ESPN College Football

Nick Saban is getting picked on again.

Alabama's head coach just can't seem to catch a break this spring when it comes to name-calling. First, Vanderbilt coach James Franklin called him "Nicky Satan" during a high school banquet. Now, Florida offensive line coach Tim Davis, who coached under Saban while with the NFL's Miami Dolphins, called Saban "the devil himself" at a booster club meeting Tuesday.

Here's what Davis said about Saban:

"I've always wanted to work with Will [Muschamp]," Davis said. "Will's got a plan. Will coached under the devil himself for seven years. I only did three. He did seven. And his DNA is not any different than Nick."

So, really, he was trying to compliment Muschamp by comparing him to the top coach in college football. Maybe referring to Saban as the Prince of Darkness is a little extreme, but we all know that coaches will say just about anything to get the home crowd going at booster club meetings. It's part of the act. It's all in fun.

Franklin apologized for his remark -- which I really don't think he needed to -- and made it clear that he was joking. When you're on top, everyone is going to take shots. Picking at Saban is harmless because he has no reason to be upset about what's said about him.

He's on top. He's looking down at everyone, and he's too busy preparing his team for a third straight national title run. I'm sure he laughs these kinds of comments off. He may even enjoy them a little bit.

Davis also went after Saban's personality, which is always a topic of conversation:

"[Muschamp]'s like the other guy, but he's got a personality," Davis said. "He'll smile at you. He'll talk to you. You understand? That's what he's all about. That's Will. I'm proud to work for him."

It's all sticks and stones with Saban, and I'm sure he couldn't care less about what any coach playfully says about him.

Spring might be done in the SEC, but there are a handful of teams that still have fun quarterback races that haven't finished.

I mean, it's only the most important position on the field. But history has taught us that having the wrong quarterback lining up for you isn't exactly a recipe for success -- especially in the SEC.

Here's a look at how quarterback races in the SEC look as we leave the spring and head into the offseason:

ARKANSAS

Brandon Allen vs. Brandon Mitchell: After Saturday's spring game, coach Bret Bielema made it sound pretty clear that he's comfortable with the idea of having Allen be his starter. He's the better pure passer and was more consistent this spring. Mitchell is more athletic, and there will be packages for him this fall, but Allen's ability to not turn the ball over as much this spring really helped put him ahead. Edge: Allen

AUBURN

Kiehl Frazier vs. Jonathan Wallace: Both of these quarterbacks fit into Gus Malzahn's spread offense, but everyone is waiting for Frazier to really step up and show that he can be the guy on the Plains. But after both he and Wallace impressed in the spring game and stayed relatively close throughout all of spring, Malzahn isn't ready to name a starter. Frazier has more experience, but Wallace was the starter at the end of last season. This one will go through fall camp. Edge: Frazier

KENTUCKY

Maxwell Smith vs. Jalen Whitlow vs. Patrick Towles: At the beginning of the spring, the thought was that Smith would regain his starting spot after injuries cut his 2012 season short. But Whitlow, a rising sophomore, took full advantage of his reps this spring and was the most impressive quarterback during the spring game. He threw for a spring game-high 193 yards with two touchdowns and appears to have left with a nice lead in this race. There's still time for Smith, who owns the most experience, and Towles to make up ground this fall, but Whitlow did a nice job distancing himself late. Edge: Whitlow

MISSOURI

James Franklin vs. Maty Mauk vs. Corbin Berkstresser: Franklin entered the spring with two years of starting experience, but his injuries and poor play last year created quite the battle for him. Mauk arrived last year with a ton of hype and knows the offense as well as anyone, while Berkstresser played in 10 games last year. The quarterbacks were sharing snaps all spring, but Gary Pinkel kept his thoughts on them very close to the vest. It sounds like no one separated himself during the spring game, but Franklin had the best day. This one will go through fall camp. Edge: Franklin

TENNESSEE

Justin Worley vs. Nathan Peterman: Worley was a little more consistent throughout the spring, but Butch Jones isn't ready to name a starter. He's putting the team in their hands this summer, and that will say a lot about each one's leadership skills once fall rolls around. Worley -- who actually has college experience -- was atop the depth chart all spring and had a more impressive spring game. Worley should enter the fall as the leader and Peterman will have to be more consistent in order to move ahead. Edge: Worley

VANDERBILT

Austyn Carta-Samuels vs. Patton Robinette: Coach James Franklin has a good problem on his hands. While he has said that he's unsure which quarterback has taken the lead, he has two talented and athletic guys to choose from. Carta-Samuels has way more experience and was the leader heading into the spring. He only helped his cause with an impressive spring game. Robinette is probably a little more athletic, but he'll have to work even harder this summer and fall to move ahead of Carta-Samuels. Edge: Carta-Samuels

Alabama coach Nick Saban wasn't ready to proclaim the Crimson Tide as the front-runner to win a third straight national championship coming out of Saturday's spring game, but that's nothing new.

Saban also found plenty of flaws with his team coming out of the past two springs.

AJ McCarron passed for 223 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown to Kenny Bell, to lead the White team to a 17-14 win over the Crimson. McCarron also threw two interceptions, and there were a total of nine turnovers in the game.

Saban said afterward that some of the Alabama players were "too comfortable with their circumstances."

For more on Alabama's spring game, read here and here.

