Concerning UT, I am with TUKstuff - Butch Jones has yet to show 'it' as a coach, and ucheat will be tired. Yeah, they are at that trash heap of a stadium they call home, but that's not going to intimidate us. We are even BETTER equipped to take away the 'run-pass' option they used last year, with Evans often where we would have had Ragland, and Hand playing where we had Allen. Their receivers aren't impressive, and our secondary will be better this year. Dobbs will make some plays with his feet, no doubt, but how many? Their defense will be stout, but Coker just couldn't seem to convert third downs on them last year. I like our running game against them, and if we can establish that, the passing game will be there. It IS their best chance in years - we'll be tired as well - but at THIS POINT, before any games have been played, I'm certainly not scared.
With LSU, I don't see them scoring a lot on us. Their QB might improve, might not. They are moving a guard to left tackle. IF they can't run up the middle on us, I think we shut the run down pretty well again, albeit not as much as last year. We are still going to make them throw. And when they do, our secondary will be better than last year, our rush, if this is even possible, may be better than last year. Despite their good receivers, I don't see Harris making us pay much. For us, it will be a grind of a game. They have a good secondary, and we have an unproven QB. However, if he can just hit some 15 yard completions, I believe that BoScar and Harris can produce enough that we will get to the red zone several times. If Griffith is on, I see us getting more opportunities than them, and maybe even some big plays from the secondary, so I feel good about the game from where we are now.
A lot can change from now 'til when the games are played, and this team has to come together as a 'team' or Arky, A&M, or ole piss could sneak up as well. The LSU game is a really big deal - we are the best team they'll play. IF they can beat us, I doubt we reach the SECCG. And that spells major trouble for the playoff chance, as I have insisted, and will continue to insist, that there is basically NO WAY the committee will put in two SEC teams.
