SEC Football: 3 Things We Watched For, Week 2 Recap

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Sep 3, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) throws during the third quarter against the USC Trojans at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Another week of SEC Football is in the books. There were a couple of surprises, such as Arkansas beating TCU and Georgia almost losing to Nicholls. But for the most part, everything went as expected.

Cupcakes were enjoyed by a majority of SEC teams. Texas A&M in particular was dominant against Prairie View. But they weren’t the only ones. Alabama, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, LSU, Auburn, and Missouri all feasted on out of conference confections.

That’s without even mentioning the Florida Gators, who cruised to their 30th consecutive victory over perennial conference cupcake Kentucky. The Gators were led to the win by Luke Del Rio, who may be emerging as a potential all-conference candidate at the quarterback spot. It also helps that the Gator defense is nasty.

It is also perhaps worth mentioning that LSU may have finally made a quarterback change. Danny Etling came in to the game against Jacksonville State after Brandon Harris got off to a poor start. Etling would go on to complete six of his 14 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, he also threw an interception and fumbled.

Is Etling the savior that Tiger fans have been waiting for? The stats don’t seem to indicate it. Nevertheless, he may be better than Brandon Harris. In fact, if he can just be average, Etling will give the Tigers a shot to win the west. He has the luxury of two phenomenal running backs, capable receivers, and a nasty defense to help him out if he struggles. This is a storyline to keep an eye on.

Below we have the recap of our “Three Things to Watch For.” Please enjoy reading and share what you watched for during the week two action in the comments below.

Sep 10, 2016; Bristol, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) celebrates after a win against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Bristol Motor Speedway. Tennessee won 45-24. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

3. Will Tennessee Rebound?

Yes, they absolutely will, although it didn’t look like they were going to at first. The Volunteers fell into a 14-0 hole before their offense finally caught fire. Led by quarterback Joshua Dobbs, the Volunteers would ultimately win the game 45-24.

Dobbs was great in this game. He accounted for three passing touchdowns along with two rushing scores. For the math impaired out there, like myself, that’s 35 of the Vol’s 45 points. Dobbs was dominant, particularly on the ground, where he averaged an incredible 7.6 yards per carry on 14 attempts.

Jalen Hurd was also a force to be reckoned with in this game. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry on 22 attempts for a total of 99 yards.

So what does this performance mean for Tennessee? It means they are back on track. The Volunteers were lauded as a potential playoff team prior to the start of the season. But then they laid an egg against Appalachian State. This performance shows how high their ceiling is.

The Volunteer offense is dominant when they can run the football effectively. The question is, what happens when they can’t. Thus far in the season, neither team they’ve played has been stout enough to find out.

We will most likely not found out until the Volunteers host Florida on the 24th. That should be a pivotal game in the SEC East race. If the Volunteers can win it, they’ll only have the Georgia Bulldogs standing in their way. And Georgia showed against Nicholls that they are extremely vulnerable.

Sep 10, 2016; Starkville, MS, USA;South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Brandon McIlwain (11) runs the ball during the third quarter of the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi State won 27-14. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

2. Can Will Muschamp Get South Carolina to 2-0?

No he can’t. The Gamecocks lost to Mississippi State 27-14 in a game that never actually felt that close. The South Carolina offense was pathetic, especially on the ground. They averaged just 1.1 yards per carry as a team. That won’t do against SEC defenses. Balance is key.

Fortunately for the Gamecocks, there was a big positive for them in this game. Brandon McIlwain emerged at the quarterback position. He completed just 50 percent of his passes but did throw two touchdowns and zero interceptions.

If McIlwain can improve his accuracy, which he should with more experience, he could be a great quarterback for South Carolina in the future. He has all the tools. He is a big guy with a big arm who is mobile. He reminds me a bit of a young Dak Prescott.

Will Muschamp might be best served benching veteran Perry Orth and letting McIlwain learn on the job. Because the Gamecocks will be hard pressed to make any kind of substantial run this season. In fact, I don’t even see them making a bowl. They have one win, and I see at most four more wins on the schedule.

This looks like a rebuilding year in Columbia. Muschamp should let his young quarterback learn, let his defensive system take root, and hit the recruiting trail hard. If he does those three things, he should be able to refill the cupboard that Steve Spurrier left so barren.

Sep 10, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin talks with quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) and wide receiver Calvin Ridley (3) during the game against Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Tide defeated the Hilltoppers 38-10. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

1. Who Wins the Alabama Quarterback Competition?

Jalen Hurts appears to have already won the job prior to the Tide’s game against Western Kentucky. Nevertheless, his play against the Hilltoppers should have made it clear that he was the man for the job. He completed 23 of 36 passes for 287 yards and 2 touchdowns. In addition, he had two more would-be touchdowns dropped, by O.J. Howard and Gehrig Dieter.

Blake Barnett, on the other hand, threw just six passes. He completed two. It is clear that Saban and Kiffin have given Hurts the nod.

Hurts offers the Tide a lot of tools for Lane Kiffin to work with. He is athletic, but has a good arm as well. However, his inexperience did show a bit against Western Kentucky. Hurts was late on several deep balls. He also took a few bad sacks.

Lane Kiffin needs to teach Hurts that it is okay to throw the ball away if nothing is there. This isn’t high school, where you can dance around in the pocket for days and then just heave one downfield to a wide open man.

In the SEC, the defenses are ferocious. You have to get the ball out on time. If nothing is there, be decisive and take off running. If Hurts can learn to do that, he could be a Deshaun Watson type player.

Sep 10, 2016; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Luke Del Rio (14) throws the ball against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Conclusion

Thanks so much for reading. Be sure to check back later in the week for our power poll, predictions, and three things to watch for in week three pieces. Also, if you like the site, then please “like” us on Facebook and “follow” us on Twitter. Finally, don’t forget to share what you watched for and learned in Week 2 in the comments below.