ESPN College Football

We turn our attention today to the Plains.

Coach: Jeff Grimes

Position: Offensive line

Experience: He's entering his third season on Auburn's staff. Grimes was the assistant head coach/running game coordinator/offensive line coach at Colorado for two seasons prior to coming to Auburn. He's also served stints as offensive line coach at BYU, Arizona State, Boise State and Hardin-Simmons. An 18-year coaching veteran who started his career at Riverside High School in Texas, Grimes has coached a pair of Auburn offensive lines that paved the way for the country's fifth-rated rushing team last season (284.8 yards per game) and the country's 13th-rated rushing team in 2009 (212 yards per game).

Of note: Grimes was wooed by Texas' Mack Brown during the offseason to coach the Longhorns' offensive line and interviewed for the job, but elected to stay at Auburn. He was rewarded with a raise and will make $400,000 this coming season. ... Grimes grew up in Texas and played offensive tackle collegiately at UTEP, earning four letters from 1987-90. ... The Tigers have set single-season school records for points scored and total offense each of the two years Grimes has coached the offensive line.

His challenge: Nobody knew just how good Auburn's offensive line would be this time a year ago. As it turned out, the Tigers were as good as anybody in the country up front and have a national championship trophy to show for it. Gone, though, are four senior starters who combined for 165 starts. The one returning starter Grimes does get back (Brandon Mosley) was a tight end before moving to tackle last season. So in other words, Grimes is going to earn every penny of that sweet raise he got in the offseason. He's been down this road before and has consistently produced solid offensive lines. In his first year at Colorado in 2007, two true freshmen started most of the games for the first time in CU history. That line matured as the season progressed and wound up allowing only four sacks in the final five games. It might be tough sledding for the Tigers up front to begin the 2011 season as they settle on the right combination, but Grimes has some talented personnel to work with. He just doesn't have a lot of experience -- only 15 combined starts among the projected starters. Senior A.J. Greene, who opened last season as the starter at right tackle before suffering a season-ending leg injury the third week, has moved to left tackle to replace Lee Ziemba. Mosley will stay at right tackle, and junior John Sullen is the likely starter at right guard, although Sullen has also played some at tackle. True freshmen Reese Dismukes and Christian Westerman will be worth watching. Dismukes enrolled early and went through spring practice and will battle for a starting job at center. Westerman didn't go through the spring, but could factor in at left guard or provide depth at tackle.

By hoisting the crystal football in January, Auburn cemented itself as the best team college football last fall. The Tigers went undefeated in the nation's toughest conference (the SEC) and brought home a national championship.

There was a Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Cam Newton, a freak of a defensive tackle in Nick Fairley and four All-SEC selections from the 2010 team.

But after looking at how the Tigers did in the NFL draft this weekend, it's hard to argue that last year's team relied on Newton more than people thought. And that says a lot.

Despite having a senior-laden team (and returning only six starters this spring), the Tigers weren't well represented in this year's NFL draft. Outside of Newton going first overall to the Carolina Panthers and Fairley going 13th to the Detroit Lions, Auburn's only other two draft selections came in the seventh round. Defensive tackle Zach Clayton went to the Tennessee Titans with pick No. 212 and offensive tackle Lee Ziemba went 244th to the Panthers.

Auburn's BCS opponent, Oregon, produced just one draft selection this year: linebacker Casey Matthews, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Florida had just three players drafted -- wide receivers Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, and tight end Cornelius Ingram -- in the 2009 NFL draft following the Gators' Orange Bowl victory over Oklahoma, but returned a majority of that team for the 2009 season.

Oklahoma had the lowest amount of draft selections for a defending champ since 2000, with just two draftees -- linebacker Torrance Marshall and quarterback Josh Heupel -- in 2001.

The SEC's seven national champions since 2000 have produced 37 draft picks, with LSU leading the way with 14 of those selections and Florida having a SEC-high nine selections in the 2007 draft.

Before breaking away to enjoy what I hope is some nice weather this weekend, let’s see what’s on your mind in the SEC mailbag:

Corey in Pensacola, Fla., writes: Chris, don’t you think it’s a little much for Alabama to already be putting up a statue of Nick Saban? What if he leaves in another year or two for the NFL?

Chris Low: Alabama’s custom is to honor all of its national championship coaches with a statue in the Walk of Champions plaza just outside Bryant-Denny Stadium. It’s actually a pretty neat touch as you walk up to the stadium from University Boulevard. They’re going to unveil Saban’s statue prior to the A-Day spring game on April 16. Gene Stallings, who won a national championship at Alabama in 1992, will be on hand as well as the families of the other three coaches who won national titles at Alabama -- Frank Thomas, Wallace Wade and Paul “Bear” Bryant. Sadly, something tells me there will need to be some serious security around Saban’s statue given what we saw happen to the Toomer’s Corner oak trees at Auburn. As for the possibility of Saban leaving for the NFL in another year or two, I think there’s a better chance that Alabama decides to go to black jerseys. In other words, I wouldn’t hold my breath. Saban isn’t going anywhere, and he’s certainly not going back to the NFL. He’s told me repeatedly that the NFL wasn’t for him, and he has as much control over his program at Alabama as any coach in America. Plus, he’d be in huge trouble at home with his wife, Terry, if he even thought about going back to the NFL.

