ESPN College Football

David Ching writes : Going up against Georgia's brick-wall veteran defense is daunting, but this spring it made the young, suspect O-line better, in turn helping the entire offense become more prepared for the 2012 season.

DN Roundtable : This week's discussion answers the question, "What's the driving force behind Georgia's recent rush of recruiting success?"

Kipp Adams writes : How is UGA looking with offensive line recruiting, and how many do the Bulldogs look to sign at the position for 2013? How about massive OL Shamire Devine? DN answers those questions and more.

DawgNation Staff : Roundtable -- With several question marks remaining after the spring game, this week's DawgNation Roundtable discussion covers some of the unresolved issues in Athens. What is the biggest question mark for the Bulldogs coming out of spring practice?

Radi Nabulsi: G-Day game photo gallery

ATHENS, Ga. -- It's never too late to put up some quick notes and thoughts after a visit to a college campus. While you should expect more from my day in Athens with the Georgia Bulldogs in the next few days, here are some notes and thoughts from my visit that really stood out to me:

• Georgia players and coaches have every reason to be jumping ship and freaking out about with the recent suspensions of defenders Bacarri Rambo, Sanders Commings, Branden Smith and Alec Ogletree. Three of those players call the secondary their home, while one, Ogletree, looks like he's ready to be a real star at linebacker in this league. But the first thing you notice when patrolling Georgia's facilities is that everyone is calm and collected about the matter. Sure, players and coaches are pretty frustrated with the situation, but they have moved on. They are working together to find the pieces to replace those guys come the start of the season. Inside linebacker Christian Robinson said that Ogletree's spot is still wide open because the Bulldogs have so many options, and it doesn't sound like the coaches will really name a starter anytime soon. Don't forget that Mike Gilliard, who really came on last year as the season progressed, and Amarlo Herrera will get reps with Robinson at middle linebacker. Robinson also said rising sophomore Ramik Wilson is getting good reps at middle linebacker.
• The secondary isn't exactly blooming with numbers, but defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said he isn't concerned with the amount of bodies he has out there. He's happy with the production so far, but added that this group still has a ways to go, especially with three starters out to begin the 2012 season. Rising sophomores Damian Swann and Corey Moore have turned heads in practice. Swann looks like he'll grab one of the starting cornerback spots to start the season. Also, Malcolm Mitchell, who moved from wide receiver, is coming along more and more as the days go by, so there's no need for the Bulldogs to hit the panic button just yet.
• Another player turning heads in practice this spring is nose guard Kwame Geathers. He and Jon Jenkins rotated in and out last season, and while both are expected to do the same this fall, linebacker Jarvis Jones said that he's been very impressed with Geathers, especially the shape he's in. He's still big, but Jones said he's moving better and more often. He also said that he's been gigging Jenkins about possibly losing time to Geathers because of how well he's doing. Georgia will really benefit from having both those players at full speed up front this fall.
• The Bulldogs are pretty excited about true freshman running back Keith Marshall. The early enrollee had some iffy moments with the offense at first, but he seems to be progressing more and more with the playbook. Coaches are hoping that he and Isaiah Crowell can be a dynamic duo this fall. He's been impressive in open space, and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said he's improving his play between the tackles, which will really help Crowell when he tires. "His head's spinning a little bit right now, but he has a chance to be very special here," Bobo said of Marshall. "He's got great vision and isn't afraid to stick it up in there."
• Speaking of Crowell, the consensus in Athens is that he's a new person and player. He's working harder and is taking his workouts and practices more seriously. The coaches haven't had to push him as hard this spring, like they did last summer. Quarterback Aaron Murray said he felt he had to baby Crowell at times last year, but hasn't had to say much in terms of pushing the sophomore-to-be this spring.
• Another running back impressing is Ken Malcome. He almost transferred last season, but has really started to come along this spring. He's building off the bowl game in which he tied a carrier high with 12 carries and had a career-high 51 yards. "He had an awesome spring for us," Bobo said. "Really clued in to what we're doing more, more conscientious of about every little detail."
• Murray is also looking to improve and really wants to calm things down with his play. He knows he was erratic at times last year, especially in big games. He won't change much to his regime, but wants to improve his mental reps and his thought process during plays. "I put a lot of pressure on myself to improve on my mistakes," Murray said. He also said he feels "10 times better" with his pocket mobility and footwork -- two areas that he said he struggled with the past two years. He's making sure that he keeps two hands on the ball when he runs, isn't chopping down and isn't in an awkward stance with the ball.
• When talking with Georgia players it's easy to tell which game meant the most for the Bulldogs. Each one talked about how important the Florida win was for the season and the program. It not only gave Georgia's seniors a win over the Gators, but it helped put the Dawgs in cruise control on the way to the SEC championship game. Jones, who grew up a fan of both Florida and Georgia (very strange, I know) said he took it upon himself to make sure the Bulldogs came out with the win. He did his part with four sacks, including one that basically ended the game. Robinson said it was "the greatest feeling" he's had since his arrival. That win coupled with South Carolina's loss to Arkansas propelled Georgia into the SEC championship game.

