ESPN College Football

Today, we shift our attention to Arkansas. The Hogs lost as many talented seniors as any team in the league, and did so on both offense and defense.

If they’re going to break through next season in the West, they have to get better on defense, and that means replacing the best big-play defender on their team from a year ago:

OUT: DE Jake Bequette. We easily could have gone offense here with the Hogs losing three receivers -- Jarius Wright, Joe Adams and Greg Childs. Adams was equally valuable in the return game. And on defense, the Hogs need to find linebackers to replace Jerry Franklin and Jerico Nelson. But in Bequette, they lose that dynamic pass-rusher off the edge, the guy who made big plays for them and one of their best leaders. When he was healthy last season, Bequette was the opposing quarterback’s worst nightmare. He missed three games with a hamstring injury, but returned to rack up 10 sacks in 10 games, and also forced five fumbles.

IN: Chris Smith or Austin Flynn. Smith, a junior, is a prototypical speed rusher who’s bulked up to 251 pounds. He was somewhere around 230 when he arrived on campus as a freshman. Smith had six tackles for loss, including 3.5 sacks, last season and has the physical tools to be the kind of finisher the Hogs need him to be in 2012. Consistency will be the key for him along with standing in there and playing the run better. Flynn, who transferred in from Los Angeles Harbor Community College, has already turned heads in the strength and conditioning program. At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, he’s closer to Bequette in size, and goes about his business much the same way on the field. Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino has called Flynn a Bequette clone. Flynn will be hard to keep off the field, but the reality is that both Smith and Flynn will play a lot of snaps this fall for the Hogs.

Our postseason countdown of the SEC's top 25 players is out there for all to see, and the feedback has been nothing but positive.

Everybody agrees with all of our selections, and there hasn't been any second-guessing.

Right.

If you believe that, you'll also believe that the SEC has decided to outlaw tackling, and go to two-hand touch next season ... sort of like they do in some of the other conferences around the country.

The truth is that our countdown has been highly scrutinized (just as it is every year), and you've showered us with eight to 10 players you insist were absolute locks for the countdown -- and yet didn't make it.

Hey, we can't squeeze 35 players into 25 spots. It's impossible to pick just 25 players in a league as talented as the SEC, and even after you seek input from several different people and then agonize over the list for a week, you look at the finished product and ask yourself how Player X or Player Y could be omitted.

With that said, here's a look at the five players who just missed the cut. All five had excellent seasons and could have (and maybe should have) been on the list.

The players are listed alphabetically:

Antonio Allen, LB/S, South Carolina, Sr.: Playing the hybrid "Spur" position in the Gamecocks' defense, Allen was a relentless ball-hawk. He forced four fumbles and recovered three, while also intercepting three passes. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound Allen led South Carolina with 88 total tackles, including 9.5 for loss. He scored a pair of defensive touchdowns, one on an interception return and another on a fumble return. Allen was a second-team All-America selection by the Associated Press.

Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas, Sr.: The only thing holding back Bequette last season was a nasty hamstring injury during the early part of the season that forced him to miss three games. Otherwise, he would have easily cracked our top 25 countdown. Even with the late start, Bequette finished with 10 sacks in 10 games, leading the SEC in sacks per game, and also forced five fumbles. Bequette was a first-team All-SEC selection by the coaches.

Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn, So.: It wasn't a memorable season for the Auburn defense, but Lemonier put up monster numbers for the Tigers. He was third in the SEC with 9.5 sacks, and against league competition, was second with 8.5 of those sacks. Lemonier finished with 13.5 tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles, and a blocked a kick. He was a first-team All-SEC selection by the coaches.

Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU, So.: An integral part of LSU's menacing defense, Montgomery was as good against the run as he was rushing the passer. He led the Tigers with nine sacks, and was second on the team with 13.5 tackles for loss. Montgomery was named an All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and earned first-team All-SEC honors from both the coaches and the Associated Press.

Da'Rick Rogers, WR, Tennessee, So.: After Justin Hunter went down with a knee injury in the third week, Rogers became the Vols' go-to target and led the SEC with 67 catches. He was second in the league with 1,040 receiving yards, and also had nine touchdown catches. Rogers was a first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press, and a second-team All-SEC selection by the coaches.

The postseason top 25 countdown is done and it's time for us to discuss our reasons for how we sorted our list and why we left some players off.

Anytime you do this sort of thing you always second-guess yourself. There are always players you wish you had put higher, slid down lower, left off or put on the list. The only thing that's for sure is that you'll never be perfect and you'll never please everyone, but that's the way it goes.

Alabama running back Trent Richardson was the obvious choice to be first on our list. He was named the nation's top running back and was a unanimous first team All-American and All-SEC member. He accounted for more than 36 percent of Alabama's offense last year and became just the third player in SEC history to rush for 20 or more touchdowns.

Richardson is a track star built like a tank.

While Richardson was spot on, there was another player who we felt should have been higher. At second glance, Chris and I felt that Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones was too low. He ended up sixth, but we now feel like we should have had him above both Melvin Ingram and Courtney Upshaw.

When you finish the year with an SEC-best 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks after a a year away from the field you deserve to be higher.

Our bad.

We took some heat from the College GameDay crew during the season for having only one LSU player — cornerback Morris Claiborne — on our preseason list. (We didn't even have Tyrann Mathieu on the preseason list! We sure look boneheaded now.) Well, we certainly deserved that and had four Tigers on the postseason list, including No. 2 (Claiborne) and No. 3 (Mathieu). Defensive end Sam Montgomery and guard Will Blackwell just missed the cut, too.

We've also received word from some readers that we missed on Tennessee wide receiver Da'Rick Rogers, who was passed by LSU's Rueben Randle and South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery.

When we created this list we took into consideration stats and total impact on a team — good and bad. Yes, Rogers led the SEC in receiving, but his impact wasn't as positive as the others. Randle was LSU's top receiving target all season, was a true leader and finished the year third in the SEC in receiving. Jeffery was South Carolina's only real dependable receiver all season and of his eight touchdowns, five came in conference games. Jeffery also spent the first eight games on a team that didn't have much of a passing game and was still sixth in the league in receiving.

Also, Jeffery had a monster outing in South Carolina's bowl win, while when Tennessee needed a win over Kentucky to become bowl eligible, Rogers caught just two passes in the loss and was openly complaining and being divisive on the sideline.

Rogers had a solid season, but more was taken into consideration than just his play.

Five players — Richardson, Upshaw, Dont'a Hightower, Barrett Jones and Mark Barron — from our preseason top 10 remained there in our postseason countdown, so that made us look good.

