ESPN College Football

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.

As a former star pitcher in his hometown of Greenwood, Ark., Tyler Wilson understands the importance of finishing what you started.

His sport of choice these days is football, and Wilson is more determined than ever to make his final season as Arkansas’ quarterback one they’ll remember in the Ozarks for a long time to come.

It’s not a season that will be measured in touchdown passes or passing yards, either.

It’s a season that will be measured in wins, and more precisely, in whether the Hogs can finally get over the hump in the Western Division and play for an SEC championship.

That quest begins in earnest on Wednesday, when Arkansas opens spring practice, and Wilson says with conviction that unfinished business is the primary reason he’s back for his senior season.

“This run the last couple of years where we’ve given our fans a lot to cheer about excites me,” said Wilson, who led the SEC with 3,638 passing yards last season. “But I’m even more excited to finish it up strong and leave my stamp on the program and get it to where it needs to be and where it needs to stay going forward into the future.”

Wilson sought feedback from the NFL draft advisory committee following last season and seriously considered turning pro. Some analysts have said that he could have gone in the second or third round.

“There definitely was some contemplation, probably more so than I ever thought there would be,” Wilson said. “But we have a great team, and I think, the right chemistry, to go beyond even what we did last year. That’s what I kept coming back to when I was making my decision.”

Wilson, in his first year as the starter last season, became the first Arkansas quarterback to earn first-team All-SEC honors. He led the league in passing yards, total offense, passing efficiency and completions.

What’s more, he did it without star running back Knile Davis, who missed the entire season after fracturing his ankle in the preseason.

Davis is scheduled to return for the 2012 season, and if healthy, will no doubt put a charge back into the Hogs’ running game.

Wilson is losing three of his top receivers, including a pair of All-SEC selections in Jarius Wright and Joe Adams.

But senior receiver Cobi Hamilton is back along with senior tight end Chris Gragg, and Wilson warned not to sleep on some of the Hogs’ other receivers who simply haven’t had much of a chance to play the past couple of years because they were behind Greg Childs, Wright and Adams.

“People mention the young guys, but some of these guys have been around,” Wilson said. “It’s just that they’re stepping into bigger roles now and have been there behind Joe Adams and Jarius Wright and Greg Childs and are super talented as well and finally getting their opportunity.

“It’s their time now, and I’m excited about what I’ve seen. There’s always a curve there when you go from being a backup to a starter, but they’re ready to make their mark. You have Marquel Wade, Javontee Herndon and Julian Horton. They’re all big-time players. It just goes down the line. There are a lot of players who’ve been overshadowed, and I’m extremely exited to get them the ball and let them make plays for us.”

Wilson already owns nine school records. He and his predecessor, Ryan Mallett, are the only two Arkansas quarterbacks in school history to put together 3,000-yard passing seasons.

Not only that, but in 2011 Wilson led the Hogs to their first 11-win season since 1977, and they finished No. 5 in the polls.

The resurgence of the program under Bobby Petrino has electrified the entire state.

Nonetheless, the Hogs haven’t been able to break through and play in the SEC championship game and are just 1-5 against Alabama and LSU the past three seasons.

“Coach Petrino has used the term a number of times, but you just have to keep beating on the door, and one day, that door’s going to fall in,” Wilson said. “That’s the attitude I’ve taken and one our team needs to adopt.

“We just have to be there year in and year out establishing ourselves, and we’ll get the respect we need. Obviously, we have to win the big games, and once we do that, we’ll be where we need to be. I think we’re really close.”

Wilson is also quick to note that Arkansas gets both Alabama and LSU in Fayetteville in 2012.

“That’s another positive and sets us up on the path to be where we want to be at the end of the year,” he said.

Having been exposed to just about every defensive look imaginable in his first season as the starter, Wilson wants to use this offseason to become an even better student of the game.

In his mind, that’s where he can best help his team and go from an All-SEC quarterback to a quarterback who leads his team to a championship.

“You’re a year ahead of where you were last year and there are a lot of things you understand, but there’s a constant learning curve for any quarterback,” said Wilson, who threw just six interceptions in 438 passing attempts last season.

