ESPN College Football

Just seeing No. 34 out there on the practice field this spring was a major pick-me-up for everybody associated with Tennessee’s football team.

And, yes, it had been a long time coming for Herman Lathers.

“It seemed like forever since I’d really played football,” said Lathers, the Vols’ fifth-year senior middle linebacker, who missed all of last season with a fractured ankle.

“When you go through some of the things I’ve gone through, you soak up every second you’re out there and make the most of it.”

Perhaps the most refreshing thing about Lathers, whose career has been riddled with injuries, is that he’s not a “Why me?” guy. Rather, he’s an “I’m going to persevere guy,” and it goes all the way back to his childhood.

Lathers was diagnosed with bone cancer when he was 10. While other kids were out playing football and basketball and just being normal kids, he was undergoing a painful treatment process that included a needle being stuck in his back once a month for five years.

“That’s a lot of shots, and I was really limited as a kid,” said Lathers, who didn’t start playing football until his sophomore year of high school. “I wasn’t’ able to go outside a lot and move around. Most of the time, I was in the house lying down with my feet propped up and heating pads on my back.”

Now cancer-free, Lathers has still had to fight through a litany of injuries.

Soon after arriving at Tennessee, Lathers had his spleen removed after tests revealed that he had a low platelet count. He redshirted in 2008, but bounced back to play some quality football over the next two seasons. He was an SEC All-Freshman performer in 2009, and finished second on the team with 75 total tackles in 2010.

Toward the end of the 2010 season, Lathers hurt his shoulder and played through the injury in the bowl game. But he had shoulder surgery in January following the bowl game and missed spring practice. The most crippling blow, though, came a few months later to open summer workouts when he collided with another teammate while breaking on a pass.

His left ankle was fractured, and doctors had to insert 11 screws to repair it. Lathers tried to come back and practice during the latter part of the 2011 season, but he simply couldn’t move well enough to play.

“It was my worst injury since I’ve been here, more mentally draining than anything else,” Lathers said. “It was hard to understand why all this was happening to me, but it’s like our chaplain used to always say, ‘God never puts more on you than you can bear.’ ”

Tennessee coach Derek Dooley said there’s no way to put a value on what having Lathers back means to the team.

“He’s not just an inspiration from a leadership standpoint, but he’s a really good football player,” Dooley said. “When we went into the spring, I was really nervous how much we were going to get out of him coming off the injuries that he’s had. When I saw him early on in the spring, it kind of hit us all that most of what he’s fighting really is clearing this mental hurdle, that he’s OK.

“I think he pulled the pin more than he ever dreamed that he would have in our scrimmages and in the spring game.”

Lathers admits that he didn’t have much confidence in his ankle to begin spring practice and was tentative.

“I just didn’t know how much it could withstand,” he said.

But each day, he played a little faster and a little more instinctively, and as his teammates were fond of saying, was back to the “old Herm.”

Dooley said it’s critical that Lathers stays healthy, too. The Vols aren’t very deep at linebacker, and with the transition to the 3-4 defense, they need somebody with Lathers’ experience patrolling the middle.

“I believe he came out of the spring with a lot of confidence that he’s ready to go and he can be a real difference-maker for us in the front seven, and we need him to be,” Dooley said.

Lathers feels like he will only get stronger this summer, and that his range of motion in the knee will only get better. He’s also going to make sure he doesn’t overdo it.

He doesn’t have to play a game in June. It’s September when he wants to be at full speed.

“That’s when I want to put the kind of stamp on this team and my time here that I know I can,” said Lathers, who will explore the possibility of getting a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA.

“This team has been through a lot. We’ve all been through a lot. Adversity is just something you have to fight through. I think all that’s behind us now, and that we’re going to go out and do some great things this year.”

Taking a spin around the SEC with some links.

• Tennessee linebacker Herman Lathers is happy to be back to full speed.
• Wide receiver Justin Hunter is excited to be back at practice with the Vols.
• Jarvis Jones says Georgia's defense is trying to be the best in the country this fall.
• Georgia's Blake Sailors could find some time at cornerback for the Bulldogs.
• Texas A&M offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is ready to put his offense up against SEC defenses.
• Ole Miss' Jamal Mosley is showing his versatility at practice.
• Senquez Golson could be up for an audition this week.
• Alabama wide receiver DeAndrew White has been slowed by a hamstring injury.
• Angelo Blackmon has a chance to impress on Auburn's injured defensive line.
• There were differing opinions on the physicality during Auburn's Monday practice.
• Ross Rasner is enjoying his new role as a full-time safety.
• True freshman wide receiver Latroy Pittman is making an early impression at Florida's spring practices.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

I had some wonderful Cajun food down in Louisiana this week for lunch. Just thinking about it makes me hungry for some SEC links.

