Athlon Sports - SEC predictions...

[Gator Fever]

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/sec-football-2022-predictions ...

SEC East:

1. Georgia
2. Tennessee
3. Kentucky
4. Florida
5. South Carolina
6. Missouri
7. Vandy

SEC West:

1. Bama
2. Texas A&M
3. Arkansas
4. LSU
5. Ole Miss
6. Miss State
7. Auburn
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My prediction...

SEC East:

1. Georgia
2. Florida
3. Kentucky
4. Tennessee
5. South Carolina
6. Missouri
7. Vandy

SEC West:

1. Bama
2. Texas A&M
3. Arkansas
4. Ole Miss
5. Miss State
6. LSU
7. Auburn

 

[Steveerino]

2nd to third in SEC east sounds about right. Pretty sure we're
not first. Georgia has a stranglehold on first for awhile But in time all things change.

 

[Jeff from Jax]

Fever,

Good pick up; Athlon one of the better pre-season polls IMO.

Athlon had 2 surprises for me -
Arkansas (9-4, 4-4 SEC) at #3 in the West;
Don't care for Lane Kiffin, but he has been at ole Miss (10-3, 6-2 SEC) long enough to build some things.

Tennessee over Kentucky in the East

My heart loves your picks in the East; my head says no.

Like you, IMO, KY better than Tenn; unfortunately, I see KY as better than UF also - I see them beating UF head-to-head in BHG with UF-UT a toss-up on the road.

I also note that KY's West opponents are Ole Miss (loss @ Oxford) & Miss State (win @ home), while Gators play aTM (loss @ College Station) & LSU (toss up @ home).

BUT -
there is a reason we play the games on the field instead of just listening to the talking heads !

Napier has a lot of ground to make up in his 1st year; if he can have a better record than last year (overall & SEC) & get to a minor bowl in the State of Florida (cheaper transportation & better crowd support)
I will be extremely happy.

My Bowl Game pick ?
December 30th, 2022 at 3:30 PM
– TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (Jacksonville)
ACC vs SEC
Gators vs Canes here in Jax !

That would get my juices flowing for 2024 when we open the season with the Canes at BHG !

 

[instaGATOR]

Napier is a better coach and a much better recruiter is what I keep hearing.
But Billy's 1st season predictions don't seem to reflect those local claims???

Dan took over McLame's 4-7 team and he went 10-3 in his first season.
Dan's transition class 2018 was #14 - 13 ****, 7 ***, 90.75 - 259.56

Billy is taking over Dan 6-7 team with a 48 person staff and Heavener, soooo......
Billy's transition class 2022 was #17 - 7 ****, 11 *** , 88.61 - 230.52

Just wondering how that all works into the current logic, predictions, claims???

 

[Gator Fever]

Napier is a better coach and a much better recruiter is what I keep hearing.
But Billy's 1st season predictions don't seem to reflect those local claims???

Dan took over McLame's 4-7 team and he went 10-3 in his first season.
Dan's transition class 2018 was #14 - 13 ****, 7 ***, 90.75 - 259.56

Billy is taking over Dan 6-7 team with a 48 person staff and Heavener, soooo......
Billy's transition class 2022 was #17 - 7 ****, 11 *** , 88.61 - 230.52

Just wondering how that all works into the current logic, predictions, claims???

My thoughts are Napier is a real good recruiter but when it comes to these top 150 recruits now NIL will be the main driving force and not the coach's recruiting skills. The NIL offer will have to at least be in the ballpark of that players other offers. My guess looking at NIL now is that when it comes to getting those top 150 recruits we will probably be somewhere from #7 to #9. We might can get a better ranked class than # 7 if Napier is really cleaning up on 4 star guys outside that top 150.

Mullen was able to do that because the talent was way better than the 4-7 record that resulted from much of the team checking out that season.

My guess is this team's talent level (if Richardson is the real deal at QB) would allow a record anywhere from 8-4 to 10-2.

 

[Jeff from Jax]

My thoughts are Napier is a real good recruiter but when it comes to these top 150 recruits now NIL will be the main driving force and not the coach's recruiting skills.

Fever,

Absolutely agree ! NIL, as Tennessee & aTm showed, can be a powerful recruiting tool.

"...Napier is a better coach and a much better recruiter is what I keep hearing.
But Billy's 1st season predictions don't seem to reflect those local claims???
Just wondering how that all works into the current logic, predictions, claims???"

Understand you point Insta, but because of NIL, the whole landscape of CFB has changed.

Mullen did not have NIL to contend with his 1st year as HC; just the usual under the table payouts, cars, etc which was something he understood & adequately handled.

NIL still so new that nobody has a great handle on it yet. Another poster pointed out that until a few expensive, overpaid disappointments happen, NIL can not be said to have run a full cycle & stabilized.

A bright & shiny future awaits CFB !

 

[instaGATOR]

Fever,

Absolutely agree ! NIL, as Tennessee & aTm showed, can be a powerful recruiting tool.

"...Napier is a better coach and a much better recruiter is what I keep hearing.
But Billy's 1st season predictions don't seem to reflect those local claims???
Just wondering how that all works into the current logic, predictions, claims???"

Understand you point Insta, but because of NIL, the whole landscape of CFB has changed.

Mullen did not have NIL to contend with his 1st year as HC; just the usual under the table payouts, cars, etc which was something he understood & adequately handled.

NIL still so new that nobody has a great handle on it yet. Another poster pointed out that until a few expensive, overpaid disappointments happen, NIL can not be said to have run a full cycle & stabilized.

A bright & shiny future awaits CFB !

One day I'm a brainless sunshine pumper,,,
the next day I'm totally out of the NIL recruiting loop.... 🙄

~ Napier's massive recruiting prowess over Dan has been cancelled by NIL.
~ While Napier's 48 member off the field staff and Heavener don't merit a mention.

I guess I'll just sit back and watch/listen to the football genius types lay it all out, so that a dimwit like me can eventually understand what is going on.... 😉

So, no worries mates.... 😁

 

[GatorNation79]

My thoughts are Napier is a real good recruiter but when it comes to these top 150 recruits now NIL will be the main driving force and not the coach's recruiting skills. The NIL offer will have to at least be in the ballpark of that players other offers. My guess looking at NIL now is that when it comes to getting those top 150 recruits we will probably be somewhere from #7 to #9. We might can get a better ranked class than # 7 if Napier is really cleaning up on 4 star guys outside that top 150.

Mullen was able to do that because the talent was way better than the 4-7 record that resulted from much of the team checking out that season.

My guess is this team's talent level (if Richardson is the real deal at QB) would allow a record anywhere from 8-4 to 10-2.

Richardson has to stay healthy in order for us to win. He's a game changer but if he's out we will struggle.

 

[Gator Fever]

Richardson has to stay healthy in order for us to win. He's a game changer but if he's out we will struggle.

Yep games like KY and Tenn etc would be a lot more dangerous if he was out.

 

[instaGATOR]

Richardson has to stay healthy in order for us to win. He's a game changer but if he's out we will struggle.

Yep games like KY and Tenn etc would be a lot more dangerous if he was out.

Gator 2022 QB's:

QB-dt AR-15 & Max Brown
Max looks like he could be another way under-rated Trask to me...

QB-pp Kitna & 4th string xfer Miller
IF, if Billy had to depend on either of them, then I could maybe agree with trouble....