ESPN College Football

Spring practice is officially over in the SEC and the NFL draft is behind us. We've ushered in the new and pushed out the old. As we count down the hundred-something days until college football's 2012 season officially begins, we thought it'd be a good idea to look at the most productive players coming back at their respective positions.

We'll look at the top passers, running backs, wide receivers, defenders, etc., over the next few days and judge things on statistical categories, such as yards for quarterbacks and skill players.

Note: No offensive linemen are on this list because we aren't counting pancakes. This isn't EA Sports' NCAA Football. Also Missouri and Texas A&M players aren't here, either, because they weren't in the league last season, but that won't keep us from talking about them.

We'll start things off with the quarterbacks, and unlike 2011, this year's crop has a little bit more experience and name power. That's because hardly any starters departed, so that means the race to be crowned the SEC's top signal caller is up for grabs in 2012.

Here's a look at the top statistical quarterback returning this season, and the others who finished 2011 in the top 10 statistically:

Tyler Wilson, Arkansas: Wilson threw past the competition in 2011, leading the SEC with 3,638 yards, which was 489 yards more than the No. 2 statistical passer, Georgia's Aaron Murray. He also led the SEC with a rating of 148.4. He was second in the league with 24 touchdown passes, but threw just six interceptions. He probably also led the league in times he was leveled by opposing defenders without the ball in his hands. Somehow, that tough guy just kept getting up. Wilson led the SEC with 261.3 passing yards per game against conference foes, and was second with 14 passing touchdowns in league games. Wilson had three NFL receivers and one of the league's most talented tight ends at his disposal, but he has cannon for a right arm, and when he's settled in the pocket, his delivery is as pretty as it gets.

The SEC returns five more of the top 10 statistical passers from a year ago:

• Aaron Murray, Georgia: He passed for 3,149 yards, a league-high 35 touchdowns with 14 interceptions, and had a rating of 146.4
• AJ McCarron, Alabama: He passed for 2,634 yards, with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions, and had a rating of 147.3
• Tyler Bray, Tennessee: Though he was injured for the middle part of the season, he passed for 1,983 yards, with 17 touchdowns and six interceptions, and had a rating of 144.8.
• Jordan Rodgers, Vanderbilt: He passed for 1,524 yards, with nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and had a rating of 113.8.
• Connor Shaw, South Carolina: He passed for 1,448 yards, with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions, and had a rating of 148.3.

Missouri's James Franklin could find himself high on the list of SEC quarterbacks this fall, as well. He was sixth in the Big 12 with 2,865 passing yards, throwing 21 touchdown passes with 11 interceptions, but also rushed for 981 yards and 15 more scores. He said this spring that he's looking to be much more of a throw-first quarterback in 2012.

SEC passing games were bashed left and right last season, but I don't think that will be the case in 2012. The players mentioned above are one reason, and the other is that there is a solid cast of unheralded players heading up offenses this fall. Auburn's Kiehl Frazier made strides this spring under new offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler, and his battle with Clint Moseley should be pretty fun this fall. Florida's sophomores-to-be -- Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel -- improved a lot under new coordinator Brent Pease.

You also can't forget about juniors Zach Mettenberger at LSU and Tyler Russell at Mississippi State. Mettenberger has the potential to be a top passer in this league, and will be a major upgrade for the Tigers' offense. Russell was much more confident at quarterback this spring at Mississippi State.

This will always be a run-first league, but the quarterbacks should earn more respect in 2012.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Some extra thoughts and notes on my time in Gainesville from last weekend:

• I'll start things off by talking about defensive end/Buck Ronald Powell, who will be out four to six months after tearing his ACL in the Orange and Blue Debut. Before the injury, most around Florida's program felt Powell was having the best spring of any of the defenders. After two seasons in which people expected more from Powell, he really turned it up this spring. He was more aggressive, tougher and caused more headaches for Florida's offense than he had during any other time. Coach Will Muschamp might have found that dangerous pass rushers he needs in his defense. Now, Muschamp must turn elsewhere and things will start with OLB Lerentee McCray. He was out with an injury this spring, but played the Buck in place of Powell at times last fall. He made his biggest jump as a player last season and is one player Muschamp and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn are especially excited about.
• True freshmen Dante Fowler Jr. and Jonathan Bullard will get chances to play at the Buck, too, but keep an eye on Neiron Ball. He didn't play last season because of the arteriovenous malformation found in his brain in February of 2011. There has been no word yet if Ball could resume playing for the Gators, but if he remains healthy and the SEC clears him, Ball could get a shot at play at the Buck.
• The quarterback situation was tight before the spring game and was even tougher afterward. Jacoby Brissett entered the spring with a little bit of an advantage, but Jeff Driskel played his way right back into it. I was told that he really has matured both on and off the field this spring. He's taking film more seriously and he's looking to be a real leader now. He wasn't sure how to operate at the college level last fall, but is getting much more comfortable, now. As for Brissett, he doesn't lack confidence at all. He was smiling, laughing and cracking jokes (one on me in front of everyone) during his news conference after the spring game. He fits a pro-style offense more than Driskel and that will help him in the long run. Athletically, Driskel has the edge, but this thing will come down to which one can take over this team during summer workouts.
• Tyler Murphy is a distant third in the quarterback race. He didn't get much time in the spring game and spent more time talking with offensive coordinator Brent Pease. But that doesn't mean he's not helping. He was relaying signals better than anyone and most there think he understands the offense the best, he's just not has gifted physically. He knows what to do the best of the three, but might not be able to do it the best. His role will be more of helper at this point, but he's valuable for the other QBs.
• Pease is much more hands-on with his quarterbacks and players. He was snatching players around during spring game warmups as they ran through plays and formations. He's making sure everyone knows exactly what they're doing and where they're supposed to be. It's especially helping the quarterbacks. Driskel said Pease's closer instruction has helped him learn the offense better than he did last fall. Driskel didn't have any bad words for former coordinator Charlie Weis, but said Pease's approach has been very helpful. "He's developed us into much better quarterbacks in the short time he's been here," Driskel said of Pease.
• This team is much closer than it was a year ago. Like I said in my coaching recap, the pregame locker room was electric. It wasn't like that last year, especially not for a spring game. Linebacker Michael Taylor told me this group really banded together after the Florida State loss. That one really hurt these guys. They were all called soft by their coach and made it a point to change Muschamp's opinion of his team. Something certainly is different. Players are stepping up and leading more than they did a year ago. "A team that's together is a team that's better," Taylor said.
• Two young players to keep an eye on are wide receiver Latroy Pittman and cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy. Pittman might have been Florida's best receiver this spring and while he's not the fastest guy out there, he's tough, physical and has solid hands. With Florida still lacking a true playmaker at receiver, Pittman will get his chance to play a lot this fall. Purifoy drew praise from Muschamp last season, but really came along this spring. With Marcus Roberson out for most of the spring, Purifoy got more reps at corner. He might be lining up opposite Roberson at the second starting corner spot this fall.
• Don't forget about corner Jeremy Brown. I talked to him briefly before the spring game and he said that his knee is much better than it was last fall. His career has been riddled with injuries (he's missed three seasons in four years), and he received a medical redshirt from the NCAA after missing all of last season. This is a guy who was ahead of Janoris Jenkins at one point in his career before a back injury sidelined him for two years. Having him back will definitely upgrade this secondary.
• The offensive line looked better, but time will tell how good this unit can be. Muschamp seems pretty happy with it, mainly because he has depth. He talked about only having six scholarship linemen at one point during the offseason because injury. The team had to take breaks in practice to keep those guys going. That wasn't the case this spring. For as bad as the quarterback play looked and for as much as Florida struggled to run up the middle, a lot of the Gators' shortcomings came because of an inefficient offensive line. "We're better offensively than we were at any time last year," he said. "We have everybody back and we have some talented guys."
• Jeff Dillman might have been Muschamp's biggest hire. Florida's new strength coach was with Muschamp at LSU when the Tigers won it all in 2003-04. He's focusing on more Olympic-style lifting and you can tell. The players are much bigger than last fall. Dillman's secret? Three moves: the power clean, the snatch and the split jerk. He's making sure they're hitting every muscle possible as efficiently as possible.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Spring practice is over with at Florida and the gap in the quarterback battle hasn’t budged an inch.

