ESPN College Football

Our look at the SEC's most productive returning players in 2012 continues with a look at the league's top returning kickoff returners.

Past producers:

• Quarterback
• Running back
• Wide receiver
• Tight end
• Sacks
• Tackles
• Interceptions
• Kicker
• Punter

The SEC returns seven of the top 10 kick returners from 2011. The top three returners are back, so kickers beware. However, the ball will now be moved forward five yards to the 35-yard line for kickoffs, meaning returns should occur less often. But that also means they'll now be more important. We're going by average per return. Note: To qualify, a player must have at least one return per team's games played. This is one of the most exciting plays in football and here's a look at the SEC's top returner:

Tre Mason, RB, Auburn: He returned 24 kicks for an average of 26.4 yards per return, had a long of 97 yards and recorded a touchdown. Mason dealt with being in a crowded backfield by making a name for himself in the return game during the first half of the season. He did most of his damage in the first two weeks, grabbing 10 returns for 348 yards and had a touchdown in the season opener against Utah State. He saw his production dip as the season went on because of injuries and his fumbling issues. He eventually lost his job, but could he make a comeback for his crown in 2012?

The SEC returns six more of the top kickoff returners in 2012:

Andre Debose, WR, Florida: He returned 19 kicks for an average of 26.1 yards per return, had a long of 99 yards and registered one touchdown.

Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas: He returned 18 kicks for an average of 25.6 yards per return, had a long of 98 yards and registered one touchdown.

Tobias Singleton, RB, Ole Miss: He returned 21 kicks for an average of 24.6 yards per return and had a long of 47 yards.

Andre Hal, CB, Vanderbilt: He returned 31 kicks for an average of 23.8 yards per return, had a long of 96 yards and registered one touchdown.

Devrin Young, RB, Tennessee: He returned 27 kicks for an average of 23.3 yards per return and had a long of 67 yards.

Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina: He returned 20 kicks for an average of 23.2 yards and had a long of 45 yards.

With kickoffs being moved up, we might see even less in the kick return game this fall. We could also see a new winner for this category if Mason doesn't get his job back. And with the amount of production he'll have on offense, his returns might get cut short anyway. Keep an eye on Mason's teammates, Onterio McCalebb and Quan Bray. McCalebb averaged 30.1 yards per return and had a touchdown on just 11 returns, while Bray averaged 24.2 on 10 returns.

Johnson has always been very dangerous in the return game. He entered the 2011 season as the SEC's active leader for career kickoff return yards and total return yards with 2,014 and he added 461 last fall. Johnson will likely have more steam to work with this fall with Knile Davis eating into his carries at running back. That will make him even tougher to stop in the return game and counting him out of the race for the return crown is just silly.

Debose was named the nation’s top kick returner by the College Football Performance Awards in 2010, but has always had some issues with his decision-making in the return game. Still, there's no doubting his speed when he finds a hole. When he's focused, he's exciting to watch, but he's yet to keep his focus for an entire season as a returner.

LaDarius Perkins will have more responsibility in Mississippi State's offense, but he was sometimes fun to watch in the return game.

Missouri receiver T.J. Moe averaged 23.3 yards on 26 kicks, but didn't return a kick longer than 49 yards. Still, he's shifty enough and has the vision to make a run at this thing.

2011 record: 11-2
2011 conference record: 6-2

Returning starters: Offense: 7; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 0

Top returners:
WR Ace Sanders, OG A.J. Cann, QB Connor Shaw, RB Marcus Lattimore, CB Akeem Auguste, DE Jadeveon Clowney, DE Devin Taylor, DT Kelcy Quarles, LB Shaq Wilson, Spur DeVonte Holloman, S D.J. Swearinger

Key losses:
WR Alshon Jeffery, OT Rokevious Watkins, OG Terrence Campbell, Spur Antonio Allen, DE Melvin Ingram, CB Stephon Gilmore, DT Travian Robertson

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Marcus Lattimore* (818 yards)
Passing: Connor Shaw* (1,448 yards)
Receiving: Alshon Jeffery (762 yards)
Tackles: Antonio Allen (88)
Sacks: Melvin Ingram (10)
Interceptions: Stephon Gilmore (4)

Spring answers

1. Shaw's development: The goal for quarterback Connor Shaw this spring was to work on the passing part of the position. The run-first quarterback showed flashes of transformation in his mindset toward the end of last season and it bled over to this year. He seems to be more confident in his passing and that will go a long way for the Gamecocks offense, as the downfield passing game was missing for most of South Carolina's season in 2011.

2. Running back depth: With Lattimore sitting out the spring, South Carolina turned to reserves Brandon Wilds and Kenny Miles. Both performed well, but Miles was named the offensive player of the spring. He wrestled with returning to the Gamecocks, and still seems to be creating some drama about his return this fall, but if he comes back he'll be the No. 2 back. Miles made major strides in his game and his return would mean South Carolina has some insurance at running back if Lattimore struggles. Even if he returns at full health, having Miles there will give the Gamecocks a solid option to keep Lattimore fresh.

3. Shell's development: South Carolina's coaches were anxious to see what redshirt freshman Brandon Shell could do and he didn't disappoint. He ended spring as the starter at left tackle -- the same position that Rokevious Watkins manned last season. The Gamecocks lost two starters along the offensive line, but Shell provided a nice spark at the most important position along the line.

Fall questions

1. Lattimore's health: While word out of South Carolina's camp is that Lattimore was ahead of schedule with his knee rehab, it's still unknown if he will be back to his old self. It's hard to believe that anyone could come back from an ACL injury in this amount of time and be as effective and as good as Lattimore was, but his coaches think he can do just that. Until we see him play, there will still be some uncertainty. A healthy Lattimore makes this an SEC contender and maybe more.

