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SEC: 2010 spring what to watch

What to watch in the SEC West this spring

February, 22, 2010

2/22/10

11:00

AM ET

By Chris Low | ESPN.com

Here’s a breakdown of some of the issues facing each SEC West team heading into the spring:

ALABAMA

Spring practice starts: March 12

Spring game: April 17

What to watch:

Retooling the secondary -- The Crimson Tide are losing three starters in the secondary, and another guy who played a good bit last season, safety Robby Green, is in limbo. The battle for the two starting cornerback spots this spring will be fierce. Sophomore Dre Kirkpatrick has star potential with his combination of talent and swagger. Coveted freshman signees DeMarcus Milliner and John Fulton both enrolled early and will go through spring practice, while sophomore B.J. Scott will also get a shot at one of the three starting positions in Alabama’s nickel defense along with LSU transfer Phelon Jones, who already has SEC experience. Junior college newcomer DeQuan Menzie arrives this summer, so there will be a bunch of new faces in the Alabama secondary next fall. And with Green’s eligibility in question, another guy to watch at safety is sophomore Robert Lester, a teammate of Julio Jones’ in high school. Scott could also play safety if needed.
Cody’s replacement -- Even though Terrence Cody wasn’t an every-down player for Alabama, he was a one-man wrecking crew against the run. Teams simply didn’t run between the tackles against the Crimson Tide. Junior Josh Chapman is the most experienced of the inside guys and played behind Cody the last two seasons. The defensive coaches are eager to get a more extensive look at sophomore Kerry Murphy this spring. He may have as much pure talent as anybody up front. He got a late start getting to Alabama because of qualifying issues, but was a big-time recruit. Damion Square is a wild card and can play any position on the defensive line. He’s back after tearing his ACL in the second game, but will be limited this spring.
Special teams makeover -- Don’t underestimate the importance special teams played for Alabama each of the past two seasons. Place-kicker Leigh Tiffin and punter P.J. Fitzgerald both had excellent senior seasons. Freshman place-kicker Cade Foster is already enrolled in school and will show off his leg in the spring. Christian Kauffman is walking on and will be on campus this summer. Freshman punter Jay Williams will be on campus in the summer. Equally important is finding a dynamic return man. How many games did Javier Arenas win for the Crimson Tide the last few seasons? Julio Jones, Dre Kirkpatrick, Trent Richardson, Marquis Maze and Terry Grant are all more than capable candidates. We’ll see who emerges.

ARKANSAS

Spring practice starts: March 30

Spring game: April 24

What to watch:

Playing without Mallett -- It will be sophomore Tyler Wilson’s show this spring at quarterback with Ryan Mallett out with a broken bone in his left foot. Wilson will get some help from redshirt freshman Brandon Mitchell and true freshman Jacoby Walker, who enrolled early and will also participate in spring practice. Obviously, the Hogs would like to have their main guy under center with everybody getting better around him, but it’s also a chance for Wilson and some of the other quarterbacks to get valuable practice time with the first unit. Having a second-team quarterback who’s ready to step in as opposed to having one who’s in over his head is the difference between saving a season and going belly-up if the starter happens to go down.
Making strides on defense -- The Hogs will be older and more experienced on defense next season, and they’re hopeful that means they will be stingier. Depth at linebacker remains a concern, but the secondary should be better with the return of cornerback Isaac Madison, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. For precautionary reasons, Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said he’s not sure how much contact Madison will get this spring. Malcolm Sheppard and Adrian Davis are gone from the defensive line, but Petrino thinks the defensive front will be good. Jake Bequette, Damario Ambrose, Tenarius Wright, Zach Stadther, D.D. Jones, Patrick Jones and Lavunce Askew are all back. Petrino says it’s paramount that the Hogs develop more depth at linebacker this spring, and ultimately, find a way to eliminate the big plays.
Loaded backfield -- It’s no secret that Arkansas is loaded at receiver, but Petrino really likes the potential in the backfield, headlined by sophomore Ronnie Wingo Jr. He has track speed and has beefed up to 230 pounds. He’s primed for a breakout season. It’s also a backfield that appears to have all the pieces. Broderick Green is pushing 250 pounds and gives the Hogs that power back down around the goal line, while Dennis Johnson and Knile Davis are guys who can do a little bit of everything. With new offensive line coach Chris Klenakis coming over from Nevada, look for the Hogs to tweak their running game and use a lot of the Pistol formation that was so successful for Klenakis at Nevada.