ARKANSAS

More than 51,000 people showed up for Bret Bielema's first spring game at Arkansas, and the Hogs showed off a power running game, which was a staple under Bielema at Wisconsin. Brandon Allen took another big step toward locking down the starting quarterback job, although the Hogs have yet to name a starter.

For more on Arkansas' spring game, read here and here.

AUBURN

Auburn set a school record with an attendance of 83,401 at its spring game, the first under head coach Gus Malzahn, as the battle for the starting quarterback job raged on between Jonathan Wallace and Kiehl Frazier. Wallace threw a pair of touchdown passes with an interception, while Frazier threw a touchdown pass and ran for a touchdown. Junior college transfer Cameron Artis-Payne rushed for 117 yards and also had two catches for 47 yards.

For more on Auburn's spring game, read here and here.

LSU

Quarterback Zach Mettenberger passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns in leading the White team (starters) to a 37-0 victory over the Purple team (reserves) on Saturday in LSU's spring game. Mettenberger was done by halftime and was 12-of-19 passing. The Tigers showed off their expanded passing game under new coordinator Cam Cameron, and receivers Odell Beckham, Jr. and Jarvis Landry both had big days.

For more on LSU's spring game, read here and here.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

The Maroon team (comprised of the first-team defense) defeated the White team 38-28 on Saturday in Mississippi State's spring game. Starting quarterback Tyler Russell was sharp for the White and threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes to tight end Brandon Hill. Russell and most of the starters played only the first half. Brandon Holloway rushed for 128 yards for the Maroon team.

For more on Mississippi State's spring game, read here and here.

MISSOURI

None of the Missouri quarterbacks separated themselves in the Tigers' spring game on Saturday, which was won by the starters 21-14. The game started with the reserves up 14-0. Offensive coordinator Josh Henson was most upset with four interceptions by the starting quarterbacks in the first half. James Franklin had the best day of the quarterbacks and guided a pair of touchdown drives. Maty Mauk was intercepted twice.

For more on Missouri's spring game, read here and here.

TENNESSEE

More than 61,000 fans flocked to Neyland Stadium for Tennessee's first spring game under Butch Jones, and the Orange team (defense) outscored the White team (offense) 95-71 using a modified scoring system. Afterward, Jones told his two quarterbacks, Justin Worley and Nathan Peterman, that he was handing over the team to them. Jones likes the way the team progressed this spring, but said the summer months will be critical.

For more on Tennessee's spring game, read here and here.

Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews will be in reach of a couple of different SEC receiving marks in 2013.

He needs 804 receiving yards to break the career record held by Georgia’s Terrence Edwards, who racked up 3,093 yards from 1999-2002. Matthews can also break the career receptions record if he catches 87 passes next season. That record was set by Vanderbilt’s Earl Bennett, who caught 236 passes from 2005-07.

Matthews, who produced one of the finest seasons ever a year ago by a Vanderbilt receiver, is fully aware that those records are out there. But he’s not chasing them.

He’s chasing a lot more than records.

“My goal is to go out and win an SEC championship and a national championship and be a pivotal part of that happening,” said Matthews, who caught 94 passes for 1,323 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

“That’s the legacy I want to leave.”

Even with his huge season a year ago and the Commodores winning nine games for the first time in nearly a century, Matthews was convinced there was more to accomplish. He considered making himself available for the NFL draft, but kept arriving at the same conclusion.

The best was yet to come at Vanderbilt.

“I’m fully committed to going 1-0 every week and getting this Vanderbilt program where we all know it can be,” Matthews said. “The only thing I see is what’s in front of me.”

Matthews’ razor-sharp focus is one of his best traits, not to mention his 6-3, 205-pound frame, massive hands and the ability to go up and over just about any defensive back and get the football.

“Even when he’s not open, he’s the kind of receiver who’s going to find a way to go make the play,” Vanderbilt quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels said.

But, then, Matthews has always found a way.

He went to high school in Madison, Ala., and barely got a sniff from college recruiters. Matthews admits he didn’t know much about the recruiting process at the time. He went on a mission trip to Africa in June prior to his senior year of high school and didn’t attend any camps until later that summer.

“I was the first player to go to a Division I school from my high school (Madison Academy),” Matthews said. “Head coaches were hesitant to pull the trigger.”

Matthews, who had 13 touchdown catches his senior year of high school, sent out his game tapes and did his best to market himself. But there weren’t a lot of takers.

In fact, there were none.

“My senior season ended, and I’m standing there on the field with no state championship ring and no scholarship offers,” he said. “Not even Alabama A&M offered me. Troy didn’t. Jackson State didn’t. None of those schools did.”

Matthews said Vanderbilt had been recruiting him all along, but had talked about the possibility of his grayshirting and delaying enrollment until that next January.

“My mom wasn’t crazy about me hanging around in the fall and not being in college,” Matthews said.

The Commodores were only going to take four receivers in that class. But right before Christmas, one of them de-committed.

“Coach (Bobby) Johnson called me on Christmas Eve, and I committed on Christmas Day,” Matthews said. “I just hung in there and waited by the phone.”

It’s a Christmas gift that keeps on giving for the Commodores, and that whole experience only made Matthews that much more determined.

“My mom would always say that it was a blessing in disguise,” Matthews said. “Look at the way it’s turned out, to be here at a great school like Vanderbilt and a part of what coach (James) Franklin is building here.

