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1. I thought from the get-go that Florida offensive line coach Tim Davis's reference to Alabama coach Nick Saban as “the devil himself” sounded like a measure of respect wrapped in a throwaway joke. I think that’s how it should have been taken. The way I hear it, when Gator coaches hear that Alabama is looking at a recruit, they watch the recruit’s video very carefully. They don’t afford that level of respect to any other staff, whether the head coach has horns or not.

2. Texas A&M signee Kohl Stewart is supposed to be one of five quarterbacks reporting for summer workouts next month. The question is how long he will stay. ESPN.com insider Keith Law projects the Minnesota Twins will take Stewart with the fourth pick of the Major League Baseball Draft on June 6. That’s why the Aggies also signed quarterback Kenny Hill in February, and why both prospects had no problem signing with the same program. “They understood the whole time,” head coach Kevin Sumlin said.

3. I went to see Brad Paisley in Hartford on Saturday night (if you get the opportunity to see him, go) and in the middle of a very entertaining hour-and-40-minute set, he delivered a quick one-liner about everyone’s favorite former Notre Dame linebacker. From his 2007 album 5th Gear, Paisley played “Online,” a song about assumed identity on the internet. Except that he called it, “Online, or The Ballad of Manti Te'o.”

Edward Aschoff speaks with Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin.

Johnny Manziel has always played football like he didn’t have a care in the world.

It’s one of the many things that makes him so good, so instinctive and so entertaining.

Hey, it works for him.

So as he embarks on life after the Heisman Trophy (both on and off the field), he’s not going to change a whole lot.

In fact, he’s going to endeavor to be himself more than ever going forward.

“It’s hard sometimes, but I’m at the point now that I don’t care what people say,” Manziel said. “Everybody’s watching, and I understand that. For me, the spotlight wasn’t there at all, and then just like that, it was everywhere I went. It took some getting used to, but it’s getting better.

“I’m not going to quit being me and quit doing all the things I love, but I check with a lot more people now before I do anything.”

In other words, Manziel rarely leaves campus without first checking in with Texas A&M’s compliance officials.

He’s also sought assistance on how to deal with the unrelenting requests for autographs and pictures. He’s taking online courses only this semester and won’t start back taking classes on campus until the summer session.

“No matter how badly you want to, you can’t make everybody happy,” Manziel said. “They brought in somebody to help me with that, learning how to say no, and yet, still be polite.”

There's been progress. Manziel said he and his roommate and best friend, Steven Brant, recently went to a restaurant to eat and walked in and walked out without much disturbance.

“Every day, it gets a little better,” said Manziel, who doesn't apologize for being one of those people who loves to have a good time.

On a college campus, how many people don't fall into that boat?

He’s become a celebrity among the celebrities. Rapper Drake tweeted at Manziel last week, and Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin joked that Manziel has LeBron James on speed dial.

Manziel has also become friends with several other high-profile college football players and is a huge fan of the game. He and Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron talked about hanging out together at spring break. But their breaks were one week different, and it didn’t work out.

Manziel has also developed a friendship with USC receiver Marqise Lee, and when it comes to watching college football, two of his favorites are Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota and Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd.

This week, with the Aggies having wrapped up spring practice, Manziel is going back home to Kerrville, Texas, for a ceremony to honor him.

“It’s the first time I’ve been back in a while, and it will be good to see everybody,” he said.

He’s fresh off throwing for 303 yards and three touchdowns in Texas A&M’s spring game last weekend. Granted, Manziel was going against the second-team defense, but he looked more polished in the pocket.

“I’m still going to be looking to make plays and still get positive yardage any way I can, but I want to play more within the system,” Manziel said. “I’ve honed in on my mechanics and honed in on the little things that make you a good quarterback.”

That said, don’t think for a minute that the streetball version of Johnny Football is going anywhere.

“I call it Michael Vick ball, and that’s always going to be a part of my game,” Manziel said.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- In all its crystal glory, college football's national championship trophy made a brief stop at Kyle Field on Saturday.

Parked on the sideline for a live television shot during Texas A&M's Maroon-and-White spring football game as well as for photo opportunities for those who walked by, it was a seemingly symbolic placement of the sport's most coveted piece of hardware, mere feet from a team that might have a realistic chance to hoist it next January.

Yes, it currently belongs to Alabama, the reigning BCS champions, and it will remain that way for the months to come. However, the Aggies were the only team in 2012 to defeat the Crimson Tide, and if they are able to repeat that accomplishment in September, the Aggies should control their own destiny in the title chase.

But that's many months away. In the meantime, the nation got its first extended glimpse of the 2013 Aggies, a team that could be ranked in the preseason top five come August. The score was Maroon (offense) 43, and White (defense) 23, but that mattered little. What the record crowd of 45,212 came to see were how the Aggies looked and, more specifically, what their reigning Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Johnny Manziel, would do.

Johnny Football didn't disappoint. He was 24 of 30 for 303 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions against an overmatched second-team Aggies defense. He got out of the pocket and scrambled a few times (three carries, 18 yards) but that was not going to be part of the show today in interest of keeping him healthy. Nobody was going to touch Manziel, although he almost found himself in harm's way anyways when he tried to throw a cut block on sophomore defensive back Sam Moeller to pave the way for a Brandon Williams touchdown.

Just one of those Johnny Football moments for the redshirt sophomore.

"I went up and apologized to Sam after it," Manziel said. "The way I am and the way my motor drives me, it was just an instinct play. As much as Coach [Kevin] Sumlin was shaking his head and wasn't happy about it, it was more of 'Hey, in a game, this is how it would have been.' It just naturally took over for me."

He stayed healthy, as did most of the rest of the players who played. The only notable injury to come out of Saturday's scrimmage was an MCL sprain for junior linebacker Tommy Sanders, who'll be ready in the fall.

Several other things about the 2013 Aggies became clear on Saturday. Williams showed why he was such a coveted recruit coming out of Brookshire (Texas) Royal High School, racking up a team-high 59 rushing yards on seven carries and catching three passes for 29 yards while recording a rushing and a receiving touchdown. The Aggies' starting running back from 2012, Ben Malena, is back, as is Trey Williams, who contributed as a true freshman. Adding Williams and Oregon transfer Tra Carson to the mix (both sat out per NCAA transfer rules last season) adds more dimensions to the Aggies' backfield and their offense.