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Mitch in New York City writes: Seriously, have the nerve or decency to post even one of the numerous articles refuting the Auburn booster story. Take your pick. If you're willing to look up any former player from Auburn on twitter, you'll find a laundry list of opposing voices as well. All I'm asking is that you take the time to post even one of these stories.

Chris Low: As a matter of fact, I did one of those stories myself when I spoke to All-America offensive tackle Lee Ziemba the day the HBO Real Sports special ran. He told me he was never offered a dime at Auburn and never saw anything that would make him think other players were getting paid, either. That piece ran in the SEC blog on Wednesday. I absolutely believe that Ziemba is telling the truth, but that also doesn’t necessarily mean that Stanley McClover, Raven Gray, Troy Reddick and Chaz Ramsey are not telling the truth. It’s entirely possible that some players were getting paid and others weren’t. It’s also possible that the four players who made the claims to HBO were doing so to get back at Auburn in some way, as Ziemba suggests. But it’s difficult to imagine anybody subjecting themselves to this kind of scorn over claims that were fabricated. I’m convinced that players all across big-time college football and basketball accept improper benefits from boosters, and anybody who thinks that doesn’t happen to some degree probably hasn’t spent much time around big-time college athletics.

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Scott in Knoxville, Tenn., writes: Where did Eric Ainge say he was a full blown cocaine addict while at Tennessee? The transcript only mentions pain killers while at UT. It seems you have taken some serious and irresponsible literary license.

Chris Low: Since weighing in on Ainge’s battle with drug dependency and his powerful first-person story that appeared on ESPNNewYork.com, I’ve been scolded by several Tennessee fans. And in this case, rightfully so. I went back and re-read the story, and Ainge doesn’t specify when he started using cocaine and heroin, only that he was an addict by his senior season at Tennessee and hooked on pain killers. He does say in the story that he was using a lot of drugs at a young age and mentions marijuana. But in a local radio interview he conducted this week, he clarified that he didn’t start using cocaine and heroin until he got to the New York Jets. So I apologize for confusing that part of the story. What’s important here, though, is that Ainge is taking the right steps to stay clean and is brave enough to tell his story so that maybe somebody else in the throes of addiction will read it and get help. As for Tennessee’s drug-testing policy during that time -- and coming from someone who covered Tennessee athletics on a daily basis from 1997 through the first part of the 2007 football season -- I maintain my contention that it had serious flaws and wasn’t very effective. It’s been tweaked since, and I can still recall Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton conceding to me in 2007 that it needed to be tweaked.

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Jason in Arlington, Tenn., writes: Chris, reports out of Fayetteville are that Tyler Wilson has been lighting it up during spring practice, making all the throws and really controlling the game. If he’s as good as being advertised, do you think the Hogs have a legitimate chance of getting back to a BCS bowl?

Chris Low: I’m not surprised at all that Wilson is having a big spring. Bobby Petrino was extremely confident that he would step right in and be very comfortable. Plus, look at the arsenal of playmakers Wilson has surrounding him, and that’s not even counting receiver Greg Childs, who’s still recovering from his knee surgery. Replacing both of those offensive tackles will be tough, and the Hogs can’t drop off defensively. But, yes, I think Arkansas is one of the best four teams in the SEC going into the 2011 season and will again be in contention for the league title and a BCS bowl berth.

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Charles in Charlotte, N.C., writes: How come nobody is talking about Marcus Lattimore for the Heisman?

Chris Low: He would be one of the top two or three on my list out of the SEC. For one, he’s a terrific player and racks up big numbers. Also, the Gamecocks are going to lean on him next season, so his rushing totals and touchdown numbers should go up. I think South Carolina has to win at least 10 games for him to be a realistic candidate. Of course, when you look at the past two Heisman Trophy winners and consider that they were nowhere on the Heisman radar coming into the season, I’m not sure preseason hype means a whole lot anymore.

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Jordan in Tuscaloosa, Ala., writes: Chris, with the Fiesta Bowl at risk of losing its BCS status, do you think that the Cotton Bowl would have any chance of becoming a BCS bowl? It has a long history and a great stadium. The Big 12 and SEC tie-ins could help the argument as well.

Chris Low: The folks at the Cotton Bowl do a tremendous job. It’s a first-class experience run by first-class people, and I could definitely see it joining the BCS equation if the Fiesta Bowl gets the boot. The Chick-fil-A Bowl is another one that has really raised its stature and would also be a prime candidate. Both are located in major cities with great venues, and the people running the bowls are true pros. I’ve covered both on multiple occasions and would be 100 percent comfortable with either one of them moving into the BCS mix.