2. Secondary: South Carolina has veterans Akeem Auguste and D.J. Swearinger returning in its defensive backfield, but both dealt with injuries in the spring and the Gamecocks must replace three of its top four cornerbacks from last season. The injuries gave young guys the opportunity to get more reps, but questions still remain. Victor Hampton, listed as a starter, might be South Carolina's most athletic returning corner, but he has limited experience and a history of off-field issues. Brison Williams should enter the fall as a starter at strong safety, but has just one career start. He's one of two players at strong safety with game experience. Jimmy Legree and Cadarious Sanders are the only other corners with game experience. Expect redshirt freshman Ahmad Christian to compete for time as well.

3. Wide receiver: The Gamecocks will start the summer still wondering about the wide receiver position. Ace Sanders returns as the team's most productive receiver, but after that there isn't a lot of production. The good news was that Bruce Ellington returned to football this spring, but the bad news is that even with him back, Sanders is still the only receiver returning with 20 or more catches (29). Speedster Damiere Byrd showed progress and the coaches expect to get more from D.L. Moore, but the position is still a mystery. Incoming freshman Shaq Roland will be relied on a lot when he reports in the summer.

South Carolina welcomed back a familiar face to wide receiver Tuesday when Bruce Ellington returned to the football practice field.

Earlier this month, Ellington announced that he was picking basketball over football, but shortly after the whispers began about him possibly returning to football after men's basketball coach Darrin Horn was fired.

Tuesday, Ellington worked out with the Gamecocks' football team for the first time this spring. Coincidentally, it was the same day in which Frank Martin was introduced as South Carolina's new men's basketball coach.

Coach Steve Spurrier had some very kinds words to say about Martin:

"I like Coach Frank Martin. I think his track record speaks for itself. The guy has only been a head coach for five years in college, but Frank Martin, in my opinion, knows how to coach ball. He’d be a heck of a football coach, too. I think our basketball program is in excellent hands. Like he said, we’re going to pack Colonial [Life] Arena. I believe him. I believe there will be 18,000 cheering the Gamecocks."

Ellington plans to continue being a two-sport athlete at South Carolina and Spurrier said Tuesday that he was "one of the fastest guys out there" at practice.

Having Ellington back certainly brings some needed experience back to the receiver position. Ellington made his mark as more of an all-purpose guy, but he'll be called on more to catch the ball this fall with Alshon Jeffery gone.

Kicker to the rescue
Vanderbilt's kicking issues from last season are well documented, but Tuesday, it was a kicker who saved the Commodores from extra, uncomfortable running after practice.

To close Tuesday's practice, coach James Franklin gave his kickers eight field goal attempts. Each kick was to be performed while Franklin messed with the kicker and "whispered sweet nothings" into his ears. For every miss the team had one gasser (a football player's nightmare). Vandy's kickers missed four, meaning four gassers for the team.

But Franklin decided to up the ante with a double or nothing call -- one kick to erase the gassers or force eight on his players. The team was supposed to choose a kicker it was confident in, but Carey Spear jumped right up and volunteered.

"Carey's one of the more competitive guys that we got," Franklin said.

"He's a very, very competitive, tough guy."

Spear stepped up and nailed a 40-yard kick to save his team from eight painful gassers.

"It was a pretty good risk that they were taking and they believed in him, so it was good," Franklin said.

Freeze unhappy with effort
Ole Miss dressed in pads for the second time this spring, but new coach Hugh Freeze wasn't too thrilled with the effort his players showed Tuesday.

“[I was] disappointed,” Freeze said. “I didn’t think the attitude was bad, but I thought the effort was half-hearted. I thought we coasted through a lot of practice. We’re asking a lot of them to lift [weights] and practice, sometimes on the same days. And of course, academics are a priority. We’ll point [the lack of effort] out on film [Wednesday], and we’ll stop practice on Thursday if we have to in order to get it right. We won’t go through two days of that in a row.”

As Freeze looks to install a new, more spread offense at Ole Miss, he's finding that one of the key components needs to improve more as the spring continues. That component is the running game, which isn't just essential to the spread, but is essential to having a successful offense in the SEC.

“There were some good plays, though. In the team run, we broke a few long ones," Freeze said.

"But we’re still very inconsistent.”

Two players sat out practice Tuesday with injuries. Sophomore defensive lineman Bryon Bennett (foot) and junior linebacker Mike Marry (hamstring) are both day-to-day.

Some Tuesday linkage for you:

• Bruce Ellington's former high school coach expects him to return to football at South Carolina.
• Vanderbilt, looking to get its best athletes on the field, finds a new home for the three quarterbacks it signed in James Franklin's first class.
• LSU safety Craig Loston is finally feeling healthy and eager to prove his worth.
• Barrett Jones' latest spring break mission trip takes the Alabama Outland Trophy winner to Nicarugua.
• Auburn releases its spring practice times. The Tigers open practice on Friday.
• Florida is counting on receiver Quinton Dunbar to get it right next season.
• Seth Emerson of The Macon (Ga.) Telegraph takes a closer look at Georgia's team as the Bulldogs get ready for spring practice.
• How Texas A&M stacks up with its new conference mates.
• The defense wins the day last Saturday in Missouri's scrimmage.

Upon further review, South Carolina's Bruce Ellington may not be giving up on football.

After Ellington, who played wide receiver and point guard at South Carolina last year, announced last Monday that he was done with football and would concentrate solely on basketball, reports surfaced that Ellington could be rethinking that decision.

Ellington's high school coach, Jerry Brown, told the Charleston Post and Courier that Ellington spoke with South Carolina wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. Saturday and will "definitely give football another shot." Brown also said that he didn't speak directly to Ellington, but talked with Tony Cox, who is an assistant coach at Ellington's old high school and keeps in touch with Ellington.