“My ability to execute the running game increased tremendously in the month that I had to prepare for the bowl game. If I can expand on that knowledge in the run game and on how to get our offense in a better position as far as the looks the defense is giving us and get us into a positive play when a negative play is called ... that’s the next step for me.

“We’ve got to eliminate the negative plays on first and second down, and a lot of that is on the quarterback and making sure we’re running the right plays against the right looks.”

Most in and around the Arkansas program felt like quarterback Tyler Wilson would be back for his senior season, and he made it official on Friday.

Wilson released a statement through the Arkansas media relations department that read:

"I have decided to stay at Arkansas for the 2012 season because I am extremely excited for what this team has the opportunity to accomplish and to finish earning my degree. After the feedback I received, the decision was difficult to make. Ultimately, the chance to complete my academics and play one more season as a Razorback were compelling reasons for me to remain in Fayetteville. This past year was great for us with 11 wins and a top-five finish and we want to build on that. The group of players we have returning has high expectations and wants to work hard to compete for championships. Although my goal is to play in the NFL, I believe I can benefit greatly from another year of working with Coach (Bobby) Petrino and Coach Paul Petrino. I am excited to be able to spend one more season at a university where the leadership shows a tremendous amount of support and the passion of the fans is the best in the country."

Coupled with running back Knile Davis' announcement last week that he would be back next season, the Hogs return what should be the best one-two punch in the league at quarterback and running back, particularly if Davis can recapture the same form that made him the SEC's leading rusher among running backs during the 2010 season.

The Hogs will need some younger players to step up in the passing game, but receiver Cobi Hamilton and tight end Chris Gragg both return for their senior seasons. Gragg caught 41 passes this season, while Hamilton was second on the team to Jarius Wright with four touchdown catches.

Wilson, in his first full season as a starter, led the SEC with 3,683 passing yards and also threw 24 touchdown passes to go along with just six interceptions.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Arkansas proved it was the better team on Friday night with a performance solid enough to keep Kansas State at an arm's length for most of the night.

Time for some analysis. Plenty more on the way tonight.

How the game was won: Neither team brought its A game, but Arkansas' defense played one of its best games of the season and the Kansas State offense didn't do enough to chase down the Hogs, who jumped out to a 19-0 second-quarter lead, and a late third-quarter score helped put the game out of reach before Kansas State's Anthony Cantele missed a 43-yard kick with 6:36 to play.

Turning point: Kansas State took the momentum with 16 consecutive points to get within 19-16 less than four minutes into the second half, but the Hogs' Tyler Wilson put together a huge drive, going 58 yards in 11 plays to put the lead back to 26-16. He capped it with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Cobi Hamilton and completed 5 of 7 passes for 60 yards on the drive, thanks to penalties.

Stat of the game: Kansas State rushed 40 times for 86 yards. That average of just over 2 yards per carry isn't good enough for K-State's run-oriented offense to have a chance. Credit Arkansas' defense on that one.

Second-guessing: Kansas State's decision to punt to Joe Adams. He was dangerous more in the first half, but he broke a 51-yard return for a score to put Arkansas up 10-0. Kansas State should have known better or avoided him more deliberately. You don't need to look far to see why.

What it means: Arkansas becomes the fourth consecutive SEC team to win the Cotton Bowl and grabs the third 11-win season in school history and first since 1977, a year after making the school's first BCS bowl. Coach Bobby Petrino has the Hogs rolling. They'll come back in 2012 with plenty of potential to chase after an SEC title. Wilson loses three of his top four receivers, but he proved his worth as a quarterback this season.

Kansas State finished with 10 victories, its first double-digit win season since winning the Big 12 in 2003. The Wildcats' pluckiness ran out in this one, and they couldn't earn a seventh win as an underdog this season.

Record performance: Collin Klein became the Big 12's single-season leader for rushing touchdowns with a 6-yard run in the third quarter for his 27th of the season, tying Texas' Ricky Williams.

Record performance II: Adams' first-half punt return was his fourth on the season, giving him the SEC single-season record for punt return touchdowns. He has five for his career.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Both teams had chances to score touchdowns in the third quarter, but had to settle for field goals.

For Arkansas, it was especially costly after the Hogs came up with an interception and then a 60-yard catch and run by Cobi Hamilton to get them out of the hole.

