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Our look at the SEC's most productive returning players in 2012 continues with a look at the league's top returning kickoff returners.

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The SEC returns seven of the top 10 kick returners from 2011. The top three returners are back, so kickers beware. However, the ball will now be moved forward five yards to the 35-yard line for kickoffs, meaning returns should occur less often. But that also means they'll now be more important. We're going by average per return. Note: To qualify, a player must have at least one return per team's games played. This is one of the most exciting plays in football and here's a look at the SEC's top returner:

Tre Mason, RB, Auburn: He returned 24 kicks for an average of 26.4 yards per return, had a long of 97 yards and recorded a touchdown. Mason dealt with being in a crowded backfield by making a name for himself in the return game during the first half of the season. He did most of his damage in the first two weeks, grabbing 10 returns for 348 yards and had a touchdown in the season opener against Utah State. He saw his production dip as the season went on because of injuries and his fumbling issues. He eventually lost his job, but could he make a comeback for his crown in 2012?

The SEC returns six more of the top kickoff returners in 2012:

Andre Debose, WR, Florida: He returned 19 kicks for an average of 26.1 yards per return, had a long of 99 yards and registered one touchdown.

Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas: He returned 18 kicks for an average of 25.6 yards per return, had a long of 98 yards and registered one touchdown.

Tobias Singleton, RB, Ole Miss: He returned 21 kicks for an average of 24.6 yards per return and had a long of 47 yards.

Andre Hal, CB, Vanderbilt: He returned 31 kicks for an average of 23.8 yards per return, had a long of 96 yards and registered one touchdown.

Devrin Young, RB, Tennessee: He returned 27 kicks for an average of 23.3 yards per return and had a long of 67 yards.

Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina: He returned 20 kicks for an average of 23.2 yards and had a long of 45 yards.

With kickoffs being moved up, we might see even less in the kick return game this fall. We could also see a new winner for this category if Mason doesn't get his job back. And with the amount of production he'll have on offense, his returns might get cut short anyway. Keep an eye on Mason's teammates, Onterio McCalebb and Quan Bray. McCalebb averaged 30.1 yards per return and had a touchdown on just 11 returns, while Bray averaged 24.2 on 10 returns.

Johnson has always been very dangerous in the return game. He entered the 2011 season as the SEC's active leader for career kickoff return yards and total return yards with 2,014 and he added 461 last fall. Johnson will likely have more steam to work with this fall with Knile Davis eating into his carries at running back. That will make him even tougher to stop in the return game and counting him out of the race for the return crown is just silly.

Debose was named the nation’s top kick returner by the College Football Performance Awards in 2010, but has always had some issues with his decision-making in the return game. Still, there's no doubting his speed when he finds a hole. When he's focused, he's exciting to watch, but he's yet to keep his focus for an entire season as a returner.

LaDarius Perkins will have more responsibility in Mississippi State's offense, but he was sometimes fun to watch in the return game.

Missouri receiver T.J. Moe averaged 23.3 yards on 26 kicks, but didn't return a kick longer than 49 yards. Still, he's shifty enough and has the vision to make a run at this thing.

The days of the Rose Bowl being the bowl of bowls could soon be coming to an end now that the SEC and the Big 12 have agreed on a five-year bowl partnership.

The new deal, announced Friday, will have the champions of the Big 12 and SEC meet in a New Year's Day bowl game annually beginning with the 2014 season. So while it won’t have the tradition of the Rose Bowl, it’ll have the viewers and it’ll have the popularity.

We’re seeing more and more how power is truly the most important component in college football, and this is a great example. Soon, we’ll have the two best BCS conferences going at it in their own special bowl competing with the beloved Rose Bowl.

We’re joined on the SEC blog by Big 12 blogger David Ubben to get his thoughts on what this means for the Big 12. We’re gentlemen down here in SEC country, so we’ll let him go first:

David Ubben: Rose Bowl, we love you. Not as much as Jim Delany does, but I'm not sure anyone can stake that claim. Anyway, it's time to face an unfortunate truth: You've been one-upped. The unnamed, unplaced bowl partnership between the Big 12 and SEC won't have the same level of tradition, but it will feature better teams. That's a powerful draw.
The BCS has played 14 national title games since its birth. The Big 12 or SEC have participated in 12 of them. Teams from the league have met in the game twice.

Now, they'll have another big stage to showcase their top teams. If a Big 12 or SEC champion is in the four-team playoff that will likely begin in the 2014 season, the next-best team will fill their place in the annual game. Deciding who plays in that game is up to each conference. The nation's two best conferences will get a much-needed opportunity to face one another on the field and test the hotly debated offense vs. defense theories on the field annually. The nation's college football fans were robbed of that when Oklahoma State was squeezed out of the national title game for SEC West second-place finisher Alabama. This year, the SEC and Big 12 only play once, when eight-win Texas travels to face two-win Ole Miss in September. Not exactly must-see TV.

This will be.

It assures the Big 12 a place at the adults' table of college football, further extending the distance between college football's top four leagues -- the SEC, Big 12, Pac-12 and Big Ten, in that order -- and the ACC and Big East. The ACC and Big East have the Orange Bowl, but any game like the SEC and Big 12 put together will pale in comparison when it comes to TV ratings and more importantly, TV money.

Only a few months ago, the Big 12 had eight teams, with half the league considering a move to the Pac-12 and the conference on life support. Things are looking very different now. It's about to sign a giant television deal, likely extending the grant of rights into the next decade and assuring stability at least through then, and probably beyond.

Tired of getting stuck playing Boise State and UConn in everything to lose, nothing to gain BCS bowl matchups? Seven-time Big 12 champion Oklahoma won't have to worry about that anymore, and even if the Sooners are in the forthcoming national championship playoff, the next-best Big 12 team will have a quality opponent to prove itself against.

Another plus for the Big 12? The Cotton Bowl's odds of getting into the BCS as it stood were minimal. Now? It's still in flux, but does anyone want to bet against Jerry Jones and his wallet to get this game in his Dallas palace at some point? That's a big game in the Big 12 footprint, something that's never happened on the BCS bowl stage.

How will this affect Florida State, too? News has surely reached Tallahassee by now, and the Florida State spear-toting brass have to be wondering how much this factors into their wandering eye toward the Big 12. Is the ACC the place to be?

We'll find out soon, but on Jan. 1, 2015, there will be only one place to be.

This game.

Edward Aschoff: I couldn’t agree more with pretty much everything you said. There’s no question that both of these leagues have dominated the BCS since its first year in 1998. The conferences have been left out of the national championship just twice in the last 14 years and the SEC has participated in -- and won -- eight. The Big 12 has won two of its seven appearances.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive has just about everything he wants in his conference, but he hasn’t had the Rose Bowl. Sure, all those national championship trophies are nice, but an annual game like the Rose Bowl commands respect. The game that the Big Ten and Pac-12 covet so much, and is watched by millions annually, will now get a major run for its money. While they’ll be played in different time slots, there’s no question that this will turn into the ultimate popularity contest. If you could sense that Big Ten-SEC tension before, just wait. Now, the SEC will be looking down on the Big Ten and picking at the game it holds so dear. Don’t think that didn’t cross the commissioner’s mind when he was thinking about this deal.

The SEC has truly been front and center in the college football world for the past six years with its 6-0 record in BCS championships, and now it will pursue a game it thinks can have the gusto of the Rose. This is a great opportunity for the SEC to build another fine tradition for the country’s top college football conference. And fans/the media want to see more of these matchups. For the most part, we're all deprived of them during the regular season, so here's a chance for us to win something as well. These two conferences need to play more. The best should always play the best, and as David said, we can finally settle the whole offense-defense debate.

