ESPN College Football

2011 record: 5-7
2011 conference record: 1-7
Returning starters: Offense: 10; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners:
OG Dallas Thomas, WR Da'Rick Rogers, OT Ja'Wuan James, WR Justin Hunter, TE Mychal Rivera, QB Tyler Bray, LB A.J. Johnson, S Brian Randolph, LB Curt Maggitt, LB Herman Lathers, CB Prentiss Waggner

Key losses:
RB Tauren Poole, DT Malik Jackson, DE Ben Martin, LB Austin Johnson

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Tauren Poole (693 yards)
Passing: Tyler Bray* (1,983 yards)
Receiving: Da'Rick Rogers* (1,040 yards)
Tackles: Austin Johnson (81)
Sacks: Malik Jackson (2.5)
Interceptions: Austin Johnson (4)

Spring answers

1. Tyler Bray's leadership: No one has questioned Bray's arm as he can sling it with the best of them. But his heart has been questioned, and he knew it heading into spring. He never considered himself a real leader until this year, when he decided to take his job more seriously. Bray said players listened to him more in practice and respected him more as a person, not just a player. Bray can now be looked at as someone to rally around and look up to. He's finally learning how to be a real quarterback in this league.

2. Richardson's revival: Tennessee's offensive line took a lot of heat last season and for good reason. The Vols were last in the SEC and 116th nationally in rushing. The line needed to find a spark and rising sophomore Antonio Richardson might be just that. His potential has always impressed coaches and after playing on special teams last year, he came out of the spring as the starter at left tackle. Richardson is an extremely athletic and gifted player and the coaches feel confident that he can protect Bray's blind side.

3. Lathers' and Hunter's health: Linebacker Herman Lathers and wide receiver Justin Hunter did all the right things this spring. Lathers missed the 2011 season with an ankle injury, while Hunter missed most of the season after tearing his ACL in against Florida last September. While both still aren't 100 percent, the coaches feel confident that both will be by the fall. Hunter got some good work in this spring and even flew by some players in a scrimmage. Lathers' ankle progressed more and more and thinks he'll be right on track come fall practice.

Fall questions

1. Defensive comfort: Tennessee returns eight defensive starters, but it welcomed a brand new defensive coordinator in Sal Suneri, three other new coaches and a new defensive scheme. Sunseri would like to run more 3-4 this fall, but it'll take time for his players to adjust and Tennessee isn't sure if that comfort level is quite there yet. Tennessee players will also have to continuing adjusting to the new coaching faces they'll be working with this fall. It's important that this defense, which is still relatively young, get on the same page exiting camp.

2. Running the ball: Rising sophomore Marlin Lane showed nice improvement, but he finished the spring tied with Rajion Neal and Devrin Young at running back. So, the jury is still out on whether this team will be able to run the ball more consistently this season and Tennessee might have to look to its incoming freshmen for more help. While the running backs struggled last year, the offensive line was another reason for the Vols' shortcomings in the rushing department. There was a lot of movement up front and improvements need to start there before Tennessee can even think about handing the ball off more.

3. Defensive tackle: There's a lot of uncertainty and inexperience at tackle, and a lot of of players listed as co-starters on Tennessee's post-spring depth chart. Maurice Couch had an up-and-down 2011 season and now will be called to take on more responsibility now that Malik Jackson is gone. Daniel Hood, who was recovering from shoulder surgery this spring, Steven Fowlkes, Darrington Sentimore and Gregory Clark will all get chances in the middle. Also, keep an eye on incoming junior college transfer Daniel McCullers, who the coaches think can contribute immediately.

Tennessee coach Derek Dooley isn't ready to say his Vols have arrived, but he does like what he sees in the way of depth.

In short, the Vols have more of it, which is a necessity if you're going to contend in the SEC.

"I think this is the first time since I've been here that we have some quality depth at a lot of positions, and there should be a lot of good competition," said Dooley, whose Vols opened spring practice on Monday. "I think that's going to help our team."

In his first two seasons, Dooley was relying on freshmen and sophomores to step in and play lead roles. It's a big reason the Vols suffered through losing seasons each of the last two years. But approaching Year 3, Dooley feels like the roster is much more stable.

"We finally have guys who are settled in and have a lot of guys who have played a lot of snaps, so there is a lot more maturity," Dooley said. "There's a lot more experience, and I think the ability in the roster has led to a better work environment and better dynamic day-to-day."

The Vols don't have a depth chart entering the spring. Rather, they have an organizational chart.

The reason being: Dooley plans to move a lot of guys around and look at different combinations, especially with Tennessee shifting from a 4-3 to a base 3-4 defense.

"We're going to be moving guys around a lot trying to find the right mix in all the areas, whether it's the offensive line or on defense," Dooley said. "We're going to have a pre-spring organizational chart, and then we'll give you a post-spring depth chart. [There's] really nothing in between, because it's going to be a lot of experimenting."

Already, the Vols have moved Curt Maggitt from outside linebacker in the 4-3 to one of the inside linebackers in the 3-4, although he'll still line up as a pass-rusher on third down. Jacques Smith and Willie Bohannon, both of whom played defensive end last season, will line up at "Jack" linebacker in the 3-4 scheme. Also, senior Prentiss Waggner is moving from safety to cornerback, which is his more natural position. And to further solidify the depth at linebacker, Channing Fugate is moving there from fullback, while Brent Brewer will move from safety to strong side linebacker.

