Where SEC Football Programs are at with Two Weeks Until Kickoff

This week, as training camps around the Southeastern Conference begin approach the home stretch, there's quite a bit of varying news from across the conference. Here you can find the biggest storylines from each of our SEC publishers.

Welcome to Sports Illustrated's weekly SEC Roundtable.

This week, as training camps around the Southeastern Conference begin approach the home stretch, there's quite a bit of varying news from across the conference. Here you can find the biggest storylines from each of our SEC publishers.

Alabama – Christopher Walsh, BamaCentral

The Crimson Tide held its second fall scrimmage on Saturday and like usual Nick Saban said he was pleased, but not satisfied with the team’s progress. The big concern remains in the back end defensively, a position group that could make-or-break Alabama’s national-championship aspirations. 

“We're very, very thin in the secondary,” Saban said. “We don't have a lot of depth and we've got a lot of young players, and it's very difficult to train them at multiple positions, but we're trying to use this time to be able to do that. Whether we can continue to do that throughout the season remains to be seen.” 

One of the few decision yet to be made with the starters is on the offensive line, where Landon Dickerson can play center or guard. Alabama has four returning starters up front, so the decision boils down to who’s the fifth man? 

The university had 294 confirmed coronavirus cases last week, which was relatively good news after having 846 the previous week. Overall, there have been 2,573 positive cases since the fall semester began Aug. 19

Arkansas – SI Staff Report 

The Razorbacks have already had two scrimmages, with the offense and defense both looking better in one and not-so-good in the other. Consistency and turnovers are problems, although that's not unusual for a team finding its way with a new coach.

"A lot of times, just like in life, people pat you on the back and you get complacent," Sam Pittman said via WholeHogSports.com. "I'm not saying we did that on offense, but certainly we weren't the same offense that we were a week ago. Nor was the defense the same a week ago. Obviously anytime you improve, you have to feel good about one side. But is there concern about us holding on to the ball? Absolutely." 

The key moving forward? Building confidence.

Auburn – SI Staff Report

Auburn hopes it's back on track after canceling two football practices and a scrimmage during the second week of training camp when 16 players were sidelined due to COVID-19 (nine players who have tested positive and seven considered high risk. Auburn has had no new positive cases from its two most recent rounds of testing, per Gus Malzahn. 

Florida – Zach Goodall, AllGators

The Gators haven't had any opt outs, nor has the university seen a positive COVID-19 test for the football team since early July. 

“The fact that we haven’t had a positive test since early July, I think there’s a growing comfort with what we’re doing," Dan Mullen said per AllGators.com. "Obviously, we’re getting into a new phase, which is going to be kind of gameday phase and we’ll see how that goes. I hope everybody feels real comfortable with all the safety precautions that we’ve put in place and whatever the SEC puts in place, that we have that comfort level with coaches and players to continue on the path we’re on."

Georgia – Brooks Austin, Dawgs Daily

The Bulldogs lost Jamie Newman last week after he decided to opt-out, and even though Georgia still has a lot of talent in the quarterback room including USC transfer JT Daniels, there are serious questions about the passing game. Wide receiver was already a question mark, which led to Kirby Smart adding five players in the latest recruiting class.

Keep your eye on the coaches as well. With Jay Hopson stepping down at Southern Miss, two Georgia coaches being mentioned as possible replacements include offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and former Ole Miss coach Matt Luke.

Kentucky – SI Staff Report 

According to Justin Rowland of Cats Illustrated, Kentucky is planning to allow 20 percent general seating capacity at football games, but 50 percent in suites.

LSU – Glen West, LSU Country

LSU finally released its plan for gamedays and they’re thorough after months of planning. Tiger Stadium will open at 25% capacity and just a few of the noteworthy guidelines are, of course, face masks being required, tailgating will not be permitted on campus, no alcohol sales and the bands will be required to stay in the stands.

While medical experts have differing opinions on whether fans should be allowed, the extensive precautions are about as good as can be expected considering the circumstances. It was a months-long venture but athletic director Scott Woodward believes the plan allows fans in the stadium in as safe a manner as possible.

