ESPN College Football

Mother's Day is just days away, so take the time to thank the most important women in your life. In the meantime, check out some SEC links.

• Missouri coach Gary Pinkel has standing among SEC coaches.
• Here is a 40-year-old letter from Bear Bryant to an incoming freshman.
• The SEC wants wireless communication for football officiating crews in 2012.
• Former Auburn offensive lineman Brandon Mosley signs a four-year deal with the New York Giants.
• Brad Locke of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal takes a look at Mississippi State's safeties post-spring.
• Nick Saban still isn't a fan of only conference champions playing in a four-team playoff.
• Italy is a hot spot for Georgia players.
• Former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson and linebacker Josh Johns are being sued in Baton Rouge civil court by four men who claim they were injured in the off-campus bar brawl that occurred last summer.

The plaintiffs are also seeking damages from the owner of Shady's bar, claiming negligence for failing to provide adequate security to prevent the fight in the parking lot.

Both Jefferson and Johns were suspended last season after the incident. Jefferson returned after four games and eventually led the Tigers to the Allstate BCS National Championship Game against Alabama. Johns, a reserve linebacker, played in nine games last year, mostly on special teams. He opted to leave the football program this spring.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Andrew Lowery, Cayne Cox, Eric Ewen and Jordan Wills, alleges that Jefferson and Johns are liable for injuries to Lowery, who claims he knew the players and that they beat and kicked him in the head and body after they exchanged words. The lawsuit said Lowery didn't know the other plaintiffs, but was trying to help one of them, who was allegedly beaten unconscious by several people "including several LSU football players."

While Jefferson was indicted on a misdemeanor charge last fall, Johns wasn't and his lawyer, Thomas Damico, said Johns was misidentified and wasn't ever involved in the brawl that left four men severely injured.

"The grand jury didn't find (Johns) involved at all and they had a lower burden of proof than a civil suit," Damico said. "They have no grounds whatsoever to even suggest he was involved in an altercation."

Still, the plaintiffs' attorney, Michael Bienvenu, said he has all the evidence needed to back up the facts alleged in the lawsuit.

Lowery had a fractured facial bone, fractured teeth, a herniated disk and cuts and bruises, the lawsuit said, while Ewen suffered three fractured vertebrae, a herniated disk, fractured teeth and severe cuts to his head, face and body. Wills and Cox had numerous severe cuts and bruises to their heads, faces and bodies.

Bienvenu said he expects that with the information gathered from the two parties and independent witnesses, identities of more potential defendants in the case will emerge.

The brawl took place on the last night of LSU's fall camp, a night where players traditionally break curfew to celebrate together.

David Helman writes : The home stretch for the NFL draft begins in earnest Thursday for LSU alums, as the Tigers prepare for their annual pro day.

Links time!

• Athlon Sports unveils its LSU spring preview.
• SEC athletic directors meet, but make no final decisions on future football scheduling formats.
• Arkansas and Texas A&M reuniting in Cowboys Stadium in 2014 isn't exactly a done deal.
• LSU's Jordan Jefferson went into the NFL as the lowest-rated quarterback.
• Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports takes a look at coaches on the hot seat in 2012.
• Texas A&M hikes up its ticket prices for its SEC debut.
• Dave Matter of the Columbia Daily Tribune provides some notes on Missouri as the Tigers gear up for spring practice.

Ask LSU’s Zach Mettenberger if he’s ready, and you hear the hunger, pain and focus -- all wrapped up into one -- very clearly in his voice.

It wasn’t supposed to take this long for him to get his first real taste of being a starting quarterback in the SEC.

Not even close.

“It’s been a long and winding road in my college career so far, and I’ve gone through the trials and tribulations just to get here,” Mettenberger said.

He never envisioned it going the way it did when he graduated early from Oconee County (Ga.) High School in December 2008, but he also wasn’t banking on running afoul of the law thanks to a night of partying.

So here he is, going on four years removed from high school, and still waiting to take his first meaningful snap in an SEC game.

That’s about to change as LSU opens spring practice on Friday, and while Mettenberger’s not into making a bunch of promises, he does promise one thing: He’s determined to do everything in his power to prove to everybody that there’s a lot more to him than what’s stated in that Remerton, Ga., arrest report from the spring of 2010.