“But I can tell you that I still play with a chip on my shoulder, and that chip has helped drive me to where I am. I don’t plan on letting up any time soon.”

Matthews was a first-team All-SEC selection last season. His 94 catches were the second most ever by an SEC player in a season, and he’s a lock to be on the preseason Biletnikoff Award lists.

Where does he rank among the best returning receivers in college football in 2013?

Matthews offers a confident shrug.

“I’m used to being overlooked,” he said. “When you go through that for so long, you end up being immune to it and don’t care. To be honest, I can play with any receiver, so I’m not worried about that.

“People say statistics don’t lie. What doesn’t lie are wins and losses. That trumps any argument. You can’t argue with championships.

“That’s what I’m worried about.”

At this rate, Missouri may go into the summer without knowing for sure who its starting quarterback will be next season.

Senior James Franklin and redshirt freshman Maty Mauk have been battling it out this spring, and there wasn’t any real separation between the two in last Saturday’s scrimmage.

The Tigers’ defense had its way in the scrimmage, and both Franklin and Mauk threw interceptions. They both had some nice throws, too. Franklin saved the best for last and threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Dorial Green-Beckham on Franklin’s last possession of the scrimmage. Mauk threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Lucas.

If you’re looking for a player in the SEC who makes the biggest leap from Year 1 to Year 2, Green-Beckham would be a prime candidate. He caught eight passes for 135 yards in Saturday’s scrimmage and has looked like the game-changer everybody predicted he would be when he signed a year ago with the Tigers as the No. 1-rated prospect in the country.

For more on Missouri’s scrimmage, read here and here.

ALABAMA

Quarterback AJ McCarron and the Alabama defense had its way with a defense that was banged up in last Saturday's scrimmage.

McCarron passed for 319 yards and five touchdown passes. Sophomore receiver Amari Cooper just keeps getting better, which is scary for the defensive backs in this league. He caught four touchdown passes and has five touchdowns and 228 receiving yards in the Crimson Tide's first two scrimmages.

For more on Alabama's scrimmage, read here.

TENNESSEE

The Vols held their final major scrimmage of the spring last Saturday (prior to the Orange and White spring game) and did so without junior running back Marlin Lane.

Coach Butch Jones said Lane's absence was due to "disciplinary reasons." Lane also missed a couple of practices last week. One of those, Jones said, was to deal with an illness in his family. Lane rushed for 658 yards last season and averaged 5.5 yards per carry.

Tennessee is thin at running back, although redshirt freshman Alden Hill had a big scrimmage last Saturday with a couple of touchdowns.

For more on Tennessee's scrimmage, read here and here.

LSU

LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger said the Tigers would take a few more shots down the field under first-year coordinator Cam Cameron, and so far this spring, Mettenberger has put up big numbers throwing the football -- period.

He passed for six touchdowns in Saturday's scrimmage, although the defense was missing several starters -- end Jermauria Rasco, cornerback Jalen Mills and safety Ronald Martin.

Mettenberger threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to Jarvis Landry and a 36-yard touchdown pass to Odell Beckham, Jr. Also, running back Jeremy Hill gathered in a screen pass from Mettenberger and turned it into a 47-yard touchdown.

For more on LSU's scrimmage, read here and here.

Everybody loves rankings lists, and college football fans -- by necessity -- seem to like lists even more than average folk.

So we have Athlon making another list. First it ranked Pac-12 coaches. Now it ranks all 125 coaches for FBS programs.

Obviously, any ranking like this is highly subjective, as Kevin noted with his notes on the Pac-12 coach rankings.

I really like Athlon's top three. That would be mine. If Chip Kelly were still at Oregon, I'd rank him third, but he is not.

After that? Well, there were some head-scratchers.

LSU's Les Miles way down at No. 24? New Arkansas and former Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema buried at No. 25? Vanderbilt's second-year coach James Franklin way up at 17? Three words: No, No, No.

There is no conceivable way to rank Franklin ahead of Miles, WHO HAS WON A NATIONAL TITLE!, nor is it reasonable to rate Franklin over Stanford's David Shaw, WHO HAS WON A ROSE BOWL, nor Bielema who owns THREE BIG TEN TITLES and won 68 games in seven years at Wisconsin.

Franklin? He's done some nice things at Vandy, making a terrible program respectable, but please identify for me a signature win from 2012? Or 2011. I'll wait here.

Yep. Nada.

Just last season, Shaw, who is No. 1 in the Pac-12 but only 20th in the nation, beat Oregon, which finished ranked No. 2, and WON THE ROSE BOWL. He's a muffed field goal away from winning consecutive BCS bowl games.

Vanderbilt, winners of the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl over the doughty NC State a year after losing to Cincinnati in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, took advantage of a weakened SEC East, and it's notable that the one adventurous nonconference tilt ended up a double-digit loss at Northwestern. You know: The so-called slow Big Ten.

And I think Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is a bit high at No. 12, too.

(Deep breath) OK ... I'm OK.

Anyway: Here's how Athlon ranked the Pac-12 coaches in the nation (national rank).