We missed on two South Carolina players in the preseason in Devin Taylor (No. 6) and Stephon Gilmore (No. 12) and didn't see Ingram (postseason No. 5) coming. But we did have 14 of 25 from our preseason list back on our postseason list. It probably would have been more if not for injuries to South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, Arkansas running back Knile Davis and defensive end Jake Bequette, or the dismissal of former Tennessee safety Janzen Jackson.

Here's a breakdown of the list by team, position, side of the field, year and division:

TEAM

• Alabama (7)
• Georgia (5)
• LSU (4)
• Arkansas (3)
• South Carolina (2)
• Auburn (1)
• Kentucky (1)
• Mississippi State (1)
• Vanderbilt (1)

POSITION

• DB (7)
• LB (4)
• WR/TE (4)
• DL (3)
• QB (2)
• RB (2)
• OL (3)

SIDE OF THE FIELD

• Defense (14)
• Offense (11)

YEAR

• Senior (11)
• Junior (9)
• Sophomore (5)

DIVISION

• West (16)
• East (9)

Check in tomorrow to see players who just missed the cut for the postseason top 25.

Making the rounds on a Monday:

• Kentucky linebacker Ridge Wilson is suspended indefinitely after being arrested over the weekend on felony drug charges.
• Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett Louisiana News takes a look at five questions facing LSU heading into spring practice.
• Four potential new stars for LSU in 2012.
• Former Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin has a small fracture in his lower right leg.
• South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier says the Gamecocks' 8-0 record against Clemson, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee the past two years has gone a long way toward helping recruiting.
• The Alabama-LSU rivalry carries over to the NFL combine.
• Family ties could help Ole Miss with top defensive end prospect Robert Nkemdiche.
• Florida coach Will Muschamp gets a one-year extension on his contract.
• Former Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette says his Senior Bowl stint at linebacker was a blessing in disguise.
• Missouri will open the 2012 season at home against Southeastern Louisiana.

We turn our attention to defense today, specifically the top defensive lines in the SEC during the 2011 season.

Year in and year out, strong defensive line play is what separates the SEC from other leagues, so there’s no shame in finishing in the bottom half of these rankings.

You can see our preseason rankings here.

Now onto our postseason rankings:

1. LSU: The Tigers overwhelmed teams this season up front with numbers, power and speed. They had the luxury of running fresh guys in and out of the game and not dropping off one bit. Michael Brockers was one of the top interior linemen in the league, while Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo combined for 28.5 tackles for loss, including 17 sacks, off the edge. Finding a better collection of defensive linemen anywhere in college football would be difficult.

2. Alabama: Even Nick Saban said before the season that Alabama didn’t have that dominant difference-maker up front this season in the mold of a Marcell Darius, but it didn’t matter. The Crimson Tide’s play up front was still dominant. Nose guard Josh Chapman courageously played through a torn ACL and plugged the middle, and nobody got any push against the Alabama front when it came to running the ball. The Tide led the country in rushing defense with opponents managing just 2.4 yards per carry.

3. South Carolina: The Gamecocks’ specialty was rushing the passer, and they ended the season with six sacks against Nebraska in the bowl game. Senior defensive end Melvin Ingram was a consensus All-American with 10 sacks, but he had plenty of good players around him. Freshman defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is next in line for All-America honors. He tied for the lead in league games with five forced fumbles.

4. Georgia: Not only were the Bulldogs one of the best defensive lines in the league, but they were also one of the most improved. Junior college newcomer John Jenkins made a huge difference at nose guard, and junior end Abry Jones had a breakout season with seven tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hurries. The Bulldogs were a lot bigger up front this season, too, which comes in handy when you’re playing a 3-4.

5. Florida: The Gators could have used some more depth in their defensive line, but they held up surprisingly well this season despite getting very little help from their offense. Sophomore Dominique Easley emerged as one of the more active defensive tackles in the league before tearing his ACL against Florida State, and Sharrif Floyd played both inside and outside for the Gators. With just about everybody back, Florida should have one of the top lines in the SEC next season.

6. Vanderbilt: A few eyebrows might be raised to see the Commodores ranked in the top half of the league when it comes to defensive line play, but look at the numbers. In SEC games, Vanderbilt held opponents to an average of 111 rushing yards per game, which was fourth in the league. Senior defensive end Tim Fugger might have been the most underrated player in the league with 13.5 tackles for loss, including eight sacks. Junior tackle Rob Lohr wasn’t too far behind with 11.5 tackles for loss, including five sacks.

7. Mississippi State: It wasn’t the best start to the season for Mississippi State’s defense, but the Bulldogs closed with a flurry thanks in large part to the way they played up front the last half of the season. Tackle Fletcher Cox led the charge down the stretch and led all SEC interior linemen in league games with 12.5 tackles for loss. Cox’s running mate inside, Josh Boyd, also did his share of damage with eight tackles for loss.

8. Arkansas: Coming into the 2011 season, the Hogs looked like they had one of the deepest defensive lines in the SEC. But star defensive end Jake Bequette was plagued by a nasty hamstring injury early in the season, and his sidekick on the other end, Tenarius Wright, broke his arm in the fourth game against Alabama. Bequette still responded with seven sacks in seven SEC games, and Wright also returned late in the season. The Hogs’ weakness was stopping the run. It was a problem all season long.

9. Auburn: The Tigers had some decent sack numbers, but that’s where it ends for them up front defensively. Sophomore defensive end Corey Lemonier was second in the SEC in league games with 8.5 sacks, but the Tigers were carved apart up front more times than not. They allowed more than 200 rushing yards per game to SEC foes, and had a terrible time getting off the field on third down. Auburn was painfully young up front defensively this season, but everybody returns in 2012.

10. Tennessee: The Vols had trouble getting to the passer this season, and they also weren’t especially good at stopping the run. That’s a combination that’s difficult to overcome for any defense. They finished with just 10 sacks in SEC games, which was 11^th in the league, and they also gave up an average of 178.8 rushing yards per game to league foes. The Vols were hurting at tackle, which is why Malik Jackson played inside. He led the team with 11 tackles for loss.

11. Kentucky: As a whole, Kentucky improved defensively under first-year coordinator Rick Minter, particularly when it came to forcing turnovers. The Wildcats collected 16 in eight league games. They still need to get better up front after allowing an average of 203.8 rushing yards per game to SEC opponents. They also managed just 13 sacks in eight SEC contests. This is a big offseason for guys like Mister Cobble and Donte Rumph.

12. Ole Miss: One of the biggest blows for the Rebels was senior defensive end Kentrell Lockett not being able to make it all the way back from his knee injury. Ole Miss was left without any finishers up front and also couldn’t stop the run. In SEC contests, the Rebels gave up an average of 256.5 rushing yards per game, which ranked them last in the league and was 50 yards more than the 11^th place team.