When it comes to rising sophomores Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel, there doesn’t seem to be much space at all. When you talk to coaches, players and people around Florida’s program, they come back to the same response: no one has a clue which one will be THE GUY this fall.

That could be interpreted as a bad thing. After all, the saying is that if you have two quarterbacks you really don’t have one. But coach Will Muschamp is thinking positively.

Last year, he didn’t want to see either on the field because he had his starter in senior John Brantley. However, a devastating ankle injury early in the season changed that.

“Both of those guys, as I said last year, unfortunately played for us,” Muschamp said. “Right now, fortunately they play for us. They’ve got some game-time experience, they understand what it takes to be successful. Both have God-given ability. They’re talented.”

Muschamp and his players have said all spring that they feel good with either taking snaps and believe they can win a championship at some point with either one.

“I feel like we can win with any one of them,” rising sophomore wide receiver Quinton Dunbar said. “They both had great springs.”

However, the fact remains that having one true starter will benefit this team in the long run.

To make sure both were pounded with spring reps, Muschamp and new offensive coordinator Brent Pease tried to give them even snaps in practice.

Brissett had the advantage heading into spring after passing Driskel on the depth chart and starting two games last season, but Driskel, who passed for 147 yards and ran for a score in Florida’s Orange and Blue Debut, wasn’t just going to let Brissett take the starting job this spring. He was skittish and admittedly “clueless” last season, but feels like a new, more confident player exiting spring.

“I felt real comfortable in the pocket,” said Driskel, who is in Year 2 of a pro-style offense after running the spread in high school.

Driskel said the biggest improvement is his ability to go through progressions and not lock onto one target, something he was notorious for last season. But Brissett, who passed for 233 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game, feels comfy, too, with improved vision and 15 fewer pounds to carry.

“I feel like I came along well,” Brissett said. “There’s still a lot of work to do, but I should get it together.”

OK, well what stands out?

The consensus is that Driskel is the better athlete. He’s a scrambler, he’s bigger (by an inch and 3 pounds), faster and more agile. But Brissett is the more polished passer. He has better pocket presence and more of the moxie needed to play quarterback.

Saturday was a chance for one to separate with better management, but Muschamp was equally impressed with both (again).

They audibled, changed protections knew when things weren’t right at the line of scrimmage, got the motion going, changed formations and runs, and flipped sides.

“It’s going to come down to who makes the most plays,” Driskel said. “It should be.”

Yes, but that didn’t happen this spring, meaning this offseason will be critical for each to take that next step.

With coaches out of the picture, training sessions will have to be led by the quarterbacks, Muschamp said, and it seems both are ready for that responsibility. Brissett assures the texts and phone calls will be made to get players in the weight room and on the field for 11-on-11s and 7-on-7s.

The one who wins the offseason could win the job.

“They’ve got to take control of our football team,” Muschamp said.

“They” would be great for the Gators, but “one” is all the quarterback position needs. Florida can’t have both throwing at the same time. That’s just silly and against the rules. Both will play, but only one will carry this team.

Until things are settled in the passing department, Brissett said he’s comfortable having one advantage: the looks.

“That’s just something [Driskel] has to deal with,” he said.

Glad we settled one thing with this quarterback battle.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The adventure as a guest coach at Florida's spring game continues ...

12:00 p.m.: A host of former players get together for a flag football game dubbed the "Battle of the Decades," with players from the 1980s, '90s and 2000s participating. Thankfully, none of the old guys is hurt from all that running.

12:10: The quarterbacks come out and SI.com's Andy Staples and I try to meticulously dissect every single part of Jeff Driskel's and Jacoby Brissett's games to figure out which one is better. Like everyone around Florida's program, we're unable to.

12:20: I walk over to punt-return drills, nearly getting clocked by a ball the wind carried over toward me. Marcus Roberson, Trey Burton, Loucheiz Purifoy and De'Ante "Pop" Saunders are taking reps.

12:29: One-on-ones between receivers and defensive backs begin. It's light, but it's something to look at and we still can't figure out which quarterback is better, but tight end Jordan Reed impresses with a one-handed catch and true freshman receiver Latroy Pittman out-muscles his opponents for a few tough catches.

12:35: The offensive line goes through drills which incorporate a lot of spinning, slapping, pulling and pushing. It's humorous, until you realize how much bigger they are than you. Then you just think it's dangerous. Offensive line coach Tim Davis screams "Spin, spin, spin," until he's blue in the face and his voice is hoarser than before.

12:49: After watching the offensive line go at the defensive line, headlined by a rough battle between Sharrif Floyd and Xavier Nixon, the team jogs to the middle of the field for one last huddle before hitting the locker room.

12:51: We're in the locker room and the fun begins. After the team splits up by position, the coaches start going over last-minute game plans and emphasizing technique. "Stay under control!" running backs coach Brian White yells. "Let's get this crowd jacked up! Have people leave this (game) knowing we're going to flat-out dominate up front!" Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn preaches mental toughness in loud, quick bursts. He doesn't want to see any walking around or hands on hips. He wants energy and aggression on the field. "Ball Out U!" he screams. "Put out great (expletive) tape! When we turn on the tape I want to make sure I can't wait to watch you."

12:57: The excitement is growing inside the locker room. An animal is waiting to be unleashed. Players are hyped, as White walks around with a smile on his face saying, "Lotta nervous faces in here today," over and over. He's followed by verbose defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson, who constantly taunts the receivers and pretty much every offensive player. "Let's get to those quarterbacks today and get in their faces!"

12:59: Floyd sits and stares at the floor, like he's ready to destroy it. The person giving bear hugs and high-fives at the Gator Walk is ready to rip someone apart like a bear. He sits in silence as a coach tosses him smelling salt. He sniffs and doesn't flinch. He's ready.

1:04: Defensive end/Buck Ronald Powell shoots up out of his chair and starts dancing around, yelling inaudible words of encouragement to his teammates. He's pushing guys and slapping their pads. "Play yo game, baby! It's just practice! Everything you do, you've done before!"

1:05: Floyd stands and walks to the center of the locker room. His teammates huddle around him. Players go silent when he speaks. "Do your job, not the man next to you!" His voice is deep, loud and haunting. He keeps shouting "aggressive" over and over, which fuels his teammates even more and incites a frenzy before head coach Will Muschamp arrives.

1:07: Following the Lord's Prayer, Muschamp delivers a short pregame speech. "Fast and physical. Offense, run the ball down their throats!" The place explodes as players exit the locker room, tapping the orange "GRIND" sign above the locker room door on the way out.

1:10: Kickoff.