AUBURN

Spring practice starts: March 22

Spring game: April 17

What to watch:

Linebacker depth -- The Tigers were so thin at linebacker last season that Josh Bynes and Craig Stevens had to play every snap in the overtime win against Northwestern in the Outback Bowl. Both of those guys are back, and both should be primed for big seasons. But one of the priorities this spring is building some depth around them. Junior Eltoro Freeman should be more consistent in 2010 after coming over from junior college last season. Redshirt freshman Harris Gaston was injured for much of last season, while sophomore Jonathan Evans played well late when he was forced into action. Freshman signee Jessel Curry was a midterm enrollee. The rest of the linebacker reinforcements -- LaDarius Owens, Jake Holland and Jawara White -- will be on campus this summer.
Newton stepping in at quarterback -- All signs point to junior college newcomer Cameron Newton being the guy to beat at quarterback. He’ll go through spring practice after signing in December. The 6-foot-6, 247-pound Newton can run and pass, which is what Gus Malzahn is looking for in his spread offense. Redshirt freshman Tyrik Rollison was thought to be the Tigers’ quarterback of the future until his suspension prior to the bowl game last year. Now, his status remains up in the air. Senior Neil Caudle will also get a shot this spring. Remember that Chris Todd sort of came from the back of the pack last season to win the job.
Difference-makers on defense -- Antonio Coleman was the SEC’s sacks leader and tackles for loss leader a year ago, but now he’s gone. Who’s going to take his place when it comes to making the big plays on defense? Senior Antoine Carter is the odds-on favorite at Coleman’s end spot, but the guy the Auburn coaches were really excited about last season was freshman Nosa Eguae, who injured his foot just prior to the season and wound up redshirting. It’s also a big spring for junior tackle Nick Fairley. He made some big plays inside last season after coming over from junior college, but needs to show more consistency. Junior college players are typically much better their second season in the program.

LSU

Spring practice starts: Feb. 26

Spring game: March 27

What to watch:

Finding an identity on offense -- After last season’s woeful showing, the Tigers have to find an identity on offense. They weren’t particularly good at anything a year ago and finished 112^th nationally in total offense (304.5 yards per game). The first part of that equation this spring will be revving up the running game. Even though Charles Scott and Keiland Williams are both gone, junior Stevan Ridley has all sorts of ability, and senior Richard Murphy will be back after missing most of last season with a knee injury. LSU coach Les Miles also brought in former Florida assistant Billy Gonzalez to be the Tigers’ passing game coordinator. It’s not a talent issue. There’s more than enough talent on LSU’s roster to be one of the top offensive clubs in the league. The key is utilizing that talent properly.
Searching for Russell Shepard -- It’s pretty obvious by now that Shepard isn’t going to be an every-down quarterback at LSU. In fact, don’t be surprised if he takes very few snaps at quarterback this spring. Miles believes Shepard might have been spread too thin last season at all the different positions, which is the reason he’s going to work primarily at running back and receiver this spring. He’s one of the most dynamic athletes on LSU’s roster, and the Tigers have to find a way to get his hands on the ball more than they did during his freshman season. Finding his niche in this offense will be critical this spring.
Jefferson’s next step -- It’s true that quarterback Jordan Jefferson tended to hold onto the ball too long last season, but it’s also true that there were more than a few breakdowns in LSU’s offensive line. The Tigers gave up a staggering 37 sacks. Jefferson has to get a better feel for the pressure this spring, where it’s coming from and when he has to get rid of the ball. The LSU coaches will be looking for him to make a big jump from his sophomore to junior season. Either way, redshirt freshman Chris Garrett will get a good look this spring, too. The 6-4, 220-pound Garrett is more of a classic drop-back passer with a big arm.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Spring practice starts: March 23