"They're going to list him on the roster," Brown said. "He'll be participating in spring, as far as I know. He's pretty much committed to football now, as far as the whole (2012) season. Whether or not he's going to play basketball, I don't know if he's sure about that yet. That's what I understood (from talking to Cox)."

The firing of South Carolina basketball coach Darrin Horn might have affected Ellington's decision, Brown said. Horn was fired the day after Ellington announced his decision to stay with basketball.

Getting Ellington back in South Carolina's lineup would certainly benefit the Gamecocks' passing game because while there is depth at receiver, it's very unproven. Ellington did more for the Gamecocks in the return game, but he knows the offense and he would surely make improvements to his game with more work during the offseason.

Ellington has done more on the basketball court during his two years at South Carolina, but with more time to work on football he could certainly make more of an impact on offense as both a receiver and a wildcat quarterback. His high school coach even hinted that Ellington might be feeling his future is in football, not basketball.

Maybe the real question Ellington is trying to answer now is whether he'd be willing to give up basketball and focus on football. Playing two sports is hard enough, but trying to play both football and basketball in a BCS conference is even tougher. There's no question Ellington is a tremendous athlete, but sticking to one sport, regardless of what it is, might be in his best interest.

Schedule: South Carolina opens spring camp at 4:15 p.m. ET Tuesday at the Bluff Road Practice Fields. The Gamecocks will conclude spring with the Garnet & Black Spring Game on April 14, beginning at 1 p.m. ET at Williams-Brice Stadium. All 15 of practices are open to the public, unless determined otherwise.

What's new: Four of South Carolina's nine assistants are new. John Butler, Jay Graham, Jeep Hunter and Ellis Johnson are all gone. Lorenzo Ward was promoted from defensive backs coach to defensive coordinator, replacing Johnson. Ward will still focus on the cornerbacks this season. Head coach Steve Spurrier also added Kirk Botkin to coach linebackers/Spurs, Grady Brown to coach the secondary, Joe Robinson to coach special teams/tight ends, and Everette Sands to coach running backs. Joe Connolly also replaces Craig Fitzgerald as South Carolina's strength and conditioning coach. Also, South Carolina will be looking to replace kicker Jay Wooten and punter Joey Scribner-Howard. Walk-ons Landon Ard and Adam Yates will compete at kicker this spring, and sophomore Patrick Fish should be No. 1 at punter.

On the move: Safety DeVonte Holloman is looking to transition back to the Spur position after spending 2011 at safety. He worked at the Spur last spring, but the departing Antonio Allen played there last season. Also, Damario Jeffery is slated to move from the Spur to Will linebacker this spring. Jimmy Legree is moving back to cornerback after making a couple of starts at free safety last season.

On the mend: The Gamecocks will be without star running back Marcus Lattimore, who is still recovering from a devastating knee injury suffered halfway through the 2011 season. Running back Shon Carson is also out and recovering from a knee injury suffered last season. Sophomore offensive lineman Mike Matulis will sit out the spring after recovering from shoulder surgery, and senior cornerback Akeem Auguste will be limited as he tries to get over a foot injury that kept him out of all but one game last season. Safety D.J. Swearinger will miss the spring after having an operation on his foot. Offensive lineman Brock Stadnik will sit out the spring following shoulder surgery.

Questions: Auguste and Swearinger are dealing with injuries, South Carolina must replace three of its top four cornerbacks, and Holloman is moving back to the Spur, meaning the Gamecocks' secondary is loaded with questions. Sophomore Victor Hampton is expected to take one of the cornerback spots. He's talented, but has had off-field issues. He has the potential to be a key player for the Gamecocks. Depth behind him is a question, as Legree and Cadarious Sanders are the only other cornerbacks with game experience. A big spring from redshirt freshman Ahmad Christian could put him in the thick of it for a starting cornerback spot. Sophomore-to-be Brison Williams takes over at strong safety after playing in eight games last season, but depth behind him is a concern, as rising sophomore Kadetrix Marcus, Edward Muldrow and Sheldon Royster enter spring with six games of experience, all from Marcus. South Carolina must also find players at free safety.

Key battle: With Alshon Jeffery taking his talents to the NFL, and Bruce Ellington sticking to basketball, South Carolina enters the spring with little experience at wide receiver. Ace Sanders is the only returning receiver with 20 or more catches (29), and Nick Jones is the only other one with 10 or more catches (12). There are bodies, but not production. D.L. Moore and DeAngelo Smith should enter the spring as starters, along with Sanders. Both showed promise in the past, but they combined for just 11 catches last season. Lamar Scruggs is a junior, but didn't catch a pass last season. Speedster Damiere Byrd is back after missing four games last season because of NCAA issues. Also, redshirt freshmen Shamier Jeffery (Alshon Jeffery's brother) and K.J. Brent will need to have big springs. South Carolina is expected to get good use out of incoming freshman Shaq Roland, but the Gamecocks need to find at least two solid options before he arrives this summer.

Don't forget about: South Carolina's front seven should be solid again in 2012. Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor will man the defensive end positions, while rising sophomore Kelcy Quarles, who enjoyed a tremendous freshman season, will help ease the loss of Travian Robertson inside. At linebacker, South Carolina only lost Rodney Paulk, and returns seniors Reginald Bowens and Shaq Wilson, who combined for 96 tackles in 2011. Seniors Damario Jeffery and Quinn Smith will also get time at the Will spot.

Breaking out: The coaches are very excited about the potential redshirt freshmen offensive tackle Brandon Shell possesses. He was a standout high school player, and will have every chance to earn the starting spot at left tackle this spring. He has supposedly had a good offseason so far, and has gotten stronger. If he's as good as the coaches say, he'll help shore up a line that has to replace two starters, including left tackle Rokevious Watkins.

