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Kipp Adams writes : Talented O-lineman Brandon Kublanow has long considered an offer from UGA to be a dream, but a host of other programs thought the same of him. He took his time through the recruiting process, but followed his heart Wednesday and became a Bulldog.

Adams : Super competitive, strong and intense, Kublanow will afford Georgia great versatility on the O-line. It also doesn’t hurt that his HS coach says Kublanow is the best lineman he has seen in 16 years of coaching.

Video interview: Brandon Kublanow

DawgNation Roundtable : UGA tied for the second biggest NFL class in the 2012 draft, and it could've been bigger. Who among the newest Bulldogs to go pro will have a banner career?

We all know that defense wins championships and the SEC is very much a testament to that. Alabama possessed the nation's No. 1 defense last season and now possesses another national championship. Runner-up LSU ranked second nationally.

Alabama ran away with the crown as the nation's and the SEC's best defense, but that title is for the taking in 2012. Alabama is down key players from last year's squad, like linebackers Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower, defensive tackle Josh Chapman, and defensive backs Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, and DeQuan Menzie.

Alabama's defense isn't as green as the 2010 group, but it's still drawing some comparisons to it. That's exactly what the Tide wants to hear. Nico Johnson seems primed to be a true leader at linebacker, while Adrian Hubbard could be a budding star at Upshaw's old position. Defensive backs Robert Lester and Dee Milliner are back and will be joined by a couple of JUCO standouts and talented sophomores Vinnie Sunseri and Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix. Jesse Williams could be a real force at defensive tackle along with end Damion Square.

Then you have LSU. The Tigers lost All-World cornerback Morris Claiborne to the NFL draft and two starting linebackers. Michael Brockers is gone at defensive tackle as well. But LSU is still loaded. The Tigers return Heisman finalist Tyrann Mathieu and Tharold Simon, who should be fine with an expanded role at cornerback. Junior Kevin Minter really stepped up at linebacker last year and should pick up right where he left off. Even without Brockers, the line is solid with future first-rounder Sam Montgomery at one end position and the underrated Barkevious Mingo at the other. The two combined for 17 sacks last season.

Bennie Logan and Anthony Johnson should provide some meat nastiness in the interior, while the very talented Eric Reid is back at free safety.

Georgia and South Carolina both finished the 2011 season ranked in the top five nationally in total defense. South Carolina was third, while Georgia was fifth, respectively. The Gamecocks lost first-round defensive end Melvin Ingram, but return freshman standout Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor, who many thought would be better than Ingram last season. Kelcy Quarles is back at defensive tackle and the coaches think he'll be even better in his second year.

Shaq Wilson and Reginald Bowens, who combined for 96 tackles last year, will grab time at linebacker again, while the very athletic DeVonte Holloman returns to the Spur for his senior year. There are questions in the secondary, but seniors D.J. Swearinger (safety) and Akeem Auguste (cornerback) return.

Georgia returns nine defensive starters. Brandon Boykin is gone at corner, and the Bulldogs will enter the fall with a lot questions in the secondary, especially with starters Branden Smith, Sanders Commings and Bacarri Rambo suspended to start the season. Star freshman receiver Malcolm Mitchell moved to corner this spring and fits right in, but there are depth issues at the position.

Other than that, the Bulldogs are still pretty stacked. Inside linebacker Alec Ogletree will serve a suspension to start the year, but Georgia will fill his spot by committee. Mike Gilliard, Cornelius Washington, Christian Robinson, Amarlo Herrera and Ramik Wilson provide Georgia with a very solid linebacking unit alongside star Jarvis Jones, who racked up 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. Georgia's defensive line should also be pretty stout with the massive John Jenkins and Kwame Geathers battling in the middle. Abry Jones really progressed at end as well this spring.

Or maybe someone else will step up and take the crown ...

Time for links.