1. David Shaw, Stanford (20)
2. Mike Riley, Oregon State (21)
3. Rich Rodriguez, Arizona (22)
4. Todd Graham, Arizona State (29)
5. Mike Leach, Washington State (31)
6. Mike MacIntyre, Colorado (44)
7. Steve Sarkisian, Washington (45)
8. Jim Mora, UCLA (54)
9. Kyle Whittingham, Utah (55)
10. Sonny Dykes, California (56)
11. Lane Kiffin, USC (57)
12. Mark Helfrich, Oregon (73)

Vanderbilt coach James Franklin is rarely short on intensity. Even his handshakes have a little kick to them.

But his intensity takes a new form in the wee hours of the morning when it's time for some fun conditioning on Vandy's campus.

In what the school has dubbed "Dores at Dawn," Franklin and his coaches push players through rigorous conditioning drills, challenges and competitions.

Oh, and it's all at 5 a.m.

Even on bitterly cold days, Commodores players are sprinting, jumping twisting and wrestling for tires. It's all very intense and probably more fun to watch than actually take part in. In the football world, it's not a new spin on how schools take to conditioning, but Vanderbilt released a video of an early-morning conditioning romp players went through in February.

It's cool to see what these guys go through when people aren't watching, and it looks like players really buy into the whole ordeal.

The video begins with a nice motivational exchange between Franklin and his players in which talk of the past is pretty much nonexistent. That's the mindset of the entire team and it has certainly paid off the past couple years.

Watching stuff like this fires you up, no matter who you root for, so check out Vandy's "Dores at Dawn" video by clicking here. And then do 100 pushups and pull-ups before running five miles!

Lost in Missouri's offensive misery last fall was the absence of arguably the Tigers' best offensive weapon from 2011.

Running back Henry Josey spent all of 2012 sitting and watching after suffering a devastating knee injury against Texas in mid-November of 2011. Before Josey went down, he was the Big 12's top rusher (1,168 yards on 145 yards) and was coming off four straight 100-yard outings.

He was a slasher, a dasher and a pounder when he needed to be, and not having him in the offense last year really hurt the Tigers. I'm not taking anything way from Kendial Lawrence, who filled in admirably with his 1,025 yards, 12 touchdowns and 5.1 yards per carry, but he just wasn't as dynamic a player as Josey. Not a lot of backs are, really.

But every indication coming out of Mizzou's camp this spring is that Josey will be back to his old self this fall. He isn't there yet, but he's slowly getting there.

Coach Gary Pinkel said Josey was timed running the 40-yard dash in the 4.3s before spring practice got underway, but taking contact and cutting were two things everyone in Columbia, Mo., wanted to see. Apparently that hasn't been a problem, as he shed his knee brace and ran for 28 yards on eight carries in Saturday's scrimmage. He started things off by busting a 17-yard run on his first carry of the scrimmage.

Sure, it was just a scrimmage, but that's a great sight for the Tigers to see. There were moments when it looked like Josey, who underwent three separate surgeries, wasn't going to return to the football field as a player. Here's what he had to have repaired during his three surgeries:

• ACL
• MCL
• Meniscus
• Patellar tendon

He also had an arthroscopic cleanup.

Right now, Josey isn't where he was in 2011, but he's just now getting his football legs back, so that's to be expected. Still, it has to be very encouraging that the Tigers should get back one of their best playmakers. When healthy, Josey has proven to be a true game-changer and that's exactly what this offense needs.

Obviously, the Tigers' offense regressed because of injuries to the offensive line and quarterback James Franklin, but having a guy like Josey back in the offense will really open things up for the passing game and make this offense more of a threat.

People continue to talk about Franklin battling Maty Mauk and Corbin Berkstresser, but keep two eyes on Josey from here on out. He could be the real difference-maker in Mizzou's offense this fall.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Vanderbilt’s Carey Spear earned second-team All-SEC honors last season as a place-kicker.

The Commodores’ third-year coach, James Franklin, looks at Spear and doesn’t see a kicker. He sees a football player.

“He’s a football player who happens to kick, and I’m talking everywhere,” Franklin said. “You ought to see him on testing day in the weight room. You’d think he was a D-tackle with his approach down there with all the chalk flying and everything.

“He echoes everything we’re trying to do here.”

The dependable Spear connected on 20 of his 24 field-goal attempts last season, and was 14-of-14 inside 43 yards. He was also perfect on extra points.

But for him, the fun starts after he kicks off. That’s when he transforms into a black-and-gold blur with absolutely no regard for his body.

His hit on Tennessee’s Cordarrelle Patterson last season was priceless. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Spear knocked himself silly when he launched himself into Patterson, who probably thought it was a linebacker plastering him.

It took a few seconds for a wobbly Spear to get back on his feet, but it’s the kind of fighting spirit that has embodied this program’s rise under Franklin.

It’s also the kind of hit that you rarely see kickers laying on potential first-round draft picks, especially kickers who had to give up competitive soccer in high school because of a heart rhythm disorder.

Spear was diagnosed with Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a condition that would cause his heart to beat frighteningly fast, particularly when he was engaged in any kind of physical activity.

“From my sophomore year in high school, I started to have problems,” said Spear, whose first love was soccer. “I’d be on the field, and my heart would start to flutter. At first, I kept it to myself because I wanted to play. But I’d get light-headed and wasn’t nearly as explosive as I wanted to be.

“I finally told my parents a year later.”

Spear, who’s from Mayfield Village, Ohio, had two different surgical procedures in high school to try and correct the problem. Neither was successful.