Schedule: Tennessee begins spring practice Monday and concludes with the Orange and White Game on April 21.

What's new: There was a lot of movement on coach Derek Dooley's staff this offseason. Seven new coaches are in Knoxville this spring. Sal Sunseri arrives as the Vols' new defensive coordinator after serving as Alabama's linebackers coach the previous three seasons. After being a defensive assistant at Alabama from 2010-11 and the defensive backs coach at Central Florida for a couple months, Derrick Ansley joined Tennessee's staff to coach the Vols' cornerbacks. Charlie Coiner is Tennessee's new special teams/tight ends coach. Josh Conklin left The Citadel to coach Tennessee's safeties, and Jay Graham left South Carolina to return to his alma mater to coach running backs. John Palermo and Sam Pittman round out Tennessee's new hires. Palermo will coach the Vols' defensive line, and Pittman will coach the offensive line. Tennessee also welcomed seven early enrollees -- Cody Blanc (wide receiver), Alden Hill (running back), Justin Meredith (tight end), Nathan Peterman (quarterback), Darrington Sentimore and Trent Taylor (defensive line), and Tino Thomas (defensive back).

On the mend: Wide receiver Justin Hunter and defensive back/linebacker Brent Brewer are both coming off of ACL injuries from last fall and will be limited during the spring. Linebacker Curt Maggitt, nose guard Daniel Hood and defensive back Prentiss Waggner all had offseason shoulder surgery and will be non-contact this spring. Offensive lineman Zach Fulton will be limited this spring as he tries to recover from a stress fracture suffered a couple of weeks ago during offseason workouts. Offensive lineman JerQuari Schofield and defensive lineman Corey Miller will not be practicing for academic reasons.

On the move: Dooley plans to move a few players around this spring. With Tennessee moving to a 3-4 defense, the team is adding to its linebacker depth. Brewer (defensive back), Channing Fugate (fullback), Jacques Smith (defensive lineman), and Willie Bohannon (defensive lineman) are all working at linebacker this spring. Smith and Bohannon will compete at the Jack linebacker spot. Maggitt is also moving to inside linebacker. Rajion Neal is moving exclusively to running back after playing both wide receiver and running back last season. Waggner is moving back to cornerback after playing safety last season. James Stone, a center last season, will play some guard and tackle this spring.

Questions: The Vols return a lot of bodies on defense, but with a new coordinator, new scheme, and several position changes, there will be starting jobs available. With the 3-4 coming in, Tennessee will be in search of a reliable nose guard. Maurice Couch played there more as last season progressed, but Tennessee's staff thinks very highly of incoming junior college noseguard Daniel McCullers, who will be on campus this summer. Having Hood limited also means depth is an issue there this spring. There is still a little uncertainty in Tennessee's secondary. Waggner moving to cornerback will help with boundary play, but it takes a solid player out of the safety spot. Redshirt senior Rod Wilks takes over at free safey, but has no career starts. The running back position also enters the spring with questions surrounding it. The Vols were last in the SEC in rushing last season, and lose starter Tauren Poole. Only three lettermen return, and none are proven. Neal and Marlin Lane will start spring getting the majority of reps, but they combined for just 414 rushing yards on 102 carries last season.

Key battle: Injuries to Hunter and quarterback Tyler Bray certainly hurt Tennessee's offense last season, but being unable to run the ball effectively really kept the Vols from overcoming their struggles in the passing game. There is no question that Tennessee's run game, which ranked 116th nationally (90.1) last season, needs a major upgrade. Lane and Neal will get the first shots at earning the job this spring, but having Hill on campus early will definitely add some depth, and he should push both this spring. Sophomore Devrin Young, who rushed for 25 yards last season, will also compete for time this spring. Tennessee can't go another season without having much of a running game to speak of if it wants to take a step forward and compete for an SEC East title.

Don't forget about: Tennessee will get back a familiar face on defense this spring when linebacker Herman Lathers returns. After fracturing his ankle last June, Lathers missed all of the 2011 season, but will be full go this spring. Tennessee needs more linebackers, and adding a veteran like Lathers will help. Tennessee's staff is also excited about what Sentimore can bring to the defensive end spot. He played one season at Alabama before going the JUCO route in 2011. He's on campus now, and is listed on the Vols' two-deep at one of the end spots. Sentimore has a good shot at earning a starting spot this spring.

Breaking out: The staff has high expectations for offensive lineman Antonio Richardson. The sophomore spent 2011 playing on special teams, but after being such a highly regarded recruit coming out of high school, the coaches are expecting him to compete for playing time even though the Vols return all five starters. With Fulton limited this spring, Richardson will get his chance to impress. Also, Lane is a player who has the physical tools to make a big jump this spring. He was a top high school prospect, and now has a chance to claim the running back spot for himself. He's a big body with pretty good speed, but Lane needs to work on his consistency.

All eyes on: Bray has yet to play a full season at Tennessee. A thumb injury kept him out for half of the 2011 season, but he appears to be back to full health. He wasn't great when he returned at the end of last season, but rust will do that to a quarterback. Now is a chance for Bray to get back into the swing of things and get more comfortable after his injury. It's also time for him to improve his leadership skills. Those have been called into question during his two years in Knoxville, but now that he's officially a veteran, it's time for him to take hold of this team. He has weapons around him to help his passing numbers, but Bray should look to improve this team as a whole by leading by both example and with his words.