A quick recap of the weekend scrimmages around the SEC:

ALABAMA

It looks like junior quarterback AJ McCarron has picked up where he left off in the BCS National Championship Game. McCarron finished 25-of-43 for 290 yards, three touchdowns and an interception last Saturday in the Crimson Tide's first full scrimmage of the spring.

Alabama coach Nick Saban said McCarron was "very commanding" under center, and Saban said he's been impressed with how the receivers have been able to get onto the same page with McCarron. Sophomore Christion Jones had a pair of touchdown catches. Kevin Norwood also caught a touchdown pass. The freshman receiver who's caught Saban's eye is Amari Cooper. Sophomore DeAndrew White also got off to a good start this spring, but is now battling a pulled hamstring.

On defense, Vinnie Sunseri and junior college newcomer Deion Belue both returned interceptions for touchdowns. Belue is competing for a starting cornerback job. Saban said John Fulton is also having a good spring and in that mix. Another junior college newcomer to watch is Travell Dixon, who's working at both cornerback and the "star" position, which is the nickel back role when the Crimson Tide go to five defensive backs.

Some of the best news for the Crimson Tide last Saturday was that their kickers were a combined 7-of-8 on field goals. Jeremy Shelley was 4-of-4, and Cade Foster was 3-of-4. Foster's only miss was from 54 yards and was blocked by Nico Johnson.

Here's a report from the scrimmage on Alabama's official web site, and it includes stats and pictures.

ARKANSAS

There wasn't any shortage of offense in the Hogs' scrimmage last Friday, and not surprisingly, senior quarterback Tyler Wilson was the catalyst. He passed for 310 yards and four touchdowns. Star running back Knile Davis was held out of contact, but Dennis Johnson was plenty productive in his absence with 75 yards on 12 carries. Johnson also scored three touchdowns.

Senior Cobi Hamilton had a big day catching the ball and so did sophomore Marquel Wade, who caught seven passes for 149 yards and three touchdowns.

The first-team offense scored on seven of its first 10 possessions. The Hogs' defense struggled to stop the run at times, which was a problem last season. Sophomore cornerback Tevin Mitchel didn't participate in the scrimmage after suffering a hamstring pull earlier in the day.

AUBURN

The Tigers' first scrimmage of the spring featured a couple of long touchdown passes by sophomore quarterback Kiehl Frazier, who connected with Emory Blake and Travante Stallworth. Clint Moseley didn't participate in the scrimmage. He's been plagued by a sore throwing shoulder.

The running back job is wide open, and Corey Grant made his case Saturday with several nice runs. His teammates were raving about his explosiveness through the hole.

On defense, first-year coordinator Brian VanGorder felt like his guys made a positive step, although giving up the big play continues to be a problem.

"You can't do that and be a good defense," VanGorder said.

VanGorder was pleased with Kris Frost's improvement at linebacker and also liked what he saw from Jawara White at middle linebacker.