Spring game: April 17

What to watch:

Tyler Russell’s stage -- Certainly nobody is going to hand the starting quarterback job to redshirt freshman Tyler Russell, who was one of the prizes of the Bulldogs’ 2009 signing class. But he will get every chance to win the job this spring. Junior Chris Relf isn’t going anywhere and was effective as Mississippi State’s designated running quarterback when he returned from his suspension last season. Still, it’s Russell who has the most upside to be the kind of every-down quarterback Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is looking for in his offense. Mullen didn’t think Russell was ready last season and didn’t push him. We’ll have a better idea of how ready he is after this spring.
Life after Anthony Dixon -- When you take away almost 1,400 yards rushing from an offense, that means somebody waiting in the wings better be really special or that two or three people better be poised to step up and divvy up that production. It’s probably going to be the latter for the Bulldogs, who face the task of replacing Dixon and his 126.5 yards per game. Junior Robert Elliott has the most experience. Freshman Montrell Conner redshirted last season, while junior college newcomer Vick Ballard is in school and will also go through spring practice. Look for sophomore receiver Chad Bumphis’ role in this offense to grow exponentially, too. He’s one of those guys who makes plays no matter where you put him.
New identity on defense -- Mullen brought in Manny Diaz from Middle Tennessee to run the Mississippi State defense along with Chris Wilson from Oklahoma. Wilson will serve as co-defensive coordinator and also coach the defensive line. The Bulldogs finished 11^th in the SEC last season in both total defense and scoring defense. There’s some young talent in place defensively, not to mention a dominant presence up front in senior end Pernell McPhee. Diaz’s goal is to bring more of an attacking mentality to Mississippi State’s defense, and that starts this spring. The Bulldogs have a chance to be really good in the secondary when you look at all the young guys who made plays back there last season.

OLE MISS

Spring practice starts: March 27

Spring game: April 17

What to watch:

Overhauling the offense -- With a new coordinator (Dave Rader) and new players at just about every position, the Rebels will take on a different look in 2010. The first order of business is settling on a starting quarterback. Sophomore Nathan Stanley is probably in the best position to win the job, but redshirt freshman Raymond Cotton will also get a long look this spring. Don’t count out multipurpose junior college newcomer Randall Mackey once he arrives in the summer, either. With Houston Nutt calling the shots on offense, the running game is always going to be what drives Ole Miss. Dexter McCluster won’t be around to break 70- and 80-yard touchdown runs anymore, which means Brandon Bolden, Rodney Scott, Tim Simon (if he’s healthy) and Enrique Davis will have split up the backfield duties. If Davis is going to make his move, it needs to be this spring.
Sophomores stepping up -- Several talented, younger players in the program will need to take that next step if Ole Miss is going to have the kind of success it has during Nutt’s first two seasons in Oxford. In particular, there are a cluster of sophomores who showed a lot of promise last season as freshmen. They have to become leaders and prime-time players this coming season. Some of those guys include D.T. Shackelford at linebacker, Jesse Grandy at running back, return specialist or anywhere he can get his hands on the ball and Pat Patterson at receiver. If Patterson matures both on and off the field this spring, he’s got a chance to be Ole Miss’ next great receiver in the mold of Shay Hodge. And on the offensive line, tackle Bobby Massie needs to become a dominant player.
Plugging in Dorsey at end -- The Ole Miss coaches will get their first look at 6-8, 255-pound Wayne Dorsey in their defense this spring. He’s the kind of guy who should fit perfectly into what defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix is looking for from his ends and was a force in junior college as a pass-rusher. Dorsey signed in December and is already enrolled in school. The Rebels had to have an impact player at end after losing Marcus Tillman, Emmanuel Stephens and Greg Hardy. Dorsey was one of the top junior college players in America, and getting him on campus for spring practice was huge.