• A quick reaction to John L. Smith being hired at Arkansas.
• Smith could be a "perfect fit" for Arkansas' imperfect problem.
• SEC expansion could mean more SEC teams won't go bowling this season.
• The thing that made Nick Saban the proudest last year was how is Alabama team responded to the regular-season loss to LSU.
• Bo Jackson and some of his famous friends are on the road for Bo Bikes Bama.
• Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun lists five reasons why Florida's offense will be better this fall.
• Marcus Caffey's quick feet are an asset on Kentucky's defense.
• Texas A&M's quarterbacks are understanding more as the final week of spring practice gets underway.
• Brandon Boykin will let his game film at Georgia speak for itself as NFL teams plan to draft.
• Former LSU wide receiver Rueben Randle will surely catch on in the NFL draft.
• Reserve cornerback Robert Steeples has decided to transfer from Missouri.
• Tennessee coach Derek Dooley sees upswing with his team after spring.

ATHENS, Ga. -- In order for Malcolm Mitchell to pull off his quest of playing double duty for Georgia this fall, a major change must occur.

It won’t be so much changing his workout habits. Sure, he’ll work more on quick burst drills and sprints with little time for breaks, but Mitchell’s change will be much more significant to his realm of comfort.

Mitchell must significantly alter his diet if he wants to have the stamina to play both cornerback and wide receiver in the SEC this fall. He’ll have to trash the sweets.

“I always had a problem eating candy,” said Mitchell, who moved to cornerback this spring after catching 45 passes for 665 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman last fall.

Mitchell said that since he was a kid, his diet has mainly consisted of fruit-flavored candy, preferably Starburst jelly beans, and Sprite -- a catastrophic combination of sugar and carbonation.

The 6-foot-1, 184-pounder is used to consuming at least five bags of jelly beans and who knows how much Sprite a week. That’s approximately 1,160 grams of sugar and 6,000 unnecessary calories from jelly beans alone.

“I know that’s going to have to change,” Mitchell said with a laugh.

“I’m going to work for that stamina because I know I want to play both ways.”

Mitchell plans to replace some of that candy with fruits and veggies and will add more water to replace his Sprite intake. He refuses to go cold turkey, but hopes to get down to one bag of candy a week. Maybe.

If Mitchell can get his diet on track, it will make life much easier. He started the spring working primarily at corner, but offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and quarterback Aaron Murray have tried to steal him away as much as they can.

Murray still throws with him and he’ll run the occasional route here and there, but his main focus this spring is to own the cornerback spot. The Bulldogs are dealing with depth issues at corner and the suspensions of two starters -- Sanders Commings and Branden Smith -- for the beginning of the season, so Mitchell’s training has accelerated.

While Mitchell played both receiver and corner at Valdosta High in southern Georgia, he admits it took him some time to get his defensive legs back. The first practice at corner was filled with slipping and sliding and poor technique.

Mitchell only decided to play wide receiver after he saw that A.J. Green was going pro. However, he quickly realized that his heart was still on defense and after talking with his mother just before Georgia’s bowl game last season, he approached coach Mark Richt about the idea of playing some defense in 2012.

“I was never going to be satisfied with myself if I let the opportunity pass,” Mitchell said.

One thing he’ll have to do is brush up on his two-way player history. Mitchell admits he didn’t grow up watching football and has never seen film of past two-way stars, such as Deion Sanders or Georgia great Champ Bailey.

Mitchell got into football later in his younger life, after seeing all the attention his brother received from playing. Jealous of that attention, Mitchell suited up and looked to steal the limelight.

Mitchell is looking to steal it once again and is taking full advantage of his time on defense. Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has been more than impressed with Mitchell, especially his increased knowledge of the defense.

Grantham said Mitchell can play inside and outside, has premier speed, showcases excellent ball skills and has the instincts to excel at corner.

“He’s a dynamic corner,” Grantham said. “He’s a guy that has the total skill set to be a dominant corner at this level and the next.

“He’s an NFL corner.”

Grantham said that after only a few spring practices, Mitchell is ahead of where past Georgia corners were at the same point.

