ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 2-10
2011 conference record: 0-8
Returning starters: Offense: 8; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners
RB Jeff Scott, WR Ja-Mes Logan, WR Donte Moncrief, WR Randall Mackey, C Evan Swindall, DE C.J. Johnson, LB Mike Marry, S Charles Sawyer, P Tyler Campbell

Key losses
RB Brandon Bolden, OT Bobby Massie, OT Bradley Sowell, DE Kentrell Lockett, DE Wayne Dorsey, S Damien Jackson

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Jeff Scott* (529 yards)
Passing: Randall Mackey* (1,112 yards)
Receiving: Donte Moncrief* (454 yards)
Tackles: Mike Marry* (81)
Sacks: Wayne Dorsey (3)
Interceptions: Charles Sawyer* (4)

Spring answers

1. Secondary strength: With questions swirling surrounding Nickolas Brassell’s eligibility, some of the best news this spring for the Rebels centered around the play of cornerbacks Dehendret Collins and Wesley Pendleton. They were junior college teammates and look like they will be manning the starting corner positions this fall for Ole Miss. Add junior safety Charles Sawyer to the mix, and it’s a unit that should be much improved, especially if Brassell makes it academically and heralded true freshman Trae Elston is everything the Rebels think he is.

2. Kicking and screaming: It’s hard to find a team in the SEC that kicks it much better than the Rebels do with their combination of senior place-kicker Bryson Rose and senior punter Tyler Campbell. Rose was 9-of-11 on field goals last season and made 17 straight field goal attempts between 2010 and 2011, which was one shy of the SEC record. Campbell averaged 43.6 yards per punt and was second in the league with 28 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.

3. Freezing them out: First-year Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze spent much of the spring and offseason putting his stamp on the program. Not only do the Rebels have a new spread offense, but several of the players said there’s a new mindset, specifically when it comes to discipline and accountability. The players split into accountability groups, and they policed themselves. If one member of that group did something wrong or ran astray, they all were punished. Freeze exited the spring feeling as if everyone were on the same page in terms of knowing what the expectations were.

Fall questions

1. Making the grade: Junior running back Jeff Scott and Brassell are on the border academically and still have work to do to be eligible. Both players played in the spring game, but missed some practice time. The Rebels are in need of big-play guys on offense. Scott provides that with his speed. Brassell will play cornerback, but the Rebels also plan to use him situationally on offense. Tobias Singleton has moved from receiver to running back. If Scott and Brassell aren’t around this fall, that’s going to put a lot of pressure on Singleton in the backfield.

2. Shackelford’s health: The Rebels could desperately use D.T. Shackelford’s production and leadership on defense in 2012, but there’s no guarantee that he will be fully recovered from a second knee surgery this past March. He missed all of last season after tearing his ACL two springs ago. His knee didn’t respond to that first surgery, and he had to undergo a second procedure just prior to the start of this spring practice. Shackelford, a junior linebacker, led the Rebels with five sacks in 2010. More importantly, he’s the kind of player everybody rallies around. Getting him back would be huge for the Rebels.

3. Offensive line development: It doesn’t matter who’s playing quarterback or who’s running the ball if the offensive line doesn’t jell and play with more consistency than it did a year ago. The anchor is junior center Evan Swindall, but the Rebels need guys such as senior A.J. Hawkins and junior Emmanuel McCray to keep progressing. They moved some players around this spring up front, and several of them have starting experience. But they were still adjusting to the new spread offense, so finding the right combination will be critical in the fall.

Schedule: Ole Miss opens spring practice on Friday at 4:30 p.m. ET. Four of the Rebels’ workouts this spring will be open to the public, including the ones on Friday and Saturday. Other open practices are on March 31 and April 14. The BancorpSouth Grove Bowl spring game is scheduled for April 21 at 2 p.m. ET at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. CSS will televise the game live.

What’s new: Just about everything. Running backs coach Derrick Nix is the lone holdover from the previous staff. Hugh Freeze takes over as head coach after leading Arkansas State to a 10-2 record and Sun Belt Conference championship last season. Dave Wommack is the Rebels’ associate head coach. He’s also the defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Wesley McGriff, who was at Vanderbilt last season, will serve as co-defensive coordinator and coach the cornerbacks. Chris Kiffin is the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for the defense. Tom Allen is the special-teams coordinator and linebackers coach. Dan Werner and Matt Luke are the two co-offensive coordinators. Werner will coach the quarterbacks, while Luke will coach the offensive line. Both Werner and Luke served previous stints on the Ole Miss staff, and Luke played at Ole Miss. Grant Heard, who also played at Ole Miss, will coach the receivers. Maurice Harris will coach the tight ends and serve as recruiting coordinator for the offense.