“People remember me as the talented guy who got kicked off the team at Georgia,” Mettenberger said. “It sucks that it’s that way, but that’s the way the world is until I go out there and show who I really am and then hopefully people will forget about it. I made a mistake, and I had to pay for it.

“The only way anybody’s going to move on is when I get back on the field and start playing again.”

Mettenberger was dismissed from Georgia’s team in April 2010, a little more than a week after putting up better numbers than Aaron Murray in the Bulldogs’ G-Day spring game.

At the time, Mettenberger’s March arrest in a bar outside of Valdosta, Ga., was already public knowledge, and Georgia coach Mark Richt had already said that Mettenberger faced at least a one-game suspension.

But the police investigation also turned up sexual battery charges against Mettenberger in addition to underage alcohol consumption and disorderly conduct charges. The timing couldn’t have been worse for Mettenberger, especially given the rash of alcohol-related arrests involving Georgia football players. Richt announced in April that Mettenberger had been dismissed.

Mettenberger pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery and was sentenced to two concurrent 12-month probationary periods under the state of Georgia’s first-offender act. All of the alcohol-related charges were later dropped.

Having spent two springs at Georgia (but never playing in a game), Mettenberger headed to Butler (Kan.) Community College and threw 32 touchdown passes during the 2010 season. He emerged as the top junior college quarterback prospect in the country and picked LSU over offers from Alabama, Arkansas and Texas A&M.

He spent last season watching senior quarterbacks Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson guide the LSU offense and only threw 11 passes in five games.

So when Mettenberger says it’s been a long time coming, he means it.

He also understands the meaning of not getting too high with the highs and too low with the lows.

“I’ve dealt with a lot of adversity in my past, and feel like no matter what happens, through the good times and the bad, that I can keep a level head,” Mettenberger said. “I feel like I can still be a good player no matter what. If I throw a pick, I think I’m going to go out and lead our team on a touchdown drive that next series.

“All the stuff I’ve been through has helped mold and prepare me for next season.”

While at Georgia, the 6-foot-5 Mettenberger says he was pushing 260 pounds. He weighed in at 225 last week and hopes to play somewhere in the 225-230 range this fall.

“I’m a lot quicker, and my overall game has improved since losing that weight,” said Mettenberger, whose mother, Tammy, has worked in the Georgia football office under Richt for the past decade.

And speaking of Georgia, the coaches and players there still rave about Mettenberger’s arm strength and his undying work ethic. He was oftentimes the last player to leave the practice field.

That hasn’t changed at LSU.

“The way I look at it is that you’ve got to always prepare yourself like you’re the starter no matter if you’re first string, fourth string or a walk-on,” Mettenberger said. “It shouldn’t matter. You always have to prepare. Anything can happen in this game, and I think people have seen that over the years. So I always want to feel like I’m ready.

“I was ready last year if Coach [Les] Miles had needed me and feel confident that I could have gone in there and won games.”

His big right arm may be what people know him by, but Mettenberger has also been around the SEC long enough to know that you don’t make it in this league by trying to squeeze the ball in tight spaces all the time.

“I always tell people that it takes two things: heart and brains,” Mettenberger said. “There are so many guys who didn’t have the measurables. Look at the Drew Brees and Joe Montanas at the pro level and then a guy like Kellen Moore in college. Look at the job he did against the Georgia defense last year.

“If you know what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter how hard you can throw the ball or how far you can throw it or whether you can run a 4.4 [in the 40-yard dash]. If you know where you’re supposed to go with the ball in every situation and minimize your mistakes, you’re going to be a good quarterback no matter where you are.”

Mettenberger is well aware that people will be watching his every step -- both on and off the field.

“I’ll just use it as motivation,” he said.

In a lot of ways, the doubters have been his fuel for his entire career.

“Growing up, I was the short, fat kid,” Mettenberger explained. “I didn’t start at quarterback until I got to be a junior in high school. I was always a backup to one of my best friends.

“I’ve always been told that I couldn’t do something, that I couldn’t do this or do that and that I wouldn’t be able to play quarterback. That’s been my motivation and makes me work every day. Even with my off-the-field troubles, that’s motivation to prove people wrong and really just get people to shut up and move on.