The fallout has begun from Wednesday night's episode of HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" that included four former Auburn players saying they were paid during their time at Auburn.

Coach Gene Chizik called it "pure garbage" and questioned why players HBO talked with who disputed the payment claims weren't included in the show.

Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said the school would conduct its own investigation.

"While HBO confirmed to us they have no proof that any of these claims are true, we contacted both the NCAA and Southeastern Conference as soon as these allegations surfaced," Jacobs said. "We have engaged outside counsel to investigate this matter and will spare no resources to find the truth."

Chizik was Auburn's defensive coordinator from 2002-04. Two of the players making the claims, Stanley McClover and Troy Reddick, were at Auburn while Chizik was the defensive coordinator. One of the players saying he was paid, Raven Gray, came to Auburn in 2008, but never played because of injuries. The other, Chaz Ramsey, played as a freshman in 2007, suffered injuries and later tried to sue a former Auburn offensive line coach and trainer for mismanaging his back injury. That suit was thrown out of court.

Lee Ziemba, an All-America offensive tackle for the Tigers last season, told ESPN.com on Wednesday that he "never received a dime" at Auburn. He and Ramsey roomed together as freshmen, and Ziemba said he doesn't believe Ramsey's claims.

Here's a video of a heated Chizik disputing the allegations.

If money was being passed around at Auburn like some of Lee Ziemba’s former teammates claim it was, he wants to know why he was excluded.

Ziemba, an All-America offensive tackle on the Tigers’ national championship team last season, told ESPN.com on Wednesday that he never received any improper benefits during his time at Auburn and doesn’t believe the claims of four former players, who told HBO Real Sports that they were paid by Auburn boosters, and in one instance, by an unnamed assistant coach during the Tommy Tuberville era.

“I’m not trying to toot my own horn, but if anybody would have seen something like that, I think I would have been one of those people,” Ziemba said. “I was heavily recruited, and there was a huge battle between Arkansas and Auburn to get me. I was never once offered any money and never saw or heard anything close to what they’re saying. I could have used the money, too. College was a struggle financially. There were some nights I was trying to decide whether to put gas in my truck or eat a meal.”

The HBO Real Sports show will air Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET, and the SportsByBrooks website received a transcript of an advance copy from the show.

The former Auburn players claiming they were paid were Stanley McClover (2003-05), Troy Reddick (2002-05), Chaz Ramsey (2007) and Raven Gray (2008).

Ziemba says he and Ramsey roomed together as freshmen. Ramsey later sued Auburn for not properly managing his back injury, a suit that was eventually thrown out of court.

“We were both scratching around for enough money to buy a $5 footlong at Subway,” Ziemba said. “If he were getting thousands of dollars, you’re not going to keep that quiet. I would have heard about it, and he would have been spending so out of control that I would have noticed something.”

Ziemba said he and several of his former Auburn teammates had been talking among themselves Wednesday trying to figure out if certain players had indeed been paid. He said nobody had any pay-for-play stories during their time on the Plains.

“All this talk about $500 handshakes … I walked out of those same locker rooms 52 times after games, met those same boosters and got to know them and not once did anybody give me a dime,” Ziemba said. “It’s just not plausible.”

Asked what motives the players would have for making up these claims, Ziemba said, “Maybe they’re trying to get 15 more minutes of fame. Maybe they’re trying to make Auburn look bad because their time there wasn’t what they wanted it to be. I don’t know, but I’m not buying any of it.

"The whole thing is sickening because Auburn has taken enough blows."

You win up front in this league, and the next guy in our countdown anchored the best offensive line in the SEC last season.

No. 13: Lee Ziemba, OT, Sr., Auburn

2010 numbers/honors: Part of an Auburn offensive line that gave up just 23 sacks in 14 games and cleared the way for the Tigers to finish fifth nationally in rushing offense, averaging 284.8 yards per game. Ziemba was a first-team All-America selection by the AFCA, FWAA and Walter Camp and a second-team All-America selection by the Associated Press. He was a consensus first-team All-SEC selection.

Preseason ranking: Not ranked in the preseason countdown.

Making the case for Ziemba: The 6-foot-8, 319-pound Ziemba ended his college career with 52 consecutive starts, an Auburn record. He started every game since 2007 and saved his best season for his last. One of the central figures in Auburn’s run to the 2010 BCS national championship, Ziemba won the Jacobs Trophy, which is voted on by the coaches and goes to the best blocker in the SEC. Both as a pass-protector and a run-blocker, Ziemba excelled last season from his left tackle position. He was one of four senior starters up front for the Tigers, and having played so much football together, they operated as one in making Auburn’s offense one of the most balanced in the country. The Tigers rushed for 300 or more yards in six straight SEC games, becoming the first Auburn team to do that. And going into the BCS National Championship Game, Auburn had allowed just 21 sacks in 261 pass attempts. Cam Newton might have been the face of Auburn’s national championship team, but Ziemba’s production, leadership and overall toughness were major factors in the Tigers winning their first title since 1957.