What to watch in the SEC East this spring

February, 22, 2010

2/22/10

10:00

AM ET

By Chris Low | ESPN.com

Here’s a breakdown of some of the issues facing each SEC East team heading into the spring:

FLORIDA

Spring practice starts: March 17

Spring game: April 10

What to watch:

Meyer’s involvement – Florida coach Urban Meyer says he will be refreshed enough to be back in time for the start of spring practice. That means his leave of absence will have lasted all of a month. It will be interesting to see how involved he is, because Meyer has always been such a hands-on coach in the past. In particular, does he back away from his role as special teams coordinator? Since Meyer arrived at Florida in 2005, the Gators have had some of the best special teams in the country. And with so many new faces on offense next season, special teams and/or field position will be more important than ever. The Gators will lose something if Meyer’s not running the show in the kicking game.

Brantley takes the reins – The Tim Tebow era is over, and now it’s John Brantley’s turn to put his stamp on Florida’s offense. This will be the second spring that he’s gotten a lot of the work with the first-team offense. He was extremely impressive last spring when Tebow was taking it easy with his shoulder. Obviously, Brantley is a different kind of quarterback than Tebow. He’s a pure passer who’s going to beat teams with his arm and not his legs. That’s not to say he’s a statue in the pocket, but he’s also not going to be bulling over safeties on third-and-2. As much as anything, Brantley needs to establish himself as one of the leaders this spring. With Maurkice Pouncey, Riley Cooper and Tebow all gone, new leaders have to emerge on offense.

Finding more playmakers – An even more important story this spring than Brantley taking over is who’s going to have his back on offense. In other words, who can he count on to make plays? Redshirt freshman Andre Debose is certainly a guy the Gators are counting on at receiver after undergoing hamstring surgery last year. Running back Emmanuel Moody will get a chance to be the workhorse on the ground, and Chris Rainey is moving to the slot position, meaning he’ll line up some at running back and some at receiver. Replacing Aaron Hernandez at tight end isn’t going to be easy. Freshman Gerald Christian enrolled early, and he will push redshirt freshmen Jordan Reed and Desmond Parks.

GEORGIA

Spring practice starts: March 4

Spring game: April 10

What to watch:

Quarterback competition – With 10 starters coming back on offense, the quarterback race will be where all the drama is this spring at Georgia. Nobody has any meaningful experience to speak of. Junior Logan Gray played in spots last season. He’s a terrific athlete and may be better suited to play another position at some point, but he’s not giving up on quarterback. The two redshirt freshmen, Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger, both have their strengths. Murray is the more versatile of the two, while Mettenberger is a bigger pocket passer who can really throw it. We’ll see if anybody separates himself this spring or if the competition goes into preseason practice. Because of his versatility, Murray is probably the favorite. Mettenberger might still be a year away.

Implementation of the 3-4 – New defensive coordinator Todd Grantham takes over a Georgia defense that gave up big plays and points in bunches the last two seasons. The Bulldogs will shift from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 this spring, meaning some defensive ends will be moving to outside linebacker. The Bulldogs lost three senior defensive tackles, so somebody needs to step forward at nose tackle. DeAngelo Tyson may be the guy there. Justin Houston, who had 7.5 sacks last season, looks like a good fit at outside linebacker after playing end a year ago. Cornelius Washington is another guy who could blossom in the 3-4 as a pass-rusher. He has great speed and was always a bit thin at defensive end.

Replenishing the secondary – The Bulldogs lost three starters in the secondary, including both safeties. The decision by Reshad Jones to turn pro early really hurt their depth. This is a big spring for sophomore cornerback Branden Smith, who made more of an impact last season on offense. The top candidates at safety are Baccari Rambo and Jakar Hamilton, a junior college transfer who enrolled early and will go through spring practice. Down the road, top 2010 signee Alec Ogletree will be a factor somewhere, either at safety or linebacker. After finishing 10^th in the SEC in pass defense last season and allowing a league-high 25 touchdown passes, the Bulldogs have to improve across the board when it comes to defending the pass.