• Tennessee wide receiver Justin Hunter is focusing on football while he rehabs and expects to come back better than before.
• Tuscaloosa's airport service companies are preparing for a record weekend with the highly-anticipated LSU game Saturday.
• Top-ranked college football matchups during the regular season are steeped in lore and Alabama-LSU could end up the same way.
• South Carolina is still looking to be the first to score in a ball game this year.
• LSU's special teams might give the Tigers the advantage against Alabama Saturday.
• Vanderbilt's trick-play offense is no joke.
• Florida coach Will Muschamp says running back Chris Rainey is probable to questionable for Saturday's game against Vanderbilt.
• Mississippi State's passing game takes center stage for the Bulldogs.
• Kentucky quarterback Morgan Newton was "very limited" at practice Wednesday as he tries to recover from a sprained ankle.
• Arkansas' Chris Gragg is becoming a more dependable tight end in the SEC.
• Defensive changes could be coming for Ole Miss.
• Tennessee linebacker Herman Lathers' is willing to play, but with his injury, his body still isn't quite ready.
• Amen Corner has a new wrinkle for Auburn in 2011.

Coming off Tennessee's bye week, the Volunteers' coaching staff is making some changes to its depth chart before Saturday's game with Buffalo.

With receiver Justin Hunter out for the season with a torn ACL, junior Zach Rogers is listed in Hunter's spot at the X position. Rogers has five catches for 73 yards and a touchdown on the season.

Freshman DeAnthony Arnett, who had a breakout game against Florida two weeks ago with his eight catches for 59 yards, is listed as the backup to starter Da'Rick Rogers. Former running back Rajion Neal, who has seven career catches, is also listed as a backup to Rogers.

On defense, sophomore cornerback Izauea Lanier is listed as the starting corner opposite junior Marsalis Teague. Freshman Justin Coleman had started two of the first three games for the Vols.

Junior linebacker Herman Lathers, who fractured his ankle in early June, isn't currently listed on Tennessee's two-deep, but was doing some jogging at practice Monday.

One of Tennessee's most promsing defensive players, sophomore end Jacques Smith, is healthy and will be "full-go" for the start of preseason camp, Tennessee coach Derek Dooley said Monday.

The Vols open practice on Tuesday.

The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Smith had surgery on both feet during the offseason, so there was some concern over when he might be ready. Having him there for the start of camp is good news for the Vols, who have no choice but to play a ton of new faces and younger players on defense this season. Smith was named to the SEC's All-Freshman team by the coaches last season after recording five tackles for loss.

While Smith will be back, Dooley said it would still be a few more months before senior linebacker Herman Lathers would be back on the field. Lathers was the Vols' only returning starting linebacker, but broke his ankle during summer workouts in June.

With Lathers out, senior linebacker Austin Johnson was expected to play an even bigger role. Johnson was arrested late last month and charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct. Dooley said Monday that he was disappointed in Johnson, but added that Johnson's punishment would be handled internally. Dooley said Johnson had been having one of the best summers of anybody on the team until his arrest.

The Vols' lack of depth at linebacker guarantees that a few true freshmen will be in the rotation this season. Curt Maggitt, A.J. Johnson and Christian Harris were all highly rated and will get a chance to play right away.

The coaching spotlight today shifts to Tennessee.

Coach: Peter Sirmon

Position: Linebackers

Experience: He's entering his second season on the Tennessee staff and his first season as a full-time position coach. Sirmon, 34, was a graduate assistant last season working with the Vols' defense. He replaces Chuck Smith on Tennessee's defensive staff. Smith, who coached the Vols' defensive line last season, was not retained by head coach Derek Dooley, prompting Lance Thompson's move from linebackers to defensive line and Sirmon's promotion to linebackers coach. Sirmon spent the 2009 season on the staff at his alma mater, Oregon, and worked under Chip Kelly. In 2008, Sirmon got his coaching start as the linebackers coach at Central Washington. He also coached kickoff coverage at Central Washington.

