ESPN College Football

The good folks over at the SEC office delivered a plethora of post-spring notes for us to dive into as summer creeps closer and closer.

I've split it up by division, so you all aren't overwhelmed. We'll start with the SEC West:

ALABAMA

• The attendance for A-Day was 78,526 (1st in the SEC and 2nd nationally this year to Ohio State) which was the fifth-largest in school history. Each spring game under coach Nick Saban has had an attendance of 78,200 (2008) or higher.
• As an SEC head coach (beginning in 2001 at LSU and 2007 at Alabama), Saban has totaled 73 NFL draft picks with 20 first-round selections and 10 among the top 10 overall.
• During the last academic year, Alabama’s football program led the SEC (in what is believed to be a conference record) with a total of 38 student-athletes on the Academic All-SEC Honor Roll. A total of 22 players were on the bowl roster who had already earned their degrees, which was tied for first nationally in terms of graduates on bowl rosters.
• Of Alabama’s 13 starters lost, all were either drafted or signed free -agent contracts with the NFL. Included among those 13 were the four first-rounders along with LB Courtney Upshaw (2nd round), NG Josh Chapman (5th round), DB DeQuan Menzie (5th round) and TE Brad Smelley (7th round). OG Alfred McCullough, WR Marquis Maze, WR Darius Hanks, C William Vlachos and LB Jerrell Harris each signed as free agents following the draft.

ARKANSAS

• Arkansas is the only team in the SEC to return a quarterback (Tyler Wilson) with a 3,000-yard passing season in his career and a running back (Knile Davis) with a 1,000-yard rushing season.
• Arkansas has been ranked in 32 straight Associated Press polls, tied for the seventh-longest active streak in the nation, and in the top 10 for nine straight polls, which also ranks seventh among active streaks in the country.
• Arkansas finished the 2011 season undefeated at home for the first time since 1999. With seven home victories in 2011, the Razorbacks have 19 wins at home in the past three years, which is tied for the fourth-highest total in the NCAA. Arkansas enters the 2012 season with an 11-game home winning streak, the fifth-longest active streak in the country.
• Kicker Zach Hocker enters his junior season as Arkansas' record holder for career field goal percentage with his success rate of 80.4 percent. He also ranks in the top 10 in school history in six other categories and finished the 2011 season second in the SEC in points per game, field goals made per game and touchback percentage.

AUBURN

• Auburn returns 48 lettermen (20 offense, 26 defense, 2 specialists). Of the 68 scholarship players who participated in spring drills, 61 percent (38) were underclassmen.
• The Tigers start the 2012 season in the same location as they finished the 2011 campaign, playing in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome. On Sept. 1, Auburn opens with Clemson in the Chick-fil-a Kickoff Game. The Tigers completed the 2011 season with a 43-24 victory over Virginia in the Chick-fil-a Bowl on Dec. 31. Auburn’s 2012 schedule features eight games against bowl participants from a year ago, including five that played in traditional New Year’s games.
• Junior punter Steven Clark, one of three finalists for last year’s Ray Guy Award, is one of two returning first team All-SEC honorees for Auburn, along with junior defensive end Corey Lemonier. Returnees Philip Lutzenkirchen (senior tight end) and Onterio McCalebb (senior all-purpose back) were second team all-SEC selections in 2011.

LSU

• The Tigers have four running backs coming back who had seven or more rushing touchdowns (Spencer Ware 8, Kenny Hilliard 8, Michael Ford, Alfred Blue 7).
• LSU has five returning offensive linemen with starts to their credit, led by C P.J. Lonergan with 26 and OG Josh Dworczyk with 26. Other linemen with career starts to their credit include LT Chris Faulk (13), RT Alex Hurst (23) and RG Josh Williford (9). A sixth offensive lineman – La’el Collins – came out of spring practice as possibly the starter at left guard.
• Defensively, LSU returns its top two tacklers (Tyrann Mathieu 76, Eric Reid 76) and its top two leaders in both tackles for loss (Barkevious Mingo 15.0, Sam Montgomery 13.5) and sacks (Montgomery 9.0, Mingo 8.0).
• LSU returns 11 players on defense that started at least one game a year ago, including five defensive linemen.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

• Mississippi State is one of only two SEC teams to bring back all 10 on-field coaches from last season. The entire staff continuity is a first in more than a decade (1999-2000) for the Bulldogs.
• Dan Mullen enters the 2012 campaign with 21 wins in his first three seasons, the second most in school history (Alllyn McKeen, 26, 1939-41). Mississippi State had only won 21 games over any three-year stretch eight times prior to Mullen’s arrival.
• Wide receiver Chad Bumphis enters the season with 101 career receptions, good for eighth in school history and 61 shy of David Smith’s (1968-70) record of 162. The Tupelo native needs five touchdowns to reach the school record of 17 held by Eric Moulds (1993-95) and Justin Jenkins (2000-03).

OLE MISS

• Five returning offensive linemen have each started five or more games in their career, including junior starting center Evan Swindall. Senior A.J. Hawkins and sophomore Aaron Morris settled in at the guards during the spring, while a pair of potential first-time starters, junior Emmanuel McCray and mid-year JUCO transfer Pierce Burton, have taken the lead at the tackles.
• Special teams remains a strength of the Rebels, led by 2010 NCAA punting champion and two-time All-SEC senior Tyler Campbell. In addition, senior K Bryson Rose has made 25 of 29 career field goals and 65-of-67 PATs.
• In the return game, junior running back Jeff Scott has established himself as a weapon during his career, ranking 20th in the country in kickoff returns in 2010 and helping Ole Miss finish third as a team nationally in punt returns in 2011.