"Brandon Williams is very talented. He's a home run threat from anywhere on the field," Texas A&M offensive coordinator Clarence McKinney said. "We plan on [using all four backs]. ... It's a good problem to have. The thing about those four guys, is that they all bring something different to the table."

While the defense didn't have its best of days, it can be taken with a grain of salt with three surefire starters sidelined by injury and another two defensive linemen who have taken first-team reps also sitting out. The unit out there Saturday isn't exactly what will suit up for the Aggies this fall.

What the Aggies are hoping to develop is leadership. Defensive coordinator Mark Snyder said that safety Howard Matthews is emerging as a leader, as is middle linebacker Donnie Baggs. Having that presence is critical because the Aggies waved goodbye to two of their best defensive leaders, linebackers Sean Porter and Jonathan Stewart, who both graduated.

But plenty of the signs Aggies fans were looking for were present on Saturday. Manziel looked in top form. So did sophomore receiver Mike Evans. The offensive line -- though missing soon-to-be first-round pick Luke Joeckel and graduated center Patrick Lewis -- is coming together well. The remainder of a top-10 recruiting class is on the way in the fall and could produce a few more quick contributors.

Manziel will go back to work and team up with George Whitfield Jr., the private quarterback coach he worked with last summer. Manziel said he's ready to eliminate any doubts about what is ahead for him and this year's Texas A&M squad.

"The big conversation that [Whitfield and I] had before Alabama was 'Be a dragon slayer, slay the dragon,' " Manziel said. "Now there's a big dragon out there for us with all the people that are doubting A&M and all the people that are doubting me that last year was a fluke. So that's a chip on my shoulder and that's a dragon we need to slay this year."

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin isn't the type to dwell on comparisons, particularly as the calendar pages turn each year in college football.

Sure, there are holdovers that were around and played the year before, but all in all, he looks at each of his teams as a new one.

"From my standpoint it's always a new team; it's always a new personality," Sumlin said. "As coaches what you're trying to do is figure out where you are, who can do what and put them in the best position to try to win games."

Going along with this new Aggies team is a new set of expectations. At this time a year ago, many across the country thought Texas A&M was headed for a buzz saw in the SEC and some even felt the Aggies would be fortunate to earn a bowl berth.

Instead, Texas A&M destroyed perception and created their own, new reality, one that had them finish the season fifth in the national rankings and winning 11 games for the first time since 1998.

As a result, the Aggies will enter this fall as a highly-ranked team in the preseason, perhaps in the top five, after being unranked going into last season. Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel said the Aggies are trying to keep the same approach they did a season ago despite the change in outside perception.

"I feel like we're doing all right," Manziel said. "We're still out here just playing football, doing the same thing that we did last year. We didn't have a lot of expectations last year. There's a lot more talk this year. For us, it's just to continue to make sure that we do the things that got us to where we are today."

In many ways, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback's change in status over the course of the last year is a microcosm of how perception and expectations of Texas A&M have changed. During spring football a year ago, few outside of College Station, Texas, or Manziel's previous Texas hometowns, Kerrville and Tyler, knew his name.

Now, he has a nickname -- "Johnny Football" -- that is known across the college football landscape. With a full offseason and a 13 games worth of game footage to break down Manziel's game, it's natural to think that opposing coaches, particularly those in the SEC, will be better prepared for Manziel, who befuddled defenses all last season.

Manziel, again, said he plans to keep doing what he has been.

"Coaches are going to scheme just like they always do," Manziel said. "Some might have one game [circled] on their calendar, but I highly doubt it. This was the same talk whenever we were in the Cotton Bowl and they [Oklahoma] had a month to prepare. That didn't really work out well for them.

"If they want three months, four months, whatever, we're OK with it. We're going to be here trying to get better and trying to make sure we're going to outplay them on Saturday."

Aggies offensive coordinator Clarence McKinney said he likes the position the team is in.

"I'd rather be in the position we are now than in the position we were in last year," McKinney said. "We'd rather be at the top, getting hunted. That means we're always out front, rather than not being ranked and having to climb so far."

The Aggies also know that because they are hunted, they must continue to push if they want to repeat or improve on last year's success.

"When Coach Sumlin first got here last year, he told us that we had enough talent to beat anybody," running back Ben Malena said. "Now that we know for a fact that we have enough talent and a new group of guys coming in, we know that this year we have a target on our back.

"The work ethic of the team collectively has stepped up even more. We know last year's success was last year's success, but this year's success will be even harder because now you have a target on your back."

There’s no point in trying to sugarcoat this for Texas A&M: The Aggies have become the hunted.

A year after the real training began for their official move to the SEC from the Big 12, the Aggies enter spring practice with loftier expectations and more eyes fixated on them. They can no longer be considered the supposed ragtag group that was expected to struggle for relevance in their new home.

After shocking their new conference mates with 11 wins, including one over eventual national champion Alabama in Tuscaloosa, A&M enters spring figuratively glancing over its shoulder.

"Now that we know for a fact that we have enough talent and a new group of guys coming in, we know that this year we have a target on our back,” rising senior running back Ben Malena said. “The workouts have stepped up even more. The work ethic of the team collectively has stepped up even more. Coach [Kevin] Sumlin, he's let us know that last year's success was last year's success, but this year's success is gonna be even harder because now you have a target on your back."

Teams don’t lead the SEC in scoring (44.5 points per game), rushing (242.1 yards per game), passing (316.5 YPG) and total offense (558.5 YPG) in their first season in a new conference without feeling the heat in Year 2. And this league intends to bring more than just the heat to the Aggies.

If A&M is going to make strides in 2013, it has to push for conference supremacy. It'll have to be better than it was in 2012, and it'll have to pursue dethroning the mighty Crimson Tide. It's a tough job, but it really is the next step.

To do that, Sumlin and his crew will have to work even harder than they did last season. Players will have to be willing to sweat, bleed and push even more as the Aggies enter spring shorthanded once again.

