ESPN College Football

While the college football season is still months away, recruiting is still going and going.

There have been a few changes since we last visited our SEC recruiting scorecard. South Carolina and Ole Miss made the biggest jumps, getting six commitments each since the last time we checked in, while Arkansas has gone from zero verbal commitments to five with new coach John L. Smith taking over.

Alabama and Florida are still leading the way when it comes to ESPN 150 members. Alabama leads with eight, while Florida has seven. Georgia is also getting in on the top-rated talent, as the Bulldogs' staff has gained verbals from six 150 members, while Texas A&M has five.

When you're done looking at the scorecard, take a look at how the Way-Too-Early Top 25 teams are doing in recruiting.

ALABAMA

2013 verbal commitments: 14

Spotlight: Quarterback Cooper Bateman of Salt Lake City is the No. 6 pocket-passer in the 2013 class, and he became very important for the Crimson Tide once Phillip Sims decided to transfer to Virginia this spring.

ESPN 150 members: 8 (ILB Reuben Foster of Auburn, Ala.; TE-H of 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.; DE Jonathan Allen of Ashburn, Va.; OG Andy Dodd of Lindale, Ga.; ATH ArDarius Stewart of Birmingham, Ala.)

ARKANSAS

2013 verbal commitments: 5

Spotlight: Austin Allen of Fayetteville, Ark., is a four-star prospect some have compared to current Razorbacks quarterback Tyler Wilson. I'd say that's a pretty good thing. The fact that he committed despite everything that has happened at Arkansas should provide other prospects interested in Arkansas with more confidence in the program.

ESPN 150 members: None

AUBURN

2013 verbal commitments: 9

Spotlight: Carl Lawson of Alpharette, Ga., is the No. 2 defensive end in the country, and is one of the most explosive players in the country, regardless of position. He registered 31 tackles for loss, including 15 sacks as a junior.

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

FLORIDA

2013 verbal commitments: 16

Spotlight: Running back Kelvin Taylor of Belle Glade, Fla., is not only the top running back prospect in the country, he's the big powerful/versatile back Florida has been searching for. He's been playing varsity ball since eighth grade, and rushed for 2,884 yards and 40 touchdowns during his junior season.

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

GEORGIA

2013 verbal commitments: 17

Spotlight: Athlete Derrick Henry of Yulee, Fla., can line up all over the field at the next level, but has mainly made his name at running back. He could be dangerous at different spots in college, and rushed for nearly 2,800 yards last season with 39 rushing touchdowns.

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

KENTUCKY

2013 verbal commitments: 1

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

ESPN 150 members: None

LSU

2013 verbal commitments: 12

Spotlight: Athlete Jeryl Brazil of Loranger, La., is an extremely versatile player who can play multiple positions, and has the speed and athleticism to make tons of plays, no matter where he lines up. He can also line up on the defensive side of the ball and play cornerback.

ESPN 150 members: None

MISSISSIPPI STATE

2013 verbal commitments: 2

Spotlight: Athlete Brandon Wells of Bogue Chitto, Miss., might play quarterback now, but he'll likely move to wide receiver in college. He'll be a project for coaches, but he's proven he can make plays when the ball is in his hands.

ESPN 150 members: None

MISSOURI

2013 verbal commitments: 12

Spotlight: Athlete Chase Abbington of St. Peters, Mo., is a dynamic athlete who could move around once he gets to the college level, but might be the most comfortable at running back right now. Still, with his size, he could be an outside receiver or a tight end.

ESPN 150 members: None

OLE MISS

2013 verbal commitments: 10

Spotlight: Wide receiver Dannon Cavil of San Antonio, Texas, is a big-bodied receiver who could even lineup as an H-back if needed. Ole Miss needs playmakers on offense going forward, and if Cavil continues to develop, the Rebels' staff will likely want to use him early.

ESPN 150 members: None

SOUTH CAROLINA

2013 verbal commitments: 12

Spotlight: Quarterback Connor Mitch of Raleigh, N.C., is a four-star prospect who appears to be the right kind of quarterback for Steve Spurrier's offense. He doesn't move a ton outside the pocket, but has a very strong throwing arm and a pretty quick release. He passed for 3,832 yards and 48 touchdowns as a junior.

