Now that the college football season is officially over, some fans can sit back and enjoy the offseason. Most will wonder about how their team will fare in the season to come.
The SEC claimed another national championship with Alabama’s thrilling win over Clemson, and college football’s most dominant conference reinforced its claim to that distinction with a sparkling 9-2 record in bowl/postseason games.
But even the Crimson Tide has things to ponder in the run up to the 2016 campaign. Here are burning questions for all 14 teams entering the offseason:
Alabama: How will Nick Saban replace so many key players — not to mention defensive coordinator Kirby Smart — from 2015’s national championship squad?
Arkansas: Can coach Bret Bielema find replacement options at quarterback and running back soon enough to avoid the sort of non-conference stumbles that plagued his team last season?
Auburn: How many 2016 wins will it take for Gus Malzahn to stay off the hot seat, and what quarterback will he chose to help him reach that number?
Florida: How can coach Jim McElwain cope with so many departures from a talented defense? Bonus question: Who’s playing quarterback?
Georgia: What are the expectations for new coach Kirby Smart, and what will he need to achieve in his first season to silence critics of Mark Richt’s ouster?
Kentucky: With a 12-24 record in Lexington in his three seasons, does coach Mark Stoops need to reach a bowl game to keep his job?
LSU: Is the solution to the quarterback question the only thing keeping LSU from challenging Alabama for the SEC West title, or do the problems run deeper in Baton Rouge?
Mississippi State: How can the program move on from Dak Prescott, the most decorated quarterback in school history?
Missouri: Can new coach Barry Odom fix one one of the worst offenses in college football, while avoiding the off-field drama that swirled around the program in 2015?
Ole Miss: Can the Rebels use a stacked recruiting class to mitigate the early exodus of NFL-caliber talent and contend for a conference crown?
South Carolina: Can Will Muschamp parlay a strong finish on the recruiting trail into an instant turnaround for the Gamecocks in his first season in Columbia?
Tennessee: The same question as last year, but with older, more experienced players. Is Tennessee ready to win the SEC East in 2016?
Texas A&M: With declining win totals and a revolving door out of the program for highly touted quarterbacks, how does coach Kevin Sumlin steady the ship in College Station?
Vanderbilt: The Commodores’ defense turned heads in 2015, but can its offense offer enough punch to help the team improve on its 4-8 record?