TEXAS A&M

• Senior Dustin Harris enters the 2012 football season as the reigning punt return average statistical champion. The cornerback from Livingston, Texas, led the NCAA with a 18.9 average on 18 returns in 2011, with a 72-yard touchdown return against Kansas. Against the Jayhawks, Harris set a school record with 162 punt return yards.
• Senior Ryan Swope, from Austin, Texas, has career numbers of 180 catches for 2,204 yards and is chasing Jeff Fuller’s school records of 233 catches for 3,092 yards. Fuller’s records would appear to be within range after Swope’s record-setting junior season that saw him set school standards with 89 catches for 1,207 yards.
• The Aggies led the nation with 51 sacks in 2011 (six more than the second-best team), and A&M’s top two pass-rushing threats return in 2012. In fact, Texas A&M is the only team in the nation with two returnees that posted 8.5 or more sacks in 2011. Senior Sean Porter led the Big 12 with .73 sacks per game (No. 19 nationally), while junior Damontre Moore chipped in .71 per game (No. 21 nationally).
• Despite attempting the ninth most pass attempts in the NCAA FBS, the Aggies did a remarkable job of protecting their quarterback in 2011. In 13 games, A&M allowed just nine sacks for a NCAA-low 44 lost yards. Four of five starters return from the 2011 offensive front, including juniors-to-be OTs Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, who have been mentioned as first-round draft picks in several early 2013 mock drafts.
• The offensive line was penalized for holding just twice in 2011 and enters 2012 with a streak of 11 straight games without a holding call against a lineman.

The sixth annual Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge golf tournament is being played today at Reynolds Plantation outside Atlanta, and five SEC head coaches are part of the event.

The tournament consists of a 16-team field of NCAA head coaches and celebrity alumni. They compete in a two-man scramble format over 18 holes, vying for a first-place prize of $125,000 in scholarship funds. All participating teams will receive a portion of the $520,000 total scholarship purse.

The five SEC coaches playing are Alabama's Nick Saban, Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, Ole Miss' Hugh Freeze, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier and Tennessee's Derek Dooley. Spurrier and his playing partner, former South Carolina and Green Bay Packers star receiver Sterling Sharpe, won the event in 2008 and 2009. The defending champions are Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson and former Georgia Tech basketball star Jon Barry.

This year, the Ole Miss and Mississippi State teams are paired together, which makes you wonder if there will be many "school up north" references from Mullen.

Also, the North Carolina State and Tennessee teams are paired together. The Wolfpack and Vols will meet again in the 2012 football season opener in Atlanta.

Ohio State's Urban Meyer is the lone coach from outside the ACC or SEC playing. His team is paired with Georgia Tech. If the Chick-fil-A Bowl organizers really wanted to be creative, they would have put Meyer and Spurrier in the same pairing. Now, that would have been pure entertainment.

The tournament is being taped by ESPN and will be broadcast in August.

Here's a look at the pairings:

GROUP ONE	COACH/CELEBRITY
Tennessee	Derek Dooley / Stanley Morgan
NC State	Tom O'Brien / Tom Gugliotta
GROUP TWO
Alabama	Nick Saban / Johnny Musso
Virginia Tech ('07 champions)	Frank Beamer / Dell Curry
GROUP THREE
Florida State ('10 Champions)	Jimbo Fisher / Terrell Buckley
Miami	Al Golden / Gino Torretta
GROUP FOUR
Maryland	Randy Edsall / Stan Gelbaugh
Virginia	Mike London / Jim Dombrowski
GROUP FIVE
Wake Forest	Jim Grobe / Riley Skinner
Clemson	Dabo Swinney / Steve Fuller
GROUP SIX
Georgia Tech ('11 Champions)	Paul Johnson / Jon Barry
Ohio State	Urban Meyer / Jeff Logan
GROUP SEVEN
North Carolina	Larry Fedora / Roy Williams
South Carolina ('08, '09 Champions)	Steve Spurrier / Sterling Sharpe
GROUP EIGHT
Mississippi State	Dan Mullen / Fred McCrary
Mississippi	Hugh Freeze / Sean Tuohy

Even in the fiercely competitive SEC, it’s good to spread a little love.

OK, maybe just once a year. And that one day is today … Valentine’s Day.

So just as we did a year ago, we’re going to set aside all the bitter rivalries, feuds and finger-pointing for a day and hand out some very deserving Valentine’s Day cards.

Sit back and enjoy.

Dear …

Alabama coach Nick Saban,

Your football program is without peer right now, and I mean anywhere in college football. A lot of people were shocked when they heard that Alabama was paying you $32 million over eight years – a financial package that has since been sweetened. I’d say it’s been money well spent when you look at the Crimson Tide’s trophy case over the last few years. Everybody wonders what your secret is. Here’s one: Great football players who are also high-character kids in the mold of Trent Richardson, Barrett Jones, William Vlachos, Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw.

Former Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt,

Hated to see you go out like that. But regardless of what anybody says, average coaches don’t make it 14 years in this league at two different places. The same goes for your defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix. Both of you are better coaches than the last two seasons would suggest. There’s an entire body of work out there that says so.

South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore,

Can’t wait to see you back on the field, and here’s hoping you’re as good as new. Your sense of team, combined with your incredible work ethic and awesome athletic ability, make you the kind of player coaches and fans dream about.

Arkansas running back Knile Davis,

Probably should have sent you and Marcus the same card. We’re all keeping our fingers crossed that you’re healthy again. Your unbreakable will to keep coming back from so many injuries is an inspiration to all of us, and we're eager to see the version of you run the ball again that we saw in 2010 when you led all SEC running backs in rushing.

LSU coach Les Miles,

I’m not one of those who writes off what you and your team did for the first 13 games this past season simply because of that one forgettable night in New Orleans. It was a remarkable run against a killer schedule. But do everybody on the Bayou a favor and trash that offensive game plan from the BCS national championship game.

Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray,

Your arm strength and ability to make all of the throws is unquestioned. You’re equally fearless in the pocket. But now it’s time to become a true quarterback and raise the level of play of all the guys around you. The great quarterbacks take it upon themselves to lead their entire team, and they do so as much off the field as they do on the field.

Arkansas receiver/punt returner Joe Adams,

Do you really have eyes in the back of your head? We’re still dying to know how you broke all of those tackles (somewhere around eight) on that 60-yard punt return for a touchdown against Tennessee? It’s as good a punt return as I’ve ever seen.