All eyes on: Quarterback Connor Shaw saw vast improvements in his game as the 2011 season went on. He started to develop into more of a passer than a runner. While he still likes to run at times, you could tell that Shaw was making a conscious effort to rely on his arm first. In his last three games, Shaw averaged 219 yards and threw eight touchdowns to one interception. Now is the time for him to really come into his own as a passer. For South Carolina's offense to be successful, Shaw has to play smarter, and has to boost the Gamecocks' passing game. He'll also need to create better chemistry with his unproven receivers. South Carolina's offensive players will feed off Shaw's spring.

South Carolina has lost one of its receiving targets for the 2012 season.

The school announced Monday that sophomore Bruce Ellington will give up football and stick to basketball. Here's what Ellington said in a release through the school:

"Basketball's always been my first love. After giving it a lot of thought, this is the decision I've made. If you want to be great at something you have to commit to it full-time. I appreciate Coach Spurrier for giving me an opportunity to play football at South Carolina. It was a great experience, but right now I want to focus on basketball. I also want to thank all the fans for their support throughout my time in Columbia."

Last season, Ellington registered 707 all-purpose yards for the Gamecocks, gaining 211 receiving yards, 106 rushing yards and 390 yards on kick returns. He also earned freshman All-SEC honors and scored two touchdowns on the season as well.

Ellington's biggest impact came on the basketball court, where he averaged 11 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game during the 2011-12 season. He posted 12 double-figure scoring games on the year, while leading or sharing the team lead in scoring 11 times and in assists 16 times. In two seasons, Ellington has scored 649 career points (12.0 points per game) and averaged 3.2 assists per game.

No matter how talented athletes are today, it's so difficult to balance two sports at once, especially when it comes to trying to play both SEC football and basketball. There is just too much to put on someone's plate. Ellington had his moments, but it was clear that he needed more time in the offseason to develop his game as a wide out and that was going to be tough with basketball in the spring.

The Gamecocks will now need more help at wide receiver. That puts more pressure on Ace Sanders, who stands just 5-7 inches, and South Carolina's big group of unproven wide receivers. Outside of Sanders and Alshon Jeffery last year, no other receiver/tight end caught 20 or more passes. Only two receivers — Sanders and Nick Jones — return with 10 or more catches.

South Carolina will have to dip into its freshman class, which signed three receivers, meaning four-star signee Shaq Roland will get even more attention from the coaches during the offseason. He was South Carolina's top member of its 2012 class, so regardless of if Ellington would have returned, Roland was going to get a chance at major playing time this fall.

Even as we turn our attention to the 2012 football season, there's always time to check back with the past from time to time.

The SEC released its last set of notes from the 2011 season this week, so we thought we'd take a look at some of the interesting facts and figures from the previous season.

For starters, how about a look at the SEC players of the week?

Week 1 (Games of Sept. 1-3): Offense - Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Rokevious Watkins, OT, South Carolina; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Luke McDermott, DT, Kentucky; Co-Freshman - Trey Depriest, LB, Alabama; Tre Mason, RB/RS, Auburn.

Week 2 (Games of Sept. 10): Offense - Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee; Defense - Mark Barron, S, Alabama; Special Teams - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Offensive Lineman - Alvin Bailey, OG, Arkansas; Defensive Lineman - Rob Lohr, DT, Vanderbilt; Co-Freshman - Josh Clemons, RB, Kentucky; Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 3 (Games of Sept. 15-17): Co-Offense - Chris Rainey, RB, Florida; Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina; Defense -Trey Wilson, DB, Vanderbilt; Special Teams - Caleb Sturgis, PK, Florida; Offensive Lineman - Wesley Johnson, C, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Bennie Logan, DT, LSU; Freshman- Odell Beckham, WR, LSU.

Week 4 (Games of Sept. 24): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Defense -Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Barrett Jones, OT, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Freshman- Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 5 (Games of Oct. 1): Co-Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas; Defense - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia..

Week 6 (Games of Oct. 8): Offense - Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Mike Gilliard, ILB, Georgia; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Tevin Mitchel, CB, Arkansas.

Week 7 (Games of Oct. 15): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Co-Defense - Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn; D.J. Swearinger, FS, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - Chris Faulk, OT, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Co-Freshman - Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina; Ray Drew, OLB, Georgia.

Week 8 (Games of Oct. 22): Offense - Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Ryan Seymour, OG, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU; Freshman - A.J. Johnson, LB, Tennessee.

Week 9 (Games of Oct. 29): Offense - Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn; Co-Defense - Jerry Franklin, LB, Arkansas; Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia; Special Teams - Zach Hocker, K, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Brandon Wilds, RB, South Carolina.

Week 10 (Games of Nov. 5): Offense - Jeff Demps, RB, Florida; Defense - Eric Reid, S, LSU; Special Teams - Dennis Johnson, RS/RB, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas; Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Maxwell Smith, QB, Kentucky.

Week 11 (Games of Nov. 12): Offense - Zac Stacy, RB, Vanderbilt; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Travian Robertson, DT, South Carolina; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 12 (Games of Nov. 19): Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Co-Defense - Ron Brooks, DB, LSU; Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Co-Defensive Lineman - Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee; Abry Jones, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Curt Maggitt, LB, Tennessee.

Week 13 (Games of Nov. 25-26): Co-Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Ryan Tydlacka, P, Kentucky; Co-Offensive Lineman - Kyle Fischer, OT, Vanderbilt; William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Co-Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Garrison Smith, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU.

SEC Championship Game MVP: Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

BCS (Yes, the SEC has won six straight)

• Since 2006, more than half of the slots in the BCS National Championship Game have been taken by SEC teams (7 of 12). The Big Ten and the Big 12 have two each and the Pac-12 has one.