Johnny Manziel and his Heisman award-winning slipperiness returns, but he’ll be without five offensive starters from 2012, including left tackle Luke Joeckel, who could be a top-five pick in April’s NFL draft, and veteran receivers Ryan Swope and Uzoma Nwachukwu, who combined for 98 catches, 1,398 yards and 15 touchdowns last year. Offensive coordinator and major Manziel mentor Kliff Kingsbury also left to become the head coach at Texas Tech.

Defensively, five starters from the front seven are gone, including All-America defensive end Damontre Moore and top-notch linebackers Jonathan Stewart and Sean Porter. Dustin Harris and Steven Terrell must also be replaced in the secondary.

“We got a lot of young guys -- a bunch of new guys,” defensive coordinator Mark Snyder said of his defense.

And those youngsters need to learn quickly because the injury bug attacked the defense this spring, especially up front. It’s a necessary evil, but getting young players these kinds of reps excites Snyder because it helps with depth, which the Aggies need.

Not only did A&M lose two valuable linebackers but a wide receiver was moved to the position this spring and linebackers coach Matt Wallerstedt was replaced by Mark Hagen, giving the Aggies even more change to deal with.

"There will be some challenges there,” Snyder said about the new faces on defense, “but that's what makes spring ball fun."

What will also be fun is finding out who the new leaders are.

Senior Toney Hurd Jr., who is battling for a starting safety spot, has been pegged as one of those new leaders. He’s always led by example, and Hurd knows younger players are looking up to veterans like him. He’ll have to come through because, although the talent might be there, inexperience needs guidance.

"I wouldn't say I'll be this year's Sean Porter, but I'll be this year's Tony Hurd Jr.,” he said. “I'll give the vocal leadership when needed.”

Some interesting months lie ahead for the Aggies, as they look to make more upward moves in 2013. But before A&M can worry about challenging Alabama -- or anyone, really -- Sumlin needs his team to get better. He needs youngsters to take advantage of more reps and he needs the veterans to evolve on the field and in the locker room.

It sounds clichéd, but it's true.

To be elite again and embrace this new-found target on its back, A&M needs even more resolve and toughness in Year 2. And to Sumlin, it’ll be quite an uphill battle.

"We're nowhere near that stage,” he said. “I've said that from every standpoint, from every aspect of this program, we're still playing catch-up to everybody in the SEC.

"From my standpoint it's always a new team, it's always a new personality. As coaches, what you're trying to do is figure out where you are, who can do what and put them in the best position to try to win games."

Johnny Manziel gets it.

Despite the photo ops, the newfound celebrity status and all those public sightings well away from College Station, Texas, Johnny Football understands there’s a place for fame and a place for football.

In a recent interview with ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit, Manziel spoke as if he understood exactly what’s in store for him when it comes to maneuvering around the hype. He’ll be all over preseason magazines, he’ll be followed and followed some more, and his name will be plastered all over any and everything associated with college football.

“I’ve always had the football and school and stuff like that, but it’s that outside stuff now that really makes my life, not really a clutter, but more busy and always doing stuff,” Manziel told Herbstreit.

Texas A&M’s quarterback saw his life completely change in early December when he was announced as the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner. He was already one of the most exciting players to watch in college football, and he became a living legend as the first freshman to take home the coveted bronze statue.

If he hadn’t won it, Manziel would still be idolized, but he wouldn’t be worshiped and he wouldn’t be lumped in with Alabama as the center of attention in college football.

He wouldn’t be an iPhone camera’s fantasy and wouldn’t be scrutinized as much for being courtside at an NBA game. His trick-shot video would be just another Internet link and his face wouldn’t be everywhere we looked.

Such is life for the sport’s most famous player. In the gossip-filled world that we unfortunately live in, Manziel will be hunted and his character will be tested, and he’ll have to prove every day that he can put his team in front of his famous visage.

Manziel described his life as “pure chaos” since winning the Heisman. Wherever he’s gone, a camera -- or 20 -- has followed. He gets bombarded with autograph and photo requests. He’s fighting to keep his Johnny Football name to himself. And he’s had to battle all those wonderful haters, who wish every day that they could step inside his shoes for just a moment.

That isn’t going to stop, so Manziel has to combat it while managing a top-five football team.

Manziel’s plate might be blanketed with off-field distractions, but as spring practice gets under way for the Aggies, it’s time for him to set his celebrity image aside, and he knows that. He understands that the off-field fun and games are over -- for now -- and that it’s time to concentrate on the X's and O's.

He has to understand that the football portion of his life is beginning again, and if this team, which lost some valuable moving parts from the 2012 season, is going to make a run at an SEC title or more, he has to be the field general he was last year.

Johnny Football must trample Johnny Paparazzi.

And it sounds like Manziel is ready to do that. He seemed very honest and genuine during his interview and even went as far to say that he doesn’t understand all the hoopla surrounding him. He still believes he’s the same Johnny who redshirted 2011 and he downplays his popularity.

Clearly things are much different, but it has to be refreshing for his head coach to hear his humility. The last thing Kevin Sumlin needs is a diva running things under center.

Manziel finished the interview talking about the NFL, which is an awkward conversation for anyone in his position. He needs only one more year at A&M before he can make the jump to the NFL, and he didn’t tiptoe around the fact that he’s considered making the leap after the 2013 season.

He knows it could be just another distraction to weigh him down, but Manziel isn't shy about the NFL. Manziel spoke honestly, and that honesty will keep it from being a real distraction.

“For me, I’m enjoying my time here for sure, and if that comes calling, just like anybody else, the decision will have to be made,” he said. “But like I said, I’m very happy here and very happy with Coach Sumlin and college football. I love it.”

And to continue his magical run, he’ll have to have even more love for it in 2013.

Mike Aresco's five months on the job as Big East commissioner has been anything but routine. The former CBS Sports executive vice president of programming has seen Notre Dame, Rutgers, Louisville, Boise State and San Diego State make plans to leave his conference since he took the job. He has seen the "Catholic 7" basketball schools break off in an effort to form their own conference, while he has added Tulane and East Carolina, the latter currently set to enter as a football-only member. There is also the matter of negotiating a new television deal.

