SEC: Dan Mullen
2011 overall record: 7-6
2011 conference record: 2-6
Returning starters: Offense: 5; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 1
Top returners
QB Tyler Russell, RB LaDarius Perkins, WR Chad Bumphis, WR Arceto Clark, OG Gabe Jackson, DT Josh Boyd, LB Cameron Lawrence, CB Johnthan Banks, S Nickoe Whitley
Key losses
QB Chris Relf, RB Vick Ballard, OG Quentin Saulsberry, DT Fletcher Cox, LB Brandon Wilson, S Charles Mitchell
2011 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Vick Ballard (1,189 yards)
Passing: Chris Relf (1,212 yards)
Receiving: Arceto Clark* (442 yards)
Tackles: Cameron Lawrence* (123)
Sacks: Fletcher Cox (5)
Interceptions: Johnthan Banks* (5)
Spring answers
1. Turning the corner: With Darius Slay having a huge spring, the Bulldogs should be well stocked at cornerback. Slay didn’t arrive from junior college until last summer, so he was sort of feeling his way around the league last season. But he looked much more comfortable this spring, and the Mississippi State coaches feel like they have three starters at cornerback. Johnthan Banks and Corey Broomfield combined for 21 interceptions over the past three seasons, and Banks is being projected as a first-round draft choice next April.
2. Running back depth: Vick Ballard’s toughness and consistency make him a tough component to replace in Mississippi State’s offense, but the Bulldogs exited the spring trying to figure out how they’re going to play four running backs in the fall. It’s always a plus to have that kind of depth in the SEC, and all four are a little bit different. Speedy junior LaDarius Perkins and 225-pound sophomore Nick Griffin complement each other perfectly, and both are big-play threats. Redshirt freshman Josh Robinson is a blur in the open field, while redshirt freshman Derrick Milton is a punishing runner.
3. Autry off the edge: The Bulldogs needed a finisher off the edge, and it looks like they’ve found him in junior college newcomer Denico Autry. Throughout the spring, Autry was a fixture in the backfield and combines a quick first step with an aggressive in-your-face approach to rushing the passer. He was one of the top junior college prospects in the country, and judging from his performance in the spring, he has a chance to be a real difference-maker for the Bulldogs in 2012.
Fall questions
1. Replacing Cox: When Fletcher Cox got it going during the second half of the season last year, there was no stopping him. He made everybody on that defense better. Now that he’s gone early to the pros, one man’s not going to replace him. Everybody in the middle of that defensive line will need to elevate his game, starting with Josh Boyd. The good news is that Boyd is plenty capable, although it’s not going to be the same without Cox playing alongside him. Freshman Quay Evans was an early enrollee and demonstrated this spring why he was one of the top tackle prospects in the country. He won’t have to wait long to get onto the field.
2. Passing game consistency: Tyler Russell took the kind of steps this spring Dan Mullen was hoping to see. Throwing the ball from the pocket is what he does best. He still has to prove he’s going to take care of the ball, and the Bulldogs have to prove they can protect him. Mullen is encouraged by this group of receivers, and 6-4 redshirt freshman Joe Morrow has a chance to be special. The key is putting it all together and getting more production, period, out of the passing game than the Bulldogs did a year ago.
3. Tightening up special teams: The Bulldogs figure to be in a lot of close games in 2012, which means making field goals from 45 yards on in will be critical. Derek DePasquale is gone, and Brian Egan, a former Parade All-American, will get a chance to prove that he can make big kicks for the Bulldogs. They also need to make the return game a weapon and have the athletes to do it (Chad Bumphis, Jameon Lewis and Banks), while shoring up their coverage on kickoffs will be equally important. In short, if the Bulldogs are going to get back to winning eight or more games, special teams will be the difference.
2011 conference record: 2-6
Returning starters: Offense: 5; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 1
Top returners
QB Tyler Russell, RB LaDarius Perkins, WR Chad Bumphis, WR Arceto Clark, OG Gabe Jackson, DT Josh Boyd, LB Cameron Lawrence, CB Johnthan Banks, S Nickoe Whitley
Key losses
QB Chris Relf, RB Vick Ballard, OG Quentin Saulsberry, DT Fletcher Cox, LB Brandon Wilson, S Charles Mitchell
2011 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Vick Ballard (1,189 yards)
Passing: Chris Relf (1,212 yards)
Receiving: Arceto Clark* (442 yards)
Tackles: Cameron Lawrence* (123)
Sacks: Fletcher Cox (5)
Interceptions: Johnthan Banks* (5)
Spring answers
1. Turning the corner: With Darius Slay having a huge spring, the Bulldogs should be well stocked at cornerback. Slay didn’t arrive from junior college until last summer, so he was sort of feeling his way around the league last season. But he looked much more comfortable this spring, and the Mississippi State coaches feel like they have three starters at cornerback. Johnthan Banks and Corey Broomfield combined for 21 interceptions over the past three seasons, and Banks is being projected as a first-round draft choice next April.
2. Running back depth: Vick Ballard’s toughness and consistency make him a tough component to replace in Mississippi State’s offense, but the Bulldogs exited the spring trying to figure out how they’re going to play four running backs in the fall. It’s always a plus to have that kind of depth in the SEC, and all four are a little bit different. Speedy junior LaDarius Perkins and 225-pound sophomore Nick Griffin complement each other perfectly, and both are big-play threats. Redshirt freshman Josh Robinson is a blur in the open field, while redshirt freshman Derrick Milton is a punishing runner.
3. Autry off the edge: The Bulldogs needed a finisher off the edge, and it looks like they’ve found him in junior college newcomer Denico Autry. Throughout the spring, Autry was a fixture in the backfield and combines a quick first step with an aggressive in-your-face approach to rushing the passer. He was one of the top junior college prospects in the country, and judging from his performance in the spring, he has a chance to be a real difference-maker for the Bulldogs in 2012.
Fall questions
1. Replacing Cox: When Fletcher Cox got it going during the second half of the season last year, there was no stopping him. He made everybody on that defense better. Now that he’s gone early to the pros, one man’s not going to replace him. Everybody in the middle of that defensive line will need to elevate his game, starting with Josh Boyd. The good news is that Boyd is plenty capable, although it’s not going to be the same without Cox playing alongside him. Freshman Quay Evans was an early enrollee and demonstrated this spring why he was one of the top tackle prospects in the country. He won’t have to wait long to get onto the field.
2. Passing game consistency: Tyler Russell took the kind of steps this spring Dan Mullen was hoping to see. Throwing the ball from the pocket is what he does best. He still has to prove he’s going to take care of the ball, and the Bulldogs have to prove they can protect him. Mullen is encouraged by this group of receivers, and 6-4 redshirt freshman Joe Morrow has a chance to be special. The key is putting it all together and getting more production, period, out of the passing game than the Bulldogs did a year ago.
3. Tightening up special teams: The Bulldogs figure to be in a lot of close games in 2012, which means making field goals from 45 yards on in will be critical. Derek DePasquale is gone, and Brian Egan, a former Parade All-American, will get a chance to prove that he can make big kicks for the Bulldogs. They also need to make the return game a weapon and have the athletes to do it (Chad Bumphis, Jameon Lewis and Banks), while shoring up their coverage on kickoffs will be equally important. In short, if the Bulldogs are going to get back to winning eight or more games, special teams will be the difference.
Links time!
- Former Texas A&M coaches say Bill Byrne's shortcomings in football overshadowed his other successes as athletic director.
- LSU coach Les Miles said the missing 2011 national championship banner will provide motivation for the Tigers this year.
- LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis is eying more success with the Tigers.
- Highly touted quarterback Connor Mitch chooses South Carolina over LSU.
- Some notable Georgia football players are graduating Friday.
- Georgia coach Mark Richt talks safety in college football.
- Alabama coach Nick Saban talks success, Mal Moore and much more during his appearance in Birmingham.
- Auburn coach Gene Chizik is happy with "real competition" on the Tigers' lines.
- Dan Mullen is getting ready for Mississippi State's "Our State" tour.
- Former Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and Arkansas State will visit Auburn in 2013.
- Florida's defense is bulking up in 2012.
The good folks over at the SEC office delivered a plethora of post-spring notes for us to dive into as summer creeps closer and closer.
I've split it up by division, so you all aren't overwhelmed. We'll start with the SEC West:
ALABAMA
ARKANSAS
AUBURN
LSU
MISSISSIPPI STATE
OLE MISS
TEXAS A&M
I've split it up by division, so you all aren't overwhelmed. We'll start with the SEC West:
ALABAMA
- The attendance for A-Day was 78,526 (1st in the SEC and 2nd nationally this year to Ohio State) which was the fifth-largest in school history. Each spring game under coach Nick Saban has had an attendance of 78,200 (2008) or higher.
- As an SEC head coach (beginning in 2001 at LSU and 2007 at Alabama), Saban has totaled 73 NFL draft picks with 20 first-round selections and 10 among the top 10 overall.
- During the last academic year, Alabama’s football program led the SEC (in what is believed to be a conference record) with a total of 38 student-athletes on the Academic All-SEC Honor Roll. A total of 22 players were on the bowl roster who had already earned their degrees, which was tied for first nationally in terms of graduates on bowl rosters.
- Of Alabama’s 13 starters lost, all were either drafted or signed free -agent contracts with the NFL. Included among those 13 were the four first-rounders along with LB Courtney Upshaw (2nd round), NG Josh Chapman (5th round), DB DeQuan Menzie (5th round) and TE Brad Smelley (7th round). OG Alfred McCullough, WR Marquis Maze, WR Darius Hanks, C William Vlachos and LB Jerrell Harris each signed as free agents following the draft.
ARKANSAS
- Arkansas is the only team in the SEC to return a quarterback (Tyler Wilson) with a 3,000-yard passing season in his career and a running back (Knile Davis) with a 1,000-yard rushing season.