We didn't get to actually coach or call plays, but here are some observations from the sideline:

• Davis was very hands-on with linemen when they made mistakes. He made them verbally repeat their mistakes and asked them what they had to do to correct them. He was extremely thorough with players and took time to teach between plays.
• Offensive coordinator Brent Pease was really concerned with clock management. He was constantly telling the quarterbacks not on the field to make sure that the one in the game knew about the clock and knew when it was running out, even though there was no delay-of-game penalty. That communication failed early in the scrimmage.
• Even though Pittman had a pretty impressive day, receivers coach Aubrey Hill and receiver Andre Debose were coaching him on his routes, helping him get out of his breaks faster on the sideline.
• Driskel and Brissett looked like old fishing buddies out there. They were joking with each other after plays and helping each other when they made mistakes. Competition didn't stop them from cooperating.
• Tyler Murphy appears out of the quarterback race, but he showed some excellent coaching skills. He was spouting terminology and trying to help as much as he could. He was by Pease's side almost the whole time and was able to find a lot of the little things the other QBs missed. He might know the offense the best, but isn't as skilled as the others.

Quick quotes:

• Running back Mack Brown after getting popped during his touchdown run: "He picked me good. He Goldberged me."
• Receiver Solomon Patton after Chris Johnson's 15-yard run in the fourth quarter: "Man, we got some backs."
• Debose to walk-on Michael McNeely after his 52-yard catch: "I bet you thought that ball was in the air forever, huh?"

2:53: Blue defeats Orange 21-20 and I debut with a victory. As Muschamp jogs to meet Florida's band director, he stops to congratulate me on my win and I announce my retirement from the coaching profession.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Four members of the media were chosen to be guest coaches and allowed to go behind the scenes of Florida's Orange and Blue Debut on Saturday. Brady Ackerman of Sun Sports, Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun, Andy Staples of SI.com and yours truly were granted access to join the Gators as they prepared for their spring game. We experienced the sights and sounds of the closest thing to a game day for a major college football program; this is what I saw ...

8:00 a.m.: I arrive at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium with a Starbucks Doubleshot and a Snickers Marathon energy bar to start the day. The sun is up and there's a breeze in the air. It's almost the perfect setting to start a long day of running around Florida's football facility.

8:30: We meet with coach Will Muschamp in his spacious office inside the stadium for a casual 15 minutes to talk shop. There are some laughs and some talk about the team, and he warns us that a poor performance by one of the two teams -- Orange or Blue -- will be followed by having the blame placed on the two media members coaching that side. Ackerman and I are placed on the Blue Team, while Dooley and Staples are assigned to the Orange Team.

9:05: A true breakfast of champions. We walk over to one of the dinning halls across from the stadium. The first thing you notice is that the dining area couldn't be big enough to house all these football players, but somehow, it is. The Gators pile in and begin the feast. The basics are there: pancakes, bacon, eggs and grits. And at the end of the buffet line, steaks and grilled chicken breasts sat there ready to be devoured ... and they were. After sipping on some fine, freshly squeezed orange juice, we media members tried to blend in and snag some grub before the carnivores went back for seconds. Linebacker Jelani Jenkins stacked steaks on chicken, while fullback Hunter Joyer went with pretty much everything he could lay eyes on and added some pasta. The fruit was barely touched. I tried to mimic the players, throwing protein and starch together for a yummy, relatively healthy cornucopia of deliciousness. Grilled chicken and pancakes really do work.

9:35: After stuffing our faces, we head back over to the stadium and toward the locker room. We stand around as players, coaches, recruits and staff members wandered the halls. TV screens that surround a massive gator head in the middle of the room show highlights from the 2011 season, mixed with music videos featuring LMFAO, Will.i.am and Drake. Every player touches the gator before he runs out onto the field before games.

9:37: Running backs coach Brian White, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and offensive line coach Tim Davis gig us about coaching. We're asked what our game plan is, and we basically say not getting in the way. Dooley tells Quinn to blitz every down and I tell Davis that he should be glad I'm on his team because my PlayStation skills are unmatched. He laughs, realizing I'd be in over my head if this were real.

10:05: After walking back and forth for a good 10 minutes, rising senior defensive tackle Omar Hunter embraces Quinn and yells "Last time, baby," signaling that his Gators career is coming to an end.

10:20: We leave the locker room to go on the Gator Walk. Last year, the team bussed. This year, it walked, so we walked. The team is dressed in orange shirts and blue shorts -- nothing too flashy. Wide receiver Quinton Dunbar awkwardly raps the words to some song, while the freshmen converse about doing this for the first time.

10:26: I finally hit the official start of the Gator Walk. It's spring break for Alachua County school districts, so the crowd is a little thin, but it's lively. Still, with the smaller crowd there to greet the Gators, kicker Caleb Sturgis utters this gem: "This is what happens when you go 7-6." Defensive lineman Sharrif Floyd looks at me and says that the Gator Walk never gets old, then counts the number of hugs he gave with the exact number of "a lot."

10:40: As the team piles into the locker room, the offense stays on the field for a mini walk-through. Offensive coordinator Brent Pease goes over Xs and Os and formations ... lots of formations. He's pulling, pushing and quizzing guys along the way and even puts on player on the spot with a heap of questions about a certain play and formation. Luckily for the player, he passed Pease's test.

10:49: The offense huddles up, with rising sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel pushing to the middle, before breaking and heading to the locker room.

11:55: After a lot of waiting and people watching, we finally head into the locker room with the players an hour before kickoff. Led by new strength coach Jeff Dillman, the players are going through dynamic stretching, with Dillman leading like a drill instructor with short, loud commands. Players isolate their cores, thoroughly stretch their legs and their backs; Dillman is very technical and very loud. "We're gonna have a great day today!" he yells. "Build that rage! One minute till we prime that engine!"

SEC bloggers Chris Low and Edward Aschoff will occasionally weigh in on different questions facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same opinion. We'll let you decide who's right.

Today's Take Two topic: Auburn's Scot Loeffler and Florida's Brent Pease are two of six new offensive coordinators in the league. Who faces the steeper challenge in 2012 -- Loeffler or Pease?

Take 1: Chris Low

The truth is that both offenses were hard to watch last season, and Auburn’s 17-6 victory over Florida was a clinic in bad offensive football. The two teams were a combined 4-of-26 on third down, and there were 16 punts in the game. Neither team passed for more than 128 yards. Loeffler takes over an Auburn offense that’s losing its most productive player by far. Running back Michael Dyer was suspended for the bowl game and then wound up transferring to Arkansas State. He rushed for 1,242 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. Loeffler wants to bring a more physical style to Auburn’s offense, and even without Dyer, wants to be a run-first team. The Tigers aren’t lacking in talent at the running back position, and Onterio McCalebb has quietly been one of the league’s best breakaway threats the last two seasons. But the trick may be finding somebody who can make the tough yards and get it done between the tackles. Maybe that somebody is Florida transfer Mike Blakely. That’s what this spring is for.

The starting quarterback job is also up for grabs, although Loefller said he’s not in a rush to name a starter this spring. The Tigers also have to replace both offensive tackles. So there’s not a lot for Loeffler to hang his hat on this first season, at least in the way of proven offensive players. Loeffler has a vast coaching background, but he prefers more of a pro-style attack. It will help if the Tigers’ receivers can stay healthy. The passing game a year ago rarely produced any big plays down the field. Loeffler’s smart enough to realize that he has to play to his personnel. What makes that so difficult, though, is that it’s hard to say right now that the Tigers do anything particularly well on offense given what they have returning. Loeffler’s definitely going to need some new faces to emerge. He's also going to need a lot of focus out of everybody on offense this spring as the Tigers make the transition from Gus Malzahn's system. That transition isn't going to happen overnight, meaning it could take the Tigers a few games next season before they figure out what they do best.

