Mandel's post spring rankings

[wakeriderof87 31]

Stewart Mandel released his first power rankings. He has UGA and Ohio State at the top. Auburn's 9th and Bama's 24th.

I realize its way to early to tell anything and it doesn't count for squat but it was still surprising to see us 9th, I didn't think the media was going to be to kind to us early in the year, with us replacing both coordinators.

I think I may have puked a little when I saw OSU in the top 2. Not another year of this.

[Ravad 77]

That is what we "Bammers" tried to tell you last year. We have NO talent.....and the NFL agrees. This year's recruiting class is the first step in the dreaded "Process" and it will take a couple of years to upgrade the talent gap that Shula created. No surprise here. We have known for a couple of years that we have no talent. Guess what.....it is not getting any better this year. If we can have some of the true freshmen provide immediate help, we might get 8-9 wins. Otherwise, it will be another Christmas in Shreveport.........

I guess Stewart Mandel is counting on the fresman steping up huh?

[subterranean_jack 112]

I'm not surprised by No. 1 & 2, although I'm a little surprised OSU isn't first and UGA second. UGA has more star quality, but OSU is returning nearly everybody from a title game squad and UGA has maybe the toughest schedule in the country.

Maybe a little optimistic at this point, but I think Auburn at No. 9 is about right, based on what we know right now. There aren't any glaring weaknesses, if the WRs improve and Burns/Todd can spread the field. Even with two new coordinators, both the offense and defense should be improved.

I can't go along with USC at No. 3 or Missouri at No. 4. USC has a lot of talent but it is really raw. With so many starters off to the NFL, this should be a down year for the Trojans, probably only 9 or 10 wins. Not a Top 10 finish. Missouri will have no running game and the linebacker corp was decimated by injuries in the spring.

Tennessee at No. 12 is a joke too. 8 new assistants and a new starting QB? C'mon. Maybe 20-25, maybe.

There are too many 'ifs' (true freshmen, OL, LBs) that must come through for UAT to make it into a preseason Top 25.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

Well I'd argue that we do have SOME glaring weaknesses until proven otherwise. For example, our starters at the receiver spots are: Rod Smith (proven quantity), James Swinton (about 4 catches in his career as a backup buried on the bench), Tim Hawthorne (coming off a Freshman year where he was all but invisible and didn't practice much in spring), and Robert Dunn (inconsistent but proven explosive). That's the best we have to offer on the edge right now.

It's certainly a group with LOADS of potential in: Hawthorne, Fannin, Slaughter, Zachery; loads of explosiveness: Dunn, Fannin, Swinton. And there is some experience: Smith, Billings, and Dunn. It's just a group of guys that's done very, very little to scare people in the past, and we're hanging a lot of pressure on those guys to make more plays. Throw Tommy Trott in (never been a gamer) there as well, and you've gotta say that until those guys do it on the field, that's a glaring weakness.

On the other side, I don't think we have glaring weaknesses, but there is a spot that should scare people: safety. Etheridge and McNeil are wonderful. There aren't a pair of safeties in the SEC that I'd say are way ahead of those two, BUT there is no experience behind them. None. That's a concern.

All that said, I'd put us somewhere between 7 and 15 going into next year and feel fine with it. Above that is just a guess, below that is ignoring the benefits of solid line play on both sides of the ball.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

By the way, here's the link: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...ex.html?eref=T1

Stuff I disagree with:

Texas Tech – wake me up when they actually beat someone worth a crap. That pick was made to be "trendy" or "ahead of the pack." It wasn't made based on: if X played Y, X would win.

Pitt and Bama – both are reaches. Both were made based on the "this is the year they turn the corner" stuff that we hear about Wanny basically every year and that we knew was coming with $aban. Bama will get the same love next year after another 5 loss season.

I agree with him on USC (still arguably more talented than anyone else so if that team is focused... they have to be top 5. only games they've lost in the past few years were brain cramp games) and Mizzou (they looked wonderful against everyone not named OU and bring back a ton).

[AUslug 1]

Why anybody would have faith in Texas Tech is beyond me, for them to be really good they have to beat Texas and Oklahoma in the same season which they havent done yet since the Big 12 was formed.

[PChamp119 96]

4 SEC teams in the top 10, 5 in the top 12... 6 in the top 25... sounds like another down year in the SEC

[auwallace 6]

Well I'd argue that we do have SOME glaring weaknesses until proven otherwise. For example, our starters at the receiver spots are: Rod Smith (proven quantity), James Swinton (about 4 catches in his career as a backup buried on the bench), Tim Hawthorne (coming off a Freshman year where he was all but invisible and didn't practice much in spring), and Robert Dunn (inconsistent but proven explosive). That's the best we have to offer on the edge right now.