Murray isn’t thrilled with facing Mitchell in practice and has already been the victim of a few “freakish” plays by the youngster.

“He’s a special athlete,” Murray said.

“He could easily be one of our best corners if he wanted to do that full time and one of our best receivers if he wanted to do that full time. It’s great to see how spectacular of an athlete he really is.”

Richt sees it too. More importantly, he sees a player who doesn’t have to worry about his knowledge of the game. Unlike Brandon Boykin and Branden Smith, who both pulled a little double duty for the Dawgs, Mitchell understands the entire offense. Plugging him in with few offensive reps won’t be an issue from a mental standpoint; so getting him more time on defense shouldn’t drastically hinder his offensive ability.

But can he hold up physically?

“He’s very capable of playing both ways,” Richt said.

“The question isn’t going to be if he knows enough of the system, it’s going to be his stamina and how much is too much.”

The new diet should help.

Mitchell understands that less sugar and more water is just the start. He’s expecting practices and film sessions to intensify and his performances will be scrutinized more.

But it’s worth it. Mitchell wants it and he wants to prove himself because he’s honored to be a member of Georgia’s defense.

“This defense is the best defense I’ve been a part of or even played against,” he said. “Me being over there to help that makes me feel like a better player. To feel like I can help something that’s already great makes me feel better than anything I did last year because how good the players are.

“Just to be a part of it and help out means a lot to me.”

David Ching writes : Georgia fans will be happy to know -- or will they? -- that mercurial freshman star Isaiah Crowell is earning kudos in spring practice for being a stand-up guy and dependable teammate.

Ching: Breaking down Georgia’s RB race.

Kipp Adams writes : The Bulldogs hoped top OL target Josh Cardiello would give himself a big birthday present by committing this past weekend while visiting Athens.

Adams : WR target DeMarcus Robinson makes a return trip to see the Georgia Bulldogs.

Radi Nabulsi writes : Georgia offers sophomore DB Nick Glass.

Ching: Brandon Boykin sets a date for pro day.

DawgNation Roundtable : Malcolm Mitchell's position switch from receiver to cornerback -- the right move?

David Ching : Isaiah Crowell Q&A. The star RB has set the bar early and high, aiming for a Heisman and a national championship.

Ching: O is for opportunity on an O-line that has a lot of immediate needs that must be addressed this spring.

Radi Nabulsi photo gallery: UGA practice, Day 1

David Ching writes: As spring practice started Tuesday, UGA announced senior tailback Carlton Thomas' intention to transfer.

Ching also writes : Player(s) to watch, special teams -- Walk-ons. While it seems UGA's special teams walk-ons must accept their fate of only a slim chance at playing time, award-winning punter Drew Butler explains that consistency can be the key to changing that.

Ching: Looks at special teams this spring.

Video: DawgNation’s special teams analysis

Video: Mark Richt on special teams

Kipp Adams writes : After he committed to UGA last summer, wide receiver Tramel Terry faced backlash in his home state of South Carolina. He took a step back to reconsider, but finally realized his heart is with Georgia.

David Ching writes : Former UGA tight end Orson Charles has taken stock of where tight ends are typically selected in the NFL draft. He is determined to stay patient and work hard. And, he says, “I just want a job.”

Radi Nabulsi writes : 2013 DT Montravius Adams enjoyed his Athens visit.

Radi Nabulsi: UGA pro day photo gallery.

Ching writes : DeAngelo Tyson hopes he turned heads at pro day.

Radi Nabulsi writes : In this week's team mailbag, DawgNation addresses pressing questions from our Insiders about who might change positions or double up on positions, how the backup QB situation will shake out, and making second-half corrections.

David Ching writes : Quick pro day observations from Athens.

Kipp Adams writes : The Georgia Bulldogs' first Very Important Dawg Day in review.

