Thoughts of the Day: July 14, 2021

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning:

RANKING THE SEC DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS

1. Mike Elko, Texas A&M: Elko runs good schemes, but he’s helped out by a ball control offense. Jimbo Fisher offenses regularly rank among the top teams in the country when it comes to time of possession, which makes the job of a defensive coordinator much easier. In 2020, the Aggies finished as the SEC’s top defense (317.3 yards per game) and ninth nationally. They ranked second nationally against the run (92.0), holding opponents to 3.25 yards per carry. With nine starters returning in 2021 including monster defensive end DeMarvin Leal, the Aggies figure to have another top 10 defense again. Since the offense is breaking in a new QB and four new starters on the line, the defense will have to dominate to keep the Aggies in the SEC West championship hunt.

2. Dan Lanning, Georgia: Georgia’s defense under Lanning finished third in 2019, 12th in 2020 although the Bulldogs both seasons got torched in their most critical games – LSU in the SEC Championship Game in 2019; by Alabama and Florida in 2020. Other than those games, Georgia’s defense has been outstanding but given the amount of 4-star and 5-star athletes at Lanning’s disposal there is little excuse for it not to be. From strictly a personnel standpoint, there are maybe only two or three teams in the country with better front seven than Georgia this year. The questions will be in the secondary, which was wiped out by the NFL Draft and transfers. If Lanning’s defense doesn’t come up big in the biggest games, however, he might find himself on a short leash.

3. Pete Golding, Alabama: Alabama has scored so many points in such rapid fashion the last two seasons that opposing offenses get a lot of possessions, therefore the overall defensive numbers are good but not great. However, the two numbers that tell the tale are sacks and interceptions. Alabama has 69 sacks the last two seasons and 29 interceptions, five of which have been returned for touchdowns. Alabama constantly pressures opposing QBs and that leads to interceptions. Alabama’s defense improved dramatically against the run in 2020. If the Tide can dominate against the run this season, Alabama might be difficult to keep from a second straight national championship. Linebackers Christian Allen, Christian Harris and Will Anderson Jr. make up the top unit in the country.

4. Todd Grantham, Florida: The 2020 season was a disaster for Grantham. If you go by what happened last season, then you’re inclined to believe Grantham might be as overrated a defensive coordinator as you will find anywhere in the country. His four previous seasons (2016 at Louisville No. 14; 2017 at Mississippi State No. 10; 2018-19 at Florida No. 28 and No. 9) tell a different story so either 2020 was an aberration or Grantham completely went brain dead and forgot how to coach. If 2021 is anything like last season, then he will be seeking gainful employment elsewhere. If the Gators can rebound to finish in the top defenses nationally, then Florida should have an outstanding season and Grantham’s head will avoid the guillotine. Improvement will start with transfer defensive tackles Antonio Shelton and Daquan Newkirk, juco transfer linebacker Diwun Black and returning starters Kaiir Elam, Zacharay Carter and Ventrell Miller.

5. Tim Banks, Tennessee: Banks was the co-coordinator at Penn State the previous four seasons, four of which the Nittany Lions had very good defenses noted for putting pressure on quarterbacks. Penn State had more than 40 sacks each season from 2016-19. Prior to Penn State, he worked for Butch Jones at Central Michigan and at Cincinnati where he was the DC. At Tennessee, Banks has his work cut out for him as the Vols lost the bulk of their defense to the transfer portal when Josh Heupel was named head coach.

6. Brad White, Kentucky: Despite an offense that put the defense in bad situations on a consistent basis in 2020, the Wildcats still had the SEC’s fourth best defense. The previous two seasons, White’s first two as the defensive coordinator for Mark Stoops, Kentucky finished 23rd and 20th nationally. White’s defenses have been consistently good against the pass, allowing 41 touchdown passes the last three seasons while picking off 33. Corner Kelvin Joseph and safety Yusuf Corker are studs.

7. Barry Odom, Arkansas: Arkansas was typically good for about three quarters last year. Fourth quarter disasters had everything to do with a lack of SEC quality depth and defenders. Still, it was an improvement over the previous three seasons, which is why Odom was given a nice raise. Expectations are that Arkansas can improve to somewhere close to the top 50 in 2021, which would represent a substantial improvement. Linebacker Grant Morgan made first team All-SEC and then took advantage of the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility. Morgan and Bumper Poole are one of the SEC’s best linebacker tandems.

8. Derek Mason, Auburn: Mason had very good but not great defenses as Stanford’s defensive coordinator before he went to that graveyard in Nashville where head coaching careers tend to die. Now that he’s no longer gainfully employed as Vandy’s head coach, Mason is Bryan Harsin’s defensive coordinator at Auburn where he will have an opportunity to work with better athletes than he ever did at either Stanford or Vanderbilt. He coaches a 3-4 scheme which isn’t all that much different than the one Kevin Steele ran at AU the last few years. Mason will have to get monster years out of Zakoby McClain and Owen Pappoe for the Tigers to be a top 20 defense.

9. Zach Arnett, Mississippi State: When you take into consideration the bad situations Arnett’s defense were dealt by last year’s offense, their fifth place finish among SEC defenses is quite remarkable. The Bulldogs were very good against the run (126.36 yards per game, 23rd nationally) but lacked the ability to get consistent pressure on the QB. That has to change this year if MSU is to make solid gains. Prior to MSU, Arnett had outstanding defenses at San Diego State. Corner Emmanuel Forbes (5 picks, 3 returned for TDs) will be a standout in the NFL someday.