As disappointing as last season was for Tennessee, particularly the way it ended with the loss to Kentucky, it wasn’t a total loss for Volunteers coach Derek Dooley.

He learned a lot about himself, learned some hard lessons along the way and also feels like he goes into the 2012 season with a much clearer picture of what has to happen if the Vols are going to make a move in the Eastern Division.

“The number one thing is that we have to do a much better job of coaching at all levels,” said Dooley, whose Vols have suffered through back-to-back losing seasons.

“I watch these cut-ups of what we’re doing. What we were doing schematically was good. How we were doing it was not good. Where I think I failed more than anything, and I told the team this, was making too many excuses for our players. It’s so important as coaches that you set a standard and demand it and hold everybody accountable to it. That’s what the players ultimately want.”

The Vols’ players will have a lot of new faces to learn from going into next season. Six of the nine assistant coaches are new, including defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri.

“We have to do a better job of teaching and holding our players accountable to what we’re teaching, and we have to improve our teaching,” Dooley said. “Look, I put it on us as coaches and me as the head coach. Sometimes, I used the youth and inexperience as too much of an excuse for allowing things to happen we shouldn’t have allowed to happen.”

Dooley thinks the Vols have the talent and the experience to compete now on a consistent basis in the SEC. He’s equally convinced that the staff dynamic is also in place now with the six new assistants and thinks the coaching turnover was actually an energizer for the program.

“I think it’s going to be very healthy,” Dooley said.

That said, he concedes there may be some early growing pains with the Vols moving to a base 3-4 defense under Sunseri.

“It will be an adjustment. It always is,” Dooley said. “But at the end of last season, I felt we were going to need to do more of that anyway [the 3-4 defense] even if we didn’t have a change at coordinator.”

The reason being is that the Vols’ defensive tackles are more in the 275-pound range, and now those guys will become defensive ends in the 3-4 scheme.

“Our defensive ends were 245 pounds, and when you’re playing a 4-3, those are two undersized positions,” Dooley explained. “When you stand the defensive end up and he becomes an outside linebacker, he’s a perfect size, and you move that 3 technique out to a 5 technique, and he’s the perfect size.

“What’s the challenge? You’ve got to find a noseguard in the middle who has some mass, and your inside linebacker’s got to be a little more physical.”

The Vols hope they’ve found that mass in 6-foot-6, 380-pound junior college transfer Daniel McCullers. Maurice Couch is another bigger junior college product who played last season for the Vols and should be even better his second year in the program.

Former Alabama defensive end Darrington Sentimore is already on campus and will go through spring practice after spending last season in junior college. He’s played end in the 3-4 before when he was at Alabama, and Dooley thinks rising sophomore A.J. Johnson will be a perfect fit inside at linebacker and rising sophomore Curt Maggitt a perfect fit as a stand-up outside linebacker.

“I felt our personnel was more suited for the 3-4 on base downs, but we’re still going to run some four-man front stuff,” Dooley said.

We move to linebackers today in our postseason position rankings.

Defensive lines are very important in this league, but there are other guys in the box who have to be pretty reliable as well in this league. This league has done a pretty solid job of producing some top talent at this position as well.

You can see what are preseason linebacker rankings looked like here.

And here are our postseason rankings:

1. Alabama: This unit was at the top of our preseason rankings and didn't budge throughout the season. When you have two All-Americans in Courtney Upshaw, who was the defensive MVP in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game, and Dont'a Hightower it's pretty understandable to see why. Those two combined for 136 tackles, including 29 for loss. Nico Johnson was fourth on the team in tackles, while C.J. Mosley added 37 of his own. Alabama's defense was first nationally in total defense and first in rushing defense, allowing 74.2 yards per game.

2. Georgia: Linebackers are essential to any 3-4 defense, and the Bulldogs' group did quite well in 2011. Georgia ended up with one of the nation's best linebackers in Jarvis Jones, who led the SEC with 19 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. He also had 49 quarterback hurries. Michael Gilliard was third on the team behind Jones with 65 tackles. While Alec Ogletree missed part of the first half of the season, the speedster still finished with 52 tackles, including 7.5 for loss. Cornelius Washington, Amarlo Herrera Christian Robinson combined to add 101 more tackles, as Georgia's defense ranked fifth nationally.

3. Arkansas: Arkansas' defense had a lot of bend in it last season, but the linebackers found ways to make plays. Newcomer Alonzo Highsmith was third on the team with 80 tackles, led with 12.5 tackles for loss and had 4.5 sacks. The star continued to be Jerry Franklin, who led the team in tackles (101) for the fourth straight year. Then there was Jerico Nelson, who was all over the field as that hybrid linebacker/safety. He came away with 70 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions. Ross Rasner, who played outside with Nelson, added 53 more tackles and two sacks.

4. Florida: The Gators' defense ranked eighth nationally in part because of the aggressive play of its front seven. Jon Bostic commanded the middle, leading the team with 94 tackles, including 10 for loss. Jelani Jenkins seemed to come more into his own outside, finishing third on the team in tackles. The big surprise was Lerentee McCray, who played both Sam linebacker and the hybrid Buck. He was one of Florida's most active linebackers and grabbed 7.5 tackles for loss. Ronald Powell started at the Buck, but saw most of his production from defensive end.