The mailbag is back for your viewing pleasure.

We were hit with a good amount of questions in the past week, so we decided to fill your curious minds.

Signing day is coming up, there are two new teams getting ready to join the league and people are already talking about next year’s SEC champ.

Let’s get to those questions:

Nathan from the Texas panhandle writes: Aggie fan here. My email is in regards to the divisional format of the SEC. I personally think that divisions in a 14-team league are hard to work with since you will hardly see opponents from the division. Why not implement a no division league with a four-team playoff format at the end of the year for the SEC championship game? You keep rivalry games and just alternate opponents every year within the league. League record and rankings would be considered for the four-team slots. Opinion?

Edward Aschoff: First of all, welcome to the SEC … well, almost welcome. You’ll officially join in July, but welcome anyway. The funny thing is that Chris Low and I were actually talking about this exact thing the other day, since basketball has already done it. I know that divisions make it much easier to figure out the teams for the championship game, but I think it would be pretty cool to have just one league with no divisions. The more teams, the harder it is to maintain those traditional rivalries when you have divisions. If you get rid of the divisions, you can maintain every rivalry you want because there would be no obligation to play a certain amount of divisional teams. Alabama-Tennessee would never be in danger and neither would Florida-LSU. You would also have the two best teams in the SEC competing for the championship. Also, “The Rematch” would have happened in Atlanta and there would have been no crying about the national championship because the SEC’s spot would have been settled in Atlanta. I’m all for it.

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Brandon Estell from Jonesboro, Ark., writes: With the fairly average recruiting classes, at least ranked that way, that Bobby Petrino has brought to Fayetteville the last couple of years and looking that way again, although it is looking to be picking up come signing day, what is the realistic chance of Arkansas contending for the SEC West title possibly bigger?

Edward Aschoff: As far as the rankings go, Arkansas’ classes haven’t been as high as others in the SEC, but that definitely doesn’t mean that talent hasn’t been going to Fayetteville. Today I looked at some of the unheralded guys who became stars in college and a lot of them played at Arkansas. Just look at the seniors that left. Jake Bequette, Tramain Thomas, Jerry Franklin, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright were pretty much nobodies in high school. Now, everyone knows them. Petrino has done a great job with developing players and I think that if continues the Hogs will be fine. Forget about all the stars and focus on what is happening when they get on campus. Hey, if Arkansas beats LSU, who knows where the Hogs end up last season? Petrino has Arkansas on the right path.

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Joe Marina from Orlando, Fla., writes: Hey Ed. I believe you went to school at FL with my sister Jenna Marina. My question is with the recruiting class Muschamp looks to have and also depending on the QB play, I see FL having a much better team than last year. There are still a lot of questions on offense with wide receiver, running back, and QB. But if they play up to their talent, I would say it’s reasonable for FL to win 8 games this year. Would you agree?

Edward Aschoff: Jenna is a great friend of mine. I owe some of my success to her (ask her about our sports reporting project). ... I think that Muschamp’s first “real” class at UF is a pretty good one. He hit the offensive line hard and got the big back that he’s wanted. He could also close with at least one big-play wide receiver. I think this offseason is all about developing a tougher attitude in Gainesville. Muschamp called his team soft at the end of the year and he was right. Florida got pushed around. Can’t do that in the SEC. I think Brent Pease will be very hands on with those young quarterbacks and that offensive line will be worked harder than it ever has. Florida has the talent to compete for the East title, but will it have the attitude? Will it make the necessary plays on offense to help the defense? That schedule is tough with games at Texas A&M and Tennessee to start the year and the season ends at Florida State. Eight wins are possible, but this team has to make a lot of changes on both sides of the ball and has to have a better work ethic.

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Tony from Italy writes: With the Big 12 blog leaving Missouri out of many of it's recent conference related post (returning starters/recruiting blogs etc...) when will you start adding them into your blogs on a regular basis?

Edward Aschoff: First off, if you’re in Italy you should be enjoying yourself, not worrying about college football! Please have some gelato for me. As the spring gets closer, you’ll see more Missouri and Texas A&M content. Both schools officially join in July, but any blogs that have to do with the offseason or previewing the fall will have both included. Our recruiting scorecard didn’t have them because it was just a look at where the current SEC teams were. We’ll probably hit both when we look at signing day.

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David Whitten from Gadsden, Ala., writes: It seems no one thinks Bama will be very good next season, why is that? They played a lot of players all year and they have experience coming back, maybe the "experts" need to sit back and look at what we were seeing all year then re-think their opinion about Bama.

Edward Aschoff: Not sure where you’re seeing all that. Alabama should be a top-five team to start next season and I honestly think the offense with AJ McCarron and that experienced line coming back with some young talent at wide receiver. I think there will be some hiccups on defense because of all the star power that is gone, but that’s natural. I’m not saying Alabama will be bad at all. I still the Tide will compete for the SEC West and beyond, but you can’t sit there and think that this team won’t have growing pains on defense. You can’t lose that much talent and not take some sort of step back. It happens.

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Austin from Conway, Ark., writes: Sooooo, is DGB going to be a Razorback? I know this is the million-dollar question, and of course I'm REALLY hoping this is the case....but starting to get the feeling he might switch directions...thoughts??

Edward Aschoff: Ah, the nation’s top receiver: Dorial Green-Beckham. He’s a stud, for sure, and any team would love to have him. But where will he go? Most of the people that I talk with feel pretty confident that he’ll choose Arkansas, but Missouri is certainly NOT out of it. I think Arkansas is out in front and I think he might be able to catch a couple passes in that offense (sarcasm alert!). If I had to pick, I’d go with Arkansas, but I know that Missouri has done a very good job of recruiting him.

Everyone wants the five-stars. No recruiting collection would be complete without them.

But as we've seen over the years, not all of them really pan out, leaving fans and coaches pouting along the way. However, when one of those five-stars busts, there's always an unheralded recruit that finds a way to steal the scene.

Today, we'll look at some of the best signing class steals from the past few years. We'll use ESPN's player rankings and since the ESPN rankings go back to 2006, we'll only go back that far.

These are players who might not have been so highly recruited coming out of high school, but were stars at the college level. We could have gone on for days with this list, but it had to be shortened.