“I moved on a long time ago and am just looking forward to getting back out there and having fun again and showing everybody what I can do … and who I am.”

The NFL combine is wrapping up over the next two days in Indianapolis.

Here are some of the top SEC performers to date:

40-yard dash

• Arkansas WR Jarius Wright – 4.42
• Florida RB Chris Rainey – 4.45
• Texas A&M RB Cyrus Gray – 4.47
• Alabama WR Marquis Maze – 4.51
• Tennessee RB Tauren Poole – 4.54
• Arkansas WR Joe Adams – 4.55
• Arkansas WR Greg Childs – 4.55
• LSU WR Rueben Randle – 4.55
• Missouri TE Michael Egnew – 4.62
• Missouri WR Jerrell Jackson – 4.62
• Mississippi State RB Vick Ballard – 4.65
• LSU QB Jordan Jefferson – 4.65
• Ole Miss RB Brandon Bolden – 4.66
• Alabama WR Darius Hanks – 4.66

Bench press

• Georgia TE Orson Charles – 35 repetitions of 225 pounds
• Georgia OT Justin Anderson – 32 repetitions
• Georgia OT Cordy Glenn – 31 repetitions
• LSU LB Ryan Baker – 30 repetitions
• Auburn OT Brandon Mosley – 30 repetitions
• Georgia C Ben Jones – 29 repetitions
• Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox – 30 repetitions
• South Carolina DE Melvin Ingram – 28 repetitions
• Tennessee RB Tauren Poole – 24 repetitions
• Mississippi State RB Vick Ballard – 23 repetitions
• Texas A&M RB Cyrus Gray – 21 repetitions

Vertical jump

• Missouri WR Jerrell Jackson – 41 inches
• Ole Miss RB Brandon Bolden – 38 inches
• Arkansas WR Jarius Wright – 38 inches
• Arkansas WR Greg Childs – 36.5 inches
• Florida RB Chris Rainey – 36.5 inches
• Arkansas WR Joe Adams – 36 inches
• Tennessee RB Tauren Poole – 34 inches

Broad jump

• Missouri TE Michael Egnew – 10 feet, 11 inches
• Missouri WR Jerrell Jackson – 10 feet, 7 inches
• Arkansas WR Greg Childs – 10 feet, 5 inches
• Arkansas WR Joe Adams – 10 feet, 3 inches

20-yard shuttle

• Florida RB Chris Rainey – 3.93
• Arkansas WR Jarius Wright – 4.03
• LSU QB Jordan Jefferson – 4.06
• Missouri WR Jerrell Jackson – 4.11

A check of what's shaking in the SEC:

USC's Lane Kiffin jokes concerning Tennessee's struggles: "Are you sure I didn't get blamed for the Kentucky game."

Former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson will get a chance to show what he can do at the NFL combine.

Former Tennessee running back Tauren Poole is acting on the feedback of the scouts.

Auburn is reportedly pursuing former Maryland offensive lineman Max Garcia.

Georgia intends to offer multi-year scholarships in time for the spring signing period.

There's some chatter that Georgia's Ray Drew could be moving to defensive end.

New Ole Miss offensive line coach Matt Luke is ready to do some experimenting.

Pat Washington, who previously coached in the SEC at Tennessee and played at Auburn, is reportedly Tee Martin's replacement at Kentucky.

Florida's Will Muschamp hosts a Texas-style roundup.

Urban Meyer's old home in Gainesville, Fla., is on the market for $1.7 million.

Our Monday stroll around the SEC:

• Kentucky was able to address special-teams needs in this signing class.
• Vanderbilt wants to bring high school football back to Vanderbilt Stadium once it installs new artificial turf this summer.
• The NCAA takes a look at a slimmer, more efficient rulebook.
• A college football playoff is gaining momentum.
• Ole Miss officials say their new deal with Nike is a good fit.
• Former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson shows a convenient memory, writes Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett Louisiana News.
• Tennessee's new coaches are working through the acclimation period.

The stench from LSU's putrid offensive showing in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game just won’t go away.

The latest to weigh in is the guy who had the biggest hand, at least on the field, in the Tigers going belly-up offensively in the Big Easy. It seems that former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson wasn’t enamored with the play-calling in that game, and he voiced his displeasure Thursday to WCNN radio in Atlanta.

