ESPN College Football

Our look at the SEC's most productive returning players in 2012 continues with a look at the sack artists.

Past producers:

• Quarterback
• Running back
• Wide receiver
• Tight end

The SEC returns six players that ranked in the top 10 in sacks in 2011. Three of the top four sack men from a year ago are gone, but Mr. Sack himself, Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones, is back. Defenses will key in on Jones more this fall, but it'll still be hard to stop him, so expect him to battle to keep his crown.

The obvious top performer when it came to sacks:

Jarvis Jones, LB, Georgia: Jones led the SEC with 13.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. He did all of this in his first season playing in the SEC after transferring from USC in 2010. Jones really made SEC tackles suffer, as 12.5 of his sacks came in league play. Jones played like a freight train chugging off of the line. He showed tremendous speed and agility and was nearly unstoppable at times, registering 49 quarterback hurries. His best performance came in a pivotal game against Florida, where he recorded four sacks. Jones is already getting a ton of NFL draft love, as ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. rates him as the No. 2 player on his first Big Board . Jones was also second on the team with 70 tackles.

The SEC returns five more of its top sackers:

Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn: He recorded 9.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hurries.

Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU: He recorded nine sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss and one quarterback hurry.

Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU: He recorded eight sacks, 15 tackles for loss and 11 quarterback hurries.

Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina: He recorded eight sacks, 12 tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries.

Devin Taylor, DE, South Carolina: He recorded six sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries.

It feels like the SEC produces pass rushers likes trees produce leaves. Jones leads the pack right now, but those LSU ends are going to put up quite the fight because it'll be tough for anyone to block both at the same time. Clowney was good as a freshman, but people expect bigger and better in 2012.

Florida lost Ronald Powell this spring, but Lerentee McCray is a player to keep an eye on. He missed spring with a shoulder injury, but coach Will Muschamp is very excited about what McCray can do on the outside with his speed and relentlessness. Also, watch out for linebackers Alonzo Highsmith at Arkansas and Adrian Hubbard at Alabama. Highsmith suffered a pec injury this spring, but he should be fine for the fall after leading the Razorbacks with 12.5 tackles for loss. Hubbard replaces Courtney Upshaw at the Jack linebacker position and people at Alabama left spring impressed with the youngster.

Texas A&M has a couple of players that could compete for the sack title this fall in linebacker Sean Porter and end Damontre Moore, who combined for 18 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss. Porter is a player who is already garnering a lot of draft attention and will enter the fall as one of the SEC's top linebackers.

And don't forget about Ole Miss linebacker/defensive end C.J. Johnson. He only registered one sack last year, but the coaches in Oxford feel very good about how much he improved this spring. He'll be used as more of a pass rusher this year, and if he adds some weight he'll be the cause of a lot of headaches for opposing tackles.

Approximately 25,000 showed up in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday, as Ole Miss' Red team needed overtime to top the Blue team 24-23 in the BancorpSouth Grove Bowl.

Both teams operated very differently Saturday, as the Red team came out throwing while the Blue team used its ground game. Junior college transfer quarterback Bo Wallace threw a game-high 240 passing yards (16-of-26) with two touchdowns and an interception for the Red squad. Blue team quarterback Barry Brunetti ran the ball 14 times for 109 yards, including a long of 78 yards that set up the Blue's game-tying touchdown that forced overtime.

Though Brunetti only threw for 62 yards on 4 of 10 passing, it sounds like Ole Miss' quarterback job won't be settled until the fall.

Wallace got things started for the Red team when he capped an 80-yard drive early in the first quarter with a 1-yard touchdown pass to receiver Donte Moncrief, who finished the game with three catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns.

The Blue later tied the game at 10 in the third quarter when quarterback Randall Mackey connected with receiver Ja-Mes Logan on a 19-yard pass. These two hooked up again for a 25-yard touchdown in overtime as well, as Logan finished the game with 88 receiving yards.

Wallace's 13-yard touchdown run in the third put the Red back up 17-10, but the Blue tied it late in the fourth on a 2-yard run by running back Devin Thomas.

Wallace hit Moncrief for a 23-yard touchdown to start overtime before Mackey's touchdown strike to Logan. The Blue team went for the win with a two-point conversion attempt, but Mackey's run was stopped short.

Blue linebacker C.J. Johnson had a game-high eight tackles and recorded a sack, while Red defensive linemen Carlos Thompson and Carlton Martin both registered two sacks. Junior college transfer cornerback Dehendret Collins recorded two interceptions.

You can check out more on Ole Miss' spring game on the school's official website.