Here they are:

• [+] Enlarge
  Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesNick Fairley was unheralded but broke out during in 2010 and was the nation's best lineman that season.
  Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas: He was unranked in the 2007 class and was actually a tight end prospect. He received a grade of 40, but finished his Arkansas career as a top pass rusher, with 24 career sacks, 31 tackles for loss and forced eight fumbles.
• Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State: He was a junior college transfer who wasn't highly sought after at all. But it didn't take Ballard long to make a name for himself as he quickly became a star for the Bulldogs in his two seasons, rushing for 2,157 yards and 28 touchdowns.
• Ahmad Black, S, Florida: He came out of high school as the No. 49 safety and wasn't ranked in his region. He started off as a cornerback for Florida, but moved to safety and became quite the player. Black finished his career with 244 tackles and 13 interceptions. He also returned three interceptions for touchdowns.
• Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia: He was rated the No. 41 corner and No. 267 in his region in 2008. At Georgia, he was a dangerous return man, ranking second all-time in the SEC in kickoff return yards (2,593) and is the only player in SEC history with three 100-yard plays of any kind. He was also a tremendous corner, recording nine interceptions, 18 pass breakups and 152 tackles. He was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in 2011.
• Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky: Cobb was ranked as the No. 86 athlete back in 2008 and was overlooked by just about everyone. He played just about everywhere in college and finished his Kentucky career with 1,661 receiving yards, 1,313 rushing yards, 689 passing yards and 1,700 return yards. He also had 42 total touchdowns.
• Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn: The JUCO transfer signed with Auburn in 2007, but didn't qualify and finally made it to the Plains in 2009. He wasn't a highly rated JUCO prospect and was actually the No. 32-rated OT in 2007. He was an absolute star in 2010, setting the Auburn single-season record with 24.0 tackles for loss and had 11.5 sacks. He also earned the Lombardi Award for the nation's best lineman.
• Jerry Franklin, LB, Arkansas: He was a relative nobody coming out of high school as an unranked wide receiver. All he did in his four years was lead the Razorbacks in tackles each year and finished second all-time at Arkansas with 376 total tackles in his career.
• Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt: He was unranked and received a grade of 40 as a safety prospect in 2008. He turned into one of the SEC's best cover corners with the Commodores and left Vanderbilt tied for first in school history with 15 interceptions.
• Brandon James, RB/KR, Florida: He was ranked as the 111th running back back in 2006 and ranked 345th in his region. James made his mark as a return man, as he finished his Florida career with four SEC and 11 Florida records for kickoff and punt returns. He is still the SEC career leader in return yards (4,089) and had five touchdowns on returns.
• Barrett Jones, OL, Alabama: He was ranked as the No. 28 offensive tackle back in 2008, but enters his senior year with the Crimson Tide as arguably the nation's best offensive lineman. His versatility really showed in 2011 when he played just about every position on Alabama's offensive line and won the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman.
• Tyrann Matheiu, CB, LSU: He was the No. 36 cornerback in 2010 and was unranked in his region with a grade of 77. LSU was his only major offer, but he's been one of the most exciting -- and dangerous -- players to watch on defense and in the return game the last two seasons. He was a Heisman finalist in 2011, led LSU in tackles (71), has forced 11 fumbles in two seasons and has 10 career takeaways.
• Dexter McCluster, RB, Ole Miss: He was ranked the No. 71 running back back in 2006 and was No. 189 in his region. McCluster became an all-purpose star in the SEC during his four years, totaling 1,703 receiving yards, 1,955 rushing yards and 23 offensive touchdowns.
• Eric Norwood, LB, South Carolina: He was ranked the No. 99 defensive end back in 2006 and was No. 387 in his region, but he had quite the career at South Carolina, leaving with the all-time record in tackles for loss (54.5) and sacks (29). He finished his career with 255 tackles as well.
• Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky: He was an unranked linebacker with a grade of 40 coming out of high school in 2008. He became one of the league's top linebackers in his final two seasons, leading the SEC in tackles both seasons. He finished his career with 372 tackles.
• Prentiss Waggner, DB, Tennessee: He was the No. 50 corner in 2008 and was 305th in his region. Waggner has really been one of Tennessee's best defenders the past two seasons, playing both safety and corner. He has defended 11 passes, recording seven interceptions. He can be a shutdown corner and a ball-hawking safety.
• Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas: He came out of high school as the No. 44 wide receiver in 2008 and was ranked 115th in his region. His 2011 season, in which he led the SEC in receiving, gave him the single-season records in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He is also the Arkansas leader in career catches (168) and receiving yards (2,934).

One of the things I like to do every year leading up to national signing day is go back and look at where the players who made All-SEC that season ranked as high school recruits.

Occasionally, it’s stunning how few of the All-SEC players were hot-shot recruits. For instance, of the 11 defensive players who earned first-team, All-SEC honors in 2010 by the Associated Press, only two were ESPNU 150 recruits (ranked among the top 150 players nationally).

It’s a reminder that recruiting rankings are anything but foolproof.

However, the recruiting folks at ESPN batted a much higher percentage with the players on the 2011 All-SEC team.

Using the coaches’ selections this time, 10 of the 22 position players on offense and defense were ESPNU 150 selections coming out of high school.

In fact, both of the running backs -- Trent Richardson and Michael Dyer -- were rated as the No. 1 running back prospects in the country the years they graduated high school.

LSU’s Rueben Randle was the No. 1-rated receiver in 2009, while Arkansas receiver/return specialist Joe Adams was the No. 2-rated athlete in 2008.

So the evaluations by the ESPN recruiting team on the top skill players from this past season in the SEC were dead-on when they were coming out of high school.

It’s a little trickier with the guys up front.

Of the 10 offensive/defensive linemen named to the 2011 All-SEC team by the coaches, counting the tight end, only three were ESPNU 150 selections coming out of high school – Alabama center William Vlachos, Auburn defensive end Corey Lemonier and LSU defensive end Sam Montgomery.

LSU offensive tackle Alex Hurst and Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette weren’t ranked nationally or regionally as high school prospects.

Using ESPN’s recruiting rankings and the 2011 coaches’ All-SEC team, here’s a look back:

