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It was a tough season for SEC East teams. Only Florida, Tennessee and Georgia qualified for bowl games.
Six of the seven teams faced turmoil at quarterback. One coach quit in midseason. Another was fired after 15 seasons. A third resigned for health problems, announced only days after his players threatened to boycott.
Here are the 2015 final grades for teams in the SEC East:
Florida: At the head of the class, Florida lost its last three games by a combined 97-24 after narrow escapes against Vanderbilt and Florida Atlantic. The Gators got to 6-0 behind the play of QB Will Grier, who was caught using PEDs then fell apart when he was suspended.
The Gators offense was awful. With Treon Harris at quarterback, opponents were able to stack the box knowing the Gators had no downfield passing game. A patchwork offensive line struggled to open holes for Kelvin Taylor, who ran well down the stretch to finish with 1,035 yards, 13 touchdowns and reach 4 yards per carry.
The defense was outstanding. End Jonathan Bullard, LB Antonio Morrison and corners Jalen Tabor and Vernon Hargreaves III were standouts. Despite the blowout loss to Michigan at the Citrus Bowl, the 10-4 Gators allowed only 18.3 points per game.
An “F” could be justified due to Grier’s “cheating.” Yet Jim McElwain had a tremendous first year as coach. We’ll give the Gators an “A” for the first half and a “D” for the second half.
Grade: B-
Tennessee: The Volunteers did it again. They lost early then cleaned up against the soft part of their schedule down the stretch. That’s why the dominating victory over Northwestern was so important — the Vols showed their winning streak wasn’t just the product of their schedule.
The Vols’ running game was strong with RBs Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara combining with QB Joshua Dobbs for more than 2,600 yards and 30 TDs. The passing game wasn’t as good, averaging less than 200 yards per game and 17 TDs.
Tennessee was in position to win every game. But the 9-4 Vols came up short four times. They had potential for a breakout year. They did rebound well from the disappointments.
Grade: B-
Georgia: A 10-3 season rarely leaves such a bitter taste. The Bulldogs beat the struggling teams in the division, but lost decisively to their three strongest opponents. Alabama and Florida routed the Bulldogs. Tennessee roared back from a 24-3 deficit.
Quarterback was a problem. Greyson Lambert didn’t get the job done against top competition. In a move that perhaps added momentum for his ouster, Mark Richt went to untested Faton Bauta against Florida.
Georgia won ugly against mediocre opposition, providing evidence that the Bulldogs weren’t on the same level as the best of the SEC West. Ugly victories and humiliating losses led to Richt’s firing.
Grade: C
Vanderbilt: The bar wasn’t so high for Derek Mason and the Commodores. Beating Missouri and Kentucky for Mason’s first two SEC victories showed progress in a 4-8 season.
Ralph Webb rushed for 1,152 yards without much help from the passing game. Kyle Shurmur emerged as the quarterback of the future. The defense was solid — it allowed only 21 points per game — until the season-ending blowout loss to Tennessee.
Grade: C
Kentucky: The Wildcats were on the verge of a successful season. They were 4-1, the only loss a hard-fought 14-9 setback against Florida. But the 5-7 season derailed with a 30-27 loss to Auburn in a Thursday night home game.
Patrick Towles slumped at quarterback and was replaced by Drew Barker. A bowl game was still within reach until a disappointing defeat to Vanderbilt followed by a 38-24 loss to Louisville, which rallied from a 21-0 deficit at Commonwealth Stadium. Mark Stoops will have another long winter.
Grade: D+
Missouri: The Tigers offense was horrible, regardless who played quarterback. The line didn’t block and the receivers didn’t get open or make plays. Russell Hansbrough battled injuries and didn’t have anywhere to run when he did play.
Maty Mauk was suspended. The players threatened a boycott — they missed practice. The two-time defending East champion lost to Kentucky and Vanderbilt and finished 5-7 with only one victory in SEC play. Gary Pinkel resigned. Athletic director Mack Rhoades turned down a bowl opportunity. The lone bright spot was a victory over Brigham Young after the boycott was averted.
Grade: D-
South Carolina: The Gamecocks opened the season impressively, stealing a victory from mistaken-prone North Carolina in the opener. Then came the train wreck, which started with a home loss to Kentucky and blew up when Lambert completed 24 of 25 passes in a 52-20 loss to the Georgia.
South Carolina never found a quarterback. Steve Spurrier quit in frustration. The Gamecocks lost at home to FCS opponent The Citadel. The Gamecocks finished 3-9 with five straight losses. The highlights were the victory over the Tar Heels and a solid effort against Clemson.
Grade: D-
