Welcome to the SEC - a primer for Texas A&M and Missouri

[WinterBorn]

I saw this article online and wanted to share it, just in case we have any Texas A&M or Missouri fans.

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-foo...ever-to-forget

"1. No one hates SEC teams more than SEC teams.

You may not believe this and it may be hard to comprehend, but it’s an undeniable reality. The hate goes beyond primary rivals and full bore into any conference game, any week.

You want hate? Consider this conversation between Auburn quarterback/wideout Kodi Burns and I in the days leading up to the 2010 BCS National Championship Game.

Me: “Did you pull for Alabama in last year’s national title game?”

Burns: “You’ve got to be kidding me. I was the biggest Texas fan out there.”

Me: “But it’s conference pride.”

Burns: “It’s Alabama, man.”

2. It’s all about defense.

Days before last year’s national championship game, after Oklahoma State gave up more than 40 points (again) and won a big game (again), Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said he would have loved to play LSU in the BCS National Championship Game.

Gundy said the ‘Pokes would’ve “thrown it 50 times” and made it fun.

If you’re throwing it 50 times in an SEC game, you’re losing. Period. (Quick aside: Oklahoma State threw it 58 times against Iowa State. And lost.) Guess what Missouri and Texas A&M like to do?

If you can’t control the interior with your defensive line, your trend-setting offenses – Missouri and Texas A&M already have the two most creative offenses in the league – won’t be enough. Because eventually the guy on the other side, whose entire being revolves around playing defense, will figure out your funky offense.

And then it gets ugly.

3. The love ends in Week 2.
So far, it has been all roses and respect this offseason. The SEC office even chipped in by giving Texas A&M (Florida) and Missouri (Georgia) marquee home games on Sept. 8 to begin their first season in the league.

Then, reality hits.

It’s not just dealing with brutal road trips and loud environments unlike anything you’ve seen, it’s the reality that seven of your 12 new friends consistently finish in the top 25 of recruiting rankings.

Consider this: Texas A&M went from playing two big games a year, to playing every team in the SEC’s current six-year national title run this fall: Florida, LSU, Alabama and Auburn

4. Don’t upset Alabama fans, you’ll just make them more crazy.
See: Updyke, Harvey.

See: Downing, Brian.

5. Atlanta may as well be Siberia.
The last time the SEC expanded in 1992, South Carolina and Arkansas joined a regional conference that hadn’t yet developed into the national behemoth it is today.

And it still took South Carolina 19 years to reach its first SEC Championship Game.

Arkansas did it in Year 4, but the West Division was in awful shape; worse than the current downtrend of the once mighty East Division (Florida, Tennessee rebuilding). Under that logic, Missouri could have one – maybe two – years of potential to win the East before Florida (at least) cycles back up.

As for Texas A&M in the heavyweight West Division: it took South Carolina nine years to have a winning SEC record while playing in the then powerful East.

6. Don’t confuse sports.

Dear Missouri:

Only one school cares about the beginning of basketball season in October. If you’d like, you too can brag about roundball five months before it matters.

If so, there’s a nice place for you next to Kentucky in the Music City Bowl. In good years.

When in doubt, always remember: it’s a football world. Bathe in it.

7. There’s no such thing as job security. Missouri has had unprecedented success under coach Gary Pinkel. The four-year run of 40 wins from 2007-10 is unmatched in more than 120 years of football.

But Pinkel probably wouldn’t have made it past Year 4 (after the 2004 season) if the Tigers were playing in the SEC. At that point, his Missouri record was 22-25.

Since then, Mizzou is 62-29, and Pinkel is 18 wins from passing Don Faurot as the school’s all-time leader in victories.

What does this all mean now for Pinkel and Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin? The same as it does for every other coach in the SEC: you have two years to prove yourself.

After that, Year 3 becomes make or break.

8. Embrace power football

The SEC is all about controlling tempo on both sides of the ball.

On offense, that means a power run game. This, of course, is foreign to both Missouri (four and five-wide, no fullback) and Sumlin’s pass-happy teams at Houston (and now at Texas A&M).

Both Sumlin and Pinkel said in June that playing in the SEC won’t change their style of play. That’s what Urban Meyer said, too. Then he lost three games in his first season at Florida because he couldn’t get tough yards by spreading the defense and finding seams.

A year later, his spread offense suddenly became an option-heavy, power run game with a 245-pound quarterback bulldozing opponents and setting up quick, change of pace tailbacks.

You’re not surviving in the SEC without a lead blocking fullback and/or a tight end. And neither Missouri nor Texas A&M has a true lead-blocking fullback on the roster.