- Arkansas has been ranked in 32 straight Associated Press polls, tied for the seventh-longest active streak in the nation, and in the top 10 for nine straight polls, which also ranks seventh among active streaks in the country.
- Arkansas finished the 2011 season undefeated at home for the first time since 1999. With seven home victories in 2011, the Razorbacks have 19 wins at home in the past three years, which is tied for the fourth-highest total in the NCAA. Arkansas enters the 2012 season with an 11-game home winning streak, the fifth-longest active streak in the country.
- Kicker Zach Hocker enters his junior season as Arkansas' record holder for career field goal percentage with his success rate of 80.4 percent. He also ranks in the top 10 in school history in six other categories and finished the 2011 season second in the SEC in points per game, field goals made per game and touchback percentage.
AUBURN
- Auburn returns 48 lettermen (20 offense, 26 defense, 2 specialists). Of the 68 scholarship players who participated in spring drills, 61 percent (38) were underclassmen.
- The Tigers start the 2012 season in the same location as they finished the 2011 campaign, playing in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome. On Sept. 1, Auburn opens with Clemson in the Chick-fil-a Kickoff Game. The Tigers completed the 2011 season with a 43-24 victory over Virginia in the Chick-fil-a Bowl on Dec. 31. Auburn’s 2012 schedule features eight games against bowl participants from a year ago, including five that played in traditional New Year’s games.
- Junior punter Steven Clark, one of three finalists for last year’s Ray Guy Award, is one of two returning first team All-SEC honorees for Auburn, along with junior defensive end Corey Lemonier. Returnees Philip Lutzenkirchen (senior tight end) and Onterio McCalebb (senior all-purpose back) were second team all-SEC selections in 2011.
LSU
- The Tigers have four running backs coming back who had seven or more rushing touchdowns (Spencer Ware 8, Kenny Hilliard 8, Michael Ford, Alfred Blue 7).
- LSU has five returning offensive linemen with starts to their credit, led by C P.J. Lonergan with 26 and OG Josh Dworczyk with 26. Other linemen with career starts to their credit include LT Chris Faulk (13), RT Alex Hurst (23) and RG Josh Williford (9). A sixth offensive lineman – La’el Collins – came out of spring practice as possibly the starter at left guard.
- Defensively, LSU returns its top two tacklers (Tyrann Mathieu 76, Eric Reid 76) and its top two leaders in both tackles for loss (Barkevious Mingo 15.0, Sam Montgomery 13.5) and sacks (Montgomery 9.0, Mingo 8.0).
- LSU returns 11 players on defense that started at least one game a year ago, including five defensive linemen.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
- Mississippi State is one of only two SEC teams to bring back all 10 on-field coaches from last season. The entire staff continuity is a first in more than a decade (1999-2000) for the Bulldogs.
- Dan Mullen enters the 2012 campaign with 21 wins in his first three seasons, the second most in school history (Alllyn McKeen, 26, 1939-41). Mississippi State had only won 21 games over any three-year stretch eight times prior to Mullen’s arrival.
- Wide receiver Chad Bumphis enters the season with 101 career receptions, good for eighth in school history and 61 shy of David Smith’s (1968-70) record of 162. The Tupelo native needs five touchdowns to reach the school record of 17 held by Eric Moulds (1993-95) and Justin Jenkins (2000-03).
OLE MISS
- Five returning offensive linemen have each started five or more games in their career, including junior starting center Evan Swindall. Senior A.J. Hawkins and sophomore Aaron Morris settled in at the guards during the spring, while a pair of potential first-time starters, junior Emmanuel McCray and mid-year JUCO transfer Pierce Burton, have taken the lead at the tackles.
- Special teams remains a strength of the Rebels, led by 2010 NCAA punting champion and two-time All-SEC senior Tyler Campbell. In addition, senior K Bryson Rose has made 25 of 29 career field goals and 65-of-67 PATs.
- In the return game, junior running back Jeff Scott has established himself as a weapon during his career, ranking 20th in the country in kickoff returns in 2010 and helping Ole Miss finish third as a team nationally in punt returns in 2011.
TEXAS A&M
- Senior Dustin Harris enters the 2012 football season as the reigning punt return average statistical champion. The cornerback from Livingston, Texas, led the NCAA with a 18.9 average on 18 returns in 2011, with a 72-yard touchdown return against Kansas. Against the Jayhawks, Harris set a school record with 162 punt return yards.
- Senior Ryan Swope, from Austin, Texas, has career numbers of 180 catches for 2,204 yards and is chasing Jeff Fuller’s school records of 233 catches for 3,092 yards. Fuller’s records would appear to be within range after Swope’s record-setting junior season that saw him set school standards with 89 catches for 1,207 yards.
- The Aggies led the nation with 51 sacks in 2011 (six more than the second-best team), and A&M’s top two pass-rushing threats return in 2012. In fact, Texas A&M is the only team in the nation with two returnees that posted 8.5 or more sacks in 2011. Senior Sean Porter led the Big 12 with .73 sacks per game (No. 19 nationally), while junior Damontre Moore chipped in .71 per game (No. 21 nationally).
- Despite attempting the ninth most pass attempts in the NCAA FBS, the Aggies did a remarkable job of protecting their quarterback in 2011. In 13 games, A&M allowed just nine sacks for a NCAA-low 44 lost yards. Four of five starters return from the 2011 offensive front, including juniors-to-be OTs Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, who have been mentioned as first-round draft picks in several early 2013 mock drafts.
- The offensive line was penalized for holding just twice in 2011 and enters 2012 with a streak of 11 straight games without a holding call against a lineman.
Paul Johnson and Jon Barry of Georgia Tech successfully defended their Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge golf championship on Tuesday with a one stroke victory over the field to take home the $125,000 first-place scholarship prize.
Johnson and Barry finished at 10-under-par.
The top SEC team in the field was Mississippi State's Dan Mullen and Fred McCrary, who finished in a tie for fourth with Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer and Dell Curry. They finished at 8-under.
Alabama's Nick Saban and Johnny Mussa tied for sixth with Ohio State's Urban Meyer and Jeff Logan at 7-under.
The Ole Miss team of Hugh Freeze and Sean Tuohy, the South Carolina team of Steve Spurrier and Sterling Sharpe and the Tennessee team of Derek Dooley and Stanley Morgan finished in a five-way tie for eighth place with two other teams. They shot 6-under.
Johnson and Barry finished at 10-under-par.
The top SEC team in the field was Mississippi State's Dan Mullen and Fred McCrary, who finished in a tie for fourth with Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer and Dell Curry. They finished at 8-under.
Alabama's Nick Saban and Johnny Mussa tied for sixth with Ohio State's Urban Meyer and Jeff Logan at 7-under.
The Ole Miss team of Hugh Freeze and Sean Tuohy, the South Carolina team of Steve Spurrier and Sterling Sharpe and the Tennessee team of Derek Dooley and Stanley Morgan finished in a five-way tie for eighth place with two other teams. They shot 6-under.
The sixth annual Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge golf tournament is being played today at Reynolds Plantation outside Atlanta, and five SEC head coaches are part of the event.
The tournament consists of a 16-team field of NCAA head coaches and celebrity alumni. They compete in a two-man scramble format over 18 holes, vying for a first-place prize of $125,000 in scholarship funds. All participating teams will receive a portion of the $520,000 total scholarship purse.
The five SEC coaches playing are Alabama's Nick Saban, Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, Ole Miss' Hugh Freeze, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier and Tennessee's Derek Dooley. Spurrier and his playing partner, former South Carolina and Green Bay Packers star receiver Sterling Sharpe, won the event in 2008 and 2009. The defending champions are Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson and former Georgia Tech basketball star Jon Barry.
This year, the Ole Miss and Mississippi State teams are paired together, which makes you wonder if there will be many "school up north" references from Mullen.
Also, the North Carolina State and Tennessee teams are paired together. The Wolfpack and Vols will meet again in the 2012 football season opener in Atlanta.
Ohio State's Urban Meyer is the lone coach from outside the ACC or SEC playing. His team is paired with Georgia Tech. If the Chick-fil-A Bowl organizers really wanted to be creative, they would have put Meyer and Spurrier in the same pairing. Now, that would have been pure entertainment.
The tournament is being taped by ESPN and will be broadcast in August.
Here's a look at the pairings:
The tournament consists of a 16-team field of NCAA head coaches and celebrity alumni. They compete in a two-man scramble format over 18 holes, vying for a first-place prize of $125,000 in scholarship funds. All participating teams will receive a portion of the $520,000 total scholarship purse.
The five SEC coaches playing are Alabama's Nick Saban, Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, Ole Miss' Hugh Freeze, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier and Tennessee's Derek Dooley. Spurrier and his playing partner, former South Carolina and Green Bay Packers star receiver Sterling Sharpe, won the event in 2008 and 2009. The defending champions are Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson and former Georgia Tech basketball star Jon Barry.
This year, the Ole Miss and Mississippi State teams are paired together, which makes you wonder if there will be many "school up north" references from Mullen.
Also, the North Carolina State and Tennessee teams are paired together. The Wolfpack and Vols will meet again in the 2012 football season opener in Atlanta.
Ohio State's Urban Meyer is the lone coach from outside the ACC or SEC playing. His team is paired with Georgia Tech. If the Chick-fil-A Bowl organizers really wanted to be creative, they would have put Meyer and Spurrier in the same pairing. Now, that would have been pure entertainment.
The tournament is being taped by ESPN and will be broadcast in August.