KENTUCKY

Spring practice starts: March 31

Spring game: April 24

What to watch:

Settling on a quarterback – All eyes will be on the quarterbacks this spring. Morgan Newton finished last season as the starter and struggled through the normal growing pains any true freshman goes through in the SEC. Newton wasn’t very consistent throwing the ball, but the Wildcats were also careful in what they asked him to do. Senior Mike Hartline opened last season as the starter, but went down with a knee injury. He clearly has the most experience. We’ll see how his knee holds up. The third guy in the Wildcats’ quarterback derby is redshirt freshman Ryan Mossakowski. He tore the labrum in his throwing shoulder toward the end of his senior season in high school and wasn’t healthy enough to compete for the starting job last fall. He is now, though, and might be further along mentally at this stage of his career than any quarterback the Wildcats have had, according to first-year coach Joker Phillips.

Big shoes to fill on defense – Freshman linebacker Qua Huzzie will make his debut after injuring his shoulder in the preseason a year ago. He could be Micah Johnson’s replacement in the middle. Sophomores Ridge Wilson and Ronnie Sneed and redshirt freshman Will Johnson are three others who will get a lot of work at linebacker, especially with Sam Maxwell gone. Junior college safety Josh Gibbs is already in school and will get a shot right away in the secondary. Corey Peters was a force at tackle last season. But now that he’s gone, the Wildcats need Shane McCord and Mark Crawford to step up and be every-down players in the middle.

Rebuilding the offensive line – The Wildcats have to replace four starters on the offensive line. The only returning starter is junior guard Stuart Hines, who has All-SEC potential. The good news is that there are seven lettermen returning, so there is some experience. Junior Billy Joe Murphy will probably get first crack at left tackle. He started three games in 2008. Senior Brad Durham, who’s started seven games over the last two seasons, is the front-runner at right tackle. Sophomore Larry Warford played some last season as a true freshman and is a good bet to start at the other guard opposite Hines. The center position will be a battle between senior Marcus Davis and sophomore Matt Smith, although junior Jake Lanefski could move to center when he returns from a knee injury in August. Lanefski has starting experience as a guard.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Spring practice starts: March 16

Spring game: April 10

What to watch:

Sorting it out in the offensive line – For all the issues that have hounded Steve Spurrier since he took over at South Carolina in 2005, none have plagued him more than the Gamecocks’ inability to consistently get it done in the offensive line. Heading into next season, there’s enough talent in place for the Gamecocks to make a run in the East if they play better up front. Shawn Elliott, who comes over from Appalachian State, steps in as Spurrier’s third offensive line coach in the last three years. He inherits three returning starters, but nothing is set in stone. Some new faces to watch are tackle Rokevious Watkins and guard Nick Allison, both of whom redshirted last season. There’s a chance T.J. Johnson could move to center. However it shakes out, this is the telltale area for the Gamecocks in 2010.

Getting a clear plan on offense – This encompasses so many things, including finding some continuity in the offensive line and getting continued improvement from junior quarterback Stephen Garcia. But the other big component is establishing who the principal play-caller is going to be this fall and getting the chemistry down on the offensive staff. Spurrier has talked about getting better in the running game, but the Gamecocks have to commit to being a better running team, part of which means calling more running plays. Steve Spurrier Jr. has called the bulk of the plays the last two years. And while play-calling on game day can often times be overrated, the guy the South Carolina fans would like to see calling all of the plays is the Head Ball Coach.

Replacing Norwood and Geathers -- Between them, Eric Norwood and Clifton Geathers made their share of big plays for the Gamecocks last season, particularly Norwood. Shaq Wilson will likely move from middle linebacker to Norwood’s weak side spot. Wilson can blitz like a safety, and South Carolina will put in some special blitz packages for him. Reggie Bowens and Tony Straughter are two other guys to watch at that spot. At Geathers’ end position, redshirt freshman Chaz Sutton and sophomore Devin Taylor both have a ton of potential. And with Cliff Matthews on the other side, the Gamecocks have a chance to be really good on the defensive line if Sutton and Taylor come through.