ESPN 150 members: None

TENNESSEE

2013 verbal commitments: 7

Spotlight: Safety Kameron Miles of Mesquite, Texas, is a solid athlete who plays both defensive back and quarterback, but does most of his damage as a defender. He can be a cover guy or stop the run. He also isn't afraid to hit.

ESPN 150 members: None

TEXAS A&M

2013 verbal commitments: 17

Spotlight: Derrick Griffin of Rosenberg, Texas, is the top tight end prospect in the country. It looks like he'll grow to make it as a very athletic H-back. If he stays on this path, he'll become a true mismatch for defenders through the middle of the field.

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

VANDERBILT

2013 verbal commitments: 9

Spotlight: Quarterback Johnathan McCrary of Ellenwood, Ga., might be a bigger quarterback, but he has excellent speed and can make the tough throws on the run. He's a top dual-threat quarterback and threw for more than 2,400 yards with 27 touchdown passes last season.

ESPN 150 members: None

Just a few links before the Memorial Day weekend.

• Drama runs high at next week's SEC spring meetings.
• Alabama's Barrett Jones and other SEC players make the Rimington Award watch list.
• Florida coach Will Muschamp finishes up his Gator Club speaking tour.
• There won't be a raise for Mark Richt with his new contract, but bonuses could be coming.
• Former LSU commit Torshiro Davis talks decommitting from the Tigers before signing with Texas last year.
• USA Today takes a look at athletic directors and league commissioners and their salaries.
• Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze is moving the Rebels in the right direction.
• Tennessee coach Derek Dooley addresses discipline issues with his team.

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

Past producers:

• Quarterback
• Running back
• Wide receiver
• Tight end
• Sacks
• Tackles
• Interceptions
• Kicker
• Punter
• Kickoff returner

The SEC returns six of the top 10 punt returners from 2011. Unfortunately for all those interested in watching one of the most electrifying plays in football, the SEC's top returner won't be back. Arkansas' Joe Adams must have had a blast returning punts last year. If you don't believe me just look here. He led the nation with four punt returns for touchdowns and led the SEC with an average of 16.9 yards per return. His moves will be missed, but the top player returning (we're going by average per return) isn't too bad either:

Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU: He averaged 15.6 yards on 27 returns, had a long of 92 yards and recorded two touchdowns. If Adams was the most exciting punt returner in the country, Mathieu was a close second. He completely turned the Arkansas and Georgia games to LSU's favor with three huge returns. The first came on a 92-yarder against the Razorbacks to tie the game at 14 in the second quarter and helped spark a 34-3 run for the Tigers. Against Georgia in the SEC championship game, he gave LSU its first points of the game with a 62-yard touchdown return in the second quarter, but his most exciting return came on a scintillating 47-yarder in the third that he took down to Georgia's 17-yard line. Mathieu is a game-breaking returner and the best thing teams can do is just kick away from him.

The SEC returns five more of the top 10 punt returners from 2011:

Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State: He averaged 10.4 yards on 16 returns, had a long of 65 yards and recorded one touchdown.

Ace Sanders, WR, South Carolina: He averaged 9.3 yards on 12 returns, had a long of 68 yards and recorded one touchdown.

Marquel Wade, WR, Arkansas (currently not a part of Arkansas' team): He averaged 8.2 yards on 12 returns and had a long of 19 yards.

Quan Bray, WR, Auburn: He averaged 7.4 yards on 13 returns and had a long of 24 yards.

Jonathan Krause, WR, Vanderbilt: He averaged 4.1 yards on 19 returns and had a long of 18 yards.

Teams will likely kick away from Mathieu more this fall, so he could have a tougher time going for the crown in 2012. One player who could really push for the top spot in this category is Wade. But with him not currently being with the team following his recent arrest, he might not have the chance. Wade is a very dynamic athlete and got to learn from the best in Adams. If he comes back, he'll definitely compete for the throne.

Banks could have competition from his own teammate in Chad Bumphis. Bumphis only returned eight punts last fall, but returned one 82 yards for a score and averaged 16.6 yards per return.

Krause is someone to keep an eye on. Coach James Franklin was very pleased with how his spring went, but he might have to battle incoming freshman Brian Kimbrow here as well.