Here’s what Jefferson had to say:

“I think we should’ve spread them out a little bit more, put the ball in different passing areas, use our talent on the receiving side. We had that in as far as play-calling. We just didn’t get to it. We have great guys in those areas and sometimes we just wonder why we don’t use those guys, but we’re not the one calling the plays. We still have to go out and execute what the coaches and coordinators are calling. We can’t complain as players, but sometimes we do question that."

Jefferson went on to say, "Alabama was a little bit more prepared than us. There was a lot of things that we should’ve did different to catch a rhythm on offense."

Now, this is the same Jefferson that finished 11-of-17 for 53 yards and an interception against Alabama and was sacked four times. He also fumbled three times, losing one.

It's hard to argue his point that LSU's plan on offense stunk. It's just as hard to argue that LSU's entire offense didn't stink that night in the Superdome, including Jefferson.

What's not hard to argue is that Jefferson is throwing a lot of people under the bus who steadfastly stood behind him during his darkest days at LSU.

In fact, they not only stood behind him, but they stuck their necks out for him when he was accused of kicking somebody in the face and charged with a felony, which was later reduced to a misdemeanor.

LSU coach Les Miles was Jefferson's staunchest supporter, so much so that you could say Miles went down with the ship in that national championship game because he was determined to let Jefferson steer it no matter what ... come hell, high water or a swarming Alabama defense.

And, now, what does Miles get in return?

Jefferson publicly calling out the entire offensive coaching staff, including Miles.

Again, nobody's defending the play-calling from that game or anything remotely related to the Tigers' offensive performance.

But a true leader critiques himself first. A true leader, one with the right kind of chest (as Miles would say), doesn't point fingers after the fact, and a true leader finds a way to get it done when it counts.

Let's not pretend as if the BCS National Championship Game was some type of aberration for Jefferson. In the game prior, the SEC championship game, he finished 5-of-13 for 30 yards with a touchdown, and the Tigers went the entire first half without making a first down.

Sure, Jefferson had his moments. He played well against Arkansas in the regular-season finale, and his ability to run the option in the first game against Alabama made a big difference.

But nobody's going to confuse him anytime soon for Cam Newton, Tim Tebow or even Matt Flynn.

If Jefferson's looking to place blame, he needs to start with himself.

Some Friday linkage for your viewing pleasure:

• Former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson says play calling hurt the Tigers in the BCS National Championship Game.
• The NCAA rules committee is looking at moving up kickoffs and touchbacks for safety reasons.
• Vanderbilt coach James Franklin says his "men of honor" comments weren't directed at any one recruit.
• New Tennessee offensive line coach Sam Pittman likes the coaching and recruiting opportunities in Knoxville.
• Could conference expansion ever jeopardize the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry?
• Arkansas and Rutgers are reportedly close to finalizing a home-and-home series beginning in 2012.

The NFL has released its list of invites to this years NFL combine. Of the more than 300 prospects taking part in the pre-draft shenanigans starting Feb. 22, 62 are from the SEC (for fun we are including Missouri and Texas A&M).

Here are the SEC representatives:

• Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas
• Antonio Allen, S, South Carolina
• Justin Anderson, OT, Georgia
• Ryan Baker, LB, LSU
• Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State
• Mark Barron, LB, Alabama
• Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas
• Brandon Bolden, RB, Ole Miss
• Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia
• Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
• Ron Brooks, CB, LSU
• Randy Bullock, K, Texas A&M
• Drew Butler, P, Georgia
• Josh Chapman, DT, Alabama
• Orson Charles, TE, Georgia
• Greg Childs, WR, Arkansas
• Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
• Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State
• Jeff Demps, RB, Florida (Demps decided earlier this year that he will not pursue a career in football and will focus on professional track)
• Michael Egnew, TE, Missouri
• Terrence Frederick, CB, Texas A&M
• Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M
• Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
• Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia
• Cyrus Gray, RB, Texas A&M
• A.J. Greene, OT Auburn
• Winston Guy, S, Kentucky
• Dom Hamilton, DT, Missouri
• Darius Hanks, WR, Alabama
• Josh Harris, LS, Auburn
• Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt
• Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama
• Jaye Howard, DT, Florida
• Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina
• Jerrell Jackson, WR, Missouri
• Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee
• Jordan Jefferson, QB, LSU
• Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina
• Ben Jones, C, Georgia
• Coryell Judie, CB, Texas A&M
• Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
• Bobby Massie, OT, Ole Miss
• Marquis Maze, WR, Alabama
• Quan Menzie, CB, Alabama
• Charles Mitchell, S, Mississippi State
• Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn
• DeAngelo Peterson, TE, LSU
• Tauren Poole, RB, Tennessee
• Chris Rainey, RB, Florida
• Rueben Randle, WR, LSU
• Sean Richardson, S, Vanderbilt
• Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
• Quentin Saulsberry, OG, Mississippi State
• Jacquies Smith, DE, Missouri
• Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
• Brandon Taylor, S, LSU
• Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky
• DeAngelo Tyson, DE, Georgia
• Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama
• Blair Walsh, K, Georgia
• Rokevious Watkins, OT, South Carolina
• Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas

School breakdown:

• Alabama: 9
• Arkansas: 4
• Auburn: 3
• Florida: 3
• Georgia: 8
• Kentucky: 2
• LSU: 8
• Missouri: 4
• Mississippi State: 4
• Ole Miss: 2
• South Carolina: 5
• Tennessee: 2
• Texas A&M: 6
• Vanderbilt: 2

Everybody loves position rankings. Well, most everybody.

We presented our preseason rankings back in June on the SEC blog, and like most preseason predictions, we wished we had a lot of those picks back by the second or third week of the season.

Now that we’ve actually played the 2011 season, we’ll do it all over again, and we’ll kick if off with the quarterbacks.

At most positions, depth will be the most important factor, and if there’s a superstar in the group, that’s going to carry a lot of weight, too.

But with the quarterbacks, we’re mostly concerned with how the main guy fared this season.

For all positions, performance in conference games is where we’ll start, and how a unit closed the season, including the bowl games, will also be a determining factor.

You can go here to see our preseason quarterback rankings.

Our focus now is how they did this season. Here goes:

1. Arkansas: In his first full season as a starter, Tyler Wilson was outstanding. He led the SEC in passing with 3,638 yards to go along with 24 touchdown passes and only six interceptions. He thought about declaring for the NFL draft, but elected to return and was rated recently by ESPN’s Mel Kiper as the No. 3 rising senior quarterback in the country. We didn't give Wilson nearly enough love in the preseason. Shame on us. He's the real deal.

2. Georgia: Aaron Murray had a record-setting season for the Bulldogs and tossed 35 touchdown passes. He was instrumental in their turnaround and had a big hand in their 10-game winning streak. He also threw 16 interceptions and had two costly picks in the bowl game that helped trigger Michigan State’s comeback. Five of Murray’s picks came in his last three games. All in all, it was still a splendid season for a second-year starter in this league.

3. Alabama: AJ McCarron gets bonus points for the way he played in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game. He earned Offensive MVP honors in leading Alabama to a 21-0 victory over LSU. It wasn't just that one game that has the Crimson Tide in the No. 3 spot. McCarron was solid all season long and didn't turn the ball over. In 234 passing attempts against SEC competition, he only threw three interceptions and averaged 207.2 passing yards.

4. South Carolina: The first half of the season belonged to Stephen Garcia, and it wasn't pretty. In retrospect, Garcia's dismissal might have been the best thing to happen to the Gamecocks. Connor Shaw took over and just got better and better as the season progressed. In his last three games, including wins over Clemson and Nebraska, Shaw completed 75 percent of his passes for 657 yards, eight touchdowns and just one interception. He also rushed for 239 yards in those three games.

5. LSU: It says something about the quarterback play in the SEC that the Tigers are ranked this high, especially with the egg Jordan Jefferson laid in the BCS National Championship Game and how poorly he played in the first half of the SEC championship game. But Jarrett Lee deserves props for stepping in there and playing the way he did in the first eight games, and Jefferson's ability to run the option made a big difference in the first Alabama game. Still, it's hard to get over that stinker in New Orleans.

