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Every year, I'm surprised at who goes in the NFL draft and how high they go and who never gets that call.

The biggest surprise for me this year was that Arkansas defensive lineman Malcolm Sheppard went undrafted.

Granted, he doesn't have ideal size for an interior defensive lineman (280 pounds), but you'd be hard-pressed to find a defensive lineman in the SEC who was more consistent than Sheppard the past two seasons. He recorded 24.5 tackles for loss over his last two years at Arkansas and collected more than 10 tackles for loss in each of his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

He's played both end and tackle in his career, has a great work ethic and plays hard on every down. Just ask the guys at Florida and Alabama who tried to block him last season.

The thing that killed him was a shoulder injury he suffered in the Liberty Bowl. He tore ligaments and didn't undergo surgery. That led to a poor showing at the NFL combine, and as recently as March, Sheppard said the shoulder was still only about 80 percent.

If he gets back to 100 percent, the Houston Texans may have gotten a steal in free agency. His challenge is going to be finding a position. He's not really an end, and it remains to be seen if he's big enough to play inside in the NFL.

One of the other big surprises in the SEC was that somebody didn't take a shot on Auburn's Antonio Coleman, who led the league in sacks and tackles for loss last season. Coleman, too, is in between positions. He played defensive end in college, but will probably have to shift to outside linebacker in the NFL. Coleman signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills, who are switching to a 3-4 defense.

Other prominent SEC players who weren't drafted included LSU tight end Richard Dickson, Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead, Ole Miss receiver Shay Hodge, South Carolina safety Darian Stewart, Tennessee linebacker Rico McCoy, Alabama tight end Colin Peek and Vanderbilt safety Ryan Hamilton.

Snead's decision to turn pro early was puzzling when he made the announcement. Now it's to the point where it's almost sad how far he's fallen.

Going into last season, the feeling by many NFL analysts was that he was a first-round pick and possibly one of the top quarterbacks in the draft. But when you throw 20 interceptions in a season and look jittery in the pocket every time you feel pressure, things change in a hurry.

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.

Now that we’ve counted it down to the final 10, we’ll go one player a day until we get to the SEC’s top two players from this past season.


Once we’re finished, send me in your ranking of the Best 30 players in the SEC (based on what they did during the 2009 season), and I’ll post a few of them. That is, as long as you’re willing to provide your name and where you’re from.

We’re all about transparency on the SEC blog.

Here goes with the No. 10 selection:

No. 10: Antonio Coleman, DE, Auburn: In a lot of ways, Coleman was the antithesis of South Carolina’s Eric Norwood this past season. While Norwood had a red-hot start, it was Coleman who closed the season as hot as any defender in the league. He led the SEC with 10 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss, and that’s despite playing with a cast for seven weeks. Coleman partially tore ligaments in his right wrist and was unable to use that hand the first part of the season. He only had 2.5 sacks and five tackles for loss through his first seven games, and frustration nearly got the best of him. But once the cast came off, he returned to form and had 7.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss in his last six games. Coleman also led the Tigers with 12 quarterback hurries and blocked two kicks. A first-team All-SEC selection, Coleman finished his career third on Auburn’s all-time sacks list (24.5) and could wind up playing end or outside linebacker at the next level.

• No. 11: Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida
• No. 12: Eric Norwood, OLB, South Carolina
• No. 13: Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida
• No. 14: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
• No. 15: Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida
• No. 16: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
• No. 17: Ben Tate, RB, Auburn
• No. 18: Montario Hardesty, RB, Tennessee
• No. 19: Mike Johnson, OG, Alabama
• No. 20: Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida
• No. 21: Rennie Curran, LB, Georgia
• No. 22: Randall Cobb, QB/WR, Kentucky
• No. 23: Shay Hodge, WR, Ole Miss
• No. 24: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
• No. 25: Pernell McPhee, DE, Mississippi State
• No. 26: Malcolm Sheppard, DT, Arkansas
• No. 27: Mark Barron, S, Alabama
• No. 28: Terrence Cody, NG, Alabama
• No. 29: Brandon LaFell, WR, LSU
• No. 30: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