On the mend: Linebacker D.T. Shackelford (knee), offensive lineman Darone Bailey (knee) and linebacker Keith Lewis (shoulder) will all miss the spring. Shackelford had a second surgery on his left knee in January. He missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in the spring. Freeze said a few players would miss this first weekend for academic reasons, including sophomore receiver/cornerback Nickolas Brassell.

On the move: Sophomore Aaron Morris will open the spring at offensive tackle. He started five games at left guard last season as a true freshman. Junior Charles Sawyer could see action at both cornerback and safety again this season, while Brassell factors in as both a receiver and cornerback.

Key battle: After what the Rebels went through last season, settling on a quarterback has to be at the top of their agenda. Junior college newcomer Bo Wallace is the guy to beat, but he also has to go out there and earn the job. He already knows Freeze’s offense, which should give him an advantage. Seniors Randall Mackey and Zack Stoudt split up most of the starts last season, although they combined for nine touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. Junior Barry Brunetti, who transferred from West Virginia, will also be vying for the starting job. He started the opener last season for the Rebels, but didn’t play much after that.

New faces: Wallace is the obvious one after setting all sorts of passing records last season at East Mississippi Community College. It would probably be an upset if he’s not the Rebels’ starting quarterback in the fall. Three other junior college newcomers are also on campus. Pierce Burton of City College of San Francisco was highly rated among junior college offensive tackles and will be one to watch at left tackle. Dehendret Collins of Copiah-Lincoln (Kan.) Community College will push for playing time at cornerback, and Bailey could crack the offensive line rotation once he fully recovers from his torn ACL. He played at Coahoma (Miss.) Community College, but hurt his knee in the second game last season.

Breaking out: Sawyer was a very good player last season for Ole Miss. He has what it takes next season to develop into an All-SEC player and maybe even an All-American. He has excellent speed. He’s versatile, and he has a knack for making the big play. Look for Sawyer to also take on more of a leadership role.

Don’t forget about: Junior running back Jeff Scott was eighth in the SEC last season in all-purpose yardage with an average of 101.4 yards per game. But he was suspended for the last two games and may miss some practice time this spring because of academics. The 5-foot-7, 175-pound Scott is one of only three scholarship running backs on the roster and figures to play a key role in the fall, but he’s going to need some help. Senior Devin Thomas returns, and sophomore Nicholas Parker has dropped 20 pounds. Freshman I’Tavius Mathers of Murfreesboro, Tenn., will be on campus this summer and won’t have to wait long to show what he can do.

All eyes on: Sophomore receiver Donte Moncrief was one of the more dynamic true freshmen in the league last season. He led the Rebels in catches (31), receiving yards (454) and touchdown catches (four). The 6-2, 214-pound Moncrief averaged 14.6 yards per catch and should make even more big plays his second time through the league. The Rebels are going to need him to, especially with such an unproven running game.

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.

We all know that football season never ends in the SEC. Well, it’s cranking back up in earnest next week, at least the spring version, when LSU opens spring practice Thursday.

As usual, there’s a lot that’s new in the SEC, including coaches and even a pair of new teams. Missouri settles into the Eastern Division and Texas A&M into the Western Division.

And while the league lost its share of star players, plenty of star power returns.

We’ll kick off our SEC spring preview with the West, home to the past three national champions, including Alabama this past season.

So without further ado …

ALABAMA

Spring practice starts: March 9
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• McCarron takes charge: As a first-year starter this past season, quarterback AJ McCarron was more of a caretaker on offense for the Crimson Tide and performed well in that role. But next season, he will be asked to do more and will also need to take on more of a leadership role. He played his best game on the biggest stage in the BCS National Championship Game, so he enters this spring with a lot of momentum. If he takes the kind of step Alabama fans hope he will, the Tide will be a load on offense again in 2012.
• Shuffling the deck up front: Replacing veteran center William Vlachos won’t be easy. He’s been a rock in the middle of that offensive line for the past three seasons. Alabama could end up replacing him with another rock. Outland Trophy winner Barrett Jones will get a long look at center this spring after playing left tackle this past season and left guard the season before that. One of the keys for the Tide up front is Cyrus Kouandjio, who had his freshman season cut short by a knee injury. Physically, he’s exactly what you’re looking for at left tackle. However it shakes out, the Tide will get their best five on the field.
• Reloading on defense: Most of the marquee playmakers on defense are gone, and the Tide were gutted in the secondary. But junior college cornerbacks Travell Dixon and Deion Belue are on campus and will be tossed into the mix this spring. It’s also a big spring for rising sophomore safety Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix, and Alabama will be looking for a few more finishers when it comes to rushing the passer and a nose guard to replace steady Josh Chapman. One option may be sliding Jesse Williams inside, although the Alabama coaches like what he gave them at end during his first season on campus.