Vanderbilt defensive end Tim Fugger,

There are a lot of underrated players in this league, but you were right there at or near the top this season. You were invaluable to that Vanderbilt defense with your 13.5 tackles for loss, including eight sacks, and three forced fumbles. It wasn’t just your numbers that set you apart, but the way you played the game with precision, passion and grit on every snap.

Kentucky linebacker Danny Trevathan,

We’re not supposed to have favorites in our business. But how can you not pull for a guy like Trevathan? Kentucky coach Joker Phillips used to joke that he found Trevathan up under a rock down in Florida during the recruiting process. Well, Trevathan turned out to be a rock, racking up nearly 300 total tackles during his last two seasons and playing the game the way it’s supposed to be played no matter what the scoreboard said. We'll miss you, Danny.

Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham,

The entire Bulldog Nation thanks you for bringing a mental toughness to that defense (and to the program) that was lacking at times in past seasons. Your defense was the backbone in Georgia’s turnaround and 10-game winning streak this season, and even though your fire might have burned a little too brightly a couple of times, it’s exactly what the Bulldogs needed.

Former Auburn running back Michael Dyer,

Not even the great Bo Jackson rushed for 1,000 yards each of his first two seasons on the Plains. It was a joy to watch you play. Just wished it didn’t end on such a sour note.

Former Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain,

Congrats on the new gig at Colorado State. You were destined to be a head coach, and I’ll make sure everybody remembers that they did play a little offense at Alabama this past season, too. In fact, your Tide offense was the only one in the SEC to average more than 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing per game. That’s saying something when you consider the level of defense played in the SEC.

Florida coach Will Muschamp,

You made some tough decisions in Year 1, notably sending star cornerback Janoris Jenkins packing following his second drug arrest. You’ve also got your coaching staff more to your liking, and your players understand unequivocally now what you expect from them. The 2012 version of the Gators will more closely reflect you as a football coach, and I’d be surprised if the results weren’t markedly better.

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen,

I really like the way you’ve helped yourself with junior college talent. I also like the way your 2012 schedule looks through the middle of October. With five home games and two very winnable road dates, a 6-1 or even 7-0 start is very possible. I’m not trying to jinx you, Dan, but maybe Year No. 4 in Starkville is going to be that magical season everyone was predicting this past year. The bottom line is that you’ve led the Bulldogs to back-to-back winning seasons, and the last time that happened was 10 years ago.

Now that we’ve gone through our position rankings in the SEC for the 2011 season, the only thing left is the coaches.

The head coach is obviously a big part of these rankings, but we’re taking into account the total staff and the job all of the coaches did this season in developing players, developing the team and getting the team to play its best in the biggest moments.

Here goes:

1. Alabama: The only blemish for the national champions was the LSU game in the regular season, and that was an overtime loss. Offensive coordinator Jim McElwain did an excellent job bringing along quarterback AJ McCarron, and it was hard to beat the Tide’s balance on offense. What more can you say about Kirby Smart and the defense? It’s a group that rates up there among the best in Alabama history, and when Nick Saban gets to the title game, he’s money. Alabama was easily the most prepared team on Jan. 9 in the Big Easy.

2. LSU: For 13 games, Les Miles and his entire staff did as good a job as any staff in America. There were several off-the-field issues that Miles handled well, and through it all, he kept his team on point against a killer schedule. Defensive coordinator John Chavis did a masterful job all season and won the Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in the country. But in the end, the Tigers were poorly prepared offensively in the title game and never made any significant adjustments. Miles’ refusal to at least try another quarterback remains a mystery.

3. South Carolina: It’s been a while since Steve Spurrier has been this happy about a football season. The Head Ball Coach and his staff have a lot to be happy about. The Gamecocks won 11 games for the first time ever, beat rival Clemson for the third straight season and did so despite their best player, running back Marcus Lattimore, going down with a knee injury during the middle of the season. It was one of Ellis Johnson’ best defenses at South Carolina, and after he left to take the Southern Miss head job, Lorenzo Ward saw to it that the Gamecocks didn’t miss a beat defensively in their Capital Bowl win over Nebraska.

4. Arkansas: With Tyler Wilson taking over for Ryan Mallett at quarterback, the Hogs were as potent as ever offensively, and that’s a credit to both Bobby Petrino and his right-hand man, Garrick McGee, who left at season’s end to take the UAB head job. Special teams were very good all season, although the Hogs gave up punt returns for touchdowns in their two biggest games of the season against Alabama and LSU. The disappointment was on defense, where Arkansas took a step backward from 2011, which is why Petrino parted ways with Willy Robinson and brought in Paul Haynes.

5. Georgia: Mark Richt and his staff get serious props for recovering from an 0-2 start and steering the Bulldogs to the SEC championship game. A lot of teams would have folded after that South Carolina loss. In particular, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was invaluable with the mental toughness he brought to a unit that finished fifth nationally in total defense. The only real disappointment for the Bulldogs was how poorly they played on special teams, and the way Richt managed that first overtime in the Outback Bowl loss to Michigan State is another reason Georgia’s staff isn’t ranked a little higher.

6. Vanderbilt: The Commodores’ best win came in the regular-season finale when they routed Wake Forest on the road to qualify for a bowl game. And even though they lost their bowl game and wound up with a losing record, first-year coach James Franklin and his staff breathed new life into a program that had only gone to four bowl games previously in school history. The Commodores lost four of their six SEC games by a total of 19 points, and they improved dramatically on offense, especially in the offensive line. As much as anything, Franklin brought an edge to the program that it had been lacking.

7. Auburn: It’s never easy to go from a 14-0 national championship season to a ho-hum season where you lose three of your last four SEC games by a total of 101 points. The Tigers’ defense was dreadful for most of the season, and other than former tailback Michael Dyer, there wasn’t a lot to get excited about on offense, either. Nonetheless, Gene Chizik and his staff still found a way to carve out eight victories, including wins over five teams that finished the season with winning records.

