Previewing SEC media days: Georgia turmoil, new coordinators and transfer QBs
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Chris Low
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Chris Low
ESPN Senior Writer
- College football reporter
- Joined ESPN.com in 2007
- Graduate of the University of Tennessee
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Alex Scarborough
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Alex Scarborough
ESPN Staff Writer
- Covers the SEC.
- Joined ESPN in 2012.
- Graduate of Auburn University.
The SEC enters media days with its talk of realignment and new schedules already in the past. Oklahoma and Texas will join the conference next season to much fanfare and a new era will begin in college football.
So what will the coaches and players talk about during media days? The on-field action, of course.
Alabama‘s new look offense under former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, Brian Kelly’s second year at LSU and the staggering number of transfer quarterbacks in the conference will be the talk of the week in Nashville, Tennessee.
Ahead of all the podium prognostications, bold predictions and sound bites, our writers address the five biggest questions and topics of SEC media days.
1. How does Georgia answer off-field questions?
Alex Scarborough: On the field, the questions are obvious: Who will replace Stetson Bennett at quarterback? How does the offense change without Todd Monken as coordinator? And what about a defense that will now be without stalwarts Jalen Carter and Kelee Ringo?
Georgia’s schedule might be easy, but the path to repeating as national champions for a third consecutive season is no piece of cake. Coach Kirby Smart may spend most of his time in Nashville addressing what’s happened off the field, though, because the speeding-related incidents committed by his players have piled up. Earlier this month, freshman outside linebacker Samuel M’Pemba was clocked going 88 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone — about an hour before Georgia receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint appeared in an Athens courtroom and pleaded guilty to driving 90 mph in a 45 mph zone on May 23. ESPN reported in June that Georgia football players and their cars have been involved in at least 10 reports of traffic-related moving violations in Athens-Clarke County since Jan. 15, when Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and football staff member Chandler LeCroy were killed in a reckless driving incident in which police alleged former defensive lineman Jalen Carter was racing them hours after a national championship celebration.
2. How will Alabama navigate change on offense?
Scarborough: It became abundantly clear during the course of last season that something had to change on offense for Alabama. The scheme employed by coordinator Bill O’Brien was too reliant on quarterback Bryce Young; the running game lacked an inside presence; and the receivers who watched DeVonta Smith and Jameson Williams blossom into stars didn’t develop into dependable playmakers. With Young and O’Brien off to the NFL, Nick Saban was given a clean slate. He brought in a more pro-style coordinator in former Notre Dame OC Tommy Rees and opened up the quarterback competition, welcoming in former Fighting Irish QB Tyler Buchner to go with returning players Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson. With a good group of young running backs, don’t be surprised if Alabama becomes more run-heavy this season, relying less on what will still be an unproven receiver corps and taking some of the burden off whoever the starting QB will be.
3. How will LSU fare in Year 2 under Brian Kelly?
Chris Low: When are expectations not lofty at LSU, especially when you bring in a coach the caliber of Brian Kelly and are coming off a national championship four years earlier?
The Tigers surprised a lot of people a year ago in winning the SEC’s Western Division and knocking off Alabama in Kelly’s first season in Baton Rouge. Taking that next step will prove even more difficult, but LSU has the pieces in place to make another run in the West and get back to the SEC championship game. It starts with quarterback Jayden Daniels, who blossomed last season in LSU’s offense. Having a multifaceted quarterback with experience helps solve a ton of problems, especially when your entire offensive line is back. Tackles Will Campbell and Emery Jones started as freshmen last season, and Kelly believes that unit has a chance to be special. And on defense, linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. returns after establishing himself as one of the SEC’s top big-play defenders as a freshman, and moreover, defensive tackle Maason Smith‘s return from injury is another reason to like LSU’s defense. This isn’t Kelly’s first rodeo. He understands the expectations and understands that LSU will be circled on a lot of teams’ schedules this season. But it’s also an LSU team that improved as the season progressed a year ago, and there’s no reason to believe that Kelly, given his pedigree, won’t get even more out of this team in 2023.