6. Tennessee: The Vols were dealt a tough blow when Tyler Bray broke his thumb in the Georgia game. He had 14 touchdown passes and only two interceptions going into that game, but wound up missing the next five games. The Vols tried senior Matt Simms and then went with true freshman Justin Worley, but had trouble mustering any offense. Bray came back and played the final two games, although he was a shadow of what he was before the injury. He ended the season with a woeful performance against Kentucky.

7. Florida: When John Brantley went down with a high ankle sprain in the Alabama game, he was throwing the ball as well as he had since coming to Florida. But from that point on, the Gators were a train wreck on offense. True freshmen Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel took a beating while filling in for Brantley, and even when Brantley did come back against Georgia, he wasn't close to 100 percent. Brantley still averaged 175.8 passing yards in league play, which was fourth in the SEC.

8. Vanderbilt: We had the Commodores ranked last in the preseason, and that's because Larry Smith had come off two rocky seasons in a row. He also opened this season as the Commodores' starter, and the passing game once again never took flight. Jordan Rodgers stepped in at the midway point and immediately pumped new life into the Commodores' offense. He was able to generate a lot more big plays down the field and also made things happen with his legs. He didn't end the season on a high note and played poorly in the bowl game.

9. Mississippi State: After finishing his junior season with a bang against Michigan in the Gator Bowl, Chris Relf just didn't take the kind of step during his senior season that a lot of people in and around the program thought he would. The Bulldogs also played Tyler Russell a bunch at quarterback, and he's got a big arm. It's just that much of his damage came against weaker competition in nonconference games. The Bulldogs were one of seven SEC teams that finished with more interceptions than touchdown passes in league play.

10. Auburn: The Tigers finished dead last against SEC foes in passing offense. Their vertical passing game was non-existent, and it was a struggle to complete anything down the field. They averaged just 126.5 passing yards per game against league foes. Three different players split the quarterback duties. Barrett Trotter opened the season as the starter, and Clint Moseley finished it. The Tigers also used true freshman Kiehl Frazier in specialty situations. Despite who was in there at quarterback, nothing came easy for the Tigers this season in the passing game.

11. Kentucky: The Wildcats had high hopes for Morgan Newton entering the season, and Kentucky coach Joker Phillips was pleased with the the way Newton had taken command of the offense in the spring and preseason. It just never translated during the season, though. Newton didn't throw the ball with any confidence and was also saddled with injuries. True freshman Maxwell Smith showed some promise toward the end of the season, but was also banged up. The Wildcats found a way to beat Tennessee in the finale with receiver Matt Roark playing quarterback.

12. Ole Miss: The truth is that there were several candidates for the cellar. It's not like anybody is going to remember 2011 as the Year of the Quarterback in the SEC. In the case of the Rebels, they struggled to find a quarterback all season. Three different players started games, and Ole Miss finished with six touchdown passes and 12 interceptions against SEC foes. Randall Mackey looked like he might be starting to get it once November rolled around, but was then suspended for the last two games.

Since LSU's 21-0 loss to Alabama in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game last week, much has been made about the Tigers' ineffective game plan against the Crimson Tide.

The team we saw trample just about every prior opponent, was dominated in its own backyard of New Orleans. The defense held its ground for as long as it could, while the offense failed to adjust throughout the game and for some reason kept trying to run the option over and over again.

While LSU looked lost with the ball, LSU coach Les Miles said Tuesday that his team's struggles didn't happen because of a lack of effort.

"I have a difficult time people moaning my effort and my coaches' effort and the want to win," Miles said during his first interview with the media since his postgame press conference following the loss to Alabama. "I felt that they did everything that they could, that they were asked to do. I don’t think we played perfectly. I don’t think there’s anybody would say that this was something that was representative of our best play, but I can tell you that our guys gave everything that they had."

Miles defended his quarterback decision. Miles left Jordan Jefferson in the entire game even as he struggled throughout. There were plenty of opportunities for Miles to put fellow senior Jarrett Lee in, but never did.

Instead of handing the ball over to the quarterback that led the Tigers to an 8-0 start, averaging 156.3 passing yards per game and tossing 13 touchdowns to one interception along the way, Miles stayed with Jefferson and saw him pass for 53 yards and an interception. LSU finished the game with just 92 total yards and didn't cross into Alabama's territory until the fourth quarter.