ARKANSAS

Spring practice starts: March 14
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Getting defensive: There’s a reason Paul Haynes is now calling the shots on defense for Arkansas. The Hogs simply had not made the kind of strides on that side of the ball that coach Bobby Petrino felt like they needed to make if they were going to break through and play for a national championship. Haynes comes over from Ohio State and brings with him an attacking approach. Arkansas fans liked what they saw in the Cotton Bowl, but replacing departing seniors Jake Bequette, Jerry Franklin, Jerico Nelson and Tramain Thomas won’t be easy.
• Ask and you shall receive: The Big Three are gone -- Jarius Wright, Joe Adams and Greg Childs. They comprised the heart of the Hogs’ talented receiving corps for the past three seasons and made a lot of plays. Now, it’s Cobi Hamilton's time to be the leader with a whole cast of less familiar faces jockeying to get into that starting equation this spring. It’s a chance for guys like Marquel Wade, Quinta Funderburk, Julian Horton and Javontee Herndon to show what they can do. Don’t forget about Chris Gragg, who returns as one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the SEC.
• Jewel of the Knile: There were some rumblings that Knile Davis was going to give it a go at the end of last season after fracturing his ankle in the preseason. It didn’t make sense to rush things, though, and Davis should be fully healthy for the 2012 season. How much he does this spring remains to be seen, but you know it’s important for him to at least be out there and getting back into the feel of football. He was doing some things at the end of practice last season. Obviously, the most important thing is to make sure he’s ready to go come September when the season begins, but the spring will provide a glimpse of where he is with his recovery. If he returns to the same form as the 2010 season, Arkansas fans are salivating at the thought of that offense with Tyler Wilson slinging it and Davis running it.

AUBURN

Spring practice starts: March 21
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Defensive restructuring: It was a nightmarish season a year ago for Auburn’s defense, making it no surprise to anybody that Gene Chizik overhauled things on that side of the ball. Only defensive line coach Mike Pelton remains in the same position. Everything else will be new on defense, including Brian VanGorder taking over as coordinator. Willie Martinez joins the staff as the secondary coach, and Tommy Thigpen moves from coaching safeties to coaching linebackers. The Tigers return most of their key players on defense, and youth was certainly an issue last season. But VanGorder’s challenge is getting this unit to play with more consistency and to be more fundamentally sound, particularly when it comes to tackling.
• Quarterback quandary: Scot Loeffler steps in as the Tigers’ new offensive coordinator, and right off the bat, he has to settle on a starting quarterback. In the past, Auburn has taken its time with that decision. We’ll see if that changes with Loeffler. Clint Moseley has the most experience and finished last season as Auburn’s starter, but rising sophomore Kiehl Frazier has been around long enough now that he should have his first legitimate chance to win the job. One of the things Frazier has to prove this spring is that he can throw the ball well enough to be the every-down starter. True freshman Zeke Pike is also on campus and will practice this spring.
• Making plays: With Michael Dyer now at Arkansas State, the Tigers have to find somebody else to lean on offensively. Dyer was the Tigers’ offense last season. There are plenty of candidates. Onterio McCalebb would be at the top of that list, and Tigers are also keeping their fingers crossed that receivers Emory Blake and Trovon Reed can stay healthy this season. But finding roles for guys like Tre Mason and Quan Bray will be equally important this spring. Both are supremely talented with the ball in their hands, and the Tigers need to find ways to get them both a lot of touches next season.

LSU

Spring practice starts: March 1
Spring game: March 31

What to watch:

• Forgetting the past: As memorable as last season was for LSU, the way it ended has been difficult for anybody on the Bayou to forget. The 21-0 loss to Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game was a serious downer after 13 straight wins against a killer schedule and still has a lot of LSU fans fuming. The best thing for the Tigers is simply getting back onto the practice field and putting the past behind them once and for all. This will be an extremely talented team once again, but a team that everyone will expect to be right back in the championship race in 2012. Developing the right kind of chemistry and leadership will be critical, and that starts this spring.
• Passing fancy: LSU coach Les Miles has already said that the Tigers will throw the ball more next season, and a big reason is because Zach Mettenberger steps in at quarterback. The Tigers have been spotty in the passing game each of the past two seasons, but throwing the ball downfield and hitting big plays in the passing game is what Mettenberger does best. This spring will be his first chance to be “The Man” for the Tigers, and a big part of that is gaining the trust, confidence and faith in all of the players around him on offense. With all the pieces in place to be a strong running team again, LSU could really take off offensively if Mettenberger has a big season throwing the ball.
• Looking for linebackers: Go back and look at LSU’s signing class, and it’s obvious the Tigers felt like they needed to reload at linebacker. There will be a ton of competition for starting spots this spring at linebacker with a lot of new faces in that mix. Defensive coordinator John Chavis puts a premium on speed, which means you don’t have to be 240 pounds to play linebacker for him. He’s also proven that he’s not afraid to play young guys if they’re ready. This will be a big spring for rising junior Tahj Jones, who has the speed and athleticism to be a perfect fit in Chavis’ system.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Spring practice starts: March 22
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Tyler Russell’s time: With Chris Relf gone, it’s Russell’s time to show what he can do as the Bulldogs’ full-time starter. He made four starts toward the end of this past season, and throwing the football from the pocket is his forte. Russell still needs to polish up on all of the other things it takes to be a good quarterback in this league, and the Bulldogs also need to create some depth at the position. Look for Dak Prescott to get a lot of work this spring, especially with Russell still nursing the knee he banged up during bowl practice. Prescott redshirted last season and will be a redshirt freshman.
• Drawing a line: The Bulldogs are eager to get junior college newcomers Dylan Holley and Charles Siddoway on the field and see where they fit in up front in the offensive line and if they’re going to be ready to go in the season opener. Holley projects as a center, but could also play guard. Siddoway will get a shot at the Bulldogs’ left tackle job. Sorting out things across the board on the offensive line will be a priority for Mississippi State this spring.
• Safety valve: The good news is that Mississippi returns two experienced cornerbacks in Johnthan Banks and Corey Broomfield, but veteran safety Charles Mitchell is gone. What’s more, Nickoe Whitley tore his Achilles tendon in the Alabama game and won’t be full strength this spring. So finding some reinforcements at safety will be important. Some of the younger guys like Jamerson Love, Dee Arrington and Jay Hughes will have big opportunities to show what they can do, and cornerback Darius Slay could also get a look at safety.

OLE MISS

Spring practice starts: March 23
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• The big Freeze: First-year Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze wants to run a power spread similar to what Arkansas State ran on offense last season. One of the toughest parts of that transition will be getting the offensive line up to speed. Freeze isn’t sure what Ole Miss has returning in the offensive line is tailor-made for a power offense, which means the Rebels’ coaches have some coaching and some recruiting to do. Addressing the offensive line, period, will be a big priority this spring, especially with offensive tackle Bobby Massie deciding to turn pro.
• Wallace on display: One of the things that held the Rebels back last season on offense was that they were never able to get any consistency at the quarterback position. There are still a couple of different options, but junior college newcomer Bo Wallace is probably the front-runner to win the job. He’s on campus and will go through spring practice and isn’t a stranger to Freeze’s offense. Wallace started his career at Arkansas State and redshirted in 2010 when Freeze was the offensive coordinator there. More than anything, Freeze is looking for some real competition at the position with Randall Mackey, Zack Stoudt and Barry Brunetti all returning.
• Recovering on defense: It was a rough season for the Rebels defensively a year ago, and a lot of that was because they were on the field for much of the season. Getting a healthy D.T. Shackelford back at linebacker is huge after he missed all of last season with a torn ACL suffered last spring. It will be interesting to see how much he does in this spring practice. Either way, just having him back out there should help from a leadership standpoint and getting that edge back defensively. The Rebels need to find more finishers up front defensively after finishing 110th nationally with just 13 sacks in 12 games. Creating more turnovers is also a must. Ole Miss finished with 17 a season ago, which was tied for 95th nationally.

TEXAS A&M

Spring practice starts: March 31
Spring game: April 28

What to watch:

• Sumlin takes over: First-year coach Kevin Sumlin takes over in College Station, and the spring will be his first real chance to place his stamp on the program. He’s already said that all jobs are open and purposely didn’t watch any film from the 2011 regular season. He wants to make his own evaluations on the field, which means there will be some serious auditions going on this spring. Sumlin ran a wide-open spread offense at Houston because that’s the kind of personnel he had. He’ll certainly modify his system to fit his personnel this first season at Texas A&M, which likely means running the ball more given the Aggies’ returning experience in the offensive line and their stable of backs.
• Quarterback hunting: One of Sumlin’s first orders of business is finding a quarterback, and there’s at least four candidates on campus. The only guy with any game experience (and it’s not much) is rising sophomore Jameill Showers, who backed up Ryan Tannehill last season. The other two returnees are Johnny Manziel and Matt Joeckel, both of whom will be redshirt freshmen. Manziel is more of a runner, while the 6-4, 230-pound Joeckel is a pocket passer. Sumlin knows at least a little bit about Showers, Manziel and Joeckel. He recruited all three at Houston. There’s also true freshman Matt Davis, who’s already enrolled and will go through spring practice.
• Finishing the drill: As all Texas A&M fans are well aware, the Aggies weren’t what you could call a second-half team last season. In fact, they were far from it, and time and time again wilted in the second half. Sumlin has made it known that one of his goals is for the program to toughen up both physically and mentally. In five of the Aggies’ six losses last season, they were ahead at halftime or at some point in the second half. The defense absorbed much of the blame and definitely has to improve as Texas A&M makes the jump to the SEC, but Sumlin wants to make sure this spring that he instills a programwide toughness that carries over into the fall.