• An SEC team has led or tied for the lead at the end of 20 of the last 24 quarters of BCS National Championship Game play.
• Since 2006, an SEC team has been ranked first in the weekly BCS standings in 26 of the 48 weeks, with four different teams holding the top spot. Florida was first for seven weeks, Alabama for six weeks, Auburn for three and LSU for 10 weeks, including all eight polls of this season.
• The SEC has had more teams ranked in the BCS standings for the most times than any other conference since 2006. The league has had 11 of its 12 teams ranked at one time or another since 2006 for a total of 238 times. The SEC breakdown: LSU (45), Alabama (35), Florida (33), Auburn (29), Georgia (23), Arkansas (23), South Carolina (21), Tennessee (14), Mississippi State (8), Kentucky (4) and Ole Miss (3).
• Since 2006, the SEC has posted a 9-3 record in BCS bowl games, more wins and a higher winning percentage (.750) than any other conference. The win total equals that of the next two highest conferences.

Bowls

• Since 2006, the SEC has accrued more bowl wins (36) and appearances (55) than any other conference. The conference’s .655 bowl winning percentage is third behind the Big East (23-10, .697) and Mountain West (20-9, .690) during that time.
• In January bowl games, the SEC is 22-10 (.688) against nonconference competition. Since 2008, the league is 16-6 (.727) against nonconference opponents in January bowls.
• In seven 2011-12 bowl games against nonconference teams, SEC defenses held opponents to less than its scoring average in five of those games. One of the two other games were in overtime (Michigan State-Georgia) and the other was Auburn holding Virginia to 24 points, when the Cavaliers season average was 23.2 points per game.

Random

• Over the last five seasons, Alabama owns the SEC's best winning percentage with a 50-12 record (.806). LSU has the most wins with 53, while Vanderbilt owns the league's lowest winning percentage (.355). LSU owns the best winning percentage over the last 10 years (.795) with a 105-27.
• SEC teams were 20-28 on the road against SEC opponents last season. Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt failed to win on the road against conference opponents.
• LSU led the SEC with a touchdown efficiency on drives of 34.8. Alabama led in scoring efficiency (46.8). Ole Miss was last in scoring efficiency (20.1) and Kentucky was last in touchdown efficiency (13.2).
• LSU led the SEC with 129 fourth-quarter points and a fourth-quarter scoring margin of plus-95. Ole Miss was last with 41 points and a scoring margin of -36.
• Arkansas led the SEC in yards per scoring drive (61.9).

South Carolina returned to practice Sunday, but did so without wide receiver Alshon Jeffery or safety D.J. Swearinger.

Jeffery is recovering from offseason surgery on his left hand, while Swearinger dealt with a foot injury. Jeffery told reporters Sunday that his hand is feeling better and he and his coaches expect him to play against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl.

“Alshon’s been out here spectating a little bit,” coach Steve Spurrier said. “He’s been running with the guys. He could catch one-handed, but should be ready for the bowl game. D.J. has that foot that they’d like him to stay off of. Terrence Campbell is not practicing this week. Hopefully when we get to Orlando they can get in shape a little bit.”

Campbell broke his fibula against Clemson, but could return for the bowl game.

Cornerback C.C. Whitlock also missed practice with a knee injury, while defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles limped off the practice field with a lower leg injury. The extent of Quarles' injury wasn't known Sunday.

Wide receiver Bruce Ellington was not at practice, either, after playing basketball against Ohio State Saturday.

“I think Bruce is supposed to come around tomorrow, but we’ve got to wait and see," Spurrier said. "We’ve pretty much left it up to him. If he’s going to play some, he needs to get out here and get the game plan down. I think he’s supposed to be here most of the time.”

Johnson update: Spurrier could be yet another SEC coach who will be looking for a new coordinator, as defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson is still in the mix for the Southern Miss head-coaching job. Johnson interviewed for the job last week.

“You’ll have to ask Ellis about that,” Spurrier said. “From what I’ve heard, he’s got a good shot at it. We'll wait and see how it plays out.”

Regardless of whether Johnson gets the job or not, Spurrier said he expects him to coach South Carolina's defense against Nebraska.

Spurrier helping out running backs and tight ends: With Jay Graham heading to coach running backs at Tennessee, his alma mater, Spurrier said he and graduate assistant Tommy Galt are coaching running backs and tight ends until Spurrier hires a replacement for Graham.

"They are doing well," Spurrier said. "We’re not changing a lot of things we do so hopefully we can get those positions ready to go against Nebraska."

In keeping with our freshmen theme, here's a look at the 10 best redshirt freshmen this season in the SEC.

They're listed alphabetically:

Michael Bennett, WR, Georgia: Bennett tied for second on Georgia’s team with five touchdown catches and had 31 catches overall.

Chris Boyd, WR, Vanderbilt: He used his 6-4, 205-pound frame to haul in a team-leading seven touchdown catches for the Commodores.

A.J. Cann, OG, South Carolina: After a productive offseason in the weight room, Cann emerged this season as a fixture at left guard for the Gamecocks.

Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina: On loan from the Gamecocks’ basketball team, Ellington was second on the football team with 707 all-purpose yards.

Kaleb Eulls, DE, Mississippi State: A big part of the Bulldogs’ rotation up front, Eulls collected three tackles for loss, including a sack.

Chaz Green, OT, Florida: A starter in eight games, Green played both left tackle and right tackle for the Gators.

DeAndrew White, WR, Alabama: The best is yet to come for the speedy White, who caught 14 passes this season, including a pair of touchdowns.

Jawara White, LB, Auburn: White was one of several young linebackers seeing action for the Tigers. He had 23 total tackles, including 2.5 for loss.

