GoGamecocks.com
SEC notes: Smart schools rule in '08
Written by SETH EMERSON
semerson@thestate.com
Posted on 10.02.08
CommentsRelated Content
Three things we've learned
1. The power has shifted to the West | It had been 14 years since Florida, Georgia and Tennessee lost on the same weekend. It happened Saturday, with all three losing to Western Division teams. While Alabama and LSU sit atop the West — set up for a Nov. 8 showdown — Vanderbilt is the East’s standard-bearer.
2. The league has a new Heisman contender | And it’s LSU tailback Charles Scott. For the moment, Scott is up there with reigning winner Tim Tebow and preseason contender Knowshon Moreno. Scott, a junior, leads the league with 535 yards and is averaging 7.1 yards per carry. The upcoming string of good defenses — Florida, USC and Georgia — will tell a lot about Scott’s chances.
3. Being a home team doesn’t matter as much | All those raucous SEC crowds, and the big home-field advantages? Well, not so much. The road team has gone 8-3 in SEC intraconference games this season, including some unexpected wins: Alabama at Georgia, Mississippi at Florida, LSU at Auburn.
The nation’s preeminent college football road show is at Vanderbilt this week. October has arrived, and people at Duke are still paying attention to football. And the only undefeated team in the Chicago area isn’t the Bears.
Score one for the pencil-neck geek faction: So far, this is the year of the smart school.
Of the top 20 schools in the annual U.S. News and World Report ratings of the nation’s top academic schools, every one that fields a Division I-A football team has a winning record:
• No. 4 (according to the magazine) Stanford is 3-2.
• No. 8 Duke is off to a 3-1 start under new coach David Cutcliffe.
• No. 12 Northwestern is unbeaten, including a win at Iowa and another against Duke in one of the many regular-season Brain Bowls.
• No. 17 Rice is 3-2, followed by Notre Dame (3-1) and Vanderbilt (4-0), who are tied for No. 18 in the U.S. news rankings.
Other than Duke’s Cutcliffe, the above programs have had coaching stability. Vanderbilt’s Bobby Johnson, who’s in his seventh season, said the academic upper-echelon schools have to be patient and use their standing as an advantage.
“If you can weather the storms early and stay consistent, keep plugging away, you’re going to have a chance,” Johnson said. “Because you do have smart guys you can coach. And they stay in your system. And you have a chance to have some fifth-year seniors competing for you.”
Bailing because of booing? Tennessee’s struggles may be affecting its ability to get better in the future. One high-profile recruit, California quarterback Josh Nunes, has reneged on a commitment to the Vols, switching to Stanford.
The Memphis Commercial-Appeal reported this week that Nunes’ family had expressed concern about Tennessee fans booing during a 35-3 win against Alabama-Birmingham on Sept. 13. There was more negative fan reaction during the next week’s home loss to Florida.
“Obviously you’d rather not have the booing,” Volunteers coach Phillip Fulmer said. “You’d rather not have plays that cause people to boo. But it does affect things and it’s something that’s part of our world, and you’ve got to fight like heck to get better and not be in a situation where people are upset with what you’re doing.”
Big in the Bayou. Want to know why LSU is still scoring points despite an unstable quarterback situation and the loss of receiver Early Doucet to the pros? Take a look at the starting offensive line, whose five starters average 319 pounds. For comparison’s sake, South Carolina’s five starters average 305.6 pounds and Clemson’s 303.
“It was as big as any I saw in my 17 years in the NFL and better than some of those lines,” said Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom after his team lost to LSU on Saturday.
Quote of the week. “It looks like it will be us and Alabama. It will be a showdown here against them. When we go to Florida that will be a huge game, and then Georgia comes to play here. You can’t look at it like you are in control because crazy things happen, as you can see.”
— LSU tailback Charles Scott, breaking down the Tigers’ schedule before the Nov. 8 showdown against Alabama. Scott neglected to mention two opponents: South Carolina on Oct. 18 and Tulane on Nov. 1.
Stat of the week. Tennessee ranks last in the league in punting, and 115th nationally, with 28 yards per punt.
Reach Emerson at (803) 771-8676.
Most Viewed Stories
- USC fends off Bulls' charge
- Last-second goal ends USC's soccer season
- Miami coach had brief USC tie
- USC wary of Spiller on kickoffs
- Norwood among final five on Butkus list
- Barnes Has Good Visit With USC
- Lattimore Sticking With Visit Plans
- Emerson: Hold off on wait and see coaches
- Big Tackle To Check Out USC
- Gamecocks' bowl bid needs 1 for the road
@Nyx.CommentBody@