With moving days taking part across the blogs this week, we caught up with Aresco to talk about incoming 2013 members Central Florida, Houston, Memphis and SMU, as well as several other topics facing the Big East.

Obviously there's a lot out there right now about the TV deal. Where do you guys stand with that, and do you need a 12th school immediately to move forward with any further TV negotiations or deal?

Mike Aresco: I think we are getting closer. The TV doesn't really depend on whether we add another team or teams. I think our position has been that we're not interested in numbers just for numbers' sake. We don't need to be 14 or 16 teams or any of that. We just want to make sure we have the right teams and the right mix athletically, academically. And right now, as you know, we're at 10 with Navy going to join in '15. And Louisville/Rutgers -- if they leave after next year, we're not sure yet -- but if they leave after next year, we would replace them and have 10 and we would also have Navy coming in obviously a year later. At this point, we would definitely look at a 12th, because you'd want even divisions if you ultimately go to a championship game, which I think is our goal. We don't absolutely have to do that, but we think that that's what we would want to do. You can play unbalanced divisions, but it's not a great idea. It just isn't. So I think in that sense we would look at perhaps adding another team -- you know the usual suspects, you've heard those. And I don't know when we would make that decision. We've got some meetings coming up, we call it our group of 11 schools, and we could make a preliminary decision as to whether we want to expand, in probably the next several weeks, and then determine just what we want to do. And then if we did expand, [we'd choose] that team. But in terms of our football, I think everybody's fine playing as a 10-team league until we get Navy in. If we feel the need to expand, great.

But you mention some of the teams, I think our conference is really built on some programs that have had success and that really have a lot of potential. We look at SMU, and June Jones has done well there, but I think their best years are still ahead of them. Houston a couple years ago, obviously a tremendous season with Kevin Sumlin. Again, they need to sustain that. Same thing, USF has had years when they've been highly ranked and had good seasons. And UCF, you've seen what UCF has done, very strong program with good facilities. I think what we're looking to do is with our group from the North, Cincinnati, [Tommy] Tuberville there now. UConn. Temple, Al Golden left a program that was definitely rebuilt, and they have to sustain that. And eventually Navy, East Carolina with a great fan base. It's a good group of schools that frankly need to probably develop a storyline, now that we're going to be together. The schools haven't played together before. But I think they're all spending money, they're all trying to improve. Many of them are in big markets. I didn't mention Memphis -- they're spending a lot on their programs, and I didn't mention Tulane, they'll stay until 2014. Houston, building a new stadium.

So I think it's a story of growth. That's what we're looking for, we're trying to grow. We think we can compete. Our goal is to be competing with the five conferences that are perceived as the five power conferences. As you know, we were one of the six, we're still one of the six BCS conferences, but we know that we have to fight and try to be, again, a challenger, to challenge those other five. And that's why I think TV and exposure and marketing and promotion are really important. I think we've got some good brands, some good schools, but there's a lot of untapped potential there.

You mentioned Rutgers and Louisville in passing there. Do you plan ahead as if next year will be their last year in this conference? Where do you guys stand with them as it relates to that?

MA: Don't know yet, Matt, we're still negotiating with them. I think they would probably want to leave after '14, and if a reasonable settlement can be negotiated, we'll certainly look at that. We just haven't made any decision yet. They're definitely in for this year, and then the question is whether they would stay through '14.

Similar with Notre Dame. I know they announced last week that they were going to be in there for at least one more year. Would you envision that being their last year there?

MA: Again, all three of those schools have a commitment through the summer of '15 and then the question comes whether they would stay that extra year. That's going to depend on what kind of agreement we negotiate with them. We certainly have shown a willingness to engage in those kinds of negotiations.

With all the moving parts, do you plan or foresee a nine-game conference schedule in the future?

MA: We don't right now. It's something we could look at, but right now we plan to do an eight-game conference schedule. As you know, a lot of conferences are adopting nine games. Again, we'll either be at ... 11 or 12 [in 2015], '14 we'll either be 10 or 11. I think our membership has expressed preference for eight games. Eight conference games allows them to play more nonconference games. But that's something we can revisit certainly.

As you guys move forward, as the landscape itself moves forward, what are your plans as it relates to bowl tie-ins? What do you guys hope to accomplish in those negotiations?

MA: We'd like to certainly keep the tie-ins we have; we have some good ones. It's a fluid situation. We also could look at some others that make some sense. Again, the conference now will have schools from Texas, from Carolina, very attractive. I think our goal will be to make sure we're in a variety of bowls in a variety of locations so we have nice experiences for our fans and teams. We're definitely talking. We know that that next round is coming up soon. There's going to be some change, we realize that. Could we have some slightly different bowl configurations? We could. But we really like the bowls we're involved in, whether it's the Russell Athletic, or it's the Belk, or it's the Pinstripe, the Liberty, the BBVA Compass. Go down the list, we've got good bowls. But we're going to look at others, too. And we're a bigger conference, Matt, than we were. We'll be at 10 this year, then we'll be potentially at some point 11 and maybe 12. That could give us a chance to develop more tie-ins.

I've seen you touch on this earlier in other interviews. East Carolina, is that a school you want to become a full member eventually?

MA: That's something we haven't decided yet. We're going to take a hard look at that very soon. I think that would certainly be their preference. We haven't made any decisions yet, but we would certainly give that a lot of consideration.

What about the name? I know there's been so much debate about who gets it, who's negotiating with what, what the real Big East is and so forth. How does that play out in your mind in terms of the Big East name? Is that something you really want to fight hard to keep? Do you think maybe a fresher approach would be best for the conference? What's your take on that?

MA: Yeah, people have speculated either way on that. I think our feeling is we would fight hard for it because we think that you can do a fresh approach and keep the name. We would talk about the new Big East or the reinvented Big East, because it isn't the same Big East it was a few months ago. We can't pretend it is. We've had 12 teams leave in the interim for various reasons, and no one's fault, but the point is we know we're a different conference even though we are the Big East. The Big East has tremendous brand equity built up over a lot of years, in basketball and in football. And so consequently our preference would be to keep the name and just rebuild our league and rebuild the brand. I don't think it needs much rebuilding, but clearly when you've had some of the publicity we've had, you need to deal with that and we will. So we think going forward with that brand, with that brand equity is more advantageous than not.