Here's a look at the pairings:
| GROUP ONE | COACH/CELEBRITY | |
| Tennessee | Derek Dooley / Stanley Morgan | |
| NC State | Tom O'Brien / Tom Gugliotta | |
| GROUP TWO | ||
| Alabama | Nick Saban / Johnny Musso | |
| Virginia Tech ('07 champions) | Frank Beamer / Dell Curry | |
| GROUP THREE | ||
| Florida State ('10 Champions) | Jimbo Fisher / Terrell Buckley | |
| Miami | Al Golden / Gino Torretta | |
| GROUP FOUR | ||
| Maryland | Randy Edsall / Stan Gelbaugh | |
| Virginia | Mike London / Jim Dombrowski | |
| GROUP FIVE | ||
| Wake Forest | Jim Grobe / Riley Skinner | |
| Clemson | Dabo Swinney / Steve Fuller | |
| GROUP SIX | ||
| Georgia Tech ('11 Champions) | Paul Johnson / Jon Barry | |
| Ohio State | Urban Meyer / Jeff Logan | |
| GROUP SEVEN | ||
| North Carolina | Larry Fedora / Roy Williams | |
| South Carolina ('08, '09 Champions) | Steve Spurrier / Sterling Sharpe | |
| GROUP EIGHT | ||
| Mississippi State | Dan Mullen / Fred McCrary | |
| Mississippi | Hugh Freeze / Sean Tuohy |
It's that time again as we make our rounds in the SEC:
- Georgia kicker Blair Walsh and punter Drew Butler both hope to hear their names called at the NFL draft.
- Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen likes his team's attitude coming out of the spring.
- Former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton has a little fun while campaigning for the cover of "Madden 13."
- Alabama coach Nick Saban talks up his players heading into the NFL draft.
- Plan B has worked out just fine for former Vanderbilt receiver Earl Bennett.
- South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore's draft stock is soaring.
- Arkansas' players welcome John L. Smith's return.
- Joel Erickson of The Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer has a Q&A with Auburn offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler.
- Missouri looks ahead to its SEC football debut.
From the time Dan Mullen took the Mississippi State head coaching job prior to the 2009 season, he’s been talking about the importance of beefing up the receiving corps and finding more playmakers on the perimeter.
As the Bulldogs exit spring practice and look ahead to the 2012 season, Mullen thinks this may be the best shape they’ve been in across the board when it comes to pass-catchers.
And that includes tight ends.
Malcolm Johnson and Brandon Hill both had big springs and showed that they can be a big part of the offense. Both players are versatile enough to move around, too, and you might see them lining up some this fall in the backfield as H-backs.
At the receiver position, Mullen likes the Bulldogs’ experience with seniors Chad Bumphis, Chris Smith and Arceto Clark. But there’s also some explosiveness there with redshirt freshman Joe Morrow and sophomore Jameon Lewis.
"One of the things we’re starting to see is some of our younger guys are really the more explosive potential playmakers and our older guys are the steady guys," Mullen said Tuesday. "We're getting some depth. We have some experience and are starting to infuse some young talent in there that gives you some big-play ability.
"We need that position to be very strong because it’s probably our most experienced position on the field with the older guys, and they can set a great example. Consistent play will allow the younger guys to develop beyond playmakers to every-down players. That’s going to be a huge deal for us going into this season.
"If we’re going to have a great year, we’re going to have to have our receivers, especially our senior receivers, play great."
With Tyler Russell stepping in at quarterback, the Bulldogs threw it around a bunch this spring. Russell's strength is standing in the pocket and throwing the football, and it looks like he might have the best collection of receivers the Bulldogs have had since Mullen arrived in 2009.
As the Bulldogs exit spring practice and look ahead to the 2012 season, Mullen thinks this may be the best shape they’ve been in across the board when it comes to pass-catchers.
And that includes tight ends.
Malcolm Johnson and Brandon Hill both had big springs and showed that they can be a big part of the offense. Both players are versatile enough to move around, too, and you might see them lining up some this fall in the backfield as H-backs.
At the receiver position, Mullen likes the Bulldogs’ experience with seniors Chad Bumphis, Chris Smith and Arceto Clark. But there’s also some explosiveness there with redshirt freshman Joe Morrow and sophomore Jameon Lewis.
"One of the things we’re starting to see is some of our younger guys are really the more explosive potential playmakers and our older guys are the steady guys," Mullen said Tuesday. "We're getting some depth. We have some experience and are starting to infuse some young talent in there that gives you some big-play ability.
"We need that position to be very strong because it’s probably our most experienced position on the field with the older guys, and they can set a great example. Consistent play will allow the younger guys to develop beyond playmakers to every-down players. That’s going to be a huge deal for us going into this season.
"If we’re going to have a great year, we’re going to have to have our receivers, especially our senior receivers, play great."
With Tyler Russell stepping in at quarterback, the Bulldogs threw it around a bunch this spring. Russell's strength is standing in the pocket and throwing the football, and it looks like he might have the best collection of receivers the Bulldogs have had since Mullen arrived in 2009.
Junior quarterback Tyler Russell capped his spring looking very much in command this past Saturday in Mississippi State's annual Maroon-White spring game.
Russell finished 24-of-43 for 312 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Maroon to a 33-22 victory over the White before an announced crowd of 22,604. It's obvious the Bulldogs have tweaked their offense to take advantage of Russell's ability to throw the ball from the pocket, and they threw it quite a bit this spring. The concern is going to be protecting Russell, who was sacked five times in the spring game. Guard Tobias Smith was still recovering from knee surgery this spring, and he will be one of the Bulldogs' leaders up front in the fall. They're still searching for the right combination in the offensive line and also trying to develop some depth.
There's no shortage of depth at running back. Redshirt freshman running back Josh Robinson ripped off a 55-yard touchdown run. Junior LaDarius Perkins had 55 yards on seven carries, including an 11-yard touchdown run -- all in the first half. Redshirt freshman Nick Griffin also showed up this spring. Perkins may be the starter going into the season, but he's going to have plenty of competition.
Russell was able to spread the ball around this spring, and this should be the best group of receivers and tight ends the Bulldogs have had under Dan Mullen. Even All-SEC cornerback Johnthan Banks lined up at receiver in the spring game and caught a 17-yard pass. Sophomore Jameon Lewis led the Mississippi State receivers with 10 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, and redshirt freshman Joe Morrow continued to impress with six catches for 97 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown pass from Russell. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Morrow gives the Bulldogs a bigger threat who will be a tough matchup for teams down the field.
True freshman defensive tackle Quay Evans had three sacks (all in the first half), and could very well open the 2012 season as a starter. Sophomore linebacker Ferlando Bohanna had a game-high eight tackles.
The game was played on a 55-yard field because a stage was set up in one end zone for a concert following the game.
Fans can read more about the Bulldogs' spring game here.
Russell finished 24-of-43 for 312 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Maroon to a 33-22 victory over the White before an announced crowd of 22,604. It's obvious the Bulldogs have tweaked their offense to take advantage of Russell's ability to throw the ball from the pocket, and they threw it quite a bit this spring. The concern is going to be protecting Russell, who was sacked five times in the spring game. Guard Tobias Smith was still recovering from knee surgery this spring, and he will be one of the Bulldogs' leaders up front in the fall. They're still searching for the right combination in the offensive line and also trying to develop some depth.
There's no shortage of depth at running back. Redshirt freshman running back Josh Robinson ripped off a 55-yard touchdown run. Junior LaDarius Perkins had 55 yards on seven carries, including an 11-yard touchdown run -- all in the first half. Redshirt freshman Nick Griffin also showed up this spring. Perkins may be the starter going into the season, but he's going to have plenty of competition.
Russell was able to spread the ball around this spring, and this should be the best group of receivers and tight ends the Bulldogs have had under Dan Mullen. Even All-SEC cornerback Johnthan Banks lined up at receiver in the spring game and caught a 17-yard pass. Sophomore Jameon Lewis led the Mississippi State receivers with 10 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, and redshirt freshman Joe Morrow continued to impress with six catches for 97 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown pass from Russell. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Morrow gives the Bulldogs a bigger threat who will be a tough matchup for teams down the field.
True freshman defensive tackle Quay Evans had three sacks (all in the first half), and could very well open the 2012 season as a starter. Sophomore linebacker Ferlando Bohanna had a game-high eight tackles.
The game was played on a 55-yard field because a stage was set up in one end zone for a concert following the game.
Fans can read more about the Bulldogs' spring game here.
While there were six SEC spring games this weekend, six other teams also took part in scrimmages over the the weekend:
ARKANSAS
Quarterback Tyler Wilson had yet another big scrimmage for the Razorbacks. Wilson completed 39 of 49 passes for 448 yards and three touchdowns during Friday's scrimmage. Wilson completed 20 consecutive passes at one point.
Wilson has yet to throw an interception in Arkansas' three spring scrimmages. He led the offense on scores on seven of the offense's 11 possessions Friday.
The good news for Wilson is that his production has come against the first-team defense. The bad news for Arkansas is that his production has come against the first-team defense. But maybe Wilson is just playing that well this spring.
Wide receiver Marquel Wade led Arkansas with nine receptions for 98 yards, while tight end Chris Gragg caught eight passes for 83 yards and a touchdown on Friday. Receiver Javontee Herndon added five receptions for 73 yards and two scores.
Defensive tackle Robert Thomas led the defense with four sacks, while defensive end Austin Flynn added three sacks.
Wide receiver Cobi Hamilton, linebacker Tenarius Wright and tight end Austin Tate all sustained injuries Friday, but coaches didn't feel they were serious.
Check out more from Arkansas' scrimmage here and here.
KENTUCKY
The Wildcats took part in a very spirited scrimmage Saturday. It was one that left coach Joker Phillips proud of both the offense and defense.
The 90-minute scrimmage featured the first-, second- and third-team offense and defense. The offense started things well, with quarterback Maxwell Smith leading a 70-yard drive on 13 plays. He capped the drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver La'Rod King.
Smith finished the scrimmage completing 25-of-38 passes for 227 yards and four touchdowns. King also led the offense in receiving with seven catches for 76 yards and two scores.
Kentucky's defense stepped up considerably after that, allowing just one touchdown and a field goal on the next 10 possessions, including seven three-and-outs.