Ralph Williams, LB, Ole Miss: Part of an extremely young Ole Miss defense, Williams was seventh on the team with 49 total tackles, including four for loss.

Brad Wing, P, LSU: One of the top punters in the country, Wing averaged 44.1 yards per kick and had 23 of his 50 punts downed inside the 20. He was the difference in LSU’s 9-6 overtime win against Alabama.

The SEC coaches announced their selections for the 2011 SEC All-Freshman Team Thursday.

LSU led the way with five selections, while Tennessee and Arkansas both had four selections.

The coaches also made Arkansas tight end Garrett Uekman, who died suddenly last month, Honorary Captain.

South Carolina placed three on the team, including SEC Freshman of the Year Jadeveon Clowney.

Here is the 2011 SEC All-Freshman Team:

OFFENSE

HONORARY CAPTAIN
Garrett Uekman, Tight End, Arkansas

TE - Malcolm Johnson, Mississippi State
OL - A.J. Cann, South Carolina
OL - Marcus Jackson, Tennessee
OL - Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama
OL - Chaz Green, Florida
C - Reese Dismukes, Auburn
WR - Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia
WR - Odell Beckham Jr., LSU
QB – Maxwell Smith, Kentucky
RB – Isaiah Crowell, Georgia
RB – Kenny Hilliard, LSU
AP - Bruce Ellington, South Carolina

DEFENSE

DL - Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
DL - Trey Flowers, Arkansas
DL - Anthony Johnson, LSU
DL - Kaleb Eulls, Mississippi State
LB - A.J. Johnson, Tennessee
LB - Curt Maggitt, Tennessee
LB - Serderius Bryant, Ole Miss
DB - Brian Randolph, Tennessee
DB - Vinnie Sunseri, Alabama
DB - De'Ante Saunders, Florida
DB - Tevin Mitchel, Arkansas

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK - James Hairston, LSU
P - Brad Wing, LSU
RS – Marquel Wade, Arkansas

• I'm actually surprised to see Saunders get the nod over teammate Marcus Roberson. Roberson was easily Florida's best cornerback this season. He has the makings of being a talented cover corner, but he did get overly aggressive throughout the season. I guess coaches paid attention to flags he earned.
• It had to be tough when the coaches looked at the quarterback position. Smith was probably the best of the bunch, and even he threw just four touchdowns to four interceptions. Still, Kentucky's offense moved down the field much better when he was on the field.
• Remember when all the talk in Oxford, Miss., before the season centered around how great true freshman linebacker C.J. Johnson was going to be? Well, he had a solid first year, but it was Bryant who really came on as one of the young guys on defense. He saw tremendous playing time and was fourth on the team with 61 tackles.

We're almost done with the work week, so here are some SEC links to keep our SEC faithful happy.

• Tennessee wide receiver Da'Rick Rodgers is helping to relieve some stress by doing yoga.
• Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn's star hasn't faded, but that doesn't mean that he'll leave the Tigers after this season.
• Georgia linebacker Cornelius Washington looks to move on after his arrest.
• Even with Vanderbilt two wins away from being bowl eligible, coach James Franklin is ignoring the bowl talk for now.
• Mississippi State is looking to fix its red zone issues.
• Arkansas' rush defense faces another challenge this weekend against Vanderbilt.
• South Carolina wide receiver Bruce Ellington was held out of practice Wednesday because of a tweaked hamstring, but he should be good to go Saturday.
• Florida's defense is in a desperate search of forcing more turnovers.
• Kentucky running back CoShik Williams has his head in the right place at the right time.
• LSU has an Alabama state of mind.
• Ole Miss is searching for a cure for its second-half blues.

The giants are off this week, but the SEC -- and the country -- goes on.

Here's a look at what to watch in Week 9:

1. John Brantley's effectiveness: Florida coach Will Muschamp seems pretty confident that quarterback John Brantley will play this weekend against Georgia. But some are wondering how effective he'll be after having two weeks off to nurse a leg injury. Florida's offense is completely different with Brantley under center and if the Gators are going to end their losing streak, Brantley will likely have to be under center against this tough Georgia defense. If he can play like he did before he was injured against Alabama, the Gators' offense will match up much better against the Bulldogs' defense.

2. Faster start for the Razorbacks: Arkansas has had a few sluggish starts this season, and last week's slow start against Ole Miss almost cost the Razorbacks. Coach Bobby Petrino made it clear that his team won't come out looking lazy against a talented Vanderbilt team. Arkansas is still very much in the BCS race and the Hogs' matchup with LSU at the end of the year could determine if they play in a BCS bowl and could actually knock the Tigers out. But Arkansas has to keep up its winning ways before then. A slow start against Vanderbilt in Nashville this weekend could be dangerous for the Razorbacks.

3. Guaranteed conference win: When everything is said and done in the Kentucky-Mississippi State game, one team will have its first conference win of the season. Both have trudged along on offense for most of the season, but that could change this weekend as well. Kentucky had an offensive revival against Jacksonville State last week, but the key is keeping that momentum going, and it won't be easy against the Bulldogs' defense, especially that secondary. As for Mississippi State, the Bulldogs had a bye week to get their offense together and the Wildcats don't possess the most daunting defense.

4. Momentum for the Rebels: Ole Miss might have lost a heartbreaker to Arkansas, but what the Rebels got out of that game might go a long way in a tumultuous season. We saw more fight out of this Ole Miss team and for the first two quarters, the Rebels looked like the better team. Now, holding up was an issue, but coach Houston Nutt believes his team gained more confidence after taking a top-10 team down to the last minute of the game. Ole Miss' next challenge is getting a win at Auburn. The Tigers are coming off a blowout loss to LSU, but they are at home and Auburn is a different team in front of that home crowd.