He’d also taken up kicking on the high school football team, but because of his health issues, had pretty much given up on his dream of playing collegiate soccer.

The good news for him was that he was accomplished enough as a kicker to draw some attention from several larger schools. He was leaning toward going to Michigan as a walk-on. But just prior to signing day, Vanderbilt and then-coach Bobby Johnson came through with a full scholarship offer. Spear had been on the Commodores’ radar after visiting campus the summer prior to his senior year of high school.

“We lost touch a little bit during my senior season, but it couldn’t have been a better fit,” Spear said. “I knew I wanted to kick in environments where there were 80,000 people in the stands, and I wanted to go to a school that valued academics.”

Medically, it was also the right fit.

It was at Vanderbilt that Spear was introduced to Dr. Frank Fish, a noted cardiologist in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Spear served as the kickoff specialist his first season at Vanderbilt and was still having episodes. He’d debated about whether or not to tell the staff about his condition because he felt it might jeopardize his scholarship.

“It was a bold step,” Spear recalled. “I didn’t know if it was the right thing to do, but they appreciated my openness. They knew it was bothering me and limited what I could do that first season.”

Spear remembers vividly meeting with Fish for the first time and how confident Fish was that he could fix the problem.

“It was a seven- or eight-hour surgery, and I had it just before Christmas break ended in January,” Spear said. “Dr. Fish walked in the next morning and said, ‘We got it this time.’

“I just looked at my dad, and we were both filled with relief.”

It’s been more than two years since that surgery, and Spear hasn’t had any more episodes since. He’s not on medication and rarely even thinks about those scary moments any more when his heart would start beating so fast that he could barely catch his breath.

“He couldn’t be at a better place, to be in the hands of coach Franklin and have that medical facility right next door,” said Spear’s father, Tom Spear.

Likewise, it’s been neat for Fish to see Spear, a two-year co-captain for the Commodores, bounce back from the surgery with so much success.

“It’s a condition that comes up not infrequently among active athletic individuals,” Fish said. “Generally speaking, it’s more of an annoyance than a risk. Arrhythmia can cause life-threatening episodes. His was more of a bother, particularly being a place-kicker where there is so much pressure and focus on that single moment.

“It’s always fun to see one of your patients go out and engage in a normal lifestyle again. The fact that he’s playing football here at Vanderbilt adds to the excitement.”

Spear, who’s maxed out at 320 pounds on the bench-press, has only dialed up the intensity now that he’s been symptom-free for two years.

He’s proven that he’s Mr. Clutch on field goals, but relishes the role of Mr. Kamikaze on kickoffs even more.

“He loves to be physical and mix it up,” said Spear’s father. “You should have seen him play soccer. He got his share of yellow cards.”

Spear has one final season to give back to a university that has touched his life more profoundly than he could have ever imagined when he came to Nashville three years ago.

“It’s been remarkable the way God had a plan for me from the beginning,” said Spear, who’s taken mission trips to Haiti and Peru during his spring breaks.

“I found a football family, coaches and a training staff that cared about my health before they did performance, and I don’t know how much you see that these days with the pressure that exists in college sports. The surgeons here are second to none, and they changed my life.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I’m here.”

Remember Bret Bielema's comments when he was still Wisconsin's coach about what he suggested were illegal recruiting tactics by new Ohio State coach Urban Meyer?

"I can tell you this," Bielema said at the time. "We at the Big Ten don’t want to be like the SEC ... in any way, shape or form."

Well, Bielema is in the SEC now as Arkansas' new coach, and it's clear that he's not bashful when it comes to speaking his mind.

At an Arkansas booster club function last week in Benton, Ark., Bielema didn't tread lightly.

Here's what he was quoted as saying when asked about the challenges of playing in the rugged Western Division: "I came to the SEC for a variety of reasons, but the major one in my mind was to win an SEC championship."

On the topic of two-time defending national champion Alabama and Nick Saban, Bielema was quoted as saying: "The reason the SEC is talked about all the time is one team, because of their dominance. But I didn't come here to play Alabama. I came here to beat Alabama.

"You can take Saban's record when he was at Michigan State and when he was a coach in the Big Ten and put it against mine, and he can't compare."

For the record, a spokesperson at Arkansas -- when asked about the context of Bielema's comments -- said he was making a light-hearted joke and didn't mean it as a shot at Alabama or Saban.

Ultimately, something says the Alabama fans (and Saban) will be the judge of that. Arkansas travels to Bryant-Denny Stadium on Oct. 19 next season to face Alabama. It's the final game of a grueling four-week stretch for Arkansas which starts with Texas A&M at home, Florida on the road, South Carolina at home and then the trip to Tuscaloosa.

Bielema's not the first new coach or fairly new coach in the SEC to set his sights on Saban. Vanderbilt's James Franklin called Saban "Nicky Satan" while speaking in Macon, Ga., back in January and boasted that he was going to outwork Saban. Franklin later called Saban to apologize and said he was merely making a joke and had tremendous respect for Saban and his work ethic.

The first thing that's obvious regarding both of these instances is that everybody is shooting for Alabama and Saban. That's what happens when a team wins three national titles in four years.

The other thing at play here is that new coaches in this league are looking to make a splash with their fans and recruits (remember that Lane Kiffin guy?), and sometimes they say things at outside speaking engagements they might not normally say at a news conference or while speaking to a group of reporters after practice.

