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.

What players have the most to prove in the SEC this coming season?

As the season creeps closer and closer, we're going to take a look at some and we're breaking it up by divisions.

I’ll take the East, and Chris will take the West later today.

Here’s my top five in the East:

1. Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia: Last season, Crowell was thrown right into the fire when he was named the starter coming out of fall camp. The true freshman had some early success, but steadily saw his popularity dip after nagging injuries continued to keep him hanging near the training table during games. Even though he was named the SEC's freshman of the year, his first season in Athens was headlined by off-field and injury issues. However, it sounds as though things are starting to turn around for Crowell, who had a much more focused and productive spring. Players said Crowell has become a more mature player, and had no problem dealing with injuries this time. He'll have to carry that over to the fall, because Georgia's offense is relying on him, and there are other backs ready to take his spot.

2. Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee: No one has questioned Bray's arm strength or throwing ability, but his leadership and focus have been questioned. He also hasn't gone through an entire season yet, as a thumb injury cut short his 2011 season. Bray said this spring that he knew his leadership skills were lacking, and that he coasted at times, so he started stepping up and speaking out immediately after the Vols' season-ending loss to Kentucky last fall. It carried over to the spring, but we still want to see that leader emerge this fall. Tennessee has a talented group of receivers, but if Bray can't really lead them, the Vols won't be able to use them to their best abilities.

3. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina: When healthy, Lattimore is one of the best running backs in the entire country. He's big, powerful and has deceptive speed. However, he's coming off of an ACL injury that cut short his 2011 season. Lattimore was held out of spring practice, but the coaches have insisted that he's ahead of schedule in his rehab and even started running sprints this spring. But he hasn't had any contact since his injury, and we won't know how affective he'll be for his team until we see him in a real game this fall. Regardless, Lattimore should get some early Heisman love this season.If he's truly healthy he makes South Carolina a real contender for an SEC title.

4. Xavier Nixon, OT, Florida: As a high school senior, Nixon was one of the most sought-after linemen around. He enjoyed a solid freshman year at Florida, but has since dealt with inconsistency. Weight fluctuation hasn't helped. Last year, Nixon was picked on by pass-rushers and developed a tendency to lose focus and discipline on the field. He was called for a handful of penalties (including several false-start calls), that stalled many drives. This spring, Nixon added some much-needed weight and appeared to actually keep it on this time. He will be looking over his shoulder at a few players this fall, so his spot isn't guaranteed.

5. James Franklin, QB, Missouri: Franklin enjoyed a breakout sophomore year that saw him pass for more than 2,800 yards and rush for nearly 1,000. Now, he'll try to do that against SEC defenses. Franklin said during the spring that his main objective going forward is to be a pass-first quarterback, but his progress was stalled by a shoulder injury. While the coaches expect him back for the season opener, another shot to it could sideline him for even longer, meaning the Tigers will have to turn to an unproven backup. Missouri's offensive success is riding on Franklin's health, and this team's success is riding on Franklin's play in a conference known for its defensive talent and speed. As Franklin goes, so will Mizzou.

Edward Aschoff discusses Chase Garnham making the transition from outside linebacker to Chris Marve's old position in the middle this spring.

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.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Gary Pinkel isn't naive. Missouri's coach understands a new recruiting game has to be played now that the Tigers are moving to the SEC.

The states of Missouri and Texas will continue to be recruiting priorities, but stretching out to southeastern states will now become very important.

"That makes sense," Pinkel said about generating more recruiting efforts in southeastern states.

Pinkel said the main areas of importance outside of the Tigers' home state are Dallas and Atlanta. The good thing for Pinkel and his staff is that it's only about an hour longer drive to Atlanta compared to Dallas. It still accounts for 10-plus hours on the road, but if you're going to take the time to head to Dallas, you might as well make it out to the hub of the South.

And for Pinkel, it's well worth it.

"If you look at statistics and analysis of BCS players, they come out of the metroplex around Dallas and then you look at the greater Atlanta area," he said. "The parallels are staggering between those two cities. They produce a lot of athletes."

Currently, Missouri has just six players from SEC states -- three from Florida, two from Arkansas and one from Louisiana. Mizzou increased that number by two after signing two players from Florida in its 2012 class.

Pinkel said things are certainly different when it comes to the 2013 class. There's a lot more marketing in the South from the Tigers. Pinkel said the school is sending "thousands of pieces of information" about Mizzou to southeastern high school coaches and counselors each week. There are also Mizzou billboards in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.

While Mizzou hasn't received any verbal commitments from southeastern prospects in its 2013 class, according to ESPN recruiting services, the coaches have issued scholarships to 19 of those prospects. Expect that number to grow as coaches get out on the road more.