This also means that more SEC teams have the chance to play in a primetime, marquee matchup in January. If this had been in place last season, Arkansas, which certainly had a BCS-caliber team, would have played in a BCS-like bowl, since Alabama and LSU met in the title game. The Cotton Bowl got the matchup this game would have received, but it would have been on a much grander scale and much more attention would have been paid to it. Oh, and much more money would have come out of it.

It would likely help the SEC this year too, as there could be as many as five teams jockeying for BCS position. Imagine if the four-team playoff took place this season? You might have two more SEC teams fighting for a chance at a national championship, meaning this game would give No. 3 a chance strut its stuff in front of its own grand audience.

There’s no question that with a four-team playoff, the SEC will have more opportunities to put teams in the national championship, continuing its dominance. Now, Slive has helped to ensure that a high-caliber team left out of the championship hunt will still play in a game that will command the type of attention that comes with a BCS bowl.

We're putting spring behind us and looking toward the fall with our post-spring power rankings:

1. LSU: The Tigers had one of the best springs around. Things were quiet off the field, and the offense rallied behind quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Coach Les Miles was very impressed with Mettenberger's play and maturity, and expects LSU's offense to be more balanced with him under center. LSU can still use four or five running backs, as well. Defensively, the Tigers are stacked once again, especially up front with two potential first-rounders in ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo. Questions surround the inexperienced linebackers, but Kevin Minter had a tremendous spring in the middle. On paper, LSU is equipped with the talent to make another title run, and gets Alabama at home this year.

2. Alabama: While the defending national champs saw a lot of "new" faces on defense this spring, coach Nick Saban left happy with where his players were -- but not satisfied. There is still work to be done, especially in the secondary, where the Tide must replace three starters. Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw are gone at linebacker, but the coaches were impressed with how Nico Johnson, C.J. Mosley and Adrian Hubbard played this spring. Some think Hubbard, a redshirt sophomore, could be Bama's top pass-rusher. Offensively, quarterback AJ McCarron is back, more mature and surrounded by a very veteran line. He has a group of younger receivers to throw to, but has at least four quality running backs. Alabama's road to repeating is tougher, with games at Arkansas and LSU.

3. South Carolina: A healthy Marcus Lattimore (knee) at RB makes South Carolina an even better contender for the SEC East crown. His status is uncertain, but the pieces around him are pretty impressive. Quarterback Connor Shaw had an impressive spring, and looks ready to be the passer coach Steve Spurrier wants him to be. The defense is once again stacked, especially up front with ends Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor. There are questions in the secondary, with two new, young starters in Victor Hampton (cornerback) and Brison Williams (safety), while senior Akeem Auguste returns after missing last season with a foot injury. Still, Spurrier is chirping about his SEC counterparts, so you know he thinks he's got a good team this year.

4. Georgia: The Bulldogs should be higher on this list, but when you take into account the suspensions of four defensive starters at the beginning of the season, they slide a little. Georgia returns nine defensive starters, including one of the nation's best linebackers in Jarvis Jones, and some firepower on offense, led by veteran quarterback Aaron Murray, who could get some early Heisman love. It also sounds like enigmatic running back Isaiah Crowell is slowly turning things around. Yet again, the Bulldogs have a favorable SEC schedule, with no games against Alabama, Arkansas or LSU, so their road to the SEC championship is easier than South Carolina's, but keep an eye on that inexperienced offensive line.

5. Arkansas: If not for Bobby Petrino's embarrassing dismissal, the Razorbacks might be ranked higher. Offensively, it doesn't get much better than what Arkansas has. Tyler Wilson returns as arguably the league's best quarterback, and he'll get to work with one of the most complete backs around, Knile Davis, who is returning from a devastating ankle injury. An older and more improved offensive line returns, and so does a talented receiving corps led by Cobi Hamilton. But there are questions. How effective will interim coach John L. Smith be, especially if something goes wrong? Will Marquel Wade's suspension leak into the fall after his spring arrest? And will the defense improve and be more aggressive under new coordinator Paul Haynes? The good news is that Alabama and LSU play in Fayetteville this fall.

6. Florida: The chemistry is much better in Gainesville. Florida returns 10 starters from a defense that ranked eighth nationally in 2011. Matt Elam looks like a budding star at safety, and Florida's linebacking group is solid. Buck/defensive end Ronald Powell could be out after tearing his ACL this spring, but coach Will Muschamp recently said Powell is off crutches. Stud defensive tackle Dominique Easley is also walking fine after tearing his ACL in last year's season finale. The Gators have their third offensive coordinator in three years, and unproven sophomore quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel are still battling. Florida has unproven running backs and receivers, but the offensive line toughened up tremendously.

7. Auburn: The Tigers welcomed two new coordinators, Scot Loeffler and Brian VanGorder, this spring, and by all accounts players were very receptive. Coach Gene Chizik is still dealing with a lot of youth, as close to 70 percent of his roster is made up of underclassmen. One of those underclassmen is quarterback Kiehl Frazier, who made strides as a passer this spring and seems to have the edge in the quarterback race with Clint Moseley, who missed some of the spring with a sore shoulder. The defensive line will be the team's strength, with end Dee Ford exploding this spring and Corey Lemonier returning. There is a lot of depth up front on defense, which will go a long way for the Tigers.

8. Missouri: Coach Gary Pinkel and his players have made it clear they aren't intimidated by the move to the SEC. These new Tigers return solid offensive firepower, but there has to be some concern about quarterback James Franklin, who missed most of the spring after having surgery on his throwing shoulder. Plus, Mizzou's backup QB could miss games this fall after his recent arrest, so the Tigers' offensive success will be riding on Franklin's health. The Tigers are replacing a few starters on both lines, but feel confident about both areas. Mizzou will face a Georgia team down a few defensive players in Week 2, but must travel to South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

9. Tennessee: A lot is different in Knoxville, as the Vols welcomed seven new assistant coaches. Coach Derek Dooley insists the changes were for the best, but there's still going to be some adjusting to do this fall. The good news is that Tennessee returns a lot on both sides of the ball, starting with quarterback Tyler Bray and receivers Justin Hunter and Da'Rick Rogers. A healthy trio there makes Tennessee's passing game one of the best in the league. Questions remain on the offensive line and at running back, but improvements were made this spring. New defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri would like to run more 3-4 this fall, but players aren't totally comfortable, leaving some concerns.

10. Mississippi State: Quarterback Tyler Russell finally looks ready to take over as the guy in Starkville, and he'll have a veteran receiving corps to work with. However, that group still has a lot to prove, especially senior Chad Bumphis. The running game looks solid with LaDarius Perkins and Nick Griffin, and the offensive line got help from the junior college ranks. Defensively, there are a few holes to fill up front and in the secondary, but Johnthan Banks and Corey Broomfield are a solid cornerback tandem and linebacker is set with a few vets back, including stud Cameron Lawrence. Junior college defensive end Denico Autry has to perform early to help a line with a couple of holes.

11. Texas A&M: The Aggies have some holes to fill this year, but the offensive line will be a strength. Left tackle Luke Joeckel, a future first-rounder, leads a line that returns four starters. Star wide receiver Ryan Swope is back, and running back Christine Michael should be healthy (knee) this fall, but quarterback is an issue. Sophomore Jameill Showers has the edge right now, but like all of his competitors, he lacks experience. The defense will lean on linebackers Sean Porter, Steven Jenkins, Jonathan Stewart and converted end Damontre Moore, but the secondary has depth and experience issues, and the team will still be adjusting to a new staff led by coach Kevin Sumlin.