Making the rounds on a Monday:

• Kentucky linebacker Ridge Wilson is suspended indefinitely after being arrested over the weekend on felony drug charges.
• Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett Louisiana News takes a look at five questions facing LSU heading into spring practice.
• Four potential new stars for LSU in 2012.
• Former Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin has a small fracture in his lower right leg.
• South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier says the Gamecocks' 8-0 record against Clemson, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee the past two years has gone a long way toward helping recruiting.
• The Alabama-LSU rivalry carries over to the NFL combine.
• Family ties could help Ole Miss with top defensive end prospect Robert Nkemdiche.
• Florida coach Will Muschamp gets a one-year extension on his contract.
• Former Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette says his Senior Bowl stint at linebacker was a blessing in disguise.
• Missouri will open the 2012 season at home against Southeastern Louisiana.

Speed and athleticism are always immediately mentioned when talking about SEC defenses, but there’s a mental side that’s often overlooked.

For Alabama linebacker Nico Johnson, it’s the first thing he notices when he sees youngsters competing in practices. Their speed is always impressive, but the way younger players are dissecting and learning defenses these days has Johnson shocked. It also has defensive coordinators around the league giddy with the thought of not having to simplify things for youngsters.

“The more recruits that come in, year in and year out, it seems like they’re smarter and faster figures,” Johnson said. “It just keeps going and going.

“I don’t know how it’s happening, but it’s happening.”

That accelerated learning is one of the main reasons Johnson thinks the SEC has been so dominant defensively, and why the conference will continue to be for years to come. Since 2007, the SEC has had at least two teams ranked in the top 10 nationally in total defense, including having four ranked in the top five in 2011.

Johnson says the way players respond to coaching and changes in defensive schemes have been enhanced since he arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2009. The senior-to-be said it was amazing to see younger players, like linebackers C.J. Mosley and Trey DePriest, pick up things so quickly, and admitted they were much farther ahead during their first camps than he was.

And Johnson thinks that it’s going on all around the league.

As the SEC looks to earn its seventh straight national title, teams are looking to continue the tradition of having the staunchest defenses around. Like Johnson, Georgia coach Mark Richt believes that will start with the quicker breed of players who have entered the league.

Richt said he thinks the SEC’s defensive success should absolutely be attributed to the type of athletes who circulate throughout the league, but he also thinks the speed with which athletes adapt to the college level helps. He sees what he and his coaching staff are doing being duplicated at the high school level by coaching staffs, but he also sees younger athletes understanding the game more, especially in the Southeast.

Explaining schemes has almost become a thing of the past.

But it isn’t just preparation that will go into making sure SEC teams return to their defensive perches in 2012. Richt and Johnson agreed that it comes down to having the right mindset -- to be better than those before.

At Alabama, that won’t be easy. The Crimson Tide had one of the all-time best defenses in 2011, ranking first nationally in total defense, rushing defense, passing defense and scoring defense, and will lose a host of players who made all that possible.

Linebackers Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower are gone. So is defensive tackle Josh Chapman and defensive backs Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick and DeQuan Menzie. It seems like Alabama will be in a rebuilding mode similar to 2010, but Johnson disagrees. With a handful of juniors and seniors returning, Johnson said Alabama’s defense will be far from inexperienced, and will feed off the talk of possibly resembling the 2010 squad.

“We want to make ourselves better than the defense last year,” Johnson said. “We want to create our own identity.

“We know what we’re capable of, and we know what can happen if we don’t do our job 24/7. We use that ... to keep us motivated to keep us going, because we don’t want that to happen anymore.”

But what about the other top defenses? Well, there isn’t much drop-off …

LSU returns nearly everyone who helped the Tigers rank second in total defense. What’s scary is that while Morris Claiborne is gone at cornerback, Tyrann Mathieu could be better this fall, and Tharold Simon could be just as deadly in coverage.

LSU must replace two linebackers, including leader Ryan Baker, but returns three starting defense linemen, including ends Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery, who combined for 16 sacks in 2011.

Georgia loses star cornerback Brandon Boykin, but returns 10 starters, including top pass-rusher Jarvis Jones, from a defense that ranked fifth nationally last season. In order to keep its edge, Richt said his players must eliminate complacency and can’t think 2011’s success will propel them.

