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Week 7 came and went with a few more questions answered and a few more questions raised.
Stephen Garcia stares down the five most pressing issues surrounding SEC quarterbacks as we get ready for Week 8:
1. Kyle Allen struggled last week in a big game opportunity. People are wondering whether Texas A&M can have that breakthrough moment in this league. How much of the big game struggles can you put on Allen?
Garcia: I would say that Texas A&M can absolutely have a breakthrough moment in this league, they have the talent for sure. The SEC West is, from top to bottom, a lot better than the East. That’s just a fact. There are no slouches on that side of the conference.
I feel like Allen is one of the best quarterbacks in the conference as well. As far as the big game struggles, people forget that he is still relatively young. I can assure you, playing against Bama, LSU, Auburn, etc., is never an easy game. Those teams are typically not only the best and most physical teams in the SEC, but the entire country.
Playing a difficult schedule like we do in the SEC takes a toll on the physical and mental aspect of the players. Take a look at last year when Allen was a freshman. He was inserted after the 59-0 drumming the Aggies took from Alabama. Two weeks later they faced the No. 3 Auburn Tigers and Allen led them to a 41-38 victory. I’d consider that a pretty big game.
Obviously, he had a tough game this past weekend against the Crimson Tide, but as the saying goes, “stuff” happens. He was under pressure the entire game and made some bad throws. He’s still learning this league and will continue to improve and learn as he grows.
2. This is a big week for Ole Miss’ Chad Kelly as well. He’s thrown six interceptions in the past four games and needs to get back on track. What has been the difference between this Kelly and the Kelly who torched Alabama for 340 yards, 3 TD passes?
Garcia: Kelly is a gun slinger, so interceptions will happen. The Rebels also have basically no run game right now, so he is forced to throw the ball 40-plus times a game. He has also been under pressure these past couple of games, as teams are figuring out that they don’t run the ball effectively. It’s pretty damn difficult to throw when you have guys in your face trying to take your head off. Kelly has been playing very well this entire year and leads the SEC in almost every passing category. I don’t think Chad has played any different in these past few games. He is still firing the ball with velocity and accuracy. Gotta respect the gun slinger! They need to get some sort of run game going to get back on track.
3. You’re Jacob Coker. You know Alabama has won eight straight against Tennessee. You know you’re expected to win again Saturday. You also know you have LSU up next, a game that everybody is talking about. How do you make sure your team doesn’t come out flat Saturday?
Garcia: You make sure this practice week is the exact same as it would be for every other week. That’s one thing that coach Saban is so good at. He seems to also have his players prepared and not look past each opponent. Tennessee can very well upset Alabama and ruin their playoff hopes if they’re not careful.
As a quarterback, you have to echo what Coach Saban is preaching. When we played FCS teams or whatever the week before playing against LSU, Florida or some other SEC team, I would tell the guys that we need to make sure that we give the team the following week something to fear. Let’s go out and put on a show so when they watch film of us, they have a little sense of nervousness. That’s something that I would say during our team meetings.
For coaches, they have to play the PC card and say that every team is good and we can’t take them lightly and that whole spiel. We as a team knew that we could sleep walk to a win, but as a leader of the team, you have to make sure everyone is awake and not sleep walking, because then it could get scary.
4. We’re halfway through the season. What’s the biggest surprise you’ve seen in the SEC so far?
Garcia: My biggest surprise is obvious. Coach Spurrier is no longer the HBC at South Carolina. I didn’t think in a million years that he wouldn’t at least finish the season. A lot of people are giving him a hard time saying that he quit on the team or whatever, and I completely disagree with that.
He, along with everyone else that pays attention to college football, knew that he only had 1-2 more years. I thought he made a valiant move by allowing a new coach to try to get the train back on track and get a chance to be the new coach before the season ended. This helps with recruiting, whether the Gamecocks continue on with Coach Elliot, or if they reach out and pluck a new big name coach. Recruiting is everything and the Gamecocks have struggled over the past couple of season, according to ranking sites. Saying that, Coach Spurrier retiring mid-season is still the biggest surprise in the SEC so far.
4B. What is the biggest surprise at QB in the SEC so far?
Garcia: Before the suspension, I would have to say Will Grier. The Gators weren’t supposed to be real good this year, especially on offense. Grier was playing lights out and had the Gators ranked near the top 10 for the first time in a long time. Gator Nation felt like they finally had their answer at QB. I was surprised at how good he was during his pre-snap reads and decision making. Grier was also playing smart with the ball and was throwing it very accurately. The suspension is a tough deal for not only Grier, but for the team. Hopefully it all works out for him and he can get back on the field soon. Treon Harris filled in very well this past weekend in Baton Rouge, so maybe the Gators still have hope.
5. Which SEC QB hasn’t quite lived up to what you thought he’d be in the preseason?
Garcia: Maty Mauk. I don’t know what all happened, but for some reason he just wasn’t playing well and ultimately got benched for the true freshman Drew Lock. I thought Mauk was a heck of quarterback when he came in for Missouri a few seasons ago. He led them to back-to-back SEC East championships as well and I was hoping he would have a big year his senior season.
The Man. The Myth. The Legend.
