Greeson: SEC Blitz: Looking at the weekend

SEC Southeastern Conference

Right now, we’re all looking for answers. We want so badly for our preseason beliefs to develop, but the unknown only adds to the excitement. (Side note: We’re so pumped, we almost showed up at work this morning with the William Wallace face paint. Aye.)

Here are five things we’re keeping an eye on in the SEC this weekend:

1) Which defense makes the most plays in Clemson, S.C., on Saturday night. We know each offense is stacked — Clemson and Georgia each has one of the nation’s top six quarterbacks and a legitimate first-round skill-position weapon to go with him — and we know each defense is rebuilding. If we figure that each offense will make a slew of plays, then we assume that the low number of defensive stops will make each magnified. So which defense makes the biggest single play? We say Georgia. Jordan Jenkins, meet the world; world, meet Jordan Jenkins. Say hello, everybody.

2) Which new coach has the best SEC debut? Mark Stoops and Kentucky have the scariest against Bobby Petrino and Western Kentucky in Nashville. (Yes, Kentucky-Western Kentucky is in Nashville. Go figure.) The others — Bret Bielema’s Arkansas team hosts Louisiana-LaFayette; Butch Jones and the Vols host Austin Peay; Gus Malzahn and the Auburn Tigers welcome Washington State — are at least double-digit favorites. You know where our attention will be — Finding Nick Marshall Mize… REEEEE-gardless — but each offers a new beginning for proud fan bases starving for football relevancy.

3) More newness, please. OK, we’re pretty stoked to see how the Volunteers handle themselves. (Side note: This is far and away the best time to schedule a cupcake for the opener. The last thing this program could have used was a season-opening grudge match that could have led to a potential loss and the fans thinking, “Here we go again.”) Butch Jones and Co. have a slew of hurdles. They have to find playmakers. They have to craft a legitimate quarterback out of the group of Steady and the Potentials they watched all preseason. They have to unteach everything Sal Sunseri — SAAALLLLL!!! — taught the defense. (You have to admit, Sal’s Vols were sooooo cute when they tried to tackle folks.) They’re dealing with a lot of stuff. Game 1 should be a rout — the Vols are favored by 50, for crying out loud — but the details will lead to discoveries this week in Knoxville.