GEORGIA

The defense has been the story for much of this spring for the Bulldogs, and that was again the story Saturday in their first full scrimmage.

While piling up 12 sacks, the defense also saw the offense break through with a few plays, namely redshirt freshman tight end Jay Rome. He caught a 30-yard touchdown pass and had another scoring grab down on the goal line where he made an acrobatic play in the corner of the end zone.

Several of the Georgia players also had high praise for freshman running back Keith Marshall.

Safety Shawn Williams had 4.5 tackles, two pass breakups and an interception to lead the defense.

LSU

Zach Mettenberger threw two second-quarter touchdown passes to lead the White to a 24-17 win over the Purple on Saturday in LSU's National L Club spring game.

Mettenberger finished 14-of-25 for 270 yards and threw touchdown passes of 49 yards to Odell Beckham, Jr. and 18 yards to Russell Shepard. Alfred Blue led all rushers with 73 yards on nine carries.

Mettenberger also threw a pair of interceptions, one of those returned 74 yards by freshman linebacker Lamar Louis for the Purple's final touchdown.

Safety Eric Reid also returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown to put the White ahead 21-0 in the second quarter.

OLE MISS

There weren't any iron-clad answers at quarterback for the Rebels in their scrimmage last Friday.

Barry Brunetti had the best day. He was 7-of-10 for 80 yards and threw touchdown passes of 30 yards and 15 yards to Ja-Mes Logan.

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said evaluating the quarterbacks was even more difficult because the Rebels continue to struggle in the offensive line.

After a slow start, Bo Wallace finished strong. He was also able to run the ball with some success.

SOUTH CAROLINA

The Gamecocks held their second major scrimmage last Saturday, and Steve Spurrier wasn't thrilled with the passing game.

"I hope we don't have to run the ball all the time next year, but if we can't throw it very well, that's what we'll do," said Spurrier, who was especially frustrated by the sacks his offense allowed.

He said Connor Shaw has to get better at throwing the ball away and not taking sacks.

"Connor (Shaw) must have had four sacks today in 10 passes," Spurrier said. "He’s got to throw the ball somewhere and get it out of his hands a little quicker. The other quarterbacks were not real accurate at times, but we hit a few here and there.”

Star running back Marcus Lattimore, still recovering from knee surgery, didn't scrimmage.

Jared Shaw returned a Dylan Thompson interception 38 yards for a touchdown.

VANDERBILT

Vanderbilt coach James Franklin was pleased with the way his first-team offense performed in the red zone in last Saturday's scrimmage, but said the Commodores have work to do between the 20's. He also wants to see his defense do a better job with its back to the goal line.

""There's a feeling sometimes, especially with a young team, that when you get in the red zone, it's OK to give up points, and offensively, it should be easier to score," Franklin said. "We need to make sure that we have the same mentality on offense, whether we are on the minus five or the plus five, and defensively, whether we are on the minus one or plus one, that we have the mentality that we're going to stop them."

Quarterback Jordan Rodgers was 11-of-17 for 83 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a touchdown.

David Ching writes : Georgia fans will be happy to know -- or will they? -- that mercurial freshman star Isaiah Crowell is earning kudos in spring practice for being a stand-up guy and dependable teammate.

Ching: Breaking down Georgia’s RB race.

Kipp Adams writes : The Bulldogs hoped top OL target Josh Cardiello would give himself a big birthday present by committing this past weekend while visiting Athens.

Adams : WR target DeMarcus Robinson makes a return trip to see the Georgia Bulldogs.

Radi Nabulsi writes : Georgia offers sophomore DB Nick Glass.

Ching: Brandon Boykin sets a date for pro day.

David Ching writes: As spring practice started Tuesday, UGA announced senior tailback Carlton Thomas' intention to transfer.

Ching also writes : Player(s) to watch, special teams -- Walk-ons. While it seems UGA's special teams walk-ons must accept their fate of only a slim chance at playing time, award-winning punter Drew Butler explains that consistency can be the key to changing that.

Ching: Looks at special teams this spring.