Take 2: Edward Aschoff

I think both of these coaches will have their hands full this spring and fall. Both have to deal with inexperience at just about every position. But for Pease, he has to deal with more unproven players than Loeffler. Loeffler might have an interesting quarterback battle on his hands, but he at least has a proven running back in Onterio McCalebb and a proven receiver in Emory Blake. Pease has neither. Florida has three young quarterbacks -- Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel and Tyler Murphy -- running backs that have had consistency issues, unproven wide receivers and an offensive line that returns most of the parts of a unit that struggled mightily last season. The good news is that it sounds like the offensive line added some bulk during the offseason, and when you have four starters returning, improvements are inevitable.

Florida still isn't sure which quarterback will step up and lead this team. Brissett had the edge heading into spring, but Driskel was the top high school quarterback in his class for a reason. No matter which one prevails, baby steps will still have to be taken this fall because the winner will still be a little bug-eyed come SEC play. What would help is if a receiver or two steps up during the offseason. Since Riley Cooper left after the 2009 season, the Gators have lacked a consistent go-to receiver. Quinton Dunbar has shown flashes this spring, but he did last spring as well and caught just 14 passes in 2011. Frankie Hammond gets a lot of praise in practice, too, but it hasn't consistently translated onto the field. Andre Debose was Florida's best deep threat, but it's time for him to do more for this offense and be more reliable in all types of situations, not just deep throws. One thing that will help is that the tight end position should be solid with Jordan Reed and A.C. Leonard coming back. As for running back, Mike Gillislee has the talent to be a solid starter this fall, but he has to do more than just carry the rock. He has to improve his blocking as well. Mack Brown has the tools as well, but getting the offense down is his first objective because it has kept him off the field for two years. Pease is Florida's third offensive coordinator in three years and brings new elements like the others did, so the Gators are having to learn even more. It will be a challenge, but there are bodies to work with. It's all about getting his guys to understand things before the season starts or Florida's offense will continue to struggle.

The tournament is kicking back up today, but enjoy these links before you go ripping what's left of your bracket up.

• Vanderbilt defensive end Tim Fugger has played his way onto the NFL's radar.
• Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley might have dislocated his hip in the national championship game, but he didn't dislocate his sense of humor.
• Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin wants to get in-state recruits.
• Las Vegas says Arkansas is a legitimate national championship contender in 2012.
• Georgia's Malcolm Mitchell is getting defensive in practice.
• Defensive tackle Byron Jerideau is working his way back into South Carolina's starting lineup.
• New Florida offensive coordinator Brent Pease has been impressed with wide receiver Quinton Dunbar so far.
• New Ole Miss athletic director Ross Bjork is a rising star in college athletics, but inherits a job filled with potential issues.
• Mississippi State will air it out more with Tyler Russell taking over at quarterback.
• Defensive tackle Lucas Vincent will bolster a thin Missouri defensive line.
• Kentucky quarterback Maxwell Smith is finding out how much he still has to learn this spring.

Schedule: Florida opens spring practice Wednesday afternoon and concludes on April 7 with the Orange & Blue Debut, presented by Sunniland, at 1 p.m. ET in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. In conjunction with Florida Football's Annual Coaches Clinic, practice will open to the public twice -- March 16 and March 17.

What's new: Florida welcomes in new offensive coordinator Brent Pease, who left Boise State, as its new offensive coordinator after Charlie Weis left to become the head coach at Kansas. Florida also hired former Utah offensive line coach Tim Davis to replace Frank Verducci, while Jeff Dillman replaces Mickey Marrotti as the Gators' strength and conditioning coach.

On the mend: Florida will be down a few players this spring. Defensive tackle Dominique Easley is out while he recovers from an ACL injury he suffered at the end of the regular season. Cornerback Jeremy Brown is out with a knee injury that kept him out all of the 2011 season. Offensive linemen Ian Silberman, Tommy Jordan, Kyle Koehne and Cole Gilliam, along with linebacker Lerentee McCray and defensive end Kedric Johnson, are all out with shoulder injuries. Cornerback Marcus Roberson (neck) was cleared for non-contact drills. Linebacker Neiron Ball, who was diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation after a blood vessel burst in his head before the 2011 season, has been cleared to resume physical activity, but not for practice.

On the move: Redshirt senior Omarius Hines is moving from wide receiver to cross train at running back and tight end. Hines has always been some sort of a hybrid player, recording 41 career receptions for 559 yards and two touchdowns and carrying the ball 13 times for 164 rushing yards and two more scores. Nick Alajajian is moving from offensive tackle to defensive tackle to provide depth with Easley out.

Questions: The major question on the minds of fans in Gainesville is what will happen at the quarterback spot. Now that John Brantley is gone, Florida will be working with rising sophomores Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel and Tyler Murphy this spring. One of those three will be Florida's starter this fall, and after what people saw last year from Brissett and Driskel, there's a bit of an uneasy feeling in Gainesville. Florida is also looking to replace running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps. Senior-to-be Mike Gillislee enters the spring No. 1 on the depth chart, with Mack Brown behind him. Gillislee has played some in the past, while Brown has barely seen the field as a running back. Wide receiver and the offense line also have their own issues. Florida returns four starters up front, but this group struggled significantly last season. Keep an eye on early enrollees D.J. Humphries and Jessamen Dunker. Florida has a handful of receivers, but none are proven and none return with more than 16 catches from last season.

Key battle: If Florida's offense wants to take any steps forward, the Gators have to figure out their quarterback situation. Brissett enters spring with the most experience of the trio, but people around Florida believe he and Driskel are pretty even when it comes to physical ability. The difference right now seems to be that Brissett has more of an edge to him and more confidence. And he did pass Driskel on the depth chart last year. Murphy is pretty athletic, but in his two years on campus he has yet to take a collegiate snap, so he is clearly behind the other two. Pease is a quarterbacks coach, so one of his biggest jobs will be improving the play of all three of these players. One needs to step up and separate himself as both a player and a leader heading into summer workouts.

Don't forget about: Safety Matt Elam might be Florida's best defensive player and he's talented enough to put himself in the conversation as one of the top defensive backs in the SEC. In his first year as a starter at strong safety, Elam was second on the team with 78 tackles and was first with 11 tackles for loss. He also had two sacks, broke up seven passes and recorded two interceptions. Elam plays both the run and the deep ball well. He's turning into a true leader of Florida's defense and is primed for a real breakout season in 2012.

Breaking out: Tight end Jordan Reed was supposed to be one of Florida's top offensive weapons last season, but injuries and poor offensive execution hurt him in 2011. Now that he's healthy and he has young quarterbacks lining up, Reed could get a lot of attention this spring. Don't expect these quarterbacks to go deep much, so they'll have to rely on Reed underneath. Gillislee has shown flashes here and there, but has yet to put everything together. One moment he's running over players, the next he's yanked for poor blocking. Now, he enters spring as the guy at running back and with a bulk of the reps coming his way, Gillislee should be able to do a little more this time around.