It's certainly a group with LOADS of potential in: Hawthorne, Fannin, Slaughter, Zachery; loads of explosiveness: Dunn, Fannin, Swinton. And there is some experience: Smith, Billings, and Dunn. It's just a group of guys that's done very, very little to scare people in the past, and we're hanging a lot of pressure on those guys to make more plays. Throw Tommy Trott in (never been a gamer) there as well, and you've gotta say that until those guys do it on the field, that's a glaring weakness.

On the other side, I don't think we have glaring weaknesses, but there is a spot that should scare people: safety. Etheridge and McNeil are wonderful. There aren't a pair of safeties in the SEC that I'd say are way ahead of those two, BUT there is no experience behind them. None. That's a concern.

All that said, I'd put us somewhere between 7 and 15 going into next year and feel fine with it. Above that is just a guess, below that is ignoring the benefits of solid line play on both sides of the ball.

don't forget about lester, seems like everyone has forgot about the most consistent offensive playmaker we have.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

I didn't forget about him at all. He's just not a wide receiver. He's a great talent, and I love the Ben/Brad combo. But we're not going to be a good offense without a LOT of production on the edges. This offense needs to stretch people wide as much as it needs to stretch vertically. We know Brad can hold up his end; we don't know if the WRs can do the same.

[subterranean_jack 112]

Based on the first 12 games last season, I would agree the WRs and TEs have a lot to prove. However, I saw considerable improvement in the bowl game against a decent defense. I wouldn't say the receivers are a strong point, but I don't think they are a glaring weakness either. Some of the new and under-used guys will help out more next season in Franklin's scheme than they did last year. Trott, Zachery, and Slaughter are ready to make an impact.

[WarEagle71 0]

LINK????

Stewart Mandel released his first power rankings. He has UGA and Ohio State at the top. Auburn's 9th and Bama's 24th.

I realize its way to early to tell anything and it doesn't count for squat but it was still surprising to see us 9th, I didn't think the media was going to be to kind to us early in the year, with us replacing both coordinators.

I think I may have puked a little when I saw OSU in the top 2. Not another year of this.

[wakeriderof87 31]

Sorry heres the link.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...ings/index.html

I too think this ranking is pretty fair, I just didn't expect to see the media put us in the top 10, every time I've heard anything about our upcoming season the writer never failed to mention that we had alot of work to do with the hiring of two new coordinators.

[SouthLink02 8]

4 SEC teams in the top 10, 5 in the top 12... 6 in the top 25... sounds like another down year in the SEC

From what I have seen and heard....

It's a down year in the SEC when your rival does well and wins the SEC

It's the typical hard-fought SEC when you do well and win the SEC

[SouthLink02 8]

By the way, here's the link: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...ex.html?eref=T1

Stuff I disagree with:

Texas Tech – wake me up when they actually beat someone worth a crap. That pick was made to be "trendy" or "ahead of the pack." It wasn't made based on: if X played Y, X would win.

Pitt and Bama – both are reaches. Both were made based on the "this is the year they turn the corner" stuff that we hear about Wanny basically every year and that we knew was coming with $aban. Bama will get the same love next year after another 5 loss season.

I agree with him on USC (still arguably more talented than anyone else so if that team is focused... they have to be top 5. only games they've lost in the past few years were brain cramp games) and Mizzou (they looked wonderful against everyone not named OU and bring back a ton).

Agree completely on both TT and Pitt

TT still has no defense or at least one that can be consistently good AND TT's O just doesn't show up in some big games EVERY YEAR

Pitt has one of the best RB's in the country (I dont even know his name but the moves he made the last few games made Moreno look like a JUCO player) but will never be consistently good under Wand

[AU! 0]

I didn't forget about him at all. He's just not a wide receiver. He's a great talent, and I love the Ben/Brad combo. But we're not going to be a good offense without a LOT of production on the edges. This offense needs to stretch people wide as much as it needs to stretch vertically. We know Brad can hold up his end; we don't know if the WRs can do the same.

agreed, we all know what can happen when a defense knows that our only major threat is the running game a la kenny irons. The kid was a beast despite being plagued by injury, the only thing keeping him down was the fact that the defense played to stop kenny, we've also seen defenses play to stop cadillac and ronnie. If we can't produce in the air, we lose the ability to fool defenses.