A Friday stroll around the SEC:

• Arkansas' Knile Davis has no plans to leave, and has already spoken to athletic director Jeff Long about the search for Bobby Petrino's replacement.
• Alabama's Nick Saban is excited to see his first teams go head-to-head in Saturday's spring game.
• Auburn's Trovon Reed is learning to manage big expectations.
• Antonio Goodwin's defense rests without calling Gene Chizik or Trooper Taylor to the stand.
• Darrington Sentimore has been hard to miss this spring at Tennessee.
• Athlon ranks the SEC quarterbacks in 2012, and Georgia's Aaron Murray is at the top of the list.
• Georgia's Mark Richt voices support for his offensive coordinator, Mike Bobo.
• Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity defends the school's strict drug testing policy for athletes.
• Missouri running back Kendial Lawrence welcomes good health.
• The Vanderbilt players select quarterback Jordan Rodgers and defensive end Walker May as team captains for the 2012 season.
• Florida strength and conditioning coach Jeff Dillman seeks to keep the Gators' momentum going in the offseason.
• Ole Miss' coaches think C.J. Johnson is destined for greatness at defensive end.
• Mississippi State's offense is looking for revenge in Friday night's scrimmage.

Hugh Freeze enters his first spring at Ole Miss with a lot of questions surrounding his new football team.

The same team that won just two games last year, watched its head coach get shown the door and has lost 14 straight SEC games.

Talk about a project.

For starters, Ole Miss is breaking in a totally new spread offense for a team that isn't exactly built for it. Plus there are four scholarship quarterbacks competing this spring and the ones who played last year had a host of issues.

Don't be surprised if junior college transfer Bo Wallace turns some heads this spring at QB because he's more familiar with Freeze's offense. He spent 2010 with Freeze at Arkansas State before going the JUCO route. While he had a record-setting season at East Mississippi Community College in 2011, Wallace has zero experience at this level. He redshirted in 2010, so he has yet to take a snap at the FBS level.

The defense will also see quite a few changes, as defensive coordinator Dave Wommack has said he plans to move the Rebels all around the field. Ole Miss ran a 4-2-5 defense last year under Tyrone Nix, but will come out in multiple sets this time around. It's going to take some time for players to adjust. It also means the Rebels might have to rely more on its secondary again. The good thing for Ole Miss is that just about everyone from the secondary is back, including standouts Charles Sawyer and Wesley Pendleton.

Sawyer might have been Ole Miss' best defensive player last year, while Pendleton has a chance to be a very solid corner in the SEC next fall. Also, keep an eye on Aaron Garbutt, who transferred from the JUCO ranks last year and was sixth on the team in tackles. Getting more out of them this spring will go a long way to helping this defense adjust.

At linebacker, the Rebels return all four starters, but adjusting to the new defensive formations could be more of a chore for them. But having Mike Marry back will be big for the Rebels this spring, considering D.T. Shackelford won't go through the spring as he recovers from another surgery on his knee. Marry filled in nicely for Shackelford last season, leading the Rebels in tackles as just a sophomore.

Marry will be accompanied by rising sophomores Serderius Bryant and C.J. Johnson. Bryant was the better of the two former freshmen last season and was fourth on the team in tackles. For Johnson, the spring will be crucial for his maturation. He started to come on strong toward the end of the season, but he still needs to make strides in his game before the end of the summer. Johnson could also line up at defense end, a position that must replace former star Kentrell Lockett.

The defense has more positives, but there are still questions surrounding where guys will lineup and how they'll take to all the changes. Plus, this is practically the same group that ranked last in total defense, rushing defense and scoring defense in the SEC last year.

On offense, finding a quarterback is priority No. 1, with improving an offensive line that took more than a few steps back in 2011 as a close second. Two starters are gone from the line and Freeze has said that the linemen he has weren't recruited for a "more power-type offense."

Freeze has a lot on his plate, but he knew that coming in. He understands that there were locker room issues in the past and the field issues are well documented. This won't be a quick fix by any means, but this spring will be really interesting for Freeze because even he'll have a lot of questions of his own to sort through when the Rebels start digging deep into spring practice.

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.

LSU's game with Mississippi State is only hours away, so to keep you from leaving work too early, we've got some links from around the SEC to keep you busy.