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.

We turn our attention to the Ole Miss Rebels in today's installment of the offseason spotlight.

Spotlight: Linebacker D.T. Shackelford, 6-foot-1, 250 pounds, rising junior

2011 summary: Shackelford didn't play at all last season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during spring practice in April. As a sophomore in 2010, he led the Rebels with five sacks and was second on the team with nine tackles for loss.

The skinny: Shackelford's knee injury was devastating for the Rebels a year ago. He was their finisher on defense and one of those players who routinely changes the complexion of games with big plays. He was also their heartbeat in the locker room, the kind of leader you simply don't replace overnight. The good news going into spring practice is that Shackelford will have had almost a year of rehabilitation since the injury. When the season begins in September, it will have been almost 16 months. Even if it takes him a while longer to get all the way back to where he was physically before the injury, the Rebels will still have their rock back on defense. It's been a while since he's played in a football game, so these next few months, and especially spring practice, will be big for him just to get back out there with his teammates. The Rebels will obviously be careful with him in the spring and not take any chances, but his mere presence on the practice field and the knowledge that he's going to be there in the fall will be therapeutic for a defense that finished last in the SEC last season in total defense.

We officially said goodbye to the 2011 season Monday night and crowned the Alabama Crimson Tide as college football's new champions. Now, it's time to shift our focus to 2012. Here's to hoping the Mayans were wrong:

1. Alabama: The defense will get hit the hardest by graduation and the NFL draft, but Alabama's offense should be better. While it's almost a forgone conclusion that junior running back Trent Richardson will declare for the NFL draft, Alabama returns a veteran offensive line, has a good set of up-and-coming receivers and has some pretty talented running backs to work with, including pounder Eddie Lacy. Oh, and that quarterback ain't too bad, either.

2. LSU: The Tigers might have come up short in the big one, but it's not like LSU is going anywhere. That defense that ranked second nationally was made up by a slew of youngsters. LSU returns double-digit starters next year, including most of its front seven. A major bright spot for this team is that former Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger will now get his chance, and has skill that Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee lacked.

3. Georgia: The Bulldogs might return more starters next year than LSU. After surpassing expectations and challenging LSU for the SEC title, the Bulldogs should enter next fall as the favorites in the SEC East. Stud quarterback Aaron Murray returns and so do most of his weapons. With arguably the easiest schedule (again) in the SEC, Mark Richt will be expected to take his Dawgs back to Atlanta.

4. South Carolina: There won't be any sleeping on the Gamecocks in 2012. After getting 11 wins for only the second time in school history, South Carolina should compete for the SEC East for the third straight year. The Gamecocks return a slew of talent, especially on defense, and saw tremendous improvement in quarterback Connor Shaw. Also, running back Marcus Lattimore should be back and healthy after his devastating season-ending knee injury.

5. Arkansas: The Razorbacks will lose a lot of key players that have helped Arkansas get to where it is under Bobby Petrino. Defensively, five seniors will say goodbye, while the offense will lose three NFL wide receivers. However, that offensive line, which grew up as the season progressed, will be much better and star running back Knile Davis should be back and healthy. Quarterback Tyler Wilson is back, so there shouldn't be much dip in the passing game even with some new faces at receiver.

6. Auburn: Those youngsters on the Plains will be more mature and much improved in 2012. That has to be a scary thought for other SEC members. Auburn doesn't lose much from its 2011 team and gets a great addition to the defensive side of the ball in new defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder. Offensively, there are weapons everywhere, but the key will be finding the right quarterback ... again.

7. Florida: Will Muschamp's first year as the Gators' head coach didn't go as planned, but there is still a lot of talent in Gainesville, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Florida loses just one starter on defense and should have one of the fastest, most aggressive defensive units around the SEC. Getting that offense going will be key to Muschamp's second year, but with all that turnover, it should be a fresh start for this unit.

8. Missouri: This new group of Tigers enters 2012 as a factor in the SEC East. Missouri returns nearly everyone from 2011, including quarterback James Franklin and running back Henry Josey, who both put up solid numbers in 2011. The Tigers will no doubt hit some snags as they transition into their new home, but with all the talent that returns, Missouri won't be a pushover in its first year in the SEC.