To go off that a little bit, what is it about this conference that you think makes it an elite conference moving forward? What are some of the characteristics that are going to make you a real player in the years to come?

MA: I think we have a real chance to be a player. I think that we have schools that historically have had success, that are in good markets, that have good brands, that have not played together and, as I said, have not developed a storyline yet. But if you look around and you look at the individual programs, they have good potential, they'll play good opponents and I think that they will hold their own. I think you've got schools in talent-rich states. You've got schools with good fan support. You've got schools, again, as I said, in big markets. And take it one by one. Again, Cincinnati with Tommy Tuberville, and they've had a history of hiring excellent coaches. One of the goals of our conference is to hold on to our coaches as long as we can. And you know that head coaches come in, do a great job and move on. We'd like to hold on to them, but if we don't, we'd like to get the next great coach to come along. We had Brian Kelly in this conference. We had Brady Hoke at San Diego State, which didn't end up joining the Big East. You had a lot of terrific coaches around. Kevin Sumlin, look what he's done. And we need to retain them.

But Cincinnati and Tuberville. Connecticut's done a great job over a 10-year period of building a program. Then you've got Navy, everybody loves Navy; they play good football. Temple, again, has just real potential in Philadelphia, has to realize it and it will. East Carolina, solid football program, will gain a lot more attention and exposure in the Big East than it did where they were. And UCF, you've seen what they've done. You've seen what USF has done over the years. USF a little disappointing recently but thinking they've got the coach that is going to take them to the next level. Memphis is spending a lot of money and resources on the program. They have real potential as well. Tulane, new stadium, rich recruiting area. They've had success historically in football. Katrina set them back but they're spending money, they've got the will and determination to get better. And the same thing with Houston and SMU. And as those schools get better they'll garner a lot of attention. Look at SMU, you saw what they did in the bowl game. And you saw what June Jones has done the last few years. So I think there's real potential. There's also a history of achievement. Not necessarily sustained achievement; they haven't had consistently great seasons sometimes -- that doesn't mean that we can't do that.

And one other thing, Matt, I would say: The Big East brand and the Big East conference has always elevated anyone who joined, and I think that's still going to be true. If you look at the history of Louisville coming into the conference, [they] didn't have programs like they have now. Tom Jurich has always credited the Big East with part of their success. Same thing with Frank Beamer and Virginia Tech. He'll always maintain that if it weren't for their time in the Big East, they never could've built their program and their brand. So I think we've always been a scrappy conference. We've had to reinvent ourselves a few times, we've done it successfully, we'll do it again. We also view ourselves as a challenger brand, meaning we're going to challenge. Perception is important. We need to show people that we've got a strong group of schools that are going to compete at a high level, and the goal obviously is to make sure we have the resources. And we'll look at TV. We'll do well enough on the TV in terms of finances, you've read about some of that. And we have resources in our conference, we're part of the BCS for one more year. Going forward we're still part of, I don't know what the whole system's going to be called, but we'll have significant revenue from that. And we'll have other sources of revenue in our conference. So financially we're in good shape. And we think our schools will have the resources to do what they need to do to compete.

National signing day is just around the corner (Feb. 6), and with things really, really heating up on the recruiting trail, we thought we'd take a look at how all 14 SEC teams are doing when it comes to finding the next college stars.

The SEC currently has five teams ranked in the top 10 of ESPN's RecruitingNation class rankings and 12 in the top 40. Florida, which has 26 commitments, including 11 in the ESPN 150, owns the nation's No. 1 class. Alabama is second with 22 pledges (10 ESPN 150 members).

Here's how the entire SEC is doing with only a week left until pens are put to paper:

ALABAMA

2013 verbal commitments: 22

Spotlight: Yulee, Fla., athlete Derrick Henry is big, physical and very athletic. Plus, he's already on campus. He's versatile and could play multiple positions at the college level. After breaking the national high school career rushing yards record, he'll probably spend most of his time in Alabama's backfield.

ESPN 150 members: 10 (Henry; WR Robert Foster of Monaca, Pa.; DE Jonathan Allen of Ashburn, Va.; DE Tim Williams of Baton Rouge, La.; TE-H O.J. Howard of Prattville, Ala.; RB Altee Tenpenny of North Little Rock, Ark.; QB-PP Cooper Bateman of Salt Lake City, Utah; RB Tyren Jones of Marietta, Ga.; CB Maurice Smith of Sugar Land, Texas; OG Grant Hill of Huntsville, Ala.)

ARKANSAS

2013 verbal commitments: 17

Spotlight: Tight end Hunter Henry of Little Rock, Ark., is the gem of this class after being very active on the offensive side in high school. He isn't the greatest blocker, but he creates mismatches over the middle of the field with his size and speed. There was some concern that he might go elsewhere, but Bret Bielema and his staff secured his commitment earlier this month.

ESPN 150 members: 1 (Henry)

AUBURN

2013 verbal commitments: 19

Spotlight: Defensive end Carl Lawson of Alpharetta, Ga., is the headliner of this class, but he's looking around a bit at other schools. Clemson and Tennessee are still in the race for Lawson's services. He'd be a major get/loss for Gus Malzahn's first class. He current ranks as the No. 2 defensive end in the country and is the No. 2 overall prospect in the country.

ESPN 150 members: 3 (Lawson; DE Tashawn Bower of Somerville, N.J.; QB Jeremy Johnson of Montomgery, Ala.)

FLORIDA

2013 verbal commitments: 26

Spotlight: Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III of Tampa, Fla., is rated the No. 1 cornerback prospect in the country and is the No. 3 overall player in the nation. He's one of the more complete players out there and it looks like he'll be able to play right away for the Gators when he arrives in Gainesville.

ESPN 150 members: 11 (Hargreaves; Caleb Brantley of Crescent City, Fla.; RB Kelvin Taylor of Belle Glade, Fla.; OLB Daniel McMillian of Jacksonville, Fla.; WR Ahmad Fulwood of Jacksonville, Fla.; WR Demarcus Robinson of Fort Valley, Ga.; S Keanu Neal of Bushnell, Fla.; S Marcell Harris of Orlando, Fla.; ATH Alvin Bailey of Seffner, Fla.; OLB Matt Rolin of Ashburn, Va.; LB Alex Anzalone of Wyomissing, Pa.)

