If you are of the school of thought that the Missouri Tigers and the Texas A&M Aggies will finally play “big boy” football as new members of the SEC head coach Gary Pinkel has a difference of opinion.
“We played in a pretty good football league ourselves.” Pinkel said Tuesday at SEC Media Days. “I’ve got a place down in Florida. People act like we’ve been playing a bunch of high school teams.”
That pretty good football league would be the Big 12 Conference and he sees the conference in a different light.
“I think anyplace you play, any league you play in college football I think your best teams are going to be if you’re good up front on offense and defensive line.” Pinkel said.
That is very true and the reason why the SEC has won six BCS national championships in a row is their linemen are bigger and faster. The combination of size and speed has overwhelmed non-SEC opponents who don’t see that on a regular basis.
Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin recognized that from the start.
“I think the combination of size and speed, particularly in the west, but in the SEC is the difference maker.”
And Texas A&M just happens to be playing in the SEC West.
Linebackers in the SEC have the speed and athletic ability to cover wide receivers not often seen in other conferences. Even cornerbacks are 250 pounds in the SEC for which Mizzou Wide Receiver T.J. Moe responded, “That’s what I hear — they also have prettier girls, the air is fresher and the toilet paper is thicker,”
Great one-liner and good for laughs.
The level of defense in the SEC is second to only the NFL. That is going to be a huge adjustment for the Big 12 expats.
“In the Big 12, we saw speed, but the SEC has great defenses every single week.” Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel said. “There’s a stacking defense, and the defense will be a little bit different than the Big 12 had.”
While Missouri and Texas A&M are getting flowers and welcoming gifts as new members it all will get serious on September 8th when the Tigers and Aggies play their first SEC opponent. That’s when it all becomes real and both programs realize what they have gotten themselves into.
Mizzou hosts Georgia for the Tigers first SEC game. Pinkel won’t buy into the hype until after the season opener.
“It’s going to be a big game for us.” Pinkel said. “But there’s going to be a lot of big games.”
Like defending BCS Champion Alabama coming to Columbia on October 13th and then Mizzou’s first SEC road game at South Carolina September 22nd.
While the Georgia game is on Mizzou and football fan’s radar screen Pinkel has things in perspective. They are all big in the SEC.
Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin would rather talk about his season opener against Louisiana Tech in Shreveport than the Aggies home and SEC opener against Florida.
“Anybody who has seen them [Louisiana Tech] play a year ago knows that’s a good football team.” Sumlin said.
When pressed Sumlin realizes the Louisiana Tech game will be just a blimp on the radar screen.
“For us as a team or as a head coach to have your home opener at Texas A&M be an SEC game is a big deal, there’s no doubt about it.” Sumlin said.
Mark September 8th on your calendar as the day the Missouri Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies butt heads in the SEC for the first time. It even has the Head Ball Coach interested.
“I hope they are playing at a different hour that I can watch both of those live.” South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier said. “I think those will be very interesting to all of us.”
According to the SEC schedule Spurrier can:
Sept. 8 East Carolina at South Carolina SEC Network 12:21 p.m. ET / 11:21 a.m. CT
Sept. 8 Florida at Texas A&M ESPN 3:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. CT
Sept. 8 Georgia at Missouri ESPN2 7:45 p.m. ET / 6:45 p.m. CT
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