Of note: Sirmon played for seven seasons in the NFL from 2000-06, all with the Tennessee Titans. He was a starter at linebacker for five of those seasons. ... In college, Sirmon was an All-Pac-10 linebacker at Oregon. He was a four-year starter for the Ducks from 1996-99 and part of 30 wins for the program. ... Sirmon and Tennessee defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox were teammates at Oregon and played on the same defense. ... The year after Sirmon retired from the NFL in 2007, he worked on pre- and postgame radio and postgame television for the Titans. ... While playing for the Titans, Sirmon gained the reputation as one of the smartest defenders in the league.

His challenge: There are several holes to fill on Tennessee's defense, but none more glaring than at linebacker. In fact, the Vols signed three freshman linebackers in the 2011 class, and all three could end up playing prominent roles this season -- A.J. Johnson, Curt Maggitt and Christian Harris. It didn't help matters that the most productive returnee at linebacker, junior Herman Lathers, fractured his ankle during 7-on-7 workouts in June and is expected to miss multiple games to start the season. Lathers was Tennessee's second-leading tackler a year ago. Junior Greg King has also battled injury problems throughout his career. Sirmon made sure to cross-train his linebackers this spring. Sophomore Greg Propst, who backed up Nick Reveiz in the middle last season, worked both inside and outside. Senior Austin Johnson also worked at different spots. Sirmon said there's likely to be more shuffling in the fall as the Vols attempt to get their three best linebackers on the field. Making it even more difficult on the linebackers is the fact that the Vols aren't exactly loaded at defensive tackle. The hope is that junior college transfer Maurice Couch can come in and have an immediate impact up front, but Tennessee won't have the luxury of running SEC-caliber defensive tackles in and out of the game and helping to keep opposing offensive linemen off the linebackers. Dooley and Sirmon both expect to get the freshmen on the field early. All three are talented and were big gets on the recruiting trail, but it's never ideal in the SEC to have to rely on freshmen.

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

Here's how the teams stacked up:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tennessee stocked up on talented linebacker prospects in this past recruiting class, and it’s a good thing.

Junior Herman Lathers, the Vols’ only returning starter at linebacker, fractured his ankle last week and isn’t expected to be ready for the start of the season. He could be out even longer. Lathers missed the spring with a shoulder problem.

Also, the long-term availability of junior backup Greg King remains up in the air. He’s been saddled with knee problems each of the past two seasons and recently underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a torn meniscus in his right knee. King should be back for the start of preseason practice in August, but it’s anybody’s guess how healthy he’ll be.

What all this means is that the door is open as wide as ever for true freshmen A.J. Johnson, Christian Harris and Curt Maggitt.

Even before for Lathers’ injury, Tennessee coach Derek Dooley told me toward the end of spring practice that at least two of the freshmen would be heavily involved in the linebacker rotation. Dooley felt like all three were talented enough to play right away.

Now, the Vols have no choice.

Lathers, projected as the starter at weakside linebacker, was the second leading tackler on the team a year ago behind middle linebacker Nick Reviez, who graduated. Also gone is strongside linebacker LaMarcus Thompson, who was fourth on the team in tackles.

Getting junior safety Janzen Jackson back is more critical than ever now. Jackson, who was third on the team in tackles last season, withdrew from school last semester to deal with personal issues and didn’t go through spring practice. Dooley said last week at the SEC spring meetings he’s hopeful that Jackson will be able to rejoin the team sometime in July.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Freshman running back Bryce Brown was one of the more ballyhooed prospects in the country when he signed with Tennessee back in March, more than a month after national signing day.

On Thursday, he got his first unofficial welcome to the SEC.

With the Vols sporting shoulder pads for the first time this preseason, linebacker Herman Lathers unloaded on Brown during an 11-on-11 drill, sending Brown spiraling to the turf and the ball flying.

"It's just, 'Welcome to SEC ball,' " Lathers said.

The loose translation: You ain't in Wichita, Kan., anymore.

Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin said it's better that Brown gets acclimated now to those kind of "big-time, game-time major hits" than the first game, which is one of the reasons the Vols haven't held back to this point even though the first day in full pads isn't until Saturday.

"That's what we need to do," Kiffin said. "This conference is going to hit him like this. They're not going to take it easy on him. He needs that."

The 6-foot, 215-pound Brown, who was rated by Scouts Inc. as the country's No. 2 running back prospect last year, took at least three punishing hits Thursday. But he kept coming back for more.

"I doubt he's been hit like that before," Kiffin said. "Some guys get hit like that and they stay down for a while. He bounced right back up."

It's pretty obvious where Brown is in the pecking order. He's wearing No. 11, which had belonged to sophomore receiver Todd Campbell back in the spring.

Not anymore. Campbell is now wearing No. 85.