GEORGIA

2013 verbal commitments: 29

Spotlight: Cornerback Shaq Wiggins of Tyrone, Ga., is a top corner prospect, despite his smaller frame. He might not have elite size, but Wiggins plays like a bigger, more physical defensive back. He can cover a lot of ground and has a chance to make an instant impact for the Bulldogs' defense in 2013.

ESPN 150 members: 5 (Wiggins; ATH Tramel Terry of Goose Creek, S.C.; QB-PP Brice Ramsey of Kingsland, Ga.; S Tray Matthews of Newnan, Ga.; C Brandon Kublanow of Marietta, Ga.)

KENTUCKY

2013 verbal commitments: 18

Spotlight: Junior college defensive end Za'Darius Smith from East Mississippi Community College is Kentucky's top get for the 2013 class, and what's even better is that he's already on campus. He excels as both a pass-rusher and a run-stopper and has shown good speed along the way. His speed off the edge will be a welcomed addition to Kentucky's defense.

ESPN 150 members: None

LSU

2013 verbal commitments: 27

Spotlight: Athlete Kendell Beckwith of Jackson, La., was a major addition to LSU's class early this month. He was mostly a dual-threat quarterback in high school, but could play both wide receiver and outside linebacker at the college level. His speed and mobility will help him get on the field early to help the Tigers.

ESPN 150 members: 6 (Beckwith; Jeryl Brazil of Loranger, La.; OT Ethan Pocic of Lemont, Ill; DT Greg Gilmore of Hope Mills, N.C.; TE-H DeSean Smith of Lake Charles, La.; DT Maquedius Bain of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

MISSISSIPPI STATE

2013 verbal commitments: 22

Spotlight: Defensive end Chris Jones of Houston, Miss., could develop into a trouble-making pass-rusher. He has good size and quickness and flew off the line during his senior year. He continues to get a lot of attention from other schools, especially Alabama, so keeping him will be a tough chore for Dan Mullen and his staff.

ESPN 150 members: 1 (Jones)

MISSOURI

2013 verbal commitments: 19

Spotlight: DT Josh Augusta of Peoria, Ill., is Mizzou's top-rated commitment right now. He was a big January get for the Tigers' staff and is a major athlete who played multiple positions at the high school level. He could play along the defensive line or offensive line in college. He played some tight end in high school, but doesn't project there at the next level.

ESPN 150 members: None

OLE MISS

2013 verbal commitments: 23

Spotlight: Wide receiver Laquon Treadwell of Crete, Ill., was a major pickup for the Rebels' staff. He's rated as the nation's No. 1 receiver and while he might be a taller prospect, he's very explosive. He has the ability to be a big-time deep threat for the Rebels and should also make plenty of plays after the catch.

ESPN 150 members: 2 (Treadwell; DE Elijah Daniel of Avon, Ind.)

SOUTH CAROLINA

2013 verbal commitments: 19

Spotlight: Defensive tackle Kelsey Griffin of Hoschton, Ga., is a big-bodied lineman who should be a solid run-stopper with his girth and explosion. He doesn't have great height, but he has a big enough body that he should cause plenty of problems for opposing linemen at the next level.

ESPN 150 members: 2 (Griffin; RB David Williams of Philadelphia, Pa.)

TENNESSEE

2013 verbal commitments: 17

Spotlight: Quarterback Riley Ferguson of Matthews, N.C., has a big-time arm and shows pretty good mobility in the pocket. He also has a lot of confidence in his arm and his throws. The coaching turnover didn't hurt Tennessee's chances of keeping Ferguson, who could push for time once he gets on campus.

ESPN 150 members: None

TEXAS A&M

2013 verbal commitments: 32

Spotlight: Tight end Derrick Griffin of Rosenberg, Texas, should cause major matchup issues for his opponents when he gets to the college level. He's the nation's top tight end/H-back and could be used all over the field by Kevin Sumlin and the Aggies' staff. He's versatile enough to be a major asset for A&M in the near future.

ESPN 150 members: 6 (Griffin; ATH Ricky Seals-Jones of Sealy, Texas; ATH LaQuvionte Gonzalez of Cedar Hill, Texas; QB Kohl Stewart of Houston, Texas; DT Justin Manning of Dallas; WR Sebastian LaRue of Santa Monica, Calif.)

VANDERBILT

2013 verbal commitments: 24

Spotlight: Defensive tackle Jay Woods of Jackson, Ga., is a powerful body up front, who will be even better at the next level once he adds some bulk. He has good speed off the line and can clog holes up front. He'll be used as a run-stopper and can get to the quarterback when needed.

ESPN 150 members: None

Despite Indiana's continued struggles on defense last season, head coach Kevin Wilson decided to keep his staff intact for 2013. Turns out, Wilson will have to replace one assistant who is leaving on his own accord.

Indiana defensive tackles coach Mark Hagen is off to Texas A&M, where he'll reportedly coach linebackers. Hagen, who also served as IU's special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator, joined Wilson's staff in 2011 after spending the previous 11 seasons at Purdue. He played linebacker at Indiana from 1987-91, twice earning second-team All-Big Ten honors, and remained with the Hoosiers as a graduate/administrative assistant until 1995.

GigEm247.com first reported Hagen's move to Texas A&M. Wilson confirmed the move today on Twitter.

Few coaches know the recruiting scene in the Hoosier State better than Hagen, and he'll certainly be missed on the recruiting trail, where IU has upgraded its efforts the past year.

Hagen has a connection to Texas A&M through Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin, who played at Purdue and coached there with Hagen during the 2000 season, when the Boilers won the Big Ten and reached the Rose Bowl.

It'll be interesting to see who Wilson hires to replace Hagen, and if he moves the recruiting coordinator or special teams coordinator roles to any of the other assistants, or hands it to Hagen's successor.

After calling plays for Texas A&M in the Aggies' 41-13 win against Oklahoma in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, running backs coach Clarence McKinney was promoted to co-offensive coordinator for next season, a source told ESPN.com.