The rundown

No. 14: LSU LB Kelvin Sheppard

No. 15: South Carolina DE Devin Taylor

No. 16: Florida S Ahmad Black

No. 17: Arkansas TE D.J. Williams

No. 18: Alabama S Mark Barron

No. 19: Florida CB Janoris Jenkins

No. 20: Mississippi State LB Chris White

No. 21: LSU RB Stevan Ridley

No. 22: Mississippi State OT Derek Sherrod

No. 23: Alabama DE Marcell Dareus

No. 24: Kentucky LB Danny Trevathan

No. 25: Alabama LB Courtney Upshaw

Making the rounds in the SEC on a Friday:

• The Alabama pipeline to the NFL has resumed under Nick Saban.
• Andrew Gribble of The Knoxville News-Sentinel examines the 12 people on the NCAA's Committee on Infractions who will decide Tennessee's fate.
• Longtime Mississippi State play-by-play announcer Jack Cristil had hoped to make it through the entire basketball season before stepping down.
• Former Auburn teammates weigh in on what Stanley McClover said to HBO's "Real Sports" concerning illegal payments.
• There isn't going to be a price increase for Florida-Georgia tickets next season, as Georgia voted against it.
• Raises are being finalized for a handful of LSU assistant coaches. New offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe is set to make $700,000 annually.
• Former Auburn offensive tackle Lee Ziemba faces the most important job interview of his life.

Mississippi State hits the practice field next Friday to kick off spring practice in the SEC, and several other teams will follow the next week.

Football is back, and here’s a snapshot of what to watch this spring in the Western Division:

ALABAMA

Start of spring practice: March 21
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• McCarron or Sims? If you’re looking for one of the more intriguing position battles of the spring, it doesn’t get much better than A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims battling it out for the Alabama starting quarterback job. Both players are extremely talented and were highly rated coming out of high school, and they’re vying to replace a guy who was the essence of precision, smarts and productivity all wrapped into one -- Greg McElroy. McCarron played a little bit last season as a redshirt freshman, while Sims redshirted. We’ll see if one separates himself enough this spring for Nick Saban to name a starter.
• Back in the SEC: In addition to settling on a starting quarterback, the other thing the Crimson Tide would like to determine this spring is who will be protecting that quarterback from the left tackle position. Junior college signee Aaron Douglas is probably the guy to beat. He’s already on campus after attending Arizona Western College last year and drawing a wide array of interest from schools. He started his career at Tennessee, where he earned Freshman All-American honors in 2009 while playing right tackle for the Vols.
• Rushing the passer: The Crimson Tide would like to amp up their pass rush next season, which means getting there without having to blitz all the time. Jack linebacker Courtney Upshaw finished last season on fire and lived in the opposing backfield his last two games. This is an important spring for middle linebacker Dont’a Hightower, who’s also been used outside in pass-rushing situations. Hightower was coming off reconstructive knee surgery last season and didn’t appear to be all the way back. He’s eager to show this spring that he is all the way back and poised to be an All-SEC player again.

ARKANSAS

Start of spring practice: March 15
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Mr. Wilson: A year ago, Tyler Wilson got a chance to show what he could do with the first unit because Ryan Mallett broke a bone in his foot and missed the spring after undergoing surgery. This spring, it’s Wilson’s show again, although Mallett won’t be coming back this time. Wilson, a sophomore, is the odds-on favorite to win Arkansas’ starting quarterback job. He passed for 332 yards and four touchdowns against Auburn last season on the road after Mallett was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said he thinks Wilson can be a terrific quarterback, but wants to see him beat out Brandon Mitchell and Jacoby Walker for the job before handing him the keys to the Hogs’ offense.
• Getting defensive: The Hogs’ defense took the kind of step last season that was required to get them to 10 wins. They went from 89th in the country in total defense in 2009 to 36th in the country a year ago. The key figures from that defense return next season, and Petrino has said he thinks Arkansas will be even better on defense in 2011 than it was last season. Finding a replacement for Anthony Leon at one of the linebacker spots will be important this spring, and the Hogs could still use some more speed in the secondary.
• Fourth-quarter blues: Special emphasis was placed on winning the close games last season and getting it done in the fourth quarter. That will be a familiar cry on the practice field again this spring. All three of Arkansas' losses last season came on the heels of fourth-quarter breakdowns. The Hogs couldn’t hold a lead at home against Alabama, and the Crimson Tide rallied from two touchdowns down in the fourth quarter to win. At Auburn, the Hogs were snowed under by a 28-point Auburn avalanche in the fourth quarter. And in the Sugar Bowl, the Hogs couldn’t capitalize in the final minutes despite blocking a punt and recovering inside the Ohio State 20.

