ESPN College Football

Some Monday linkage for your viewing pleasure:

• Former Alabama linebacker Eryk Anders is making hits in mixed martial arts.
• Former Georgia safety Terreal Bierria begins trial on Monday and is accused of killing his childhood best friend in a bloody fight over drugs.
• The Big Ten's Jim Delany needs to get over his SEC obsession, writes David Climer of The Tennessean.
• College football isn't done yet with realignment, writes Tommy Hicks of The Mobile Press-Register.
• The 2013 signing class for Georgia will be one of the Bulldogs' larger ones, as they have room to back-count some players.
• Mike Strange of The Knoxville News-Sentinel wonders who will be the top-ranked college football coaches in 2022.
• The three Arkansas players that were arrested and charged with felony residential burglary are released from jail on bond.
• Auburn receiver Trovon Reed is arrested and charged with failing to appear in court in his hometown of Thibodaux, La.
• Will Muschamp leads the revival of Florida football.
• Former Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline is trying to make the most of his time learning under Tom Brady.
• What will become of the Kansas-Missouri rivalry when the games end?

In keeping with his strict track record at Kentucky, coach Joker Phillips has again come down hard on players who get in trouble off the field.

Phillips dismissed linebacker Ridge Wilson from the team on Monday after Wilson was arrested on felony drug charges over the weekend in his hometown of Louisville. Initially, Kentucky officials said Wilson had been indefinitely suspended, but that was soon changed to a dismissal.

Any time a college athlete is charged with a felony, it's always going to be an uphill battle for that athlete to remain on the team. Every situation is different, but we've seen coaches allow the legal process to play out before deciding whether or not to dismiss the athlete. That was the case with LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson last season. His felony assault charge was reduced to a misdemeanor, and he was allowed to rejoin the team after missing the first four games.

In Wilson's case, he had been in trouble before. As a freshman, he was suspended from the team after being arrested for assault when police said he punched a woman in the face and then fled the scene.

Wilson recorded 47 tackles last season, including three for loss. He would have been the third leading returning tackler next season for the Wildcats. His dismissal means Kentucky will have to reload at the linebacker position as well as the hybrid linebacker/safety spot that Winston Guy played. Also gone are Danny Trevathan and Ronnie Sneed.

But the circumstances surrounding Wilson's arrest left Phillips with very little choice. Plus, Phillips hasn't been one to put up with a lot of nonsense off the field -- period.

Think back to the BBVA Compass Bowl two years ago. Senior quarterback Mike Hartline was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and alcohol intoxication in early December and was suspended by Phillips for the bowl game. Hartline was coming off his best season and poised to play in his final game as a Wildcat. Instead, he found himself on the sideline, and Kentucky lost 27-10 to Pittsburgh.

KENTUCKY

Record: 5-7, 2-6 SEC

The Wildcats entered the year down a handful of offensive playmakers and it certainly showed all season. Without the likes of Randall Cobb, Mike Hartline and Derrick Locke, Kentucky hovered around the bottom of the SEC in just about every offensive category for the entire season. Kentucky was last in scoring (15.8 points per game), total offense (259.8 yards) and passing (135.6 yards), and scored just 21 touchdowns all year.

Coach Joker Phillips prides himself on offense, which had to make this year that much more difficult. Morgan Newton had a solid freshman campaign, but as Kentucky’s starting quarterback in 2011, he regressed. Newton averaged less than 80 yards passing a game and threw eight touchdowns to seven interceptions. After Newton suffered an ankle injury late in the season, freshman Maxwell Smith eventually took over and performed better at times, but threw four touchdowns and four interceptions.

The Wildcats missed out on a sixth consecutive bowl trip and won just two conference games, but there was some satisfaction. The defense was much improved under new defensive coordinator Rick Minter and the Wildcats ended a 26-year losing streak to Tennessee on the season's final weekend — a victory that ended Tennessee’s bowl chances.

Offensive MVP: Running back CoShik Williams. He was one of the few bright spots for the Wildcats. Williams emerged after starter Josh Clemons went down with a season-ending knee injury and led Kentucky with 486 rushing yards and three touchdowns. His two 100-yard rushing games came in Kentucky’s only 30-point games.

Defense MVP: Linebacker Danny Trevathan. There might not be a more unheralded player in the SEC. For the second year in a row, Trevathan led the league in tackles. After registering 144 in 2010, Trevathan totaled 143 this season, added four interceptions and forced five fumbles.

