford Stadium, Athens

Time: 12 PM ET/11 CT

Network: SEC Network

Line: Georgia by 38

Analysis: Is there any analysis necessary? I know Mark Richt wants to see his team play well, and he’s hoping Murray will have a good game and they can run the ball well and play good defense. Georgia getting primed for what they hope will be a highly successful season. Georgia, South Carolina, Florida and darkhorses Tennessee and Mizzou look like they’ll be battling it out in East. Should be a classic race for the title. Georgia will get a breather to get it started and try to hone its skills for some tougher tests coming up including a visit to Mizzou next week.

Prediction: ‘Dogs 45, Buffalo 7

Bowling Green at Florida

Where: The Swamp, Gainesville, Fl.

Time: 3:30 PM ET/2:30 CT

Network: ESPN

Line: Gators by 29

Analysis: Gators are  fine here. Will be interesting  to see how their two quarterbacks, Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel, play. Will Muschamp is planning on rotating them every quarter. Both are highly talented, were high four-stars out of high school, and looked very good in the spring game. The Gators’ defense is fantastic led by dend Ronald Powell and a slew of other stellar athletes. Skilled players still aren’t totally loaded, but pretty good. Gators get a warm up before going to College Station next week and Knoxville the week after that.

Prediction: Florida 52, Bowling Green 7 

North Texas @LSU

Where: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge

Time: 7 ET/ 6 CT

Network: ESPNU

LSU 52, North Texas 0

Jacksonville State @Arkansas

Where: Fayetteville, Razorback Stadium

Time: 7 PM ET/6 CT

Network: ESPN Game Plan

Analysis: Not too much to break down here. Tyler Wilson, along with Matt Barkley, is the best quarterback in the country. He may be the best coach on the team, too. He’s an excellent leader. Arkansas is very good. Knile Davis is back at running back and that’s huge. If he can return to his 2010 form, like Marcus Lattimore returned to his pre injury 2011 form last night, this team could be special. Defense is always the question mark at Arkansas. If they can play defense they have a chance to be outstanding. Don’t know if they have enough defense to stand up to ‘Bama and LSU though. We’ll see. Jax State a pretty decent team, but can’t hang with the Hogs. Hogs get another warmup next week against La Monroe before Tide comes to Fayetteville for a titanic matchup, Sept. 15

Prediction: Hogs 56, Jax State 14

Southeastern Louisiana @ Missouri

Where: Columbia, Missouri

Time 7 PM ET/ 6 CT

Network: ESPN Game plan

Line: Nothing posted

Analysis: Not much to talk about here. James Franklin should excel at quarterback and hone his skills for Georgia next week in a terrific week 2 matchup.

Prediction: Mizzou 45, SE La. 3

Central Arkansas @ Ole Miss

Where: Oxford, Miss.

When: 7 ET/ 6 CT

Network: ESPN Game Plan

No line posted

Analysis: Ole Miss should be fine in Hugh Freeze’s first game at the helm. They struggled in the spring game, but they’ll be OK here. Think the Rebels are rebuilding, but they’re fine here. It’ll be tough in conference for them though.

Prediction: Rebels 35, Central Ark. 0

Jackson State @Mississippi State

Where: Starkville

Time: 7 ET/ 6 CT

Network: Game Plan

No line posted

State looked like a pretty solid team to me in the spring. Tyler Russell has taken over at quarterback and he has some good skilled players around him. Jameon Lewis is an explosive, electrifying player at wide receiver and LaDarius Perkins is a solid, hard-nosed rb. Johnthan Banks is an outstanding cornerback. This is a good football team. Good offensive line and very athletic on defense. Like Vanderbilt, State may be very good and end up with only six wins. Good football team though. Solid offense, solid defense. Big week two game at home against AU.

Prediction: State 49, Jackson State 6

Kentucky @ Louisville

Where: Papa Johns/Cardinal Stadium

Time: 3:30 ET/2:30 CT

Network: ESPN

Line: ‘Ville 13 point favorite

Analysis: Don’t know a lot about Louisville except that they’re ranked 25th in the ESPN/Coaches Poll. Joker Phillips is a terrific guy. Wish he could do well at Kentucky. Don’t know a lot about Ky either, but I’ll go with the upset.

UK 24, Louisville 21

Other games:

Notre Dame 27, Navy 17

Boise State 17, Michigan State 14

Virginia Tech 28, Ga Tech 27

 

 

James Franklin vs. Ball Coach
 

Who: No.9 South Carolina @Vanderbilt:

Where: Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashvegas, Tn.