But on a play Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino would probably like to have back, he put backup quarterback Brandon Mitchell in the game on second down from the LSU 6-yard line, and Mitchell fumbled the snap and was thrown for a loss of 6 yards.

The Hogs kicked the short field goal to pull within 21-17.

The Tigers returned the favor on their next offensive possession. Michael Ford raced 49 yards to the Arkansas 6. Jordan Jefferson had Rueben Randle wide open on third down, but overthrew him in the end zone, resulting in a 21-yard field goal and 24-17 LSU lead.

It looks like the team that can score a touchdown in the red zone in the fourth quarter is going to win this game.

Welcome to another themed game for LSU.

First, we had “The Game,” which was all about defense. Heading in, we expected two sledgehammers to furiously crash into each other in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and that’s exactly what we got with only field goals as scores.

This week, with the SEC and possibly the national championship on the line, the top-ranked Tigers (11-0, 7-0) are involved in another name game with No. 3 Arkansas (10-1, 6-1).

LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo labeled this “The Game: Part 2,” but the Offense-Defense Bowl might be more appropriate.

Everywhere you look, pure speed drives the hearts of these two teams.

“The first thing I would say about this game is that there are a lot of athletes on the field,” LSU linebacker Ryan Baker said.

“I look at it like it’s the battle of the athletes.”

LSU sports a track team in its secondary with the likes of Morris Claiborne (a Thorpe Award finalist) and Tyrann Mathieu (a Bednarik Trophy finalist) patrolling the field, along with Ron Brooks or Brandon Taylor.

And if Eric Reid (thigh) is healthy enough, the Tigers will have more than enough speed to keep up with Arkansas’ electrifying passing game.

Entering Friday’s super showdown in Baton Rouge, La., LSU ranks third in the SEC in passing defense, allowing 158 yards a game and has given up a league-low five touchdowns through the air.

Equipped with his talented quartet of receivers, Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson can get five touchdowns in a single game.

Joe Adams, who is still spinning and cutting past Tennessee defenders, might have more moves than any other receiver in the league when he’s in space. Jarius Wright has been the league’s most consistent receiver and always looks a step faster than the competition.

Both rank in the top eight in the SEC in receiving.

When healthy, Greg Childs is every bit the deep threat as his above partners, and Cobi Hamilton has a tendency to sneak past defenses.

“We’re certainly concerned about big plays in any secondary,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “You want to cover and make sure those receivers are covered. Then you like to get in his backfield just as often as you can. The good thing is that we think we have guys that can do that.”

Wilson, who is the SEC’s leader in passing (292.3 yards per game), has his offense running better than ever. With the Razorbacks right in the middle of BCS talks, Wilson has averaged 296 yards and has thrown eight touchdowns to two interceptions in his last three games.

During that span, Arkansas’ offense has generated nearly 500 yards of total offense a contest. And for a team that has been more popular for its passing game, the Hogs have actually generated a respectable running game as well.

This looks like the offense we expected to see at the beginning of the year and now it must take on one of the nation’s best defenses. In 44 quarters, LSU’s defense has held opponents without a touchdown in 35 of them, including the last seven.

Excuse the cliché, but something truly has to give Friday.

To prepare for Arkansas’ offense, Baker said the defense has reviewed film from the Oregon game. The Ducks, who were overwhelmed by the Tigers in the season opener, have similar speed despite offensive differences.

Baker knows Arkansas is at its best right now, but LSU isn’t intimidated.

“It doesn’t put a strain on the defense at all,” he said. “Guys are looking forward to the occasion. We’ve been known to rush the passer and play pretty good coverage downfield (at the same time). Playing a team like this, we have to rise to the occasion to prove that we can handle an offense like this.”

Maybe it’s the Hogs who should be nervous.

Last time Arkansas tangled with a highly rated defense, the Hogs went flat. Against Alabama, Arkansas was held to just 226 yards and had two turnovers.

To Baker, getting to Wilson and eliminating the running game are key. It helps that LSU’s front seven can move as well. There are some track star candidates up front too that ready for the chase.

“Our defense does not allow an opponent to go down the field routinely,” Miles said.