Turning point: Kentucky’s offense got a facelift in a 38-14 victory over Jacksonville State on Oct. 22. It stopped a four-game losing streak, was the Wildcats’ first 30-point game and was the first of three wins in Kentucky’s last six games.

What’s next: Without a bowl to prep for, Kentucky’s coaches will be out on the road recruiting. Phillips should use this time to recruit the heck out of as many offensive players as he can. Kentucky was very limited in the playmaking department and that has to change going forward.

Despite Morgan Newton's tremendously rough start to the 2011 season, Kentucky coach Joker Phillips plans to stick with the junior quarterback this week at South Carolina.

Newton's quarterback efficiency sits at a hideous 97.8, he's completing 50 percent of his passes and has 647 yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions.

Still, Newton is still in charge of running the Wildcats' offense.

"Morgan will continue to get the snaps," Phillips said.

Newton has looked nothing like the freshman that stepped on the field in 2009 and was an SEC All-Freshman selection by the league's coaches for completing 55.6 percent of his passes for 706 yards and six touchdowns after filling in for Mike Hartline halfway through the season.

Even with a handful of playmakers missing from Kentucky's offense, the feeling was Newton would be able to hold his own for the most part and he wouldn't be the reason for the Wildcats' offensive struggles.

Well, as Kentucky sits with a 2-3 record, its offense ranks last in the SEC in scoring (15 points per game), total offense (255.6) and is 11th in passing (139.4). Even though Newton can't catch his own passes or block for both him and his running backs, more blame has been placed on his shoulders.

Kentucky coaches certainly made a statement when they benched Newton for true freshman Maxwell Smith late against LSU. Smith didn't fare much better, passing for just 9 yards on 1-of-5 passing.

"We think that the experience that Max did get will give us an opportunity to feel a little more comfortable about him, but it was a tough situation for him," Phillips said. "He did some good, but didn't do anything to spark us at that time."

Together, both quarterbacks sputtered through to pass for 66 yards on 7-of-25 passing against the Tigers. Newton returned to the game and threw Kentucky's only touchdown of the game.

Newton has received a lot of criticism this year -- some of it deserved -- but Phillips made it clear that this team needs other parts to step up in order to get this offense back on track. The receivers have been almost nonexistent, Phillips said the running backs are "adequate" but need to improve and the offensive line has dealt with injuries.

The Wildcats are also without last year's playmakers in Hartline (3,178 yards and 23 touchdowns), receivers Randall Cobb and Chris Matthews (145 combined catches for 1,942 yards and 16 touchdowns) and running back Derrick Locke (887 yards and 10 touchdowns).

Kentucky would love to have just some of that kind of production at this point.

It was easier to have receiving threats like Cobb and Matthews out there to sling the ball to. Handing the ball off to Locke and even Cobb made this offense go as well last year.

Losing those elements has really made things an uphill battle for Kentucky's offense.

"It's been a lot tougher than we thought," Phillips said.

HOOVER, Ala. -- Gone are the offensive weapons that provided the excitement in Kentucky’s 2010 offense.

Do-everything athlete Randall Cobb is gone. Quarterback Mike Hartline, who was second in the SEC in passing a year ago -- adios. And running back Derrick Locke and receiver Chris Matthews, who were both instrumental offensive cogs, have hit the road as well.

The cupboard isn’t bare, but it’s full of new, shiny objects that have yet to really get much grease on them.

Except when you look up front.

Kentucky returns four veteran starters on the offensive line that has the makings of being one of the best in this league, accumulating more than 60 combined starts in their careers.

Senior guard Stuart Hines leads the group with 24 career starts and has enjoyed the praise he and his other fellow linemen have received this year and expects it to be the guiding force for the Wildcats’ offense this fall.

“There’s a lot of pride behind that. We’ve worked hard as a group to be where we are right now and we just want to continue to improve and continue to get better,” Hines said. “It’s a great starting spot to build your offense around.

“People [say] we lost a lot of guys, well we return a lot of guys on the offensive line.”

Hines might be the heart and keeps the focus in the trenches, but a lot of the hype has surrounded second-year starter Larry Warford.

After playing mostly as a reserve during his freshman year, Warford burst onto the scene last season, starting 13 games and leading Kentucky’s line with 43 knockdown blocks. He enters his junior year with some nice preseason accolades as well.

