Inside the SEC

Updated: September 2, 2003, 4:35 PM ET
By By Pat Forde | Special to ESPN Insider
Mike Shula has a bit of a learning curve, Ron Zook has a big decision at QB and Ole Miss' search for a running back highlights the SEC team notes.

Alabama

  • Mike Shula will be in his 114th day on the job when the Crimson Tide open against dangerous South Florida. We'll see how the crash course in head coaching goes -- but at the very least, Shula is not competing against overwhelming precedent. Dennis Franchione started 3-5, including a loss in the opener. Mike DuBose went 4-7 his first year, including losses to Kentucky and Louisiana Tech. Gene Stallings started off 0-3. Even Coach Almighty, the Bear himself, lost his opener in Tuscaloosa 13-3 to LSU and followed that up with a scoreless tie against Vanderbilt. The fastest starter in school history was Thomas Kelly, who went 5-0 in 1915 (which, of course, hardly counts). Ray Perkins was 4-0 in '83 following the Bear.

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