All eyes on: Pease has a lot to do in such a short amount of time this spring. He'll be adding a few of his own wrinkles to Florida's offense, but don't expect him to change too much of the offensive terminology. Making things easy will be crucial as he attempts to fix Florida's offensive issues, starting with the quarterback position. The good news is that younger players tend to take to coaching a little better than vets. This is a chance for some reinvention on offense for the Gators, but it will start with Pease's coaching. Weis seemed to struggle a lot last season with communicating his messages to Florida's offensive players. Pease can't have that issue this spring. Everything has to clear and concise for Florida's offense.

Making the rounds on a Wednesday:

• Arkansas looks to rebuild its receiving corps after losing Jarius Wright, Joe Adams and Greg Childs.
• Some key battles to watch this spring at Arkansas.
• Missouri quarterback James Franklin tweaked his throwing shoulder during Tuesday's practice.
• The Toomer's Corner oak trees are showing encouraging signs with leaf growth.
• Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity specifies that Mark Richt is getting a new contract and not just an extension.
• LSU women's soccer player Mo Isom doesn't make the cut after trying out for kicker.
• South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is impressed with his team's conditioning as the Gamecocks open spring practice.
• First-year Florida offensive coordinator Brent Pease begins spring practice with the Gators in transition.
• Florida gets a new look at running back.
• Kevin Sumlin gives Texas A&M an energy boost as the Aggies get ready for life in the SEC's Western Division.

Now that you've seen what to watch in the SEC Western Division, let's check out the East:

FLORIDA

Spring practice start date: March 14
Spring game: April 7

What to watch:

Finding offensive playmakers: Year 2 of the Will Muschamp era begins with the team trying to find someone who can make a few plays for this fall. New offensive coordinator Brent Pease has a host of unproven offensive talent to work with. Wide receiver Andre Debose was Florida's best deep threat last year, and the coaches raved about receiver Quinton Dunbar's potential, but neither was consistent enough in 2011. Maybe Florida can finally turn to bigger backs Mike Gillislee and Mack Brown in the playmaking department.

Toughening up the offensive line: The Gators' line struggled throughout the 2011 season. It wasn't always at 100 percent, but Florida's line also just wasn't tough enough -- mentally or physically. The Gators couldn't get the tough yards on the ground and didn't exactly protect quarterback John Brantley enough. The line should get a boost with early enrollees D.J. Humphries, who was the top offensive line prospect in the 2012 class, and Jessamen Dunker, but Florida will have to get improvement from players who return to a line that lost just one starter from last season.

Quarterback battle: Brantley is gone, leaving rising sophomores Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel and Tyler Murphy. Brissett replaced Driskel as Florida's No. 2 quarterback last year, while Murphy has yet to take a college snap. Brissett and Driskel had plenty of down moments last fall but should get a chance to reinvent themselves this spring with new leadership and more practice reps. This spring will be extremely important for all three quarterbacks as they try to improve a position that struggled mightily the past two years.

GEORGIA

Spring practice start date: March 20
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

Isaiah Crowell's toughness: Crowell has the talent to be a star in this league. He has the size and athletic ability to cause a lot of headaches for opposing defenses. However, his inability to stay healthy -- and in games -- became more of a headache for Georgia's coaches and fans in 2011. Crowell needs to get tougher and be more reliable. He said as much after last season, but it's time to make good on his word. Crowell could get a push from early enrollee Keith Marshall this spring, and we know coach Mark Richt isn't afraid to play multiple backs.

Position changes: Richt made headlines recently when he said he'd be open to considering moving star freshman receiver Malcolm Mitchell to cornerback now that the Bulldogs are thin there. Maybe he'll play both ways. Also, rising sophomore Ray Drew could switch from outside linebacker to defensive end. He played both in high school. Georgia's offensive linemen also could play multiple positions up front.

The target on the Bulldogs' backs: There will be a lot more attention paid to the Bulldogs this spring, as they will probably enter the 2012 season as the favorites in the SEC East. Georgia returns just about everyone from a team that reeled off 10 straight wins on its way to the SEC championship game. The Bulldogs aren't just considered the East front-runners -- they also are being viewed as national championship contenders. But the Bulldogs can't let the hype get to them. We've seen this team underachieve when the expectations were high before.

KENTUCKY

Spring practice start date: March 21
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

Offensive line auditions: The Wildcats must replace three offensive linemen this year. That process will begin this spring, and the good news is that veterans Larry Warford and Matt Smith return. Left guard Kevin Mitchell, who will be a junior this fall, started one game last year, while soon-to-be sophomore right tackle Darrian Miller started two games last fall, so there is some experience coming into the open spots. Trevino Woods, who didn't start a game last year, should be the favorite to play left tackle this spring, but he also can play guard. There's also a lot of depth to work with.

Defensive makeover: Danny Trevathan is gone, so Kentucky must find someone else to run the defense this season. There's no question that Trevathan was the heart of this defense, so replacing him won't be easy, but the Wildcats must find someone who can step up and be a player others can look up to. The Wildcats also lost six starters from their linebacking corps and secondary, meaning Kentucky will have to fill holes with youngsters. Mikie Benton and Ridge Wilson are the only returning starters not on the defensive line.

Maxwell Smith: With fellow quarterback Morgan Newton sidelined this spring as he recovers from shoulder surgery, all eyes will be on Smith. He struggled at times last year, but Kentucky's offense was better when he was under center. Now, he'll have to make even bigger strides this spring if he wants to create a sizable lead in the race before Newton returns. Smith needs to work on his consistency, clean up his mistakes and develop better chemistry with his receivers.

MISSOURI

Spring practice start date: March 6
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

Offensive adjustments: Missouri might return some key pieces at skill positions, but the Tigers must replace three offensive linemen and will have to tweak some things to make their spread offense efficient enough to face SEC defenses. It helps that quarterback James Franklin is a runner and Missouri has speed and depth at receiver and running back, but the team must make subtle changes to combat the improved speed Missouri will see on defense, especially off the edge.

Rebuilding up front: The Tigers will be without three starters on the offensive and defensive lines. That isn't exactly what any SEC team would like, considering games are won in the trenches in this league. Fortunately for Missouri, both sides saw multiple guys get playing time last season. Keep an eye on defensive end Brad Madison. He was viewed as a defensive player of the year candidate in the Big 12 last year but was limited by a shoulder injury.

Wide receivers: Franklin had a heck of a 2011 season, but as he gets ready for 2012, he's still looking for a big-play threat in his receiving corps. T.J. Moe returns as the Tigers' leading receiver, while Marcus Lucas was fourth in receiving last year. Both have the potential to be elite in this league, but can one leave spring with the title of playmaker? Lucas showed flashes last year, but flashes only go so far. Missouri needs to find a definitive receiving threat.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Spring practice start date: March 12
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

Marcus Lattimore's health: His knee injury took place at the halfway point of the season, so he won't be 100 percent for a while. Still, the word is that he's ahead of schedule when it comes to rehabbing his knee. ACL injuries can be tough to manage, but with Lattimore's determination, he'll do everything possible to come back sooner than expected. He likely won't take contact this spring, but it'll be interesting to see whether the Gamecocks get much use out of him before summer.

Finding receiving options: Now that Alshon Jeffery is gone, there's more pressure on South Carolina's receiving corps. Outside of Jeffery, the Gamecocks didn't have consistently reliable options in 2011. That has to change this year, and it starts with a productive spring. Ace Sanders should get more reps, and the coaches are excited about the big-play ability that speedster Damiere Byrd possesses. Also, keep an eye out for Shamier Jeffery, Alshon's little brother.