• Mike Herndon of The Mobile Press-Register writes that South Carolina's pass defense doesn't match the Gamecocks' national ranking.
• Redshirt freshman Blaine Clausell will start at left tackle for Mississippi State in place of James Carmon, who left last week's game with a knee injury.
• Despite a 2-0 start for Auburn, the Tigers' schedule still provides the biggest obstacle for this young team.
• Ole Miss freshman C.J. Johnson is making the move from linebacker to defensive end and he's fine with it.
• Florida's recent arrest issues and a coffee table incident played a factor in freshman linebacker Curt Maggitt picking Tennessee over the Gators.
• Pat Dooley of The Gainesville Sun writes that Florida-Tennessee is still a big game, just not on the national scale.
• Wide receiver transfer Duron Carter is taking reps on Alabama's practice squad, but there still isn't any update on his playing status.
• Georgia linebacker Chase Vasser hopes that his football career prepares him for a future in acting.
• Georgia safety Shawn Williams is catching on at inside linebacker for the Bulldogs.
• Raymond Sanders' father says the Kentucky running back won't play against Louisville after injuring his knee.
• LSU expects a physical game with Mississippi State tonight in Starkville, Miss.
• Brandon Marcello of The Jackson Clarion-Ledger wonders if Mississippi can put an end to its 11-game losing streak to LSU tonight.
• Even after a solid start for Arkansas' defense, the Razorbacks are still looking to generate more turnovers.
• Ole Miss quarterback Randall Mackey pleaded not guilty to charges of disorderly conduct, while tight end Jamal Mosley's charge of public drunkenness was dropped.
• South Carolina is still seeking a second option at wide receiver.

Ole Miss’ defense is getting back to the roots of it all.

Fundamentals, attitude, a blue-collar work ethic and trying to outwork others will be the foundation of a defense that was a disaster in 2010.

Defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix said his players took their talents and what those before them did for granted last season. Players strutted around thinking the red carpet was going to roll out for them each game.

It didn’t come close to working that way as the Rebels ranked last in the SEC in scoring defense (35.2 points per game) and 11th in total defense (399.2) and passing defense (246.3). Ole Miss also allowed opponents to score a league-high 95 percent of the time when they ventured into the red zone (27 touchdowns and eight field goals in 37 attempts).

That’s a far cry from the defenses Nix led at Ole Miss in the previous two seasons. Those defenses commanded respect and delivered results. Last year’s defense just struggled to keep its head above water.

This season, Ole Miss is dealing with a slew of younger players on defense. It has been both exciting and tiresome for Nix and his defensive staff, but with days until the Rebels’ tough season-opener against BYU, Nix says he’s happy with where his defense is.

“These kids have really worked hard and are trying to restore some of the respect that was lost last year,” Nix said. “We built this thing up in the first couple of years and earned a lot of respect defensively and we’re going to continue to work toward that.”

In order to do that, this group has had to shovel away its pride and start over. Nix said he’s seen players getting to meetings on time or earlier this time around. Players are holding each other accountable instead of assuming they’ll get it right on the next play.

There is fire and determination in practice, Nix said, and he sees that in his coaching staff as well. Nix said the addition of Keith Burns as the secondary coach has been a major boost for the defense and added that the coaches have become better teachers. They too took past talents for granted.

Senior linebacker Joel Kight agrees: This team thought the past would push it in 2010. He was also wrong, but he also sees a change.

Kight sees more togetherness and trust among players. Youngsters are being vocal, but they are also willing to listen to veterans. Kight is being looked at as a leader, but he’s made sure he hasn’t fallen off in practice or his words will mean zilch to players, especially the young ones -- and there are a lot who will see the field early.

Top-rated linebackers C.J. Johnson and Serderius Bryant are expected make major impacts. So are defensive backs Cody Prewitt and Senquez Golson.

While Nix admits no true freshmen are ready to be regular starters, he thinks they’ll contribute a lot, starting with the opener.

Seasoned players will also guide this team. Senior end Kentrell Lockett is back after blowing out his knee last season, providing a tremendous presence in the pass rush. Wayne Dorsey will be assisting opposite, while Marcus Temple will lead a more athletic defensive backfield.

The hope, Kight said, is that everyone doesn't hold back this year.

“They say we have a lot of potential. I don’t really like the word potential,” he said. “I want to see us use that potential. We’re very talented and it’s up to us to be a good overall, all-around defense.”

But there will be plenty of hiccups. It’s hard for a unit to perform an instant 360, and Nix is fine with that. What he won’t tolerate is complacency. For the defense to shake last season’s setback, it will have to rediscover itself and get back to the foundation of football.

“You’re either at the top or at the bottom because everybody sitting in between is just a juggling act,” he said. “Right now, we’re at the bottom of it and we want to finish on top and all we can do is control the present and that’s play the best we can, play as a team and play fundamentally sound. If we do those things I think we’ll be happy with our season this year.”

With just days until the season starts, another SEC team has released its opening day depth chart.

This time, it was Ole Miss, who starts the season with a tough home opener against BYU.

This one was expected to be more exciting with the whole quarterback battle going on, but with Randall Mackey being suspended for Saturday's game because of a fight at a downtown bar, Barry Brunetti was named the starter last week.