Baker said that Arkansas’ up-tempo look is a challenge, but the Tigers have aspirations that stretch beyond stopping the Hogs. An SEC title and a national title are on the line. It’s that idea that fuels this defense.

“This makes the résumé look good, but in the long run our thoughts are further down the road and guys are really focused on that,” he said.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Arkansas is up by two scores as it leads South Carolina 24-14 at the half.

Best player of the half: There was a lot of curiosity surrounding how Arkansas running back Dennis Johnson would play after his inconsistency on the field this year. Well, so far, he's been the best player on the field, totally 95 yards rushing and receiving and took a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.

Stat of the half: Arkansas' defense came into the game failing to rank higher than seventh in any defensive categories in the SEC. Tonight, the Razorbacks have limited South Carolina to just 49 total yards on 25 plays. The longest plays for the Gamecocks have come from quarterback Connor Shaw -- an 11-yard run and an 11-yard pass.

What Arkansas needs to do: The Hogs just need to keep throwing the ball. A few drops hurt this offense during potential scoring drives, including their last which resulted in a missed field goal after Cobi Hamilton dropped a wide open touchdown pass. But Arkansas has found holes in South Carolina's secondary. Tyler Wilson has passed for 175 yards and two touchdowns to Jarius Wright. More throwing will equal more points for the Hogs.

What South Carolina needs to do: South Carolina's offense isn't getting much done at all, so this team will have to rely on its defense. So far, the defense has been outplayed, giving up 253 yards. The Gamecocks have forced one turnover, which was taken back for a score, but this team has to get more pressure on Tyler Wilson and make him uncomfortable. He will continue to pick this defense apart if he gets as much time in the second half as he did in the first. Without turnovers, South Carolina will have an extremely hard time getting back in this game.

Now is the time in which we find out who this Arkansas team really is.

The loss of running back Knile Davis is a major blow to the Razorbacks and their chances to make not only a run for the SEC title but a national championship one as well.

But Arkansas’ season is far from over and this is what coach Bobby Petrino has been building toward -- a team that doesn’t revolve around just one player. He has the pieces in place to still make the Hogs very competitive in the West, but now is the time for those pieces to step up.

Fellow SEC blogger Chris Low discussed how the limelight is now on running backs Dennis Johnson and Ronnie Wingo.

In a cruel, twisted way, this is an opportunity for Johnson, who missed most of the 2010 season with a bowel injury last year, to show the league the kind of player he is and it’s a chance for him to lead the Hogs once again.

But the burden doesn’t just fall on the running backs. New quarterback Tyler Wilson will be feeling more of the heat, along with his tremendous trio of wide receivers in Greg Childs, Joe Adams and Jarius Wright, who combined for 138 catches for 2,260 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2010. Add speedster Cobi Hamilton, who grabbed 32 catches for 630 yards and six touchdowns, and the Razorbacks have plenty of weapons to rely on in the passing game.

“The speed we have at our skilled positions, particularly on offense, at wide receiver and running back, give us an opportunity to be a special offense,” Petrino said at SEC media days.

Wilson has played very little, but his coaches and teammates have rallied around him, making him a captain for the upcoming season, so if he wants to be a championship quarterback, he’d better squash those internal butterflies early.

But what of that offensive line? The Razorbacks lost three starters from a season ago, and having Davis behind them would have helped to overshadow some of their mistakes. Now, the developmental processes must be accelerated up front in order to make things easier for Johnson and Wingo.

However, the area that most figure will separate the Hogs from a championship team and just a talented SEC team is the defense.

A unit offenses have drooled over facing is supposedly faster, stronger and more intimidating. Petrino thinks he has the best defense he’s had in Fayetteville, with a line that features power in the middle and speed on the outside with Jake Bequette and Tenarius Wright. He expects Jerry Franklin and Jerico Nelson to be terrors in the box, while Tramain Thomas and Isaac Madison should have most of the secondary covered.

OK defense, it's time to make your coach proud.

True championship teams overcome adversity and find ways to win. Just ask Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Arkansas was dealt a cruel hand Thursday night, but that’s why you recruit and Petrino feels like he he’s done well enough in that area that one missing part won‘t derail championship hopes.

Now is the time to see if he’s right.

