Week 1 in the SEC came and went without a single loss, but Cole Cubelic’s Sunday rundown made it clear that a perfect record doesn’t mean every performance looked the same.
The ESPN analyst pointed to a league that mostly did what it was supposed to do, with several teams showing clean execution and a few others leaving plenty on the table. Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas A&M all drew the same basic verdict from Cubelic: they handled their business.
His Alabama note centered on quarterback Keelon Russell, who “operated offense well” in his first career start. Cubelic said most of Russell’s throws were on time, he took a few chances, and the Tide used timely called quarterback runs. He also noted Alabama “has to manage edges better moving fwd,” while praising Russell’s ability to keep plays alive and find answers after things broke down.
Georgia earned similar praise, with Cubelic saying he loved the early offensive mix and the quick game used to extend the run game. He said the Bulldogs showed they have “a few guys with juice” who can handle the load, especially 0 and 1, though he also pointed out missed perimeter and downfield blocks that could have created more.
Kentucky’s offense, under first-year head coach Will Stein, was described as “smooth.” Cubelic said the quarterback had command, tested seams early, got the ball out on time and took his checkdowns without wasting energy. He also singled out the tight ends, saying they added a great deal, and called 81 “out of his mind blocking!”
LSU’s win over Clemson got the strongest label of the night from Cubelic: “tone-setting.” He said the offense was rolling and the quarterback made “a LOT happen on his own.” The zone scheme improved as the game went on, the backs did a strong job after contact, especially 13, and the offensive line’s strain was “def improved.”
Florida also drew high marks after its win over Florida Atlantic. Cubelic called it an “Impressive 1st win for Sumrall,” said Baugh was “immaculate,” and praised both the effort up front and the quarterback’s operation of the offense. He added that 58 and 77 stood out and that the quarterback got in and out of reads quickly.
Mississippi State and Missouri each got positive reviews from Cubelic for calm quarterback play. He said Mississippi State’s quarterback looked much more confident, with “almost zero doubt,” and did a nice job working in and out of RPOs. Missouri’s quarterback, meanwhile, looked “extremely comfy & confident,” operated with authority and made the offense feel like “pitch & catch.”
Oklahoma was another team Cubelic said handled its business, but he also made clear there’s room to grow. He called the offense effective and said one player was “just insanely impressive.” He also noted the quarterback flashed brilliance, had wow plays and showed some hero tendencies, which he was fine with.
South Carolina’s takeaways included a positive note on 8 in the screen game and a reminder that the designed quarterback run element should help the traditional run game. Cubelic said 44 will be important to what the Gamecocks do, while 16 looked comfortable manipulating the ball and 10 still has more to show.
Tennessee’s quarterback came away with a composed and confident label. Cubelic said he was decisive when leaving the pocket, which should make his addition to the run game valuable. He also noted a few missed throws, good effort from the offensive line, strong pulls from 72 and some edge leakage in pass protection from the tackles.
Texas A&M got a mixed report despite the win. Cubelic liked the size and power of the offensive line, saying 71 “got after folks” and 76 can move people.
But he also expressed concern about how the group handles movement and quickness, and said protection broke down early. The quarterback bailed them out, but Cubelic made it clear that can’t keep happening.
Arkansas and Auburn were the SEC teams that drew the sharpest caution flags. After Arkansas’ 31-14 win over North Alabama, Cubelic said the offense “got bogged down” and the quarterback play was “off and on.”
He pointed to missed throws, too many different looks from the secondary, and turnovers not being acceptable in the red zone. He did like the use of the tight end and fullback.
Auburn’s narrow win over Baylor in Atlanta brought the bluntest line of the day: the Tigers have “plenty to work on.” Cubelic said they “just needed the W,” praised the effort from 79 and 56 up front, and noted that the zone scheme was moving while gap-scheme pullers missed. He also said the offensive line wasn’t bad in protection except when dealing with twists, and that Auburn needed more movement at the point of attack.
Cubelic said he would post his Ole Miss takeaways later in the week.
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