9. Tennessee: Derek Dooley has the pieces in place on both sides of the ball to compete in the SEC East. That young defense won't be so young in 2012 and quarterback Tyler Bray returns with his deep-threat sidekicks at wide receiver. With a solid offensive line, the next step for Tennessee is to find a consistent running back to help take the pressure off of the passing game. There's a lot of pressure on Dooley to get things done, and he has the talent to in 2012.

10. Texas A&M: The Aggies have the pleasure of entering the SEC as a Western Division team. That's not exactly a warm welcome. It doesn't help that Texas A&M is losing a ton from its 2011 team. There could be six NFL draft picks who won't be back in College Station next season. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill and top safety Trent Hunter are gone, and so is receiver Jeff Fuller. Christine Michael should do well as Cyrus Gray's replacement at running back, but the core of this team will be gone.

11. Vanderbilt: Year 1 of the James Franklin era was a success and there shouldn't be a lot of drop-off for the Commodores next season. Vandy loses top defenders Chris Marve, Tim Fugger and Casey Hayward, but a lot of veterans return on that side of the ball. Jordan Rodgers is back at quarterback, Zac Stacy returns at running back and wide receivers Chris Boyd and Jordan Matthews will be back. Running back and specialist Warren Norman should be back too and the offensive line returns four starters.

12. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs lose a lot on both sides of the ball in 2012, but should have a top cornerback combo in Johnthan Banks and Corey Broomfield. Losing Fletcher Cox up front will leave a hole on the defensive line and saying goodbye to linebacker Brandon Wilson won't be easy. Tyler Russell will probably get the first crack at quarterback for the Bulldogs, but he will be without his safety net in running back Vick Ballard. The good thing is that the receivers are back, but this team will have to grow up in a hurry.

13. Kentucky: The offensive line will have some missing pieces in 2012 and the defense loses six starters, including star linebacker Danny Trevathan. Maxwell Smith and Morgan Newton will battle at quarterback, but with how 2011 ended, Smith might have the advantage. This team struggled mightily on offense and the problem was that there wasn't a lot of improvement throughout the year. The offseason should be dedicated to find ways to get this offense moving.

14. Ole Miss: Hugh Freeze steps into a tough situation at Ole Miss. His first order of business needs to be improving the discipline on this team. It was awful in 2011, and if Ole Miss wants to improve it has to clean that up. The defense should get a boost with leader D.T. Shackelford returning from his season-ending knee injury and offensive playmakers Jeff Scott, Donte Moncrief and Nickolas Brassell are back. The offensive line loses some key components, and the quarterback situation is far from figured out.

OLE MISS

Record: 2-10, 0-8 SEC

The 2011 season looked like it was going to start with such promise for Ole Miss.

The Rebels led 13-0 over BYU in the early minutes of the fourth quarter in the season opener. They were playing great defense and had Vaught-Hemingway Stadium rocking. But the bottom fell out in the fourth quarter, and BYU came storming back to win 14-13.

It was a microcosm of the entire season for Ole Miss, which hit rock bottom. The Rebels limped to a 2-10 finish, their worst record since 1946, and saw their SEC losing streak reach 14 consecutive games dating back to the 2010 season.

Following the 30-13 loss to Kentucky on Nov. 5, coach Houston Nutt was fired, although he was allowed to finish out the season. The Rebels never won again, scoring a total of 13 points in their final three games.

It was offensive nightmare for the Rebels all season. They played three different quarterbacks and finished with nine touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. Top running back Brandon Bolden broke his foot in the opener. He was able to return later in season, but the senior captain was one of four players suspended for the Alabama game.

There were multiple suspensions throughout the year, and the Rebels ended the season on a seven-game losing streak.

Defensively, Ole Miss showed signs of improvement early on, but was decimated by key injuries. It actually started in the spring when top linebacker D.T. Shackelford tore his ACL and was lost for the season. The Rebels sorely missed his productivity and leadership.

Offensive MVP: Receiver Donte Moncrief. There’s some young talent returning next season, and Moncrief is right there at the top of the list. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound freshman led the Rebels with 31 receptions, and he was also the team leader with four touchdown catches. Already mature beyond his years, Moncrief’s best days are ahead of him.

Defensive MVP: Cornerback Charles Sawyer. Even though he was just a sophomore, Sawyer was forced to take on a leadership role for the Rebels on defense and turned in a solid season all the way around. He finished second on the team with 70 total tackles and also had a team-leading four interceptions.

Turning point: The season-opening loss to BYU was disappointing, but the 30-7 loss to Vanderbilt two weeks later was the beginning of the end for Nutt. The Rebels were thoroughly outplayed and outcoached and were never the same again.