Time: 7PM ET/6 CT tonight

TV: ESPN: Reece Davis, play-by-play, Jesse Palmer and David Pollack, color analysts, Samantha Steele, sideline reporter

Line: SC  6 1/2

Analysis: This is going to be a war.The Gamecocks are coming off an 11-win season in 2011, their best in history, and are now thinking SEC title and possible national title hopes. The ‘Ol Ball Coach has it going in Columbia. James Franklin has rejuvenated a once-downtrodden program. Franklin’s message to his players, to his recruits and to his fan base is that Vanderbilt is a world class university, it needs a world class football program to match it. He’s making tremendous progress as he’s got his players not only thinking they can win every Saturday, or in this case Thursday, he has them believing they can win every time out. I went to practice Tuesday a week ago and was extremely impressed. There was a lot energy, intensity and passion on that practice field. And a lot of talent to go along with those intangibles. The offensive line, anchored by left tackle Wesley Johnson (6’5″, 285), looks physical, athletic and very aggressive. Quarterback Jordan Rodgers was right on the money in his passes to receivers Jordan Matthews, a potential All-SEC receiver this season, and Chris Boyd, another standout. Look for backup receiver Joshua Grady to make noise catching the football and running the football out of the Wildcat formation. Grady is an athlete, and is fast as a gazelle. The defense will be anchored by defensive tackle Rob Lohr, who is a beast at a good 300 pounds. Lohr is very powerful and athletic. Archibald Barnes is a playmaker at linebacker. The secondary, led by safety Kenny Ladler and cornerback Trey Wilson, is outstanding. This is a solid football team, and Franklin has it going in the ’13 recruiting class with some stellar players, a ton of high three-stars and a handful of four-stars. He’s serious; Vandy’s serious. Franklin reminds me a lot of Jim Harbaugh and what he did at Stanford. He has the same passion, the same fire, the same energy.

But they’re playing a very good football team in the Gamecocks. Defensive ends Jadeveon Clowney (6’6″, 256) and Devin Taylor (6’8″, 267) are monsters and will dominate football games this season. The defense also has stellar players in linebackers Shaq Wilson (5’11”, 224) and DeVonte Holloman (6’2″, 241), and free safety D.J. Swearinger is stellar. SC lost a couple of good defensive backs off last year’s team in Stephon Gilmore and Antonio Allen, and they looked pretty vulnerable to the deep ball in the spring game. But in the spring they were missing Swearinger and a couple of others back there. So that could have been an anomaly. The offense, of course, has Marcus Lattimore back after a midseason brutal knee injury last year in which he tore his ACL and broke his patella. The injury of course knocked him out for the rest of last season and some. Ball Coach says Lattimore is back and ready to go. That’s the $64,000 question. How effective will Lattimore be? It’ll be interesting to see him handle the hits he’ll take and how he cuts. Connor Shaw looked excellent in the spring and seems like a very focused, mature leader for the Gamecocks at QB. He has become a nice passer to go along with his tremendous running ability. He’s got some good targets in the electric Ace Sanders and superior athlete Bruce Ellington, who’s also a standout on the hardwood. The line is big and talented averaging 307 across the front. They’re not Alabama, but who is on the o front. Brandon Shell (6’6″, 331) is a guy to watch at left tackle. He’ll be going against an ace pass rusher for Vandy in Walker May, out of Briarwood Christian School here in Birmingham. May is relentless, but he’ll be giving up about 80 pounds to Shell, so he’ll really have to outquick him to get to Shaw.

 This is going to be an epic. Vandy is a totally different program under James Franklin. They believe they can win every time out. The Ball Coach has it going at SC, and he’s gotten the last four players of the year out of  South Carolina including Lattimore and Clowney, five-star players and two of the best players coming out of high school, to come to Columbia. Clowney and Lattimore have proved it on the college level, too. SC has high goals this season, so there will be no looking past this game. They can’t afford to; it’s a game they could lose if they do. The keys to the game for me are: 1. Can the VU offensive line handle Clowney and Taylor, two of the best defensive ends in college football. That’s a tall order for Wesley Johnson and fellow tackle Andrew Bridges. 2. How is Lattimore going to play? Can he handle the hits he’s going  to take? The VU defense is going to try and pound him. Can his knee stand up to the beating? Can he be effective in this game after a tremendously major knee injury? Ball Coach says he’s ready. This will be where the pedal meets the road for Lattimore. His ability in the running game will be key for the Gamecocks. If you can’t run the ball in the SEC it’s hard to win. So Lattimore will be under the guy tonight. 3. Can Jordan Rodgers get it done for Vandy at qb and can Vandy itself establish a running game with second team All-SEC running back Zac Stacy? The Vandy run attack was non-existent last year against SC and it costs them in a 21-3 loss. They need to be able to run the football to win just like the Gamecocks do. 4. Can the VU defense contain Shaw both passing the ball and when he tucks it and runs?  He’s quite a runner. VU linebackers Archibald Barnes and Chase Garnham will have to be playmakers for the Dores. Defensive ends Walker May and Johnell Thomas will need to contain Shaw in the pocket, pressure him,  get to him and make him beat the Dores through the air. Vandy’s secondary is good, so Shaw will be tested. 5. Will VU be too amped up for this game? They have put so much energy into winning this football game. Will they be overhyped and not execute as well? They’ve got to control their emotions and concentrate on executing. It’s good to be pumped up in football, but you’ve got to also concentrate and understand your responsibilities and execute them to win a football game against a very good opponent. It takes the passion and it also takes the execution.