Video: DawgNation’s special teams analysis

Video: Mark Richt on special teams

Schedule: Georgia begins spring practice March 20 and concludes with the G-Day Game, 2 p.m. ET April 14 at Sanford Stadium.

What's new: For the first time in a long time, the Bulldogs enter spring ball without any coaching changes. Georgia let its coaches know how much the 2011 season meant by giving extensions to head coach Mark Richt and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. The Bulldogs also went through mat drills before spring practice, something they didn't do last year. Georgia welcomed three early enrollees in running back Keith Marshall, quarterback Faton Bauta and junior college offensive lineman Mark Beard.

On the mend: Wide receiver Chris Conley could be limited this spring with a wrist injury. Also, outside linebacker/defensive end Sterling Bailey had foot surgery in December and could be limited. Receiver Rantavious Wooten is coming off of a season in which he battled concussion symptoms for most of the year after being in a car accident, but he's expected to be completely recovered this spring.

On the move: One of the biggest moves in the SEC revolves around receiver Malcolm Mitchell. After quite the freshman season, Mitchell will work at cornerback this spring, because Georgia's numbers there are so low. Mitchell was one of the best in the conference at receiver in 2011, but with Georgia needing more help at cornerback, he could see more playing time on defense rather than offense this fall. Bailey was listed as an outside linebacker last season, but there's a chance that he could move to defensive end this spring. Ray Drew will also get more reps at defensive end, after playing outside linebacker last fall. He's likely to get more reps than Bailey, considering he played more and Bailey is recovering from surgery. Richard Samuel, who moved back to running back from linebacker last fall, could get reps at fullback as well.

Questions: The cornerback spot will be very thin heading into the 2012 season. Thanks to attrition, dismissals and suspensions, Mitchell moved to corner. There is starting experience, but depth is an issue, and Sander Commings has been suspended for the first two games. With Commings and Branden Smith the only vets, Georgia will have to rely on youngsters will little experience this spring. Damian Swann, Devin Bowman and Blake Sailors will have to grow up fast. The offensive line lost starters Cordy Glenn, Ben Jones and Justin Anderson, and returns zero seniors this season. All 14 who will partake in spring practice are underclassmen. The good news is that there is depth, and a lot of players can play different positions, but it's a pretty inexperienced group. Chris Burnette, Kenarious Gates and Dallas Lee all started games last season, but they'll have to coach up a lot of younger players this spring. And you can't forget about the running back spot. Isaiah Crowell has vowed to work harder, and has had the most time since he arrived to be healthy, so a big spring is expected. He'll need it, with Marshall on campus and ready to see a lot some time this fall.

Getting defensive: The Bulldogs return nine defensive starters from a unit that ranked fifth nationally last season. Those returners include the SEC's top sack man in linebacker Jarvis Jones. Complementing Jones on what is arguably the SEC's top linebacking unit are Alec Oglreetree, Cornelius Washington, and Mike Gilliard. The massive John Jenkins is back at nose guard, and Abry Jones, who is coming off a solid 2011, is back at end. There certainly are questions in the secondary, but having starters Bacarri Rambo, Shawn Williams, Smith, and eventually Commings, will help tremendously

Don't forget about: With defense being in Mitchell's future, Georgia's offense will take a hit, but the Bulldogs aren't without bodies at receiver. Mitchell is easily Georgia's best receiver, but there is still some good talent behind him. Tavarres King hopes his bowl performance is a springboard for this season. He didn't put up stellar numbers, but became a more reliable target in the second half of the season. Then you have Michael Bennett, who really came on as a third option at receiver, catching 32 passes and five touchdowns. Conley will be limited, but proved to be a trusted target last season. Of course, Wooten and Marlon Brown are still looking to put everything together, but time is ticking for these two vets. It's time for them to step up this spring, and the coaches feel both have the physical tools and understand the offense enough to make it happen.