While Pinkel wants to hit Atlanta hard, he doesn't have experience recruiting that area, but has recruited off and on in Florida. Here's a look at the coaches who will be patrolling the southeast:

• Safeties coach Alex Grinch: Atlanta area
• Running backs coach Brian Jones: Tampa and part of Orlando
• Co-offensive line coach Josh Henson: Florida Panhandle, Jacksonville, Fla., and down toward Orlando
• Defensive coordinator Dave Steckel: West Dallas
• Co-offensive line coach Bruce Walker: East Dallas
• Defensive line coach Craig Kullgowski: Houston area
• Offensive coordinator David Yost: Missouri and Memphis, Tenn.

Pinkel understands that Mizzou is a foreign program to a lot of southeastern prospects, but slowly he expects that feeling to disappear. He experienced it recruiting the state of Texas as Toledo’s coach and when he first arrived at Mizzou, but saw it turn around twice.

Pinkel said his first Mizzou roster had around 10 or 11 players from Texas and now has more than 30. Once southeastern players get to know his program, Pinkel insists Mizzou will be more appealing to recruits in this talent-rich part of the country.

"We've been here before," he said. "We understand it's a process.

"I also think we walk in the door with some credibility -- winning and success and graduating our players. In the last five years or six years -- I'm not sure what it is -- we're the eighth winningest BCS program in the country and we're graduating in the last six years 96 percent of our players. Those are facts."

Links here! Links here!

• LSU cornerback Ronnie Vinson leaves LSU for Southeastern Louisiana.
• Raises are coming for Georgia's coaches.
• Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin says Florida coach Will Muschamp needs to worry about his own team before making comments about College Station, Texas.
• The recent pledge from the Fayetteville, Ark., trio has the Razorbacks right were they should be.
• South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney reflects on his first year with the Gamecocks.
• Athlon Sports wonders if Georgia can win the SEC title in 2012.
• Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News writes that the ACC once dreamed of challenging the SEC.
• Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel writes that Urban Meyer must have misremembered his stance on a college football playoff.

ESPN.com's Wright Thompson has a story on Billy Varner, who was former Alabama coach Bear Bryant's longtime driver:

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Something important is being lost. Each rising sun takes a little more from the couple who live in the small brick home southwest of downtown. Billy Varner has been married to Susie for 57 years, and as her life was once spent waiting on him to get home from a job that didn't know hours or days off, now it's spent managing his dementia. Each day brings its own reality. On the worst, Billy, who is 76, doesn't recognize Susie. He'll dress in the middle of the night and try to leave, his pajamas rolled up in his hand. Regularly, he refuses to believe that his old boss isn't at home waiting for a ride. Billy was Bear Bryant's driver, bodyguard and valet, one of the few remaining people who knew him as a human being. As Billy's memory fades, that knowledge disappears with it, widening the gulf between truth and imagination.

Billy tells Susie that he talks to the coach. Sometimes Bryant visits.

"Coach Bryant isn't dead," he'll say. "Don't tell me he's dead."

"Billy," Susie tells him, "yes, he is."

To read the complete story, click here.

Arkansas coach John L. Smith said three players who were suspended indefinitely after being arrested this month for burglary are currently not part of the team or enrolled in summer school.

Receivers Marquel Wade and Maudrecus Humphrey, and tight end Andrew Peterson were arrested May 12 and have been charged with felony residential burglary. According to arrest reports, the three stole textbooks, DVDs, laptops and more than $4,800 in cash from a university dormitory.

Hearings are set for June 15.

"It's a felony and it's a serious, serious thing," Smith said. "They're not a part of this football team until this thing gets cleared up, or they never (will) be a part.

"If they can't correct it, then you have to correct it for them; that's the way it is going to be. It's in the legal channels, and we're just going to have to wait and see if they can correct the issue."

Smith, who was given a 10-month contract after taking over for Bobby Petrino, might have the interim tag next to his name, but he's making sure his players know just how much power he truly has. And he's using it appropriately.

Of the three players suspended, Wade was expected to make the biggest impact in Arkansas' offense this fall. The Razorbacks lost three NFL wide receivers, but having Wade and potential All-SEC performer Cobi Hamilton back meant the passing game wasn't expected to take much of a step back at all.

While Wade only caught eight passes for 62 yards, the coaches tabbed him as one of the more dynamic receivers on this roster. He's speedy and slippery, and is a very nice complement to Hamilton in the offense. Last fall, he was primarily used in the return game, but Arkansas' offense is certainly better with him in the lineup, and Smith knows that. But he also knows he has to send a message that this sort of behavior won't be tolerated, and he won't be taken advantage of.

