Gamecocks need Garcia
Here is the most significant stuff that has happened in Southeastern Conference football since Auburn left Glendale, Ariz., with a national championship trophy: Jadeveon Clowney was added to the South Carolina roster and Stephen Garcia was subtracted.
Gamecocks fans are finding out that SEC success is fickle for the nouveau riche.
An injury to the top running back here.
A suspension there.
South Carolina with Garcia starting 12 games will win the SEC East again and play in the league title game against LSU.
Without a fifth-year senior running Head Ball Coach Steve Spurrier's show, the Gamecocks drop to fourth place.
Yes, Garcia makes that much of a difference.
Garcia in 2010 threw for more yards per game than Cam Newton, a national championship-winning Heisman Trophy honoree selected with the very first pick in this week's NFL draft (218.5 yards to 203.9).
Among SEC returning quarterbacks, only Georgia's Aaron Murray had a better 2010 pass efficiency rating.
South Carolina athletic director Eric Hyman suspended Garcia on April 6, and the "indefinite" status definitely still applies.
A snapshot of 2011 SEC predictions (without Garcia):
SEC East
Tackle Trinton Strudivant's major knee injury wasn't good for
Murray's security but watch out if the Dawgs get past the first two games, Boise State in Atlanta and home against South Carolina. No Alabama, LSU or Arkansas on the schedule.
2. Florida -- Spring drills apparently looked a lot like fire drills. At some point, you have to think new head coach Will Muschamp can fix the defense and new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis can fix the quarterbacks.
Maybe a reach. But sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray is 6-6 and looked very good at times as the Vols lost the Music City Bowl (in double-overtime) to North Carolina. South Carolina must play in Knoxville.
4. South Carolina -- Marcus Lattimore, Alshon Jeffery and Jadeveon Clowney are future first-round draft picks but will perform best with a capable quarterback.
5. Kentucky -- Rebuilding, relatively speaking.
New head coach James Franklin, most recently the offensive coordinator at Maryland, has the right attitude. "Everything we do is about championships," he says. Well, what do you want him to say? Everything is about avoiding last place?
SEC West
As if to extend the distance between Jordan Jefferson and a quarterback controversy, LSU gave its returning starter the coveted Jimmy Taylor Award for spring "leadership, effort and performance." The Bayou Bengals went 11-2 in 2010, won the Cotton Bowl and The Mad Hatter has a stellar defense ready for the opener against Oregon at Cowboys Stadium.
2. Alabama -- Get ready for a diet of close, low-scoring wins featuring Trent Richardson piling up 100-yard rushing games. Both LSU and Alabama have an open date going into their Nov. 5 clash in Tuscaloosa.
How about a Dan Mullen statue in Starkville? Still hard to believe the Bulldogs went to and won the Gator Bowl. Truly underrated work by the former Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen and his staff (defensive coordinator Manny Diaz left for Texas). Logically or not, they feel good about themselves.
4. Arkansas -- Four years into the Bobby Petrino era and a workable schedule should keep the Razorbacks in contention for an upper-division spot.
5. Auburn -- Close losses replace close wins.
6. Mississippi -- Talent leak in Oxford.