12. Vanderbilt: There is some solid offensive talent in Nashville, starting with running back Zac Stacy and receivers Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd, but coach James Franklin is still waiting for quarterback Jordan Rodgers to be more consistent. The offensive line is very thin and could barely get through spring. The defense must replace a handful of starters and leaders, but Franklin felt better about guys like linebacker Chase Garnham, defensive end Walker May and cornerback Trey Wilson. Vandy's schedule will be tough this fall, and if that offensive line doesn't hold up, getting back to a bowl will be tough.

13. Kentucky: Coach Joker Phillips was pleased with how spring practice ended, especially when it came to finding offensive playmakers, like receivers Demarco Robinson and Daryl Collins. Quarterback Maxwell Smith had a solid spring, but struggled during the spring game, meaning the battle with Morgan Newton and freshman Patrick Towles should go into the fall. The offensive line is still trying to get by after losing three starters, and the Wildcats must replace six starters at linebacker and in the secondary. Given the Wildcats' schedule, they will need to sweep their nonconference games to be in bowl shape.

14. Ole Miss: The arrival of coach Hugh Freeze brought a lot of positive change to Ole Miss, especially off the field, but there are still a lot of concerns. There are depth issues at just about every position, especially running back and defensive tackle. Even one of the most experienced groups, the offensive line, has struggled mightily with picking up Freeze's spread offense and is the team's biggest weakness. Academic issues are also worrying Ole Miss' staff, and top running back Jeff Scott and cornerback/receiver Nickolas Brassell are in that group. Quarterback is still up for grabs, but progress was made on defense, especially in the secondary.

The 2012 nonconference slate involving SEC teams isn't as attractive as a year ago.

There just aren't as many marquee matchups with schools from other BCS conferences. That's something that will change if strength of schedule is given more weight in the selection process for the teams participating in the proposed national playoff.

Here's a look at our top five nonconference games involving SEC teams for the 2012 season:

1. Alabama vs. Michigan, in Arlington, Texas, Sept. 1: Nick Saban likes the idea of playing a big-name opponent at a neutral site. The Crimson Tide get the Wolverines in Cowboys Stadium to open the season in what will likely be a matchup of preseason top-10 teams. Alabama will be somewhere in the top 5 after winning its second national championship in three seasons a year ago, and Michigan appears to be on the move after Brady Hoke led the Wolverines to 11 wins, including a victory over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, in his debut season a year ago.

2. South Carolina at Clemson, Nov. 24: The Gamecocks have won three in a row over the Tigers, the first time that's happened since 1968-70, and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier has made sure everybody is well aware of the Gamecocks' current winning streak in a rivalry that has historically been dominated by the Tigers. The game is in Death Valley this season, and the last thing Dabo Swinney and Co. want to endure is another loss to South Carolina. The Gamecocks haven't won four in a row in this series since 1951-54.

3. Auburn vs. Clemson, in Atlanta, Sept. 1: The second part of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game weekend, the Auburn-Clemson tilt will mark the third straight year that these two teams have met. Auburn has a new offensive coordinator and new defensive coordinator, and Clemson has a new defensive coordinator. The winner of this game the last two years has gone on to play in a BCS bowl. The game will be played on Saturday in the Georgia Dome. NC State and Tennessee will meet the day before in the Georgia Dome.

4. Florida at Florida State, Nov. 24: Yes, these two teams play every year. But, yes, it's still one of the best rivalries in college football, especially now that Jimbo Fisher has the Seminoles back in the national spotlight. It's a big second season for Florida coach Will Muschamp, and one of the things he's going to be judged on is how he does against Florida's two biggest rivals. The Gators lost to both Georgia and Florida State a year ago, which hadn't happened since 1989. Look for this rivalry to get really spicy again.

5. Washington at LSU, Sept. 8: LSU has scaled back this season after facing Oregon at a neutral site and West Virginia on the road a year ago. The Huskies venture into Tiger Stadium the second week of the season, which should give us some early answers about this LSU defense. Can the Tigers be even better on that side of the ball than they were last season? Washington quarterback Keith Price will put them to the test. He threw 31 touchdown passes last season as a sophomore and completed 67 percent of his passes.

A few others to watch:

• Louisiana Tech vs. Texas A&M, in Shreveport, La., Aug. 30
• North Carolina State vs. Tennessee, in Atlanta, Aug. 31
• Kentucky at Louisville, Sept. 2
• Vanderbilt at Northwestern, Sept. 8
• Texas at Ole Miss, Sept. 15
• Arizona State at Missouri, Sept. 15
• Rutgers at Arkansas, Sept. 22
• Georgia Tech at Georgia, Nov. 24
• Vanderbilt at Wake Forest, Nov. 24

We all know that defense wins championships and the SEC is very much a testament to that. Alabama possessed the nation's No. 1 defense last season and now possesses another national championship. Runner-up LSU ranked second nationally.

Alabama ran away with the crown as the nation's and the SEC's best defense, but that title is for the taking in 2012. Alabama is down key players from last year's squad, like linebackers Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower, defensive tackle Josh Chapman, and defensive backs Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, and DeQuan Menzie.

Alabama's defense isn't as green as the 2010 group, but it's still drawing some comparisons to it. That's exactly what the Tide wants to hear. Nico Johnson seems primed to be a true leader at linebacker, while Adrian Hubbard could be a budding star at Upshaw's old position. Defensive backs Robert Lester and Dee Milliner are back and will be joined by a couple of JUCO standouts and talented sophomores Vinnie Sunseri and Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix. Jesse Williams could be a real force at defensive tackle along with end Damion Square.

Then you have LSU. The Tigers lost All-World cornerback Morris Claiborne to the NFL draft and two starting linebackers. Michael Brockers is gone at defensive tackle as well. But LSU is still loaded. The Tigers return Heisman finalist Tyrann Mathieu and Tharold Simon, who should be fine with an expanded role at cornerback. Junior Kevin Minter really stepped up at linebacker last year and should pick up right where he left off. Even without Brockers, the line is solid with future first-rounder Sam Montgomery at one end position and the underrated Barkevious Mingo at the other. The two combined for 17 sacks last season.

Bennie Logan and Anthony Johnson should provide some meat nastiness in the interior, while the very talented Eric Reid is back at free safety.

Georgia and South Carolina both finished the 2011 season ranked in the top five nationally in total defense. South Carolina was third, while Georgia was fifth, respectively. The Gamecocks lost first-round defensive end Melvin Ingram, but return freshman standout Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor, who many thought would be better than Ingram last season. Kelcy Quarles is back at defensive tackle and the coaches think he'll be even better in his second year.

Shaq Wilson and Reginald Bowens, who combined for 96 tackles last year, will grab time at linebacker again, while the very athletic DeVonte Holloman returns to the Spur for his senior year. There are questions in the secondary, but seniors D.J. Swearinger (safety) and Akeem Auguste (cornerback) return.

Georgia returns nine defensive starters. Brandon Boykin is gone at corner, and the Bulldogs will enter the fall with a lot questions in the secondary, especially with starters Branden Smith, Sanders Commings and Bacarri Rambo suspended to start the season. Star freshman receiver Malcolm Mitchell moved to corner this spring and fits right in, but there are depth issues at the position.

