SEC: Defending champs face tall task to repeat

The championship rings -- all three of them -- are packed away. The memories are as faded as the jeans drooping from the hips of some of the more fashion-conscious Tigers. The SEC's saliva-inducing hype has been directed East toward Athens and Gainesville.

It seems like no one is asking LSU if it can repeat.

The champion Tigers look to Ricky Jean-Francois to pick up where he left off. (Getty Images)

A series of events has made sure that question is at about No. 72 in importance on any preseason checklist. One of those events is the loss of No. 72, All-American defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey. Couple that with the booting of quarterback Ryan Perrilloux and it seems LSU isn't even entertaining the question itself.

It's more like spin for coach Les Miles.

"We're not defending," Miles said. "We're not dealing with rankings. This is a brand-new year. If we're defending come see the trophy, it's in our trophy case. We're not defending it. It's there. We have a brand-new team."

That's not entirely true. There are 13 starters and 44 lettermen left over from the team that accomplished the once-in-a-lifetime. Those Tigers contributed to LSU becoming the first two-loss team in 47 years to win a national championship.

For that reason, not only should LSU be eliminated from the championship discussion, so should the rest of the SEC. Two reasons: a) the likelihood of a two-loss team even getting to South Florida for the BCS title game is remote and b) the SEC is probably going to have a two-loss champion.

Again. Soon. Masked in the rush to the conference's third national title in five seasons is that it is more competitive than ever. The conference continues to devour its own. All three of the SEC's multiple-loss conference champions (before bowls) in its history have occurred since 2001.

2001: LSU, 5-3 conference record
2005: Georgia, 6-2
2007: LSU, 6-2

Was LSU the best team in the country last season? Who knows? At the least it won the BCS lottery, getting the benefit of the doubt from the voters and computers after giving up 50 points to Arkansas and losing its last home game. That eventually got them the three-ring circus of jewelry -- one for the SEC title and two for the BCS title (one from the BCS, one from LSU).

Is the SEC loaded again? Absolutely. That might be why you don't hear much out of the Tigers about repeating. Just getting through Atlanta again would be a minor miracle.

"It's time for us to move on now," defensive end Tyson Jackson said.

"That word (repeat) is not used a bunch, definitely not around LSU," center Brett Helms said.

We're nine days from the season opener and Miles still hasn't settled on a starting quarterback. The race is interesting between redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee, Harvard transfer Andrew Hatch and freshman Jordan Jefferson, but you'd like to have someone in place this close to the season.

There's no Jacob Hester running behind Lee/Hatch/Jefferson. Redshirt sophomore Richard Murphy will be in the mix along with veterans Keiland Williams and Charles Scott. Miles has promised a tailback-by-committee approach. Last season LSU typically attacked teams in the first half, then turned the game over to the defense in the second. That D produced a nation-best 36 turnovers.

Dorsey's departure simply means a new Dorsey will emerge. Maybe not as talented, but scary enough to make SEC coordinators game plan around him. Jackson and Kirston Pittman might be the best set of defensive ends in the country. Junior tackle Ricky Jean-Francois is a cult figure despite having played only two games last season because of academic problems. In those two games (the SEC title game and BCS title game) Jean-Francois was a terror.

"Recently, I was at a theater watching the new Batman," Jackson said. "About nine little kids came up to me and they were arguing that I was Ricky Jean-Francois. I had to show their mom my license. A little girl started crying saying she couldn't believe I wouldn't give her my autograph.

"I told her, 'I'm not Ricky but I can get you Ricky.'"

But can Ricky get the Tigers back to the top? Face it -- with Perrilloux, LSU would have been favored to defend its SEC West title. At least. Without him, it can still win the West but it might also be an 8-4 team.

There's plenty of payback waiting in the SEC. There are dangerous trips to Auburn and Florida. You can bet the Tigers and Gators remember gut-wrenching losses in Tiger Stadium.

"I can't imagine that there's a more competitive league out there," Miles said.

Yeah, we know. The last team to successfully defend an SEC title was Tennessee, 10 years ago.

Offensive Player of the Year

Tim Tebow, QB, Florida: The idea is to keep the reigning Heisman Trophy winner more upright this season, unless T.T. wants to do more of those fakes into the line. He has too much talent around him this season to be risking his shoulders and knees on an average of 16 rushes per game (in 2007). If all goes right, Tebow will show off his pocket presence for the pros, Florida will win the SEC and -- sorry Gators -- your guy will be gone after this season.