Connor Shaw's development: Things couldn't have ended any better for South Carolina's quarterback last season. After an up-and-down start, he rebounded in the final three games with 896 combined yards passing and rushing and 11 touchdowns. Now, it's time for him to sharpen his passing skills and develop more confidence in his passing ability. Accomplishing that will help his receivers as well.

TENNESSEE

Spring practice start date: March 26
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

New coaching feel: The Vols enter spring practice with some new faces on the coaching staff. Six new assistant coaches will make their spring debuts this year. The most important might be defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri and running backs coach Jay Graham. Sunseri is working to make Tennessee more multiple in its approach, adding more 3-4 looks, while Graham will have to fix a struggling running game. Tennessee players will need to adjust to new coaching styles and buy in quickly this spring.

Running backs: No group at Tennessee struggled quite like Tennessee's running backs last fall. The Vols were ranked 116th nationally in rushing offense and recorded just 11 rushing touchdowns (nine from running backs). Tauren Poole is gone, which means Graham will first turn to Marlin Lane and Rajion Neal, who combined for just 414 yards and four touchdowns last year. Devrin Young and Tom Smith will have to step up, while Tennessee will get some use out of early enrollee Alden Hill.

Justin Hunter's health: Losing Hunter was the first of a few blows Tennessee's offense took last year. He's arguably Tennessee's best receiver and one of the best deep threats in this league. He suffered his ACL injury at the beginning of the season, and he's reportedly ahead of schedule but won't take any contact this spring. The goal is to have him running and cutting well at the end of the spring.

VANDERBILT

Spring practice start date: March 16
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

Jordan Rodgers' confidence: He enters spring as the quarterback for the Commodores, but he has to improve the mental part of his game. He let it get the best of him at times last year, especially in last season's bowl game. He can lose his rhythm quickly at times. He needs to work on improving his confidence and take more command of Vandy's huddle this spring. He has the skill to be a top quarterback in this league, but his head has to follow.

Warren Norman's health: A knee injury forced the running back to redshirt last year, but the good news is that he spent the fall strengthening his leg by participating in each practice. The hope is that he'll be ready to go this spring, but you'd imagine that since this is his second knee injury, the coaches won't push him too much. Getting him to sprint and cut with ease will be important to his rehab this spring.

Keeping the edge: James Franklin's first year as a head coach was a success, but it's important that the attitude and personality that made Vanderbilt so confident last year roll over to the spring. The loss in the bowl game might have stunted that personality growth a bit, but it's important that the Commodores get it back. It will go a long way toward keeping the progress going.

The start of spring practice is less than a month away for Florida, and it can’t get here soon enough for Will Muschamp.

His first season as Florida’s coach is in the books, and it wasn’t what anybody in the Gator Nation wanted -- and that includes the Head Gator.

Florida was forced to play a pair of true freshman quarterbacks during the teeth of the schedule, and there was very little depth to speak of in the line of scrimmage. Muschamp has also conceded that the chemistry on the team was poor and that players were pulling in different directions.

The result was a 7-6 finish, including an 0-6 record against teams that finished the season with a winning record, not to mention losses to Eastern Division rivals Georgia and South Carolina in the same season for the first time since the Gamecocks joined the league in 1992.

If that’s not enough, it was only the second time in the past 30-plus years that Florida had lost six games in a season. They finished 6-6 in 1987.

So forgive Muschamp if his focus is on the future, although that doesn’t mean he’s oblivious to what went wrong in Year 1.

He knows exactly what has to change if the Gators are going to go from a 7-6 team to a team that has a chance to be in Atlanta playing for the SEC championship in 2012.

“The No. 1 thing defensively is that we have to create some turnovers,” Muschamp said. “We were probably the worst in the country for whatever reason. I’ve been the worst and the best, so I’ve got to figure out what we did that year we were the best at Texas. That’s the first thing.”

Indeed, the Gators were 113^th nationally in turnover margin last season with 14 gained and 26 lost. Only seven teams in the country generated fewer turnovers.

In 2009, Muschamp’s Texas defense forced 37 turnovers, which tied for the most nationally.

The other thing at the top of Muschamp’s agenda is playing better up front, particularly on offense. The Gators were eighth in the SEC last season in rushing offense.

“We have to be able to run the ball more effectively when we need to,” Muschamp said. “We didn’t do that.”

He feels better about his running game in 2012 with just about everybody coming back in the offensive line, and the Gators should also be bigger and more physical at running back.

“We really don’t lose anybody that played for us last year in the offensive line, and they get another year within our system of moving forward,” Muschamp said. “We’ll also be bigger in the backfield. I love Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps and the job they did at the University of Florida. But at the end of the day, you do get limited in some of the things you want to do as far as the inside run game is concerned.

“You can only take so many runs into a game, so you have a lot of the perimeter runs they were able to do and some of the inside runs they couldn’t do we should be able to do now with Mike Gillislee, Trey Burton, Mack Brown and Matt Jones, the freshman coming in.

“That’s where we’re headed.”

Brent Pease takes over as Florida’s offensive coordinator, and certainly Muschamp wants to be more physical across the board on offense. Along those lines, you’re probably going to see more multiple tight end sets and the Gators trying to create some matchup issues.

Muschamp said the staff will take its time on the quarterback issue. Both Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel saw significant action last season as freshmen.

“We’ll let it play out,” Muschamp said. “When we know, we’ll know. I think, again, I have a lot of confidence in Brent and the offensive staff and my judgment on who the guy will be to lead this football team. At the end of the day, it’s a long season in the SEC, and we’ve got to have all hands on the deck and be ready to roll.”

The other area of emphasis, and one that killed the Gators last season, will be red-zone offense.

In the losses to Auburn, Georgia and South Carolina, Florida was 1-of-7 in the red zone in scoring touchdowns.

“I attribute a little bit of that back to running the football,” Muschamp said. “Our production offensively has to increase -- period. We have to be able to sustain some drives and then consistently stop the run defensively.”

The Gators finished No. 8 nationally in total defense in 2011, allowing an average of 299.5 yards per game. But with 10 starters returning on defense and this being the second year in Dan Quinn’s system, Florida has a chance to take it to a whole different level defensively in 2012.

“As a football team, we were really good on special teams all year. They were outstanding,” Muschamp said. “But the thing that really jumped out at me is that we improved defensively. We really got better. I’m looking at things like playing blocks. I’m not looking at the scoreboard. I’m looking from the standpoint of leveraging the ball, understanding our scheme, playing blocks, getting off blocks, disengaging, maturing in the system, maturing as players, taking the next step. All of that, we improved.”

The mailbag is back for your viewing pleasure.

We were hit with a good amount of questions in the past week, so we decided to fill your curious minds.

Signing day is coming up, there are two new teams getting ready to join the league and people are already talking about next year’s SEC champ.

Let’s get to those questions:

Nathan from the Texas panhandle writes: Aggie fan here. My email is in regards to the divisional format of the SEC. I personally think that divisions in a 14-team league are hard to work with since you will hardly see opponents from the division. Why not implement a no division league with a four-team playoff format at the end of the year for the SEC championship game? You keep rivalry games and just alternate opponents every year within the league. League record and rankings would be considered for the four-team slots. Opinion?

Edward Aschoff: First of all, welcome to the SEC … well, almost welcome. You’ll officially join in July, but welcome anyway. The funny thing is that Chris Low and I were actually talking about this exact thing the other day, since basketball has already done it. I know that divisions make it much easier to figure out the teams for the championship game, but I think it would be pretty cool to have just one league with no divisions. The more teams, the harder it is to maintain those traditional rivalries when you have divisions. If you get rid of the divisions, you can maintain every rivalry you want because there would be no obligation to play a certain amount of divisional teams. Alabama-Tennessee would never be in danger and neither would Florida-LSU. You would also have the two best teams in the SEC competing for the championship. Also, “The Rematch” would have happened in Atlanta and there would have been no crying about the national championship because the SEC’s spot would have been settled in Atlanta. I’m all for it.