10. DJ Durkin/Chris Partridge, Ole Miss: The Ole Miss defense was rotten in 2020, but it was rotten the previous four seasons so nothing really changed. All the coaching in the world couldn’t make up for bad personnel last year. The players will be better in 2021, but it’s still going to take another one or two recruiting classes to turn things around in Oxford. Durkin and Partridge are rock solid. They’ll have opportunities to go somewhere else. Will they stay long enough to see the Ole Miss defense make a serious turnaround?

11. Daronte Jones, LSU: Bo Pelini was an absolute disaster last year so his contract was bought out and Coach O turned to Daronte Jones, who spent the last few years coaching in the NFL and whose last defensive coordinator experience was for DII Bowie State from 2005-09. Jones coached NFL secondaries the last five years. Traditionally that has been LSU’s strength although last year the Tigers gave up 323 yards per game and 24 touchdown passes. They also struggled against the run (169 yards per game). Much of last year’s difficulty can be traced to the number of former Tigers who left for the NFL after the 2019 season but that won’t be an excuse this year. It’s a contract year for Derek Stingley Jr. who needs to have a monster year to make Jones’ return to college football a success.

12. Steve Wilks, Missouri: Wilks spent the last 14 seasons coaching in the NFL. Most of his NFL experience was in the secondary although he was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals for the 2018 season. He takes over a defense that gave up more than 32 points and 408 yards per game in 2020 so there is improvement needed everywhere you look but especially in the secondary where the Tigers allowed 21 touchdown passes while picking off only four. Wilks will have to find some pass rush, too. The Tigers managed only 16 sacks all last year.

13. Clayton White, South Carolina: White comes to South Carolina from Western Kentucky, where his defenses the last two seasons were respectable. Prior to WKU (2017-20), White spent four years as the special teams coordinator and safeties coach at North Carolina State. White will switch the Gamecocks from the 3-4 employed by former coach Will Muschamp to a 4-2-5 that is designed to be effective against the spread.

14. Jesse Minter, Vanderbilt: Minter spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach in the secondary of the NFL Baltimore Ravens. Prior to that he was the defensive coordinator at Georgia State. This is going to be HBC Clark Lea’s defense, make no mistake about it but Minter will be the man in charge of the secondary. The personnel to compete in the SEC will take at least two or three solid recruiting classes.

THREE UF SIGNEES SELECTED IN ROUNDS 11-20 OF THE MLB DRAFT Florida baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan has to be giddy after the final 10 rounds of the Major League Baseball Draft. In the final 10 rounds Tuesday, only three UF signees heard their names called – College of Central Florida transfer pitcher Shawn Guilliams (6-1, 185) by Cincinnati in the 11th round; pitcher Kyle Larson (6-2, 240, Sanford, FL TNXL Academy) by Texas in the 18th; and outfielder Ty Evans (6-2, 200, Auburndale, FL/Lakeland, FL Lakeland Christian) by Atlanta in the 20th round. Of the three, Guilliams seems the most likely to sign.

Out of the nation’s No. 1 college baseball recruiting class, the Gators figure to lose only four high school signees – first round pitchers Andrew Painter (to Philadelphia) and Chase Petty (to Minnesota) and center fielder Jay Allen (to Cincinnati) and third round shortstop Jake Fox (to Cleveland).

In nearly every pre-draft eval, the Gators stood to lose lefty pitchers Jac Caglianone (6-5, 210, Tampa, FL Plant), Pierce Coppola (6-8, 220, Verona NJ) and Phil Abner (6-1, 220, Port Charlotte, FL Charlotte Christian) in the first five rounds but all three went undrafted and can be expected to be at UF next season. Florida also will keep outfielder Michael Robertson (6-1, 180, Venice, FL), who could be the starter in center field, and infielder Deric Fabian (6-4, 180, Ocala, FL North Marion), who may take over at third if not at shortstop. Larson could compete for a starting job in the midweek rotation and Evans could take over for Jacob Young (almost certain to sign with Washington) in left field.

THE SEC AND THE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL DRAFT, ROUNDS 11-20

Alabama: Tyler Ras, P, Colorado (14).

Arkansas: Caden Monke, P, Kansas City (14). Elijah Trest, P, Colorado (19). Charlie Welch, C, Seattle (19).

Auburn: Steven Williams, C, Washington (18)

Kentucky: Holt Jones, P, Miami (14).

Mississippi State: Rowdey Jordan, OF, New York Mets (11).

South Carolina: Daniel Lloyd, P, Baltimore (14). Julian Bosnic, P, San Francisco (16).

Tennessee: Leath Jackson, P, Texas (12). Sean Hunley, P, Tampa Bay (19).

Texas A&M: Chandler Jorzwiak, P, Miami (13)

Vanderbilt: Jayson Gonzalez, 3B, Chicago White Sox (17). Dominic Keegan, C/1B, New York Yankees (19).

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Now that the NCAA and NIL are in lockstep, former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor and the other four players who traded their memorabilia for free tattoos and other impermissible benefits want their records restored. Had the current NIL rules been in place in 2010, it’s unlikely Ohio State would have been sanctioned and the individual records of the tattoo-gate five would still be in place. As a result of the sanctions, wins were vacated and HBC Jim Tressel was forced to resign. Should the NCAA decide to restore the records, maybe Florida basketball player Vernon Maxwell should threaten to sue UF if his scoring records aren’t restored. Mad Max scored 2,450 points in his UF career but the 1,404 points he scored in the 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons aren’t part of the UF record book because he took money from an agent and also a round-trip ticket to a basketball camp. It’s absolutely ridiculous to continue this charade that Vernon’s points for those two years don’t exist.