SEC Power Rankings going into spring practice
- How will the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns factor into their new league?
- What SEC teams have a realistic shot of making it into the College Football Playoff?
- What programs will be scraping for wins to hopefully achieve bowl eligibility this year?
By John Buhler
14. Florida Gators might fire Billy Napier before the end of the season
This might be a year to not watch the Gators if you are a Florida football fan. Year three of the Billy Napier era has a very ominous feel to it. After having had great success previously at Louisiana, there is a reason why more and more people are starting to call Napier Sun Belt Billy. The Gators have been a sub-.500 team over the last two seasons, and just lost their best player to one of their arch-rivals...
Trevor Etienne discussions aside, have you seen the Gators' schedule? If they beat Miami in the non-conference, they will have a shot at a bowl game. Although DJ Lagway could be quite the player for them, Miami has Washington transfer Cam Ward for at least one season. The Gators need to achieve bowl eligibility for Napier to keep his job. With how loaded the SEC is at the top, let's not bank on that.
There is a chance that if things go poorly in Jacksonville vs. Georgia that Napier is fired on the spot.
13. Arkansas Razorbacks will be must-watch television, good, bad or ugly
If not for Billy Napier, I would say that Sam Pittman has the hottest seat in the SEC entering spring practice. The former offensive line coach may be an ideal CEO-type, but he has proven to only be as good as his two coordinators are. Losing Kendal Briles and Barry Odom in the same offseason led to a dreadful year for the Hogs. Adding Bobby Petrino will either be cooking with gas or a grease fire.
Arkansas' schedule is a bit more navigable than what Florida has to try and conquer. While it wouldn't shock me if the Razorbacks went 6-6 and got back to a bowl game, the pressure is really on Pittman this season. If things are not on the uptick in the latter part of November, don't be shocked if Arkansas does everything in its power to pry one of their former players in Gus Malzahn out of UCF.
Pittman is an incredibly likable guy, but being well-liked only gets you so far in a "Power Two" league.