You can find more info on Kentucky's scrimmage here.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
Despite a fast start by the offense, the defense won Mississippi State's scrimmage Friday after forcing five turnovers late.
The first- and second-team defense held the offenses to four touchdowns and a field goal on 27 possessions. They also registered seven sacks and four interceptions.
After quarterback Tyler Russell led touchdown drives of 75 and 80 yards on the offense's first two possessions, the defense stepped up, forcing a few three-and-outs for the first- and second-team offense.
Russell had an impressive outing inside Davis Wade Stadium, passing for 310 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Wide receiver Joe Morrow had arguably the play of the day when he caught an 83-yard touchdown pass. He sprinted 50-plus yards to the house after spinning off of cornerback Corey Broomfield about 30 yards up field. Morrow finished with 103 receiving yards, while tight ends Malcolm Johnson and Brandon Hill registered 110 and 75 receiving yards, respectively.
The player of the day might have been senior cornerback Darius Slay, who intercepted three passes.
Head coach Dan Mullen missed the practice after the birth of his daughter Friday.
For more on Mississippi State's scrimmage, check here and here.
OLE MISS
It was an air affair in Oxford, as Ole Miss quarterbacks combined for eight touchdowns in the Rebels' Saturday scrimmage.
Barry Brunetti finished the day with 119 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed seven times for 41 yards and two more scores.
But he didn't do much to separate himself from junior college transfer Bo Wallace, who threw for 113 yards and three touchdowns. He also carried the ball five times for 32 yards and another score.
However, both had their hiccups, as Wallace completed less than 45 percent of his passes and Brunetti threw two interceptions. Coach Huge Freeze told reporters after the scrimmage that he had mixed emotions about both, but felt Wallace played a little better Saturday.
"Standing out there it's real clear to me our quarterbacks, our personnel, we don't quite understand the game," Freeze said. "Third-and-2 we don't know those things. We have very little awareness of those at times. We get in second-and-5s and we get negative plays because we try to do more than we can do. Then it puts you in third-and-8, instead of just keeping it third-and-5. There's so many things that we have to understand."
Brunetti threw two 20-yard touchdowns, one to wide receiver Ja-Mes Logan and one to receiver Vince Sanders. Logan also caught two touchdown passes from Wallace, who also hit receiver Terrell Grant for another score.
For more on Ole Miss' scrimmage, you can go here and here.
TENNESSEE
Justin Hunter picked up right where he left off the last time he played inside Neyland Stadium.
After missing most of last season with an ACL injury, Hunter caught three passes for 70 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown pass in his return to Neyland.
Quarterback Tyler Bray completed his first seven passes of the day and finished with 180 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-23 passing.
While Hunter had a solid outing, sophomore wide receiver Jacob Carter was the top receiver of the day, catching four passes for 102 yards.
Marlin Lane, who has improved a lot this spring, had the big day that he needed with his 71 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.
Defensively, the Vols got sacks from defensive linemen Jordan Williams, Willie Bohannon and Steven Fowlkes. Defensive backs Justin Coleman, Izauea Lanier and Rod Wilks added six tackles.
For more on Tennessee's scrimmage, go here.
TEXAS A&M
As the quarterback race continues in College Station, redshirt sophomore Jameill Showers stood out in Texas A&M's scrimmage over the weekend. He threw for more than 150 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw an interception, but only after it was dropped by a receiver.
Showers played in seven series with both the first- and second-team offense.
Redshirt freshman Johnny Manziel split snaps with Showers, throwing for more than 150 yards and two touchdowns as well, but he threw two interceptions, with one that was returned for a touchdown by junior defensive back Toney Hurd Jr.
None of the offenses' possessions reached double digits in plays. Turnovers, sloppy play and penalties hurt the offense in the Aggies' first open scrimmage of the spring.
"We just have to be more consistent in our play on both sides of the football, and that's why we're here," coach Kevin Sumlin said. "For the quarterbacks to go operate the way they did, checking plays and moving around, it's encouraging. It gives us a real starting point."
Sophomore linebacker Donnie Baggs, junior linebacker Charlie Thomas, junior linebacker Domonique Patterson and senior linebacker Jonathan Stewart all registered sacks in the scrimmage.
For more on the Texas A&M's scrimmage, go here and here.
ARKANSAS
Quarterback Tyler Wilson had yet another big scrimmage for the Razorbacks. Wilson completed 39 of 49 passes for 448 yards and three touchdowns during Friday's scrimmage. Wilson completed 20 consecutive passes at one point.
Wilson has yet to throw an interception in Arkansas' three spring scrimmages. He led the offense on scores on seven of the offense's 11 possessions Friday.
The good news for Wilson is that his production has come against the first-team defense. The bad news for Arkansas is that his production has come against the first-team defense. But maybe Wilson is just playing that well this spring.
Wide receiver Marquel Wade led Arkansas with nine receptions for 98 yards, while tight end Chris Gragg caught eight passes for 83 yards and a touchdown on Friday. Receiver Javontee Herndon added five receptions for 73 yards and two scores.
Defensive tackle Robert Thomas led the defense with four sacks, while defensive end Austin Flynn added three sacks.
Wide receiver Cobi Hamilton, linebacker Tenarius Wright and tight end Austin Tate all sustained injuries Friday, but coaches didn't feel they were serious.
Check out more from Arkansas' scrimmage here and here.
KENTUCKY
The Wildcats took part in a very spirited scrimmage Saturday. It was one that left coach Joker Phillips proud of both the offense and defense.
The 90-minute scrimmage featured the first-, second- and third-team offense and defense. The offense started things well, with quarterback Maxwell Smith leading a 70-yard drive on 13 plays. He capped the drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver La'Rod King.
Smith finished the scrimmage completing 25-of-38 passes for 227 yards and four touchdowns. King also led the offense in receiving with seven catches for 76 yards and two scores.
Kentucky's defense stepped up considerably after that, allowing just one touchdown and a field goal on the next 10 possessions, including seven three-and-outs.
You can find more info on Kentucky's scrimmage here.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
Despite a fast start by the offense, the defense won Mississippi State's scrimmage Friday after forcing five turnovers late.
The first- and second-team defense held the offenses to four touchdowns and a field goal on 27 possessions. They also registered seven sacks and four interceptions.
After quarterback Tyler Russell led touchdown drives of 75 and 80 yards on the offense's first two possessions, the defense stepped up, forcing a few three-and-outs for the first- and second-team offense.
Russell had an impressive outing inside Davis Wade Stadium, passing for 310 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Wide receiver Joe Morrow had arguably the play of the day when he caught an 83-yard touchdown pass. He sprinted 50-plus yards to the house after spinning off of cornerback Corey Broomfield about 30 yards up field. Morrow finished with 103 receiving yards, while tight ends Malcolm Johnson and Brandon Hill registered 110 and 75 receiving yards, respectively.
The player of the day might have been senior cornerback Darius Slay, who intercepted three passes.
Head coach Dan Mullen missed the practice after the birth of his daughter Friday.
For more on Mississippi State's scrimmage, check here and here.
OLE MISS
It was an air affair in Oxford, as Ole Miss quarterbacks combined for eight touchdowns in the Rebels' Saturday scrimmage.
Barry Brunetti finished the day with 119 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed seven times for 41 yards and two more scores.
But he didn't do much to separate himself from junior college transfer Bo Wallace, who threw for 113 yards and three touchdowns. He also carried the ball five times for 32 yards and another score.
However, both had their hiccups, as Wallace completed less than 45 percent of his passes and Brunetti threw two interceptions. Coach Huge Freeze told reporters after the scrimmage that he had mixed emotions about both, but felt Wallace played a little better Saturday.
"Standing out there it's real clear to me our quarterbacks, our personnel, we don't quite understand the game," Freeze said. "Third-and-2 we don't know those things. We have very little awareness of those at times. We get in second-and-5s and we get negative plays because we try to do more than we can do. Then it puts you in third-and-8, instead of just keeping it third-and-5. There's so many things that we have to understand."
Brunetti threw two 20-yard touchdowns, one to wide receiver Ja-Mes Logan and one to receiver Vince Sanders. Logan also caught two touchdown passes from Wallace, who also hit receiver Terrell Grant for another score.
For more on Ole Miss' scrimmage, you can go here and here.
TENNESSEE
Justin Hunter picked up right where he left off the last time he played inside Neyland Stadium.
After missing most of last season with an ACL injury, Hunter caught three passes for 70 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown pass in his return to Neyland.
Quarterback Tyler Bray completed his first seven passes of the day and finished with 180 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-23 passing.
While Hunter had a solid outing, sophomore wide receiver Jacob Carter was the top receiver of the day, catching four passes for 102 yards.
Marlin Lane, who has improved a lot this spring, had the big day that he needed with his 71 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.
Defensively, the Vols got sacks from defensive linemen Jordan Williams, Willie Bohannon and Steven Fowlkes. Defensive backs Justin Coleman, Izauea Lanier and Rod Wilks added six tackles.
For more on Tennessee's scrimmage, go here.
TEXAS A&M
As the quarterback race continues in College Station, redshirt sophomore Jameill Showers stood out in Texas A&M's scrimmage over the weekend. He threw for more than 150 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw an interception, but only after it was dropped by a receiver.
Showers played in seven series with both the first- and second-team offense.
Redshirt freshman Johnny Manziel split snaps with Showers, throwing for more than 150 yards and two touchdowns as well, but he threw two interceptions, with one that was returned for a touchdown by junior defensive back Toney Hurd Jr.
None of the offenses' possessions reached double digits in plays. Turnovers, sloppy play and penalties hurt the offense in the Aggies' first open scrimmage of the spring.
"We just have to be more consistent in our play on both sides of the football, and that's why we're here," coach Kevin Sumlin said. "For the quarterbacks to go operate the way they did, checking plays and moving around, it's encouraging. It gives us a real starting point."
