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Football

SEC Teams Struggle with Scoring, Playcalling, and Rivalries

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

South Carolina is struggling under head coach Steve Spurrier, with the team scoring fewer points in recent games, while Alabama's coach Nick Saban outmaneuvered LSU with a well-planned game against the Tigers. Meanwhile, other SEC teams are facing their own challenges, from Florida's lack of big plays to Auburn's and Georgia's intense border rivalry.

Key Takeaways:

  • Since Spurrier began splitting playcalling duties with his son Steve Jr., Carolina's scoring output has dropped by almost a touchdown, with the team averaging 21.3 points per game, ranking 98th nationally.
  • Florida's receivers coach has expressed the need for big plays, with the team struggling to produce similar outputs from last season, having only 47 plays of 20 or more yards through nine games.
  • Auburn has 20 Georgia natives on its roster, as well as former Georgia Tech players and coaches, adding to the intensity of the border rivalry with the Bulldogs.
  • Alabama's coach Nick Saban devised an effective game plan against LSU, utilizing the run in the second half to exploit LSU's tired defense.
  • Former high school teammates Preston Powers of Ole Miss and Bram Cannon of Tennessee face off on Saturday in Oxford, adding an element of personal rivalry to the matchup.
  • Georgia's Caleb King, who has been playing with a broken jaw, returned to the field for the first time in three years and ran for 71 yards in the Bulldogs' 38-0 win over Tennessee Tech.
  • Alabama is expected to play in front of the largest Mississippi State home crowd in history on Saturday in Starkville.

Statistics:

  • South Carolina averages 21.3 points per game, ranking 98th nationally.
  • Florida has only 47 plays of 20 or more yards through nine games.
  • Alabama attempted 25 passes in the second half against LSU, followed by 106 yards and 144 total from running back Mark Ingram.
  • Georgia's Caleb King has been playing with a broken jaw, weighing just 175 pounds, down from 193 pounds last season.
  • Auburn has 20 Georgia natives on its roster, as well as former Georgia Tech players and coaches.
  • Mississippi State drew a school record 57,178 fans for the Florida game, and the Alabama game is expected to be a hard sellout.

Sources:

  • Spurrier, Steve. (2009) Interview with Ron Higgins, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.
  • Meyer, Urban. (2009) Interview with Ron Higgins, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.
  • Chizik, Gene. (2009) Interview with Ron Higgins, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.
  • Mullen, Dan. (2009) Interview with Ron Higgins, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.
  • "SEC TV Schedule for Nov. 21" (2009) The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.

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