OFFENSE

• QB: Tyler Wilson, Arkansas – An ESPNU 150 selection in 2008. Ranked as the No. 8 quarterback in the class and the No. 82 prospect overall. A grade of 82. Ranked one spot below Andrew Luck that year among quarterbacks. Terrelle Pryor was No. 1. Wilson was the top-rated quarterback to sign with an SEC school in 2008. No. 2 on the list was Jordan Jefferson, and No. 3 was Star Jackson.
• RB: Trent Richardson, Alabama – An ESPNU 150 selection in 2009. The No. 1 running back in the class and the No. 6 prospect overall. A grade of 91. Only two players were rated higher than Richardson that signed with SEC schools in 2009 – No. 3 Russell Shepard to LSU and No. 4 Dre Kirkpatrick to Alabama.
• RB: Michael Dyer, Auburn – An ESPNU 150 selection in 2010. The No. 1 running back in the class and the No. 5 prospect overall. A grade of 87. The No. 1 player that year was Ronald Powell, and No. 3 was Dominique Easley, both defensive linemen who went to Florida.
[+] Enlarge
Nelson Chenault/US PresswireJarius Wright wasn't as highly touted coming out of high school as several other wide receiver prospects who ended up at SEC schools.
• WR: Jarius Wright, Arkansas – Ranked as the No. 44 receiver nationally in 2008 and the No. 115 prospect in the Southeast. A grade of 79. Twelve receivers who signed with SEC schools were rated ahead of Wright, including Julio Jones and A.J. Green. Some of the others rated ahead of Wright included Rod Wilks, Aaron Boyd, T.J. Lawrence, Chris Tolliver, Destin Hood and Frankie Hammond Jr.
• WR: Rueben Randle, LSU – An ESPNU 150 selection in 2009. The No. 1 receiver in the class and the No. 10 overall prospect overall. A grade of 86. Six players that year rated in from of him signed with SEC schools – Russell Shepard, Dre Kirkpatrick, Trent Richardson, Craig Loston, Bryce Brown and Jelani Jenkins.
• TE: Orson Charles, Georgia – Ranked as the No. 15 tight end prospect nationally, the No. 150 prospect in the Southeast and the No. 59 prospect in the state of Florida in 2009. A grade of 79. Arthur Lynch, who also signed with Georgia, was rated ahead of Charles that year at tight end. The top-rated tight end to sign with an SEC school that year was Zaccheus Mason, who went to Ole Miss.
• AP: Joe Adams, Arkansas – An ESPNU 150 selection in 2008. The No. 2 athlete in the class and the No. 41 prospect overall. A grade of 83. The player ranked No. 1 nationally that year as an athlete was Burton Scott, who went to Alabama and later transferred to South Alabama. For what it’s worth, No. 86 on that list was Randall Cobb.
• OL: Barrett Jones, Alabama – Ranked as the No. 28 offensive tackle nationally and the No. 157 prospect in the Southeast in 2008. A grade of 78. The No. 1 offensive tackle that year nationally was Jones’ Alabama teammate, Tyler Love. Another teammate, John Michael Boswell, was also rated ahead of Jones at No. 19.
• OL: Will Blackwell, LSU – Ranked as the No. 15 defensive tackle nationally in the 2007 class and unranked regionally or overall. A grade of 79. The top-rated defensive tackle that year to sign with an SEC school was D.J. Stafford, who went to Kentucky and was No. 2 nationally. John Brown was No. 3 and went to Florida. For what it’s worth, Josh Chapman was the No. 74 defensive tackle, and 18 tackles that year who signed with SEC schools were rated ahead of Chapman.
• OL: Cordy Glenn, Georgia – Ranked as the No. 74 offensive tackle nationally in 2008 and the No. 390 prospect in the Southeast. A grade of 74. Ten offensive tackles who signed with SEC schools that year were rated ahead of Glenn.
• OL: Alex Hurst, LSU – Unranked regionally or nationally with a grade of 40 coming out of Bartlett, Tenn., in 2008. Hurst was able to attract Les Miles’ attention at an LSU football camp.
• C: William Vlachos, Alabama – An ESPNU 150 selection. Ranked as the No. 3 offensive guard nationally and the No. 80 prospect overall in 2007. A grade of 80. The No. 1 offensive guard that year was James Wilson, who went to Florida.

(Read full post)

Even as we turn our attention to the 2012 football season, there's always time to check back with the past from time to time.

The SEC released its last set of notes from the 2011 season this week, so we thought we'd take a look at some of the interesting facts and figures from the previous season.

For starters, how about a look at the SEC players of the week?

Week 1 (Games of Sept. 1-3): Offense - Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Rokevious Watkins, OT, South Carolina; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Luke McDermott, DT, Kentucky; Co-Freshman - Trey Depriest, LB, Alabama; Tre Mason, RB/RS, Auburn.

Week 2 (Games of Sept. 10): Offense - Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee; Defense - Mark Barron, S, Alabama; Special Teams - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Offensive Lineman - Alvin Bailey, OG, Arkansas; Defensive Lineman - Rob Lohr, DT, Vanderbilt; Co-Freshman - Josh Clemons, RB, Kentucky; Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 3 (Games of Sept. 15-17): Co-Offense - Chris Rainey, RB, Florida; Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina; Defense -Trey Wilson, DB, Vanderbilt; Special Teams - Caleb Sturgis, PK, Florida; Offensive Lineman - Wesley Johnson, C, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Bennie Logan, DT, LSU; Freshman- Odell Beckham, WR, LSU.

Week 4 (Games of Sept. 24): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Defense -Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Barrett Jones, OT, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Freshman- Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 5 (Games of Oct. 1): Co-Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas; Defense - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia..

Week 6 (Games of Oct. 8): Offense - Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Mike Gilliard, ILB, Georgia; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Tevin Mitchel, CB, Arkansas.

Week 7 (Games of Oct. 15): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Co-Defense - Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn; D.J. Swearinger, FS, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - Chris Faulk, OT, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Co-Freshman - Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina; Ray Drew, OLB, Georgia.

Week 8 (Games of Oct. 22): Offense - Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Ryan Seymour, OG, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU; Freshman - A.J. Johnson, LB, Tennessee.

Week 9 (Games of Oct. 29): Offense - Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn; Co-Defense - Jerry Franklin, LB, Arkansas; Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia; Special Teams - Zach Hocker, K, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Brandon Wilds, RB, South Carolina.

Week 10 (Games of Nov. 5): Offense - Jeff Demps, RB, Florida; Defense - Eric Reid, S, LSU; Special Teams - Dennis Johnson, RS/RB, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas; Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Maxwell Smith, QB, Kentucky.

Week 11 (Games of Nov. 12): Offense - Zac Stacy, RB, Vanderbilt; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Travian Robertson, DT, South Carolina; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 12 (Games of Nov. 19): Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Co-Defense - Ron Brooks, DB, LSU; Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Co-Defensive Lineman - Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee; Abry Jones, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Curt Maggitt, LB, Tennessee.

Week 13 (Games of Nov. 25-26): Co-Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Ryan Tydlacka, P, Kentucky; Co-Offensive Lineman - Kyle Fischer, OT, Vanderbilt; William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Co-Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Garrison Smith, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU.

SEC Championship Game MVP: Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

BCS (Yes, the SEC has won six straight)

• Since 2006, more than half of the slots in the BCS National Championship Game have been taken by SEC teams (7 of 12). The Big Ten and the Big 12 have two each and the Pac-12 has one.