8. Mississippi State: Maybe the expectations for Mississippi State at the start of the season were a tad unrealistic, but Dan Mullen helped create those expectations by winning nine games in his second season and spanking Michigan in the bowl game. Chris Wilson’s defense came around the second half of the season, but the Bulldogs didn’t take the step most thought they would on offense. They were a couple of plays away from winning nine games again, and it’s the first time Mississippi State has put together back-to-back winning seasons since Jackie Sherrill had four in a row from 1997-2000.

9. Florida: The first year was a mulligan of sorts for Will Muschamp, who inherited some issues off the field he needed to solve. He made a tough (and the right) decision by kicking off his best player, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, after multiple drug arrests. The Gators also held their ground defensively. But the Charlie Weis experiment as offensive coordinator wasn’t a good fit, and the Gators were as bad offensively as they were the year before during Urban Meyer’s last season.

10. Kentucky: Had the Wildcats played just 11 games in 2011, Joker Phillips and his staff might have been ranked even lower. But then came the finale against Tennessee and the end of the 26-game losing streak to the Vols. Not only that, but the Wildcats figured out a way to win with receiver Matt Roark playing quarterback. It was a struggle the whole way offensively during the season, but first-year defensive coordinator Rick Minter deserves credit for bringing a more aggressive approach to the defense and forcing more turnovers.

11. Tennessee: A very average season for the Vols turned into a forgettable season thanks to their lackluster 10-7 loss to Kentucky. The Vols were slowed by key injuries to Justin Hunter and Tyler Bray and were playing a lot of younger players, but Derek Dooley has been the first to say that they also need to coach better going forward. The running game was a no-show in 2011, and there was a serious problem with team chemistry as the season wore on, something Dooley must correct if he’s going to be around long-term on Rocky Top.

12. Ole Miss: It was a tough end to a 14-year SEC coaching run for Houston Nutt. Some poor recruiting classes at the start of his Ole Miss tenure caught up to him, and so did some crippling injuries. There were no answers at quarterback, and even though the numbers were ugly on defense, defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix is a much better football coach than the numbers would suggest. The reality is that when you lose 14 straight conference games over two seasons, you’re not going to be ranked very high in any rankings.

We’ve updated our career records for SEC head coaches from this past season against FBS teams that finished the season with a winning record, which is always one of the best gauges for coaching success.

Obviously, there are exceptions. In some cases, a coach may just be starting out, and there are also situations where he’s come from a smaller school and taken his lumps.

Generally, though, it’s a pretty good measurement of how a coach has fared over the course of his career.

LSU’s Les Miles made a big jump this season by finishing 9-1 against teams with winning records in 2011.

Houston Nutt, who was fired as Ole Miss’ coach, won 36 games during his career against FBS teams that finished the season with a winning record, but he lost 69 to leave his winning percentage at .343.

When Utah coach Kyle Whittingham tapped Norm Chow as his offensive coordinator last year, he got a celebrated, experienced veteran. With Chow off to the islands as Hawaii's new head coach, Whittingham is going with youth, energy and potential this go-around.

Whittingham has promoted has promoted Brian Johnson from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator.

Johnson, who will turn 25 on Feb. 16, has been the Utes quarterbacks coach for just a year. He will continue to coach quarterbacks, and it seems likely that the Utes will use more of a spread-option scheme in 2012 as they did before Chow arrived with a pro-style offense.

"After spending the past month conducting a national search for an offensive coordinator, it became very apparent that we had the best candidate for the job right here on our own staff," Whittingham said in a statement. "Brian is a leader and a special coaching talent, just as he was a special player, and he is the right person to lead our offense."

The winningest quarterback in Utah history, going 26-7 as the Utes' starter, Johnson was the MVP of the blowout victory against Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl, which capped a 13-0 season.

This is a bold move for Whittingham -- if there are any 24-year-old coordinators with any other AQ team, none come immediately to mind -- and a huge career boost for Johnson. Simply put, if he's successful he will become a head coach before he turns 30.

"I am excited that Coach Whittingham has given me this opportunity and I am prepared for the challenge," Johnson said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to working with a great coaching staff and putting together a productive offense that will help us win a conference championship. I've had many good mentors as a player and a coach, including Dan Mullen, Andy Ludwig, Aaron Roderick and Norm Chow."

Whittingham also announced other staff moves. Defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake was given the title of assistant head coach. Aaron Roderick, in his eighth year coaching the receivers, will also serve as the passing game coordinator.

Sitake, 36, has become a hot defensive coordinator since being promoted from linebackers coach in 2009. Roderick was the Utes' co-offensive coordinator before Chow arrived, and he applied for the job that went to Johnson.

Dan Finn, a Utah graduate assistant from 2004-06, has been hired to coach the centers and guards. Finn spent last season as the offensive line coach at San Diego State, and the previous four years as the offensive line coach at Idaho (2007-10). Tim Davis, Utah's offensive line coach in 2011, will now concentrate on coaching the tackles and tight ends.

Jay Hill, in his eighth season as a full-time assistant, takes over the running backs for Dave Schramm, who was hired as Fresno State's offensive coordinator. Hill has served two different stints as the cornerbacks coach, most recently in 2010 and 2011, and oversaw the tight ends from 2007-09. He remains Utah's special teams coordinator.

Sharrieff Shah, a starting safety for the Utes from 1990-93 and a three-year team captain, returns to his alma mater to coach the cornerbacks. Shah, a Salt Lake City attorney since 2001, was a certified NFL agent from 1996-2002, representing players in the NFL, CFL and NFL-Europe. He received his bachelor's, master's and law degrees from the University of Utah. Shah has also served as the team's sideline reporter for ESPN 700 radio for the past 12 years.

Linebacker Richie Brown of Long Beach, Miss., continued Mississippi State's in-state onslaught during this recruiting class by signing Wednesday with the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen hasn't been shy about saying the Bulldogs would place a premium on in-state talent, and getting Brown means Mississippi State landed five of the players on the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger's Ten Most Wanted List. That compares to two by Ole Miss.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Brown was No. 6 on that list. He's rated by ESPN as the No. 19 inside linebacker prospect in the country.