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Brandon Estell from Jonesboro, Ark., writes: With the fairly average recruiting classes, at least ranked that way, that Bobby Petrino has brought to Fayetteville the last couple of years and looking that way again, although it is looking to be picking up come signing day, what is the realistic chance of Arkansas contending for the SEC West title possibly bigger?

Edward Aschoff: As far as the rankings go, Arkansas’ classes haven’t been as high as others in the SEC, but that definitely doesn’t mean that talent hasn’t been going to Fayetteville. Today I looked at some of the unheralded guys who became stars in college and a lot of them played at Arkansas. Just look at the seniors that left. Jake Bequette, Tramain Thomas, Jerry Franklin, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright were pretty much nobodies in high school. Now, everyone knows them. Petrino has done a great job with developing players and I think that if continues the Hogs will be fine. Forget about all the stars and focus on what is happening when they get on campus. Hey, if Arkansas beats LSU, who knows where the Hogs end up last season? Petrino has Arkansas on the right path.

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Joe Marina from Orlando, Fla., writes: Hey Ed. I believe you went to school at FL with my sister Jenna Marina. My question is with the recruiting class Muschamp looks to have and also depending on the QB play, I see FL having a much better team than last year. There are still a lot of questions on offense with wide receiver, running back, and QB. But if they play up to their talent, I would say it’s reasonable for FL to win 8 games this year. Would you agree?

Edward Aschoff: Jenna is a great friend of mine. I owe some of my success to her (ask her about our sports reporting project). ... I think that Muschamp’s first “real” class at UF is a pretty good one. He hit the offensive line hard and got the big back that he’s wanted. He could also close with at least one big-play wide receiver. I think this offseason is all about developing a tougher attitude in Gainesville. Muschamp called his team soft at the end of the year and he was right. Florida got pushed around. Can’t do that in the SEC. I think Brent Pease will be very hands on with those young quarterbacks and that offensive line will be worked harder than it ever has. Florida has the talent to compete for the East title, but will it have the attitude? Will it make the necessary plays on offense to help the defense? That schedule is tough with games at Texas A&M and Tennessee to start the year and the season ends at Florida State. Eight wins are possible, but this team has to make a lot of changes on both sides of the ball and has to have a better work ethic.

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Tony from Italy writes: With the Big 12 blog leaving Missouri out of many of it's recent conference related post (returning starters/recruiting blogs etc...) when will you start adding them into your blogs on a regular basis?

Edward Aschoff: First off, if you’re in Italy you should be enjoying yourself, not worrying about college football! Please have some gelato for me. As the spring gets closer, you’ll see more Missouri and Texas A&M content. Both schools officially join in July, but any blogs that have to do with the offseason or previewing the fall will have both included. Our recruiting scorecard didn’t have them because it was just a look at where the current SEC teams were. We’ll probably hit both when we look at signing day.

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David Whitten from Gadsden, Ala., writes: It seems no one thinks Bama will be very good next season, why is that? They played a lot of players all year and they have experience coming back, maybe the "experts" need to sit back and look at what we were seeing all year then re-think their opinion about Bama.

Edward Aschoff: Not sure where you’re seeing all that. Alabama should be a top-five team to start next season and I honestly think the offense with AJ McCarron and that experienced line coming back with some young talent at wide receiver. I think there will be some hiccups on defense because of all the star power that is gone, but that’s natural. I’m not saying Alabama will be bad at all. I still the Tide will compete for the SEC West and beyond, but you can’t sit there and think that this team won’t have growing pains on defense. You can’t lose that much talent and not take some sort of step back. It happens.

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Austin from Conway, Ark., writes: Sooooo, is DGB going to be a Razorback? I know this is the million-dollar question, and of course I'm REALLY hoping this is the case....but starting to get the feeling he might switch directions...thoughts??

Edward Aschoff: Ah, the nation’s top receiver: Dorial Green-Beckham. He’s a stud, for sure, and any team would love to have him. But where will he go? Most of the people that I talk with feel pretty confident that he’ll choose Arkansas, but Missouri is certainly NOT out of it. I think Arkansas is out in front and I think he might be able to catch a couple passes in that offense (sarcasm alert!). If I had to pick, I’d go with Arkansas, but I know that Missouri has done a very good job of recruiting him.

Thursday, we checked out the final ESPNU 150 rankings, letting us know who the top dogs in the recruiting world are.

Today, we're checking out where the top uncommitted players might be heading come national signing day

Here's a list of 10 top prospects considering SEC schools to keep an eye on:

Dorial Green-Beckham, WR
Springfield, Mo./Hillcrest
ESPNU 150 rank: 3 | Position rank: 1 | Grade: 86 | Stars: 5
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 220 pounds
Considering: Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas
Thoughts: Any school would be honored to have Green-Beckham on its roster. With his size, speed and athleticism, it's easy to see why he's the nation's No. 1 wide receiver. Alabama seems to be in his top three, but luring him farther away from home will probably be hard, so look out for Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma State.

Davonte Neal, ATH
Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral
ESPNU 150 rank: 8 | Position rank: 1 | Grade: 85 | Stars: 5
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 175 pounds
Considering: Arkansas, Miami, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC
Thoughts: It looks like Neal could play on either side of the ball. He has tremendous speed and acceleration, so putting him in the return game is a must for any school that gets him. If he decides to play offense, putting him in an offense where he can make plays in space would be ideal, so Arkansas has a legitimate shot.

Eddie Goldman, DT
Washington, D.C./Collegiate Academy
ESPNU 150 rank: 10 | Position rank: 1 | Grade: 85 | Stars: 5
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 310 pounds
Considering: Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Miami
Thoughts: In person, Goldman is pretty intimidating to look at. He might have great size, but he also has great speed and balance. He wasn't bothered by the fact that Sal Sunseri left Alabama for Tennessee, so that's good news for the Crimson Tide. Florida State is very much a player for Goldman, as well.

Stefon Diggs, ATH
Olney, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel
ESPNU 150 rank: 13 | Position rank: 3 | Grade: 84 | Stars: 4
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 185 pounds
Considering: Auburn, California, Florida, USC
Thoughts: If you need a playmaking receiver, Diggs is your man. Florida appeared to be the leader until Charlie Weis bolted for Kansas, but it seems as though the hiring of Brent Peace hasn't hurt the Gators. The offensive coordinator situation at Auburn could be an issue for Diggs. Also, watch out for Maryland, who now has Mike Locksley running its offense, and Ohio State, who has recruiting pro Urban Meyer.

Josh Harvey-Clemons, OLB
Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes
ESPNU 150 rank: 17 | Position rank: 1 | Grade: 83 | Stars: 4
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 210 pounds
Considering: Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville
Thoughts: Harvey-Clemons is an extremely athletic prospect who should flourish at outside linebacker. With Georgia's defense gaining a lot of momentum heading into 2012, the Bulldogs are definitely in the picture here. Having Todd Grantham certainly helps as well. Florida is also a player for Harvey-Clemons. This one will come down to yet another battle between Florida and Georgia.

