The SEC's Most Valuable Player So Far...
Picking the top player in the SEC is tough enough, so I'm going to limit this to the SEC's best offensive player. I am also going to call it the Most Valuable Player, rather than Most Outstanding Player. So my selection reflects which SEC offensive player I think is most valuable to his team.
That player is Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.
McFadden is on a 6-1 team that is 4-0 in the SEC. This is a team that knocked off previously unbeaten Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium. When McFadden lines up, everyone knows the Razorbacks are going to run the football. Quarterback Mitch Mustain is developing, but he isn't much of a threat just yet.
The fact that McFadden has been able to average 5.6 yards per carry is remarkable considering Mustain throws for only 111.7 yards per game. Let's take a look at Arkansas' double overtime win over Alabama. In that game, Mustain was 7-22 for 97 yards. He threw one touchdown and three interceptions. How do you win a game when your quarterback struggles like that? By having your running back gain 112 yards on 25 carries and score one TD.
A week later against Auburn, Mustain threw the ball only 10 times. He completed seven passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. But the Razorbacks defeated Auburn on the road because McFadden rushed 28 times for 145 yards. He scored once also.
McFadden has put up good numbers in every game this year except for the Razorbacks' win over Vanderbilt. He has been able to carry the ball over 20 times per game when needed. He can break off a big run when he has to. And he has taken a one-dimensional offense to a 6-1 record.
What hurts McFadden's cause is that Arkansas has a crowded backfield that features two other guys capable of carrying the ball effectively. But McFadden is the guy, and I get the sense that he could be a one-man show if he needed to be.
There are other candidates such as JaMarcus Russell, Erik Ainge, Dallas Baker, Kenny Irons, Chris Leak, and Robert Meachem (and I'm sure there are others I'm leaving off the list).
But I can't imagine where the Razorbacks would be without McFadden. He has been the MVP of the SEC so far.
Comments
Damn straight he is the MVP of the SEC... He is a remarkable player that should be a heisman canidate in the years to come.
Posted by: chris | October 25, 2006 08:24 PM
One has to think that it is Eric Ainge. Though the Vols' struggles of last year were a result of the team as a whole, the lack of quarterback play was the glaring flaw that probably resulted in three or four of UT's six losses. The turnaround to this year has been incredidble. With next to no rushing attack (less than 60 yards from running backs in South Carolina game) the Vols have one of the best offenses in the nation on the arm of Eric Ainge. Up until the Alabama game, Ainge was first in the SEC in passing efficiency and his accuracy on third down has earned the Vols the number one conversion rate in the nation.
Newton of South Carolina deserves at least a nod for runner up. South Carolina is a different team with him under center.
Posted by: Jeff Nicholas | October 28, 2006 11:46 PM