The source also said that McKinney will be the Aggies' primary play-caller. Former West Virginia quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital will serve as the other co-offensive coordinator and will coach quarterbacks, the source said. CBSSports.com earlier reported the hiring of Spavital.

With McKinney calling plays, the Aggies registered 633 yards of offense and 28 first downs against the Sooners. Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel also set a bowl record for total offensive yards (516).

McKinney has been with first-year A&M coach Kevin Sumlin since 2008, and will help keep some familiarity within the offense after former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury left to become the head coach at Texas Tech. There will likely be some tweaks, but nothing major.

The thing to watch is how McKinney and Spavital interact with Manziel during games. Kingsbury did a very good job guiding Manziel through games. He was extremely patient with Manziel, who had a thirst for improv during games. He's obviously growing, but I doubt any coach will be able to get rid of Manziel's off-the-cuff mentality. But being able to teach Manziel as he goes is something Kingsbury was really good at, and now Manziel will be learning from two other people.

Now that the bowl season is over, it's time to take a look back at what we learned in the SEC during the postseason:

1. It really is Alabama's world: For the second straight year and for the third time in four years, Alabama took home college football's crystal hardware. After the first 15 minutes of the Discover BCS National Championship, it didn't even look like No. 1 Notre Dame deserved to be on the same field as the Crimson Tide. Alabama wore down the Irish defense in the first half, and its defense tormented Notre Dame's offense for about 90 percent of Monday night's game. Nick Saban didn't have his most talented team, but he had his squad way more prepared than Brian Kelly did. Saban's way of making sure his players approach every game the same way proved to be excellent again. Notre Dame was completely overmatched, and with the talent coming back in 2013, Alabama should again be the favorite to win it all. Three-peat?

2. The SEC's dominance is still being challenged: Even though Alabama brought home the SEC's seventh straight BCS title, the SEC's perception is still being challenged. Social media has been buzzing with chants of "overrated" directed toward the SEC because Mississippi State, LSU and Florida all fell flat in their bowl games. Mississippi State lost by 14 to Northwestern, LSU lost to Clemson on a last-second field goal and Florida was run ragged by Louisville in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Heading into bowl season, Florida and LSU weren't expected to lose, but they got away from their ground games and paid for it dearly. Still, the SEC went 6-3 (.667) in bowl games, including Texas A&M's 41-13 rout of Oklahoma in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, and Georgia and South Carolina downing Big Ten teams. Only the WAC (2-0) and C-USA (4-1) had better winning percentages, and neither had nearly as many bowl teams. So is the SEC down? Well, while the SEC took a couple of bad losses in bowl season, seven teams finished the year in the Associated Press Top 25, including five in the top 10. The Big Ten and Big 12 had losing bowl records, the Pac-12 went 4-4 and the ACC was 4-2. So, if the SEC is overrated, what are the other conferences?

3. Florida's offensive issues are still a major problem: All season, we wondered what we'd see from Florida's offense. However, for 11 games, even if the offense came up short, the Gators found ways to win. Against Louisville, the Gators went in reverse and never got right again. Jeff Driskel threw a pick-six on the first possession, and the offense imploded from there. Mike Gillislee, who was easily Florida's best offensive weapon, carried the ball just nine times. The Gators panicked, but when they had to pass, they couldn't.

This has to be a major concern for the Gators going forward, because Gillislee is graduating and tight end Jordan Reed declared for the NFL draft. Driskel has to find some major help in the passing game this spring/summer, or Florida's offense will get pummeled again. Driskel's health is now a major concern because backup Jacoby Brissett is transferring, leaving the Gators with no experience behind Driskel.

4. More eyes will be on Ole Miss ... and Vanderbilt: Before the season, no one gave Ole Miss a chance at the postseason -- or even five wins -- but the Rebels went out and had a tremendous first year under Hugh Freeze. If not for a couple of horrendous second halves, the Rebels might have won eight games during the regular season. After a dominating performance in their BBVA Compass Bowl win against Pittsburgh, the Rebels could be looking at a spot in preseason Top 25 polls. Most of this team, including what could be a stellar recruiting class, will be in Oxford next fall, so expectations will be much higher.

The same can be said about James Franklin's Vanderbilt Commodores. After a historic nine-win season that ended with a commanding bowl win over NC State, the Commodores will be expected to keep up this act after being even better in Year 2 of the Franklin era. Vandy will lose some talent up front defensively, and Jordan Rodgers and Zac Stacy will be gone, but a host of playmakers will return, including receivers Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd.

5. Johnny Football's legend just keeps growing: After Texas A&M lost offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to Texas Tech, Johnny Manziel's field maturity was really going to be judged in the AT&T Cotton Bowl against the Sooners. Well, all he did without one of his best mentors was set a bowl record for total yards (516) in the Aggies' rout inside Jerry's World. Manziel zigged and zagged as though Kingsbury was feeding him info through an earpiece. People don't understand how much Kingsbury helped Manziel with his composure during games, but Manziel did just fine without him. It shows how much he's grown during his Heisman year. Things will be different next season with some key players also missing on offense, but to see Manziel play like that without Kingsbury has to be very encouraging for Kevin Sumlin and the rest of the Aggies' coaching staff.

If those "overrated" chants directed toward the SEC didn't quiet down after the first quarter of Alabama's romp over an overmatched Notre Dame team during Monday night's Discover BCS National Championship, they probably came to a halt after the final Associated Press Top 25 came out.

Following Alabama's 42-14 beat down over the Irish, the AP placed seven SEC teams inside its Top 25. Alabama was unanimous at the top, taking all 59 first-place votes, which gave Alabama its ninth AP national championship (which is the most by any program).

Four other SEC teams rounded out the top 10. Georgia and Texas A&M tied for fifth. Georgia was a play away from replacing Alabama in the national title game and beat Nebraska by 14 in the Capital One Bowl. The Aggies ended the year with the Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Johnny Manziel and as arguably the nation's hottest team after routing Oklahoma 41-13 in the AT&T Cotton Bowl. Texas A&M went 11-2 in its first year in the SEC and under first-year coach Kevin Sumlin.