I would love to pick the Commodores in this one. They’ve got the home field, they always play SC tough, beating them in 2007 and 2008, and have played them closely over the last five years. And they are a very talented football team. So is SC of course. I’ve been going back and forth on this one because I saw SC in the spring game and I saw VU in the spring game and watched them last week in practice. I’m  going to take a risk and pick the 6 1/2 point underdog. Vandy gets it done tonight and upsets a juggernaut at home. The James Franklin magic continues in Nashville on ESPN tonight.

VU 24, SC 20

(Kiehl Frazier, left)
 

Game will be on ESPN at 7 PM ET/6 CT in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome. Should be a classic. The Tigers are looking for some redemption after last year’s 38-24 loss at Clemson. Taj Boyd, the Clemson quarterback, was 30-of-42 last year against the Tigers for 386 yards and four TDs. He had a passing efficiency rating of 180.1. He played out of his mind. He’s capable, but can make the mistake or two that at times can be costly for his team. He was 298-499 (59%) for 3,828 yards with 33 TDs and 12 ints last year. He’s a player, but he can make a mistake is error prone at times. Running back Andre Ellington ran for 1,178 yards last year and 11 TDs. He’s a mixture of power and speed. Now their wide receiving corps is where they are really dangerous even though they suffered a big blow after the spring. Sammy Watkins, their all-world receiver last year as a freshman (82 catches-1,219 yards, 12 TDs), has been suspended for the first two games of the season, which will hamper Clemson against AU. Watkins was arrested on drug charges and Dabo Sweeney said at the time that it was up to Watkins on whether he would get “the high end or the low end” of a punishment. He got the low end, but will not play against Auburn. But they do have some other excellent receivers. DeAndre Hopkins caught 72 passes for 978 yards and five TDs last year. He will be one of their go-to guys on the perimeter. He looked outstanding in the spring. Another guy who looks like he’ll be a stud for them this year is Martavis Bryant. He only caught nine passes for two touchdowns last year, but he was terrific in the spring game. He’s tall at 6’5″ and very athletic and strong. Looks to be a solid 200. Another guy who stands out to me is Charone Peake. He only had four catches last year, but looked great in the spring game as well. weapon Tight end Brandon Ford is another weapon in the passing game. Stellar pass catcher who looks like he’ll be an excellent replacement for the graduated Dwayne Allen.

Offensive line looks pretty decent. 300 pounders pretty much across the front. Left guard Kalon Davis (6’5″, 335), and left tackle Brandon Thomas (6’3″, 300) look like their best players on the oline. Their center, Dalton Freeman (6’5″, 285), is a good player too. Not great, but fairly solid. AU’s talented dline could have a good day against the Clemson offensive front.

Their defense looks like an SEC defense in a lot of ways. Clemson and Florida State are the two closest teams to SEC caliber, particularly on defense. The Clemson defense got scorched by West Virginia for 70 points last year in a 70-33 loss at the Orange Bowl. That led to the firing of Kevin Steele and the hiring of Brent Venables, the longtime defensive coordinator for Oklahoma. Clemson should be a better on defense under Venables. He did a good job at OU coaching some very solid defenses. There are some good players on the defensive front. Senior Malliciah Goodman, a 6’4″, 280 defensive end, is a load and he’ll be a big challenge for the Auburn tackles. He didn’t have a dominant year last year with 59 tackles, four tackles for loss, and two sacks, but he looked like he could be a dominant player this fall in the spring game. Vic Beasley, a 6’3″, 235 pound sophomore dend, will be another threat off the edge for the Auburn tackles to contend with. Greg Robinson (6’5″, 315 redshirt frosh) ,Patrick Miller (a four-star frosh who came in January and worked in spring ball, 6′,7″, 280), Jordan Diamond (a five-star frosh, 6’6″, 315), Avery Young (a five-star frosh, 6’6″, 292) or if John Sullen (6’5″, 336) is healthy, will draw those assignments for the Tigers at tackle. Shon Coleman is still trying to get back from leukemia, so he won’t be 100 percent ready and Eric Mack is still recovering from the tragic shooting in which he was injured and three Auburn players (a couple of former players and one on the roster) were killed. Clemson nose guard Grady Jarrett (6’0″, 295) and tackle DaShawn Williams (6’1″, 290) look like they could be very good and disruptive to center Reese Dismukes ( a player himself at 6’3″, 300) and the guards, one of which should be the highly touted Christian Westerman (6’4″, 300). They will have their hands full.

