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Unlike other college sports (read: basketball), college football is still dominated by teams that rely heavily on experience. With that in mind, here are three veteran senior leaders from each SEC East team who are expected to contribute heavily to the 2016 season.
Florida
DE Bryan Cox Jr.: A three-year letterman, Cox has accumulated 8.5 sacks as a Gator. At 6-3, 238 pounds, he is a dangerous pass rusher, and was named second team All-SEC by the media.
LB Jarrad Davis: Davis started 12 games last year, and was second on the team with 98 tackles. Highlights of his season included 11 tackles for loss, seven quarterback hurries, and four passes broken up.
S Marcus Maye: Maye has accumulated 160 tackles over the last two years as a starter. Was named first-team All-American by USA Today in 2015, when he forced five fumbles and grabbed two interceptions.
Georgia
WR Reggie Davis: The speedy Davis (who has also been a dangerous kick returner) has struggled to be consistent, with just 12 catches for 187 yards in 2015, but could have a breakout senior season.
OT Greg Pyke: Pyke is still healing from offseason surgery, but the 6-6 mountain of a man will likely show his all-SEC form at tackle this year, a switch from his guard spot where he starred for the past two seasons.
C Brandon Kublanow: Another lineman who will be a three-year starter, Kublanow played center and guard in 2015.
Kentucky
C Jon Toth: The reliable Toth has started 35 games and is generally considered to be an All-SEC level performer.
RB Jojo Kemp: Kemp shares time with the more dynamic Stanley “Boom” Williams, but has run for 1,360 yards in three seasons. He’s particularly dynamic running from the Wildcat formation, ironically enough.
S Marcus McWilson: A Youngstown, Ohio product like his head coach, McWilson was fourth on the team in tackles in 2015 with 66 stops. He had three interceptions in 2014.
Missouri
DL Josh Augusta: The 6-4, 345-pound Augusta is difficult to run against. His 8.5 tackles for loss in 2015 tell that story well.
LB Michael Scherer: Scherer has started for two seasons and racked up 207 tackles in those years. Last year, he added nine tackles for loss and three passes broken up on top of his 93 stops.
LB Donavin Newsom: A four-year Tiger, Newsom’s 2015 campaign was his first year as a full-time starter, and he responded with 63 tackles and nine tackles for loss.
South Carolina
PK Elliott Fry: The All-SEC third team preseason pick at kicker, Fry has converted 53 of 71 field goals and 130 of 131 extra points as a Gamecock. With 12 more field goals in 2016, he’ll enter the SEC’s all-time top 10 in that category.
DE Marquavius Lewis: A JUCO signee, Lewis had 45 tackles and six QB hurries in his first year of SEC football. He will likely improve on both numbers in 2016.
LB T.J. Holloman: Holloman became a regular starter in 2015, and his 63 tackles were third most on the team. He nabbed a couple of interceptions as well.
Tennessee
QB Josh Dobbs: The second-team All-SEC quarterback might be the most important player in the conference. He’s passed for more than 4,000 yards and rushed for over 1,300 more in his career. If he can be more consistent in 2016, he’ll probably lead the Vols to the division title.
LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin: This will be Reeves-Maybin’s third year as a starter. He broke 100 tackles in each of the first two, with his 105 stops, six sacks last year earning him a preseason All-SEC first team selection.
CB Cam Sutton: Sutton, another first team All-SEC preseason pick, has started all 38 games which Butch Jones has coached at UT. He has broken up 26 passes in his UT career and made six interceptions. He’s also an All-American candidate as a punt returner.
Vanderbilt
C Barrett Gouger: Gouger started at guard in 2015, and was a solid presence on the Dores’ line.
OT Will Holden: The 6-6, 312 pound Holden has started the past two years for Vandy, and moves back from left tackle to his natural right tackle spot this season.
CB Torren McGaster: McGaster will be a three-year starter for Vandy at corner. His 13 passes broken up last season placed him just one behind the conference leaders.
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.