Other than that, the Bulldogs are still pretty stacked. Inside linebacker Alec Ogletree will serve a suspension to start the year, but Georgia will fill his spot by committee. Mike Gilliard, Cornelius Washington, Christian Robinson, Amarlo Herrera and Ramik Wilson provide Georgia with a very solid linebacking unit alongside star Jarvis Jones, who racked up 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. Georgia's defensive line should also be pretty stout with the massive John Jenkins and Kwame Geathers battling in the middle. Abry Jones really progressed at end as well this spring.

Or maybe someone else will step up and take the crown ...

Academic change is coming to college sports. And if you ask me, it's the good kind of change.

Starting in 2016, the toughest initial-eligibility requirements ever for student-athletes will be hitting a college campus near you, ESPN's Mitch Sherman writes. Under the 2016 mandate, incoming freshmen will have to graduate from high school with 16 core classes passed, 10 of which must be completed by the start of their senior year. They must pass those core classes within four years and their minimum GPA must by 2.3.

The current mandate requires incoming freshmen to pass the 16 core classes, but 10 don't have to be completed before their senior year and the 16 don't have to be finished within four years. The minimum GPA is also 2.0 matched with an ACT or SAT score on a sliding scale.

A survey conducted by the NCAA indicated that approximately 40 percent of all freshmen football players that enrolled at Division I schools last fall would have failed to meet the 2016 requirements. Under the new rule, that 40 percent would receive an academic redshirt, which means those players would still receive their scholarships and could practice with their teams, but they wouldn't be able to play in games during the season.

Academic redshirt players wouldn't lose a year of eligibility.

Some might think that this new rule could be asking too much from high schools and it could put a limit on recruiting for college coaches, but that's just silly. This rule is being put in place to make sure that student-athletes are better prepared academically for college. Asking kids to hit the books harder and study a little longer is far from a crime and chances are the higher standards will encourage schools to take the academic side of high school sports life more seriously.

This isn't the first time we've heard of upping the academic requirements for incoming student-athletes. At last summer's SEC media days, SEC commissioner Mike Slive discussed increasing the GPA requirements for incoming freshmen from 2.0 to 2.5 in 16 core classes and the restoration of partial qualifiers. Like the new mandate, athletes who meet the old criteria but fall short of the new standards would keep their scholarships and practice, but couldn't play during their first year. Partial qualifiers lose a year of eligibility.

Would this require students and schools to work harder? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Absolutely, because it really isn't too much to ask of anyone involved. It's merely helping the educational process.

There are too many instances of players arriving on campus unprepared for the academic side of college athletics. Although football might be the first reason someone is at a university, we often forget that these individuals are students first, even though that part of "student-athlete" gets lost more and more these days.

This obviously won't come without some struggle on the part of many aspiring high school athletes, but it's certainly worth the fight.

Six SEC teams finished the 2011 season ranked in the top 20 nationally in total defense.

It was most of the usual suspects, too -- Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina.

But right there at No. 18 nationally was Vanderbilt. First-year defensive coordinator Bob Shoop came in and did a masterful job. He inherited some veteran leaders and mixed in his aggressive, innovative approach, and the Commodores played the kind of defense that steered them to their fifth bowl appearance in school history.

Shoop has a sharp mind for the game. For that matter, he has a sharp mind -- period. He earned his degree in economics at Yale while playing both football and baseball. He also coached at Yale as an assistant and served as the head coach at Columbia from 2003-05.

He knows his stuff, and just as importantly, his players know that he knows his stuff.

So when he looked them in the eye this spring and told them that last season’s defensive performance wasn’t good enough, they sat straight up and listened … and then took that as their challenge on the practice field.

“I told our guys, ‘What does 18^th in the country in total defense get you? Sixth in the SEC,’” Shoop recounted. “That’s where we were. That’s what it gets you, a 2-6 conference record. This is big-boy football. When you look at it in the grand scheme of things, we have a long way to go.”

Not only that, but some of the Commodores’ top playmakers on defense from a year ago have departed. Middle linebacker Chris Marve is gone, and so are cornerback Casey Hayward, safety Sean Richardson and defensive end Tim Fugger.

“This 2012 version of the Vanderbilt defense will be different,” Shoop said. “We’re searching for leadership. We’re still going to be running to the ball as well as anybody in the country, and pressure. We’re a high-pressure defense. But some new playmakers are going to have to emerge.”

The good thing is that Shoop likes what he saw this spring. Up front, Walker May and Rob Lohr are both poised for big seasons, and Chase Garnham made a nice transition to middle linebacker after playing on the outside last season. Trey Wilson has a chance to be that next premier Vanderbilt cornerback, and Shoop thought safety Javon Marshall was one of the more underrated players in the SEC last season. Lohr and Marshall missed the spring while recovering from injuries.

Shoop thinks some of the incoming freshmen will have to help, particularly in the defensive line. The Commodores played 10 guys up front last season, and there wasn’t a guy on the defensive line who played more than 45 snaps a game.

Freshman linebacker Darreon Herring enrolled early and went through spring practice, which is a rarity at Vanderbilt. Shoop also thinks incoming freshman linebacker Jake Sealand can help this fall.

Vanderbilt had 29 takeaways last season, which was fourth in the SEC. It also scored five defensive touchdowns. Shoop said it’s imperative that the unit is equally opportunistic in 2012.

“Takeaways are the great equalizer,” Shoop said. “They can turn a bad defense into a good one, a good one into a great one, and a great one into a championship defense.”

While some of the faces will be different, Wilson said the way the Commodores play defense next season will be exactly the same.

“We can’t be focused on making mistakes,” said Wilson, who had three interceptions last season. “If you’re going to do it, do it full speed. The worst mistake you can make on a football field is slowing down and letting a play happen.

“We have a lot of guys who played last year, so it’s not like they’re new guys.”

Everybody talks about the best value picks come NFL draft time.

In other words, who were the best football players to go later in the draft?

Now that everybody else has had a say, I’ll weigh in with regard to SEC players.

Below are my value selections. These guys either went in the last three rounds of the draft or went undrafted, and I’m betting that all five will be contributors in the NFL. They’re listed alphabetically:

Josh Chapman, DT, Alabama: The Indianapolis Colts took Chapman with the first pick of the fifth round, and all you really need to know about Chapman is that he played most of last season with a torn ACL. He waited until after the season to have surgery. That decision hurt his draft stock, but helped his team and was a big reason the Crimson Tide won their second national championship in the last three years. Had Chapman not been recovering from surgery at draft time, he would have gone a lot higher. He should be cleared for practice in July and will have a great chance to win the starting nose guard job this fall.

Tim Fugger, DE, Vanderbilt: The Colts took Fugger with the seventh pick of the seventh round, and he projects as an outside linebacker in the Colts’ 3-4 scheme. The thing you love about Fugger is how smart, tough and intense he is. Plus, he ran a 4.6 40-yard dash in his workout at 250 pounds. He has a knack for making big plays, as evidenced by his eight sacks and three forced fumbles last season, and he doesn’t take plays off. There are more than a few former Vanderbilt defenders earning a living in the NFL right now. Fugger has everything it takes to join that fraternity.

Chris Rainey, RB, Florida: The Pittsburgh Steelers took Rainey with the 24^th pick in the fifth round. Just from a special teams perspective alone, Rainey figures to be a huge asset. He has game-changing speed and will certainly be a threat in the return game, but what a lot of people forget is that he’s also Florida’s all-time leader with six blocked kicks. There’s just no substitute for the kind of speed Rainey possesses, and he’s proven than he can both run and catch the football. The Steelers will find a niche for him, and Rainey will put his speed to use in a number of different ways.

Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky: The Denver Broncos took Trevathan with the 18^th pick in the sixth round. There were some who didn’t think Trevathan would be drafted at all, but a savvy football personnel guy is always going to take a chance on a player as productive as Trevathan was during his career at Kentucky. He racked up 287 total tackles over his last two seasons and was one of the surest tacklers in the SEC. He doesn’t have ideal size (6-0, 237), and he’s not very fast (4.82 in the 40). But turn on the tape and watch him make play after play against some of the best competition in the land. The guy’s a football player, and he’ll get it done on defense and on special teams at the next level.

William Vlachos, C, Alabama: Vlachos was not drafted and agreed to a free-agent deal with the Tennessee Titans. Let’s face it. If Vlachos were about three inches taller, he would have gone as high as any center in the draft. But he’s barely 6-0, and we all know the NFL’s hang-up with measurables. It’s a given that Vlachos isn’t going to get any taller, but he’s a natural when it comes to playing center. He was the engine for that Alabama offensive line last season and has started for three years. He’s as smart as he is tough and always wins the leverage battle because he plays so low. Go ask Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram what they think of Vlachos, who went up against everybody from Nick Fairley to Michael Brockers to Fletcher Cox during his career.

Over the past 10 years, Georgia has produced 57 total NFL draft picks, which leads the SEC.

But over the past five years, LSU leads the way with 30 total draft picks.

And over the past two years, Alabama and LSU are tied for the lead with 12 draft picks. In fact, Alabama has produced six first-rounders over the last two years.

Here's a look at the total number of draft picks produced by SEC teams over the past 10 years, and we've included Missouri and Texas A&M:

Georgia: 57
LSU: 56
Florida: 54
Tennessee: 48
Alabama: 41
Auburn: 35
South Carolina: 30
Arkansas: 26
Ole Miss: 21
Texas A&M: 21
Missouri: 20
Kentucky: 14
Mississippi State: 14
Vanderbilt: 10

Now, here's a rundown over the past five years:

LSU: 30
Florida: 27
Georgia: 25
Alabama: 19
Auburn: 19
Tennessee: 18
Arkansas: 15
South Carolina: 14
Missouri: 13
Ole Miss: 11
Kentucky: 9
Texas A&M: 9
Mississippi State: 7
Vanderbilt: 6

Now that the initial ESPN 150 is out, it's time to take a look at how each SEC team is doing in the world of recruiting as the spring comes to an end.

Florida leads the SEC with seven 150 members, while Alabama and Georgia have six each. Auburn was one of two teams to have two top-10 150 members in its class.

Yes, it's very, very early, but recruiting is something that never seems to lose its popularity.

Here's a look at each SEC team's class thus far:

ALABAMA

2013 verbal commitments: 11

Spotlight: Linebacker Reuben Foster of Auburn, Ala., is not only the top linebacker prospect out there but he's the No. 2-rated player in the country, according to ESPN recruiting services. Alabama is rarely short of talent at the linebacker position and from all accounts, Foster won't have a problem fitting in. He registered 185 total tackles, including 144 solo tackles, 34 tackles for loss and 18 sacks as a junior

ESPN 150 members: 6 (2. ILB Reuben Foster of Auburn, Ala.; TE-H of O.J. Howard of Prattville, Ala.; RB Altee Tenpenny of North Little Rock, Ark.; RB Tyren Jones of Marietta, Ga.; OG Andy Dodd of Lindale, Ga.; ATH ArDarius Stewart of Birmingham, Ala.

ARKANSAS

2013 verbal commitments: None

Spotlight: None

ESPN 150 members: None

AUBURN

2013 verbal commitments: 8

Spotlight: Carl Lawson of Alpharette, Ga., is only the No. 2 defensive end in the country because Robert Nkemdiche just happens to play his position. He's considered one of the most explosive players in the country, regardless of position, and registered 31 tackles for loss, including 15 sacks as a junior.

ESPN 150 members: 4 (DE Carl Lawson of Alpharetta, Ga.; DT Dee Liner of Muscle Shoals, Ala.; WR Earnest Robinson of Pinson, Ala.; ILB Trey Johnson of Lawrenceville, Ga.

FLORIDA

2013 verbal commitments: 15

Spotlight: Running back Kelvin Taylor of Belle Glade, Fla., is the top running back prospect in the country and he's a Gator legacy. His father, Fred Taylor, was an All-American running back at Florida and Kelvin hopes to follow in his father's footsteps. He's been playing varsity since eighth grade and rushed for 2,884 yards and 40 touchdowns last year.

ESPN 150 members: 7 (DT Caleb Brantley of Crescent City, Fla.; RB Kelvin Taylor of Belle Glade, Fla.; OLB Daniel McMillian of Jacksonville, Fla.; WR Ahmad Fulwood (Jacksonville, Fla.; S Nick Washington of Jacksonville, Fla.; S Keanu Neal of Bushnell, Fla.; OLB Quinton Powell of Daytona Beach, Fla.)

GEORGIA

2013 verbal commitments: 15

Spotlight: Athlete Derrick Henry of Yulee, Fla., is a big, physical prospect who might be able to line up all over the field at the next level. Right now, he's known more for his skill at running back, but won't be afraid to move around if needed. He rushed for nearly 2,800 yards last year and had 39 rushing touchdowns.

ESPN 150 members: 6 (ATH Derrick Henry of Yulee, Fla.; ATH Tramel Terry of Goose Creek, S.C.; CB Shaq Wiggins of Tyrone, Ga.; QB Brice Ramsey of Kingsland, Ga.; S Tray Matthews of Newnan, Ga.; ILB Johnny O'Neal of Dublin, Ga.)

KENTUCKY

2013 verbal commitments: 1

Spotlight: Defensive tackle Jacob Hyde of Manchester, Ky., is Kentucky's only commitment at the moment, but he's a very big body at a position of need for the Wildcats. The 300-pounder has shown good strength and can fill up the middle, especially on running plays.

ESPN 150 members: None

LSU

2013 verbal commitments: 9

Spotlight: Athlete Jeryl Brazil of Loranger, La., can do it all. He can play multiple positions and has the speed and athleticism to drive opponents crazy, no matter where he lines up. He can play any of the corner positions or be a stud slot receiver on the offensive side of the ball.

ESPN 150 members: None

MISSISSIPPI STATE

2013 verbal commitments: 2

Spotlight: Wide receiver Brandon Wells of Bogue Chitto, Miss., lines up as a quarterback now, but he'll likely move to wide receiver when he gets to the college level. He's a very raw athlete right now and might be a project, but there's no question that he can make plays when the ball is in his hands, as he rushed for 1,212 yards and 11 touchdowns last year.

ESPN 150 members: None

MISSOURI

2013 verbal commitments: 9

Spotlight: Athlete Chase Abbington of St. Peters, Mo., is a dynamic athlete who might be a running back now, but like most top athletes at the high school level, could move around once he gets to the college level. At 6-foot-4, he could be an outside receiver. If he adds some weight, he could also be a future player at tight end, too.

ESPN 150 members: None

OLE MISS

2013 verbal commitments: 4

Spotlight: Defensive tackle Christopher Robinson of Shreveport, La., isn't the biggest interior lineman, but he makes plays. He'll need to bulk up some, but a college eating/workout plan will help that. The key for Ole Miss is that it got a solid player who might be able to come in and help its defense early.