What’s next: Earlier this week, Ole Miss announced Hugh Freeze as Nutt’s successor. Freeze spent this season as the head coach at Arkansas State and guided the Red Wolves to a 10-2 record and Sun Belt Conference championship. He’s a native of Senatobia, Miss., and worked as an assistant on the Ole Miss staff from 2005-07. He has his work cut out, particularly in the rigorous Western Division. But his most pressing task is catching up with archrival Mississippi State, which has won three consecutive Egg Bowls.

Checking out some links around the SEC.

• Arkansas fullback Kiero Small is making a big impact for the Razorbacks during preseason camp.
• Alabama running back Eddie Lacy is ready to show what he can do this season.
• Florida coach Will Muschamp is pleased with the Gators' progress, but is having to deal with depth issues at the same time.
• LSU wide receiver Russell Shepard isn't concerned with his housing controversy, only his performance on the field.
• Freshman defensive tackle Anthony Johnson's freakish ability should give a chance to see the field early at LSU.
• With D.T. Shackelford out, Joel Kight is being put on the spot in Ole Miss' defense.
• Mississippi State's defensive ends might lack size and experience, but they certainly don't think they lack talent.
• South Carolina is looking to improve it's secondary during preseason camp.
• Defensive tackle Maurice Couch is relishing his new opportunity at Tennessee.
• Vanderbilt's offense features playmakers at the tight end position.

HOOVER, Ala. -- Superman lives.

Ole Miss senior defensive end Kentrell Lockett, or "Superman" to his fans, is back and ready to exact his revenge on skittish quarterbacks around the SEC.

Lockett, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility after suffering an ACL injury early last season, says he's fully healthy and ready for his last romp through the SEC.

Lockett skipped spring practice to recover more, but insists that he hasn't lost any quickness or mobility.

"It's a knee. A knee heals. Nothing happened to anything else," he said. "I still can tackle, still can run, still can jump, so I'm going to play ball."

Getting Lockett, who was a first-team All-SEC selection by the media, not only improves Ole Miss' defense, especially in the pass rush, but adds a crucial element in the leadership category -- an area that suffered a major blow this spring with the season-ending injury to linebacker D.T. Shackelford. Lockett's outgoing and charismatic personality instantly lifts his teammates up and having him on the field this fall will be even more beneficial for the Rebels.

"Means so much to get it back," coach Houston Nutt said. "He is a tremendous leader for us. He does so much with his teammates. He's a winner. I think he's just about there. According to our doctors, he's just about 100 percent, so we expect him to be full go the first game."

Lockett said he felt game-ready late last season when he shed this crutches, and with the season just around the corner, Lockett said his knee is better than it was before he suffered his injury.

"I've made tremendous strides," he said.

"I feel like I'm myself again. I feel like I can do anything now."

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."

We’re starting to see the normal attrition across the league, players leaving on their own accord or being asked to leave.

If you toss in a few of the injured players who aren’t expected to play next season, you could put together a pretty decent team of those SEC players who have either moved on or won’t be on the field this fall for various reasons.

Here’s a sampling:

OFFENSE

• Nathan Stanley, QB, Ole Miss
• Washaun Ealey, RB, Georgia
• Broderick Green, RB, Arkansas (injured)
• Mike Blakely, RB, Florida
• Eric Smith, H-back, Auburn
• Shaun Kitchens, WR, Auburn
• Trinton Sturdivant, OL, Georgia (injured)
• Brent Benedict, OL, Georgia
• A.J. Harmon, OL, Georgia
• Seth Oxner, OL, Arkansas
• Alex Smith, TE, Kentucky

DEFENSE

• Chris Martin, DE, Florida
• Kerry Murphy, NG, Alabama (injured)
• Montori Hughes, DT, Tennessee
• D.T. Shackelford, LB, Ole Miss (injured)
• Clarence Jackson, LB, Ole Miss
• Janoris Jenkins, CB, Florida
• B.J. Scott, CB, Alabama
• Mike McNeil, S, Auburn
• Robby Green, S, Alabama

We take a closer look today at a key member of Ole Miss' staff.

Coach: Tyrone Nix

Position: Defensive coordinator and linebackers

Experience: He's entering his fourth season on the Ole Miss staff and was promoted to assistant head coach in January 2010. Prior to coming to Oxford, Nix was the defensive coordinator at South Carolina for three seasons from 2005-07 under Steve Spurrier. Nix spent 10 years on the Southern Miss staff from 1995-2004 and coached every position on defense. During his final four seasons at Southern Miss, he was the Golden Eagles' defensive coordinator. Ole Miss has finished among the top 20 teams nationally in tackles for loss all three of Nix's seasons as defensive coordinator.