Sophomore linebacker Donnie Baggs, junior linebacker Charlie Thomas, junior linebacker Domonique Patterson and senior linebacker Jonathan Stewart all registered sacks in the scrimmage.
For more on the Texas A&M's scrimmage, go here and here.
Looking back at some of the scrimmages last weekend:
MISSOURI
The Tigers' defense stole the show Saturday morning in their last major scrimmage before the Black & Gold spring game this Saturday.
Storms forced the Tigers into the Dan Devine Indoor Pavilion, and the defense won the scrimmage with a 20-8 score.
Still, Missouri threw the ball as well as it has this spring since first-team quarterback James Franklin was sidelined with a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder last month.
Quarterback Corbin Berkstresser was 18-of-31 for 255 yards. He was intercepted in the red zone by safety Ian Simon, but also threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Gahn McGaffie. Berkstresser's coaches and teammates were impressed with his presence in the pocket, and how he hung in there and looked for open receivers instead of trying to scramble all the time.
T.J Moe was the Tigers' leading receiver with eight catches for 151 yards.
For more on Missouri's scrimmage, go here.
ALABAMA
Coach Nick Saban was pleased with the performance of his first units in Friday's scrimmage, but he's still looking for more depth.
"The message to the players was 'are you going to be able to go out there and play better than you did in the last opportunity you had in the last scrimmage? Are you going to be able to play with more consistent effort, toughness and focus to be able to do your job'?" Saban said. "The first units were probably pretty good at that. I would say we made some improvement, but I'm not sure we have enough guys where they need to be, and that is why we have spring practice, and that is why we teach.
"We certainly have some work to do, especially with the depth on our team. We have a lot of young players, and they have a very enthusiastic attitude and they are trying hard, but I think they need a little more knowledge and experience to get them where we need them to go."
Jalston Fowler led all rushers with 151 yards on 22 carries and three touchdowns, with one of those going for 68 yards in a situational drill. Quarterback AJ McCarron was 14-of-29 for 160 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception. Receiver DeAndrew White, who missed last week's scrimmage with a hamstring problem, led all receivers with five receptions for 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Here's a report on the Tide's second scrimmage of the spring.
ARKANSAS
Even with all the controversy concerning coach Bobby Petrino's future, the Hogs' offense was red-hot in Friday's scrimmage, in particular quarterback Tyler Wilson.
Wilson finished 22-of-27 for 368 yards and six touchdowns. Marquel Wade and Cobi Hamilton each caught a pair of touchdown passes from Wilson, and Chris Gragg and Dennis Johnson each caught one.
In two scrimmages, Wilson has completed 41-of-55 passes for 678 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Wade had a huge scrimmage with 203 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Running back Knile Davis was again held out of the scrimmage.
Here's a full report on the Hogs' scrimmage.
AUBURN
Quarterback Clint Moseley threw a touchdown pass in his first scrimmage work of the spring, but a sore rotator cuff is still causing him problems in practice.
Kiehl Frazier said he had an up-and-down scrimmage, but Auburn coach Gene Chizik liked the way Frazier was able to move around in the pocket and avoid the pressure. Safety Robenson Therezie intercepted a pass for the second straight scrimmage.
Here's a report on the Tigers' scrimmage.
GEORGIA
The Bulldogs held their second scrimmage of the spring on Saturday, and there was a little bit of an awakening for the offense.
It's been tough sledding all spring against the Bulldogs' defense, which should again be one of the better ones in the SEC in 2012, but quarterbacks Aaron Murray and Hutson Mason had some success throwing the ball. Split end Marlon Brown caught five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. While there was some improvement in the passing game, the Bulldogs again struggled to run the ball consistently, which says something about a Georgia defensive front that should be plenty stout next season.
Coach Mark Richt said freshman running back Keith Marshall (hamstring) would probably miss this coming weekend's G-Day spring game. Marshall has been very impressive this spring, but has been slowed since hurting his hamstring last week.
Here's a report on the Bulldogs' scrimmage.
KENTUCKY
Sophomore quarterback Maxwell Smith highlighted Kentucky's first scrimmage of the spring with 228 passing yards, including a 51-yard scoring toss to E.J. Fields.
The first-team units faced the third-team units, and the second-team units went up against each other in the scrimmage.
The defense finished with 14 sacks, including six by the first-team defense.
Coach Joker Phillips said several new faces showed up on defense. Among them: Josh Forrest, Farrington Huguenin, Miles Simpson, TraVaughn Paschal and Marcus Caffey.
For a report on the scrimmage, go here.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
The offense had its moments, but the defense won the day Friday for the Bulldogs in their first scrimmage of the spring.
"We were sloppy at times and need to be more consistent on both sides of the ball, but it was a good day. Got some solid work in," Coach Dan Mullen said. "The offense moved the ball some, but had too many three-and-outs. The defense gave up some long drives. Just need to get it all working together, but it was a good start."
Quarterback Tyler Wilson started on a roll, but cooled off later in the scrimmage. The first- and second-team offenses combined to score seven touchdowns on 25 possessions.
Here's a report on the Bulldogs' scrimmage.
VANDERBILT
Other than Zac Stacy's 23-yard touchdown run -- his only carry of the day -- the offense didn't so much of anything in Saturday's scrimmage against the defense.
"I thought the defense played very well today. They were consistent, they were aggressive, and they made plays," Coach James Franklin said. "They got the momentum, and the offense couldn't get it back."
Senior linebacker Archibald Barnes was the leader of the Commodores' defense. He scored a touchdown on a 35-yard fumble recovery and also had a hand in two other turnovers. Defensive end Walker May forced a fumble that Barnes recovered. Barnes also ended a drive by intercepting a pass that was tipped by redshirt freshman defensive tackle Conor Hart.
Here's a report on Vanderbilt's scrimmage.
MISSOURI
The Tigers' defense stole the show Saturday morning in their last major scrimmage before the Black & Gold spring game this Saturday.
Storms forced the Tigers into the Dan Devine Indoor Pavilion, and the defense won the scrimmage with a 20-8 score.
Still, Missouri threw the ball as well as it has this spring since first-team quarterback James Franklin was sidelined with a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder last month.
Quarterback Corbin Berkstresser was 18-of-31 for 255 yards. He was intercepted in the red zone by safety Ian Simon, but also threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Gahn McGaffie. Berkstresser's coaches and teammates were impressed with his presence in the pocket, and how he hung in there and looked for open receivers instead of trying to scramble all the time.
T.J Moe was the Tigers' leading receiver with eight catches for 151 yards.
For more on Missouri's scrimmage, go here.
ALABAMA
Coach Nick Saban was pleased with the performance of his first units in Friday's scrimmage, but he's still looking for more depth.
"The message to the players was 'are you going to be able to go out there and play better than you did in the last opportunity you had in the last scrimmage? Are you going to be able to play with more consistent effort, toughness and focus to be able to do your job'?" Saban said. "The first units were probably pretty good at that. I would say we made some improvement, but I'm not sure we have enough guys where they need to be, and that is why we have spring practice, and that is why we teach.
"We certainly have some work to do, especially with the depth on our team. We have a lot of young players, and they have a very enthusiastic attitude and they are trying hard, but I think they need a little more knowledge and experience to get them where we need them to go."
Jalston Fowler led all rushers with 151 yards on 22 carries and three touchdowns, with one of those going for 68 yards in a situational drill. Quarterback AJ McCarron was 14-of-29 for 160 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception. Receiver DeAndrew White, who missed last week's scrimmage with a hamstring problem, led all receivers with five receptions for 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Here's a report on the Tide's second scrimmage of the spring.
ARKANSAS
Even with all the controversy concerning coach Bobby Petrino's future, the Hogs' offense was red-hot in Friday's scrimmage, in particular quarterback Tyler Wilson.
Wilson finished 22-of-27 for 368 yards and six touchdowns. Marquel Wade and Cobi Hamilton each caught a pair of touchdown passes from Wilson, and Chris Gragg and Dennis Johnson each caught one.
In two scrimmages, Wilson has completed 41-of-55 passes for 678 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Wade had a huge scrimmage with 203 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Running back Knile Davis was again held out of the scrimmage.
Here's a full report on the Hogs' scrimmage.
AUBURN
Quarterback Clint Moseley threw a touchdown pass in his first scrimmage work of the spring, but a sore rotator cuff is still causing him problems in practice.
Kiehl Frazier said he had an up-and-down scrimmage, but Auburn coach Gene Chizik liked the way Frazier was able to move around in the pocket and avoid the pressure. Safety Robenson Therezie intercepted a pass for the second straight scrimmage.
Here's a report on the Tigers' scrimmage.
GEORGIA
The Bulldogs held their second scrimmage of the spring on Saturday, and there was a little bit of an awakening for the offense.
It's been tough sledding all spring against the Bulldogs' defense, which should again be one of the better ones in the SEC in 2012, but quarterbacks Aaron Murray and Hutson Mason had some success throwing the ball. Split end Marlon Brown caught five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. While there was some improvement in the passing game, the Bulldogs again struggled to run the ball consistently, which says something about a Georgia defensive front that should be plenty stout next season.
Coach Mark Richt said freshman running back Keith Marshall (hamstring) would probably miss this coming weekend's G-Day spring game. Marshall has been very impressive this spring, but has been slowed since hurting his hamstring last week.
Here's a report on the Bulldogs' scrimmage.
KENTUCKY
Sophomore quarterback Maxwell Smith highlighted Kentucky's first scrimmage of the spring with 228 passing yards, including a 51-yard scoring toss to E.J. Fields.
The first-team units faced the third-team units, and the second-team units went up against each other in the scrimmage.
The defense finished with 14 sacks, including six by the first-team defense.
Coach Joker Phillips said several new faces showed up on defense. Among them: Josh Forrest, Farrington Huguenin, Miles Simpson, TraVaughn Paschal and Marcus Caffey.