"I can tell you that Jarrett Lee did come to mind," Miles said. "We do have confidence in Jarrett, we just felt like we needed that guy who might be able to get loose with his feet."

Alabama's pass rush might have been ferocious, but LSU's lack of offensive change truly was mind-boggling.

But Miles couldn't put everything on his quarterback. Miles said the defense played well as a whole, but struggled to put Alabama away on critical third downs.

(Alabama converted 3-of-14 third downs, with all three coming in the first half, though two came on drives that ended in field goals.)

Miles pointed out other mistakes, such as pres-snap penalties, the long punt return given up early, and a lack of big plays on offense.

"There were certainly a number of uncharacteristic mistakes by our guys," he said. "We ended up in some first down and 15’s that we didn’t need to. There were some snaps that hit the ground, some guys that had made big plays, not the quarterback, big plays throughout the year made some mistakes. Guys that we needed to count on in that game."

Now, Miles turns his focus to 2012, and he's excited. He's excited to see JUCO transfer Zach Mettenberger take over at quarterback and expects to see much more passing from the Tigers. He's also excited about the attitude of the team and the 16 starters returning.

Last Monday hurt those in and around LSU, but Miles said it won't erase what the Tigers did before. There is still plenty to celebrate from 2011.

"The fundamentals of this program are to win championships," Miles said, "and this team is a championship team. We won the (SEC) West. Now, in the West you have at one point and time, 1-2-3 (in the country). So when you win the West, anyway you cut it, you are in the top four in the country.

"Later this spring, our team will take a day and hang the Western Division championship and the conference championship banners in our indoor facility. I have to be very honest to tell you that I cannot bemoan this team’s success.

"By any measure, this is a great year."

We're taking one last look at the SEC's postseason by putting together our All-SEC bowl team:

OFFENSE

QB: Connor Shaw, South Carolina: Shaw didn't seem to feel the pressure of a bowl game, completing 11 of 17 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 42 yards and another score in the Gamecocks' win against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl. He even gave South Carolina the momentum going into the second half with a touchdown on a Hail Mary to end the first half.

RB: Vick Ballard, Mississippi State: Ballard ended his career with the Bulldogs with one of his best performances, as he rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries in Mississippi State's win against Wake Forest in the Music City Bowl. His touchdowns went for 72 and 60 yards.

RB: Onterio McCalebb, Auburn: As the Tigers' lead back in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, McCalebb had a game-high 109 rushing yards, including a long of 60. He also recorded a three-yard touchdown run and caught two passes for 53 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown in Auburn's win against Virginia.

WR: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina: Jeffery's day would have been even better if he hadn't been ejected. However, he still caught four passes for a game-high 148 yards and snagged Shaw's Hail Mary touchdown pass at the end of the first half. He also had a 78-yard reception.

WR: Tavarres King, Georgia: King tried his best to get Georgia a victory in the Outback Bowl against Michigan State. He was Aaron Murray's best friend, catching six passes for a career-high 205 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown pass that at one point stood as the longest play in Outback Bowl history.

TE: Brad Smelley, Alabama: The Crimson Tide got its passing game going with Smelley in Monday's Allstate BCS National Championship win against LSU. He was AJ McCarron's safety net when plays broke down, and the young quarterback also used Smelley on rollouts. Smelley finished the game with seven catches for 39 yards.

OL: Barrett Jones, Alabama: Behind one of the most versatile linemen in the entire country, Alabama's line held back LSU's defensive front for most of Monday night's game. Alabama ran for 150 yards against LSU's vaunted defense. He also kept McCarron safe, as the youngster was sacked only twice while throwing for 234 yards.

OL: Alvin Bailey, Arkansas: He just keeps looking better and better for the Razorbacks. In Arkansas' AT&T Cotton Bowl victory against Kansas State, he helped Arkansas churn out 129 rushing yards on 4.3 yards per carry and helped give quarterback Tyler Wilson enough time to pass for 216 yards and two touchdowns.

OL: Kyle Nunn, South Carolina: The Gamecocks' offensive line gave up four sacks to Nebraska, but Shaw was still able to throw for 230 yards and two touchdowns. With Nunn's help, the Gamecocks also rushed for 121 yards against the Cornhuskers.