Even with that out of the way, there were still some interesting notes to come out of coach Houston's Nutt's season-opening depth chart.

For starters, true freshman linebacker C.J. Johnson, who most people expect to be a star in the Rebels' defense is listed as the No. 2 middle linebacker behind sophomore Mike Marry. Johnson's arrival has been highly anticipated and it wouldn't be a shocker if he moved up the depth chart in the coming weeks.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Ralph Williams is currently listed ahead of junior Joel Kight at weakside linebacker. Kight started nine games in 2010.

The only true freshman to make the first starting lineup for the Rebels is wide receiver Donte Moncrief, who is ahead of redshirt freshman Vincent Sanders, who some have felt could be a major playmaker for the Rebels. Highly-touted prospects Nickolas Brassell and Tobias Singleton are listed in the "or" situation with Ja-Mes Logan.

Junior college transfer cornerback Wesley Pendleton is listed as a starting cornerback. Big things are expected from him after a success JUCO career and a very solid spring and preseason.

Alabama: The Tide led the SEC with 16 players selected on the media's preseason All-SEC team. That's great for PR, and means that there should be some talent in Tuscaloosa this year, but neither the players nor head coach Nick Saban are paying attention to us and what we think.

Good, because the last thing Alabama needs is to get caught in the hype with the goal of winning multiple championships on the line.

"From a logical standpoint, I know there's a couple other teams in our division -- forget about the league -- that have just as many returners starting, and their quarterback," Saban said to the media when asked about being picked to win the SEC. "So even though I have a tremendous amount of respect for the intelligence level and your ability to prognosticate, which we really can't do, I'm not capable of doing it, I don't understand how you come to the decisions that you come to."

LSU: The Tigers' offense was downright offensive to watch at times last fall, and they know it. LSU was 11th in the SEC in total offense, averaging 341.3 yards per game.

Now, under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe, there is more optimism on the bayou when it comes to talking about an offense that the Tigers expect to be more pass-friendly.

"I love it," offensive lineman T-Bob Hebert said of the offense. "Coach Kragthorpe brought a new intensity to the offensive side of the ball and he's injected new life in us. We can't wait to get back there during camp, start practicing, get more refined and more like a well-oiled machine. That's how an offense should work -- like a machine."

Ole Miss: The loss of linebacker and emotional leader D.T. Shackelford this spring to a knee injury was absolutely devastating for the Rebels. The centerpiece of the defense is gone and Ole Miss didn't find a replacement this spring.

However, prized recruit C.J. Johnson appears to have what it takes and Houston Nutt isn't going to hesitate throwing him in the regular rotation early.

"C.J. Johnson doesn't look like a guy just coming out of high school," Nutt said. "Physically he looks the part. So I'm excited about him, getting him going. We'll give him every opportunity to get in the mix.

"Just by default because of D.T. Shackelford's injury, we lose a guy like that, he'll line up second team day one. He'll have every opportunity to play a lot of football."

Vanderbilt: The Alabama secondary is getting a ton of preseason love, and so is LSU's secondary. But Vanderbilt senior cornerback Casey Hayward says not to sleep on the Commodores' secondary when you start ranking the best defensive backfields in the league.

Hayward was a second-team All-SEC selection by the coaches and media. Senior safety Sean Richardson had 98 tackles a year ago, and his running mate at the other safety spot, Kenny Ladler, was one of the most talented freshman safeties in the league last season. Junior cornerback Trey Wilson also looks like he's coming. He was one of the Commodores' most impressive players this spring.

"We don't get a lot of credit because of our record," said Hayward, who was second in the SEC last season with six interceptions. "But production-wise, when you look at the things we did last year, not too many secondaries did that. I think we'll take it to another step this year."

True freshmen have been rolling onto SEC campuses this month to get a jump on summer school, and more are on the way for the second session of summer school.

Every year about this time, it’s the same question: Who among the true freshmen will make the biggest impact?

We’ll take our stab at it, breaking it down by division.

We’ll start with the West. One thing to keep in mind is that we’re only including true freshmen who weren’t on campus early and didn’t go through spring practice, so you’re not going to see guys like LSU’s Anthony Johnson, Arkansas’ Brey Cook, Auburn’s Reese Dismukes and Florida’s Jeff Driskel on this list.

We’ll do our impact newcomers (freshman early enrollees, junior college players, transfers, everybody) at a later date.

For now, here’s a look at who among the incoming true freshmen in the West might contribute right away. Edward will do the same with the East later today:

ALABAMA

Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix, S: Alabama boasts one of the best safety tandems in the league in Mark Barron and Robert Lester, but the 6-foot-1, 203-pound Clinton-Dix has the size and skill set to come in and make the Crimson Tide even stronger on the back end of their defense.