5. Vanderbilt: The Commodores entered the season needing to replace three starting linebackers and ended the year with a very impressive linebacking corps. It was led by vet Chris Marve, who was 10th in the league in tackles. Archibald Barnes had a solid year at the Will, ranking fourth on the team in tackles and grabbing two interceptions. Chase Garnham and Al Owens manned the Sam position and combined for 72 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss. Against conference foes, Vandy's rush defense ranked fourth in the league.

6. LSU: The Tigers were in search of that dominant middle linebacker all season and might have found a budding star in Kevin Minter, really grew into the position by the end of the season and was fifth on the team in tackles. He started 11 games, but shared time with Karnell Hatcher, who finished with 24 tackles. Ryan Baker was LSU's best linebacker, was an outstanding leader and was fourth on the team with 64 tackles. Stefoin Francois was the starter at Sam, but he accumulated just 11 tackles, while backup Tahj Jones registered 27. Still, LSU owned the No. 2 national defense.

7. South Carolina: The Gamecocks saw improvement from this group as the season went on. While the defensive line got a ton of credit, the linebackers did their part in securing the defense's No. 3 national ranking. Antonio Allen spent some time in the box at the Spur position and led South Carolina with 88 tackles and had 9.5 for loss. Rodney Paulk and Shaq Wilson, who returned from injury, rotated at the Mike and combined for 109 tackles. Will linebacker Reginald Bowens added 44 tackles.

8. Kentucky: The Wildcats owned the SEC's top tackler in Danny Trevathan (143), who should have received more national attention. Trevathan was one of the most active defenders around at the Will. Winston Guy played the hybrid linebacker/safety and was third in the SEC with 120 tackles. Ronnie Sneed added 71 more tackles. Kentucky's defense was much more aggressive under new defensive coordinator Rick Minter and got more exotic looks from its linebackers.

9. Mississippi State: Cameron Lawrence was a beast for the Bulldogs in 2011. He was second in the SEC with 123 tackles, and had 49 solo. Senior Brandon Wilson added 94 more tackles. Brandon Maye, who transferred from Clemson, was expected to make a bigger impact for the Bulldogs, but played behind Wilson and was 11th on the team in tackles. Sophomore Deontae Skinner added 69 tackles and Mississippi State ranked in the bottom half of the SEC in total defense.

10. Tennessee: The Vols' top three tacklers were linebackers. The leader was senior Austin Johnson, who finished the season with 81 tackles, including 41 solo. Next were two true freshmen on the outside in A.J. Johnson (80) and Curt Maggitt (56). Both freshmen experienced up-and-down seasons, but were SEC All-Freshman selections. Herman Lathers, who was a projected started, missed 2011 with a fractured ankle, and after the big three, the Vols didn't get a ton out of their linebackers, as Dontavis Sapp was their next most productive linebacker with 20 tackles.

11. Auburn: The Tigers' defense really struggled in 2011 and gave up more than 200 rushing yards a contest. Auburn had to basically start over at linebacker, but lone returning starter Daren Bates had a heck of a year, ranking fourth in the league with 104 tackles. He really tried to make sure he played all over the field last fall. After that, the play was up-and-down. Senior Eltoro Freeman took over in the middle halfway into the year and finished with 58 tackles, while Jake Holland and Jonathan Evans combined for 83 tackles.


12. Ole Miss: The Rebels' defense had all sorts of problems defensively, including allowing 256.5 yards per game and 21 rushing touchdowns. The linebackers took a major hit with the absence of D.T. Shackelford, who missed the season with a knee injury. Mike Marry stepped up at the Mike and led Ole Miss with 81 tackles and five for loss. Freshman Serderius Bryant and junior Joel Kight combined for 122 tackles. Damien Jackson played the Spur and added 64 tackles, but Ole Miss' defense ranked dead last in the SEC.

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).

Now that you've seen our SEC West surprises from the 2011 season, it's time to take a look at the surprises in the SEC East:

FLORIDA

The offense didn't take a step forward: Even though quarterback John Brantley appeared better suited for Charlie Weis' pro-style offense, the Gators didn't look much better after last year's ugly offensive output. Things looked better during the first four weeks, but the more SEC defenses the Gators saw, the worse they got. A complete turnaround wasn't expected, but improvement was and Florida just didn't have it.

Weis leaving for Kansas: Staying with the offensive theme, Florida received quite the surprise when Weis left Florida to take over as Kansas' head coach. People around the program were pretty surprised when they received the news, but it seemed especially odd considering how outspoken he was about staying at Florida for the long haul.

GEORGIA

Jarvis Jones: Anyone unfamiliar with Jones' situation would have never guessed that Jones didn't play a down of football last year. After sitting out 2010 because of transfer rules, the USC transfer linebacker was an absolute beast in his first season of SEC football. Jones was named an All-American after leading the SEC in tackles for loss (19.5) and sacks (13.5).

Georgia's resolve: The Bulldogs had recently been marred by seasons of under performing, but after a 0-2 start Georgia pulled off 10 straight wins and made it back to the SEC title game for the first time since 2005. Not a lot of people outside of that locker room thought Georgia would dig itself out of its early hole, but the Bulldogs did and found a way to have a very successful season.