The Razorbacks are ready for some football.

Offseason 7-on-7 workouts are over and the Hogs officially got things started by naming their captains for the upcoming season.

On the eve of fall camp, the team voted on captains, and coach Bobby Petrino released the names of the six captains Thursday -- junior running back Knile Davis, junior quarterback Tyler Wilson, senior wide receiver Jarius Wright, senior defensive end Jake Bequette, senior linebacker Jerry Franklin and senior safety/linebacker Jerico Nelson.

You probably read through that list and didn't stop, but upon further review, when you see "Tyler Wilson," your eyebrows have to rise a little.

For starters, if you're an Arkansas fan, it must feel pretty good to know that the players have that much faith and confidence in the first-year starter. Everyone who knows a lick about the SEC has heard -- or seen -- Wilson's breakout performance when he replaced Ryan Mallett against Auburn last season and threw for 332 yards and four touchdowns. But there was still concern if he'd be able to sustain that type of play with all the pressure on him.

According to his teammates, he should.

"The thing about Tyler is he gets better every day," wide receiver Cobi Hamilton said Wednesday. "It's real funny to go out there and watch him because he gets better every day. You can tell by the vocal leadership and everything he does by his movements every day. I think he'll be all right and he'll have a great season.

"He's opened up a lot since Ryan left, and everybody sees that and everybody knows that he's going to the be the man this year. We're all behind Tyler, and we have his back."

The second thing you should take from this is that Petrino's not-so-well-kept secret is probably out -- that Wilson is Arkansas' starting quarterback.

Still, Petrino insists that Wilson is very much battling it out with sophomore Brandon Mitchell, but he sounds so close to handing the offense off to Wilson.

"Tyler has an opportunity to do a very, very good job for us," Petrino said. "He's been in the offense for four years now. He's done a good job when he's come in games. We all saw what he did in the Auburn game last year. But also the next week, when we had that marathon game with Ole Miss, the two lightning delays, Tyler came in and finished the game and converted some tough third downs and helped us win the ballgame. Been very impressed with the way he's prepared in the offseason, the leadership role that he's working to take over."

And Arkansas is looking to take over the SEC. The expectations are high for the Hogs and they expect to garner elite-level respect this season.

"I don't really want to say that anybody fears us, but I do think we are on the level with top-named schools now," Wright said. "When people see Arkansas they are going to game plan a lot and very smart against us."

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- With A.J. Green, Julio Jones, Randall Cobb and Darvin Adams all out of the way now, maybe the quartet at Arkansas will finally get its due.

As a group, the Hogs’ receivers are easily the best in the SEC, and you’re going to be looking for a long time to find a receiving corps any better in all of college football.

Yet, scan the first- and second-team All-SEC lists from a year ago, and you won’t find a single Arkansas receiver.

Senior Joe Adams isn’t surprised. Besides, he said it isn’t about individual glory for anybody on the Arkansas team as the Hogs look forward to bigger and better things in 2011.

“We’re just looking to get a ring,” Adams said. “We’re not worried about All-America honors. With three or four guys, you really can’t have an All-American when we all go over 600 yards every season. It’s kind of hard to have All-Americans when you have that kind of balance. We don’t focus on that. We just focus on making each other better players.”

Adams led the Hogs with 813 receiving yards last season. Jarius Wright had 788, Greg Childs 659 and Cobi Hamilton 630. All four had at least five touchdown catches and combined for 23 scores.

They didn’t pile up those numbers against the weaker teams, either.

Adams and Hamilton tied for fifth in the NCAA with four receiving touchdowns each against Top 25 opponents.

Childs’ numbers would have been even better, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the eighth game. He’s not going through spring practice, but Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said Childs is already running routes on some days and should be full go in plenty of time for the start of preseason practice.

The best part about the Hogs’ arsenal of receivers is that they’re all a little bit different.

“Greg (6-foot-3, 217) is a bigger guy we like to throw deep balls to or send him on an inside route on a slant,” said the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Wright, who was the fastest player on the team with a 4.27 40-yard dash in the Hogs’ recent testing.

“I’m more of a speed guy, and Joe (5-foot-11, 190) is the guy who gets all the yards after the catch. We take pride in blocking for each other down the field. That’s the other thing about us. We’re not selfish. We like to see each other make plays.”