Cyrus Kouandjio, OT: One of the top offensive tackle prospects in the country last year, Kouandjio could provide some immediate depth. The Tide were already looking at moving All-SEC guard Barrett Jones to left tackle.

ARKANSAS

Tevin Mitchel, CB: The Hogs ended the spring a cornerback short in their secondary, which is where Mitchel comes in. He’ll get a chance to show what he can do this fall both as a lock-down cover guy and potentially as a return specialist. It was a real coup for Arkansas to get him away from Nebraska.

AUBURN

Erique Florence, S: The Tigers were hit hard in the secondary by personnel losses, and Florence was one of the most coveted safety prospects in the country last year. He’s a big-time talent with the size (6-2, 190 pounds) to come in and contribute right away.

Kiehl Frazier, QB: It’s never easy for a quarterback to go straight from high school to the SEC without the benefit of enrolling early and going through spring practice. But the Tigers haven’t settled on a quarterback, and Frazier is the type of run-pass threat Gus Malzahn is looking for in his offense.

Jermaine Whitehead, CB: There should be some fierce competition at cornerback this fall on the Plains, and Whitehead will be one to watch. Auburn was able to sway him late in the recruiting process, and he’s expected to vie for a starting spot from the time he walks onto the practice field.

LSU

Jarvis Landry, WR: If the Tigers are going to make a run at a national championship in 2011, they’re going to need a lot more production from their passing game than they got a year ago. Landry is dynamic in the open field and should complement Rueben Randle and Russell Shepard nicely.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Joe Morrow, WR: Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen has been outspoken about the Bulldogs’ need for more receivers. The 6-4, 200-pound Morrow gives them a different dimension with his size and ability to make plays over the middle.

OLE MISS

C.J. Johnson, LB: As long as Johnson stays away from Twitter, he’s poised to play a major role at linebacker for the Rebels in 2011. Losing D.T. Shackelford to a knee injury threw the door wide open for Johnson, who could play in the middle or outside.

Tobias Singleton, WR: A lot of the attention in Oxford has been concentrated on who’s going to be throwing passes for Ole Miss this coming season. Singleton, who says he qualified academically, is one of those sure-handed, athletic receivers who could help spruce up any passing game.

The official word is that Ole Miss didn’t pull the plug on incoming freshman linebacker C.J. Johnson’s Twitter account.

Rather, Johnson decided to delete his account after talking with Ole Miss officials concerning some highly graphic, sexually suggestive and downright stupid things that appeared under Johnson’s Twitter username (@dandydozn10) .

The translation: Don't you dare even think about going on Twitter again until you’ve proven that you’re mature enough to handle it.

By no means is this an attempt to pile on Johnson. He’s not the first kid (or adult) to say something inappropriate on Twitter. He won’t be the last, either.

Still, it’s another reminder of how big a pain in the you know where Twitter can become for college coaches and those who oversee college programs.

Not only are kids mindlessly tossing things out there that could potentially jeopardize promising careers, but they’re the kind of things that reflect poorly on the entire program and poorly on their families.

Plus, the NCAA is monitoring social networking sites as closely as ever.

Don’t think so? Just ask North Carolina.

Hey, I’m all for freedom of speech. But if I’m a head football coach, I’m also all for protecting my program.

Given some of the filfth and other nonsense we’re seeing pop up on Twitter these days and some of the consequences, how could you blame a coach for banning Twitter among his players, or at the very least, implementing some very rigid guidelines?

Rick Cleveland, the esteemed columnist for The Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger, has a checklist for athletes to consider before tweeting. The SEC would be wise to make it required reading for all of its athletes.

Maybe even coaches, administrators ... and bloggers, too.

Today we take a look at the SEC linebackers. The front sevens in this league are always good and 2011 shouldn't be any different.

Here's how the teams stacked up:

1. Alabama: There are a lot of strengths on this Alabama team, but the linebackers should be very fun to watch this fall. Courtney Upshaw and Dont’a Hightower are back to full speed and are considered top players at their positions. With them back, the Tide should have a much more aggressive pass rush. Nico Johnson and C.J. Mosley improved even more this spring and will get time in the middle when Hightower is outside at the "Jack" position. Mosely blossomed as a freshman and could be a star in the making. Jarrell Harris seems to finally be coming around and Chris Jordan gives them another body in the front seven.