OL: Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State: Ballard's outstanding performance for the Bulldogs wouldn't have been possible if not for some solid line play. Jackson had one of his best outings, as he helped Mississippi State rush for 253 yards and pass for another 129. Mississippi State gave up just one sack to Wake Forest.

C: William Vlachos, Alabama: Vlachos had his hands full with the interior of LSU's defensive line, but he more than held his own. He battled all night with LSU's Michael Brockers and allowed him to assist on just one tackle for loss. He provided a ton of protection in the passing game and helped Alabama rush for 150 yards on LSU's defense.

DEFENSE

DE: Jake Bequette, Arkansas: Bequette said before Arkansas' bowl game that the Hogs' defense needed to make a statement. Bequette certainly made a few in his final game with the Razorbacks, registering two sacks, forcing a fumble and totaling three tackles.

DE: Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina: The freshman put a nice bow on his first season with the Gamecocks. He put a ton of pressure on Nebraska's backfield with two sacks for a loss of 13 yards and finished the game with four tackles.

DT: Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State: Cox wanted to make a lasting impression in his final game with the Bulldogs, and he certainly did by disrupting Wake Forest's offensive line in the Music City Bowl. He finished the game with seven tackles, including two for loss and a sack, and blocked his fifth career kick, which is a Mississippi State record.

DT: Michael Brockers, LSU: Brockers had a tough time with Vlachos in the middle, but that didn't stop him from making plays. He did a tremendous job of clogging holes in the middle for the Tigers and finished the game with seven tackles, assisting on one for loss, and blocked a field goal attempt.

LB: Courtney Upshaw, Alabama: It came as no surprise that Upshaw was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game. He was nearly unblockable for LSU on Monday night. He put immense pressure on LSU's backfield and finished the game with six tackles, including a sack.

LB: Archibald Barnes, Vanderbilt: Barnes was a true rover for Vanderbilt against Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl. He had a game-high 10 tackles, assisting on one for a loss, and blocked a field goal attempt in the fourth quarter that gave Vandy some life late.

LB: Alec Ogletree, Georgia: Georgia might not have come up with the win in the Outback Bowl, but it wasn't because of how Ogletree played. He was all over the field for the Bulldogs, grabbing a game-high 13 tackles, including two for loss, breaking up two passes and getting a sack.

CB: Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt: Yet again, Hayward was tremendous in coverage for the Commodores. He grabbed two interceptions and broke up another pass. He was also second on the team with eight tackles, including one for loss. Cincinnati threw for just 80 yards against the Commodores.

CB: Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina: Gilmore ended his South Carolina career on a high note. He recorded five tackles, including one for loss, and an interception. He also returned a blocked extra point for South Carolina's first points of the game. Nebraska threw for just 116 yards on the Gamecocks' secondary.

S: Mark Barron, Alabama: Barron recorded just two tackles, including a sack, but he was outstanding in coverage. He roamed the back part of the field for the Crimson Tide and didn't allow LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson to stretch the field at all because of his positioning. Jefferson threw for just 53 yards on Alabama.

S: Matt Elam, Florida: Elam was Florida's most consistent player during the regular season, and he was all over the field for the Gators in the Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl against Ohio State. He finished the game with six tackles, two for loss and a sack.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK: Jeremy Shelley, Alabama: Talk about redeeming the position that spoiled Alabama's first game against LSU. Shelley hit five of his seven field goal attempts against the Tigers and even rebounded to hit four of his final five after having his second attempt blocked in the second quarter.

P: Dylan Breeding, Arkansas: He punted four times for an average of 46.8 yards per kick. He had a long of 63 yards and dropped two inside the 20-yard line against Kansas State.

RS: Joe Adams, Arkansas: Surprise, surprise, Adams made another special teams unit look silly. Against Kansas State in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, Adams got things started for the Hogs with a nifty 51-yard punt return for a touchdown. His return sparked a 16-point second quarter for the Hogs.

AP: Brandon Boykin, Georgia: Boykin found a way to put points on the board three different ways in the Outback Bowl. He forced a safety when he stuffed Michigan State's Keshawn Martin on the Spartans' first offensive play, returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown and caught a 13-yard touchdown late. His punt return was the longest play in Outback Bowl history.

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.