• An SEC team has led or tied for the lead at the end of 20 of the last 24 quarters of BCS National Championship Game play.
• Since 2006, an SEC team has been ranked first in the weekly BCS standings in 26 of the 48 weeks, with four different teams holding the top spot. Florida was first for seven weeks, Alabama for six weeks, Auburn for three and LSU for 10 weeks, including all eight polls of this season.
• The SEC has had more teams ranked in the BCS standings for the most times than any other conference since 2006. The league has had 11 of its 12 teams ranked at one time or another since 2006 for a total of 238 times. The SEC breakdown: LSU (45), Alabama (35), Florida (33), Auburn (29), Georgia (23), Arkansas (23), South Carolina (21), Tennessee (14), Mississippi State (8), Kentucky (4) and Ole Miss (3).
• Since 2006, the SEC has posted a 9-3 record in BCS bowl games, more wins and a higher winning percentage (.750) than any other conference. The win total equals that of the next two highest conferences.

Bowls

• Since 2006, the SEC has accrued more bowl wins (36) and appearances (55) than any other conference. The conference’s .655 bowl winning percentage is third behind the Big East (23-10, .697) and Mountain West (20-9, .690) during that time.
• In January bowl games, the SEC is 22-10 (.688) against nonconference competition. Since 2008, the league is 16-6 (.727) against nonconference opponents in January bowls.
• In seven 2011-12 bowl games against nonconference teams, SEC defenses held opponents to less than its scoring average in five of those games. One of the two other games were in overtime (Michigan State-Georgia) and the other was Auburn holding Virginia to 24 points, when the Cavaliers season average was 23.2 points per game.

Random

• Over the last five seasons, Alabama owns the SEC's best winning percentage with a 50-12 record (.806). LSU has the most wins with 53, while Vanderbilt owns the league's lowest winning percentage (.355). LSU owns the best winning percentage over the last 10 years (.795) with a 105-27.
• SEC teams were 20-28 on the road against SEC opponents last season. Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt failed to win on the road against conference opponents.
• LSU led the SEC with a touchdown efficiency on drives of 34.8. Alabama led in scoring efficiency (46.8). Ole Miss was last in scoring efficiency (20.1) and Kentucky was last in touchdown efficiency (13.2).
• LSU led the SEC with 129 fourth-quarter points and a fourth-quarter scoring margin of plus-95. Ole Miss was last with 41 points and a scoring margin of -36.
• Arkansas led the SEC in yards per scoring drive (61.9).

The beat writers covering Auburn’s football program do a neat thing every season and honor one of the Tigers’ players with a “Good Guy” Award.

Quarterback Clint Moseley was the winner this season.

The award is meant to recognize a player who is consistently congenial and professional in his interactions with the media and gives interviews that are both candid and thoughtful.

Taking the Auburn beat guys’ lead, I want to pay tribute to the 10 players in the SEC this season who topped my list as being the best interviews and were always willing to fill your notebook up with compelling material.

Here goes:

Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette: The son of a prominent Little Rock attorney, it’s no surprise that Bequette was always a straight shooter. He speaks as well as he rushes the passer, and that’s saying something.

Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin: He had one of the quotes of the year after the Bulldogs rebounded from their 0-2 start. “After that South Carolina loss, people were throwing us out with the trash,” Boykin said.

Kentucky linebacker/safety Winston Guy: Just get him going, and there’s no telling where it may lead or how long it may last. One thing’s for sure: It won’t be boring.

Alabama offensive tackle Barrett Jones: The guy plays a violin, makes straight A’s and goes on mission trips to Haiti during his spring break. Even when you’re not talking football, he always has something interesting to say.

Ole Miss defensive end Kentrell Lockett: ESPN college football analyst Mark May had better beware, because the loquacious Lockett has made it known that he’s gunning for May’s job.

Vanderbilt linebacker Chris Marve: When Marve is finished snuffing out ball-carriers on the football field, he’ll be in a court room somewhere litigating cases.

LSU defensive end Sam Montgomery: Of all the players in the SEC, Montgomery was the most fearless when talking to the media. He’ll tell you precisely what’s on his mind and doesn’t hold anything back.

Alabama running back Trent Richardson: For a guy that was inundated with media attention, Richardson never changed. He was always willing to talk, always willing to provide insight and always pleasant despite being swamped by interview requests.

LSU receiver Russell Shepard: OK, he waffled there at the end on whether or not he was going to return to LSU next season, but Shepard’s a go-to guy after games. He’s smart, witty and always willing to speak his mind.

Alabama center William Vlachos: One of the toughest guys in the league and one of the funniest, Vlachos is a sports writer’s dream. A lot of times, he writes your story for you with the stories he tells.

The 2011 college football season is over, but that won't stop Arkansas' football team from revisiting its success one last time.

The team will be recognized for its tremendous 2011 season Saturday during halftime of Arkansas' men's basketball game against No. 20 Michigan. Coach Bobby Petrino will also be presented with the 2012 Field Scovell Trophy as the AT&T Cotton Bowl champion. Quarterback Tyler Wilson will be recognized for earning the J. Curtis Sanford Offensive MVP Trophy, and defensive end Jake Bequette will be presented with the Felix McKnight Defensive MVP Trophy.

And the Razorbacks should have one last opportunity to bask in 2011. Arkansas spent the season in the shadow of Alabama and LSU, but probably would have changed a lot with a win against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., at the end of the season. The Hogs rose to as high as third in the BCS standings, and beating Kansas State in the AT&T Cotton Bowl tied a school record with 11 wins in a single season and produced the program’s first top-five finish since 1977.

Alabama and LSU might have been at the top of the SEC, but Arkansas wasn't far behind in 2011. The Hogs didn't let injuries to key players and positions derail their season. Getting 11 wins without a running back (Knile Davis) that could have been one of the top players at his position in 2011 is pretty impressive. Also, Arkansas' only losses came to eventual national champion Alabama and runner-up LSU -- on the road.

Petrino has had the Hogs on the rise since he arrived in Fayetteville, and while the focus will continue to be on Alabama and LSU in 2012, Arkansas can't be overlooked.

You've seen Chris' top three SEC game atmospheres, now it's time to get the guy's picks.

Some fan bases forced me to buy noise-canceling headphones after the season, while some traditions I wasn't used to made me jealous of current students enjoying their college years.

It was tough to narrow down my list to just three, but here are the top game atmospheres I witnessed in 2011:

1. Auburn 41, Mississippi State 34, Auburn, Ala., Sept. 10: This was my first time on the Plains and I don't think my skin ever got rid of those pesky goose bumps after the pregame welcome the Auburn faithful displayed. I was amazed at how the students filled their section about an hour before the morning kickoff and had those blue and orange shakers going the whole time. I also loved how the crowed erupted when Auburn's bald eagle "Spirit" touched down at midfield before kickoff, even after crashing into a luxury box window moments before. Some of the pregame traditions were very similar to the ones I saw during my days at Florida, but the crowd inside Jordan-Hare Stadium was excellent from start to finish. The game was back and forth all day and Auburn fans exploded like a live volcano when Mississippi State quarterback Chris Relf was stopped on the goal line on the final play of the day. My ears are still ringing.