2. Florida: This group struggled to stay consistent at times last fall, but the new coaching staff was pleased with the progress it made this spring. There is a lot talent out there and now there are two distinct leaders in Jelani Jenkins and Jon Bostic, who should occupy the middle when the Gators go to the 3-4. Both are tremendous athletes and should be a solid duo this fall. Florida also has former No. 1 high school prospect Ronald Powell playing that linebacker/defensive end hybrid spot called the Buck. He’ll stand up a lot this season and should elevate himself near the top of the SEC pass-rushing list. Cal transfer Chris Martin earned a ton of praise last year on the practice squad and will be a hybrid as well. Converted safety Dee Finley will play outside and there is some good, but young, depth in the wings.

3. Arkansas: This area of the team improved a lot during the season and this spring. It’s headlined by Jerry Franklin, who has led the Razorbacks in tackles the last three seasons. He has 271, including 21.5 for loss in his career. Strongside hybrid Jerico Nelson was second on the team in tackles and has the speed to get all over the field. Nelson will occasional drop back and play safety as well. This linebacker tandem will be one of the best out there this fall. The major plus for the Razorbacks is that there is finally some really good depth at the position. Bret Harris, Jarrett Lake and Terrell Williams came on strong on the outside this spring, while Ross Rasner was making strides until he was arrested and suspended indefinitely this spring.

4. Georgia: There is no shortage of athleticism in Georgia’s linebacker corps. Alec Ogletree moved down from safety and while he’s bulked up, he’s still got tremendous closing speed and will make a ton of plays at middle linebacker. Next to him is defensive leader Christian Robinson, who left spring as one of Georgia’s most consistent linebackers. On the outside, USC transfer Jarvis Jones will occupy the weak side and the coaches feel he might be more of a complete player than Justin Houston. On the other end, Cornelius Washington might not be getting a ton of publicity, but he’s no slouch and can run with the best of them.

5. LSU: Like most of the Tigers’ positions, this one might not have a ton of in-game experience, but the athleticism is too good not to praise. LSU lost leading tackler and monster in the middle Kelvin Sheppard, but there should be enough able bodies to make this unit one of the tops in the league this fall. Ryan Baker is now the leader out there and can keep up with some of the best offensive weapons out there. He’ll play on the weak side, while converted safety Karnell Hatcher moved down from safety and took reps at middle linebacker, but could find his home outside. Sophomore Kevin Minter spent his spring trying to fill Sheppard’s void and has made vast improvements. Senior Stefoin Francois provides veteran depth for the Tigers on the outside, while there are a few young, able bodies ready to contribute as well.

6. Kentucky: Things start with one of the nation’s best in Danny Trevathan. He led the SEC with 144 tackles a year ago and the word out of Lexington is that he’s looking to be even better this fall and wants to move around the field a lot more. Ronnie Sneed returns as the starter in the middle, after grabbing 61 tackles a year ago. He made some nice improvements this spring. Ridge Wilson will be another hybrid on the outside, and will occasionally lineup as a rush end for the Wildcats. The talented Winston Guy, who has played just about everywhere on Kentucky’s defense has finally settled into his home at linebacker and should play closer to the line of scrimmage and be a nickel linebacker.

7. South Carolina: The Gamecocks got an immediate upgrade to this position with the return of Shaq Wilson, after he missed last year with a hamstring injury. Wilson is known as the quarterback of the defense and led South Carolina in tackles in 2009. The player that could really make noise in this unit is DeVonte Holloman, who is moving from safety to the hybrid Spur position. He’ll drop back into coverage and rush from the outside to give the Gamecocks another weapon in the pass rush. Upperclassmen Reggie Bowens and Rodney Paulk will get some reps in the middle this fall, while Damario Jeffery and Quinn Smith will compete for time outside.

8. Tennessee: The Volunteers are still trying to find out what this group is made of. Junior Herman Lathers will be back after he heals from an ankle injury this spring and he’s the most experienced player at the position. He had 75 tackles last season and will man the weak side for the Vols when he returns. Senior Daryl Vereen should get time at strong side, but he still has some developing to do. Senior Austin Johnson, a converted fullback, will get time in the middle with All-SEC freshman pick John Propst. The jury is still out on this unit and youngsters like A.J. Johnson, Curt Maggitt and Christian Harris will have to develop quickly.

9. Auburn: The Tigers are almost back to the drawing board at linebacker. Both Josh Bynes and Craig Stevens are gone, leaving Daren Bates as the lone returning starter. Bates is a converted safety, but settled nicely into the linebacker position well last fall. Inexperience looms after that as sophomore Jake Holland is a projected starter in the middle and junior Jonathan Evans will get time at weakside. Former junior college standout Eltoro Freeman, has the potential to be a menace, but has yet to truly step up for the Tigers. They’ll need that light bulb to go on this year.