ESPN 150 members: None

SOUTH CAROLINA

2013 verbal commitments: 6

Spotlight: Wide receiver Jasper Sasser of Jacksonville, Fla., plays both receiver and running back, but will likely stay at receiver when he gets to college. Getting another playmaker at wide receiver is something the Gamecocks certainly won't mind and Sasser is someone who can make plays on the outside and be a threat coming out of the backfield as well.

ESPN 150 members: None

TENNESSEE

2013 verbal commitments: 4

Spotlight: Outside linebacker Corey Vereen of Winter Garden, Fla., is someone who will fit right into Sal Sunseri's 3-4 defensive scheme. He's one of those "tweener" athletes who can line up as a pass-rushing linebacker or put his hand in the ground and be an end. He appears to be at his best when he's allowed the freedom of standing up and rushing.

ESPN 150 members: None

TEXAS A&M

2013 verbal commitments: 14

Spotlight: Tight end Derrick Griffin of Rosenberg, Texas, is the top tight end prospect in the country. He plays more receiver right now at the high school level, but it looks like he'll grow too big for that position, making him a perfect H-back. He's fast and athletic, which will make him a true mismatch for defenders through the middle of the field.

ESPN 150 members: 5 (TE-H Derrick Griffin of Rosenberg, Texas; ATH LaQuvionte Gonzalez of Cedar Hill, Texas; QB Kohl Stewart of Houston, Texas; OG Joas Aguilar of N. Richland Hills, Texas; WR Jamar Gibson of Baytown, Texas)

VANDERBILT

2013 verbal commitments: 7

Spotlight: Quarterback Johnathan McCrary of Ellenwood, Ga., is a top dual-threat quarterback prospect and was a major get for coach James Franklin. He might be a big body, but he has excellent speed and can make though throws on the run. He threw for more than 2,400 yards and had 27 touchdown passes and his athleticism will continue to make him a nuisance for defenses.

ESPN 150 members: None

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- James Franklin isn’t apologizing, not in the least bit.

He’s not celebrating, either.

It took him all of one season to steer Vanderbilt to only its fifth bowl appearance in school history, and that was on the heels of back-to-back 2-10 seasons.

And since his arrival in Nashville in December of 2010, he hasn’t been shy when it comes to stirring the pot, or perhaps better stated from the Vanderbilt side of things, making sure the days of treating the Commodores as a second-class citizen in the SEC were never coming back … ever.

Those were Franklin’s words last October after he and Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham went nose-to-nose on the field following the Bulldogs’ hard-fought 33-28 victory over the Commodores.

Both coaches felt like they were sticking up for their players.

In Franklin’s mind, it was about time somebody stuck up for the Commodores -- period.

“Everything I do is calculated, but that’s also who I am. I’m a fighter,” Franklin said. “You’re talking about a blue-collar guy who’s worked his way up the ladder for everything he’s got. I understand that respect and all those things are earned. I do. But what I noticed right when I got here, and I don’t think people meant it, was that people talked down to us.

“It was almost as if, ‘This is where you’re supposed to be. You’ve always been there. How dare you try to improve your place? This is where you’re supposed to be?’ I think people were used to being able to put Vanderbilt in the “W” column before the season started, and how dare we try to fight back?”

Franklin was fighting back the moment he took what many consider to be one of the hardest jobs in all of college football. He still bristles when he hears about the supposed ceiling on Vanderbilt football and is so focused on making Vanderbilt a destination stop for top recruits that he frowns on his players even mentioning that they grew up a fan of somebody other than the Commodores.

“Between what we’ve done on the field and what we’ve done in recruiting, our pool has changed,” said Franklin, who signed the highest-rated class in Vanderbilt history this past February.

“The first year we got here, there were only certain kids willing to listen to us. Then after this first season and what we did on the field, there were a lot more kids interested. Now, it’s on a whole different level.

“We’ve taken steps, but we still have a long ways to go.”

Franklin is hell-bent to get there, and he doesn’t mind stepping on a few toes along the way.

"We're going to fight for each other, and that's something Coach (Franklin) brought to this program that we needed," said senior running back Zac Stacy, the SEC's leading returning rusher.

Franklin also has a renewed commitment, really an unprecedented commitment, from the Vanderbilt administration to make football a priority at one of America’s most prestigious universities.

Already, renovations are underway at the McGugin Center that will include a new locker room, team meeting rooms and a 140-seat theatre-style classroom. Vanderbilt Stadium is also being spruced up and will get new playing turf as well as a JumboTron.

And by 2014, a new indoor practice facility will be in place on campus.

Franklin had all of these improvements written into his new contract, which was announced last December.

And speaking of commitment, Franklin’s new deal, according to sources, is paying him right around $2.5 million per year.

So the head football coach at Vanderbilt is making more than the head football coach at Tennessee. Derek Dooley is set to earn just over $2 million in 2012.

“The important thing is that the commitment is in place here, and everybody is on board,” Franklin said.

There’s also an energy and a charisma surrounding the program that Franklin has worked tirelessly to create. The Vanderbilt players say they feed off Franklin’s intensity and the way he’s gone to bat for them.

“Any man who will fight for you like that, you’re going to give your all to have his back, especially when he’s willing to put himself in the crosshairs for the team,” senior cornerback Trey Wilson said. “We can look to that and say, ‘That’s somebody I can go out there and give my all for.’”

Don’t expect much to change during Franklin’s second tour through the league.

“People might get upset or frustrated or taken aback, but I’m like, ‘We’re just doing what everybody else in this league has been doing for a long time. You just don’t expect it from us,’” Franklin said. “A lot of it’s my personality, but it’s magnified because people aren’t used to that at Vanderbilt.”

They’re also not used to the Commodores taking the SEC’s big boys to the wire, either. Their losses to Georgia, Arkansas, Florida and Tennessee last season were by a combined 19 points, and the loss to the Vols came in overtime.

“That’s the next step, making sure we finish those games,” Wilson said. “Going to a bowl was just one of our goals, so there’s no complacency. We have the underdog mentality. Nobody wants to give us the respect we feel like we deserve, so we go out there and do whatever we have to do to take it.”

That lack of respect was never more apparent than the Tennessee game last season. Following the Vols’ 27-21 overtime win in Knoxville, a video surfaced of Dooley telling his players while they celebrated in the locker room, “The one thing Tennessee always does is kick the (expletive) out of Vanderbilt.”

At the time, Franklin said it was a wound that he would leave open and wouldn’t heal any time soon.

Well, it’s obvious that it still hasn’t healed, although Franklin warns that placing too much importance on one game in the SEC is foolish.

“There are situations that happen that are personal,” Franklin conceded. “I really don’t want it to be personal, because what happens is that your team and your coaches can sense that this game is more important than another, and the most important game for us is the next game on the schedule.

“Now, do things happen that get your juices flowing and make it a little personal? Yes. We don’t talk about those things a whole lot, but it’s more symbolic that our team understands that we’re not going to let other people define who and what we’re going to be.”

Newcomers come in all shapes and sizes.

There are freshmen newcomers, junior college transfers and regular transfers. Regardless, they all come in with the expectations of playing immediately. JUCO standouts and transfers maybe more so than rookies, but the days of automatically redshirting true freshmen are over. Like, dead.

Last year, the SEC saw a few newcomers make immediate impacts. A great example is Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones, who transferred from USC back in 2010, but didn't play until last fall. All he did was lead the SEC in sacks and tackles for loss. There was Arkansas linebacker Alonzo Highsmith, who came from the JUCO ranks to be one of the Hogs' most productive linebackers.