“We don’t want to rest on any accomplishments of the past,” Richt said. “I don’t think our coaches will allow that. I don’t think our leaders will allow that.”

South Carolina and Florida are in similar situations. The Gamecocks ranked third nationally in total defense, while Florida was eighth. South Carolina loses playmakers in defensive end Melvin Ingram, Spur Antonio Allen and cornerback Stephon Gilmore, but welcomes back six starters and a hefty line that features Jadeveon Clowney, Devin Taylor and Kelcy Quarles, or 22.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks.

South Carolina also returns most of its front seven, including linebackers Shaq Wilson and Reginald Bowens, who combined for 96 tackles last season.

The Gators lose defensive tackle Jaye Howard, but should be equipped with all of their remaining defensive parts, including rising star Matt Elam at safety. Dominique Easley will be recovering from a serious knee injury he suffered at the end of the season, but the Gators added depth up front and moved Sharrif Floyd back inside.

The SEC’s top defenses from a season ago return enough talent in 2012 to keep their names near the top of the national rankings. The talent will always remain in the SEC, but the idea of maintaining the tradition of defensive dominance for players keeps teams at the top of the defensive charts, Johnson said.

“I don’t see how anybody in any other conference can compare to it, because of what we do year in and year out,” he said. “We take pride in it, and it makes me feel good that people do look at us like that. We want to go out and prove to every team that’s not in the SEC that it’s no fluke that we’re that good.”

Radi Nabulsi writes : Not taking care of business while hoping for a college football career landed OL Trenton Brown at Georgia Military College. The disciplined lifestyle there has helped the promising lineman turn a corner he hopes will lead him to an FBS career.

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Video: Brown interview

David Ching writes: A DawgNation primer for the eight former Georgia Bulldogs showing off their skills this week at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.

Another defensive back makes our list, and this one had a knack for making plays all over the field:

No. 14: Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia, Sr.

Preseason rank: Not ranked in the 2011 preseason rankings.

2011 summary: He was fourth on the team with 55 tackles, including 11 for loss. He also had three interceptions, defended 12 passes, forced two fumbles and had a safety. He led the Bulldogs in all-purpose yards with 1,203 (850 kick return, 180 punt return, 103 receiving and 71 rushing). He finished the year with four total touchdowns and won the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile college football player. He was Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist and a second team All-SEC selection by the league's coaches.

Why he's here: Boykin tried to do just about everything he could (except throw the ball) to help the Bulldogs last season. He was a threat in the return game, was a shutdown corner and probably should have been used more on offense, especially in the running game. Boykin only recorded 13 interceptions, but that didn't mean he wasn't solid in coverage. He had the ability to take his side of the field away, forcing quarterbacks to look elsewhere for plays. He really showed how special of a player he was in the Outback Bowl loss to Michigan State when he scored three different ways with a safety, a 92-yard punt return and a 13-yard reception. He was elite in two phases of his game -- defense and special teams -- and probably would have been on offense as well, if he received more touches. He also left school as Georgia's leader in career kickoff return yards with 2,663, which ranks second in SEC history. He's also the only player in SEC history with three 100-yard plays of any kind. Boykin was also an ultimate leader for this team. He was one of the players his teammates turned to when this team fell behind 0-2 to start the season. It was just his play that helped propel this team toward its rebound.

• No. 15: Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas
• No. 16: Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia
• No. 17: Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas
• No. 18: Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia
• No. 19: Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia
• No. 20: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
• No. 21: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
• No. 22: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU
• No. 23: Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt
• No. 24: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina
• No. 25: Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn

In a year dominated by SEC defenses, it was a quarterback who took home the title of top SEC performance in 2011.

With more than 11,500 votes cast in our poll, Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson's record-breaking performance in the Razorbacks' comeback win over Texas A&M was named the conference's best individual performance from last season after taking 37 percent of the vote.