Hines admits that Warford was a bit lazy when he first arrived, thinking his ability alone could carry him, but now he sees a determined athlete with relentless drive on and off the field.

“He’s worked his butt off to get into shape and shed a few pounds and keep his weight down,” Hines said. “He’s done a great job of doing of that and getting the extra stuff with Coach ‘Rock’ [Oliver]. It’s great to see a guy that dedicated to doing what he has to do to be a good player.”

Kentucky also returns junior Matt Smith at center and senior Chandler Burden, who missed spring but will return in August, at left tackle. Senior Billy Joe Murphy left spring as the starter at right tackle.

By last count, that makes three of the five up front residing in Kentucky’s senior class, a welcomed realization for new quarterback Morgan Newton.

“Everyone knows the offensive line is a big key,” Newton said. “Those guys are as good as anybody. That group, we talk about guys that work and don’t really say a lot, that’s that group.

“That’s one of the best offensive lines in the country. Having a group like that is a great start for a special offense.”

And it will have to be a great start. Along with the baby-faced Newton, the Wildcats also have a new group of young running backs to utilize. Hines said it’s important for the line to make those players feel comfortable about running up the middle. They need to provide quality holes for the backs to limit the dancing around in the backfield.

Like any offensive line, this one is very close-knit. Hines said one major reason is the pride four of them take in being from the state of Kentucky. To Hines, there is something about being Kentucky bred that contributes to their on-field success.

“I guess we eat a lot of Kentucky country food or there’s something in the water,” he said. “I don’t know what it is. A bunch of cornbread or something.”

AUBURN: The defending national champion Tigers won't have to look far for motivation in 2011. They've heard from their own coaches all spring and all offseason that "all the good players are gone."

Not that anybody on the Plains really believes that, but it's made for some fierce competition on the practice field and in the weight room.

It's also driven the returning players to prove that the foundation of the Auburn football program remains rock-solid despite the departure of Cam Newton, Nick Fairley, Antoine Carter, Josh Bynes, Lee Ziemba, Darvin Adams and 30-some other players who were on the roster in Glendale, Ariz., in January.

"We lost some great players, no doubt," Auburn defensive end Nosa Eguae said. "But we have a lot of other talented players who've just been waiting for their shot. Nobody expected us to do what we did last year, so why would this year be any different?"

GEORGIA: It's no secret that Georgia's depth on the offensive line has taken a considerable hit.

It started with Trinton Sturdivant's third torn ACL in the spring and continued with A.J. Harmon and Brent Benedict both leaving the program.

Georgia coach Mark Richt, though, is more interested in who he will have this fall up front, and it's a unit that's anchored by a guy, Ben Jones, whom Richt calls the "best center in America."

Richt knew from the time Jones attended Georgia's football camp that the Bulldogs were getting a great one.

"We're doing a little pass-rush drill," Richt said. "He's just whooping everybody. Finally, I stepped in and said, 'Look, I want every defensive lineman to line up. One by one, I want you to go against Ben, play after play after play.

"After about I don't know how many, 10 or 12, he was finally exhausted and somebody beat him. But he's a fierce competitor. He's mean as a snake on the field, but he knows what he's doing. He's a great leader. He's a great football player. I'm glad we got him."

KENTUCKY: A year ago, it was the Randall Cobb Show at Kentucky with Derrick Locke, Chris Matthews and Mike Hartline all playing supporting roles.

This year, it might not be as flashy offensively for the Wildcats (unless you like the big guys up front), but they enter the 2011 season with one of the best and most experienced offensive lines in the league.

"Everybody knows that's where it starts … in your offensive line," said Kentucky junior quarterback Morgan Newton, who enters his first season as the full-time starter.

Stuart Hines and Larry Warford form perhaps the best guard tandem in the SEC, while center Matt Smith and left tackle Chandler Burden are also returning starters.

"We've all played together for two years now," Hines said. "We trust each other. We rely on each other, and we want it to be on our shoulders this year."

TENNESSEE: Quarterback Tyler Bray did a lot of things right last season as a true freshman.

He threw 16 touchdown passes while starting the final five games and led the Vols to a 4-1 record.

He also threw seven interceptions in his last three games and beat up on four teams (Memphis, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Kentucky) who won a combined 13 games.

Tennessee coach Derek Dooley is as anxious as anybody to see what kind of encore his strong-armed sophomore has and whether he's ready to enter the next stage as a quarterback.