TENNESSEE

Spring practice starts: March 18

Spring game: April 17

What to watch:

Quarterback competition – If experience in the program counts for anything, then senior Nick Stephens will have a leg up this spring in Tennessee’s starting quarterback competition. But for the third straight year, the Vols will have a new guy calling the shots on offense. Derek Dooley takes over the Vols’ program, and Jim Chaney will be his offensive coordinator. Chaney was under-utilized on the previous staff. One of the things Chaney will be looking for from Stephens is increased accuracy. Freshman Tyler Bray will also get a chance to show what he can do this spring. A heralded prospect from California, Bray is already enrolled in school. His first order of business is bulking up and getting stronger. The Vols also brought in junior college newcomer Matt Simms, the younger brother of NFL quarterback Chris Simms.

Finding offensive linemen – The anchor of Tennessee’s offensive line is sophomore tackle Aaron Douglas, who was a Freshman All-American in 2009. The only problem is that last season was his first on the offensive line after playing tight end in high school, and he’s the so-called veteran of the unit. He’ll probably shift to left tackle this spring after playing on the right side last season. After Douglas, it’s a scramble. Freshman Ja’Wuan James, who enrolled early and will go through spring practice, will get every chance to win a job. It’s critical for the Vols that JerQuari Schofield and Dallas Thomas have big springs. Tennessee’s going to need both of them to play next season. The center position is a huge mystery. Victor Thomas moved over from defense and could be the answer.

Finding leaders on defense – The backbone of Tennessee’s defense is gone in the form of Eric Berry, Dan Williams and Rico McCoy. All three were defensive playmakers and leaders. As new defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox takes over, he’ll be looking for both playmakers and leaders this spring. Senior defensive ends Chris Walker and Ben Martin fit the bill in both areas. Getting Nick Reveiz back at middle linebacker after he tore his ACL last season is also a big lick for the Vols, although he’ll be limited this spring. The secondary is wide open. Not only is Berry gone, but Dennis Rogan turned pro, too. Sophomore safety Janzen Jackson is the most talented guy back there. Taking care of business off the field may be his greatest challenge. This is also a big spring for sophomore safety Darren Myles Jr., who could be a breakout player for the Vols.

VANDERBILT

Spring practice starts: March 17

Spring game: April 10

What to watch:

Larry Smith has some competition – Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson hasn’t given up on Smith, not in the least bit. Most of the time last season, Smith simply didn’t have enough help around him to be successful. But what Johnson does want is for somebody to push Smith, which is the reason the Commodores brought in junior college quarterback Jordan Rodgers in January. Smith missed the final three games a year ago after tearing his hamstring and will have to play well to hold off Rodgers, the younger brother of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The best scenario would be for one of those guys to win the job in the spring so that decision isn’t still hovering out there throughout the summer and into preseason practice.

Offensive line continuity – The Commodores have to replace the left side of their offensive line as well as center Bradley Vierling, who was a two-time captain. Left tackle Thomas Welch played in the Senior Bowl, so that tells you that Vanderbilt is losing some talent at that position. James Williams returns at right tackle after breaking his ankle in the second game a year ago and missing the rest of the season. Sophomore Ryan Seymour is the favorite to replace Welch at left tackle. This will be an important spring for him after moving over from defense last spring. Junior Kyle Fischer can play guard or tackle and is one of the most talented offensive linemen on the roster. Four younger guys to watch are redshirt freshmen Justin Cabbagestalk, Wesley Johnson and Mylon Brown along with sophomore Jabo Burrow.

Passing game – Johnson moved some duties around on his offensive coaching staff this offseason. Quarterbacks coach Jimmy Kiser will now be calling all of the offensive plays. His most pressing duty will be trying to establish some semblance of a passing game, which starts with identifying receivers. Anybody who shows the ability to make a play down the field this spring will get a chance come fall. The Commodores, who will continue to try and develop their no-huddle offense, have several promising young running backs and look set back there. It will be interesting to see how they incorporate redshirt freshman Wesley Tate into the offense. But overall, they desperately need to build some confidence and some momentum in the passing game this spring if they’re going to improve offensively in 2010.