Wilson helped bring the Hogs back from a double-digit deficit against Texas A&M with his school-record 510 passing yards on 30 of 51 passing, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the 42-38 comeback win.

Even with how much attention SEC defenses received in 2011, it's hard to overlook what Wilson did against the Aggies. It probably didn't hurt Wilson that wide receiver Jarius Wright also had a record-breaking day when he caught 13 passes 281 yards and a touchdown.

Alabama running back Trent Richardson's day in the Grove took second, earning 24 percent of the vote. Richardson simply had his way with Ole Miss' defense, racking up 183 rushing yards and four touchdowns in Alabama's 52-7 rout of the Rebels. He also made the move of the year when his spectacular cutback just before the end zone sent an Ole Miss defender stumbling to his knees.

Next was Georgia's Brandon Boykin, who took home 16 percent of the vote. Georgia might have lost to Michigan State, but Boykin nearly stole the show with his performance. He scored three different ways and set a record for the longest play in Outback Bowl history with his 92-yard punt return.

The real surprise was the performance from LSU's Tyrann Mathieu. Both Chris and I had him at the top of our lists, but he ranked fourth when it came to the fan vote, getting 15 percent of the vote. For us, without Mathieu's day against Arkansas the Tigers might not have made it to the national championship game. Because Eric Reid was out with an injury, Mathieu played safety for the first time in his career and recorded eight tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble. His 92-yard punt return for a touchdown also started LSU's 34-3 run to end the game.

But that's why these polls are so great. Not everyone is going to agree, and it's always fun to see where the fans stand when it comes to these sort of things.

Our "Other" category received 7 percent of the vote.

We've come to the end of our postseason position rankings. Special teams don't get a ton of credit when things go right, but we all know how much grief they get when things go wrong. Just look at all those shanks we saw from kickers last season.

Fortunately, there are other aspects of special teams that involve more exciting plays, like returns that can change the dynamic of a game or are just really easy on the eyes (just take a look at what Joe Adams did to Tennessee last fall).

You can see how we ranked the SEC's special teams units before the season here.

Here are our final rankings:

1. LSU: All-American punter Brad Wing averaged 44.4 yards per kick, had 20 punts of 50-plus yards and pinned 27 kicks inside the opposing 20-yard line. His long of 73 yards completely changed LSU's first game with Alabama. Tyrann Mathieu had two clutch punt returns for touchdowns against Arkansas and Georgia at the end of the season and was fifth nationally averaging 15.6 yards per return. Morris Claiborne also returned a kickoff for a touchdown and averaged 25.1 yards per return. Opponents averaged 3.7 yards per punt return and just 20 yards per kickoff against LSU. Drew Alleman led the SEC in field goal percentage (88.9), hitting 16-of-18 kicks.

2. Arkansas: Adams was one of the best punt returners in the country, averaging 16.9 yards per return and taking four to the house for scores. The Hogs were just as dangerous on kickoffs, as Dennis Johnson and Marquel Wade both returned kicks for touchdowns and ranked in the top five in the SEC in return average. Zach Hocker hit 21-of-27 kicks and led all kickers by averaging 9.1 points per game. Dylan Breeding led the SEC in punting (45.3) and downed 16 inside the 20. Arkansas was one of the best in the SEC in kickoff coverage, but did allow two punt returns to go for scores in the two biggest games of the season.

3. Auburn: Auburn had Onterio McCalebb and Tre Mason take kickoffs back for touchdowns, as the Tigers led the SEC in kickoff return average (24.7) and also in kickoff coverage. Auburn wasn't great returning punts, but punter Steven Clark was a Ray Guy Award finalist and pinned 33 punts inside the 20. Cody Parkey ranked sixth in the league in field-goal kicking, connecting on 13-of-18 kicks (72.2).