AUBURN

Start of spring practice: March 23
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Playing with a target: Auburn emerged from the shadows last season to go 14-0 and win its first national championship since 1957. Nobody really saw the Tigers coming. Now, even though they lost great players the caliber of Cam Newton and Nick Fairley, everybody will be circling the Auburn game on their calendars. With so many new faces in key positions, this team will have to establish its own identity and be prepared to get everybody’s best shot every weekend.
• Rebuilding the O-line: It’s hard to imagine Auburn playing a game without departed senior offensive line starters Lee Ziemba, Mike Berry, Byron Isom and Ryan Pugh. They were together so long and made so many career starts alongside each other. This spring, the Tigers start the process of replacing their four rocks up front. The lone holdover from the BCS National Championship Game is right tackle Brandon Mosley, although A.J. Greene was also a starter last season until he injured his ankle. Redshirt freshman Ed Christian is definitely somebody to watch at one of the guard spots, and don’t forget about junior John Sullen, who can play guard or tackle.
• Trotter in the race: Even as great as Newton turned out to be, coach Gene Chizik and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn were careful to make sure Newton was clearly the guy before naming him the starter at the conclusion of spring practice and heading into the summer. Junior Barrett Trotter and sophomore Clint Moseley were two of the guys battling with Newton last spring. But this spring, they will be battling each other for the starting quarterback job, a battle that’s likely to continue into preseason practice once heralded true freshman Kiehl Frazier arrives on campus this summer.

LSU

Start of spring practice: March 11
Spring game: April 9

What to watch:

• Quarterback derby: Perhaps the most closely watched quarterback battle this spring will occur at LSU, where seniors Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee will try and hold off talented junior college signee Zach Mettenberger. Jefferson played better toward the end of last season, but the Tigers’ passing game was nonexistent for much of the 2010 season. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Mettenberger put up huge numbers in junior college last season after starting his career at Georgia. He obviously didn't sign with LSU to sit and watch.
• Kragthorpe to the rescue: Former Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe takes over as LSU’s offensive coordinator and does so after the Tigers finished 11th in the SEC last season in total offense and last in the SEC in 2009. Kragthorpe wants to make sure LSU is getting the ball in the hands of its best playmakers, but he also wants to make sure the Tigers are balanced. Their running game improved dramatically last season. With Stevan Ridley leaving early for the NFL draft, Spencer Ware is next in line after rushing for 102 yards in the Cotton Bowl.
• Special-teams makeover: The Tigers were gutted on special teams. Even special teams coordinator Joe Robinson left to take a job on North Carolina’s staff. Also gone are All-SEC place-kicker Josh Jasper, All-SEC return specialist Patrick Peterson and punter Derek Helton, who was second in the SEC with a punting average of 45.7 yards per game. LSU will be looking to fill voids across the board this spring in its kicking game, which was a big reason the Tigers won 11 games last season.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Start of spring practice: March 4
Spring game: April 9
End of spring practice: April 11

What to watch:

• New defensive chief: Manny Diaz was hired away by Texas to be the Longhorns’ defensive coordinator, meaning co-defensive coordinator Chris Wilson is now the guy running things in Starkville. Diaz and Wilson worked together closely last season, so it’s doubtful much will change. Dan Mullen did bring in Geoff Collins to serve as co-defensive coordinator to Wilson and also coach the Bulldogs' linebackers.
• Lining up linebackers: The Bulldogs lost all three of their starting linebackers from last season, including their top two tacklers in Chris White and K.J. Wright. Emmanuel Gatling was the other starter, although he shared time with Cameron Lawrence at one of the outside spots. So while Lawrence might have first dibs on one of those three starting jobs this spring, the competition will be fierce. Redshirt freshmen Felando Bohanna and Christian Holmes are two to watch in the middle. Chris Hughes played some last season as a true freshman on the outside, and third-year sophomore Michael Hunt will also be in the mix for a starting job.
• Relf’s supporting cast: Chris Relf enters his senior season as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the SEC, and he’s also one of the league’s most improved players. The Bulldogs’ top threats in the running game return, but Relf will have several new guys he’ll be hooking up with in the passing game. Junior receiver Chad Bumphis has been working out and is expected back this spring after missing the Gator Bowl with a broken collarbone. The Bulldogs also redshirted several receivers last season they have high hopes for, including Malcolm Johnson, Robert Johnson and Jameon Lewis. Getting a healthy Marcus Green back at tight end will also make Relf's life easier.