10. Mississippi State: First thing’s first -- the Bulldogs must replace three starting linebackers this season. That won’t be easy or fun in Starkville. But help could be on the way in Clemson transfer Brandon Maye, who was a three-year starter with the Tigers. Coach Dan Mullen said he’s a player they expect to come in and take one of those openings at linebacker. Mississippi State still has senior leader Brandon Wilson, who players fed off of this spring. Chris Hughes and Cam Lawrence also made strides, but expect a lot of rotation from new defensive coordinator Chris Wilson.

11. Vanderbilt: Chris Marve is one of the top linebackers in the nation. He’s got great field instincts and matches his skill with the best of them. Just having him on the field makes this group better. But after him, the Commodores have a lot of questions. Vanderbilt must replace outside linebackers John Stokes and Nate Campbell, and though there are six candidates, they have just start among them. Coming out of spring, juniors Tristan Strong and Archibald Barnes and sophomore Chase Garnham are the leading candidates to see valuable playing time.

12. Ole Miss: Losing D.T. Shackelford was an enormous blow to the Rebels. Not only was he Ole Miss’ best defensive player but he was the emotional leader of the team. He was going to carry this team as far as he could go. Now, the Rebels have a wealth of inexperience to deal with. Things got even worse when sophomore linebacker Clarence Jackson was dismissed following his arrest for public drunkenness. The pressure is now on incoming freshman C.J. Johnson, who was the top prospect coming out of the state of Mississippi. He could jump right into Shackelford’s spot. Mike Marry and Ralph Williams worked in Shackelford’s spot this spring and Joel Knight returns as a starter outside.

The college football preseason predictions continue to roll in. Tuesday, ESPN Insider KC Joyner listed his five bounce-back teams for the 2011 season.

Naturally, an SEC member made Joyner’s list. Fifth on Joyner's list was Ole Miss. The Rebels had a disastrous 2010 season; going 4-8, including being 1-7 in conference play. The Rebels didn’t just surprise people outside of Oxford; they shocked their coach, who was taken aback by the poor play of the defense. Houston Nutt said this spring that he didn’t see the defensive crumble coming at all.

Ole Miss was 12th in the league in scoring defense (35.2 points per game) and ranked 107th nationally a year ago. The Rebels also placed 11th in total defense and 81st nationally after allowing 399.2 yards a contest.

While Ole Miss’ defense was an issue in 2010, it will be even younger this season, but could be more athletic. The coaches were pleased with the progress made, especially in the secondary and expect this unit to grow throughout the season. Ole Miss also gets defensive end Kentrell Lockett back. Lockett should add some much-needed help for the Rebels’ pass rush. However, losing the team’s best player in linebacker D.T. Shackelford won’t help, but incoming freshman C.J. Johnson (the top player in the state of Mississippi last year) could take over for him at some point this season.

Offensively, the Rebels will have a solid running game with senior Brandon Bolden leading the way and home-run hitter Jeff Scott by his side. Ole Miss will be breaking in a new quarterback, but the Rebels have a veteran offensive line that should help ease that process. The one issue for that new quarterback is finding someone reliable to throw to.

Here's what Joyner wrote about the Rebels:

Returning starters: offense 9, defense 5

Favorable matchups: vs. Southern Illinois (FCS team), at Vanderbilt (2-10), at Kentucky (2-6 in SEC), vs. Louisiana Tech (5-7)

Underrated strength: Brandon Bolden. He didn't even win the state of Mississippi rushing title last year (that honor went to Mississippi State's Vick Ballard), but Bolden's 5.99 yards per carry average ranked as the fourth-highest total among SEC running backs.

Overrated weakness: Losing six starters might not be a bad thing for a team that ranked dead last in the SEC in yards per play allowed (6.3). It should make room for some of the young defensive talent the Rebels picked up in their three consecutive top-25 recruiting showings from 2009 to 2011.

X factor: An SEC schedule that may not be as daunting as it initially looks. Each of the Rebels' four conference road contests (Vanderbilt, a rebuilding Auburn team, Kentucky and Mississippi State) are games the Rebels should have a solid chance at winning.

The linebacker corps at Ole Miss is thinning by the day, meaning the opportunity for prized freshman C.J. Johnson just gets a little bigger by the day.

On Monday, Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt announced that sophomore linebacker Clarence Jackson had been dismissed from the team along with sophomore defensive end Delvin Jones following their arrests on public drunkenness charges last week. Jackson ended the spring as the Rebels' starter at weak side linebacker. Jones was on down the depth chart as a reserve at defensive end.

In Jones' case, he had stepped in for D.T. Shackelford as a starter after Shackelford suffered a knee injury during the final week of spring practice. Shackelford isn't expected back for the season.