4. Florida: Even without Urban Meyer running the show, the Gators were still pretty successful in this department. Florida was first in the SEC and tied for sixth nationally with six blocked kicks. Two punt blocks went for touchdowns. Caleb Sturgis was a Lou Groza Award finalist, hitting 22-of-26 field goals, including three from 50-plus yards. Florida was also solid in kickoff coverage and got kickoff touchdowns of their own from Andre Debose, who was third in the league in return average, and Jeff Demps. Florida averaged 7.2 yards per punt return and averaged 39.8 yards per punt.

5. Ole Miss: If not for special teams, Ole Miss would have been even worse in 2011. Tyler Campbell averaged 43.6 yards per punt on his 72 attempts and pinned 28 inside the 20. The Rebels also had two different players -- Nickolas Brassell and Jeff Scott -- return punts for touchdowns and Ole Miss was near the top of the league in kickoff coverage and had a net punting average of 38 yards. Bryson Rose also hit nine of his 11 field-goal attempts.

6. Vanderbilt: It was a mixed bag for the Commodores when it came to special teams. Vanderbilt was second in the league in opponent punt return average (3.9), but allowed a touchdown, and gave up another touchdown on kickoff coverage. Vanderbilt also blocked two kicks. Missed field goals haunted Vanderbilt, as the Commodores missed two in the six-point loss to Tennessee and one at the end of regulation in a three-point loss to Arkansas. Andre Hal logged a kickoff touchdown, but Vandy was 11th in the league in punt return average.

7. Alabama: Before the national championship game, Alabama's field-goal kicking game received a ton of criticism, especially for the four misses in the 9-6 loss to LSU. But Jeremy Shelley redeemed the unit by hitting 5-of-7 in the rematch. Alabama's kickers missed 13 kicks. Marquis Maze only had 12 kickoff returns, but averaged 28.5 yards per return, was third in the SEC in punt return average (13.2) and had that nifty touchdown against Arkansas. However, Alabama was 11th in the league in kickoff coverage and 10th in punt average.

8. Kentucky: Punter Ryan Tydlacka was fourth in the league in punting (43.6), had 20 punts of 50-plus yards and had 19 of his punts downed inside the 20. Craig McIntosh connected on 12-of-14 field-goal attempts (.857). Kentucky was in the middle of the pack in kickoff coverage. The Wildcats weren't so good at returning kicks, ranking 11th in the SEC in kickoff returns and last in punt returns, averaging 1.8 yards per return.

9. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs were last in the league in kickoff returns and were the only team to average fewer than 20 yards a return. The Bulldogs were better on punts, getting touchdowns from Chad Bumphis and Johnthan Banks, and ranked fifth in the league in punt return average. Punter Baker Swedenburg ranked seventh in punting and pinned 19 punts inside the 20. Derek DePasquale hit 12-of-18 field goals.

10. Tennessee: The Vols didn't record any special teams touchdowns, but were fifth in the league in kickoff returns and seventh in punt returns. As far as defending returns, Tennessee allowed just 18.1 yards per return, but was 10th in punt return coverage and gave up a touchdown. Michael Palardy hit of nine of his 14 field-goal attempts and punter Matt Darr was 10th in the SEC in punt average (38.1).

11. South Carolina: The Gamecocks struggled in the kicking game, but did have a bright spot in Ace Sanders recording a touchdown on a punt return and South Carolina blocked two kicks. However, South Carolina was seventh and eighth in the SEC in kickoff and punt returns, respectively. South Carolina was last in kickoff coverage and gave up a touchdown. Jay Wooten missed four field goals and three extra points, while punter Joey Scribner-Howard was ninth in the SEC in punting, averaging 38.9 yards per punt.

12. Georgia: Outside of Brandon Boykin's 92-yard touchdown return in the Outback Bowl, his 22.4-yard average on kick returns and Drew Butler's 44.2 yards per punt, Georgia didn't do much at all on special teams. The group that was supposed to be first in the league allowed two kickoffs and punts to go for touchdowns and allowed a fake punt for a touchdown against South Carolina. Blair Walsh entered the season as one of the nation's top kickers, but hit just 21-of-35 kicks, including missing two in overtime in the bowl loss to Michigan State.