Kudos to Smith.

Three other Arkansas players have been arrested since March, and Smith has made it clear to the team that this off-field silliness just won't fly under his watch.

"We tried to explain to them what's going to be accepted and what's not going to be accepted, and what are going to be the consequences," he said. "We're going to demand that they do the right things.

"If (the message) hasn't got across, it certainly will before it's all said and done."

Tennessee has suspended sophomore tight end Cameron Clear indefinitely after his arrest on a felony theft charge involving a laptop stolen from a Volunteers' baseball player.

Tennessee associate athletic director for communications, Jimmy Stanton, announced the suspension on Wednesday and said university officials were continuing to gather information.

Jail records show Clear was arrested Tuesday on a felony charge of theft between $1,000 and $10,000. Bail was set at $2,500. Clear posted bond late Tuesday night.

Clear, a rising sophomore, left spring listed as No. 2 on the depth chart at tight end behind senior Mychal Rivera, who caught 29 passes for 344 yards and a touchdown in 2011.

ESPN Insider's "20 teams that can win it all" series is previewing each of the top 20 teams in Brian Fremeau's five-year program metric (for a full explanation, and links to all of the previews as they are published, click here), with the help of ESPN's Stats & Information group.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Travis Haney took a look at South Carolina. Haney discussed three reasons why South Carolina can win it all and three reasons why the Gamecocks won't.

Here's a little of what Haney said about the Gamecocks' chances of winning it all this year:

"Spurrier has a quarterback at South Carolina. There are no question marks, with respects to performance -- or off-field behavior -- any longer. Connor Shaw became a long-awaited answer last season, taking over for the much-maligned Stephen Garcia.

The Gamecocks went 7-1 with Shaw at quarterback, losing only at then-No. 7 Arkansas. It's difficult to argue with those results."

My thoughts: Shaw's development is big for South Carolina's offense. There's no doubt that Shaw can make plays with his feet, but Spurrier wants a passer. He was a passer and his quarterbacks at Florida were passers. Shaw showed more of a pass-first mentality during the second half of the season and it sounds like it carried over into the spring. Now, he'll have to continue that this fall. Old habits do die hard, but what would really help him is if Marcus Lattimore is healthy.

Speaking of Lattimore, Haney threw out some pretty interesting facts about Lattimore's running habits when he was healthy. One that I was really impressed with was: "Lattimore was not touched until he was five yards past the line of scrimmage on 94 of his 412 rushes (22.8 percent) in his first two seasons (according to ESPN Stats & Info). Seventy-two of those runs were between the tackles." He also added that it continues to sound like Lattimore is ahead of schedule.

My thoughts: A healthy Lattimore would certainly add some confidence to the thought of saying South Carolina is an SEC title contender and beyond. When he's on top of his game he's one of the best running backs in the country. But no one really knows how he'll respond this season and how healthy he'll actually be. We won't really know until he takes real contact in a real game. Until we know where Lattimore's health stands there will still be speculation surrounding this offense.

Haney also talks about the defensive line, which I think will be very good this fall. Ends Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor should be pretty annoying to guard and tackles Kelcy Quarles and Byron Jerideau showed a lot of improvement this spring. This line will be pretty darn good this fall, which should help the entire defense.

As for three reasons why the Gamecocks falter, Haney talks the lack of proven receivers, the loss of defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson and having to play LSU and Arkansas.

My thoughts: I agree with all three and I still feel most of the concern is in the secondary. Starting corners Stephon Gilmore and C.C. Whitlock are gone and DeVonte Holloman is moving back to the Spur, leaving an opening at strong safety. That leaves three spots that need to be filled. Two will be filled by rising sophomores, while veteran Akeem Auguste will take a corner spot. The problem is that he hasn't played since 2010 and hasn't played corner since 2009.

Fremeau's projection:

Most likely result: 8-4 (30 percent likelihood)
Projection window: 7-5 to 10-2 (86 percent likelihood)

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.

Tennessee tight end Cameron Clear was arrested and charged Tuesday with felony theft of between $1,000 and $9,999, according to the arrest warrant.

He was being held on $2,500 bond at the Knox County Detention Center.

Sources told ESPN.com's Chris Low that Clear has been accused of stealing from teammates.

Tennessee coach Derek Dooley is aware of Clear's arrest and is in the process of gathering more information, according to Tennessee athletic department spokesman Jimmy Stanton.

Clear caught just one pass for 4 yards as a freshman in 2011, but is expected to be one of Tennessee's top tight end targets this fall.

For more on Clear, read here.

Edward Aschoff discusses the emergence of Antonio Richardson at left tackle for the Vols this spring.