Texas A&M's Dustin Harris could certainly challenge for the crown after the season he had in 2011. He led the Big 12, averaging 18.6 yards per return, had a long of 72 yards and registered a touchdown. Last season against Kansas, Harris set the school record with 162 punt return yards, including that 72-yard score.

Ole Miss' Jeff Scott still has some academic hurdles to get over, but when he's fielding punts, he's one of the most fun to watch in the SEC. He averaged 17.2 yards per return on just eight returns last year and returned one for a touchdown.

Phil Steele has released his 2012 preseason All-SEC teams [PDF], and the first unit is dominated by Alabama and LSU players.

Of the 28 spots on the first team, 12 are occupied by players from Alabama and LSU, and that counts special teams. Alabama placed six players on the first team and LSU five, although Tyrann Mathieu was named as both a cornerback and punt returner.

The Alabama players making the first team were offensive tackle D.J. Fluker, offensive guard Chance Warmack, center Barrett Jones, noseguard Jesse Williams and linebackers C.J. Mosley and Nico Johnson. In addition to Mathieu, the LSU players earning first-team honors were offensive tackle Alex Hurst, defensive end Sam Montgomery, safety Eric Reid and punter Brad Wing.

The biggest surprise to me in looking over Steele's top four teams was that LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo was only third team. Mingo tied for third in the SEC last season with 15 tackles for loss. Also, Florida defensive end Dominique Easley was only fourth team, but Easley did tear his ACL in the last game of the regular season last year. Tennessee's Tyler Bray was not selected among the top four quarterbacks.

Here's a look at the entire first team:

OFFENSE

QB Tyler Wilson, Arkansas
RB Marcus Lattimore, S. Carolina
RB Knile Davis, Arkansas
WR Ryan Swope, Texas A&M
WR Da'Rick Rogers, Tennessee
WR Cobi Hamilton, Arkansas
TE Philip Lutzenkirchen, Auburn
C Barrett Jones, Alabama
OG Chance Warmack, Alabama
OG Larry Warford, Kentucky
OT D.J. Fluker, Alabama
OT Alex Hurst, LSU

DEFENSE

DE Sam Montgomery, LSU
DT Jesse Williams, Alabama
DT John Jenkins, Georgia
DE Corey Lemonier, Auburn
LB Jarvis Jones, Georgia
LB C.J. Mosley, Alabama
LB Nico Johnson, Alabama
LB Sean Porter, Texas A&M
CB Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
CB Johnthan Banks, Mississippi St.
S Bacarri Rambo, Georgia
S Eric Reid, LSU

SPECIAL TEAMS

K Caleb Sturgis, Florida
P Brad Wing, LSU
KR Tre Mason, Auburn
PR Tyrann Mathieu, LSU

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

Past producers:

• Quarterback
• Running back
• Wide receiver
• Tight end
• Sacks
• Tackles
• Interceptions
• Kicker
• Punter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leaving one's job can be pretty awkward. For college football coaches, it usually is. Rarely do we see an amiable mutual parting in these situations.

As we continue to take a look at the coaches we love to hate this week, we're looking at SEC coaches who have left their respective schools in a lurch.

We already discussed Bobby Petrino's more than awkward departure at Arkansas, so we're going with three other recent departures that happened unexpectedly.

Let the bad memories return:

Lane Kiffin, Tennessee: He left for USC in 2010 after one season at Tennessee. Kiffin replaced longtime Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer in 2009 and was immediately confrontational with other SEC coaches, and that sort of arrogance was something that had to be a little attractive to Tennessee's fan base. However, his lack of production on the field made his pompous attitude laughable. Through all the chirping, he delivered a 7-6 season, which might go down as the most celebrated 7-6 season in SEC history. He talked so much about all the good things he'd do at Tennessee, but whined about not having enough talent. Then he built up his first signing class, but it eventually turned into nothing more than a paper tiger. Kiffin suddenly left Tennessee for USC just three weeks before national signing day in 2010. During his uncomfortable news conference, in which he announced his departure, Tennessee fans showed up in droves to wish him a not-so-safe trip to Cali. Kiffin left under the protection of police and left Tennessee with an NCAA cloud hanging over its head, which got the school a visit from the NCAA infractions committee. Kiffin and his staff's recruiting practices prompted an investigation that resulted in two years of probation for Tennessee. The NCAA found that Kiffin and his staff had committed 12 secondary violations, but Kiffin wasn't penalized. Derek Dooley took over for Kiffin in 2010 and has dealt with a laundry list of player and attrition issues. He has gone 11-14 in his two years.