For a report on the scrimmage, go here.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
The offense had its moments, but the defense won the day Friday for the Bulldogs in their first scrimmage of the spring.
"We were sloppy at times and need to be more consistent on both sides of the ball, but it was a good day. Got some solid work in," Coach Dan Mullen said. "The offense moved the ball some, but had too many three-and-outs. The defense gave up some long drives. Just need to get it all working together, but it was a good start."
Quarterback Tyler Wilson started on a roll, but cooled off later in the scrimmage. The first- and second-team offenses combined to score seven touchdowns on 25 possessions.
Here's a report on the Bulldogs' scrimmage.
VANDERBILT
Other than Zac Stacy's 23-yard touchdown run -- his only carry of the day -- the offense didn't so much of anything in Saturday's scrimmage against the defense.
"I thought the defense played very well today. They were consistent, they were aggressive, and they made plays," Coach James Franklin said. "They got the momentum, and the offense couldn't get it back."
Senior linebacker Archibald Barnes was the leader of the Commodores' defense. He scored a touchdown on a 35-yard fumble recovery and also had a hand in two other turnovers. Defensive end Walker May forced a fumble that Barnes recovered. Barnes also ended a drive by intercepting a pass that was tipped by redshirt freshman defensive tackle Conor Hart.
Here's a report on Vanderbilt's scrimmage.
Schedule: Mississippi State was scheduled to open spring practice on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ET, but that practice was postponed because of rain. All 15 workouts will be open to the public. The Maroon-White spring game is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on April 21, and will be part of Super Bulldog Weekend. A concert by Sugarland will follow the spring game.
What’s new: The Bulldogs didn’t have any changes among their nine position coaches, but Niel Stopczynski joined the staff as assistant recruiting coordinator, and Brett Elliott will be a graduate assistant on offense.
On the mend: Offensive guard Tobias Smith (knee), offensive tackle Archie Muniz (knee), and safety Nickoe Whitley (ruptured Achilles) will be limited this spring. Quarterback Tyler Russell won’t be 100 percent after banging up his knee during bowl practice, but he’ll be out there getting first-team reps.
On the move: Receiver Michael Carr has left the football team for a second time, and won’t be back.
Key battle: With Vick Ballard departing, there should be some serious competition at the running back position. Speedy junior LaDarius Perkins has made his share of big plays while backing up Ballard the past two seasons. Now, it’s Perkins’ chance to show he can be the go-to back. Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen has raved about 6-foot, 225-pound sophomore Nick Griffin and the dimension he brings to the offense. Had Griffin not torn his ACL last spring, he would have been a big part of the offense last season. When healthy, he’s looked like the complete package. A pair of redshirt freshmen will also make their case for playing time -- 5-9, 215-pound Josh Robinson and 6-foot, 205-pound Derrick Milton. Robinson was one of the stars of bowl practice last December, and the Mississippi State coaches are eager to see how he follows up this spring.
New faces: Three junior college signees enrolled in January and will go through spring practice. The headliner of the group is defensive end Denico Autry of East Mississippi Community College. Autry also had offers from Alabama, Miami and the USC Trojans. Offensive tackle Charles Siddoway played last season at Butte (Calif.) College after spending a year at California. Center Dylan Holley is a transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The Bulldogs’ top high school signee, defensive tackle Quay Evans of Morton, Miss., is also participating in spring practice after graduating high school early, along with offensive guard/tackle Justin Senior of Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy. Senior is originally from Montreal, Canada.
Breaking out: The Bulldogs lacked a big-play threat in the passing game last season. They simply didn’t have a guy who could consistently stretch the field and keep defenses honest. Redshirt freshman Joe Morrow might be that guy in 2012. At 6-4 and 205 pounds, he’s a big target with speed, and should be a nice complement to senior receivers Chad Bumphis, Arceto Clark and Chris Smith.
Don’t forget about: Chris Wilson’s defense played its best football toward the end of last season. This will be his second season in charge of the Bulldogs’ defense, so look for them to get off to a better start in 2012. The big loss was All-SEC tackle Fletcher Cox, who gave up his senior season to turn pro. But Autry should add some pass-rushing pop from his end position, and even though Evans is just a freshman, he’s somebody who should be able to help in the middle. Johnthan Banks returns as one of the top cornerbacks in the country, and there’s a lot of depth, period, in the secondary. All in all, it’s a defense that should be able to hold its own if the offense takes a while to find its identity in those first few games.
All eyes on: It’s Russell’s show now that Chris Relf has moved on, and it sounds like that show is going to be tailored around Russell’s ability to throw the ball from the pocket. Mullen said Mississippi State’s offense will look different with Russell under center. There was more of a run element to it last season, certainly from the quarterback position, with Relf starting the majority of the season. Russell’s forte is getting the ball down the field. He needs to show more accuracy and more consistency, but the Bulldogs are going to play to his strengths.
What’s new: The Bulldogs didn’t have any changes among their nine position coaches, but Niel Stopczynski joined the staff as assistant recruiting coordinator, and Brett Elliott will be a graduate assistant on offense.
On the mend: Offensive guard Tobias Smith (knee), offensive tackle Archie Muniz (knee), and safety Nickoe Whitley (ruptured Achilles) will be limited this spring. Quarterback Tyler Russell won’t be 100 percent after banging up his knee during bowl practice, but he’ll be out there getting first-team reps.
On the move: Receiver Michael Carr has left the football team for a second time, and won’t be back.
Key battle: With Vick Ballard departing, there should be some serious competition at the running back position. Speedy junior LaDarius Perkins has made his share of big plays while backing up Ballard the past two seasons. Now, it’s Perkins’ chance to show he can be the go-to back. Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen has raved about 6-foot, 225-pound sophomore Nick Griffin and the dimension he brings to the offense. Had Griffin not torn his ACL last spring, he would have been a big part of the offense last season. When healthy, he’s looked like the complete package. A pair of redshirt freshmen will also make their case for playing time -- 5-9, 215-pound Josh Robinson and 6-foot, 205-pound Derrick Milton. Robinson was one of the stars of bowl practice last December, and the Mississippi State coaches are eager to see how he follows up this spring.
New faces: Three junior college signees enrolled in January and will go through spring practice. The headliner of the group is defensive end Denico Autry of East Mississippi Community College. Autry also had offers from Alabama, Miami and the USC Trojans. Offensive tackle Charles Siddoway played last season at Butte (Calif.) College after spending a year at California. Center Dylan Holley is a transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The Bulldogs’ top high school signee, defensive tackle Quay Evans of Morton, Miss., is also participating in spring practice after graduating high school early, along with offensive guard/tackle Justin Senior of Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy. Senior is originally from Montreal, Canada.
Breaking out: The Bulldogs lacked a big-play threat in the passing game last season. They simply didn’t have a guy who could consistently stretch the field and keep defenses honest. Redshirt freshman Joe Morrow might be that guy in 2012. At 6-4 and 205 pounds, he’s a big target with speed, and should be a nice complement to senior receivers Chad Bumphis, Arceto Clark and Chris Smith.
Don’t forget about: Chris Wilson’s defense played its best football toward the end of last season. This will be his second season in charge of the Bulldogs’ defense, so look for them to get off to a better start in 2012. The big loss was All-SEC tackle Fletcher Cox, who gave up his senior season to turn pro. But Autry should add some pass-rushing pop from his end position, and even though Evans is just a freshman, he’s somebody who should be able to help in the middle. Johnthan Banks returns as one of the top cornerbacks in the country, and there’s a lot of depth, period, in the secondary. All in all, it’s a defense that should be able to hold its own if the offense takes a while to find its identity in those first few games.
All eyes on: It’s Russell’s show now that Chris Relf has moved on, and it sounds like that show is going to be tailored around Russell’s ability to throw the ball from the pocket. Mullen said Mississippi State’s offense will look different with Russell under center. There was more of a run element to it last season, certainly from the quarterback position, with Relf starting the majority of the season. Russell’s forte is getting the ball down the field. He needs to show more accuracy and more consistency, but the Bulldogs are going to play to his strengths.
Mississippi State releases depth chart
March, 21, 2012
Mar 21
10:00
AM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
You can tell spring practice is about to get underway at Mississippi State because the Bulldogs' coveted pre-spring depth chart is out.
Mississippi State kicks things off Thursday and there aren't any surprises on offense, but there's no question that the offensive line will get a ton of attention this spring. The Bulldogs are without tackles James Carmon and Addison Lawrence, so sophomores Blaine Clausell (left tackle) and Damien Robinson (right tackle) will begin the spring in their spots.
With safety Charles Mitchell gone and fellow safety Nickoe Whitley limited with a ruptured Achilles, senior Louis Watson and sophomore Jay Hughes are listed at the starting safety spots to open the spring.
You'll also notice that early enrollee defensive linemen Denico Autry (JUCO defensive end) and Quay Evans (defensive tackle) aren't both listed on Mississippi State's two-deep. Not to fret Bulldogs fans. They aren't in coach Dan Mullen's doghouse. Autry is behind Shane McCardell, but man think he could exit the spring as a starter. They just have to earn their way. Both are highly touted new arrivals and both will have plenty of opportunities to earn spots this spring.
South Carolina practice update
The Gamecocks went through their fourth spring practice Tuesday, but did so without a few players who were dealing with injuries.
Starting center T.J. Johnson sat out Tuesday's practice after suffering a sprained foot last week. Other players out were tight end Rory Anderson (sprained ankle), cornerback Ahmad Christian (concussion), cornerback Cadarious Sanders (hamstring) and linebacker Quin Smith (back).
With South Carolina set to conduct its first scrimmage of the spring Saturday, defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward talked about how some players on defense have looked heading into the weekend.