4. Can Bobby Petrino save Jimbo Fisher from the hot seat?
Low: The Petrino-Fisher pairing raised a lot of eyebrows around the college football world when Fisher hired Petrino in January to come in and be Texas A&M‘s offensive coordinator. Fisher and Petrino are both known for their volatility, and it’s reasonable to wonder how they will mesh in what’s clearly an important season for the entire Texas A&M program. Fisher knew he needed to shake things up on offense, step away from being the primary playcaller and bring in somebody who had done it at a high level. Petrino is a polarizing — going back to his firing at Arkansas — but there’s no denying he’s long been one of the best playcallers in football. Fisher is always going to be involved in the offense, and he will be with Petrino as they put the plan together each week. But Petrino wouldn’t have taken the job at Texas A&M if it weren’t going to be his show.
Ultimately, the proof will be in how the Aggies’ offense fares after finishing 101st nationally in scoring last season (22.8 points per game). Petrino has some promising talent to work with, including receivers Ainias Smith and Evan Stewart, and a more experienced offensive line hell-bent on playing up to its talent level. Center Bryce Foster is the enforcer in the middle of that line and has a chance to be a star. One of the things Petrino has done best during his career is develop quarterbacks, and sophomore Conner Weigman has the arm strength and skills to be one of the country’s breakout quarterbacks this season under Petrino’s tutelage. The Aggies clearly have to be able to throw it better after finishing next to last in the SEC in passing efficiency last season. No doubt, the Fisher-Petrino questions will persist until we get into the season, but look for the Aggies to awaken on offense.
5. Which transfer QBs will have the biggest impact?
Scarborough: SEC coaches weren’t bashful about dipping into the transfer portal for help at quarterback this offseason. There could be as many as five starting QBs in the league this season who were playing in another conference last year. We already covered Alabama adding Buchner to the mix. But right down the road in Auburn, first-year coach Hugh Freeze nabbed former Michigan State starter Payton Thorne to compete with last year’s starter, Robby Ashford. And at Ole Miss, coach Lane Kiffin surprised many by lighting a fire under Jaxson Dart — who threw for 2,900 yards last season after transferring from USC — by adding not one but two QBs via the portal: former Oklahoma State starter and All-Big 12 selection Spencer Sanders and former five-star prospect Will Howard from LSU. In the East, Kentucky quickly replaced its former transfer QB Will Levis with another transfer in former NC State starter Devin Leary. And Missouri — rather than sit tight with Brady Cook coming off an injury that caused him to miss all of spring practice — brought in Jake Garcia from Miami.
There are some who saw what the Carolina Hurricanes did at the trade deadline — or perhaps failed to do after they traded Mikko Rantanen — and believe they’re cooked when it comes to the Stanley Cup playoffs. However, based on the projections from Stathletes, the Canes remain the team with the highest chances of winning the Cup, at 16.7%.
Standing before them on Sunday are the Winnipeg Jets (5 p.m. ET, ESPN+). The Jets had a relatively quiet deadline, adding Luke Schenn and Brandon Tanev, though sometimes these additions are the types of small tweaks that can push a contender over the edge. As it stands, the Jets enter their showdown against the Canes with the sixth-highest Cup chances, at 8.7%.
Carolina has made two trips to the Cup Final: a loss to the Detroit Red Wings in 2002 and a win over the Edmonton Oilers in 2006. The Canes have reached the conference finals three times since (2009, 2019, 2023). Winnipeg has yet to make the Cup Final, and was defeated 4-1 in the 2018 Western Conference finals by the Vegas Golden Knights in the club’s lone trip to the penultimate stage.
Both clubs are due. Will this be their year?
There is a lot of runway left until the final day of the season on April 17, and we’ll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide detail on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.
Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Saturday’s schedule
Friday’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Columbus Blue Jackets
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils
Western Conference
C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 Calgary Flames
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings
Sunday’s games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
New Jersey Devils at Philadelphia Flyers, 1 p.m. (TNT)
Seattle Kraken at Washington Capitals, 3:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Minnesota Wild, 3:30 p.m. (TNT)
Winnipeg Jets at Carolina Hurricanes, 5 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets at New York Rangers, 6 p.m.