Urban Meyer, Florida: He announced that he'd be stepping away from coaching in 2010, but is now coaching at Ohio State. There was no question that Meyer was one of the best coaches to swing through Gainesville. During his six-year tenure, he won two national championships and took the Gators to three SEC championship games. But it was the way he left that sent Gator Nation into a frenzy. First, he announced his retirement for health reasons a couple of weeks after the loss to Alabama in the 2009 SEC championship game. His retirement barely lasted 24 hours, but Meyer and Florida were never the same. The 2010 season was a major step back, as Florida went 8-5, and Meyer stepped away again after the regular season concluded. Meyer said he was taking time off because of his health and his desire to spend more time with his family. Then, he took over at Ohio State (one of his dream jobs) for the fired Jim Tressel. But it wasn't just leaving Florida for a Big Ten school barely a year later that upset Florida fans. It was the fact that he left new coach Will Muschamp with what Meyer himself deemed a broken program. Muschamp dealt with discipline and attrition issues during his first season, in which he went 7-6. While Meyer was the king of winning the recruiting ranking game, he too often missed on character.

Tommy Tuberville, Ole Miss: He left Ole Miss after the 1998 season for Auburn. Tuberville took over a struggling Ole Miss program in 1995 and helped the Rebels to three winning seasons in four years. But four years wasn't what the Ole Miss faithful expected to get from Tuberville; he made it seem that he would be there for much longer when he uttered those now-infamous words: "They’ll have to carry me out of here in a pine box." That pine box apparently had to be filled with money, as just a couple days after he emphatically stated that he wanted to stay in Oxford and be the Rebels' coach, he took a pay raise that doubled his salary and headed off to Auburn. Soon after Tuberville left without so much as telling his players, Ole Miss fans donned T-shirts inspired by the movie "Liar, Liar" with Tuberville's face on them instead of Jim Carrey's. Tuberville went 7-3 against his old team during his time at Auburn. David Cutcliffe, Tuberville's replacement, guided Ole Miss to five winning seasons in his six years, including a 10-win season that ended with a Cotton Bowl victory.

This week, ESPN.com is taking a look at the coaches we love to hate. We kicked things off on the blog by looking at this year's top SEC villain.

Now, we're asking you guys to weigh in. We want to know who you think the most hated current or past coaches are in the SEC. You can dig into your record books or throw out names of coaches still roaming SEC sidelines. Go as far back as your memory will take you, or go as recent as your college days -- which might be about the same.

You can let us know by hitting up the mailbag today. We'll create a poll with the top candidates later today so get those responses in quickly.

It's time to take a look back at our chat from earlier. Here's that look:

Mike (Crawford, TX)
As far as A&M and Missouri go: In the SEC the players are very proud. Do you think there will be a bit of trash talk before the game involving the words "You aren't real SEC teams"? Both the Aggies and Mizzou have shown a real respect for the other teams and I hope we receive the same.

Edward Aschoff (12:02 PM)
Of course there will be. This is D1 football!! They'll have to earn respect on the field just like everyone else but because they are new to the league you better believe they'll receive trash talk from teams. I'm sure it will just add some motivation for players. I'm sure they're ready and welcome it.

Tyler (Augusta national )
The bulldawgs have a completely new strength and conditioning staff led by veteran joe T. Whats te attitude coming out of Athens about the changes? Should I expect much bigger faster and stronger athletes this year? Will we be able to finish the drill in the fourth quarter?

Edward Aschoff (12:04 PM)
I know that players have been pretty pleased with the progress. Aaron Murray said that the weight staff has really made diet very important for players. It' hasn't been all about lifting and running, it's been about totally changing their bodies from the ground up. Malcolm Mitchell said he used to be a candy fiend before the the strength staff had a few words with him. He's totally changed his diet and said he can already see his endurance improving.

wayne (clinton)
Hello mr. Aschoff. I have a question. Have you seen a balanced offense without a running game. Well bring in Tennessee. They have 3 receivers who are very deep threat wr who all 3 could be the star wr on any other team. With tyler bray at qb and a couple of TE. In riveria and cam clear this offense can be a better balnced offense without a run game. We can go deep or little fade routes. Don't forget both of the running backs can catch and run. If you don't agree then you would have to agree that this can be a very difficult offense to stop even with the best defense. The O. Line should be a lot better. More experience and depth. Your thoughts please.