He complimented the play of the line up front, singling out end Gerald Dixon and tackles Gerald Dixon Jr. and J.T. Surratt. Ward said sophomore safety Kadetrix Marcus is doing well on the perimeter, while fellow safety Brison Williams has shown signs of "being a starter for us at the boundary safety spot."
Ward also said that while cornerback Victor Hampton is doing well at times, he has a tendency to take too many chances at times.
This defense is expected to yet again be one of the top ones in the SEC this fall, but Ward said the unit still has a ways to go and still has a lot to clean up in the coming weeks.
“We still have a long way to go,” Ward said. “We’ve seen some slight improvement by some young guys but not enough improvement to where we can feel good about them helping us win a lot of ball games next season. We’ve still got a ways to go, but still have quite a few practices to get it done.
"I feel good about some of the young guys but we’ve got to get a lot more out of a couple of them.”
South Carolina returns to practice Friday at 4:15 p.m. ET and it's open to the public.
Mississippi State kicks things off Thursday and there aren't any surprises on offense, but there's no question that the offensive line will get a ton of attention this spring. The Bulldogs are without tackles James Carmon and Addison Lawrence, so sophomores Blaine Clausell (left tackle) and Damien Robinson (right tackle) will begin the spring in their spots.
With safety Charles Mitchell gone and fellow safety Nickoe Whitley limited with a ruptured Achilles, senior Louis Watson and sophomore Jay Hughes are listed at the starting safety spots to open the spring.
You'll also notice that early enrollee defensive linemen Denico Autry (JUCO defensive end) and Quay Evans (defensive tackle) aren't both listed on Mississippi State's two-deep. Not to fret Bulldogs fans. They aren't in coach Dan Mullen's doghouse. Autry is behind Shane McCardell, but man think he could exit the spring as a starter. They just have to earn their way. Both are highly touted new arrivals and both will have plenty of opportunities to earn spots this spring.
South Carolina practice update
The Gamecocks went through their fourth spring practice Tuesday, but did so without a few players who were dealing with injuries.
Starting center T.J. Johnson sat out Tuesday's practice after suffering a sprained foot last week. Other players out were tight end Rory Anderson (sprained ankle), cornerback Ahmad Christian (concussion), cornerback Cadarious Sanders (hamstring) and linebacker Quin Smith (back).
With South Carolina set to conduct its first scrimmage of the spring Saturday, defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward talked about how some players on defense have looked heading into the weekend.
He complimented the play of the line up front, singling out end Gerald Dixon and tackles Gerald Dixon Jr. and J.T. Surratt. Ward said sophomore safety Kadetrix Marcus is doing well on the perimeter, while fellow safety Brison Williams has shown signs of "being a starter for us at the boundary safety spot."
Ward also said that while cornerback Victor Hampton is doing well at times, he has a tendency to take too many chances at times.
This defense is expected to yet again be one of the top ones in the SEC this fall, but Ward said the unit still has a ways to go and still has a lot to clean up in the coming weeks.
“We still have a long way to go,” Ward said. “We’ve seen some slight improvement by some young guys but not enough improvement to where we can feel good about them helping us win a lot of ball games next season. We’ve still got a ways to go, but still have quite a few practices to get it done.
"I feel good about some of the young guys but we’ve got to get a lot more out of a couple of them.”
South Carolina returns to practice Friday at 4:15 p.m. ET and it's open to the public.
Even in the fiercely competitive SEC, it’s good to spread a little love.
OK, maybe just once a year. And that one day is today … Valentine’s Day.
So just as we did a year ago, we’re going to set aside all the bitter rivalries, feuds and finger-pointing for a day and hand out some very deserving Valentine’s Day cards.
Sit back and enjoy.
Dear …
Alabama coach Nick Saban,
Your football program is without peer right now, and I mean anywhere in college football. A lot of people were shocked when they heard that Alabama was paying you $32 million over eight years – a financial package that has since been sweetened. I’d say it’s been money well spent when you look at the Crimson Tide’s trophy case over the last few years. Everybody wonders what your secret is. Here’s one: Great football players who are also high-character kids in the mold of Trent Richardson, Barrett Jones, William Vlachos, Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw.
Former Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt,
Hated to see you go out like that. But regardless of what anybody says, average coaches don’t make it 14 years in this league at two different places. The same goes for your defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix. Both of you are better coaches than the last two seasons would suggest. There’s an entire body of work out there that says so.
South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore,
Can’t wait to see you back on the field, and here’s hoping you’re as good as new. Your sense of team, combined with your incredible work ethic and awesome athletic ability, make you the kind of player coaches and fans dream about.
Arkansas running back Knile Davis,
Probably should have sent you and Marcus the same card. We’re all keeping our fingers crossed that you’re healthy again. Your unbreakable will to keep coming back from so many injuries is an inspiration to all of us, and we're eager to see the version of you run the ball again that we saw in 2010 when you led all SEC running backs in rushing.
LSU coach Les Miles,
I’m not one of those who writes off what you and your team did for the first 13 games this past season simply because of that one forgettable night in New Orleans. It was a remarkable run against a killer schedule. But do everybody on the Bayou a favor and trash that offensive game plan from the BCS national championship game.
Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray,
Your arm strength and ability to make all of the throws is unquestioned. You’re equally fearless in the pocket. But now it’s time to become a true quarterback and raise the level of play of all the guys around you. The great quarterbacks take it upon themselves to lead their entire team, and they do so as much off the field as they do on the field.
Arkansas receiver/punt returner Joe Adams,
Do you really have eyes in the back of your head? We’re still dying to know how you broke all of those tackles (somewhere around eight) on that 60-yard punt return for a touchdown against Tennessee? It’s as good a punt return as I’ve ever seen.
Vanderbilt defensive end Tim Fugger,
There are a lot of underrated players in this league, but you were right there at or near the top this season. You were invaluable to that Vanderbilt defense with your 13.5 tackles for loss, including eight sacks, and three forced fumbles. It wasn’t just your numbers that set you apart, but the way you played the game with precision, passion and grit on every snap.
Kentucky linebacker Danny Trevathan,
We’re not supposed to have favorites in our business. But how can you not pull for a guy like Trevathan? Kentucky coach Joker Phillips used to joke that he found Trevathan up under a rock down in Florida during the recruiting process. Well, Trevathan turned out to be a rock, racking up nearly 300 total tackles during his last two seasons and playing the game the way it’s supposed to be played no matter what the scoreboard said. We'll miss you, Danny.
Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham,
The entire Bulldog Nation thanks you for bringing a mental toughness to that defense (and to the program) that was lacking at times in past seasons. Your defense was the backbone in Georgia’s turnaround and 10-game winning streak this season, and even though your fire might have burned a little too brightly a couple of times, it’s exactly what the Bulldogs needed.
Former Auburn running back Michael Dyer,
Not even the great Bo Jackson rushed for 1,000 yards each of his first two seasons on the Plains. It was a joy to watch you play. Just wished it didn’t end on such a sour note.
Former Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain,
Congrats on the new gig at Colorado State. You were destined to be a head coach, and I’ll make sure everybody remembers that they did play a little offense at Alabama this past season, too. In fact, your Tide offense was the only one in the SEC to average more than 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing per game. That’s saying something when you consider the level of defense played in the SEC.
Florida coach Will Muschamp,
You made some tough decisions in Year 1, notably sending star cornerback Janoris Jenkins packing following his second drug arrest. You’ve also got your coaching staff more to your liking, and your players understand unequivocally now what you expect from them. The 2012 version of the Gators will more closely reflect you as a football coach, and I’d be surprised if the results weren’t markedly better.
Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen,
I really like the way you’ve helped yourself with junior college talent. I also like the way your 2012 schedule looks through the middle of October. With five home games and two very winnable road dates, a 6-1 or even 7-0 start is very possible. I’m not trying to jinx you, Dan, but maybe Year No. 4 in Starkville is going to be that magical season everyone was predicting this past year. The bottom line is that you’ve led the Bulldogs to back-to-back winning seasons, and the last time that happened was 10 years ago.
OK, maybe just once a year. And that one day is today … Valentine’s Day.
So just as we did a year ago, we’re going to set aside all the bitter rivalries, feuds and finger-pointing for a day and hand out some very deserving Valentine’s Day cards.
Sit back and enjoy.
Dear …
Alabama coach Nick Saban,
Your football program is without peer right now, and I mean anywhere in college football. A lot of people were shocked when they heard that Alabama was paying you $32 million over eight years – a financial package that has since been sweetened. I’d say it’s been money well spent when you look at the Crimson Tide’s trophy case over the last few years. Everybody wonders what your secret is. Here’s one: Great football players who are also high-character kids in the mold of Trent Richardson, Barrett Jones, William Vlachos, Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw.
Former Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt,
Hated to see you go out like that. But regardless of what anybody says, average coaches don’t make it 14 years in this league at two different places. The same goes for your defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix. Both of you are better coaches than the last two seasons would suggest. There’s an entire body of work out there that says so.
South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore,
Can’t wait to see you back on the field, and here’s hoping you’re as good as new. Your sense of team, combined with your incredible work ethic and awesome athletic ability, make you the kind of player coaches and fans dream about.
Arkansas running back Knile Davis,
Probably should have sent you and Marcus the same card. We’re all keeping our fingers crossed that you’re healthy again. Your unbreakable will to keep coming back from so many injuries is an inspiration to all of us, and we're eager to see the version of you run the ball again that we saw in 2010 when you led all SEC running backs in rushing.
LSU coach Les Miles,
I’m not one of those who writes off what you and your team did for the first 13 games this past season simply because of that one forgettable night in New Orleans. It was a remarkable run against a killer schedule. But do everybody on the Bayou a favor and trash that offensive game plan from the BCS national championship game.
Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray,
Your arm strength and ability to make all of the throws is unquestioned. You’re equally fearless in the pocket. But now it’s time to become a true quarterback and raise the level of play of all the guys around you. The great quarterbacks take it upon themselves to lead their entire team, and they do so as much off the field as they do on the field.