The Bulldogs also loaded up on defensive linemen in this class with eight, including the No. 1 player on the Clarion-Ledger's Ten Most Wanted List -- ESPNU 150 defensive tackle Quay Evans of Morton, Miss.

Using ESPN's rankings in the state of Mississippi, the Bulldogs landed 12 of the state's top 22 prospects, including six of the top 12. Using those same rankings by ESPN, Ole Miss signed two of the state's top 20 prospects, but those two were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 -- ESPNU 150 defensive tackle Issac Gross of Batesville, Miss., and ESPNU 150 defensive end Channing Ward of Aberdeen, Miss.

Penn State fans should give Bill O'Brien a chance.

Remember that he left a pretty good job, working with one of the most successful franchises in sports, to step into a potentially no-win situation in State College. He wanted you, even if you don't think you want him. While we'll learn much more about O'Brien in the coming days and weeks, it's clear the guy doesn't shy away from a challenge.

He deserves the benefit of the doubt, and I think a portion of Nittany Nation, especially those not blindly loyal to Joe Paterno, will give it to him. The more Penn Staters who take the approach of former Lions star linebacker Paul Posluszny, the better.

Much of the ire Thursday night and Friday has been directed at the school's administration, and for good reason. After a search that lasted nearly two months and inspired more confusion than confidence, the Penn State brass has a much steeper climb to win back the trust of alumni, former players and fans.

Penn State looked very much like a school that hadn't replaced a football coach since 1966 and had never conducted a football coaching search in the modern era. Most coaching searches take 10-14 days. They're structured and swift. The athletic director leads the way, and a search firm often is involved. Sometimes, information is actually confirmed. Imagine that.

Penn State, meanwhile, used an acting AD (Dave Joyner) and formed a search committee nearly three weeks after the school's trustees fired Paterno on Nov. 9. Ultimately, Joyner and his former Penn State wrestling teammate, Ira Lubert, a search committee member and a respected businessman, drove the search essentially by themselves. Joyner was tight-lipped during the protracted process.

"This is the first coach search, in football, that maybe we've ever done," Joyner told reporters last week in Dallas. "I'm not sure how things worked in 1950 and maybe 1966 but I imagine it was a lot different than what we're doing."

He's right. It might have been faster and more organized.

Yes, the circumstances were unique and incredibly difficult. Yes, former athletic director Tim Curley and former president Graham Spanier deserve blame for putting the school in a bind. Yes, the Penn State job isn't nearly as appealing as it was before the sex-abuse scandal broke and the school fired Paterno.

But Penn State still looked unprepared to replace its 85-year-old coach.

Joyner set deadlines that came and went. According to USA Today, Joyner had little interest in getting input from former Penn State players who wanted to be involved. The committee talked with internal candidates like interim coach Tom Bradley, Larry Johnson and Ron Vanderlinden, but these were courtesy interviews more than anything.

And that's OK. Penn State would have been skewered for promoting from within. But it could have gotten away with hiring a candidate who had some ties to the school.

Speaking of candidates, we heard plenty of names during the past six weeks. Some were legitimate, like Tennessee Titans coach Mike Munchak, and some were not, like Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. The school reportedly made several runs at Boise State's Chris Petersen, who seemed more likely to become the next BCS executive director than the next Penn State coach.

Remember when Mississippi State's Dan Mullen was the flavor of the day for Penn State?

All along, Penn State fans hoped that Joyner and Lubert had an ace in the hole, a name no one was talking about who would make anxiety about the interminable wait and the compromised recruiting class go away. Munchak might have been that guy, but it didn't happen.

Even the post-hiring process has been curious. It's not unusual for players and even assistant coaches to learn of hirings through the media. But more than 17 hours have passed since ESPN reported O'Brien's hiring, and the school hasn't said anything. Bradley hadn't been told as of late Friday morning. Keep in mind this is a guy who has devoted his career to Penn State and began recruiting for the team this week after returning from the TicketCity Bowl debacle.

O'Brien deserves a fair chance, and he might just be the right guy to lead Penn State football through its most difficult period.

Maybe the best thing he can do is make everyone forget how Penn State hired him.

The SEC started bowl season 1-0 after Mississippi State beat Wake Forest 23-17 in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl Friday night.

Mississippi State racked some points up early, but Wake Forest fought back before the Bulldogs' defense hunkered down for most of the second half.

Here's the instant analysis:

How the game was won: Mississippi State's offense racked up 246 yards and 16 points in the first half, while the Demon Deacons managed just 130 yards and a touchdown. The Bulldogs' defense played well all night, especially the closer Wake Forest got to the end zone. Mississippi State held Wake Forest to 287 total yards. On offense, quarterback Chris Relf overcame two interceptions to play effectively both throwing and running the ball. Mississippi State's running game put up 253 yards, including 180 from senior Vick Ballard.

Turning point: After Wake Forest cut Mississippi State's lead to 16-14 early in the second quarter, the Bulldogs' offense was pretty quiet in the third quarter. But with almost 13 minutes remaining in the game, Ballard took a carry up the middle for a 72-yard touchdown, making it a two-score game and giving the Bulldogs enough points for the win.

Stat of the game: The teams combined to go 7-of-30 on third downs, with Wake Forest converting just 2-of-17.

Stat of the game 2: Wake Forest won the turnover battle 4-0.

Player of the game: Ballard made the most of his final game in a Mississippi State uniform. The senior carried the ball only 14 times, but had 180 yards and had touchdowns of 60 and 72 yards. Ballard pounded the Demon Deacons' defense through the middle of the field and used his speed to make a handful of plays off the edge. He outrushed Wake Forest by 117 yards on 24 less carries.

Unsung hero of the game: Friday might have been defensive tackle Fletcher Cox's final game with the Bulldogs as well. He had a strong game, recording seven tackles (including two for loss), assisting on a sack, blocking his fifth career kick (a school record) and providing plenty of pressure inside Wake Forest's backfield all night.