5. Arkansas' passing game vs. Vandy's secondary: This has the makings of being a pretty fun matchup to watch. Arkansas enters the weekend with the SEC's top passing game (322 yards per game), while Vanderbilt is giving up just 191 passing yards a game and has a league-high 15 interceptions. This will be the Commodores' toughest task when it comes to stopping the pass and coach James Franklin said it's already been tough to duplicate what the Razorback wide receivers can do because of their speed and athleticism. As for the Hogs, they are looking to rebound through the air after quarterback Tyler Wilson was held without a touchdown against Ole Miss.

6. Ending the Cocktail pain: History has just not been kind to Georgia against Florida. Fans in Jacksonville might be split up the middle, but it has felt much more like home to the Gators. The Bulldogs have lost three in a row to Florida and 18 of the last 21. Even when this game was played in Athens, Ga., back in 1995, Georgia couldn't get the job done. Now, Georgia enters this game with the East championship squarely in its sights, while Florida is reeling during a three-game losing streak. If John Brantley can return for the Gators at quarterback, Florida's offense should be much improved. But Georgia's defense has been one of the hottest in the league of late. The Bulldogs are third in the league in total defense and this unit could give Florida headaches and keep the Gators on their downward spiral.

7. Worley's first start: Tennessee's freshman quarterback was expected to redshirt this season, but with Tyler Bray going down with a thumb injury and Matt Simms struggling to get much going, coach Derek Dooley felt it was time to get Worley out there. He was the Gatorade National Player of the Year his senior year of high school after throwing for 5,315 yards and a state-record 64 touchdowns. Even though he played his high school ball in South Carolina, Steve Spurrier didn't recruit him to play for the Gamecocks. Will that be something that motivates Worley as he makes his first career start against South Carolina? Who knows, but he probably won't feel much love from the Gamecocks' fast, aggressive defense.

8. Moseley's second start: Auburn quarterback Clint Moseley had a solid second half against Florida two weeks ago, but he struggled to get much going against LSU last week. That was to be expected, considering what LSU has done to opponents this year, especially when those opponents are throwing out a new starting quarterback. But this is a chance for Moseley to redeem himself and grow more as a player. Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said this week that he'd like to take a look at how he rotates Moseley and Kiehl Frazier, which should help Moseley get into more of a rhythm out on the field against Ole Miss Saturday.

9. Life without Marcus Lattimore: Saturday will mark the first time this season that we see South Carolina operate without the help of bruising running back Marcus Lattimore, who is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Former fifth-string freshman Brandon Wilds gets the nod at running back, where depth is very sparse. Receiver Bruce Ellington should get some Wildcat work as well. The Gamecocks will have to rely on the arm of Connor Shaw, which means South Carolina wide receivers not named Alshon Jeffery have to step up. Plus, we need to see the passing game open up some for Shaw. The Gamecocks are going to have to throw the ball more and more effectively in order to get this offense going from here on out.

10. Mississippi State's offensive rebound: The Bulldogs have fallen well below expectations this season and a lack of offensive firepower has been a major reason why. After scoring 93 points and averaging 588 yards in the first two games of the season, Mississippi State's explosive offense has disappeared. Since Week 2, the Bulldogs have cleared the 20-point mark and the 300-yard mark just twice, going 2-3 in the process. With a week off, the Bulldogs surely got some things tightened up on offense. Facing a Kentucky defense that is giving up almost 400 yards a game could be the recipe for offensive success the Bulldogs need.

Three teams in the SEC Eastern Division should be thanking those in charge of scheduling this year.

Saturday, Florida (4-3, 1-3), Georgia (5-2, 4-1) and No. 14 South Carolina (6-1, 4-1) are all off, and their bye weeks couldn’t come at a better time.

Major injuries may have altered the direction of Florida and South Carolina’s seasons, while Georgia is looking to get mentally right before the home stretch. With the easiest second-half stretch of any East team, Georgia might have the best chance to win out going forward.

South Carolina, who is without star running back Marcus Lattimore for the remainder of the year, still has games at Tennessee, Arkansas and hosts Florida.

For Florida, the bye comes before its annual meeting in Jacksonville, Fla., with Georgia. The Gators then host Vanderbilt before taking on South Carolina. Florida is hoping quarterback John Brantley can come back as soon as next Saturday, but coach Will Muschamp isn’t sure if that will happen.

So, this bye week will be extremely critical for all three of these teams.

“We gotta learn how to block a little bit better, throw and catch,” South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier.

It’s also the time to find a quality attack to help soften the blow of losing Lattimore. This extra time should be used to coach up new starter Brandon Wilds and get receiver Bruce Ellington more reps in the Wildcat. Wilds went from possible redshirt to starter and while he isn’t near the player Lattimore is, Spurrier said he’s been impressed by his work ethic and athleticism.

Wilds can’t be consumed with trying to be Lattimore. He isn't and can’t be Lattimore. This is the time for him to concentrate on doing what he does best and improve upon that.

Getting Ellington more prepared in the backfield should help, too. Spurrier said the concern with running so much Wildcat is teams will load the box to disrupt it, but with Ellington, who was a high school quarterback, he’s a throwing threat. He’s attempted three passes thus far, but making him a more active thrower could benefit the Gamecocks’ offense.

“We’ll try to replace Marcus the best way we can,” Spurrier said. “Hopefully, some of the other offensive players can step up a bit more.”

Expect a more active Connor Shaw in the pocket as well.

Georgia is actually getting healthier with linebacker Alec Ogletree set to return for the Florida game, and the possibility of receiver Malcolm Mitchell (hamstring) coming back, too.

