Do you have a comment? E-mail me.
Three & Out returns to give you a periodic look at what's going on this spring in the SEC. In today's edition, we take a look at LSU's question marks, a recruiting ploy returning to the Plains and a schedule of upcoming SEC events.
LSU OPENS CAMP
The LSU Tigers officially kicked off the spring practice season, opening camp Monday. The Tigers will undoubtedly be one of the most intriguing camps to watch in the conference this spring. Coming off a relatively disappointing (by LSU standards) 9-4 season and with a coach squarely on the hot seat, LSU has got to get a lot better on offense, otherwise heads could roll in Baton Rouge.
The Tigers finished 2009 ranked 112th in the country in total offense, which was the worst offense of any team with a winning record. That was with pre-season All-SEC players Ciron Black, Brandon LaFell and Charles Scott, all of whom are no longer on the roster.
Highly-touted quarterback Russell Shepard will be the player to watch for the Tigers, as he makes the switch to wide receiver full-time. LSU fans were frustrated with his lack of involvement in the game plan at various times in 2009. With no proven running back, head coach Les Miles will look to get the ball in Shepard's hands as much as possible.
The bigger question may be whether or not the LSU offensive line can block long enough to allow quarterback Jordan Jefferson enough time to get Shepard the ball. The Tigers gave up 37 sacks in 2009, tied with South Carolina for last place in the SEC. They lose Black, who started at left tackle, as well as right guard Lyle Hitt off that offensive line. For LSU to be successful, it starts up front. If they can't get the offensive line fixed, LSU – and Miles in particular – could be in some serious trouble.
BIG CAT WEEKEND RETURNS
New Auburn head coach Gene Chizik made some waves last off-season, as Auburn hosted its inaugural “Big Cat Weekend.” The unofficial recruiting weekend drew the attention of 22 star recruits, 10 of whom ultimately signed with Auburn last month. As a result of last year's success, “Big Cat Weekend” will return to the Plains on the weekend of May 28.
Auburn will welcome a select group of 2011 prospects in to town to check out the Tigers. The event will include current and former players, some of whom were involved with the event last year.
While the methods of the Auburn coaching staff drew the ire of many SEC pundits, the results can't be argued with. The Tigers rode a wave of momentum throughout last year en route to the No. 6 recruiting class in the nation. That momentum started in recruiting with the inaugural “Big Cat Weekend” and the “Tiger Prowl” across the state of Alabama. If the announcement of the Big Cat Sequel is any indiciation, the momentum will continue on the Plains.
THE SEC ANNOUNCES IMPORTANT SPRING/SUMMER DATES
The SEC officially released the spring practice, spring game and SEC Media Days dates on Monday. Below is a schedule:
Spring Practice Dates (Start / Finish):
Alabama - March 12 / April 17
Arkansas - March 30 / April 24
Auburn - March 24 / April 19 (Spring Game – April 17)
Florida - March 17 / April 10
Georgia - March 4 / April 10
Kentucky - March 31 / April 24
LSU - Feb. 26 / March 27
Ole Miss - March 27 / April 17
Mississippi State - March 23 / April 17
South Carolina - March 4 / April 10
Tennessee - March 18 / April 17
Vanderbilt - March 17 / April 10
SEC Media Days Schedule:
July 21, 2010
1st rotation - Alabama / Mississippi State
2nd rotation - Kentucky / Florida
July 22, 2010
1st rotation - Georgia / Arkansas
2nd rotation - Vanderbilt / South Carolina
July 23, 2010
1st rotation - Auburn / Tennessee
2nd rotation - LSU / Ole Miss
Barrett Sallee covers the SEC for www.CollegeFootballNews.com. He can be reached at barrettsallee@gmail.com, or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BSallee_CFN
2010 Spring Three & Out Archive
Three & Out: SEC Thoughts, News & Notes – March 2, 2010
Click Here for the off-season blog archive
Click here for the 2009 regular season Three & Out archive