Spencer Shuey looks like a player at linebacker. He may not start though he should play a lot. Was really around the ball and had an interception in the spring game. Very athletic. Jonathan Willard, Quandon Christian and Stephone Anthony are listed as the starters. Didn’t see much from them in the spring. Liked lb Travis Blanks, an early enrollee as a freshman. The two guys in the secondary who stood out to me in the spring game were Jonathan Meeks, their strong safety, and Xavier Brewer, their free safety. Meeks had two ints and looks like the leader for the whole defense. Really a player. Brewer was very active as well. Their cornerbacks, Darius Robinson and Rashaud Breeland, also looked pretty good. Depth is decent back there.

Their kicking game is solid. Chandler Catanzaro looks like a solid field goal kicker and Bradley Pinion, a freshman, has a strong leg as a punter if he wins the job over senior Spencer Benton. Pinion is  talented.

Now that Watkins is suspended, they’ll have to find somebody to return kicks and punts. DeAndre Hopkins should be their kickoff return guy if that matters this year with  the kickoff moved up to the 35. Should be a lot of touchbacks. Martavis Bryant should return punts until Watkins returns in game three. They’re both dangerous players too.

 

Will be a highly competitive game in the Georgia Dome. Kiehl Frazier is my starter at quarterback. I know Chiz and Loeffler haven’t named the starter yet, but Frazier to me, looked excellent in the spring. Maybe Clint Moseley has come around, but based on last year, he’s not  the guy. Frazier threw well in the pocket in the spring and he can roll out and throw, and of course, he’s an excellent runner. But he was really good throwing the ball in the pocket in the spring. I like him a lot. He has really improved and looks ready for SEC competition and Clemson. Running back will be a strength of the team. I really liked Mike Blakely in the spring game, but Tre Mason and Onterio McCalebb are excellent backs as well. Corey Grant has terrific speed and I’ve heard  good things about freshman Jovon Robinson. Trovon Reed looks like he’s ready to step up at receiver this fall and realize the huge potential the coaches thought he had coming in. Emory Blake will be tremendous and Lutz will be outstanding. I look for C.J. Uzomah and Jaylon Denson to make an impact. And maybe Travante Stallworth and DeAngelo Benton will become consistent. Sammy Coates is another. Quan Bray looks like a great athlete. Could be a key guy in the return game and on some reverses as well as catching the ball. He’s a weapon.

But it’ll be about Frazier and the Tigers’ defense. The dline is very talented, linebacker has talent if they get healthy, and I like the defensive backs even with the loss of Jonathan Rose, who was released from the team a couple of weeks ago.

This should be a thriller that will come down to the end. I say Kiehl Frazier and the AU defense get it done. A Cody Parkey field goal wins it.

AU 24, Clemson 21

Denard Robinson (left).
 

‘Bama’s first opponent at Jerry World in Arlington, Texas on Sept. 1 at 7 PM CT on ABC, the Michigan Wolverines, should be a pretty good test for the Tide. But it’s a game they should win rather comfortably.