Los Angeles Kings at Vegas Golden Knights, 8 p.m.
Dallas Stars at Vancouver Canucks, 9 p.m.
New York Islanders at Anaheim Ducks, 9 p.m.
Saturday’s scoreboard
Ottawa Senators 4, New York Rangers 3 (OT)
Seattle Kraken 4, Philadelphia Flyers 1
Boston Bruins 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 0
Florida Panthers 4, Buffalo Sabres 0
Colorado Avalanche 7, Toronto Maple Leafs 4
Calgary Flames 1, Montreal Canadiens 0
Nashville Predators 3, Chicago Blackhawks 2 (OT)
Los Angeles Kings 2, St. Louis Blues 1 (OT)
Edmonton Oilers 5, Dallas Stars 4
New York Islanders 4, San Jose Sharks 2
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
Points: 83
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 106.3
Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 102.8
Next game: @ UTA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 19
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: @ CAR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 20
Points pace: 91.3
Next game: vs. DET (Monday)
Playoff chances: 85.4%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: @ OTT (Monday)
Playoff chances: 8.3%
Tragic number: 37
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: @ VAN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 19.8%
Tragic number: 37
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 83.3
Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 2.5%
Tragic number: 33
Points: 54
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 71.4
Next game: vs. EDM (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 27
Metro Division
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 117.1
Next game: vs. SEA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: vs. WPG (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 92.3
Next game: @ PHI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 86.5%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 89.9
Next game: @ NYR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 27.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 88.5
Next game: vs. CBJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 31.1%
Tragic number: 39
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 86.0
Next game: @ LA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 29.7%
Tragic number: 38
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 79.4
Next game: vs. NJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 9.5%
Tragic number: 31
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 73.1
Next game: @ MIN (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 25
Central Division
Points: 92
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 117.9
Next game: @ CAR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 84
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 109.3
Next game: @ VAN (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 99.9
Next game: vs. CHI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.6%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 98.9
Next game: vs. PIT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 94.4%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ PIT (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 37.2%
Tragic number: 34
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: vs. TOR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 26.4%
Tragic number: 35
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 71.6
Next game: @ SJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 24
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 62.8
Next game: @ COL (Monday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 16
Pacific Division
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 20
Points pace: 108.5
Next game: vs. LA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: @ BUF (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.7%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 21
Points pace: 98.1
Next game: @ VGK (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 84.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: vs. VAN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 27.5%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 91.3
Next game: vs. DAL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 30.9%
Tragic number: 40
Points: 61
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 80.7
Next game: vs. NYI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 32
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 74.3
Next game: @ WSH (Sunday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 25
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 12
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 54.3
Next game: vs. NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 8
Race for the No. 1 pick
The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here. Sitting No. 1 on the draft board for this summer is Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL’s Erie Otters.
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 12
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 54
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 16
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 61
Regulation wins: 19
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 29
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
EDMONTON, Alberta — Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz was hit by a puck shot by Edmonton Oilers center Adam Henrique and left the ice with a towel pressed against his bloody face Saturday night.
Hintz extended his stick toward Henrique, whose wrist shot sent the puck under Hintz’s visor during his club’s 5-4 loss to the Oilers. He was on the ice, with his face in a towel, as the team’s medical staff assessed him and helped him skate toward the dressing room.
After the loss, Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said Hintz was at a local hospital, receiving tests. The coach added that the initial report was fairly optimistic for Hintz, 28, who has 25 goals and 52 points.
“Everyone’s optimistic that it’s not ‘serious, serious,'” DeBoer said. “But we won’t know until we get testing.”
The short-handed Stars rallied from a 5-1 deficit before eventually losing. Trade deadline acquisition Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist in his debut for Dallas, which had its four-game winning streak stopped. Wyatt Johnston, Jamie Benn and Matt Dumba also scored for the Stars.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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