Edward Aschoff (12:07 PM)
You can't really be balanced if you're one dimensional. It just doesn't work that way. But there's no question that Tennessee has a pretty good passing game on paper. If Bray and Hunter and healthy and Rogers comes back mentally ready this will be fun passing team to watch. Also, Paterson is expected to compete very early, giving Bray yet another target. He should have at least four solid receiving targets to work with, but without a running game they almost mean nothing. There has to be some sort of running game for Tennessee's offense to improve.

Clint (Birmingham)
With the announcement of the new SEC-BigXII bowl game, is more realignment coming?

Edward Aschoff (12:08 PM)
I certainly don't think that we've heard the last of realignment. Not even close. And I think this game made things that much more interesting. You better believe it will make Florida State more interested in the Big 12. The SEC won't be left out if there is more movement. I expect more to come all over the country.

Brennan (Arkansas)
Is Arkansas one of the most overrated teams in the conference this year? They lose A TON of talent to the NFL on both sides of the ball - including their big time WRs and defensive playmakers - and now with no Petrino (and a thinning WR roster), I don't care if they have Bama and LSU at home or not. They almost lost to Ole Miss and Vandy last year with a BETTER team than they have now.

Edward Aschoff (12:09 PM)
I don't think you can call this team overrated because a lot of people aren't picking them to win the West. Even before losing Petrino, a lot of people, myself included, had them behind LSU and Alabama in the West. I think people are rating them just about the same now that they are down their head coach.

Making the rounds on a Monday:

• How big of a role does social media play in college football recruiting?
• Alabama quarterback commitment Cooper Bateman shines at an Elite 11 camp.
• Alabama lands a commitment from defensive end Jonathan Allen of Ashburn, Va. Allen is an ESPN 150 selection and ranked by ESPN as the No. 5 defensive end in the country.
• Auburn gets a commitment from quarterback Jeremy Johnson of Montgomery, Ala. Johnson is ranked by ESPN as the No. 21 pocket passer among quarterbacks in the country.
• Tennessee coach Derek Dooley supports the plus-one playoff format.
• Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin is set to join the ranks of the racially diverse SEC coaches.
• There's no time to lose when selling Missouri in the SEC.
• Ole Miss is taking its recruiting coast-to-coast.
• Florida sweeps the SEC All-Sports Awards.
• Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long says he has no interest in leaving.

We're talking SEC football in our weekly chat. Come by at noon ET to talk everything concerning the nation's top football conference so you can keep from losing it during the offseason.

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

Past producers:

• Quarterback
• Running back
• Wide receiver
• Tight end
• Sacks
• Tackles
• Interceptions
• Kicker

The SEC returns seven of the top 10 punters from last season. We're going by average yardage per punt. Note: To qualify, a punter must have at least 2.5 punts per team's games played. The top punter returns, but he'll surely have some tough competition this fall.

Here's a look at the top returning punter by kick average:

Dylan Breeding, Arkansas: He averaged 45.3 yards per punt last fall, with a long of 70 yards. Breeding pinned 16 of his 53 punts inside opponents' 20-yard line and had 17 punts of 50 or more yards. Breeding has one of the best legs in the league, but is also pretty accurate. His leg became another defensive weapon for the Razorbacks and he returns as one of the school's top punters. With a new defensive coordinator and some missing defensive parts from last year, Breeding will be even more important for the Hogs when the offense falters.