2. Arkansas 44, South Carolina 28, Fayetteville, Ark., Nov. 5: This game had the task of going up against Alabama-LSU, and those who missed this one missed a great one. Things were tight between both teams before Arkansas took over in the fourth quarter. So much was on the line for both, as they were battling for their respective divisions. Outside of the game itself, Arkansas' crowd was great. The weather was a bit chilly, but that didn't stop the Razorbacks fans from coming out in full force. The students roared from start to finish and went bananas when Arkansas forced two big turnovers in the fourth. Oh, and there was aftershock from an earthquake following the game that may or may not have been triggered by Jake Bequette's hit on Connor Shaw in the fourth quarter.

3. Auburn 16, South Carolina 13, Columbia, S.C., Oct. 1: South Carolina fans have always been impressive. They might be one of the most underrated groups around. With the defending champs in town, South Carolina fans brought it and didn't stop cheering until the final seconds. It was a tough loss for the Gamecocks, but it definitely wasn't because of the fans' lack of enthusiasm. From house music prompting a club-like atmosphere inside South Carolina's student section, to all those rooster crows, Williams-Brice Stadium felt more like party central than a football game.

Let’s review some of the highs and lows of the bowl season:

Best performance: Even in a loss, there was no topping Georgia’s Brandon Boykin. The senior cornerback certainly did his part in the Bulldogs’ 33-30 triple-overtime setback to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl. He scored three different ways, starting with a safety when he tackled Keshawn Martin in the end zone. He then returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter and caught a 13-yard touchdown pass to give Georgia a 27-20 lead with 6:44 remaining in regulation.

Best defensive performance: This one goes out to the entire Alabama defense, which saved its best for last. The Crimson Tide pitched the first shutout in BCS National Championship Game history and held LSU to 92 total yards. Let’s face it. They could have played 10 more quarters and LSU wouldn’t have scored a touchdown against Alabama on Monday night. It was like watching one giant crimson swarm all night.

Worst game: Unless you’re of the Alabama persuasion, the BCS National Championship Game was one of the worst in recent memory. That doesn’t diminish what the Crimson Tide accomplished, but it was a real stinker as a game. There was never any real drama. LSU was horrid on offense, and the game was decided once Alabama got more than a touchdown ahead.

Best off-the-bench performance: Auburn junior quarterback Barrett Trotter came off the bench after starter Clint Moseley went down with an injury and delivered one of his best passing performances of the season in the Tigers’ 43-24 victory against Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Trotter finished 11-of-18 for 175 yards and a touchdown and didn’t throw any interceptions. Most importantly, he was ready when his team needed him.

Best offensive game plan: Alabama turned to sophomore quarterback AJ McCarron to open the game and let him get into a rhythm with a series of bootleg passes and short throws. LSU wasn’t able to get to him with its pass rush, and McCarron’s confidence grew as the game progressed. It also allowed the Crimson Tide to drive the ball out of bad field position a couple of different times in the first quarter.

Worst offensive game plan: Easy choice here. LSU looked like a grade-school offense in the BCS National Championship Game. The Tigers stubbornly kept trying to run the speed option outside and never made any adjustments when they were stopped in their tracks. They did try to go hurry-up at one point, but didn’t have any answers for an Alabama defense determined to make Jordan Jefferson a passer.

Best farewell: The entire Arkansas senior class went out in style, from Joe Adams, to Jarius Wright, to Jake Bequette. There were 20 of them in all, and it’s a class that took Arkansas to new heights with 21 wins over the past two years. They capped their careers with a 29-16 victory against Kansas State in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, marking the first 11-win season for the Hogs since 1977.

Worst farewell: The unfortunate part for Jefferson is that he did some good things for LSU this season and made a big difference for the Tigers in that first game against Alabama. But fans are probably going to remember his arrest in the preseason and how poorly he played in the national championship game against Alabama more than any play he might have made to help the Tigers get there.

Best catch: South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery didn’t have the kind of season anyone was expecting, but his leaping grab of Connor Shaw’s Hail Mary and 51-yard touchdown as the first half ended completely changed the complexion of the Capital One Bowl and paved the way for the Gamecocks to go on and win 30-13 against Nebraska.

Worst luck: Marquis Maze got the ball rolling for Alabama with his 49-yard punt return in the first quarter, but he pulled his hamstring on the play and had to run out of bounds. He probably scores there if he doesn’t have the injury. He wasn’t able to return to the game, and seeing tears streaming down his face while watching his teammates from the sideline later on told you all you needed to know about what that game meant to Maze.

Best coaching move: Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain, coaching in his last game before taking on the Colorado State head-coaching gig, had the Crimson Tide come out throwing, particularly on first down, and that opened up the entire offense and sort of put LSU’s defense on its heels early.

Worst coaching move: Georgia coach Mark Richt gets big props for guiding the Bulldogs to 10 straight wins after the two losses to open the season. But his decision to play for a field goal in the first overtime, especially when Blair Walsh had been so inconsistent all season, was hard to figure. A 42-yarder isn’t a chip shot for anybody, and Walsh missed it right. That was the opening Michigan State needed to win the game in three overtimes.

The SEC went 6-3 in bowl games, and one of those losses was by LSU to Alabama in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

What did we learn in the postseason? Here’s a look:

1. The SEC rules: OK, most of us already knew this, but the SEC reasserted itself as the best conference in college football. There were a few blips. Georgia didn’t finish its game against Michigan State in the Outback Bowl, and a kickoff return for a touchdown sunk Vanderbilt against Cincinnati in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. But when the bowl dust had cleared, four SEC teams were ranked in the top eight in the final USA Today coaches’ poll, and three teams were in the top five of both polls. Alabama was No. 1, LSU No. 2, Arkansas No. 5 and South Carolina No. 8. All four teams won at least 11 games, and Alabama, of course, won the big prize. The Crimson Tide made it six straight BCS national championships for the SEC, which has its clutches on college football like never before.