Some SEC football treats to munch on:

• Former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow defends his upcoming Super Bowl anti-abortion advertisement despite growing criticism.
• Ellis Johnson, South Carolina's assistant head coach for the defense, is about to get a raise that would take him to $700,000 per year, reports Joe Person of The State newspaper.
• Ole Miss offensive coordinator Kent Austin is leaving to take the Cornell head coaching job.
• Tennessee coach Derek Dooley has still yet to sign a memorandum of understanding, but his focus has been recruiting.
• Former Arkansas offensive guard Mitch Petrus has turned some heads during the early practices at the Senior Bowl.
• Former Alabama star Jeremiah Castille works to strengthen personal and spiritual lives as the Crimson Tide's team chaplain.
• Former Auburn defensive end Antonio Coleman gets a belated invite to the NFL combine.

The final rosters for the Under Armour Senior Bowl have been posted. The game is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on Saturday from Mobile, Ala.

Vanderbilt is the only SEC school not represented in the game.

Here's the list of participating SEC players on the South team:

ALABAMA

CB Javier Arenas

NG Terrence Cody

OG Mike Johnson

TE Colin Peek

K Leigh Tiffin

RB Roy Upchurch

ARKANSAS

OG Mitch Petrus

AUBURN

DE Antonio Coleman

RB Ben Tate

FLORIDA

WR Riley Cooper

QB Tim Tebow

GEORGIA

DT Geno Atkins

DT Jeff Owens

KENTUCKY

CB Trevard Lindley

LSU

OT Ciron Black

LB Harry Coleman



MISSISSIPPI STATE

LB Jamar Chaney

RB Anthony Dixon

OLE MISS

WR Shay Hodge

OL John Jerry

RB Dexter McCluster

SOUTH CAROLINA

LB Eric Norwood

TENNESSEE

DS Morgan Cox

OT Chris Scott

DT Dan Williams

We’ve already taken a look at who needs what in the Eastern Division. Now we turn our attention to the Western Division:

ALABAMA

Secondary: With cornerback Kareem Jackson deciding to leave early for the NFL draft, the Crimson Tide are losing three starting defensive backs from last season’s national championship team. Top recruit DeMarcus Milliner could get a chance to play right away, and sophomore cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick has star potential.

Kicker/punter: How many times did Leigh Kiffin save Alabama last season? There’s a very good chance that true freshman Cade Foster will be the starting kicker next season. He’s already enrolled for this semester and will go through spring practice. It also looks like true freshman Jay Williams will have a chance to step in right away as the Crimson Tide’s punter.

ARKANSAS

Defensive line: The Hogs need help everywhere on defense, but nowhere is that more apparent than the defensive line, especially with All-SEC tackle Malcolm Sheppard departing. Also gone is starting end Adrian Davis.

Linebacker: Wendel Davis is gone from the middle, and the Hogs will have several juniors and seniors playing key roles next season at linebacker. Similar to the defensive line, it’s a position Arkansas has to keep upgrading if this is going to be an SEC championship-caliber defense.

Receiver: Bobby Petrino can never have enough good receivers in his system, and you’re seeing the Hogs stock up on a few more in this class. Plus, Jarius Wright, Greg Childs and Joe Adams will all be juniors next season.

AUBURN

Linebacker: The Tigers were so thin at linebacker last season that starters Josh Byne and Craig Stevens played all 115 snaps in the overtime win against Northwestern in the bowl game. Several in this freshman class, notably LeDarius Owens, could wind up being key contributors next season.

Running back: Ben Tate was that every-down pounder that all SEC teams covet. It remains to be seen if Mario Fannin can be that guy. The Tigers also have Onterio McCalebb returning, but heralded signee Michael Dyer of Little Rock, Ark., will get a chance to show what he can do right away, and the Tigers are also chasing hard after another marquee running back prospect -- Marcus Lattimore of Duncan, S.C.

Defensive end: The big loss was SEC sacks leader Antonio Coleman. The Tigers could use some more dynamic pass-rushers coming off the edge.