Breaking out: Brown appears to be the healthiest he's been since arriving in Athens. The coaches have been waiting and waiting for him to step up and be a force in the passing game, but he's been so off-and-on during his career. He enters the spring with high expectations from the coaching staff, and his quarterback, Aaron Murray, has a lot of confidence in him. Tight ends Jay Rome and Arthur Lynch are players who could break through this spring, especially with Mitchell working on defense. Rome and Lynch will be looking to replace Orson Charles' production. Running back Ken Malcolme is another player to keep an eye on. His attitude has changed, and he will push to be the second or third running back. Defensively, linebacker Cornelius Washington is another players the coaches hope elevates his play this spring and finally reaches his potential.

All eyes on: Murray is coming off two seasons in which he broke Georgia passing records, but the redshirt junior still hears some criticism. His play in big games has been called into question because of the mistakes he's made. Georgia opened the season with two losses against ranked teams, and ended the season that way. In Murray's past four games, he threw eight touchdowns and six interceptions, including two interceptions in the SEC title-game loss against LSU, and two in the Outback Bowl loss to Michigan State. Improving the little things and trusting those around him more will help Murray tremendously this spring. He'll also have the responsibility of making sure this team is mentally ready for all the hype and the spotlight that will come with a team that will surely be a favorite in the SEC East this fall.

David Ching writes : Player to watch at RB: Newcomer Keith Marshall has the talent to contribute quickly -- but don't look for Isaiah Crowell and others to simply step out of the way.

Ching : Spring look: Running backs, and Video: RB analysis.

Radi Nabulsi writes : Watch List OLB E.J. Levenberry Jr. takes a methodical approach to researching the schools that have offered, including UGA.

Radi Nabulsi writes : In this week's team mailbag, DawgNation addresses pressing questions from our Insiders about who might change positions or double up on positions, how the backup QB situation will shake out, and making second-half corrections.

David Ching writes : Quick pro day observations from Athens.

Kipp Adams writes : The Georgia Bulldogs' first Very Important Dawg Day in review.

Staff : In the inaugural DawgNation Roundtable, the staff -- David Ching, Radi Nabulsi and Kipp Adams -- discusses the upcoming season's most intriguing position battles.

Radi Nabulsi writes : Goose Creek (S.C.) High School has been known of late for churning out some top prospects, and DE Jalen Stevens, who visited Athens this past weekend, is one whose name will get more notice in the coming months.

Now that you've seen what to watch in the SEC Western Division, let's check out the East:

FLORIDA

Spring practice start date: March 14
Spring game: April 7

What to watch:

Finding offensive playmakers: Year 2 of the Will Muschamp era begins with the team trying to find someone who can make a few plays for this fall. New offensive coordinator Brent Pease has a host of unproven offensive talent to work with. Wide receiver Andre Debose was Florida's best deep threat last year, and the coaches raved about receiver Quinton Dunbar's potential, but neither was consistent enough in 2011. Maybe Florida can finally turn to bigger backs Mike Gillislee and Mack Brown in the playmaking department.

Toughening up the offensive line: The Gators' line struggled throughout the 2011 season. It wasn't always at 100 percent, but Florida's line also just wasn't tough enough -- mentally or physically. The Gators couldn't get the tough yards on the ground and didn't exactly protect quarterback John Brantley enough. The line should get a boost with early enrollees D.J. Humphries, who was the top offensive line prospect in the 2012 class, and Jessamen Dunker, but Florida will have to get improvement from players who return to a line that lost just one starter from last season.

Quarterback battle: Brantley is gone, leaving rising sophomores Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel and Tyler Murphy. Brissett replaced Driskel as Florida's No. 2 quarterback last year, while Murphy has yet to take a college snap. Brissett and Driskel had plenty of down moments last fall but should get a chance to reinvent themselves this spring with new leadership and more practice reps. This spring will be extremely important for all three quarterbacks as they try to improve a position that struggled mightily the past two years.