2. Saban reaches new heights: That argument about the two greatest coaches in SEC history is starting to become a genuine argument. Alabama’s Bear Bryant will always be a part of that conversation, but who’s No. 2? Steve Spurrier is a lock for the College Football Hall of Fame when he retires, and if you go way back, Gen. Robert Neyland deserves mention as well. But with his third national championship in 10 seasons as an SEC head coach, Nick Saban is quickly cementing a spot right up there alongside Bryant. The fact that Saban has done it at two places (Alabama and LSU) is what separates him. And keep in mind that LSU was 3-8 the season before he got there and Alabama was 6-7 the season before he arrived in Tuscaloosa. He’s building a mini-dynasty at Alabama, and it’s a run that easily could include a few more national titles.

3. McCarron is coming: The Crimson Tide kept sophomore quarterback AJ McCarron under wraps this season. They shielded him from the media, wanting him to instead focus on everything that goes into quarterbacking the team. They also didn’t put a lot of the offensive burden on his shoulders. That is, until Monday night’s Allstate BCS National Championship Game. McCarron played with the confidence and poise of a fifth-year senior, and was the key to the Crimson Tide’s game plan. He came out throwing against LSU’s defense and finished 23-of-34 for 234 yards. It’s a great way for McCarron to go into this offseason. He will be the unquestioned leader of that offense next season and will be asked to do a lot more. The best news for Alabama fans is that he’s plenty capable. He’s the most physically gifted quarterback Saban has had at Alabama, and the whole experience of the national title game could be the springboard he needs to become one of the SEC’s elite quarterbacks the next two seasons.

4. Head Ball Coach is revived: Despite whether Steve Spurrier is second, third or fourth when you start ranking the best SEC head coaches of all time, he’s proved at South Carolina that there was plenty left in his tank. Spurrier, who turns 67 in April, clearly didn’t go to Columbia for one last taste of football before hitting the golf course full time. He went to win, and the Gamecocks are winning at unprecedented heights. Their 30-13 victory over Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl capped their first 11-win season in school history. They recorded their first top-10 finish in the polls in school history, and they’ve won nine or more games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history after making their first appearance in the SEC championship game in 2010. The "Head Ball Coach" should have a good team in 2012, too, so there could be more firsts on the way.

5. Arkansas’ seniors step up: What else can you say about Arkansas’ senior class and the way it set the tone for this team all season? Really, it’s a senior class that changed the course of Arkansas football. And in taking down Kansas State 29-16 in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, the Hogs’ seniors again led the way. Joe Adams had his fourth punt return for a touchdown this season. Jarius Wright caught his 12^th touchdown pass. Jerry Franklin led the team with eight total tackles, the fourth straight season in which he’s led the Hogs in tackles. Jake Bequette had two sacks. Tramain Thomas was his usual solid self, and Jerico Nelson had an interception and 61-yard return to seal the game. It’s a senior class that left an indelible mark on Arkansas football and a senior class that paved the way for the Hogs’ first 11-win season since 1971.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Arkansas punt returner Joe Adams made one quick cut between a wall of Kansas State defenders, and sprinted toward the sideline before turning upfield.

Around 40 or so yards later, Adams crossed the goal line and emphatically slammed the ball into the Cowboys Stadium turf.

The Hogs were rolling. They led by double digits. The red half of the 80,956 in attendance was going hog wild.

All that, and Arkansas' offense hadn't even recorded a first down yet on the way to its 29-16 victory over the Wildcats in Friday night's AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.

So much for Snyderball.

Arkansas showed up to the Cotton Bowl and K-Stated K-State.

"That's why it's a team game," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. "Our defense gave us three points right off the bat. Special teams scored seven."

All season long, Kansas State's physical running offense plodded along to a ninth-place finish in total offense in the pass-happy Big 12 while an opportunistic defense and special teams waited for opponents to make mistakes.

Earlier this season, the Wildcats won four consecutive games as an underdog while also being outgained.

This time, against Arkansas, Kansas State made the mistakes it had collected from opponents all year long.

"We got off to an awfully bad start and really couldn't overcome the damage that we did," said K-State's 72-year-old coaching savant, Bill Snyder, "and most of it was pretty obvious."

Yeah, it was.

On the game's second possession, Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette slipped into the backfield and stripped Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein from behind, but Arkansas' offense couldn't capitalize on the great field position and settled for a 26-yard field goal.

The Wildcats fielded an Arkansas' punt on the next possession at the 3-yard line, getting stuffed at the 4 and tightening up an offense that was bothered by dropped passes for much of the first half.

A predictable three-and-out followed to set up Adams' key return.

"It obviously made a major difference. How did I like it? I didn't like it a bit," Snyder said. "But, you know, we knew he's a talented player. We knew that he could make you miss him. We knew they were probably tired of me talking about being able to contain Joe Adams and not let him bounce the ball outside. Sure enough, he bounced it outside.

"But he's a very, very talented player. That's not the first time he's done that."

In fact, it was the fifth time — and fourth this season, an SEC single-season record. That was highlighted by a work of art against Tennessee in which Adams made approximately 52 tacklers miss on the way to an impossible return that might be the greatest highlight of the 2011 season.

"It was another one of those where you just go, 'Wow!" Petrino said. "You could see when he made the catch he had in mind what he was going to do. ... Joe showed great acceleration, made another spectacular play for us."

Kansas State's special-teams wizardry was muted. Ralph Guidry blocked his fifth kick of the year. Nigel Malone scooped up the extra point and ran it back for two points, but it wasn't enough. The Wildcats' answer for Adams, kick returner Tyler Lockett, dressed but didn't play after suffering a lacerated kidney this season. He ran back two kicks for scores and emerged as the Big 12's most dangerous special-teams player. He could only watch as Adams did to his team what he'd done to so many others in 2011.

"The difference in the game was how well we played on defense and the field position we were able to give our offense," Petrino said.

Kansas State's running game was mostly unproductive foot-shuffling that got it nowhere. The Wildcats carried the ball 40 times for just 86 yards and gave up six sacks.

Like so many other games this season, the Wildcats were outgained. This time, it was 345-260. Unlike so many other games this season, Kansas State couldn't find a way to win. Early mistakes made sure it hardly had a chance. It climbed back to 19-16 before Arkansas' offense, the best in the SEC, started to click.

"This game was about we need to stop this run, stop this quarterback. We tightened them up," Petrino said. "Once it became third down, (our defensive ends) widened out and teed off, made huge plays for us, the turnover early and the sacks."

The mistakes were too much. On an off-night for Kansas State's offense, it had far from enough.

Kansas State and Arkansas left Dallas with a pair of memorable double-digit-victory seasons, but Arkansas, as the three SEC teams in this game before it, will look back fondly on the finale.

"We really wanted to get them 11 wins," said Petrino, who has won 21 games in the past two seasons, giving Arkansas its first 11-win season since 1977 and third in program history. "Make sure that everybody remembered this football team."

Arkansans will. And so will Kansas State.