That's OK, because we in the media complain all the time about coaches being robots and rarely saying what's on their mind.

Steve Spurrier is the exception, and it's refreshing any time you get an audience with the Head Ball Coach.

In Bielema's case, he'll get plenty of chances to "beat" Alabama and Saban. The two teams play every year, and the Crimson Tide have won six in a row in the series. Three of the past four games haven't been close.

Before everybody beats up too much on Bielema, the last thing Arkansas fans want to hear at a Razorback Club function is their new coach talking about how wide the gap is right now between Alabama and Arkansas. But I would also contend that Bielema might have sold the rest of the SEC a little short with his comments about "one team" being the reason the SEC is talked about all the time.

Four different schools have won national championships during the SEC's streak of seven in a row. Five SEC schools were ranked in the top 10 in the final polls last season, and six were in the top 15. There could be as many as 12 former SEC players taken in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft.

Make no mistake. Everybody's chasing Alabama right now, but there are still a ton of thoroughbreds in the race.

And simply getting to a point where you're consistently running up front in this league is the most daunting grind in college football.

SEC bloggers Chris Low and Edward Aschoff will occasionally give their takes on a burning question or hot debate facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same view. We'll let you decide which blogger is right.

With the Sweet 16 runs made by Florida Gulf Coast and La Salle capturing the hearts of the nation, we decided to check out potential Cinderellas in the SEC this fall.

Today's Take Two topic: Who has the best chance of playing SEC Cinderella in 2013 -- Auburn or Missouri?

Take 1: Edward Aschoff

Who will be the FGCU or La Salle of the SEC this fall? I’m going with the Missouri Tigers. This group was battered and bruised for most of 2012, and no one is giving them much respect at all in 2013. But those injuries should be healed up by September, and the Tigers could shock a few people this fall.

The offense was in shambles last year because neither the offensive line nor quarterback James Franklin stayed healthy. However, Missouri returns just about everyone up front and Franklin says his shoulder is better than ever. A good shoulder leads to a better throwing arm and a more confident quarterback. Plus, he’s extremely motivated to prove he’s one of the league’s best quarterbacks.

Along with that healthy line, Franklin will have a wealth of talent to work with, starting with a deep receiving corps led by Dorial Green-Beckham and Marcus Lucas, who totaled 904 yards and eight touchdowns last year, and a backfield that should have a healthy Henry Josey back. Remember, he was the Big 12’s best running back in 2011 before his devastating knee injury midway through the year.

The defense does worry me because of the holes in the front seven, but a healthier Mizzou offense will score more points next year and will make this team better equipped to challenge opposing SEC defenses. The Tigers will pull a big upset this year, and getting Florida, South Carolina and Texas A&M at home works in their favor.

Take 2: Chris Low

All this Cinderella talk has me thinking glass slippers and fairy godmothers. But, hey, we’re talking football Cinderellas, and my pick for the 2013 season is Auburn, which is coming off a train wreck of a season a year ago that saw the Tigers go winless in the SEC and Gene Chizik lose his job two years removed from winning a national title.

A familiar face on the Plains, Gus Malzahn, is back as head coach, and I have no doubt that he will find a way to put an offense on the field next season that will move the ball and score points. He’s done it everywhere he’s been. And on defense, veteran coordinator Ellis Johnson will see to it that the Tigers play to their talent level, particularly up front. They’re experienced and deep at tackle, and that’s always a good place to start in the SEC.

A fresh start should do wonders for the Tigers, who were a disjointed bunch last season. Talent wasn’t the problem. They were far more talented than they played a year ago, and Malzahn has assembled a staff loaded with SEC experience that will maximize that talent. All the Tigers need is a little confidence early, and the schedule is tailor-made for that. They play five of their first six games at home.

If Malzahn and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee can get the quarterback position up to speed, this is a team that could easily bounce back with an eight-win season and play in an attractive bowl game.

Even though senior Austyn Carta-Samuels has the inside track, Vanderbilt’s coaches want to see somebody go out and win the quarterback job this spring and/or preseason.

So far, it’s been an impressive start for Carta-Samuels, who’s competing with redshirt freshman Patton Robinette and sophomore Josh Grady for the job. True freshman Johnny McCrary is also on campus and going through spring drills.

Carta-Samuels, who served as Jordan Rodgers’ backup last season, has been sharp with his accuracy. He’s also looked good throwing the deep ball, and the Commodores certainly have a couple of guys in Chris Boyd and Jordan Matthews who can get deep and go up over cornerbacks and make plays down the field.

Boyd is 6-4 and Matthews is 6-3. Matthews was second in the SEC last season with a school-record 1,323 receiving yards, and the two combined for 13 touchdown receptions.

“I think we’re going to be able to stretch the field vertically,” Carta-Samuels said. “That’s something we haven’t done as much in the past. People probably don’t know about Jonathan Krause like they do Jordan and Chris, but he can stretch the field, too, and really put the defense in a bind. That’s something I think I’ll be able to offer this offense.”

Carta-Samuels started for two years at Wyoming before transferring following the 2010 season. He has a big arm and is down to 215 after losing 10 pounds.

“I feel faster and quicker,” he said. “Losing that weight made my arm more fluid and flexible, and I can already tell a difference.”

One of the challenges for Carta-Samuels is becoming a better practice player. He said Vanderbilt coach James Franklin and this staff have helped him better understand the importance of practice.