GEORGIA

Spring practice start date: March 20
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

Isaiah Crowell's toughness: Crowell has the talent to be a star in this league. He has the size and athletic ability to cause a lot of headaches for opposing defenses. However, his inability to stay healthy -- and in games -- became more of a headache for Georgia's coaches and fans in 2011. Crowell needs to get tougher and be more reliable. He said as much after last season, but it's time to make good on his word. Crowell could get a push from early enrollee Keith Marshall this spring, and we know coach Mark Richt isn't afraid to play multiple backs.

Position changes: Richt made headlines recently when he said he'd be open to considering moving star freshman receiver Malcolm Mitchell to cornerback now that the Bulldogs are thin there. Maybe he'll play both ways. Also, rising sophomore Ray Drew could switch from outside linebacker to defensive end. He played both in high school. Georgia's offensive linemen also could play multiple positions up front.

The target on the Bulldogs' backs: There will be a lot more attention paid to the Bulldogs this spring, as they will probably enter the 2012 season as the favorites in the SEC East. Georgia returns just about everyone from a team that reeled off 10 straight wins on its way to the SEC championship game. The Bulldogs aren't just considered the East front-runners -- they also are being viewed as national championship contenders. But the Bulldogs can't let the hype get to them. We've seen this team underachieve when the expectations were high before.

KENTUCKY

Spring practice start date: March 21
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

Offensive line auditions: The Wildcats must replace three offensive linemen this year. That process will begin this spring, and the good news is that veterans Larry Warford and Matt Smith return. Left guard Kevin Mitchell, who will be a junior this fall, started one game last year, while soon-to-be sophomore right tackle Darrian Miller started two games last fall, so there is some experience coming into the open spots. Trevino Woods, who didn't start a game last year, should be the favorite to play left tackle this spring, but he also can play guard. There's also a lot of depth to work with.

Defensive makeover: Danny Trevathan is gone, so Kentucky must find someone else to run the defense this season. There's no question that Trevathan was the heart of this defense, so replacing him won't be easy, but the Wildcats must find someone who can step up and be a player others can look up to. The Wildcats also lost six starters from their linebacking corps and secondary, meaning Kentucky will have to fill holes with youngsters. Mikie Benton and Ridge Wilson are the only returning starters not on the defensive line.

Maxwell Smith: With fellow quarterback Morgan Newton sidelined this spring as he recovers from shoulder surgery, all eyes will be on Smith. He struggled at times last year, but Kentucky's offense was better when he was under center. Now, he'll have to make even bigger strides this spring if he wants to create a sizable lead in the race before Newton returns. Smith needs to work on his consistency, clean up his mistakes and develop better chemistry with his receivers.

MISSOURI

Spring practice start date: March 6
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

Offensive adjustments: Missouri might return some key pieces at skill positions, but the Tigers must replace three offensive linemen and will have to tweak some things to make their spread offense efficient enough to face SEC defenses. It helps that quarterback James Franklin is a runner and Missouri has speed and depth at receiver and running back, but the team must make subtle changes to combat the improved speed Missouri will see on defense, especially off the edge.

Rebuilding up front: The Tigers will be without three starters on the offensive and defensive lines. That isn't exactly what any SEC team would like, considering games are won in the trenches in this league. Fortunately for Missouri, both sides saw multiple guys get playing time last season. Keep an eye on defensive end Brad Madison. He was viewed as a defensive player of the year candidate in the Big 12 last year but was limited by a shoulder injury.

Wide receivers: Franklin had a heck of a 2011 season, but as he gets ready for 2012, he's still looking for a big-play threat in his receiving corps. T.J. Moe returns as the Tigers' leading receiver, while Marcus Lucas was fourth in receiving last year. Both have the potential to be elite in this league, but can one leave spring with the title of playmaker? Lucas showed flashes last year, but flashes only go so far. Missouri needs to find a definitive receiving threat.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Spring practice start date: March 12
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

Marcus Lattimore's health: His knee injury took place at the halfway point of the season, so he won't be 100 percent for a while. Still, the word is that he's ahead of schedule when it comes to rehabbing his knee. ACL injuries can be tough to manage, but with Lattimore's determination, he'll do everything possible to come back sooner than expected. He likely won't take contact this spring, but it'll be interesting to see whether the Gamecocks get much use out of him before summer.