OLE MISS

Start of spring practice: March 28
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Lee to call plays: The last time Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt didn’t call his own plays was 2007 when David Lee called them during Nutt’s final season at Arkansas. Well, Lee has reunited with Nutt at Ole Miss for the 2011 season after coming over from the Miami Dolphins, and Nutt has again turned over the offensive play-calling duties to Lee in order to spend more time focusing on other areas of the team. Lee will build what the Rebels do offensively around an underrated stable of running backs, led by Brandon Bolden.
• Quarterback questions: Jeremiah Masoli popped in at the last minute a year ago. But this time, it appears that the guy who separates himself this spring will be the Rebels’ quarterback for the season. Junior Nathan Stanley has the edge in experience. Randall Mackey is probably the most athletic, but will be limited this spring after undergoing knee surgery. Junior college signee Zack Stoudt is already enrolled and also eyeing the starting job, while West Virginia transfer Barry Brunetti will be in the middle of the race as well if he receives a waiver from the NCAA and is allowed to play this coming season.
• Building back the defense: After back-to-back seasons in 2008 and 2009 when Ole Miss’ defense was outstanding, Tyrone Nix’s unit came crashing down last season. More than anything, it’s a group that needs to regain its confidence this spring and play with that same attacking mentality that made the Rebels so effective on defense the previous two seasons. Linebacker D.T. Shackelford is a leader and the kind of guy you win with in this league, but Nix & Co. need to find a few more like him this spring, especially in the secondary.

The Scouts Inc. crew of Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl weigh in on Day 2 of the Senior Bowl practices and how some of the SEC guys fared:

• Muench’s top performer for the South was Tennessee tight end Luke Stocker, who showed good toughness and was able to wall off blockers. But Muench said catching the ball over the middle was where Stocker made his mark. He made a one-handed catch behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties. He took a big hit, but still held on. Muench likes how physical the 6-foot-5 Stocker is, the way he makes plays in traffic and uses his frame to shield linebackers and generally the way he works over the middle. Muench said Stocker caught everything Tuesday.
• Weidl’s top performer for the South was Georgia offensive tackle Clint Boling. Weidl said Boling projects as a guard, but lined up at tackle and did well during the one-on-one drills. Weidl said Boling moved his feet well, showed some athleticism on a screen play and also demonstrated good inline power and strength as a run-blocker. Weidl thinks Boling helped himself with a good overall showing on Tuesday with the way he held up at tackle.
• LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard has been impressive with his straight-line speed, especially for his size (6-3, 240 pounds), but takes too long to regain his momentum when he has to change directions quickly. He’s quicker than he is fast.
• Auburn’s Lee Ziemba had some issues lining up inside at guard. Bending at the knees was a problem, which affected his pad level.
• Arkansas’ D.J. Williams has been impressive with the way he’s caught the ball and has also showcased his athleticism, but the Scouts Inc. crew thinks he’s probably more of a fullback than a tight end in the NFL.
• Weidl said Alabama offensive tackle James Carpenter showed good feet in pass sets.
• Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod was beaten by Texas A&M outside linebacker Von Miller on an outside-in double move during a one-on-one pass-rushing drill.
• Sherrod’s wingspan was measured at 83 7/8 inches, the longest of any player at the Senior Bowl. His arms were measured at 35 ½ inches, which was also the longest. His hands were 11 inches, which was tied for second.
• Florida offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert (329 pounds), Arkansas offensive lineman DeMarcus Love (318 pounds) and Ziemba (317 pounds) are among the five heaviest players at the Senior Bowl.

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay has listed his top storylines for the Senior Bowl, and one of the areas he'll be watching closely is offensive tackle.

Three former SEC stars -- Mississippi State's Derek Sherrod, Auburn's Lee Ziemba and Arkansas' DeMarcus Love -- stand to have a lot to gain this week in Mobile, Ala.

All three were considered borderline first-round draft picks at one point during the season or prior to the season, but McShay lists them as Day 2 prospects going into the Senior Bowl. A strong week of practice could push them back into first-round consideration, but there's a chance they could fall, too, if they don't perform well this week. They all played left tackle in college, but McShay thinks they will be right tackles in the NFL.

Having had a few days to digest the 2010 bowl season, here’s a look at the All-SEC bowl team:

OFFENSE

QB Chris Relf, Mississippi State

One of the most improved players in the SEC, Relf was on top of his game in the Bulldogs’ 52-14 rout of Michigan. He was 18-of-23 for 281 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, and he also rushed for a touchdown.

RB Mike Dyer, Auburn

He said before the game he had fresh legs, and the true freshman delivered for the Tigers in their 22-19 win over Oregon in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game. Dyer rushed for 143 yards on 22 carries, including 57 of their 73 yards on their game-winning drive.

RB Spencer Ware, LSU

Where was this guy all season? The true freshman rushed for 102 yards on 10 carries in LSU’s AT&T Cotton Bowl win over Texas A&M and served notice that he’ll be somebody to reckon with in 2011.

WR Terrence Toliver, LSU

Toliver saved his best game of the season for the last game. He had five catches for 112 yards and three touchdowns, including a 42-yarder and 41-yarder. The three touchdown catches tied a Cotton Bowl record.

WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

It was another disappointing bowl trip for the Gamecocks, but Jeffery capped a brilliant season with nine catches for 130 yards.