“I’m approaching it day-by-day and getting better every day,” Carta-Samuels said. “Practice has to be as important as the games.”

It’s no accident that Carta-Samuels ended up at Vanderbilt. His grandfather, Tom Samuels, played baseball at Vanderbilt. Carta-Samuels was also recruited by the Commodores out of high school when Bobby Johnson was the coach, but said he never received a scholarship offer.

“My grandfather is a huge reason why I came here,” Carta-Samuels said. “He told me, ‘Vanderbilt changed my life, and I want it to change yours.’ Now that I’m here, it’s like all my dreams being fulfilled.”

He's not the last member of the family who will play for the Commodores. His younger brother, Kyle Carta-Samuels of San Jose, Calif., has already committed to Vanderbilt and plans to sign as part of the 2014 class. The younger Carta-Samuels is an ESPN Watch List prospect.

For the first time since his senior year of high school, Missouri senior quarterback James Franklin’s shoulder isn’t killing him.

Franklin said his shoulder was never 100 percent during his first three years at Missouri, and while there’s still a little pain here and there when he throws it isn’t an annoyance, it doesn’t mess with his aura and it’s minuscule compared to what he felt in 2012. Doctors have also informed him that the pain he feels now will eventually disappear completely.

“I feel like just got a brand new pair of shoes with me,” Franklin said last week in a phone interview with ESPN.com. “It feels and looks sweet, and that’s how I’m feeling right now.”

Franklin said his shoulder felt fine during 7-on-7 work, but he really felt good after slinging the ball around when practice opened last week. It was a monster weight lifted off the, uh, shoulders, of someone who was a human bandage the past two years.

Franklin suffered around 10 nagging injuries -- which affected his ankles, ribs, fingers, hamstring and chest -- during his breakout sophomore season, but that pales in comparison to 2012.

Franklin was basically working with a noodle for a right arm after undergoing shoulder surgery to repair a sprained glenohumeral joint last spring and then dealing with an inflamed bursa sac for most of the fall. The two most important assets a quarterback has, Franklin said, are your brain and your throwing shoulder. For Franklin, his throwing shoulder, or “bread and butter,” was in shambles.

“If our bread and butter is stale and crusty and outdated, you get sick and then die,” Franklin said with a laugh.

Obviously, Franklin is alive and well, but with his shoulder completely out of whack, Franklin was a shell of his former, big-play self and his confidence took a major hit.

“It would hurt every time I would throw, but it wasn’t to the extent to where it would make it worse,” he said. “I knew that in the back of my head, but I still let it affect my decision making because I was starting to doubt myself and thinking, ‘OK, when is it going to hurt?’ ‘I need to take some off of this [throw],’ or maybe, ‘Oh, I can’t make that throw because it hurts too much.’”

Franklin only played in nine games last year, starting eight, and threw for just 1,562 yards and 10 touchdowns to seven interceptions, while rushing for 122 yards. He had the whole Cortisone refusal issue, had his toughness questioned and later suffered a knee injury and a concussion.

Last year was hell for Franklin, but he feels refreshed this spring, even if he still can’t get too comfortable with Corbin Berkstresser, who played in 10 games last year, and redshirt freshman Maty Mauk, who is drawing comparisons to former Mizzou standout Brad Smith, contending for his job.

Franklin understands that he’s in a fight, but he doesn’t feel any more pressure. His health has his confidence soaring and he’s motivated by the competition and a dismal fall. So far, Franklin is enjoying the competition because it’s making both parties better.

“It’s kind of like a two-for-one special at about $5 even, no tax included,” he joked. “I’m excited about that.”

He’s also excited about working with Mauk, who has the Mizzou fan base buzzing. The Parade All-American and two-time Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year, has become a program favorite and is really gunning for the No. 1 spot.

That’s fine, Franklin said, because it gives him the opportunity to teach the quarterback of the future and learn a thing or two.

But Franklin isn’t ready to tell the frosh that just yet.

“I may not necessarily tell him I’m learning from him, but I’m taking some things here and there,” he said.

Welcome to the Madness.

The NCAA tournament cranked up Tuesday night and begins in earnest on Thursday.

We here at the SEC blog love our college hoops and will pay tribute to the Big Dance with our own little SEC football tournament.

Edward and I will both seed all 14 SEC football teams based on how we think they would be seeded going into the 2013 season, and then we’ll “fill out our brackets” all the way through the championship game.

We’ll have different sites and everything, including doubleheaders in the first round. The top two seeds will get byes into the second round, meaning the No. 3 seed will face the No. 14 seed, the No. 4 seed facing the No. 13 seed and so forth in the first round.

Talk about a football smorgasbord. Consider it a precursor of sorts for the four-team national playoff, which begins in 2014.

I’ll kick it off with my bracket, and then the ATL Kid will follow later this morning with his. Sort of like Jimi Hendrix closing the show at Woodstock, I figure the defending champion in the SEC picks contest gets the honor of closing our brackets show.

So after careful consideration and consultation with the selection committee, I’ll unveil my seeds:

• 1. Alabama
• 2. South Carolina
• 3. Georgia
• 4. Texas A&M
• 5. Florida
• 6. LSU
• 7. Vanderbilt
• 8. Auburn
• 9. Ole Miss
• 10. Mississippi State
• 11. Missouri
• 12. Arkansas
• 13. Tennessee
• 14. Kentucky

FIRST ROUND

In Nashville Tenn.