KENTUCKY

Morgan Newton: Remember when it appeared as though Newton was primed for a solid career after a successful freshman season? It seems so long ago, now, especially after such a poor 2011 season. Newton never looked very sharp all year, and after a late-season ankle injury he lost his starting job to freshman Maxwell Smith. Newton finished the season with 793 passing yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Kentucky beat Tennessee: For all of the Wildcats' offensive struggles, they found a way to finally beat Tennessee after 26 straight years of losing to the Vols. The win not only stopped a lot of suffering for the Wildcats, but it eliminated Tennessee from bowl contention.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Surviving without Marcus Lattimore: The moment the news hit that Lattimore, South Carolina's most consistent offensive weapon, was lost for the season with a knee injury, most felt the Gamecocks' season was doomed. But the Gamecocks stayed on course. South Carolina lost just one game after and finished the regular season with 10 wins for only the second time in school history.

Brandon Wilds: When Lattimore went down against Mississippi State, Wilds was thrust into the starting spot. For someone who started the season as the fifth-string running back and a redshirt candidate, Wilds did a heck of a job. He averaged 82.2 yards in South Carolina's final five games and eclipsed 100 yards three times during that span.

TENNESSEE

A.J. Johnson and Curt Maggitt: It's not every day that a team has a standout true freshman at linebacker. Well, Tennessee had two of them. Both were named to the SEC All-Freshman team after combing for 136 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. The season was pretty rough, but these two were major bright spots.

Tennessee's collapse in the finale: All the Vols had to do was beat Kentucky and a season full of injuries and agony would have been saved by a bowl berth. But Tennessee fell flat against a Kentucky team that was eliminated from a bowl berth the week before. Tennessee turned the ball over three times and couldn't muster more than seven points, snapping a 26-year win streak over the Wildcats.

VANDERBILT

Vandy's attitude: James Franklin promised things would be different and they were for the Commodores. The defense was aggressive, the offense was exciting and the Commodores didn't back down from anyone. There were postgame outbursts from Franklin and teams learned early on that this wasn't the same Nashville pushover.

Zac Stacy/Vandy's defense: Stacy started as a relative unknown, but finished the season third in the SEC in rushing with 1,136 yards and was second with 13 touchdowns. He had five 100-plus-yard games, averaging 162.8 yards in each. As for the defense, it had to replace three starting linebackers, but finished the year sixth in the SEC in total defense.

The coaches have spoken with their own SEC All-Freshman team, so we here at the SEC blog decided to come up with our own team.

We couldn't fit all of the youngsters on the list, and some tough cuts had to be made.

Honestly, our list wasn't much different from the coaches' list. There were a couple of changes, but nothing extreme.

One tough cut we made was Vanderbilt wide receiver Chris Boyd. He was Vandy's second wide receiver, catching 29 passes for 404 yards and seven touchdowns. He had a very solid first year in Nashville, Tenn., but we decided to go with LSU's Odell Beckham, who caught seven more passes and had 33 more yards. Although, Boyd had five more touchdowns. In the end, we felt he was more valuable to LSU's offense this season.

LSU also led the way with five selections, while Tennessee was second with four selections.

Here's our freshman team:

OFFENSE

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

DEFENSE

DL -- Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
DL -- Anthony Johnson, LSU
DL -- Kelcy Quarles, South Carolina
DL -- Trey Flowers, Arkansas
LB -- A.J. Johnson, Tennessee
LB -- Curt Maggitt, Tennessee
LB -- Serderius Bryant, Ole Miss
CB -- Marcus Roberson, Florida
CB -- Tevin Mitchel, Arkansas
S -- Brian Randolph, Tennessee
S -- Vinnie Sunseri, Alabama

SPECIAL TEAMS

K -- James Hairston, LSU (He handled kickoff duties for the Tigers.)
P -- Brad Wing, LSU
RS -- Tre Mason, Auburn

It was a big year for freshmen in the SEC, and some of the most hyped newcomers turned out to be the most productive.

Here’s our ranking of the top 15 true freshmen this season based on their productivity and overall impact on their teams:

1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina: The nation's No. 1 prospect coming into the season made a big splash with six sacks and 10 tackles for loss, leading all SEC freshmen in both categories. His five forced fumbles tied him for second in the league among all players.

2. Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia: Had it not been for injuries and durability issues, Crowell was on his way to a 1,000-yard season. He had only 36 carries in his past five games but still managed 837 rushing yards and had 100-yard games against four SEC opponents -- Auburn, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and South Carolina.

3. A.J. Johnson, LB, Tennessee: He started in 10 of the Vols’ 12 games and led all SEC freshmen with 80 tackles, which was second on Tennessee’s team. He had his best games against the best teams with 11 tackles against LSU, 12 against South Carolina and 13 against Alabama.

4. Malcolm Mitchell, WR, Georgia: One of the most explosive players on Georgia's team, Mitchell emerged as the Bulldogs' top deep threat, catching 38 passes for 614 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 16.2 yards per catch.

5. Reese Dismukes, C, Auburn: A mainstay on Auburn's offensive line, Dismukes started all 12 games at center and helped pave the way for the Tigers to rush for 2,097 yards this season, ranking them fourth in the SEC.