Along with Adams, Childs and Wright are both seniors. The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Hamilton is a junior.

“Cobi Hamilton just goes out there quietly and makes huge plays and has helped us win some big games,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. “Maybe we need to play in Little Rock every time, because every time we play in Little Rock, Cobi dominates the game.”

Hamilton had a career-high 164 receiving yards with two touchdowns in the 31-23 win over LSU last season in Little Rock.

With Petrino’s flair for calling plays and exploiting weaknesses in the defense, chances are that one of the Big Four is always going to be open.

“It’s kind of hard to key on one player when you have receivers out there like us,” said Adams, one of the best players after the catch in the SEC. “You can’t key on me inside, because Greg and Jarius can blow the top off your defense. And when the run game is hitting with Knile [Davis] running like he did last year, you’re not going to stop all of us.”

Of course, the big difference next season will be that it’s Tyler Wilson throwing to them instead of Ryan Mallett.

Adams, though, said nothing changes.

Wilson was part of the same signing class with Adams, Childs and Wright, and this is the second spring that Wilson has taken first-team reps. A year ago, he was filling in for Mallett, who was out with a broken bone in his foot.

“Tyler came in with our class, so we knew he was going to be our quarterback,” Adams said. “The chemistry was already there, and we’ve thrown and caught a lot of passes together. We had the timing down a long time ago. It’s only going to get better.”

It's that time of year again when the debate starts about who's strongest at each of the positions in the SEC.

Spring football's in the air.

There's one position this coming season where there is no debate -- receiver.

Arkansas, in my opinion, has four of the top 10 returning receivers in the league, and the statistics back me up.

In fact, you're not going to find a foursome anywhere else in the country more accomplished than Greg Childs, Joe Adams, Jarius Wright and Cobi Hamilton.

Adams and Wright finished among the top 10 receivers in the SEC last season in receiving yards. The 6-foot-3, 217-pound Childs, who's the best of the bunch, would have been there, too, had he not blown out his knee.

Childs still finished with six touchdown catches in eight games and probably would have been a guy who looked seriously at turning pro early had he stayed healthy.

But now he's back, and the Hogs are absolutely loaded at receiver.

Everybody knows about the three seniors, but Hamilton also hauled in six touchdown catches last season and was the leader among the Hogs' wide receivers with a 19.7 yards-per-catch average.

Among them, Childs, Adams, Wright and Hamilton combined for 23 touchdown catches last season.

They're all different players, too. Childs has great size and speed. Adams is terrific after the catch. Wright is one of those guys who just gets open and doesn't mind working underneath, and yet, he turned in the fastest 40-yard dash time on the team (4.27) last week.

The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Hamilton can also get deep and is a difficult cover for smaller cornerbacks.

Keep an eye on sophomore Javontee Herndon, who ran a 4.37 last week, and the youngster the Hogs really like is freshman Marquel Wade, who practiced briefly with the team last preseason and was impressive. An academic snag came up, though, and required that he spend last fall at Milford Academy. He's back this spring.

Here's a chart reflecting the production of the Hogs' top four returning receivers compared to the top four returning receivers on the rest of the SEC teams. It's not even close:

The batch of receivers last season in the SEC was as good as I’ve ever seen.

In fact, I don’t think there was a stronger position in the league from top to bottom.

With Darvin Adams, Randall Cobb, A.J. Green and Julio Jones all choosing to turn pro early, the receiver position doesn’t figure to be as strong next season in the SEC.

But start putting together a top 10 list, and you realize pretty quickly that the well has hardly run dry.

Here’s an early (I repeat, an early) glance at how I would rank the 10 best returning receivers in the SEC:

1. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina: South Carolina fans had better enjoy Jeffery in 2011, because he has NFL written all over him. What an incredible blend of size, athletic ability and hands.

2. Greg Childs, Arkansas: Had Childs not gotten hurt last season, he’d be another SEC receiver we’d be talking about going high in the NFL draft right now.

3. Joe Adams, Arkansas: One of the most exciting players in the country after the catch. Adams did have a few too many drops last season, but he’s a big play waiting to happen.