Now, more than ever, Ole Miss needs Johnson to come in, learn the defense as quickly as possible this summer and be ready to go for preseason camp. The Rebels love his size and athletic ability, but there won't be the luxury of bringing him along slowly.

It was obvious that Jackson's days were numbered last week following his arrest. Like a lot of coaches, Nutt has shown a willingness in the past to give players second chances. But given Jackson's suspension last fall when he was charged by campus police for burglary after allegedly taking a television set that belonged to a mathematics classroom, Nutt wasn't about to be burned a third time by Jackson and cut him loose.

2010 overall record: 4-8

2010 conference record: 1-7

Returning starters

Offense: 9; Defense: 5; Kicker/punter: 2

Top returners

RB Brandon Bolden, RB Jeff Scott, OT Bradley Sowell, OG Alex Washington, WR Melvin Harris, DE Kentrell Lockett, CB Marcus Temple, S Damien Jackson


Key losses

QB Jeremiah Masoli, WR Markeith Summers, DT Jerrell Powe, DT Ted Laurent, LB Jonathan Cornell, LB Allen Walker, S Johnny Brown, CB Jeremy McGee

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Bolden* (976 yards)

Passing: Masoli (2,039 yards)

Receiving: Summers (575 yards)

Tackles: Cornell (80)

Sacks: D.T. Shackelford (5)

Interceptions: Charles Sawyer*, Fon Ingram (2)

Spring answers

1. Complete running game: The one sure thing in Oxford is that the Rebels will be able to lean on their running game this fall. Senior Bolden continued to impress during spring, earning the most outstanding offensive player of spring drills award, and backups Scott and Enrique Davis each had very solid springs. Scott is the slicer and dicer out of the backfield, while Bolden is a pure power runner. With Davis, Ole Miss gets a little of both. The Rebels will need everything they can churn out of the running game because inexperience is the backbone of the quarterback and wide receiver positions.

2. Offensive line strength: Making that running game even better will be a veteran offensive line. Ole Miss returns All-SEC caliber tackles Sowell and Bobby Massie and has seven players that started two or more games each on the offensive line in 2010. While there was some movement on the line this spring, the position should be one of the strengths this fall for the Rebels. Senior left guard Washington is back, while Arkansas junior transfer Matt Hall, who split time with Jared Duke, saw action last fall at right guard.

3. Legendary Lockett: The Rebels suffered a devastating blow this spring when linebacker D.T. Shackelford went down with a knee injury that will likely cost him his senior season. However, Ole Miss was fortunate enough to get senior defensive end Kentrell Lockett back, who was granted a hardship waiver by the NCAA after suffering a season-ending knee injury at the beginning of last season. Lockett was a preseason All-SEC pick a year ago and has 22.5 career tackles for loss. Lockett brings not only the presence of a relentless pass rusher to the defense but he’ll be one of the leaders of the team. The Rebels will need him as a force on the field and in the locker room this fall.

Fall questions

1. Young guns: While Ole Miss’ coaches were pretty pleased with the play of their quarterbacks this spring, the Rebels will enter fall camp with a trio of inexperienced signal callers. Redshirt junior Randall Mackey left spring with a slight edge over West Virginia transfer Barry Brunetti and junior college transfer Zack Stoudt. The good news was that Brunetti was granted a waiver by the NCAA to play immediately, but he’s got minimal experience. Mackey and Stoudt have none. Regardless of who starts, the winner will have to go through some tough growing pains this season.

2. Unproven receivers: Not making the quarterback situation any better is the fact that the Rebels have yet to find a true playmaker in the receiving corps. Offensive coordinator David Lee said during the spring that the most consistent thing his receivers were doing was dropping the ball. That improved toward the end of spring, but Ole Miss is still looking for someone to break out of the group and take hold of the position. The Rebels still have junior Melvin Harris, who was second on the team a year ago with 30 catches and 408 yards. Redshirt freshman Vincent Sanders, who had a spring game-high 96 yards on four catches, could have the most natural athleticism at the position, but will have to sure up his inconsistencies as well.

3. Defensive marks: The Rebels’ defense has a lot of question marks at the moment. The secondary improved this spring, but it is still young and the group was a major issue last fall. Lockett is back at defensive end, but, as a whole, the defensive line is still pretty green. Making matters even worse was the loss of Shackelford. There is not only a gaping hole at linebacker but Ole Miss lost the soul of its team. Replacing both aspects of what made Shackelford unique won’t be easy. The Rebels worked Mike Marry, Clarence Jackson and Ralph Williams in Shackelford’s spot, but incoming freshman C.J. Johnson could end up with the spot this year. Regardless, the defense has a ton of maturing to do this year.