When you think of Michigan, you first  think of quarterback Denard Robinson. He can be an electric player. He is extremely fast and can take it to the house any time he carries the ball. Against Notre Dame last year, he showed he could make some clutch passes as well in a comeback victory over the Fighting Irish. But if you look at the passing numbers from last year, they’re not so impressive. Robinson was 142-of-258 (55%) for 2,173 yards, 2o TDs, and 15 interceptions. Robinson did run for 1,176 yards and 16 TDs, so he’s a huge threat on the ground. He can make the explosive play, but he’s got to be 5’10”, 5’11” max, and he has trouble throwing over the defensive linemen. He was in for one series in the spring game and got one of his passes batted down. With that said, he can also be dangerous. But ‘Bama has better speed than the defenses he’s used to. He’s a huge factor that the Tide defense will have to account for, but he is containable in my opinion. Their best running back, Fitzgerald Toussaint, who ran for 1,041 yards and nine touchdowns last year, is indefinitely suspended after being arrested for driving while impaired last month. I guess that’s a DUI. So his availability for the game is up in the air. If he does get it together over the month of August, he’ll probably play. He’s a good player. His backup,  Thomas Rawls, is pretty good, but not extremely fast. Toussaint is 5’10, 195 and Rawls is 5’10”, 219. Toussaint is the quick guy and Rawls is the bruiser. WR is led by Jeremy Gallon, who is more a possession guy than a game-breaker type. He had 31 catches for 453 yards and 3 TDs  last year. Roy Roundtree had 19 receptions for 355 and two TDs last year. They look like the key guys on the perimeter. Just not a big threat in the passing game against the speed and talent of the Alabama secondary. Corners Dee Milliner, John Fulton, Deion Belue and Travell Dixon look like they’ll be able to handle them with safeties Robert Lester, who should have a huge year, Vinnie Sunseri and Ha Ha Clinton Dix there for plenty of support.

The Michigan offensive line is big as usual. All around 300 pounds. Didn’t look great in pass coverage but they should be pretty decent. Lost two guys off the line last year. Center Ricky Barnum (6’3″, 292) had some trouble with the snaps in the spring game. Tackle Taylor Lewan (6’8″, 302) is a good player. He’ll probably be on Damion Square or Adrian Hubbard when Hubbard gets his hand down. Good size on their line. It’ll be interesting to see how the Tide dline plays the first game of the season against a pretty big line. I know S knows more about his team blindfolded than I do, but this defensive end for Alabama, Jeoffrey Pagan (6’4″, 285), is one of the most impressive looking guys I’ve ever seen on the defensive side of the football. I think Pagan can be a huge impact player if he works hard this summer. He could be extremely disrupting coming off the edge. In my opinion, he could have a Courtney Upshaw-like impact. He’s got the physical tools. If Pagan puts forth the effort this month, he could make a major impact not only against Michigan, but also against the rest of the schedule.

On defense, the Wolverines have some good players, but not a ton of depth. Brady Hoke is still building depth on that side of the ball. Their linebackers are pretty good. Linebacker Brandin Hawthorne (6’0″, 214) is a heckuva player. Made a lot of tackles in the spring game and an incredibly athletic one-handed interception. He’s an athlete. Kenny Demens (6’1″, 248) is very good as well at another linebacker spot. Dline looks pretty decent led by defensive end Craig Roh (6’5″, 269), who looks very good at rushing the passer. They did lose three key players off the dline last year. Depth may be an issue I imagine S will put D.J. Fluker on Roh. Roh is good, but D.J. is a potential first round pick. He may have some trouble getting by D.J. Their secondary is pretty solid, led by safety Jordan Kovacs. He’s their leader. Blake Countess made a nice interception in the spring game. Looks like a player at corner. They’re replacing some guys and depth may be a problem back there too, but they should be pretty decent. Think A.J., with time, which he’ll most likely get, can find Kevin Norwood, DeAndrew White and Christion Jones in seams in the coverage and possibly on some deep balls as well.

The Wolverines kicker looks like he’s straight out of the movie Easy Rider. Brendon Gibbons looks like he could easily be riding a Harley with Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper, or even more currently, with Bobby Petrino, and his girlfriend. Gibbons doesn’t look like he’s missed many meals either. Or many frat parties. Got a heavy mid section. He did kick the game winning 34-yarder to defeat Va Tech in the Sugar Bowl last year, but Matt Wile looks like he’s just as good a kicker if not better. Wile made his 30+ yarder in the scrimmage and Gibbons missed his 30-yarder. Gibbons is left-footed and Wile is right-footed. Wile looks like he’ll be their punter. He averaged 41.6 yards on 17 punts last year as the backup. There were no returns in the spring game. I imagine Toussaint, if available, would be involved in kickoff return if there are any kick returns with the kickoffs being moved up to the 35 this year.

One final thing: Denard Robinson is listed at 195, which is probably accurate, but I think he can get hurt. He plays with such reckless abandon, that a tough hit might knock him out for a couple of series or even a game. He did play in all 13 games last year, but injury is a possibility. Don’t want him to get injured by any means, but there is that chance if somebody unloads on him.

Final Analysis:

Michigan is a solid football team. They are pretty solid on the lines of scrimmage and Robinson and Toussaint are players. Toussaint may not be available, but if he is, Michigan has a lot better chance. The defense has some good players. But the Wolverines as a team are not as fast, as athletic or as well-coached as Alabama. I like Alabama to win this game pretty soundly.

‘Bama 27, UM 10