4. Jarius Wright, Arkansas: They just keep churning out big-time receivers at Arkansas under Bobby Petrino. Wright really came on last season for the Hogs.

5. Chad Bumphis, Mississippi State: Is this the year that Bumphis goes from being a very good receiver to a great receiver? He has all the tools.

6. Justin Hunter, Tennessee: Throw it somewhere in the vicinity, and Hunter will go get it with his freakish leaping ability. He caught seven touchdown passes last season as a true freshman.

7. Emory Blake, Auburn: One of the more improved receivers in the league, Blake looms as the Tigers’ go-to guy in 2011. He led the team with eight touchdown catches last season.

8. Cobi Hamilton, Arkansas: Petrino has said that Hamilton might end up being the best receiver of the bunch. He caught six touchdown passes and averaged 19.7 yards per catch last season.

9. Rueben Randle, LSU: He’s much more talented than his numbers suggest to this point. And with Steve Kragthorpe taking over the LSU offense, look for Randle to break out next season as a junior.

10. Marquis Maze, Alabama: After playing in the shadow of Julio Jones, it’s Maze’s time to be the focal point in the Tide’s passing game. He’s already proved that he’s one of the SEC’s best deep threats.

Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1)

Jan. 4, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Arkansas take by SEC blogger Chris Low: Arkansas’ Bobby Petrino joins two of his SEC colleagues (Nick Saban and Urban Meyer) in becoming only the third coach to take two different schools to BCS bowl games. Petrino led Louisville to a victory in the 2007 Orange Bowl.

The Hogs (10-2) charge into their Allstate Sugar Bowl matchup with Ohio State playing their best football of the season. They’ve won their past six games and are averaging 42.5 points in those six contests.

Arkansas’ résumé is equally impressive. The Hogs own four wins over teams ranked in the top 25 of the final BCS standings. They’re the only team in the country with a quarterback (Ryan Mallett) who has passed for 3,000 yards, a running back (Knile Davis) who has rushed for 1,000 yards and five receivers (Greg Childs, Joe Adams, Cobi Hamilton, Jarius Wright and D.J. Williams) who have at least 500 receiving yards.

While known for its explosive offense, Arkansas’ defensive improvement has been the real story to its success. The Hogs were 89th in the country in total defense a year ago, but enter the bowl game ranked 34th nationally this season.

This is a team playing with a lot of confidence right now and a team that showed a lot of resilience after losing a close game at home to Alabama in September and then getting toasted in the fourth quarter by Auburn a month later.

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Ohio State take by Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg: Ohio State ended its three-game slide in BCS bowls last January in Pasadena. Now the Buckeyes’ take aim at snapping a more sobering streak.

Most Buckeyes fans know what 0-9 means, and if they don’t, SEC fans will happily remind them. Ohio State is 0-9 against SEC teams in bowl games, including back-to-back losses in the BCS title games in 2007 and 2008 that continue to blotch the Buckeyes’ national reputation. Jim Tressel’s crew will try to overcome its SEC blues in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Arkansas.

Ohio State has been a slow-starting, strong-finishing team, both in games and throughout the season. The Buckeyes’ early stumbles against Wisconsin led to their only loss, but they won their final five regular-season games, all but one contest by 24 points or more.

Aside from the Wisconsin setback, Ohio State’s defense allowed no more than 17 points in a conference game and overcame some key injuries, particularly in the secondary. Containing Mallett is clearly Ohio State’s top priority, and the Buckeyes boast a top 10 pass defense led by cornerback Chimdi Chekwa and safety Jermale Hines.

Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor took a major step forward in the Rose Bowl and looks for another big performance on the big stage. Pryor’s mobility could be key against an Arkansas defense that applies a lot of pressure.

Time once again to vote for the Capital One Impact Performance of the Week. Here are your nominees:

Maryland receiver Torrey Smith with 14 receptions for 224 yards and four touchdowns in a win against NC State.

Hawaii running back Alex Green with 19 carries for 327 yards and three touchdowns in a win against New Mexico State.

Arkansas receiver Cobi Hamilton with three receptions for 164 yards and two touchdowns in a win against LSU.

Oklahoma receiver Cameron Kenney with six receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns in a win against Oklahoma State.