South Carolina finished the season ranked sixth, after collecting its second consecutive 11-win season for the first time in school history after a thrilling, last-minute win against Michigan in the Outback Bowl. Florida finished at No. 9 after an ugly 33-23 loss to Louisville in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, but did end up with 11 wins, including four over top-10 teams.

LSU's last-second loss to Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl knocked the Tigers out of the top 10 and down to 14th, while Vanderbilt slipped in at No. 23 with its 9-4 year. The Commodores finished the year on a seven-game winning streak, which was the longest since 1948, won five conference games for the first time since 1935, and won nine total games for the first time since 1915.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Oklahoma's defense had heard the legends about Johnny Football. They'd seen the highlight reels and trophy acceptance speeches.

Until Friday, though, they had never stepped on the same field with the first freshman to win a Heisman Trophy. After Texas A&M's 20-year-old superstar rolled over the Sooners for 516 total yards (229 rushing, 287 throwing) and four touchdowns in a 41-13 Cotton Bowl victory, Oklahoma couldn't help but be glad his college years will be spent on fields across the SEC and not the Big 12 -- where the Aggies would have been if not for some conference upheaval over the past two years.

"Johnny Manziel is everything he was billed to be," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "He makes everybody miss him. He was what you've seen on tape the whole year."

Sooners defensive coordinator Mike Stoops called Manziel the best player he'd ever played, which carries a special significance considering Stoops' defense gave up 344 rushing yards and 572 all-purpose yards to a shifty, speedy receiver named Tavon Austin from West Virginia barely six weeks ago, the second-most all-purpose yards in a game in FBS history.

"He's not a Heisman winner for no reason," said Oklahoma safety Javon Harris, who scooped up an interception off Manziel when receiver Malcome Kennedy bobbled what likely should have been Manziel's fifth touchdown of the night. "You saw what he did to the SEC all year. We knew exactly what we were going to get into."

Stoops' defense refused to blitz Manziel for most of the night, but the Aggies' strong offensive line -- led by bookends and future NFL first-round picks Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews -- hardly allowed Oklahoma's defensive linemen to make Manziel notice they were even trying to chase him down. For much of the game, Oklahoma's secondary would cover the Aggies' receivers, but Manziel would find a crease and turn a broken play into a big gain.

"It's hard if you've got an angle on him," Bob Stoops said. "He stops, goes the other way. If you don't he outruns you."

Despite spending the past month making a post-Heisman nationwide media circuit and losing his offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, Manziel strung together one of the best highlight reels in bowl history, which was set to a soundtrack of "Johnny B. Goode" from Chuck Berry on the big screen at Cowboys Stadium as the final minutes of the game ticked away and Texas A&M fans serenaded the exiting Oklahomans with an "S-E-C" chant.

More like Johnny B. Great.

"There wasn't anything holding us back. No rust. There was no nothing," Manziel said.

He energized the crowd as few have ever had the ability to do, the volume level in Cowboys Stadium rising quickly any time he fled the pocket. Oklahoma's defense could do little to stop him or to quiet the Aggies-friendly crowd of 87,025, the biggest Cotton Bowl crowd ever at the venue.

A media flock hounding him while he did required postgame TV and radio interviews couldn't catch him either after he sprinted from midfield to the corner of the stadium to finish the last few bars of the "Aggie War Hymn" with his teammates in front of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band.

"This is kind of a game that turned the page again," Manziel said. "People asked me earlier in the year about what game made it all click. There was the Arkansas game, and this game tonight made me flash back to that."

That's a scary thought for the rest of the SEC, which could spend the next three years chasing a quarterback nobody can seem to catch, inside or outside the pocket. He helped Texas A&M become the first offense in SEC history to amass 7,000 total yards, and there's no reason he won't do it again. With Manziel taking snaps and breaking tackles, there will be plenty of national title talk in Aggieland over the next few months, with a blowout victory over the Sooners serving as springboard. Texas A&M proved it was better than national title game favorite Alabama on a November afternoon in Tuscaloosa. Can it be better than everyone in the nation for three months next fall?

"For everybody next year, this is the first game of the new year," A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. "It sets the bar."

Manziel will be around to help us all find out if the Aggies will clear it.

No. 9 Texas A&M (10-2, 6-2 SEC) vs. No. 11 Oklahoma (10-2, 8-1 Big 12)

Who to watch: Who else? Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel will attempt to put the finishing touches on his freshman season. "Johnny Football” broke Cam Newton’s SEC record for offensive yardage and accounted for 43 touchdowns while becoming the first freshman to capture the Heisman Trophy. Manziel, however, will be facing one of the better defensive backfields he’s seen all season, led by free safety Tony Jefferson and cornerback Aaron Colvin -- both All-Big 12 performers. Manziel will also have to overcome the distractions of a whirlwind month in which he not only won the Heisman, but hung out with actress Megan Fox and played golf with the Jonas Brothers.

What to watch: The Aggies boast Manziel, but the Sooners counter with one of the top wide receiving corps in the country. Kenny Stills, Justin Brown, Jalen Saunders and Sterling Shepard all have more than 500 yards receiving this season. Texas A&M is stout up front, but the Aggies have been vulnerable at times defending the pass, ranking 82nd nationally in pass defense despite competing in the run-oriented SEC. If OU quarterback Landry Jones gets rolling with his talented pass-catchers, this game could tumble into a shootout.

Why to watch: Outside the BCS National Championship, this is as good a matchup as any out there. This Cotton Bowl also features two of the top quarterbacks in the country, with the hotshot freshman in Manziel facing off against the elder statesman in Jones, who will be making his 50th career start on the same field in which his career began four years ago. There should be plenty of energy inside Cowboys Stadium, too, as the Cotton Bowl is expecting a record crowd of 90,000. This will be a BCS-caliber bowl in every way except in name.

Prediction: Texas A&M 34, Oklahoma 31. Coach Bob Stoops has a dominating 11-2 record against Texas A&M, including an average victory margin of three touchdowns. These, however, are not the same Aggies the Sooners faced in the Big 12. Manziel and coach Kevin Sumlin have brought a new attitude to Texas A&M, and the Aggies will be motivated to prove this on the field against their former conference foe.