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Our list of the SEC’s best and worst Week 2:
STUDS
1. Chad Kelly: The Swag Kelly nickname thing feels a little too much like Kenny Trill, but the way Kelly’s playing through two weeks, he can call himself whatever he likes. Led by Kelly, the Ole Miss offense is in the process of rewriting the record books. Of course, Tennessee-Martin and Fresno State won’t be confused with the ’85 Bears any time soon, but the numbers the Rebels are putting up (149 points, 1,269 yards) remain a sight to behold. Against Fresno State on Saturday, Kelly was nearly flawless, completing 20 of 25 for 346 yards and four touchdowns, while running four times for 32 yards and another score.
2. Leonard Fournette: No LSU back has ever averaged 20 carries per game under Les Miles. A prediction here: That won’t be true by this time next year. Fournette toted the rock 28 times for 159 yards and three touchdowns in the season opener against Mississippi State, and the Tigers appear prepared to lean heavily on the running game for now. Darrel Williams was solid in relief, and Derrius Guice may emerge in the coming weeks, but Fournette is one of the best backs in college football and it looks like he’ll get every chance to prove it in LSU’s offense this year.
3. Kentrell Brothers: In a conference loaded with elite individual defensive talent, it would be hard to argue that anybody has outperformed Missouri’s senior linebacker through two games. In a 27-20 win over Arkansas State, Brothers posted 16 tackles for the second straight week and intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter to help the Tigers hold on for the win.
DUDS
1. Arkansas running game: In and of itself, the fact that Arkansas lost to Toledo isn’t as shocking as it might seem on the surface. Toledo is picked to win the MAC this year by the conference media, and Arkansas has struggled mightily in recent years at Little Rock. But the fact that the Hogs lost because the vaunted running attack was completely bottled up by a three-touchdown underdog? Now that’s an utter head-scratcher. Arkansas was beaten up front all day long, and Alex Collins didn’t appear to be at his best after being hospitalized earlier in the week due to an infection. The Hogs’ inability to get a push up front and convert in short-yardage situations helps explain how they finished with 515 yards of total offense (412 through the air) but had just two offensive scores.
2. Georgia passing game: After coming out clicking last week, the Bulldogs found that life in the SEC might be a little more difficult as they break in their second new starter at quarterback in the last two years. Greyson Lambert missed on his first seven pass attempts at Vanderbilt, and though Nick Chubb ran for 189 yards, the offense accounted for only 17 of the Bulldogs’ 31 points in the win. Lambert looked better in the second half, but Georgia still has some improving to do before hitting the roughest stretch of its schedule in October.
3. Jeremy Johnson: We’re only two games into his tenure as the Auburn starter and the Tigers are 2-0, but the five interceptions are troubling. Instead of bouncing back against FCS opponent Jacksonville State, Johnson struggled badly on most passes beyond the safety of the screen game. His misses downfield were so flagrant, they prompted at least one analyst to ask if he might be vision impaired.
Brent Holloway is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia, LSU and Mississippi State.