The SEC returns six more of the top 10 punters:

• Brad Wing, LSU: He averaged 44.4 yards per punt, with a long of 73 yards. He also pinned 27 kicks inside the 20-yard line and had 20 punts of 50 or more yards.
• Tyler Campbell, Ole Miss: He averaged 43.6 yards per punt, with a long of 73. He also pinned 28 kicks inside the 2o and had 16 punts of 50 or more yards.
• Richard Kent, Vanderbilt: He averaged 42.5 yards per punt, with a long of 67. He also pinned 23 kicks inside the 20 and had 18 punts of 50 or more yards.
• Baker Swedenburg, Mississippi State: He averaged 41.8 yards per punt, with a long of 58. He also pinned 19 kicks inside the 20 and had 14 punts of 50 or more yards.
• Steven Clark, Auburn: He averaged 40.8 yards per punt, with a long of 58 yards. He also pinned 33 kicks inside the 20. (Punts of 50 or more yards not available.)
• Cody Mandell, Alabama: He averaged 39.3 yards per punt, with a long of 52 yards. He also pinned 11 kicks inside the 20 and had two punts of 50 or more yards.

Punting can be a little more predictable than place-kicking, so Breeding has a pretty good shot of retaining his crown. If Arkansas' offense didn't eat into his production last year there might not be concern of it happening again. Campbell should challenge Breeding because Ole Miss' offense is looking to install a new offense this fall, and that will take some time for players to get used to.

Obviously, Wing is someone who could push for the top average as well. He has a cannon for a leg and has pinpoint accuracy. He's also the most entertaining kicker out there.

Definitely keep an eye on Missouri's Trey Barrow. He was second in the Big 12 in punting average (44.8) and had a long of 74 yards last season. He also pinned 10 kicks inside the 20 and had 18 punts of 50 or more yards.

Florida's Kyle Christy averaged 40.9 yards per punt last year, but didn't meet the criteria of having at least 2.5 punts per his team's games. He also struggled to crack the starting lineup at first before starting the last seven games of the season. If he can start things off as the Gators' starter, he could push for the crown.

Texas A&M's Ryan Epperson could also challenge for the throne after he averaged 41.2 yards per punt and pinned 19 kicks inside the 20. He had a long of 68 yards and booted 10 punts for 50 or more yards.

Keep an eye on Joe Mansour and Jay Willmott at Kentucky, as they battle for the starting spot.

Nickolas Brassell was in a deep enough hole academically when Hugh Freeze took the Ole Miss job back in December that Freeze never counted on having Brassell on the field next season.

Sure, Freeze was always hopeful and did all he could to help Brassell, one of the most dynamic freshmen in the SEC last season, but the official word came down Friday. Ole Miss announced that Brassell was academically ineligible and would transfer.

Brassell, who became the first Ole Miss player since 1988 to start on both offense and defense, missed all but a few practices this spring to try and get his academics in order. Ultimately, he didn't pass the required 18 credit hours over the last two semesters.

It's always tough to lose a player of his ability. Again, though, Freeze knew it was going to be a long shot for Brassell to be eligible.

The plan was to use him at cornerback and then play him situationally at receiver. The good news for the Rebels is that both Wesley Pendleton and Dehendret Collins had big springs, and there's also some depth at cornerback. Senquez Golson will be back from baseball in the fall after starting four games as true freshman at cornerback last season. Also, heralded signee Trae Elston will be on campus this summer.

The Rebels are still looking for more playmakers on offense, and Brassell would have certainly helped there. He also returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown last season.

Edward Aschoff discusses how new Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze took big steps to improving things off the field for the Rebels.

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

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

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

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

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

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

This will be.

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

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

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

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

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

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

This game.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The SEC and Big 12 champs will meet in a New Year's Day bowl game annually beginning with the 2014 season, the conferences announced Friday.

The five-year agreement will pit champions of each conference against each other "unless one or both are selected to play in the new four-team model to determine the national championship," according to a statement from both conferences.

If that were to happen, another team from the conference(s) would be selected, ensuring that the game takes place every year.

“A new January bowl tradition is born,” SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said in the release. “This new game will provide a great matchup between the two most successful conferences in the BCS era and will complement the exciting postseason atmosphere created by the new four-team model. Most importantly, it will provide our student-athletes, coaches and fans with an outstanding bowl experience.”

Added acting Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas: “Our goal is to provide the fans across the country with a New Year’s Day prime-time tradition. This is a landmark agreement between two of the most successful football conferences during the BCS era to stage a postseason event. The creation of this game featuring the champions of the Big 12 and SEC will have tremendous resonance in college football.”

We'll have more on the partnership, as we'll get thoughts from Big 12 blogger David Ubben on how this affects the Big 12.