Georgia can also focus on cleaning up some of its fundamental issues, coach Mark Richt said. The first part of the bye was light and used to tighten up technique, whole Florida preparation begins Thursday.

“I would say by Monday we’ll have 90 percent of the plan in,” Richt said.

What could disrupt that plan is not knowing Florida’s starting quarterback. Florida could throw three quarterbacks out in Jacksonville. Richt said he’s seen enough film of each to know what they can do, but not knowing the starter is a concern.

“It’s hard to get a plan for three guys and it sure would be nice to know who’s going to play,” Richt said, “but I doubt we’ll know that until the last moment.”

And the Gators? They are two games out of first and are on a three-game slide. Not having Brantley has hurt, but Florida is banged up on both sides of the ball. Florida might need the bye more than any team.

“We just need to take care of Florida and as we work into the weekend here, start on Georgia,” Muschamp said.

That means getting young quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel better prepared, resting injured players and finding new ways to jump start an inept offense.

Florida stumbled into the bye, but now is the time for this coaching staff to sit back and figure out what is truly working and what isn’t. Right now, a lot isn’t, so making adjustments across the board is a must.

Muschamp doesn’t talk much about the future, but he said his players know where they stand and how important a win fresh out of the bye is.

“It’s pretty obvious that we need some help at this point,” Muschamp said. “They understand where they are and what’s at stake in the situation to get to Atlanta.”

South Carolina suffered a major blow to its offense when sophomore running back Marcus Lattimore went down with a season-ending knee injury.

It was devastating not only to the team but to Lattimore who is both a tremendous player and person. But like any team, especially one looking to make a championship run, it’s time to move on.

Running back depth is a real issue for the Gamecocks, and this offense has revolved mostly around Lattimore, who ended his season second in the league in rushing with 818 yards and 10 touchdowns on 163 carries.

The Gamecocks have already lost Shon Carson and Jacob Baker, who also had season-ending ACL injuries, but here are some names to keep an eye on when it comes to the Gamecocks’ backfield:

BRANDON WILDS

Who is this guy? Wilds wasn’t highly recruited coming out of high school, but after starting off the year fifth on the depth chart and mainly a special teams player he’s right at the top of the list now that Lattimore is out. As a senior in high school he carried the ball 175 times for 818 yards and eight touchdowns.

Qualifications: Wilds has been the second-most productive running back for the Gamecocks this season, with 75 yards on 13 carries. That’s another reason Lattimore was so important to the Gamecocks. After being at the bottom of the barrel, his rise to the top has to tell you about his character and work ethic.

What he could do: He won’t be near the running back Lattimore was, but he’s going to work hard. You don’t always need flash to get the job done and if Wilds can maintain the right attitude and determination on the field he can make a few plays. Just don’t expect him to carry close to the load Lattimore did.

BRUCE ELLINGTON

Who is this guy? He is true two-sport star for the Gamecocks, leading the basketball team in scoring as a freshman last season, and now he’s taken his act to the football field. He’s one of South Carolina’s busiest offensive weapons because he runs, catches and throws in this offense.

Qualifications: He was a high school quarterback along with being a basketball stud. He can be extremely elusive in space when he has the ball and gives the Gamecocks another element in the passing game. He’s already completed two passes for 24 yards, including a long of 16. He currently has 12 catches for 129 yards and has carried the ball 11 times for 91 yards and a touchdown.

What he could do: Ellington would be used primarily in the wildcat formation. He already has a long rush of 61 yards, so speed isn’t an issue, and he’s made a few plays over the middle, so you know he’s durable. Ellington’s role will expand even more now and he’ll be getting more action out of the backfield from here on out.

KENNY MILES

Who is this guy? Remember Miles? He led South Carolina in rushing back in 2009 with his 626 yards. He also caught 21 passes for 137 yards. But once Lattimore came on the scene, Miles’ production dropped considerably. Last year he carried the ball 40 times for 152 yards.

Qualifications: Miles entered the year as the No. 2 running back and for his career he has started eight games and has had three 100-yard performances. However, he hasn’t played in a game since Sept. 17 (Navy) because of a right wrist injury. Even with South Carolina’s next game on Oct. 29, Miles is still questionable to return that soon.

What he could do: It would be a major lift for the Gamecocks if Miles can come back. While he’s only carried the ball one time this season, Miles brings experience and leadership to the position. Things haven’t been great for Miles since 2009, but he did step up to be more of a leader during the offseason.

ERIC BAKER

Who is this guy? He was once the No. 1 back way back in the spring of 2009, but a summer hernia operation limited his touches during fall camp and he fell down the depth chart. He only touched the ball four times that season and eventually tore his ACL before the bowl game, causing him to miss all of 2010.

Qualifications: He’s spent very limited time as a starter, and rushed for 182 yards on 46 carries in 2008. We haven’t seen much of him this year, with him carrying the ball three times for 3 yards. He also suffered a bad ankle injury against Vanderbilt and might not be available for the Tennessee game.

What he could do: Baker has seen very little action during his career and injuries have really cut into his chances during the last three seasons. We aren’t sure how durable he could be once he gets back on the field.

JOSH HINCH

Who is this guy? Most people have probably never heard of Hinch. He is a walk-on who has mostly helped out on the scout team. He has yet to register any stats for the Gamecocks, but could enter next week’s game at Tennessee as the No. 2 back. That has to be a scary thought for the coaching staff.

Qualifications: While he hasn’t played yet this season, Hinch has impressed with his play with the scout team. He was also a football and track star in both high school and at MidAmerica Nazarene, an NAIA school.

What he could do: We really aren’t sure what all Hinch can do for the Gamecocks. If he has to go in, expect the staff to water down what he does. But if no one else can go, he’ll have to go in and try to do something to help out Wilds.