LSU

Receiver: With Brandon LaFell departing for the NFL, the Tigers will need some immediate help at receiver. LaFell led all SEC receivers with 19 touchdown catches over the last two seasons. After him, there wasn’t a lot of production at receiver.

Offensive line: Even though tackle Ciron Black didn’t have a great senior season, he was the anchor of LSU’s offensive line in 2009. So the Tigers need to find another tackle and just generally need to get better up front across the board. They gave up far too many sacks (37) and were 11^th in the league in rushing offense.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Running back: Replacing your all-time leading rusher is never easy, but that’s what Mississippi State is faced with now that Anthony Dixon is gone. He was the heart and soul of that offense last season. But he’s not the only one the Bulldogs are losing. Also gone are senior running backs Christian Ducre and Arnil Stallworth.

Quarterback: Junior Chris Relf and redshirt freshman Tyler Russell are Mississippi State’s only two scholarship quarterbacks. The Bulldogs need another one. They made a run at former Florida quarterback Cameron Newton, but he signed with Auburn.

Defensive end: Mississippi State has a lot of young talent on defense, but the priority on that side of the ball is adding at least two more ends.

OLE MISS

Offensive line: The Rebels are losing 12 starters total and were hit especially hard on the offensive line. The strength of their line last season was in the middle from guard to guard, and all three of those guys are gone. John Jerry will be particularly difficult to replace. He started eight games at tackle and five at guard.

Secondary: Gone are both starting cornerbacks as well as free safety Kendrick Lewis, who led Ole Miss in tackles. The Rebels were able to redshirt some younger defensive backs, but there’s not much experience behind them.

Running back: How do you replace Dexter McCluster? The truth is that you don’t. The Rebels still have some decent numbers at running back, but what they’re searching for is a guy they can move around and be effective at several different spots the way McCluster was during his career. Junior college transfer Randall Mackey has that kind of potential.

The SEC will have 25 players on the South roster in the Under Armour Senior Bowl this year. That's more than any other conference in the country.

Of the 25 SEC representatives in this year’s game, 10 landed on All-American lists this season and 21 were named to All-SEC squads. It’s a group that includes the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year (Tim Tebow), Scholar-Athlete of the Year (Tebow), Special Teams Player of the Year (Javier Arenas) and Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner (Ciron Black).

This year's game will also feature four of the SEC’s five 1,000-yard rushers (Anthony Dixon, Ben Tate, Montario Hardesty and Dexter McCluster), its only 1,000-yard receiver (Shay Hodge), the league leader in scoring (Leigh Tiffin), the league leader in passing efficiency and points responsible for (Tebow) and the league leader in sacks (Antonio Coleman).

The game will be played Jan. 30 at 4 p.m. ET in Mobile's Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Here's a team-by-team list of the SEC players in the game:

ALABAMA

CB Javier Arenas

NG Terrence Cody

OG Mike Johnson

TE Colin Peek

K Leigh Tiffin

ARKANSAS

OG Mitch Petrus

AUBURN

DE Antonio Coleman

RB Ben Tate

FLORIDA

WR Riley Cooper

QB Tim Tebow

GEORGIA

DT Geno Atkins

DT Jeff Owens

KENTUCKY

CB Trevard Lindley

LSU

OT Ciron Black

LB Harry Coleman

WR Brandon LaFell

RB Charles Scott

MISSISSIPPI STATE

LB Jamar Chaney

RB Anthony Dixon

OLE MISS

WR Shay Hodge

OL John Jerry

RB Dexter McCluster

SOUTH CAROLINA

LB Eric Norwood

TENNESSEE

RB Montario Hardesty

DT Dan Williams

Our Christmas Eve edition of lunchtime links:

• Georgia isn't deterred by its bowl destination, and the Bulldogs insist they will be ready to play Monday in the AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl.
• Mark Ingram's imprisoned father has done his best to keep up with his Heisman Trophy winning son while awaiting federal sentencing.
• With Tennessee's school rushing record in sight, Montario Hardesty keeps the focus on the team.
• Auburn's Antoine Carter proves during the second half of the season that he has the stuff to replace Antonio Coleman.
• South Carolina won't get another shot at Iowa in the bowl game, but the similarities are many between Connecticut and the Hawkeyes.
• It's turning out to be a holiday homecoming of sorts for several of Kentucky's players.
• For nearly $89,000, you can have a 14-person suite on the 20-yard line for the Citi BCS National Championship game between Alabama and Texas. Of course, you're on your own as far as getting to Pasadena.
• The Cotton Bowl moves to the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium and is ready to rise again.

