Alabama
Player to watch: QB Brodie Croyle, sophomore. Croyle would have been great in the Mike Price system that developed solid college quarterbacks of the likes of Drew Bledsoe, Ryan Leaf and Jason Gesser. Things might be tougher with first-time college coach Mike Shula, but the solid tandem with senior runner Shaud Williams will be dangerous for other teams.
Fun number: 4. The number of head coaches Alabama has had in the last three seasons. In that span Mike DuBose has coached one year, Dennis Franchione two and the fired Price and the newly installed Shula have yet to coach a game.
Key conference game: @ Auburn, Nov. 22. The Iron Bowl on the Plains. Enough said.
Arkansas
Player to watch: Senior OLB Tony Bua. The River Ridge native is not only the most undervalued player on his team, but maybe the most underrated in the conference. He was 2nd team All-SEC the past two years and racked up 131 tackles, four sacks and two INTs.
Fun number : 109. That’s the Razorbacks’ NCAA statistical rating in the passing offense department, just eighth from the worst.
Key conference game: Auburn @ home, Oct. 11. If the Hogs are to defend their championship, they must beat the War Eagles at home in a game characterized by running and tough, bloody-nosed defense.
Auburn
Player to watch: Senior LB Karlos Dansby. Dansby may be the best linebacker in the country and a possible first round NFL draft pick. The converted safety was everywhere last season with 14 tackles for a loss, four sacks, three INTs, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Fun number: 1. They say one is the loneliest number that you’ll ever know. But for the Tigers, they don’t mind that The Sporting News pegged them as its preseason No. 1.
Key game: @ Georgia, Nov. 15. Could be the last hurdle toward the SEC West crown. They must beat LSU in a tough environment at Death Valley as well.
Florida
Player to watch: Sophomore QB Ingle Martin. May not share punting duties this year, but has Rex Grossman’s enormous shoes to fill. And if that’s not enough, he must duke it out with incoming and highly touted true freshman Chris Leak for the starting job, among others.
Fun number: 71; 1,088. That’s the number of receptions and yards the Florida offense will miss with the loss of WR Taylor Jacobs to the NFL. Returning pass catchers Carlos Perez and Kelvin Kight combined for 1,102 receiving yards last season.
Key game: vs. Georgia in Jacksonville, Fla., Nov. 1. If Florida is to return to the SEC East throne, they must knock out Georgia again for the second straight year in “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.”
Georgia
Player(s) to watch: Linebacking core. The Bulldogs have to replace all three starters that are now in the NFL. It will be tough to replace the 228 tackles Boss Bailey and Tony Gilbert – the team’s two top linebackers – combined for.
Fun number: 13. The number of starters lost. Included in that group are: WR Terrence Edwards, T Jon Stinchcomb, TB Musa Smith, FB J.T. Wall, DT Jonathan Sullivan, Bailey, Gilbert and LB Chris Clemons.
Key game: @ Tenn., Oct. 11. The Vols may provide the stiffest competition to the Bulldogs for the SEC East championship.
Kentucky
Player to watch: Senior WR Derek Abney. One of the conference’s best talents the last two years. Fast, shifty and tough to tackle, Abney should better his 40 receptions for 569 yards performance of a year ago as he becomes the focal point of the offense.
Fun number: 6. Number of returns for touchdowns by Abney, an NCAA single-season record. Four of those were on punts, two on kickoffs.
Key game: Sept. 27 vs. Florida. Can Kentucky finally beat Florida? Possible but tough after losing their top four tacklers from a year ago.
LSU
Player to watch: Michael Clayton. The junior wideout caught 57 passes for 749 yards last season and enters fall camp as the No. 1 receiver. As a freshman in 2001, Clayton caught 47 passes for 754 yards. Due to the lack of personnel at safety, Clayton also could be used in defensive coordinator Will Muschamp’s defense this season.
Fun number: 535. Combined rushing yards for Joseph Addai and Shyrone Carey, LSU’s top returning running backs. Addai finished with 438 yards and four touchdowns last season.
Key Game: Oct. 25 vs. Auburn
Once again, this game could decide the SEC West title, as it did in 2001 when LSU won 27-14. Auburn has won three of the last four games.
Ole Miss
Player to watch: Senior QB Eli Manning. As a possible Heisman guy, Manning must hope for a better running game. His top three targets are Chris Collins, Bill Flowers and Mike Espy.
Fun number: 378. That’s the yardage total for the season for Ole Miss’ leading rusher, Ronald McClendon last year (3.9 yards per carry).
Key game: @ Auburn, Nov. 8, LSU, Nov. 22. Ole Miss made late season collapses an art form. Can it turn the tide and beat solid SEC West opponents in November this year?
Miss. State
Player to watch: Senior QB Kevin Fant. Engaged in a tough battle with sophomore Kyle York for the starting spot. Another 10 TD – 12 INT, 52.4 completion percentage won’t be acceptable from Fant.
Fun number: 24. The only time State scored more than 20 points in an SEC game last year was in a 45-24 loss vs. Kentucky.
Key game: Vandy, Oct. 4. State is trying to avoid going 0-8 in the SEC for the second straight year.
South Carolina
Player to watch: Sophomore WR Troy Williamson. The 6-foot-2, 200 pound playmaker must make a difference for offense that returns only three starters. He had 17 receptions for 491 yards as a freshman last year.
Fun number: 3. Shut out or scored 7 points in 3 SEC games last year.
Key game: @ Georgia, Sept. 13. First SEC game in 2003. May start out 0-2 in conference with Tennessee just two weeks after Georgia.
Tennessee
Player to watch: Senior FS Rashad Baker. Can Baker, one of only four returners on defense, help improve the country’s fifth best defense? Contributed to 11th best past defense in NCAA with five INTs last year.
Fun number: 11. Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer hasn’t had a losing SEC record in his 11 seasons at the helm in Rocky Top.
Key game: Sept. 20 @ Florida. This game will separate contender from pretender in the SEC East, when these two tussle in the first SEC game for each team.
Vanderbilt
Player to watch: Sophomore QB Jay Cutler. If Cutler is solid coming off an outstanding freshman year (103-212, 10 TD-9 INT and 1,433 yds.) Vandy will be better. Cutler forms dynamic duo with SEC Freshman of the Year – RB Kwane Doster.
Fun number: 5.0. Average yards per carry by Doster who also averaged 25.7 per kick return.
Key game: Oct.4 @ Miss. State. Vandy will get its first conference win in a while and make long-time State coach Jackie Sherrill’s exit a quicker one.