No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 14 Kentucky: Mark Stoops has already made some gains on the recruiting trail, but the Wildcats aren’t ready to win a game like this. Winner: Georgia

No. 6 LSU vs. No. 11 Missouri: The “Bayou” version of the Tigers lost a slew of starters on defense, and while they’re still plenty talented on that side of the ball, Missouri finds a way to pull the first-round upset. Winner: Missouri

In Kansas City, Mo.

No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 13 Tennessee: The Vols can’t possibly be any worse on defense than they were a year ago. But trying to corral Johnny Football makes a lot of defenses look bad. Winner: Texas A&M

No. 5 Florida vs. No. 12 Arkansas: Finding more pop in the passing game is a must for the Gators, who will again be a load on defense and too much for the Hogs to handle. Winner: Florida

In Tampa, Fla.

No. 7 Vanderbilt vs. No. 10 Mississippi State: Don’t sleep on James Franklin and the Commodores. They’re serious about making a run in the East race. Winner: Vanderbilt

No. 8 Auburn vs. No. 9 Ole Miss: The most hotly contested first-round battle goes into overtime, but Ellis Johnson’s defense forces a clutch turnover to save the Tigers. Winner: Auburn

SECOND ROUND

In Orlando, Fla.

No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 8 Auburn: They could play the Iron Bowl in a parking lot in Des Moines, Iowa, and the rivalry would still be as fierce as ever. The Tigers hang tough, but AJ McCarron’s three touchdown passes are too much. Winner: Alabama

In New Orleans, La.

No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 5 Florida: Johnny Manziel gets another shot at that Florida defense after being shut down in the second half last season in College Station. This time, he gets it done in the clutch. Winner: Texas A&M

In Houston, Texas

No. 2 South Carolina vs. No. 7 Vanderbilt: The Gamecocks’ Jadeveon Clowney doesn’t send any helmets flying in this game, but he does make life miserable for the entire Vanderbilt offense. Winner: South Carolina

In Charlotte, N.C.

No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 11 Missouri: The Tigers’ Cinderella run comes to an end, as Aaron Murray surpasses 120 touchdown passes for his career with two long scoring tosses to Malcolm Mitchell. Winner: Georgia

SEMIFINALS

In Miami, Fla.

No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Texas A&M: These two teams are becoming fast rivals, and the two quarterbacks put on a show. But in the end, Manziel foils the Tide once again. Before the mass uproar commences in Tuscaloosa, at some point, Alabama is going to lose again in a postseason/championship game. Winner: Texas A&M

In Arlington, Texas

No. 2 South Carolina vs. No. 3 Georgia: South Carolina has owned Georgia the past three years, but the Bulldogs bite back this time. Jordan Jenkins outshines Clowney and registers the game-saving sack in the fourth quarter. Winner: Georgia

CHAMPIONSHIP

In Atlanta, Ga.

No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 3 Georgia: If you love offense, then you’re stoked about the championship game. Manziel has carried the Aggies to this point, while the Bulldogs have thrown the ball and run the ball with equal success. Both defenses have trouble stopping the other offense, but Murray leads the Bulldogs on a last-minute drive -- and this time -- there are no tipped passes inside the 10. Georgia 35, Texas A&M 31.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Vanderbilt opens spring practice on Friday with the kind of momentum this program has rarely enjoyed.

The Commodores own the SEC’s longest active winning streak at seven straight games. They won nine games a year ago for the first time in nearly 100 years.

But one of the surest signs the Commodores are on the right track as they enter Year No. 3 under James Franklin is the depth they’ve built and the size and strength of the players on the roster now.

“The biggest difference is the defensive line, and hopefully, the offensive line,” Franklin said. “We have a chance to be close to 300 pounds across the offensive line and four deep at defensive tackle. We haven’t had that before.”

The Commodores redshirted all of their true freshmen offensive linemen last season, and Franklin said it’s just a better looking group all the way around.

“Two years ago at offensive tackle, we were about 260 or 257 and got up around 285,” Franklin said. “By the end of last year, Wesley Johnson was back down to 265. Think about playing in the SEC at offensive tackle at 265. That’s high school.

“We have a chance to be 300 pounds or close to it along the offensive line, 300 at defensive tackle, 250 at defensive end, and the other area is tight end. Kris Kentera was 217 last year and 235 now.”

On defense, senior end Walker May is up to 250 pounds. He came to Vanderbilt as a freshman at 208 pounds and played at 235 last season. Junior end Kyle Woestmann is up to 255, and sophomore end Caleb Azubike is now 269. Azubike played at 247 last season.

Franklin said the Commodores still have to do their share of projecting during the recruiting process in terms of which players can put on weight and transition to a different position. But they’re also bringing in more guys, similar to highly rated defensive tackle signee Jay Woods, who are closer to being SEC-ready when they arrive.

“We’re doing a little bit of both instead of all projections now,” Franklin said. “For us to think we can go out and sign 25 players who are all going to walk in here looking like SEC players, that’s not going to happen. We’ll have more misses and more mistakes that way. Everybody wants those guys.

“We’ll take half of those guys and others who may take a year and a half to get there. Where we’ve really improved is our training table, our supplements and our strength coach.”