They’ll learn.

9. It’s all about sustained success
The story of Auburn under coach Gene Chizik:

One year with Cam Newton: 14-0, national champions.

Two years without Newton: 16-10.

One year with Newton: victories over Alabama, LSU, Arkansas and Georgia.

Two years without Newton: 0-8 vs. Alabama, LSU, Arkansas and Georgia.

Translation: the national championship coach at Auburn better start winning games that matter. Soon.

10. When in doubt, chant S-E-C! "

[ekg]

I loved this comment in that article ..

"...Everything is cyclical - soon enough other parts of the country will cheat just as much as the SEC teams..."

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh

For YEARS! the SEC has been ignored and laughed at for not being up to the level of the Nebraska,Ohio..We've heard "the SEC can't match up against a Big Ten,Pac 12, ACC team.".. So of course now it's "waaaa they cheat"..

waaaaaaaaaa

Since 1990 the SEC has won 10 national championships Alabama, Aubrun, Flordia, Tennessee, LSU, Flordia, LSU, Flordia, Alabama, AUburn. The SEC is 1st in bowl apperences 367 bowls, 201 wins, 157 loses, 9 ties (,560). The top 5 teams in the SEC are Alabama,Tennessee,Georgia,LSU,and Auburn

Conference with most BCS bowl game wins SEC (16)
Conference with most championships SEC (8)
Last championship game 2012 BCS National Championship Game
Current BCS champion Alabama Crimson Tide

It's harder,stronger,deeper and faster in the SEC.. learn it,love it, live it bitches..!

(sorry, I'm jonesing for some college ball HA! )

[WinterBorn]

I loved this comment in that article ..

"...Everything is cyclical - soon enough other parts of the country will cheat just as much as the SEC teams..."

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh

For YEARS! the SEC has been ignored and laughed at for not being up to the level of the Nebraska,Ohio..We've heard "the SEC can't match up against a Big Ten,Pac 12, ACC team.".. So of course now it's "waaaa they cheat"..

waaaaaaaaaa







It's harder,stronger,deeper and faster in the SEC.. learn it,love it, live it bitches..!

(sorry, I'm jonesing for some college ball HA! )

Me and you both! The next month and a half is gonna drag by!

[ekg]

Me and you both! The next month and a half is gonna drag by!

it's killing me... HA!

[I Love America]

Texas A&M and Missouri will be crying to get out of the SEC. They have no idea what they got themselves into

GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!

[WinterBorn]

Texas A&M and Missouri will be crying to get out of the SEC. They have no idea what they got themselves into

GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!

The money is too good for them to want to leave. But they have a tough road ahead of them, thats for sure.

ThBayou Bengals ought to be pretty good this year. Not good enough to repeat as SEC champs, but close.

[I Love America]

The money is too good for them to want to leave. But they have a tough road ahead of them, thats for sure.

ThBayou Bengals ought to be pretty good this year. Not good enough to repeat as SEC champs, but close.

Actually i see them being better than last year with improved QB play.

A&M is in for a shock when their high flying offense gets pummeled. People who don't pay attention have no idea how big, fast and deep SEC rosters are

[WinterBorn]

Actually i see them being better than last year with improved QB play.

A&M is in for a shock when their high flying offense gets pummeled. People who don't pay attention have no idea how big, fast and deep SEC rosters are

Missouri is in for the same shock. Both coaches have said that they would not change their style of play. I think they will eat those words soon enough. I remember Steve Spurrier, when he first took over at Florida, wasn't worried about defense either. He said he was gonna score 60 points, and if his opponent scored more they would win. He soon learned how well that worked.

The SEC defenses are deadly. I think the worst think about playing against our defenses is our defensive lines. QBs don't have time t think before they are pummeled.

[I Love America]

Missouri is in for the same shock. Both coaches have said that they would not change their style of play. I think they will eat those words soon enough. I remember Steve Spurrier, when he first took over at Florida, wasn't worried about defense either. He said he was gonna score 60 points, and if his opponent scored more they would win. He soon learned how well that worked.

The SEC defenses are deadly. I think the worst think about playing against our defenses is our defensive lines. QBs don't have time t think before they are pummeled.

I agree. The killer isn't that they have two or three good guys bu the depth. They have third stringers that could start at other programs. So they can constantly rotate on fresh players. Deadly

[WinterBorn]

I read an article on Twackle.com ranking the top 10 defensive lines in college football.

5 of the top 10 are SEC schools. Good news, Mott! Ohio State is rank #4 in this article.