The 2010 Senior Bowl will have a definite SEC flavor.

Already, 10 SEC players have been announced as participants. The latest two were Tennessee teammates Montario Hardesty and Dan Williams.

Five Alabama players were selected -- offensive guard Mike Johnson, tight end Colin Peek, nose guard Terrence Cody, cornerback Javier Arenas and kicker Leigh Tiffin. Also selected were Auburn teammates Antonio Coleman and Ben Tate as well as Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon.

It hasn't been announced yet, but look for Ole Miss running back Dexter McCluster to also get an invite.

Checking in on what's making headlines around the SEC:

• South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier isn't a big fan of offensive line coach Eric Wolford's move to Youngstown State as head coach.
• Former Auburn great Pat Sullivan welcomes Mark Ingram into the Heisman fraternity.
• Brandon Willis, one of the players at the center of the NCAA's investigation into Tennessee's use of recruiting hostesses, is reportedly heading to Miami now and not Tennessee.
• Antonio Coleman fights through a partially torn ligament in his wrist to finish out a productive season for Auburn and lead the SEC in sacks.
• LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson hopes speed will come in handy against Penn State in the Capital One Bowl.
• Florida's Tim Tebow doesn't care if he's branded as a crybaby.
• Ole Miss' Tig Barksdale is back on the practice field and making waves on both offense and defense.
• Mark Richt's search for a new defensive coordinator continues, but take Vic Koenning's name off the board.

The beginning of the Gene Chizik era at Auburn was better than most people expected. The Tigers (7-5, 3-5) won their first five games and soared into the national rankings.

But with a serious numbers problem and an even more serious lack of depth problem, Auburn hit the skids once it got into the teeth of its SEC schedule. The Tigers lost five of their last six SEC games, although that final loss might have been the best game they played all season.

Coming off their bye week, the Tigers jumped out to a 14-0 lead on Alabama and hit the Crimson Tide with everything they had. But Alabama staged a late drive to win 26-21 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The Tigers were a lot of fun to watch on offense, and when they had it going, they were difficult to stop. First-year coordinator Gus Malzahn spread teams out with his no-huddle attack and wasn’t afraid to try anything. They seemed to hit a lull, though, in back-to-back losses to Kentucky and LSU in which they didn’t score more than 14 points in either game.

The real problem was on defense. The Tigers were last in the SEC in scoring defense and gave up 41 touchdowns this season.

Offensive MVP: Ben Tate, RB. He prospered in Malzahn’s offense and had a huge senior season, rushing for 1,254 yards and eight touchdowns. Tate averaged 5.2 yards per carry and was easily the Tigers’ most consistent threat. Receiver Darvin Adams also had a big year with 10 touchdown catches.

Defensive MVP: Antonio Coleman, DE. Despite not having big numbers at the beginning of the season, Dunlap closed with a flurry. He led the SEC with nine sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss and was a consensus first-team All-SEC selection.

Turning point: Having lost three in a row after its 5-0 start, Auburn put the brakes on its skid and whipped Ole Miss 33-20 at home in a game that was absolutely a must-win for the Tigers.

What’s next: The Tigers were picked over several other 7-5 teams to play in the Outback Bowl and will face Northwestern. It’s another chance to put a positive stamp on Chizik’s first season on the Plains. To take that next step in 2010, the Tigers will need to get better on defense. They should be deeper next season.

We’re pleased to announce the “official” 2009 All-SEC team.

No biases. No slant. No trying to take care of every team. No career achievement awards.