Tracy Howard, CB
Miramar, Fla./Miramar
ESPNU 150 rank: 18 | Position rank: 1 | Grade: 83 | Stars: 4
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 175 pounds
Considering: Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, USC, West Virginia
Thoughts: Howard has the makings of being a top cover corner at the next level. It appears as though Florida is in the driver's seat right now, but LSU could still get an official visit, which might change a lot. Howard is visiting Florida this weekend and there's a chance things could end soon for Howard if things go well in Gainesville.

Kwon Alexander, OLB
Oxford, Ala./Oxford
ESPNU 150 rank: 29 | Position rank: 3 | Grade: 83 | Stars: 4
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 210 pounds
Considering: Alabama, Auburn, LSU
Thoughts: Alabama, Auburn and LSU are at the top for Alexander, but Auburn might have the slight edge at this point. Space could be an issue for Alabama and he still hasn't officially visited there. This could be a battle of Tigers in the end.

Nelson Agholor, WR
Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep
ESPNU 150 rank: 47 | Position rank: 6 | Grade: 82 | Stars: 4
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 180 pounds
Considering: Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, USC
Thoughts: Agholor is another big-play wide receiver who is very versatile on the field. He could even play in the defensive secondary if asked. Florida and USC are on top, but USC will get his final visit ... and distance doesn't appear to be a factor for Agholor.

Leonard Williams, DT
Daytona Beach, Fla./Mainland
ESPNU 150 rank: 50 | Position rank: 5 | Grade: 82 | Stars: 4
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 265 pounds
Considering: Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Miami, USC
Thoughts: Williams is an extremely athletic big man. He can play both inside and outside on the defensive line. Florida State could be on top for Williams, but space could be an issue for the Seminoles. Auburn and Florida are now very much in the running, as well. Don't count Miami out, either.

Avery Young, OT
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Palm Beach Gardens
ESPNU 150 rank: 61 | Position rank: 8 | Grade: 81 | Stars: 4
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 270 pounds
Considering: Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Miami
Thoughts: Young wants to go somewhere where he can develop into a true left tackle, so he'll be eye-balling teams' depth charts closely. The very athletic lineman has always had his pick of schools, but Auburn might have the edge right now. However, don't count out Miami. That's where his final visit will be and a good impression will go a long way.

You've already seen Chris Low's to-do lists for the Western Division teams, so now it's time to check out what the East teams need to take care of before next fall:

FLORIDA

• Two major areas new offensive coordinator Brent Pease needs to hit during his first offseason with the Gators is running back and wide receiver. Florida must find a downhill running back for Pease's offense, and a reliable go-to wide receiver -- two things Florida lacked in 2011.
• With quarterback John Brantley graduating, Pease must find a new starting quarterback. That means developing rising sophomores Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel, who struggled in relief of Brantley at times last season, and Tyler Murphy, who has yet to take a snap.
• Toughen up mentally and physically. The Gators ranked 89th nationally in penalties, and were called out by coach Will Muschamp as being too soft in his first season. Soft can't win in the SEC.

GEORGIA

• The Bulldogs' coaching staff needs to toughen running back Isaiah Crowell up. As the season went on he visited Georgia's training table more than the end zone in games. He was even booed by Georgia fans when he limped off the Georgia Dome field in the SEC title game. The Bulldogs were inconsistent running the ball because their lead back was always nicked up.
• Getting the offensive line ready will be key to 2012. The Bulldogs will have to replace three seniors on that line, including All-SEC performers Cordy Glenn and Ben Jones.
• Georgia also can't let the success of 2011 go to the Bulldogs' heads. We've seen what can happen to this team when expectations are high and the Dawgs are a favorite.

KENTUCKY

• With how poorly Kentucky's offense performed in 2011, coach Joker Phillips' top priority should be finding offensive playmakers. There is hope that running backs CoShik Williams and Josh Clemons can help in that department, but finding a reliable receiver to complement La'Rod King will help, as no other receiver returns with more than 10 catches from last season.
• Kentucky has to get its quarterback position settled before next season. Morgan Newton was supposed to be the guy last season, but major struggles and an ankle injury paved the way for Maxwell Smith. But neither threw a pass in Kentucky's 10-7 win against Tennessee to end the season.
• Replacing linebacker Danny Trevathan's skill on the field won't be easy, but neither will be replacing his leadership skills. Trevathan was the heart of Kentucky's defense and the team's best leader. It's time for someone else to step up and lead the Wildcats.

MISSOURI

• As the new Tigers on the block, Missouri needs to get used to its new surroundings. That means making any and all offensive and defensive adjustments to match their new SEC foes. That also means getting used to recruiting more in the southeast, especially Florida and Georgia.
• Missouri returns a lot of talent in 2012, but the Tigers need to find a big-play threat at wide receiver. T.J. Moe and Marcus Lucas are back, but one has to emerge as more than just a top target -- he needs to be someone who can consistently make plays on SEC defenses.
• The Tigers' defensive line was supposed to be better than it was in 2011. The SEC is won in the trenches, and if Missouri's line can't hold up against SEC offensive big men, the Tigers will be sunk.

SOUTH CAROLINA

• Marcus Lattimore is one of the best running backs in the country when he's healthy, so making sure his rehab for his knee goes smoothly might be South Carolina's top priority during the offseason. He expects to come back better and stronger, so proper rehab will go a long way.
• Now that Alshon Jeffery is gone, it's time for the Gamecocks to find a replacement. The Gamecocks didn't have any real receiving threats outside of Jeffery in 2011, and only Jeffery and Ace Sanders had more than 20 catches. South Carolina is a little undersized at the position, but developing a proper go-to is a must.

TENNESSEE

• Tennessee must find the pieces to create a legitimate running game. The Vols ranked 116th nationally in rushing, and were the only team in the SEC not to average more than 100 rushing yards a game. Marlin Lane heads the rushing operation, but there are other bodies to help. Developing them is the next step.
• Sal Sunseri takes over a defense equipped with a chunk of young, but talented players. Development in their games is the next step for these players, and that will rest on Sunseri.
• The attitude of this team was questioned in 2011, so for Tennessee to get back to being truly competitive in the East, players need to totally buy in to what Derek Dooley is preaching.

VANDERBILT

• Jordan Rodgers' emergence as Vanderbilt's starting quarterback during the second half of the season was a big plus for the Commodores' offense, but his confidence had to be shaken when he was basically benched for Larry Smith in the Liberty Bowl loss to Cincinnati. Rodgers had his ups and downs last season, but he needs to find the confidence that helped him make Vandy's offense explosive with him in charge.
• James Franklin kept saying that this was a new Vanderbilt team, but the little mistakes that hurt Vandy throughout the years returned. Those mistakes cost them a chance at possibly winning nine games. Franklin must hammer home ball security and make sure this team is a little more mentally tough next season.

Some SEC linkage for your Wednesday enjoyment:

• Former Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick is arrested and charged with possession of marijuana.
• Lance Thompson, Nick Saban's prodigal coaching son, returns to Alabama, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of The Birmingham News.
• Saban hits the recruiting trail in the Atlanta area.
• LSU coach Les Miles shoots down the rumors that select players were benched for wanting to go with Jarrett Lee in the BCS National Championship Game.
• New Florida offensive coordinator Brent Pease cut his SEC teeth at Kentucky.
• The lack of underclassmen leaving Tennessee's program is telling, writes John Adams of The Knoxville News-Sentinel.
• Joel Erickson of The Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer breaks down Auburn's prospective 2012 roster by scholarship players.
• Georgia's Jay Rome waits his turn in one sport while playing another.