6. Curt Maggitt, LB, Tennessee: One of the more promising big-play defenders in the league, Maggitt tied for third on Tennessee’s team with 56 total tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss. He started in eight games.

7. Anthony Johnson, DT, LSU: His numbers weren't eye-popping, but part of that is because the Tigers rotate so many defensive linemen. Johnson was a force in the middle and has three tackles for loss heading into the national title game.

8. Brian Randolph, S, Tennessee: He started in eight games and led all Tennessee defensive backs with 55 total tackles. Randolph was a safety for most of the season but started at cornerback against Alabama.

9. Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss: One of the Rebels' top playmakers, Moncrief led the team in catches (31), receiving yards (454) and touchdown receptions (4). He averaged 14.6 yards per catch.

10. Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU: The Tigers didn't really unleash Hilliard until the Auburn game on Oct. 22, but he's been LSU's best power back since. He has nine touchdowns and is averaging 5.6 yards per carry.

11. Trey Flowers, DE, Arkansas: With Jake Bequette and Tenarius Wright both suffering through injuries, Flowers stepped up in a big way with 5.5 tackles for loss, including a sack.

12. Vinnie Sunseri, DB, Alabama: He jumped right in as a valuable cog in an Alabama secondary that was one of the best in the country. Sunseri ranks eighth overall on the team with 31 total tackles.

13. Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida: He suffered an injury late in the season but held down one of the Gators' starting cornerback jobs up until that point. Roberson has all the tools to be a great one in this league.

14. Tevin Mitchel, CB, Arkansas: He emerged as one of the Hogs’ starters at cornerback late in the season and wound up sixth on the team with 53 total tackles. He had 13 in the comeback win over Texas A&M.

15. De'Ante Saunders, S, Florida: One of two true freshmen in the Gators' starting secondary, Saunders intercepted two passes and broke up two passes this season from his safety position.

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.

TENNESSEE

Record: 5-7, 1-7 SEC

The second year of the Derek Dooley era wasn’t exactly pretty to look at. There was promise at the beginning of the season with playmakers returning on offense, but struggles were expected with the youth and inexperience on defense. To make matters worse, the Vols dismissed troubled star safety Janzen Jackson before the season. But getting back to a bowl seemed in reach with players like quarterback Tyler Bray and wide receivers Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers.

Tennessee outscored its first two opponents 87-39, with Bray averaging 349 yards and throwing for seven touchdowns. Hunter and Rogers also combined for 504 yards and four touchdowns on 31 catches in those games. However, Tennessee was dealt another crushing blow in Week 3 against Florida when Hunter tore the ACL in his left knee. The Vols lost the game — and Hunter for the season.

Tennessee then suffered arguably its biggest blow when Bray went down with a thumb injury in the loss to Georgia in Week 6. Tennessee lost four of the five games Bray missed, scoring double digits just once, as it went from Matt Simms to true freshman Justin Worley at quarterback.

Defensively, there was improvement and freshmen linebackers A.J. Johnson and Curt Maggitt appear to be stars in the making, but the Vols just couldn’t overcome their offensive woes. Tennessee hit rock bottom with a 10-7 loss to Kentucky that ended a 26-year winning streak over the Wildcats and eliminated the Vols from the postseason.

Offensive MVP: Rogers. Because Rogers played the entire year, he gets the nod over Bray. Without Rogers, Tennessee’s offensive numbers would have been a lot worse. He finished the year first in the SEC in receptions (67) and second in yards (1,040) and touchdowns (9).

Defensive MVP: Defensive tackle Malik Jackson. Jackson was one of Tennessee’s best overall players and maybe the Vols' best leader. He was the heart of Tennessee’s defense and was extremely productive, recording 56 tackles, including 11 for loss, and had 10 quarterback hurries.

Turning point: When Bray went down in the Georgia game, it seemed like Tennessee’s spirit was crushed. Cycling among quarterbacks didn’t help and some wondered if this team quit or not. Tennessee lost five of its final seven games after Bray’s injury.

What’s next: Tennessee isn’t headed to a bowl game, so Dooley and his staff will have more time to hit the road and recruit. Tennessee is in desperate need of depth, especially on defense. It’s also time for Dooley to take his team back and find a way to motivate players before spring practice.

Here are the league's players of the week:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas: Wilson completed 32 of 43 passes for 365 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in Arkansas’ 44-17 win against Mississippi State. His 32 completions set a new Arkansas single-game record previously held by Joe Ferguson (31, vs. Texas A&M, 1971). The number is also the highest in a conference game this season. His 365 yards is the second-highest of his career and the most against an SEC opponent. It was also his fourth 300-plus passing yardage game of the season, most in the SEC. Wilson completed five passes of 20 or more yards and 10 of 15 or more.

Co-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Ron Brooks, CB, LSU: Brooks had four tackles, one sack (minus-11 yards), a forced and recovered fumble and returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown in LSU’s 52-3 win at Ole Miss. His interception came on the first Rebel drive of the game and his sack came in the third drive of the contest.

Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky: Trevathan recorded 17 total tackles, had three tackles for loss (minus-9 yards), including a sack (minus-6) and caused two fumbles in Kentucky’s 19-10 loss at Georgia. The 17 stops ties his career high, which he has recorded three times in Kentucky’s last four games.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Blair Walsh, K, Georgia: Walsh tied his career high, going 4-for-4 on field goals in Georgia’s 19-10 win against Kentucky. He connected on three 39-yard field goal attempts and also had a 25-yarder in the contest. His 13 points (also had an extra point) now give him 394 in his career, which puts him second in SEC and UGA history behind former Bulldog Billy Bennett (409 points). Walsh’s four field goals were Georgia’s only points of the contest until early in the fourth quarter.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK

Will Blackwell, OG, LSU: Blackwell led the LSU offensive line with nine knockdown blocks in the Tigers’ 52-3 win at Ole Miss. He helped pave the way for LSU to achieve a season-best 353 rushing yards. LSU had five players with 50 or more rushing yards. The Tigers' offensive line did not allow a sack against the Rebels as LSU amassed 458 total yards in scoring a season-best 52 points.

Co- DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK

Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee: Playing in his final game in Neyland Stadium, Jackson recorded six total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, including a half-sack, a forced fumble and two quarterback pressures in Tennessee’s 27-21 overtime win against Vanderbilt. The Vols held Vanderbilt to 90 rushing yards on 36 carries and recorded two sacks.

Abry Jones, DE, Georgia: Jones tallied four tackles, including 1.5 for losses, in Georgia’s 19-10 win against Kentucky. Georgia limited Kentucky to just 23 rushing yards on 21 attempts (1.1 yards per carry). The Wildcats had just one rushing gain of more than 10 yards against the Bulldogs.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

Curt Maggitt, LB, Tennessee: Maggitt recorded seven tackles, with 2.5 for losses, in Tennessee’s 27-21 overtime win against Vanderbilt. He tallied a key tackle for loss on a third-and-5 early in the second quarter when he stopped Vandy’s Zac Stacy for a 1-yard loss, which led to a missed field goal.

Here are some other players with top performances from the weekend.

Some notes about the SEC that you might not have known heading into Week 10:

• This season, the SEC has had eight teams ranked in the AP top-25 poll a total of 59 times after the first 10 weeks — above the league's average for the past five seasons.
• Using the latest published depth charts from the 12 SEC teams, South Carolina has the youngest offensive starting lineup and the most experienced defensive starting lineup in the league.
• Using a numerical formula of 1 point for freshmen, 2 points for sophomores, 3 points for juniors and 4 points for freshman, the Gamecocks average 2.33 on offense and 3.45 on defense.
• The most experienced offense is Kentucky at 3.25, the least experienced defense Florida at 2.36.
• On defense, there are just eight freshman starters in the SEC, three of them at Tennessee. On offense, South Carolina starts four freshmen and Ole Miss three.
• Mississippi State starts six seniors on offense, followed by Alabama, Kentucky and LSU with five each. On defense, Arkansas, Kentucky and South Carolina start five freshmen each.
• Alabama has started slowly in the first quarter this season, but has quickly turned things around and finished strong. The Crimson Tide have outscored its opponents 243-25 in the final three quarters of games this season after holding just a 72-30 edge in the first quarter. The disparity has grown even wider over the past six games, when Alabama owns a 44-27 scoring edge in the first quarter and a 196-10 edge in the final three quarters. Alabama has outscored its opposition in the second half of the past six games by a score of 142-7, but has not allowed a second-half point in the past four. Arkansas, in Week 4, was the last team to score against Alabama after halftime.
• Arkansas has won five consecutive games against opponents from the SEC Eastern Division, the longest winning streak against Eastern Division foes in school history and the third-longest current interdivision win streak in the SEC. Arkansas’ previous record for consecutive games won against the Eastern Division was three (1992-93 and 2006). Arkansas is off to its best start under Bobby Petrino and is 7-1 for just the third time since joining the SEC in 1992.
• With its victory over Ole Miss, Auburn has extended its Jordan-Hare Stadium winning streak to 13 games, its longest at home since winning 13 in a row from 1993-94. It is tied for the sixth-longest home winning streak in school history. The Tigers are 25-4 in night games (5 p.m. or later) at Jordan-Hare dating back to the 2000 season.
• Florida quarterback John Brantley returned from injury to start last week against Georgia, throwing for 245 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 20.4 yards per completion, the highest of his career as a starting quarterback. The mark is the highest in the SEC and eighth-best in the country this season for quarterbacks with a minimum of 10 completions). In his career, the fifth-year senior has completed 332 of 541 passes (61.4 percent) for 3,893 yards and 25 touchdowns, with 14 interceptions and a passer rating of 131.9.
• Georgia senior Brandon Boykin and junior Branden Smith are seeing action on defense, offense and special teams this season. Boykin has four career kickoff returns for touchdowns, and against No. 5 Boise State, he had an 80-yard rushing touchdowns on his first career carry. He had a school-record seven kickoff returns and tallied 198 all-purpose yards against No. 12 South Carolina. Smith and Boykin split time as punt returners while Boykin is one of the top kickoff returners in the nation.
• Kentucky seniors Danny Trevathan and Winston Guy are the SEC’s top two tacklers. Trevathan charted a career-high-tying 17 tackles last weekend and is now the league’s top tackler with 94 to Guy 's 83. The duo are tied for fifth and 16th, respectively, in the nation with 11.75 and 10.38 tackles per game.
• LSU went the entire month of October without a turnover. The Tigers have turned the ball over just three times this season (two fumbles, one interception), with their most recent turnover coming in the fourth quarter against Mississippi State in Week 3. LSU has gone 336 offensive snaps, 59 possessions and 174 minutes and 52 seconds of possession time since its last turnover. LSU has given up just 41 points in the first five SEC games, the fewest since 1985, when the Tigers also allowed 41 points in their first five league games. LSU has won 17 consecutive games when winning the turnover battle. Under Les Miles, LSU is 33-4 when forcing more turnovers than it gives up.
• Six true freshmen and three redshirt freshmen have started for Ole Miss this season. True freshmen have made a combined 18 starts, while redshirt freshmen have made a combined 10. Freshman wide receiver Donte Moncrief is tied for fifth in the nation among true freshmen with four touchdown receptions.
• Mississippi State has won nine consecutive non-conference games dating back to head coach Dan Mullen’s first season in 2009. Mullen’s teams have posted a 10-2 non-conference mark, with a pair of losses in 2009 to nationally ranked Georgia Tech and a Houston team that received votes in both polls the week of the game. The Bulldogs’ 10 consecutive out-of-league wins marks the longest such streak since an 11-game run from 1989-91.
• Junior wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (167 receptions for 2,748 yards) needs just 33 yards to match Kenny McKinley (2,781) as South Carolina’s all-time leader in receiving yards. He needs three catches to pass Sterling Sharpe (169) for second all-time in career receptions. He also needs three touchdown catches to tie Sidney Rice on the school’s all-time list for touchdown receptions at 23. Jeffery is also tied for first at South Carolina with 11 100-yard receiving games and is sixth in school history with 16.5 yards per reception.
• Three of Tennessee’s six leading tacklers are freshmen in A.J. Johnson (1st with 57), Curt Maggitt (fourth with 34) and Brian Randolph (sixth with 31), making the Vols the only team in the country with freshmen as three of its top six tacklers. Tennessee is the only team in the country with two true freshmen among its top four tacklers. In fact, there are only a pair of schools – Miami (Fla.) and Army – that even have two in their top six.
• Vanderbilt’s Casey Hayward knocked down six Arkansas passes last weekend – tied for most in any one game in the country this season with Duke’s Matt Daniels, who did it against Richmond. Hayward was named this week as one of 15 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive back. Hayward is tied for fourth nationally with five interceptions and is the SEC active leader in career picks with 13.
• Mississippi State is 27-16 against non-conference foes since 2000 and has a nine-game win streak against out-of-SEC competition.
• South Carolina and Arkansas are 1-2 in the SEC in non-offensive touchdowns scored this season. Carolina has five (four defense/one punt return) while Arkansas has four (one defense/one kickoff return/two punt return) and tied with LSU and Vanderbilt.
• Florida leads the SEC with 291-game scoring streak. The last time Florida was shut out was Oct. 29, 1988, when it lost 16-0 to Auburn.
• South Carolina is 3-0 in SEC road games this season. The Gamecocks have never gone 4-0.
• Vanderbilt’s scoring drives average 6.77 plays, fewest in the SEC.
• South Carolina is 21-37 against the Western Division and Arkansas is 24-34 against the Eastern Division. Arkansas has won five in a row against the Eastern Division.
• Ole Miss’ Brandon Bolden is the SEC’s second active leading rusher with 2,426 yards, trailing active leader Trent Richardson of Alabama by only 14 yards (2,440).
• Georgia leads SEC with 21 scoring drives of less than two minutes.
• South Carolina is second in the SEC in holding opponents to three-downs-and-out at 42.5 percent (45 of 106).
• Georgia sophomore QB Aaron Murray is already SEC’s leading active player in total offensive yards (5,077), completions (344), TD responsibility (48), TD passe (42) and passing yards (4,871).
• Tennessee is one of four SEC teams not to allow a non-offensive touchdown this season (Alabama, LSU and South Carolina).
• Georgia has scored first in seven of its eight games this season, second in the league to LSU, which has scored first in all eight.

Tennessee, mired in a four-game losing streak, continues to be plagued by injuries.

Starting strong safety Brent Brewer tore his ACL in the Saturday's 14-3 loss to South Carolina and will miss the remainder of the season. The Vols are extremely thin at safety, meaning Prentiss Waggner will have to move back to free safety from cornerback. Waggner had provided some stability at cornerback, which is his natural position, but Tennessee doesn't have a lot of options at safety with Brewer out. Freshman Brian Randolph will shift to strong safety from free safety.

With Waggner needed at safety, that means the Vols will have to turn to either junior Marsalis Teague or freshman Justin Coleman at one of the cornerback spots. Both players have struggled this season in coverage, which is the reason they were no longer starting.

Waggner had an interception last week against South Carolina and nearly returned it for a touchdown. It was the first interception by a Tennessee defensive back since the season opener against Montana.

The Vols were already without quarterback Tyler Bray and receiver Justin Hunter. There's a chance they may get Bray back for one or both of the final two regular-season games against Vanderbilt and Kentucky. He's still recovering from a broken thumb.

Freshman linebacker Curt Maggitt is expected to return this weekend against Middle Tennessee after missing the South Carolina game with a calf injury.

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.