TE D.J. Williams, Arkansas

He finished with five catches for 38 yards in the Hogs’ Allstate Sugar Bowl loss to Ohio State and also caught a two-point conversion pass on what was a terrific effort play, where he extended the ball over the goal line with his right hand after appearing to be stopped on the play.

OL Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State

One of those guys who won’t be easily replaced, Sherrod ended his Mississippi State career with another dominant performance up front from his left tackle spot in the Bulldogs’ 52-14 walloping of Michigan.

OL Lee Ziemba, Auburn

His 52^nd consecutive start at Auburn will be his most memorable. The Tigers, rolling up 519 yards of total offense, defeated Oregon 22-19 for the national championship.

OL Barrett Jones, Alabama

The Crimson Tide really missed Jones in their loss to Auburn to end the regular season. But he was back at his right guard spot in the bowl game, and Alabama rolled up 546 yards of total offense.

OL Will Blackwell, LSU

He made his first start at right guard since his injury in the season opener, and LSU had a field day running to the right side against Texas A&M in piling up 288 yards rushing.

C Ryan Pugh, Auburn

One of the rocks of Auburn’s veteran offensive line all season long, Pugh saved one of his best games for the Tigers’ most important game.

DEFENSE

DL Marcell Dareus, Alabama

Alabama’s defensive front-seven was too much for Michigan State, and Dareus was a big reason why. He had two tackles for loss, including a sack, and also led the Crimson Tide with three quarterback hurries.

DL Antoine Carter, Auburn

Another key cog in Auburn’s defensive masterpiece against Oregon, Carter had a tackle for loss and also broke up a pass in his final game in an Auburn uniform.

DL Nick Fairley, Auburn

Oregon coach Chip Kelly said after the game the Ducks simply couldn’t block Fairley. Then again, nobody else did this season, either. He finished with three tackles for loss, including a sack, and also forced a fumble in spearheading Auburn’s most impressive defensive performance of the season.

DE/OLB Justin Houston, Georgia

Georgia's defense wasn't the culprit in the 10-6 loss to UCF in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, and Houston led the Bulldogs with 10 tackles and two quarterback hurries.

LB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

One of the mainstays in holding Michigan State to minus-48 yards rushing, Upshaw was dominant in the Crimson Tide’s 49-7 romp in the Capital One Bowl. He finished with three tackles for loss, including two sacks and forced a fumble.

LB Anthony Leon, Arkansas

The former safety was all over the field for the Hogs in the Sugar Bowl. He finished with two tackles for loss and also broke up a pass. One of his biggest plays was the initial hit in the end zone that led to a safety.

LB Nick Reveiz, Tennessee

An inspiration to his teammates with the way he fought back from a serious knee injury the year before, Reveiz led the Vols with 14 tackles in their Music City Bowl loss. He also had two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry.

DB Tyrann Mathieu, LSU

One of the most promising freshman defensive backs in the league, Mathieu had seven tackles, including a sack, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception and one pass breakup in the Tigers’ Cotton Bowl win.

DB Ahmad Black, Florida

His 80-yard interception return for a touchdown sealed Florida’s 37-24 victory over Penn State in the Outback Bowl, sending Urban Meyer out a winner. Black, a senior safety, also went out in style with two interceptions, while tying for the team lead in tackles.

DB Tramain Thomas, Arkansas

Thomas led the Hogs with 12 total tackles. He also forced two fumbles and broke up a pass. One of his forced fumbles came on fourth-and-1 from Ohio State’s own 38 when he knocked the ball loose on what would have been a first down.

DB Mike McNeil, Auburn

The Tigers’ senior safety, who came back this season from a broken leg, led all players in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game with 14 total tackles, including a couple of key stops in the open field.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K Wes Byrum, Auburn

With the pressure on, Byrum’s 19-yard field goal as time expired lifted Auburn to its first national championship since 1957. It was his third game-winning field goal of the season.

P Dylan Breeding, Arkansas

He dropped four punts inside the 20-yard line, including three inside the 10 -- and two of those came in the fourth quarter. He averaged 43.7 yards a kick for the Hogs.

KR Randall Cobb, Kentucky

In what was his final game in a Kentucky uniform, Cobb had a combined 119 yards on kickoff/punt returns in the Wildcats’ 27-10 BBVA Compass Bowl loss to Pittsburgh. His long was a 40-yard kickoff return.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Auburn’s Lee Ziemba, one of four senior offensive linemen to start every game this season for the Tigers, said it’s almost surreal to think this is his last week as a college football player.

Ziemba has started all 51 games of his college career. The Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Monday night will be his 52^nd consecutive start.

Obviously, there are a ton of memories for the Tigers’ All-America left tackle. But he said the Auburn fans are what he will remember most.

During the good times and bad times.