Just the best players in the SEC this season with heavy emphasis placed on how they did against league competition.

The quarterback decision was extremely difficult. Florida’s Tim Tebow is one of the best college football players I’ve ever seen over the course of his career, but the numbers say Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett was a little better this season.

Mallett had 2,189 passing yards, 16 touchdown passes and five interceptions in eight SEC games. Tebow had 1,552 passing yards, eight touchdown passes and five interceptions in nine games against SEC foes. Tebow also had eight rushing touchdowns compared to Mallett’s two.

I realize that Alabama nose guard Terrence Cody is in the running for several national awards. At times, he’s a force in the middle, but he wasn’t one of the four best defensive linemen this season on an every-down basis.

Alabama's Javier Arenas was the only player in the league to make it at two different positions. What a senior season he's had. Vanderbilt's Warren Norman was the only freshman to make the team.

There were several tough choices (running back and defensive line, in particular), but here’s our 2009 All-SEC team. On offense, we’ve included an all-purpose player:

OFFENSE

QB -- Ryan Mallett, So., Arkansas

RB -- Mark Ingram, Jr., Alabama

RB -- Anthony Dixon, Sr., Mississippi State

AP -- Randall Cobb, So., Kentucky

WR -- Shay Hodge, Sr., Ole Miss

WR -- A.J. Green, So., Georgia

TE -- Aaron Hernandez, Jr., Florida

OL -- John Jerry, Sr. Ole Miss

OL -- Mike Johnson, Sr., Alabama

OL -- Chris Scott, Sr., Tennessee

OL -- Mike Pouncey, Jr., Florida

C -- Maurkice Pouncey, Jr., Florida

DEFENSE

DE -- Antonio Coleman, Sr., Auburn

DE -- Pernell McPhee, Jr., Mississippi State

DT -- Dan Williams, Sr., Tennessee

DT -- Malcolm Sheppard, Sr., Arkansas

LB -- Eric Norwood, Sr., South Carolina

LB -- Rolando McClain, Jr., Alabama

LB -- Brandon Spikes, Sr., Florida

DB -- Joe Haden, Jr., Florida

DB -- Patrick Peterson, So., LSU

DB -- Javier Arenas, Sr., Alabama

DB -- Eric Berry, Jr., Tennessee

SPECIAL TEAMS

K -- Leigh Tiffin, Sr., Alabama

P -- Drew Butler, So., Georgia

KR -- Warren Norman, Fr., Vanderbilt

PR -- Javier Arenas, Sr., Alabama

No disrespect to the five finalists named Thursday for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which honors the defensive player of the year in college football, but the best defensive player in the SEC this season didn't make the cut.

Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain was not among the five finalists, but two SEC players were -- Alabama nose guard Terrence Cody and Tennessee safety Eric Berry.

The other three finalists were Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer, TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes and Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

McClain has been the driving force for Alabama's defense this season and has made one big play after another for the Crimson Tide. It's hard to imagine a defender who's more valuable to his team than McClain when you consider all the different hats he wears and his knowledge of that defense.

Cody's been a space-eater in the middle for the Tide and had the two huge blocked kicks in the Tennessee game, but cornerback Javier Arenas has been the second best defensive player on Alabama's team this season.

Berry, too, has been a huge part of Tennessee's defensive success, although his interception numbers are down from his first two seasons. The Vols are using him more like a linebacker in Monte Kiffin's system, and he leads all SEC defensive backs in tackles per game.

South Carolina outside linebacker Eric Norwood, Florida cornerback Joe Haden and LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson would also be in the conversation if I were picking defensive player of the year candidates this season in the SEC.

Auburn defensive end Antonio Coleman deserves some love, too. He leads the league in sacks and tackles for loss.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

The SEC league office has announced its top performers from Week 9:

OFFENSE

Anthony Dixon, RB, Mississippi State: Rushed for a school-record 252 yards and two touchdowns in Mississippi State’s 31-24 win at Kentucky. His 3-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the third quarter put the Bulldogs ahead to stay. Dixon now has 1,001 rushing yards on the season.