Finding receiving options: Now that Alshon Jeffery is gone, there's more pressure on South Carolina's receiving corps. Outside of Jeffery, the Gamecocks didn't have consistently reliable options in 2011. That has to change this year, and it starts with a productive spring. Ace Sanders should get more reps, and the coaches are excited about the big-play ability that speedster Damiere Byrd possesses. Also, keep an eye out for Shamier Jeffery, Alshon's little brother.

Connor Shaw's development: Things couldn't have ended any better for South Carolina's quarterback last season. After an up-and-down start, he rebounded in the final three games with 896 combined yards passing and rushing and 11 touchdowns. Now, it's time for him to sharpen his passing skills and develop more confidence in his passing ability. Accomplishing that will help his receivers as well.

TENNESSEE

Spring practice start date: March 26
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

New coaching feel: The Vols enter spring practice with some new faces on the coaching staff. Six new assistant coaches will make their spring debuts this year. The most important might be defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri and running backs coach Jay Graham. Sunseri is working to make Tennessee more multiple in its approach, adding more 3-4 looks, while Graham will have to fix a struggling running game. Tennessee players will need to adjust to new coaching styles and buy in quickly this spring.

Running backs: No group at Tennessee struggled quite like Tennessee's running backs last fall. The Vols were ranked 116th nationally in rushing offense and recorded just 11 rushing touchdowns (nine from running backs). Tauren Poole is gone, which means Graham will first turn to Marlin Lane and Rajion Neal, who combined for just 414 yards and four touchdowns last year. Devrin Young and Tom Smith will have to step up, while Tennessee will get some use out of early enrollee Alden Hill.

Justin Hunter's health: Losing Hunter was the first of a few blows Tennessee's offense took last year. He's arguably Tennessee's best receiver and one of the best deep threats in this league. He suffered his ACL injury at the beginning of the season, and he's reportedly ahead of schedule but won't take any contact this spring. The goal is to have him running and cutting well at the end of the spring.

VANDERBILT

Spring practice start date: March 16
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

Jordan Rodgers' confidence: He enters spring as the quarterback for the Commodores, but he has to improve the mental part of his game. He let it get the best of him at times last year, especially in last season's bowl game. He can lose his rhythm quickly at times. He needs to work on improving his confidence and take more command of Vandy's huddle this spring. He has the skill to be a top quarterback in this league, but his head has to follow.

Warren Norman's health: A knee injury forced the running back to redshirt last year, but the good news is that he spent the fall strengthening his leg by participating in each practice. The hope is that he'll be ready to go this spring, but you'd imagine that since this is his second knee injury, the coaches won't push him too much. Getting him to sprint and cut with ease will be important to his rehab this spring.

Keeping the edge: James Franklin's first year as a head coach was a success, but it's important that the attitude and personality that made Vanderbilt so confident last year roll over to the spring. The loss in the bowl game might have stunted that personality growth a bit, but it's important that the Commodores get it back. It will go a long way toward keeping the progress going.

SEC bloggers Chris Low and Edward Aschoff, who's known more commonly as The ATL Kid, will occasionally give their takes on a burning question facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same view. We'll let you decide who's right.

Today's Take Two topic: If it's not Alabama or LSU, who has the best chance to break through and win the SEC championship in 2012 and why?

Take 1: Chris Low

If Arkansas were not in the Western Division, you could easily make a case that the Hogs would have already broken through and at least played for the SEC championship. But the fact is that they are in the West, and that’s not changing. They’re 1-5 against West kingpins Alabama and LSU the past three seasons, but the good news is that they get both teams at home in 2012. Two years ago, they beat LSU in Little Rock and had Alabama on the ropes in Fayetteville before allowing the Crimson Tide to escape in the second half.