Second guessing: Dan Mullen has a pretty aggressive coaching style, but he made a bad call when he decided to go for the end zone from the Wake Forest 9-yard line with six seconds left in the first half instead of kicking a field goal. Wake Forest grabbed a chunk of momentum and drove 64 yards for a touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter to make it 16-14. Luckily for Mullen, the play didn't cost Mississippi State the win.

What it means: Mullen has now directed Mississippi State to bowl wins in back-to-back years for the first time in more than a decade. It also gives Mississippi State its fifth straight bowl win overall. The Bulldogs have back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in more than a decade. Mississippi State didn't live up to its higher expectations this season, but getting to seven wins -- including a bowl victory -- will make the offseason much easier for Mullen and his players.

Record performance: Cox wasn't the only one taking home a school record. Wake Forest wide receiver Chris Givens entered the game with a school-record 1,276 receiving yards. The ACC's leader in receiving for the 2011 season added to his record-setting year by gaining 54 more yards on nine catches, giving the junior 1,330 yards on the year.

The bowls are set, so let's see where SEC finished at the end of the regular season:

1. LSU (13-0, 9-0): There were some nerve-racking moments along the way, but no matter what obstacles the Tigers faced this season, they overcame them in a big way. In the SEC championship, LSU found its offense going backward and its defense getting tested early against Georgia, but once again, a punter made a grave mistake when he punted to the Honey Badger. Tyrann Mathieu's 62-yard touchdown return started yet another impressive run. The Tigers' running game wore down the Bulldogs and went on to score 42 unanswered points in a blowout win. LSU hasn't relinquished its No. 1 ranking since it shot up the rankings and it's easy to see why. LSU might not have the most exciting offense, but its second-half pushes have just been too powerful for opposing teams. It starts with a true downhill running game that punishes defenses and ends with high-scoring runs. LSU's depth and second-half will have this team headed to the national championship game to face a very familiar foe.

2. Alabama (11-1, 7-1): The Crimson Tide anxiously sat at home while the SEC decided its conference champion and Oklahoma State made one last push for a national championship game bid. As tense as those last few moments in Tuscaloosa, Ala., were, nothing could compare to feeling this team had when it found out it was heading to the national championship game to face the team that almost ruined everything. There has been a lot of talk about whether Alabama deserves a shot at the national championship, but when it comes to the eyeball test, the Tide passes with flying colors. Alabama's defense ended No. 1 in the country and teams couldn't even get 4 yards per play on this stingy defense. Oklahoma State might have one of the most exciting offenses around, but the defense the Cowboys have faced don't come close to comparing to Alabama's. The goal of the BCS is to get to the best, and while it was very controversial, the system got it right.

3. Arkansas (10-2, 6-2): The Razorbacks were in play for a BCS bowl berth up until the very end of the regular season, and it's a shame that the Hogs won't be playing in some sort of BCS game. Arkansas wasn't perfect this year, but the offense played as close to it as possible during the first three games of November. Arkansas outscored opponents 137-52 during those games and even grabbed an early two-score lead on No. 1 LSU. This might have been the most complete team coach Bobby Petrino has had during his Arkansas tenure, and it will end the year in the AT&T Cotton Bowl. Considering the injuries this team had to deal with, getting back to double-digit wins was a big accomplishment for the Hogs.

4. Georgia (10-3, 7-2): For 30 minutes Saturday, the Bulldogs were staring down No. 1 LSU and actually looked stronger and better. If not for some very costly drops from Georgia receivers, the Dawgs might have had a three-score lead early in the Georgia Dome, and who knows what would have happened after that? But those drops happened and slowly the Tigers crushed the will of the Bulldogs in the second half. Just getting to SEC championship game was a big accomplishment for Georgia. The Bulldogs were counted out after their 0-2 start, but reeled off 10 straight wins before meeting the juggernaut that is LSU. We saw this team improve each week and owned one of the most underrated defenses in the entire country.

5. South Carolina (10-2, 6-2): Make sure when you look back at South Carolina's season you realize that the Gamecocks were most certainly not Clemson. They weren't the team that had its defense ranked 59th nationally. All South Carolina could muster was ranking fourth. South Carolina also wasn't the team that was able to keep its starting quarterback and its starting running back all year (that running back being one of the best in the country when he's healthy). It wasn't the team that lost three games. And it wasn't the team that got blown out to its arch-rival at the end of the regular season. Coach Steve Spurrier has to be commended for the job he did to keep this team together and pull off a 10-win season.

6. Auburn (7-5, 4-4): The youth of this team finally crept up as the season continued. The team we were fascinated by during the first part of the season was long gone once the youngsters hit the wall. But there is a lot of talent on the Plains, and there's no doubt that it learned a lot after being thrown into the fire. Figuring out how to get the most of the quarterback position will be key during the layoff before the Tigers' bowl game. Once Barrett Trotter was benched, the offense just didn't click like it did at the beginning of the season. It didn't help that the opposing defensive talent vastly increased. Still, the Tigers put up more fight early than most expected and the future certainly looks bright.

7. Florida (6-6, 3-5): The Gators have to be happy that the regular season is finally over. Will Muschamp's first year was nothing but downhill after the 4-0 start, and it's time for his squad to get tougher. Muschamp called his team out for being "soft" after an ugly loss to Florida State and now is the time to start working toward Year 2 of the Muschamp era. This bowl preparation will be key to developing a spark for the spring. It's time to find out who is all in and who isn't inside this program. Muschamp promises to beat his team up from here on out, and it's not like this team doesn't need it. The Gators were outplayed for most of the year and saw a lot of those highly touted recruits stumble around the field. Like last year, the Gators' attitudes need major adjustments.

8. Vanderbilt (6-6, 2-6): Things certainly have changed around the Vanderbilt program. The attitude is new and fierce, while the defense is just mean. The Commodores were in play to win eight or nine games this season, but had some of the old mistakes that plagued this program creep up. Now, Vandy is headed back to a bowl game for the first time since 2008. A win will really generate even more momentum for next year. First-year coach James Franklin has been a motivating and recruiting machine this year and a bowl victory could send his recruiting efforts over the top with a lot of prospects. Franklin and his team proved that you can't sleep on the Dores anymore.

