1 thing each SEC team is doing better this year than last year

It’s an up and down world, the SEC. Your team’s strength one season can be a weakness the next. But this column is about good news. Here’s one particular area where each SEC squad has shown improvement from last season to this one.

Alabama

Scoring: Not that the Crimson Tide were bad at this anyway, but in 2015, they averaged 35.1 points per game and eclipsed 40 points only three times — against Texas A&M, Charleston Southern, and in the title game against Clemson.

In 2016, Bama is averaging 44 points per game and has already eclipsed 40 points three times. Part of the credit — ironically enough — rests with the defense, which scored five touchdowns in 2015, and already has that many in 2016.

Arkansas

Playing the pass: Arkansas was disastrous in pass coverage last season, giving up 275 yards per game. This year, not only are the Razorbacks holding opponents to 211 yards per game, but they have already returned three picks for touchdowns (as opposed to none in 2015). With Bama, Ole Miss, and Missouri still on the schedule, Arkansas’ improved pass defense is pivotal.

Auburn

Running the football: The Auburn offense as a whole struggled in 2015. But Gus Malzahn’s Tigers averaged 196 yards per game rushing with 4.3 yards per carry. That was good for fourth in the SEC. This year, those numbers are clocking it at 270 yards per game, best in the league. Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway could each challenge for 1,000 yards rushing in 2016.

Florida

Defense: Much like Alabama with scoring, the Gators were no slouch defensively in 2015. They allowed 310 total yards and 18.3 points per game. But the 2016 squad makes that look pathetic. Through five games, opponents have 230 yards and 11.6 points per game against the Gators. Unfortunately, with Luke Del Rio injured, Florida’s offense almost requires a shutout from the defense. But the defense is delivering.

Georgia

Passing the football: In 2015, Georgia rotated multiple QBs, but ended up with just 185 yards per game passing. Jacob Eason has helped those stats jump to 215 yards per game, and his seven touchdowns is already within striking range of last season’s passing leader, Greyson Lambert’s season total of 12 scores. The ground game has been a bit disappointing and the defense has struggled, but Eason returns UGA to the days of having a top Dawg under center.

Kentucky

Rushing quarterbacks: Kentucky’s defense has been near disastrous this season, but one area that has improved is sacking opposing passers. In 2015, UK totaled just 17 sacks— good for last in the SEC. So far in 2016, while Kentucky’s front four has struggled, the defense has managed 10 sacks, which places UK in the middle of the conference rankings. That might help Saturday against a fairly immobile pair of Vandy QBs.

LSU

Run defense: Again, the Tigers weren’t exactly struggling here anyway, but they allowed 123 rushing yards per game and 3.8 yards per carry in 2015. So far in 2016, those numbers have dipped to 108 yards and 3.0 yards per carry. The Tigers’ front seven has been impressive, and it could carry LSU to a surprising second half of 2016.

Mississippi State

Running the football: Sure, with Dak Prescott under center, State did a fair amount of passing. But on the ground, they cobbled together just 144 yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry in 2015. While State’s fortunes have taken a step back without Prescott, the ground game is better — to the tune of 220 yards per game and 5.6 yards per carry. QB Nick Fitzgerald won’t equal Prescott as a passer, but his running stats are even better than Prescott’s. So far, anyway.

Missouri

Passing the football: In 2015 Mizzou couldn’t hit the floor falling out of bed, in a rough analogy for passing. Maty Mauk and Drew Lock split time and managed just 166 passing yards per game and completed fewer than half of their passes. Enter Josh Heupel, and Lock makes a Cinderella change. Mizzou is passing for 351 yards per game, and Lock might lead the SEC in passing. Hard to believe it’s the same team.

Ole Miss

Improved kicking game: Placekicker Gary Wunderlich missed six field goal tries in 2015, including two inside of 30 yards. So far in 2016, Wunderlich is 7 for 8, with the only miss being a 55-yard try. Punter Will Gleason has also seen his average rise from 40.7 yards per kick in 2015 to 45.1 yards in 2016. Kickoff specialist Nathan Noble has also managed touchbacks on over half of his kickoffs.

South Carolina

Defense: Will Muschamp is slowly building his program in Columbia. Last season, the Gamecocks allowed 430 yards per game defensively, with 5.1 yards per carry and 217 yards on the ground. So far, 2016 has showed modest improvement, with opponents reaching 404 yards per game, with 4.8 yards per carry and 202 yards on the ground. It’s not where Muschamp wants South Carolina to be, but it’s an important step in the right direction.

Tennessee

Finishing strong: In 2015, UT turned 17-3,  27-14 and 14-0 leads into losses. In 2016, The Vols have turned 13-3, 14-0, 17-0 and 21-0 deficits into victories. You can get into the how and the why, but if you’re Tennessee, you’re just enjoying the ride. If it can continue over the next two weeks, it might run all the way to the national title.

Texas A&M

Running the football: Since Johnny Manziel’s great 2012 team, which averaged 242 yards per game rushing, A&M’s ground game has played a distinctly secondary fiddle to the passing game. The past three years’ totals were 185, 150, and 169 yards per game rushing. And A&M went from 11 wins to 9 and 8 per year. So far this season, A&M is averaging 259 yards per game rushing, and of course, is 5-0. Freshman RB Trayveon Williams has been one of the surprises of the season, and QB Trevor Knight has excelled running as well as passing.

Vanderbilt

Red zone offense: In 2015, Vandy was terrible in the red zone. Of 33 red zone possessions, a dozen times Vandy failed to score at all. They managed touchdowns only 15 of 33 times (45 percent). This year, the Commodores are 17-for-17 on red zone scores, and have managed 12 touchdowns in the 17 trips. If only Vandy could get to the red zone more often.

Joe Cox

Joe Cox is a columnist for Saturday Down South. He has also written or assisted in writing five books, and his most recent, Almost Perfect (a study of baseball pitchers’ near-miss attempts at perfect games), is available on Amazon or at many local bookstores.