DEFENSE

Walt McFadden, DB, Auburn: Tied a career high with five tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, and had two interceptions in the Tigers’ 33-20 victory over Ole Miss. He returned his first interception 29 yards for a touchdown, and his second interception sealed the game with Ole Miss driving in the final minutes.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Caleb Sturgis, PK, Florida: Booted a career-long 56-yard field goal in the first half against Georgia, while also completing a 44-yard attempt in the Gators’ 41-17 win against the Bulldogs. His 56-yarder was the second-longest field goal in school history and the longest field goal in the SEC this season.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

Mitch Petrus, G, Arkansas: Led a Hogs' offensive line that didn't allow a sack in the 63-27 win over Eastern Michigan. The Hogs finished with 297 yards passing and 292 yards rushing.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

Antonio Coleman, DE, Auburn: Recorded five tackles, while tying career highs with four tackles for loss, including two sacks, along with one forced fumble, four quarterback hurries and one blocked kick in the Tigers’ 33-20 victory over Ole Miss.

FRESHMAN

Janzen Jackson, DB, Tennessee: Collected seven solo tackles, forced a fumble and contributed two pass breakups in Tennessee’s 31-13 win over South Carolina. His big hit on the game’s third play from scrimmage resulted in a South Carolina fumble that Tennessee recovered and turned into seven points just two plays later.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

With it being Halloween, we ought to give out candy instead of helmet stickers to this week’s top performers.

But we’ll stick with helmet stickers. Here’s a look at the Week 9 winners:

Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon: Two weeks after breaking Jerious Norwood’s career rushing record at Mississippi State, Dixon broke his single-game record with 252 yards on 33 carries in a 31-24 win over Kentucky. Dixon now has 1,001 yards on the season and is right on the heels of Alabama’s Mark Ingram for the SEC rushing lead. The 6-1, 235-pound senior has gained 100 yards or more in every game he has played in this season and became just the 12^th player in SEC history to rush for more than 250 yards in a game.

Auburn defensive end Antonio Coleman: One of the top pass-rushers in the league, Coleman has played through wrist and leg injuries this season and hadn’t put up big numbers -- until Saturday. He set the tone for the Tigers’ most complete defensive performance of the season in a 33-20 victory over Ole Miss. The Rebels couldn’t do anything with him, as he lived in their backfield and finished with four tackles for loss, including two sacks, and four quarterback hurries.

Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin: It’s probably premature to proclaim the Vols as being back, but they certainly appear to be on their way. They broke out the black jerseys (yes, they were ugly) and beat up on South Carolina for a 31-13 victory that paves the way for what could be a torrid stretch run on Rocky Top. The Vols are playing great defense, playing with great purpose and playing with the kind of confidence that filters down from their coach. Kiffin has this team believing, and he’s done a super job with senior quarterback Jonathan Crompton. When everybody else was ready to throw Crompton to the wolves in September, Kiffin stuck by him. It’s paid huge dividends, because Crompton has played winning football the last three weeks.

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow: He didn’t put on his Superman cape for Halloween, but Tebow sure looked like his old self in the 41-17 rout of Georgia. He threw two touchdown passes and ran for two touchdowns, breaking Herschel Walker’s SEC career record for rushing touchdowns. Tebow now has 51 rushing touchdowns. More importantly, he and the Florida offense appear to be in sync again. Tebow completed at least three passes to four different players. He also rushed for 85 yards, surpassing Arkansas’ Matt Jones as the SEC’s all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks. Tebow now has 2,588 career rushing yards.

Arkansas receiver Joe Adams: From afar, there wasn’t anything spectacular about Arkansas’ 63-27 pummeling of outmanned Eastern Michigan. But some of the best news of the day in college football was seeing Adams back on the field for the Hogs. He had missed the last three games after suffering a mild stroke, but was cleared by doctors this past Thursday for full participation. He didn’t make just a token appearance, either. He caught a pair of touchdown passes from Ryan Mallett, including a 78-yarder right before half, and finished with three catches for 109 yards.