Of note: The Rebels have generated more than 30 sacks in each of Nix's three seasons as defensive coordinator. They finished with 31 last season, 36 in 2009 and 39 in 2008. ... Nix, 38, got his first job as a defensive coordinator in 2001 at Southern Miss when he was just 29, making him the youngest Division I-A defensive coordinator in the country. ... In 2003, Nix was a finalist for the Broyles Award, which is given annually to the nation's top assistant coach. ... He played collegiately at Southern Miss from 1990-93 and was a standout linebacker. He was inducted in 2003 into the Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame. ... Former Florida coach Urban Meyer tried to hire Nix as the Gators' defensive coordinator when Charlie Strong took the head coaching job at Louisville following the 2009 season, but Nix stayed put at Ole Miss and received a hefty raise. He made $500,000 last season and will earn $550,000 in 2011.

His challenge: The Ole Miss defense took it on the chin last season, finishing 11th in the SEC in total defense and giving up just under 400 yards per game. Not much went right for Nix and the Rebels' defense, which was decimated by injuries and inexperience in the secondary. The Rebels gave up 24 touchdown passes and intercepted only six passes. Nix's first order of business in 2011 is seeing to it that his team rekindles that same edge and attacking, aggressive style that epitomized the 2008 and 2009 Ole Miss defensive units. Somewhere along the way, the Rebels lost that edge a year ago. And as linebackers coach, Nix faces a major rebuilding task. His top returning defender, junior D.T. Shackelford, tore up his knee in the spring and isn't expected back this season. Shackelford was the Rebels' weak side linebacker and also lined up some at defensive end. If that's not enough, sophomore linebacker Clarence Jackson was kicked off the team in May following his second arrest in nine months. Jackson ended the spring as the starter at weak side linebacker. The Rebels had already lost a pair of senior starters at linebacker from a year ago -- Jonathan Cornell and Allen Walker. Nix is high on sophomore Mike Marry and junior Joel Kight, but there's not much in the way of proven depth at linebacker. Incoming true freshman C.J. Johnson will almost certainly have to play right away. It helps that defensive end Kentrell Lockett was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, but he's coming off a serious knee injury. The Rebels could really use big years from a couple of junior college transfers, namely nose guard Gilbert Pena and cornerback Wesley Pendleton, and it's a defense that needs something good to happen early to help build some momentum. Last season, it was just the opposite. The bottom fell out in that season-opening 49-48 overtime loss to Jacksonville State, and it was a struggle the rest of the way for Nix's guys.

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.

Most of the news concerning Ole Miss’ defense -- especially its secondary -- lately hasn’t been great.

The Rebels lost defensive standout -- and emotional leader -- D.T. Shackelford this spring. Then, coach Houston Nutt dismissed linebacker Clarence Jackson and defensive end Delvin Jones just days after both were after arrested for public drunkenness.

Let’s not forget the defense as a whole has a lot of questions surrounding it heading into the 2011 season.
Well, the Rebels’ defense finally got some good news -- and at just the right area, too.

Defensive back Denzel Nkemdiche, which is pronounced kim-DEECH-ee (thank you, Ole Miss), signed a financial aid agreement with Ole Miss and is expected to be available to play for the Rebels this fall.

Nkemdiche, of Loganville, Ga., is a member of Ole Miss’ 2011 class. Originally, Nkemdiche signed with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in February because it was thought that he would be an academic non-qualifier. Earlier this week, Nkemdiche received the news that he had gotten a high enough score on his SAT to be cleared academically.

Due to NCAA rules, Nkemdiche can’t sign a letter of intent because the LOI period ended on April 1, but he was allowed to sign the financial aid agreement. Technically, he won’t officially be counted as an Ole Miss recruit until he attends his first day of classes this summer.

"Denzel helps our numbers in the defensive backfield immensely," Nutt said in a release. "He is physical and very fast. He is a blitzer who tackles fundamentally sound, and most importantly, he finds the football. With his versatility, he provides a lot of options."

The 5-foot-11, 198-pound athlete could wind up playing safety for the Rebels, but there was a shortage of cornerback numbers this spring. He recorded 101 tackles, including 18 for loss, eight sacks and three interception returns for touchdowns as a senior. On offense, he rushed for 192 yards and three scores on 39 carries.

The addition of Nkemdiche brings some much-needed help to the Rebels’ secondary. Ole Miss worked with just three scholarship cornerbacks this spring. The Rebels have better depth at safety, but as a whole, the unit is still unproven.

The Rebels do return senior starter Damien Jackson at free safety, and sophomores Brishen Matthews and Frank Crawford are also back. Ole Miss also got some good production out of junior college transfers Ivan Nicholas and Josh Shipp this spring.