The SEC season is officially over. Alabama won the title for the second straight year, not the Auburn Tigers, like the SEC Media Predicted on Media Day, I feel it is only right to award some superlatives for the performances of the conference's best coaches, players, and teams.
Top Offensive Player/MVP: Derrick Henry, RB, the University of Alabama.
Surprise! But come on, like it was going to be anyone else, King Henry reigned supreme this year, and did what Alabama fans knew he was capable of. Henry is now the record holder of Alabama's Single season rushing mark at 1,982, the single season rushing touchdown record at 23, and Herschel Walker's SEC Rushing yards record. I think it is safe to say he has had a great year.
Not only is he going to go down as the best single-season rusher in the SEC and Alabama history, he is also going to have the opportunity to cement his legacy into legendary status by winning the Heisman Trophy, and carrying the Alabama Crimson Tide to its 16th national title.
Runner Up: Leonard Fournette
Top Defensive Player: Kentrell Brothers, LB, the University of Missouri.
This one was tough for me because there are a lot of deserving candidates, but when I saw the stat line for Brothers it turned into a no brainer, the man is a tackling machine. With a staggering 152 tackles on the season, Brothers has cemented himself as one of the most dangerous defensive presence in college football. Mizzou did not have a great season this year, and failed to win the SEC east, which would be the third time since joining the SEC back in 2012, but I think it is fair to say Brothers was not the problem, well at least for Mizzou he wasn't.
Runners-up: Robert Nkemdiche, Reggie Ragland
Top Freshman Player: Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M.
This one was also a really tough one because Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley is more than deserving, but as they say, numbers never lie, and Kirk has the numbers. With over 900 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions, Texas A&M has found a good one in Kirk. This also has to do with the fact that Kirk returned punts for the Aggies and was pretty damn good at it taking two back to the house for touchdowns. If A&M wants to build around someone on offense it is Christian Kirk.
Runner up: Calvin Ridley
Surprise Player: Jake Coker, QB, the University of Alabama.
When Jake Coker transferred to Alabama in 2014 he was heralded as the greatest quarterback to walk the face of the earth, I think it is fair to say he is not. That being said, Jake Coker has done a really good job managing the Bama offense since the Ole MIss loss (and if he would have started Bama probably wins) and that is all they need him to do.
He is mobile in the pocket because he has had to be, and once he takes off he is a wrecking ball. He has an absolute cannon attached to his right shoulder and when Jake Coker starts a football game for Alabama he is 11-0. Derrick Henry deservingly gets all of the praise for Alabama's Offense this year, but Alabama isn't back-to-back SEC champions and Playoff participants without number 14.
Most Disappointing player: Jeremy Johnson, QB, Auburn University
Look, when you are being called the next Cam Newton you have to live up to it, as much as it pains me to say this, Cam was the man on the plains, Johnson is not. When the SEC Media picks Auburn to win the SEC because you are the QB and then the Tigers finish last in the west and you are benched in the process, you're not Cam.
Johnson and the Tigers looked awful this year, and it does not look like it is getting any better on the plains. In the last two seasons, Auburn has lost 11 games, your archival Alabama has lost only 11 games since 2008 and Head Coach Gus Mahlzhan might be looking for a new job next year because he went all in on Jeremy "Next Cam" Johnson.
Runner Up: Texas A&M Quarterbacks
Top Assistant Coach: Kirby Smart, Defensive Coordinator, Alabama
Kirby Smart has coached his tail off this year and has produced arguably the best defense in Alabama History. You will not run the ball on this team and he proved that against the best the conference had to offer in Georgia's Nick Chub and LSU's Leonard Fournette holding the latter "best back since Bo... HA!" to under 40 yards rushing.
But Alabama under smart has always been great at stopping the run. It is the pass defense that has improved by leaps and bounds this year after two seasons of struggling in that area. His job this year at Alabama earned him the opportunity to return to his Alma Mater at Georgia as the head coach. Kirby Smart is as much part of the Dynasty as Saban, and I would like to thank you, Coach Smart, for all you have done for the Alabama Program, and just say you are going to kill it at UGA.
Top Head Coach: Jim McElwain, the University of Florida.
it would be easy to say Nick Saban is the coach of the year, but Jim McElwain killed it at Florida this year, like absolutely crushed it. When Will Muschamp was fired, he left behind one of the most ineffective offensive units in the conference, enter Coach Mac.
He turned freshman Will Greir into arguably the conference's top quarterback. He took a fairly pedestrian offensive line and made them pretty darn good. he turned skill players that were so bad under Muschamp into dynamic threats, the list goes on and on. He took the Florida Gators into the SEC Championship against all odds, and once he gets a few elite Florida recruits to Gainesville, he is going to run the East.