Arkansas receiver/punt returner Joe Adams,
Do you really have eyes in the back of your head? We’re still dying to know how you broke all of those tackles (somewhere around eight) on that 60-yard punt return for a touchdown against Tennessee? It’s as good a punt return as I’ve ever seen.
Vanderbilt defensive end Tim Fugger,
There are a lot of underrated players in this league, but you were right there at or near the top this season. You were invaluable to that Vanderbilt defense with your 13.5 tackles for loss, including eight sacks, and three forced fumbles. It wasn’t just your numbers that set you apart, but the way you played the game with precision, passion and grit on every snap.
Kentucky linebacker Danny Trevathan,
We’re not supposed to have favorites in our business. But how can you not pull for a guy like Trevathan? Kentucky coach Joker Phillips used to joke that he found Trevathan up under a rock down in Florida during the recruiting process. Well, Trevathan turned out to be a rock, racking up nearly 300 total tackles during his last two seasons and playing the game the way it’s supposed to be played no matter what the scoreboard said. We'll miss you, Danny.
Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham,
The entire Bulldog Nation thanks you for bringing a mental toughness to that defense (and to the program) that was lacking at times in past seasons. Your defense was the backbone in Georgia’s turnaround and 10-game winning streak this season, and even though your fire might have burned a little too brightly a couple of times, it’s exactly what the Bulldogs needed.
Former Auburn running back Michael Dyer,
Not even the great Bo Jackson rushed for 1,000 yards each of his first two seasons on the Plains. It was a joy to watch you play. Just wished it didn’t end on such a sour note.
Former Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain,
Congrats on the new gig at Colorado State. You were destined to be a head coach, and I’ll make sure everybody remembers that they did play a little offense at Alabama this past season, too. In fact, your Tide offense was the only one in the SEC to average more than 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing per game. That’s saying something when you consider the level of defense played in the SEC.
Florida coach Will Muschamp,
You made some tough decisions in Year 1, notably sending star cornerback Janoris Jenkins packing following his second drug arrest. You’ve also got your coaching staff more to your liking, and your players understand unequivocally now what you expect from them. The 2012 version of the Gators will more closely reflect you as a football coach, and I’d be surprised if the results weren’t markedly better.
Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen,
I really like the way you’ve helped yourself with junior college talent. I also like the way your 2012 schedule looks through the middle of October. With five home games and two very winnable road dates, a 6-1 or even 7-0 start is very possible. I’m not trying to jinx you, Dan, but maybe Year No. 4 in Starkville is going to be that magical season everyone was predicting this past year. The bottom line is that you’ve led the Bulldogs to back-to-back winning seasons, and the last time that happened was 10 years ago.
Getty ImagesNick Saban, Les Miles and Steve Spurrier lead the SEC's top coaching staffs.Now that we’ve gone through our position rankings in the SEC for the 2011 season, the only thing left is the coaches.
The head coach is obviously a big part of these rankings, but we’re taking into account the total staff and the job all of the coaches did this season in developing players, developing the team and getting the team to play its best in the biggest moments.
Here goes:
1. Alabama: The only blemish for the national champions was the LSU game in the regular season, and that was an overtime loss. Offensive coordinator Jim McElwain did an excellent job bringing along quarterback AJ McCarron, and it was hard to beat the Tide’s balance on offense. What more can you say about Kirby Smart and the defense? It’s a group that rates up there among the best in Alabama history, and when Nick Saban gets to the title game, he’s money. Alabama was easily the most prepared team on Jan. 9 in the Big Easy.
2. LSU: For 13 games, Les Miles and his entire staff did as good a job as any staff in America. There were several off-the-field issues that Miles handled well, and through it all, he kept his team on point against a killer schedule. Defensive coordinator John Chavis did a masterful job all season and won the Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in the country. But in the end, the Tigers were poorly prepared offensively in the title game and never made any significant adjustments. Miles’ refusal to at least try another quarterback remains a mystery.
3. South Carolina: It’s been a while since Steve Spurrier has been this happy about a football season. The Head Ball Coach and his staff have a lot to be happy about. The Gamecocks won 11 games for the first time ever, beat rival Clemson for the third straight season and did so despite their best player, running back Marcus Lattimore, going down with a knee injury during the middle of the season. It was one of Ellis Johnson’ best defenses at South Carolina, and after he left to take the Southern Miss head job, Lorenzo Ward saw to it that the Gamecocks didn’t miss a beat defensively in their Capital Bowl win over Nebraska.
4. Arkansas: With Tyler Wilson taking over for Ryan Mallett at quarterback, the Hogs were as potent as ever offensively, and that’s a credit to both Bobby Petrino and his right-hand man, Garrick McGee, who left at season’s end to take the UAB head job. Special teams were very good all season, although the Hogs gave up punt returns for touchdowns in their two biggest games of the season against Alabama and LSU. The disappointment was on defense, where Arkansas took a step backward from 2011, which is why Petrino parted ways with Willy Robinson and brought in Paul Haynes.
[+] Enlarge
Dale Zanine/US PresswireDefensive coordinator Todd Grantham's defense finished the season ranked No. 5 nationally.
Dale Zanine/US PresswireDefensive coordinator Todd Grantham's defense finished the season ranked No. 5 nationally. 6. Vanderbilt: The Commodores’ best win came in the regular-season finale when they routed Wake Forest on the road to qualify for a bowl game. And even though they lost their bowl game and wound up with a losing record, first-year coach James Franklin and his staff breathed new life into a program that had only gone to four bowl games previously in school history. The Commodores lost four of their six SEC games by a total of 19 points, and they improved dramatically on offense, especially in the offensive line. As much as anything, Franklin brought an edge to the program that it had been lacking.
7. Auburn: It’s never easy to go from a 14-0 national championship season to a ho-hum season where you lose three of your last four SEC games by a total of 101 points. The Tigers’ defense was dreadful for most of the season, and other than former tailback Michael Dyer, there wasn’t a lot to get excited about on offense, either. Nonetheless, Gene Chizik and his staff still found a way to carve out eight victories, including wins over five teams that finished the season with winning records.
8. Mississippi State: Maybe the expectations for Mississippi State at the start of the season were a tad unrealistic, but Dan Mullen helped create those expectations by winning nine games in his second season and spanking Michigan in the bowl game. Chris Wilson’s defense came around the second half of the season, but the Bulldogs didn’t take the step most thought they would on offense. They were a couple of plays away from winning nine games again, and it’s the first time Mississippi State has put together back-to-back winning seasons since Jackie Sherrill had four in a row from 1997-2000.
9. Florida: The first year was a mulligan of sorts for Will Muschamp, who inherited some issues off the field he needed to solve. He made a tough (and the right) decision by kicking off his best player, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, after multiple drug arrests. The Gators also held their ground defensively. But the Charlie Weis experiment as offensive coordinator wasn’t a good fit, and the Gators were as bad offensively as they were the year before during Urban Meyer’s last season.
10. Kentucky: Had the Wildcats played just 11 games in 2011, Joker Phillips and his staff might have been ranked even lower. But then came the finale against Tennessee and the end of the 26-game losing streak to the Vols. Not only that, but the Wildcats figured out a way to win with receiver Matt Roark playing quarterback. It was a struggle the whole way offensively during the season, but first-year defensive coordinator Rick Minter deserves credit for bringing a more aggressive approach to the defense and forcing more turnovers.
11. Tennessee: A very average season for the Vols turned into a forgettable season thanks to their lackluster 10-7 loss to Kentucky. The Vols were slowed by key injuries to Justin Hunter and Tyler Bray and were playing a lot of younger players, but Derek Dooley has been the first to say that they also need to coach better going forward. The running game was a no-show in 2011, and there was a serious problem with team chemistry as the season wore on, something Dooley must correct if he’s going to be around long-term on Rocky Top.
12. Ole Miss: It was a tough end to a 14-year SEC coaching run for Houston Nutt. Some poor recruiting classes at the start of his Ole Miss tenure caught up to him, and so did some crippling injuries. There were no answers at quarterback, and even though the numbers were ugly on defense, defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix is a much better football coach than the numbers would suggest. The reality is that when you lose 14 straight conference games over two seasons, you’re not going to be ranked very high in any rankings.
Updating records against winning teams
February, 10, 2012
Feb 10
11:10
AM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
We’ve updated our career records for SEC head coaches from this past season against FBS teams that finished the season with a winning record, which is always one of the best gauges for coaching success.
Obviously, there are exceptions. In some cases, a coach may just be starting out, and there are also situations where he’s come from a smaller school and taken his lumps.
Generally, though, it’s a pretty good measurement of how a coach has fared over the course of his career.
LSU’s Les Miles made a big jump this season by finishing 9-1 against teams with winning records in 2011.
Houston Nutt, who was fired as Ole Miss’ coach, won 36 games during his career against FBS teams that finished the season with a winning record, but he lost 69 to leave his winning percentage at .343.
Obviously, there are exceptions. In some cases, a coach may just be starting out, and there are also situations where he’s come from a smaller school and taken his lumps.
Generally, though, it’s a pretty good measurement of how a coach has fared over the course of his career.
LSU’s Les Miles made a big jump this season by finishing 9-1 against teams with winning records in 2011.
Houston Nutt, who was fired as Ole Miss’ coach, won 36 games during his career against FBS teams that finished the season with a winning record, but he lost 69 to leave his winning percentage at .343.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Chris Low
Low joined ESPN.com in 2007 after 10 years with The (Nashville) Tennessean covering the University of Tennessee and SEC. The Rock Hill, S.C., native lives with his wife in Knoxville and has three sons.
Edward Aschoff
Aschoff joined ESPN.com in 2011 after spending four years covering the University of Florida for The Gainesville Sun. He grew up in Oxford, Miss., before attending UF, graduating with a B.S. in journalism.
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