Freshman Isaiah Crowell had an up-and-down season, but was sixth in the SEC rushing, and was named the SEC's freshman of the year. His classmate, wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, wasn't too bad, either. You also can't forget about South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who was seventh in the SEC with eight sacks.

So, as spring practice begins to wind down around the conference, we're taking a look at five newcomers to keep an eye on in 2012. Some are on campuses, some aren't. Some are obvious choices, and you could be surprised by a couple. Top newcomers can be top league players, or players who will make big impacts on their teams at a position of need.

We're going in alphabetical order, so here's our list:

• Denico Autry, DE, JUCO, Mississippi State: The Bulldogs are looking to replace Sean Ferguson at one of the defensive line spots, and Autry was brought in to do just that. The coaches have been extremely impressed with how the former East Mississippi Community College standout has looked in spring practice. People around the program have simply described Autry as a "beast," and the thought is that he'll enter the fall starting at one of the end spots.
• Travell Dixon, CB, JUCO, Alabama: Dixon has had a pretty successful spring, and has had the honor of playing at Alabama's "star" (nickel) cornerback spot. That shows you just how much coach Nick Saban respects Dixon's game. Saban usually puts his most complete defensive backs at the star. That's where Javier Arenas played, and DeQuan Menzie after him. With Alabama losing Menzie and Dre Kirkpatrick at cornerback, Dixon has a chance to come in and start immediately.
• Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Fr., Missouri: It was hard to find another 2012 recruit who received the attention that Green-Beckham did. He has drawn comparisons to A.J. Green, Julio Jones, and Calvin Johnson. That's pretty good company, and Missouri is expecting DGB to contribute immediately. DGB stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 220 pounds, making him a huge, physical target for quarterback James Franklin. DGB might arrive this summer as Missouri's most talented receiver. It also helps that he has top speed, and could be the deep threat that Missouri's offense needs.
• Latroy Pittman, WR, Fr., Florida: Haven't heard of him? Don't worry, not many have. Pittman committed to Florida so long before national signing day, his recruitment wasn't too exciting or noticeable. However, Pittman, who was ranked the No. 24 wide receiver by ESPN recruiting services, has been very productive in spring practice. He isn't the fastest receiver, but with Florida struggling to find a true go-to receiving target, Pittman has really shined by being one of the Gators' most consistent receivers this spring. Word around Florida's program is that Pittman will definitely see playing time this fall. Receiver is wide open in Gainesville, so Pittman could play his way into quality time.
• Shaq Roland, WR, Fr., South Carolina: With Alshon Jeffery gone, South Carolina is searching for a wide receiver to step up and become a primary target for quarterback Connor Shaw. Right now, Ace Sanders and Bruce Ellington will get the first shots, but a lot of players at the position are pretty unproven. Roland was one of the top high school receiving targets last year, and has the playmaking ability that could really spark the Gamecocks' passing game. Roland could be a deep threat or make plays over the middle. He wasn't afraid of contact in high school, and that mentality should carry over to the college level. Adding some weight will be key, but coach Steve Spurrier should have fun working him into the offense.

A quick recap of the weekend scrimmages around the SEC:

ALABAMA

It looks like junior quarterback AJ McCarron has picked up where he left off in the BCS National Championship Game. McCarron finished 25-of-43 for 290 yards, three touchdowns and an interception last Saturday in the Crimson Tide's first full scrimmage of the spring.

Alabama coach Nick Saban said McCarron was "very commanding" under center, and Saban said he's been impressed with how the receivers have been able to get onto the same page with McCarron. Sophomore Christion Jones had a pair of touchdown catches. Kevin Norwood also caught a touchdown pass. The freshman receiver who's caught Saban's eye is Amari Cooper. Sophomore DeAndrew White also got off to a good start this spring, but is now battling a pulled hamstring.

On defense, Vinnie Sunseri and junior college newcomer Deion Belue both returned interceptions for touchdowns. Belue is competing for a starting cornerback job. Saban said John Fulton is also having a good spring and in that mix. Another junior college newcomer to watch is Travell Dixon, who's working at both cornerback and the "star" position, which is the nickel back role when the Crimson Tide go to five defensive backs.

Some of the best news for the Crimson Tide last Saturday was that their kickers were a combined 7-of-8 on field goals. Jeremy Shelley was 4-of-4, and Cade Foster was 3-of-4. Foster's only miss was from 54 yards and was blocked by Nico Johnson.

Here's a report from the scrimmage on Alabama's official web site, and it includes stats and pictures.

ARKANSAS

There wasn't any shortage of offense in the Hogs' scrimmage last Friday, and not surprisingly, senior quarterback Tyler Wilson was the catalyst. He passed for 310 yards and four touchdowns. Star running back Knile Davis was held out of contact, but Dennis Johnson was plenty productive in his absence with 75 yards on 12 carries. Johnson also scored three touchdowns.

Senior Cobi Hamilton had a big day catching the ball and so did sophomore Marquel Wade, who caught seven passes for 149 yards and three touchdowns.

The first-team offense scored on seven of its first 10 possessions. The Hogs' defense struggled to stop the run at times, which was a problem last season. Sophomore cornerback Tevin Mitchel didn't participate in the scrimmage after suffering a hamstring pull earlier in the day.

AUBURN

The Tigers' first scrimmage of the spring featured a couple of long touchdown passes by sophomore quarterback Kiehl Frazier, who connected with Emory Blake and Travante Stallworth. Clint Moseley didn't participate in the scrimmage. He's been plagued by a sore throwing shoulder.

The running back job is wide open, and Corey Grant made his case Saturday with several nice runs. His teammates were raving about his explosiveness through the hole.

On defense, first-year coordinator Brian VanGorder felt like his guys made a positive step, although giving up the big play continues to be a problem.

"You can't do that and be a good defense," VanGorder said.

VanGorder was pleased with Kris Frost's improvement at linebacker and also liked what he saw from Jawara White at middle linebacker.

GEORGIA

The defense has been the story for much of this spring for the Bulldogs, and that was again the story Saturday in their first full scrimmage.

While piling up 12 sacks, the defense also saw the offense break through with a few plays, namely redshirt freshman tight end Jay Rome. He caught a 30-yard touchdown pass and had another scoring grab down on the goal line where he made an acrobatic play in the corner of the end zone.

Several of the Georgia players also had high praise for freshman running back Keith Marshall.

Safety Shawn Williams had 4.5 tackles, two pass breakups and an interception to lead the defense.

LSU

Zach Mettenberger threw two second-quarter touchdown passes to lead the White to a 24-17 win over the Purple on Saturday in LSU's National L Club spring game.

Mettenberger finished 14-of-25 for 270 yards and threw touchdown passes of 49 yards to Odell Beckham, Jr. and 18 yards to Russell Shepard. Alfred Blue led all rushers with 73 yards on nine carries.

Mettenberger also threw a pair of interceptions, one of those returned 74 yards by freshman linebacker Lamar Louis for the Purple's final touchdown.

Safety Eric Reid also returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown to put the White ahead 21-0 in the second quarter.

OLE MISS

There weren't any iron-clad answers at quarterback for the Rebels in their scrimmage last Friday.

Barry Brunetti had the best day. He was 7-of-10 for 80 yards and threw touchdown passes of 30 yards and 15 yards to Ja-Mes Logan.

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said evaluating the quarterbacks was even more difficult because the Rebels continue to struggle in the offensive line.

After a slow start, Bo Wallace finished strong. He was also able to run the ball with some success.

SOUTH CAROLINA

The Gamecocks held their second major scrimmage last Saturday, and Steve Spurrier wasn't thrilled with the passing game.