“It’s a family, a small town in Southeast Alabama, and most of the fans went to school there and graduated,” said Ziemba, who’s from Rogers, Ark. “You have a close-knit family that is diehard about its football. You want to thank them for their love and support.

“They’re the type of fans that stick with you through the 5-7 seasons, through the rough years, through the times when you’re jumping offsides too many times. They’re always with you. They’re going to love you whether you’re on top or on the bottom.

"That’s Auburn.”

Chris Low talks with Auburn's Lee Ziemba about preparing for the title game.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The shadow stretches far and wide across the state of Alabama.

Nobody knows that better than the folks on the Plains.

We’re talking, of course, about the shadow cast by the University of Alabama’s football team, a shadow that grew to epic proportions last season when the Crimson Tide capped a perfect season with their first national championship in 17 years.

A year later, though, it’s Alabama that has spent the second half of this season in Auburn’s shadow and will again on Monday night when the college football season climaxes with the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.

Consider it the Tigers’ answer to what the Crimson Tide did a year ago.

And what an answer it’s been.

Auburn (13-0) is unbeaten with a Heisman Trophy winner leading the way. Only two of the Tigers’ last seven opponents have come with 17 points of them, and they’re averaging 42.7 points per game for the season.

Sound familiar?

Alabama’s run had a similar ring to it a year ago, although the Crimson Tide did it with a suffocating defense.

The Tigers’ players insist they saw this coming, and the only thing they’re focused on now is finishing the job against an Oregon team that’s been even more explosive offensively this season.

“We’ve been long overdue for a national championship,” Auburn senior receiver Kodi Burns said. “We felt like this was our year. We had a lot of senior leadership on this team and just getting here has been a blessing. To win it would be great.”

It would also go a long way toward tearing down that “Little Brother” stigma that has dogged Auburn in its own state since the days of Bear Bryant.

“They had their time. This is our time,” Auburn senior offensive tackle Lee Ziemba said. “What matters now is what we do with it.”

Even before he broke his first tackle in an Auburn uniform or made his first jaw-dropping run, Cam Newton dropped a pretty subtle hint back in August that this was a team that wouldn’t be content with living in anybody’s shadow.

Alabama was receiving all the preseason hype. Alabama was the team everybody was talking about in terms of repeating as national champion, and Alabama was the team everybody was hailing as the most talented in the country.

When the preseason polls were released, Auburn was ranked near the bottom in both the Associated Press and coaches’ polls. Alabama was right at the top.

Newton immediately took offense.

“Any time you turn on the TV or you turn on the sports talk radio show or anywhere, they’re talking about the other team,” Newton said of the Crimson Tide. “Of course, we know they’re an excellent team as well. We feel like we’re not being mentioned as we should be.”

Turns out in addition to being the best football player in the country that Newton was also a prophet.

“We weren’t going to back down from anybody,” Newton said.

Burns said the Auburn players drew confidence from Newton’s words and had already been talking about it among themselves.

“We all were talking about it like, ‘Hey, we can do this. Alabama did it last year. Why not us?’ ” Burns said. “We reversed the tables. We’re here at the national championship now, and hopefully, we can go out and win it.”

Nothing drove home the point that those tables had been reversed any more than Auburn’s stunning comeback from 24 points down to beat Alabama 28-27 in the regular-season finale at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Burns said he’ll never forget that feeling walking off the field that chilly November afternoon in Tuscaloosa.

The shadow had been replaced by the glare of the spotlight.

“The most impressive thing was when we were down 24-7 and went in at halftime,” Burns recalled. “Nobody said a word. Everybody was looking around, and finally we say, ‘Alabama’s done. That’s all they got.’ Then we go out the next half and score at will. It was one of the best feelings I’ve had, an awesome feeling.

“There were times we might have felt inferior (to Alabama). But, now, things have changed. We knew that 8-5 season last year was just a sign of something about to come … and here we are.”

Here’s a tentative list of the SEC players scheduled to play in the 2011 Senior Bowl. Players could be added and/or subtracted to this list as we get closer to the Jan. 29 game in Mobile, Ala.

ALABAMA

• Offensive tackle James Carpenter
• Tight end Preston Dial
• Quarterback Greg McElroy

ARKANSAS

• Offensive tackle DeMarcus Love
• Tight end D.J. Williams

AUBURN

• Linebacker Josh Bynes
• Offensive tackle Lee Ziemba

FLORIDA

• Safety Ahmad Black
• Punter Chas Henry
• Offensive guard Marcus Gilbert
• Center Mike Pouncey

GEORGIA

• Offensive tackle Clint Boling

KENTUCKY

• Running back Derrick Locke

LSU

• Defensive tackle Drake Nevis
• Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard

MISSISSIPPI STATE

• Defensive end Pernell McPhee
• Offensive tackle Derek Sherrod
• Linebacker K.J. Wright

OLE MISS

• Defensive tackle Jerrell Powe

TENNESSEE

• Tight end Luke Stocker