Five storylines to preview SEC football

1. New coaches at UK, UT and Vanderbilt

Joker Phillips, the new Kentucky head coach and former offensive coordinator, has been groomed for this season for a while now, and UK was at the forefront of the move to name coaches-in-waiting.

Derek Dooley ,who was a surprise hire after the slimy Lane Kiffin bolted for USC, has gained some fans this summer by trying to install a zero tolerance policy following a bar fight involving Volunteer football players.

Robbie Caldwell is a no-name who may be the hottest topic of the annual cattle call, at this week’s SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala.

I’ll give Phillips the edge mostly because the Cats have been above average in the SEC recently, including a win at Georgia last year, and he’s most familiar with the program, with the least amount of transition. Dooley has a chance, but will have a new quarterback and without playmaking safety Eric Berry.

Caldwell is in somewhat of an envious position, if he can get past the initial shock and thrown-into-the-deep-end situation. If he wins, he’ll probably win the full-time job. If he loses, oh well, he could probably secure himself on another staff.

2. Has South Carolina QB Stephen Garcia finally arrived?

The start of Garcia’s USC career was tainted by several arrests, which forced him to miss chunks of practice and game time. But Garcia’s shown steady improvement the last season and a half, even without multiple above average receivers.

In his defense, Garcia has suffered behind a revolving door offense line, and inconsistent running game. But with the SEC East pretty wide open this year, at least to finish second, Garcia is poised for his best season yet. And the fact that his coach, Steve Spurrier, has already started the Lou Holtz treatment, Garcia must be looking good in the offseason.

Because the Gamecocks’ defense appears to be in good hands with Ellis Johnson and Co., it’s ironic that the offensive-minded Spurrier hasn’t had an elite QB yet. This could be the season that happens. If Garcia has a big season, the Gamecocks should have a great chance to beat Florida and win the East.

3. Georgia has a new QB and a new defense

It seems like forever since redshirt freshman Aaron Murray was proclaimed the starting QB for the Dawgs.

Murray, the highly touted recruit from Tampa, Fla. will look to feed A.J. Green as often as possible while also relying on a running game that picked up at the end of last season.

Murray shouldn’t have any higher expectations than Joe Cox did last year. But that also means he won’t put the defense in such bad positions as Cox did with his 15 interceptions.

Murray’s first test, obviously, is at South Carolina in Week 2. Moving the ball when Green is covered, especially on third down, will be Murray’s biggest chore.

New defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has promised an aggressive style with his newly installed 3-4 defense. And Bulldog Nation is anxious for a consistent pass-rushing defense for the first time in several years.

If that defense is successful, that could help Murray have a better season than any number of touchdown passes he might throw.

4. Will the Heisman winner come out of the SEC West again?

Reigning Heisman winner Mark Ingram, the Alabama RB, is in a similar role that Tim Tebow was in after he won the Heisman.

There is plenty of talent around you to give you another chance to be in the spotlight each week. But will that talent also diminish your stats when compared to other Heisman frontrunners?

What’s more, as a returning Heisman winner, a player is often compared against his own stats from the previous year more so than those competing against him.

Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett has played himself into the top five of any Heisman list, and a Bobby Petrino offense gives him plenty of chances to put up gaudy numbers. (Not to mention the Arkansas defense is Swiss cheese, so the Hogs will probably be in a lot of shootouts again.)

Because Ingram likely won’t have as big a year as last year, and Mallett and the Hogs aren’t slated to play in a big-time bowl game, the educated guess is no.

5. Which coach is on the hottest seat?

A season usually doesn’t start without an SEC coach on the hot seat. Most years there are several. This time, it’s LSU coach Les Miles.

Entering his sixth season in Baton Rouge, La., Miles is two or three years removed from the benefit of Nick Saban’s recruits.

Despite a national championship three years ago, the last two seasons haven’t helped his argument that he didn’t live off of Saban’s recruiting spoils during the 33-6 start to start his LSU tenure.

The last two seasons under Miles, LSU is 17-8 and coming off a loss to Penn State in the Capital One Bowl. To his credit, Miles maintains a winning record despite never really having a bona fide star quarterback.

The tough climb Miles faces this year, though, is a schedule that includes a neutral site (Atlanta) game against North Carolina, a home game against West Virginia, and games at Florida and Auburn.