"I’m an optimistic guy. I’m glass half-full kind of guy and I’m just amazed that we could get to this point with a lot of hard work and a lot of stipulations in place to make sure we can do it safely, that we can do it in a healthy fashion,” Woodward said on Hangin' with Hester and Hanny. 

Ole Miss – Nate Gabler, The Grove Report 

For the first time since players and coaches returned to campus, Ole Miss is reporting zero positive COVID-19 tests from this past week of testing. The Rebels still have a small number of players quarantining after prior rounds of testing deemed them either positive or in close contact with someone who had tested positive, but this is still a hugely positive sign moving forward.

"We're almost all the way back," said head coach Lane Kiffin. "That was great. We want to give a lot of credit to our kids for that. For a time that a lot of college kids are getting it, we need to continue to do a good job with that."

Elsewhere, Ole Miss is still waiting on news from the NCAA regarding transfer safety Otis Reese and his eligibility for the 2020 season. A Georgia transfer, if Reese is healthy he will be a day one starter for the Rebels. Kiffin has said he's already one of the best players on not just the defense, but the team as a whole.

Mississippi State – Joel Coleman, Cowbell Corner

MSU head coach Mike Leach hasn’t yet named his starter at quarterback, but it has long been assumed graduate transfer from Stanford, K.J. Costello, will be QB-1 for the Bulldogs and Leach has now said numerous times that Costello is ahead. From the outside looking in, many might assume that would make sophomore Garrett Shrader – who started four games for State a season ago – the lead candidate to be Costello’s backup. It doesn’t appear that’s the case. 

True freshman Will Rogers has come in and is apparently not playing anything like a true freshman. After the Bulldogs scrimmaged for the first time last Saturday, Leach said Costello and Rogers were the ones who shined at quarterback.

"I thought K.J. had a really good day," Leach said. "I thought Will did an admirable job. A lot of times a freshman goes out there, first scrimmage, and they'll flinch a little, but he came out of it fast and I thought he did some good things. The others I thought were competitive. They can line up and play to a point. But I thought (Costello and Rogers) had the best scrimmage.”

 It wasn’t the first time Leach has praised Rogers either. And Rogers has garnered vocal admiration from his teammates as well. It’s not to say Shrader couldn’t ultimately end up being the primary backup. But all indications are Rogers has passed Shrader for at least the time being. 

South Carolina – Chaunte'l Powell, Gamecock Digest

With the season opener less than two weeks away the Gamecocks are still getting starting spots solidified including at the quarterback position. The competition has come down to graduate transfer Collin Hill and sophomore Ryan Hilinski. Hill played for offensive coordinator Mike Bobo at Colorado State and has a firm grasp of the offense as well as his expectations, but has sustained three ACL tears in his career. 

He has said he feels fine, health is obviously a concern. Hilinski was a true freshman last year that underwent a trial by fire and came in with the goal of improving his technique and mechanics. After three scrimmages during fall camp, head coach Will Muschamp said they will make a decision this week. “Both quarterbacks played extremely well with Ryan and Collin. We have not made any decision on that as far as the quarterback is concerned,” he said. 

“We're going to continue to work through that tonight into tomorrow and then maybe look at Tuesday's practice. We don't officially start on Tennessee till Thursday. That will be our first practice for Tennessee, but both guys did a really nice job. Both guys command the offense. Our first six possessions offensively, we had five touchdowns. So it says a lot there.” 

Vanderbilt – Greg Arias, Commodore Country

No news is apparently good news at the moment for Derek Mason and the Commodores. After missing time earlier this fall because of positive test and another and day away from practice after a second group of positive tests, Vanderbilt is going into the second consecutive week without a positive result. That’s giving people around the program hope they have a handle on things. 

Several position battles continue, specifically quarterback where all speculation centers around true freshman Ken Seals, who most believe is the leader to earn the starting role. While Mason hasn’t come close to a hint as to who is leading, multiple sources are insistent Seals will get the call. … Surprisingly there is a competition at kicker as well. Javan Rice was the presumed starter, but Pierson Cooke and his cannon leg have made it interesting. 

More From The Grove Report:

The Good and the Bad from Ole Miss Football's Fourth Scrimmage

Five Ole Miss Offensive Players Primed for a Breakout

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