"I hope we don't have to run the ball all the time next year, but if we can't throw it very well, that's what we'll do," said Spurrier, who was especially frustrated by the sacks his offense allowed.

He said Connor Shaw has to get better at throwing the ball away and not taking sacks.

"Connor (Shaw) must have had four sacks today in 10 passes," Spurrier said. "He’s got to throw the ball somewhere and get it out of his hands a little quicker. The other quarterbacks were not real accurate at times, but we hit a few here and there.”

Star running back Marcus Lattimore, still recovering from knee surgery, didn't scrimmage.

Jared Shaw returned a Dylan Thompson interception 38 yards for a touchdown.

VANDERBILT

Vanderbilt coach James Franklin was pleased with the way his first-team offense performed in the red zone in last Saturday's scrimmage, but said the Commodores have work to do between the 20's. He also wants to see his defense do a better job with its back to the goal line.

""There's a feeling sometimes, especially with a young team, that when you get in the red zone, it's OK to give up points, and offensively, it should be easier to score," Franklin said. "We need to make sure that we have the same mentality on offense, whether we are on the minus five or the plus five, and defensively, whether we are on the minus one or plus one, that we have the mentality that we're going to stop them."

Quarterback Jordan Rodgers was 11-of-17 for 83 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a touchdown.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- I've been on Vanderbilt's campus for much of the day and spent some time with the Commodores' coaches and players.

There's no question a new energy surrounds this program, and there's certainly not a feeling of contentment just because Vanderbilt went to a bowl game last season in James Franklin's first year on the job.

"We were 6-7. We had a losing record," Vanderbilt senior cornerback Trey Wilson said. "We expect a lot more out of ourselves than that, and we're going back to work to make sure we get a lot more out of next season. Nobody around here is satisfied."

Franklin is bringing in the highest-rated signing class in school history. Most of those guys won't be on campus until the summer, but Franklin envisions even more competition for positions than last season.

And he means everywhere.

"We still don't have the depth we need, but we're going to have competition," Franklin said. "I want everybody in the program to feel like there's no favoritism and no politics. Even for the guys who played last year, and they have a leg up, but you're going to have to earn your job every day. That's important, and getting these freshmen in here and allowing them to have an opportunity to compete and play will help us."

One of the hottest battles could be at quarterback. Jordan Rodgers stepped in at midseason a year ago and provided a huge boost to the offense, but Austyn Carta-Samuels is eligible after transferring from Wyoming and is pushing hard this spring.

"The sky's the limit for us with the competitive nature that coach Franklin has created," said Carta-Samuels, whose grandfather, Tom, played baseball at Vanderbilt. "That's why I came here, and you know you're going to get an opportunity to play if you're the best player."

Carta-Samuels had 2,094 yards in total offense in 2010 and started 11 games that season for Wyoming. He said he visited Vanderbilt out of high school and that there's no comparison in the caliber of players here now as compared to 2008 when he was visiting.

Two of the Commodores' priorities this spring, according to Franklin, are throwing the ball more accurately than they did last season on offense and not giving up as many big plays on defense. They completed just 51.7 percent of their passes, and defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said they gave up 46 big plays (a running play of at least 15 yards or passing play of at least 25 yards).

Shoop said the Commodores' goal is no more than two big plays per game.

"Where we fell short was we gave up too many big plays," Shoop said. "Five percent of the snaps against us accounted for one-third of the total offense."

Replacing middle linebacker Chris Marve and his leadership will also be a chore. Shoop said a key to the Commodores' success last season (they finished 18th nationally in total defense) was the way Marve bought into Shoop and his defense.

Junior Chase Garnham is moving into Marve's middle linebacker spot, but it will take several players to fill the leadership void created by Marve's departure. Defensive end Walker May, defensive tackle Rob Lohr, safety Javon Marshall and Wilson are all ready to take that step.

"We're light years ahead of where we were last year," Shoop said. "Our first group out there practicing right now ... I like the way they're practicing. Our second group, those guys are a lot of redshirt guys and scout-team guys. They're figuring it out."

Freshman linebacker Darreon Herring is an early enrollee and going through spring practice. Shoop thinks he has an excellent chance to be in the rotation next season. The same goes for freshman linebacker Jake Sealand, who will be on campus this summer.

Here's a quick recap of some of the scrimmages over the weekend:

VANDERBILT

Second-year coach James Franklin thinks the Commodores are "light years ahead" of where they were this time a year ago because they're more confident in what they're doing from an installation standpoint.

It looks like a couple of position moves are already paying off for Vanderbilt. Former quarterbacks Kris Kentera and Josh Grady both made their share of big plays -- Kentera at H-back and Grady at receiver. Kentera had catches of 48 and 24 yards. Grady had a diving catch that resulted in a first down.

There were no touchdowns scored in the scrimmage, which was the Commodores' first of the spring, but the offense was able to move the ball.

One of the more underrated defenders in the league last season was defensive end Tim Fugger. Now that he's gone, the Commodores need a finisher to emerge. Junior Walker May looks like he might be the guy. Franklin has been impressed with the way May has worked in the offseason, and the same goes for junior safety Kenny Ladler. The other guy who made his presence felt on defense in Saturday's scrimmage was sophomore tackle Barron Dixon, who had a couple of sacks.

Here's a report on the scrimmage from Vanderbilt's official web site.

SOUTH CAROLINA

The Gamecocks held their first scrimmage of the spring on Saturday, and it didn't take their defensive line long to assert itself. Sophomore end Jadeveon Clowney was a force and wrecked several plays. Another good sign for the Gamecocks was how active sophomore tackle Kelcy Quarles was in the scrimmage. Similar to what they did last year with Melvin Ingram, the Gamecocks moved Clowney inside some on passing situations, and he routinely was able to get pressure.

Connor Shaw threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to K.J. Brent. South Carolina, which is looking for receiving help now that Alshon Jeffery is gone, was down a couple of receivers for the scrimmage. Damiere Byrd was running track. Shamier Jeffery, Alshon's younger brother, sat out the scrimmage after twisting his knee Friday in practice.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said that senior tailback Kenny Miles would be back with the team next season. Miles, one of Marcus Lattimore's backups, had been contemplating a transfer. Also, Bruce Ellington was at the scrimmage, but has yet to decide whether he will play football or basketball next season. There's a chance he will try to play both again.

For a report on South Carolina's scrimmage, go to the Gamecocks' official website.

LSU

Junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger continued his strong spring by completing 16 of 27 passes for 177 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

"We threw the ball pretty well," LSU coach Les Miles said. "We had really good balance. I think we're competing in the passing game very well. I think Mettenberger's a real leader there and enjoys his role."

Miles also liked the Tigers' balance on offense in Saturday's closed scrimmage. He said they rushed for 287 yards and passed for 278 yards. Spencer Ware led all rushers with 90 yards on 12 carries, but freshman Jeremy Hill also had an impressive outing with 56 yards on 10 carries. Miles said he would still like to see Hill lose a little weight, but added that he thought Hill would be ready in the fall and doesn't anticipate the freshman redshirting.

Junior Michael Ford, who led LSU in rushing last season with 756 yards, has a minor knee injury and will be held out the remainder of the spring. The Tigers will play their spring game this coming Saturday.

Miles said the way LSU ran the ball was more a reflection of the Tigers' strength at running back than anything they didn't do on defense. Cornerback Tyrann Mathieu and linebacker Tahj Jones sat out the scrimmage.

LSU's official website has a report on Saturday's scrimmage.