What makes anybody think it’s going to be different in 2012? For one, I’m not so sure that Arkansas has to win both games to get to Atlanta. A split may be enough next season. And with Tyler Wilson returning at quarterback, he’s going to have a better idea of what to expect from both defenses. You can bet that Alabama will be good on defense again next season. I have a hard time believing, though, that the Crimson Tide will be as good as they were in 2011 when they’re losing the likes of Mark Barron, Courtney Upshaw, Dont’a Hightower, Josh Chapman and Dre Kirkpatrick. The trip to South Carolina won’t be easy for the Hogs, but they’ve had the Gamecocks’ number. The same goes for Texas A&M.

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino does as good a job as anybody in the conference when it comes to developing offensive talent. We’ll see if the defense can take that next step now under new coordinator Paul Haynes. The Hogs took a step backward this past season on defense. They’ll always be a threat playing the caliber of offense they have under Petrino, but he knows as well as anybody that they have to keep improving on defense if they’re going to move past just being a threat and ever win the championship in this league. This may be the year they do that.

Take 2: Edward Aschoff

I like the Arkansas pick, and I agree that if you put the Hogs in the East it's a whole different story. But I'll go in a different direction. How about Georgia? Seriously, if you just look at Georgia's schedule you'd think the Bulldogs would be able to just walk into Atlanta for the second straight year. No Alabama, Arkansas or LSU. South Carolina, Missouri and Auburn are on the road, but losing one of those probably won't cost the Bulldogs the East. Just look at last season.

The Bulldogs return just about everyone on a defense that ranked fifth nationally last season. Add a pretty solid group of offensive players and Georgia has a team with the talent to compete not just for a SEC title, but a national title. Malcolm Mitchell and Tavarres King are back at wide receiver and the staff is hoping that the addition of Keith Marshall to the backfield will help push Isaiah Crowell even more. Georgia will probably be in a real dogfight (excuse the pun) with South Carolina. The Gamecocks return a loaded defense as well and a healthy Marcus Lattimore is any defense's nightmare, but you have to give Georgia the advantage at quarterback. Connor Shaw ended 2011 on a roll, but Aaron Murray is becoming a better leader and is coming off a year in which he became just the fifth quarterback in SEC history to throw for more than 3,000 yards and 35 touchdowns in a single season.

The mental hump might be the biggest obstacle for the Bulldogs. We've seen this before and Georgia hasn't exactly lived up to high expectations in recent history. Remember 2008? There's no question that the Bulldogs have the players to compete for a SEC title, but all eyes will be on Athens this fall and the pressure definitely will be on. Coach Mark Richt did a great job of rallying this team after its 0-2 start last year, but can the Bulldogs afford another season with a slow start? Can this team survive with the target on its back? If Georgia can play with the same mentality it had in its last 10 games of the regular season, the Bulldogs could bring the SEC crown back to the Eastern Division.

The readers have once again spoken and Dorial Green-Beckham was picked in our poll to have the biggest impact of this year's crop of true freshmen.

With more than 6,500 votes cast, Missouri's top signee ran away with it by grabbing 41 percent of the vote. It's hard to go against the readers on this one. DGB has been compared to A.J. Green, Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones, and he seems to have the intangibles to be the Tigers' deep threat they're still searching for in the offense. Recent history has shown us that freshmen receivers can make instant impacts, so that's good news for Missouri and DGB.

Next was South Carolina receiver Shaq Roland, who received 26 percent of the vote. Like DGB, he looks to have the ability to make very early contributions to his future team. The Gamecocks will be without Alshon Jeffery and are looking for a standout at the position. They didn't see anyone not named Jeffery step up last year, so this is an open race and you better believe Roland will be heavily involved.

Georgia running back Keith Marshall placed third with 23 percent of the vote. Marshall showed in high school that he can be quite a headache for defenders when he's in space. He's already on campus, so the hope is that he'll push Isaiah Crowell from the start. He's getting a head start on Georgia's playbook and that's always a plus for freshmen.

Florida offensive tackle D.J. Humphries was next with 6 percent of the vote, while Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles received just 4 percent. I thought Towles' numbers would be higher in this poll because he has a real shot to take over at the quarterback spot if he has a successful offseason.