9. Mississippi State (6-6, 2-6): This wasn't the season that the Bulldogs expected, but they are in the postseason for back-to-back seasons for the first time in more than a decade. Coach Dan Mullen still hasn't gotten a win against any other West team besides Ole Miss, but his team did just enough to make it to a bowl game. Injuries on the offensive line really hurt this team early in the year, but there were offensive playmakers that just didn't step up and be consistent enough for the Bulldogs this season.

10. Kentucky (5-7, 2-6): Wildcat players were saying after the Tennessee win that even though a bowl game was out of reach, beating the Vols made everything better. That feeling might leave once the bowls are played and they realize they aren't a part of the postseason, but stopping that losing streak to Tennessee will help fuel this team in the spring and beyond. The focus for this program should now be totally on recruiting, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

11. Tennessee (5-7, 1-7): If you didn't think things could get any worse for Tennessee, they certainly did when star receiver Da'Rick Rogers was put into the doghouse to end the season. You have to wonder what is going through the minds of a lot of these players. One week they are celebrating a Vandy win like they won the Super Bowl, and the next, they are watching as Kentucky gets a win against Tennessee for the first time since the 1980s. It was a rough year for Tennessee with all of those injuries, but the fight in this team is gone. It's time to find that while the Vols sit and watch the postseason.

12. Ole Miss (2-10, 0-8): Houston Nutt's time at Ole Miss was very up and down, but he insists he didn't leave the cupboard empty for the next head coach. Ole Miss is fresh off its worst season in school history and is currently on a 14-game losing streak against SEC teams. A lot needs to be done within this program, but it's going to take time. Patience will be key to helping get the Rebels back to being competitive in the SEC.

Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-6) vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-6)

Dec. 30, 6:40 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Mississippi State take from SEC blogger Edward Aschoff: After the 2010 season, in which the Bulldogs had their first nine-win season since 1999, the expectations in Starkville skyrocketed.

Third-year coach Dan Mullen appeared to have enough returning on offense to continue riding that momentum. Losing a couple of key members to the front seven on defense was worrisome, but the offense was always supposed to lead the way.

After the first two weeks, the Bulldogs were averaging 588 yards and 46.5 points, but a goal-line stop of quarterback Chris Relf might have changed everything for the Bulldogs. Mississippi State came up less than a foot short of going to overtime against Auburn when Relf was stopped as time expired in a 41-34 heartbreaker.

The Bulldogs were never the same after that, as injuries hurt the offensive line and they lost three of their next five.

Mullen entered the season with only two wins against Western Division opponents, with both coming against Ole Miss. Nothing changed in 2011, as the Bulldogs’ only SEC wins came against Kentucky and the Rebels.

While the offense struggled throughout the season, Mississippi’s defense kept the Bulldogs in games for most of the year. By sweeping the nonconference schedule and blowing out Ole Miss at the end of the year, Mississippi State became bowl eligible for the second straight year under Mullen and will look to win its fifth straight bowl game.

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Wake Forest take by ACC blogger Heather Dinich: The Deacs had a disappointing finish to the season, losing four of their final five games. Considering they made it to the postseason following last season's 3-9 campaign, 2011 was a success.

Wake Forest was a much-improved team, and put itself in position to win the Atlantic Division title. Even more surprising was the fact that it came down to a last-second, game-winning field goal against Clemson, which clinched the division with the 31-28 win over the Deacs on Nov. 12. Wake Forest beat Maryland the following week to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2008, and will be making the program’s fifth bowl appearance in 11 years under coach Jim Grobe.

Much of Wake’s success this year can be attributed to the maturation of quarterback Tanner Price, and the development of several key players around him like receiver Chris Givens. Cornerback Merrill Noel was named the ACC’s defensive rookie of the year and he has 20 passes defended.

The Deacons have compiled a 6-3 (.667) record in their nine previous bowl appearances and are 3-1 in bowl games under Grobe. The Deacs have won five of their last six bowl games. Wake Forest and Mississippi State will be meeting for the first time.

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen on Friday once again denied having any contact with Penn State about its head-coaching vacancy.

Mullen released the following statement through Mississippi State:

"Neither I, my agent nor the administration at Mississippi State University have been contacted by anybody at Penn State University. I'm very happy with the direction the Mississippi State program is headed right now."

Colleague Joe Schad has reported Mullen is at the top of Penn State's wish list for its vacancy. Mullen's latest denial comes following talk that he would be interviewing with Penn State next week. He declined to comment Tuesday when asked about speculation he was in the mix for the Penn State job.

Harvard coach Tim Murphy is another candidate on Penn State's radar, but Mullen's name is the one that continues to come up.

Penn State is expressing interest in Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen for its coaching vacancy, sources have told ESPN colleague Joe Schad.

It's still fairly early in the process, and Penn State only announced its coach search committee on Monday afternoon. But Mullen would be an intriguing candidate for a job that could turn some of the big names around college football.

The key question with Penn State is whether its next coach has strong ties, some ties or no ties to the school. Given the institution-wide impact of the sex-abuse scandal at Penn State, most on the outside assume the school will go with a coach who has no ties to former head coach Joe Paterno or to former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. But I've also heard there's some momentum within the school to hire someone who knows the university and the environment.

Mullen is interesting because he was born in Philadelphia, grew up in New Hampshire and attended Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa. He has coached in the Northeast and Midwest at places like Wagner, Columbia, Syracuse, Notre Dame and Bowling Green. Even though he has spent the past seven years in SEC country at Florida and Mississippi State, he knows the region around Penn State. As the blog Black Shoe Diaries put it, "Besides either A) Having direct Penn State ties, or B) Direct ties to other major programs in Pennsylvania, that's about as good a personal/cultural fit as we'll find."

Although Mullen struggled this season at Mississippi State and still has to prove more as a head coach, Penn State certainly could do worse, under the circumstances.

» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC

Here’s a look at our SEC power rankings upon the completion of the regular season:

1. LSU (12-0, 8-0): The Tigers have been perfect, and they’ve made it clear that their goal this season is perfection, which would require a win against Georgia on Saturday in the SEC championship game and a second win this season against Alabama on Jan. 9 in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game. If the Tigers make it through at 14-0, it would go down as the greatest season in SEC history.

2. Alabama (11-1, 7-1): After polishing off Auburn last Saturday, the Crimson Tide get to sit and wait. There’s virtually no scenario out there that would knock them out of one of those top two spots in the final BCS standings, which puts the Tide in great shape. They’re going to get their rematch with LSU, unless the Tigers get blown out by Georgia, and won’t even have to play another game.

3. Arkansas (10-2, 6-2): There was some thought given to moving Georgia up into the third spot, but the Hogs are still a top 10 team nationally and would likely be playing for a championship somewhere if they were in any other division than the SEC West. Bobby Petrino guided the Hogs to their second straight 10-win season, but they lost by a combined 48 points to Alabama and LSU.

4. Georgia (10-2, 7-1): Here’s Georgia’s chance to move into the top three with a win against LSU in the SEC championship game. The Bulldogs have won 10 in a row and were especially impressive in their 31-17 win at Georgia Tech last week. They’re playing the kind of defense right now that gives you a chance against anybody, which is a good sign heading to the Georgia Dome. Not to take away from Georgia’s run, but avoiding Alabama, Arkansas and LSU this season was huge.

5. South Carolina (10-2, 6-2): The Gamecocks fell short of their goal to go back to the SEC championship game for a second straight year, but they did win 10 games for only the second time in school history, and punctuated the regular season with their third straight win against arch-rival Clemson. It was vintage Steve Spurrier afterward when he quipped, “Historically, Clemson has owned this series. They don’t own us now.”

6. Auburn (7-5, 4-4): A year ago, the Tigers were masterful when it came to finishing games and finishing the season on their way to a national championship. But nobody on the Plains will be happy about the way they finished this season. Auburn was blown out at home last Saturday by Alabama, 42-14, and didn’t score an offensive touchdown. In three of their past four SEC games against Alabama, Georgia and LSU, the Tigers were outscored 132-31.

7. Florida (6-6, 3-5): The Gators were just glad to get the regular season behind them, and it ended with an ugly 21-7 loss to rival Florida State at home. It’s Florida’s worst regular-season record since 1987, and the Gators didn’t beat a single FBS team that finished the season with a winning record. The offense was a train wreck for much of the season, and it’s clear Will Muschamp has his work cut out to get this program back on track.

8. Vanderbilt (6-6, 2-6): Look at James Franklin in his first season at Vanderbilt. He has the Commodores heading to a bowl game for only the fifth time in school history, and they’re coming off a 41-7 thrashing of Wake Forest on the road in their most complete game of the season. The offense has made huge strides. The defense has been excellent, and this is a team that could very easily be 9-3 right now when you look at the close losses to Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas and Georgia.

9. Mississippi State (6-6, 2-6): The Bulldogs didn’t meet their lofty expectations this season. But, then, maybe those expectations were a tad too high. What they did do was beat Ole Miss for a third straight season, something that hadn’t happened in nearly 70 years, and Dan Mullen has Mississippi State back in a bowl game for the second straight year. The Bulldogs’ defense was vastly improved the final half of the season.

10. Kentucky (5-7, 2-6): It was a disappointing season for the Wildcats, who won’t be going to a bowl game for the first time since 2005, but the offseason figures to be a lot more tolerable thanks to the 10-7 win against Tennessee last Saturday. The streak is finally dead, which should give the Wildcats some momentum going forward. At the top of Joker Phillips’ to-do list is fixing an offense that went belly-up this season.

11. Tennessee (5-7, 1-7): The Vols can thank their lucky stars for Ole Miss. Otherwise, they’d be in dead last. They had their 26-game winning streak against Kentucky stopped last Saturday, with the Wildcats playing a receiver at quarterback. It’s the first time since 1910 and 1911 that Tennessee has suffered through back-to-back losing seasons, and while Derek Dooley will be back for a third season, it now becomes paramount that the Vols show marked improvement in 2012 if he’s going to be around long term.

12. Ole Miss (2-10, 0-8): For any group of fans who think they truly had a wretched season, they might want to look at what the Rebels went through this season and think again. It mercifully ended for Ole Miss last Saturday with a 31-3 loss to Mississippi State, and it was also Houston Nutt’s final game with the Rebels. They’ve lost 14 straight SEC games over the past two seasons.

Mississippi State offensive guard Addison Lawrence said earlier this week that he thought Ole Miss would "kind of lay down" if the Bulldogs jumped on the struggling Rebels early.

That was about the size of it Saturday, as Mississippi State raced out to a 28-0 lead in the early minutes of the third quarter and cruised to a 31-3 victory over Ole Miss at rain-soaked Scott Field. It was Mississippi State's third straight win in the Egg Bowl, marking the first time in nearly 70 years that the Bulldogs have won three in a row in the series.

Mississippi State (6-6, 2-6) gained bowl eligibility with the win, the second straight season that Dan Mullen has led the Bulldogs to a bowl game. The Liberty Bowl is their likely destination.

A pair of seniors came up big in their final home games. Quarterback Chris Relf ran his record to 3-0 against Ole Miss. He passed for a pair of touchdowns and now has seven passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in three career games against the Rebels. Running back Vick Ballard rushed for 144 yards on 23 carries. He had a 25-yard touchdown run and also caught an 18-yard touchdown pass.

After just missing 1,000 yards a year ago, Ballard surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing figure Saturday with his big night.

Mercifully, for Ole Miss, the season is over. The Rebels (2-10, 0-8) last won just two games in a season in 1946. Houston Nutt walks away after seeing his Rebels lose their last seven games. In their last three losses to Mississippi State, LSU and Louisiana Tech, Ole Miss was outscored by a 110-13 margin.

Whoever the new Ole Miss coach is will inherit a program that has lost 14 straight SEC games.