Defensive Player of the Year

Eric Berry, S, Tennessee: It's hard for a safety to dominate an entire conference but Berry isn't just a safety. Look for the "Wild Berry" formation where the sophomore lines up as quarterback and just ... goes. Berry ran for 1,500 yards as a high school senior and has been itching to play on offense since he showed up on campus. One of the best defensive backs in Tennessee history (five interceptions as a freshman) looks like he's going to be the SEC's secret weapon.

Predicted order of finish (West)

1. Auburn: They lost four games last year. They changed offensive coordinators. That OC (Tony Franklin) is changing the entire offensive culture. Why not a spot in the SEC title game for the other Tigers? Ryan Perrilloux's conduct had something to do with this pick (who else are you going to pick?) but Auburn should have enough to win at least nine. What tips the scales: LSU, Tennessee and Georgia all come to Jordan-Hare.

2. LSU: "I can assure you this team will not be defined by one player." Uh, yes Les, it will be. With Perrilloux, the Tigers would be favored to win the West and have a shot at the SEC. Without him, well, let's just say it would be the first time a Harvard JV quarterback would have led a team to Atlanta.

3. Alabama: It's so hard to evaluate the Tide because they're under Saban's lock and key most of the time. We hear Julio Jones is doing well. We expect John Parker Wilson to finish with a flourish. We hope Terry Grant will take the next step. Is it good that a lot of this freshman class will have to play? Don't ask us. Read Forbes.

4. Ole Miss: This is my Miley Cyrus team. It plays like it has no talent -- 3-9 got Ed Orgeron fired -- but people still love it. Houston Nutt blew into town, inherited that talent and will take off in '08. Quarterback Jevan Sneed is better than you think. The late addition of defensive lineman Jerrell Powe was huge. Defensive end Greg Hardy might be the SEC's best defender. With a win at Wake Forest early, Ole Miss could finish 6-6.

5. Mississippi State: I've stood next to quarterback Wesley Carroll. He is not imposing. The Bulldogs won't be either, at least not as much as '07 when they won eight games. Sylvester Croom got an extension but that Carroll-led unit will have to be better than No. 113 in total offense.

6. Arkansas: This will not go over well in Hogland: I've got Arkansas for six losses, at least. Bobby Petrino's arrival might get Casey Dick into an NFL camp next year but he's still Casey Dick, prone to, um, inconsistency. If Petrino stays around long enough, he will accomplish great things in Fayetteville. That's in the future and that's a big if.

Predicted order of finish (East)

1. Georgia: SEC East? Sure. SEC champs? Maybe. National championship? Sorry Dawg Nation, can't see it. The Team Formerly Known as No. 1 is decaying by the day. The left tackle is down for the season. The receivers still have to show me they can step up to the big time and start catching more balls. The defense is nails. It's just hard to keep from seeing this team lose at least twice. Have you seen the schedule?

Poll Who will win the SEC? 17% LSU   10% Auburn   26% Florida   28% Georgia   8% Tennessee   12% It will be an upset   Total Votes: 28949

2. Florida: Five ACLs. Sounds like a doo-wop group from the '50s. Unfortunately for the Gators, the five season-ending knee injuries defines them right now. The defense was a question to begin with. Now with the loss of a starting safety (Dorian Munroe), there are more issues. Tim Tebow and Co. will score on anyone. I still think the D is overvalued. It gave up at least 28 points six times last season. The Cocktail Party -- hint: revenge motive -- is going to be a blast, though.

3. Tennessee: Things couldn't be better in Knoxville. The Vols are coming off an SEC title-game appearance, Phil Fulmer has a raise and the coach has hired one of those mad scientist-type offensive coordinators. His name is Dave Clawson (from Richmond) and he is going to make big-time threats out of new starting quarterback Jonathan Crompton and tailback Arian Foster. If Tennessee wins at UCLA, watch for big things.

4. South Carolina: Steve, you've disappointed us. We expected more out of you by now. Instead, we've got quarterback mediocrity, off-field problems and not enough victories. This comes from a guy who predicted you'd win the East within three years. This is Year 4 and the 'Cocks aren't going to sniff a division title. They've got two of the best defenders in the SEC -- linebacker Jasper Brinkley and corner Captain Munnerlyn -- but where is the old Fun 'n' Gun?

5. Kentucky: Thank goodness the Vandy game is at home or the Wildcats might be mopping up the basement in the East. Rich Brooks did the right thing by booting quarterback Curtis Pulley off the team but that didn't help things talent wise. The Cats lost too much from '07's magnificent 8-5 team.

6. Vanderbilt: Don't look for any jersey patches commemorating 25 years without a bowl. The great Earl Bennett is gone. So are all five offensive line starters (wait, that's bad?). After a couple of seasons of teasing and winning five, the Commodores will finish last in the East for a third consecutive year.