"He's made a tremendous investment in getting better, having a better command of the offense, being able to make better decisions and putting our offense in better positions," Dooley said. "It's only going to come with experience."

Our bounce-back series returns as we take a look at the Kentucky Wildcats:

OFFENSE

Morgan Newton, QB, Jr.: Newton wasn't injured last season and off-field issues didn't keep him out of the lineup, but he did fall off after a tremendous freshman year two years ago. Poised to redshirt, the frosh took over the offense after starter Mike Hartline went down with a season-ending injury and finished the year completing 55.6 percent of his passes for 706 yards and six touchdowns. He went 5-3 as a starter and was selected to the SEC All-Freshman Team by the league coaches. Last year, he slinked back into the No. 2 spot, passing for just 265 yards and no touchdowns. Now, this is his offense. He failed to regain his starting spot last year, but had no real competition this spring. Newton has had an up-and-down career at Kentucky, but enters the fall focused and ready to lead. He doesn't have a lot of playmakers around him, so there will be added pressure on him until he can find a couple of solid targets in the passing game.

DEFENSE

Mister Cobble, DT, So.: Since his arrival, the coaches have been excited to see what sort of production Cobble would have for the Wildcats. Unfortunately, he hasn't exactly taken off like everyone expected. He redshirted in 2009 and sat out the regular season last year because of academic issues. He finally regained his eligibility before the BBVA Compass Bowl, where he recorded a tackle. Cobble entered spring in the thick of the competition for one of the starting spots at defensive tackle. Cobble underwent shoulder surgery in April, but coach Joker Phillips expects him to return by the start of the season. For Cobble, he has to concentrate on both his grades and staying in shape while he's out. Of course, he has to stay on track academically when he returns as well. At 6 feet and 338 pounds, Cobble could be a force in the middle of a defensive line that has a lot of issues heading into the fall.

Former Kentucky offensive lineman Bob Talamini will be inducted into the Kentucky Chapter of the National Football League Players Association Hall of Fame today at the Lexington Opera House.

Talamini will be one of six players inducted into the Hall of Fame, which recognizes pro football standouts who played their college football in the commonwealth of Kentucky, according to a release.

Talamini played for the Wildcats from 1957-59 and helped lead Kentucky to a 5-4-1 record during his junior season. He earned third-team All-SEC honors as a senior in 1959.

He was selected by the Houston Oilers the second round of the 1960 American Football League draft and played nine seasons in the league. He played 126 games at left guard without missing a game and was a part of two AFL championships with the Oilers. He played eight years in Houston before joining the New York Jets in 1968.

Talamini made first-team All-AFL in 1962 and was selected to six straight AFL All-Star games through 1967. He helped anchor an offensive line that helped Hall of Fame quarterback George Blanda set passing records that stood for decades, while creating holes for Hall of Fame running back Billy Cannon and standout backs Charlie Tolar, Sid Blanks and Hoyle Granger.

In his only season with the Jets, Talamini was a part of an offensive line that protected quarterback Joe Namath and running back Matt Snell. He participated in one of the greatest upsets in pro football history when the Jets defeated the NFL’s Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.

Eight Kentucky players will also be honored in the inaugural “All-Commonwealth Team,” which recognizes players from every college football team in the commonwealth of Kentucky.

Do-everything wide receiver Randall Cobb, running back Derrick Locke, quarterback Mike Hartline, offensive guard Larry Warford, linebacker Danny Trevathan, safety Winston Guy and punter Ryan Tydlacka represented the Wildcats. Wide receiver Chris Matthews was an honorable-mention selection.

The selection committee included representatives from the Kentucky NFL Alumni and Kentucky media.

Six years ago, a voice injected some much-needed juice into Kentucky’s program.

Former tight end Jacob Tamme delivered a sermon that hit straight to the core of those inside Kentucky’s program when he announced to the team that SEC wasn’t coming down to the Wildcats’ level.

They were going to have to move up to the elite level.

Kentucky has now played in five straight bowl games and has won three of them. Second-year coach Joker Phillips is looking to take the Wildcats to their sixth straight bowl game -- something Kentucky football has never done.

For a school known more for hoops than pigskin, that’s an accomplishment. But it’s not enough for Phillips.

Phillips said he and his players are focused on something else, something more exciting. Phillips doesn’t just want to reach bowl games, he wants to compete for SEC titles.

“We’re happy with bowls games, but we want to see how long we can stay in the [SEC] race,” Phillips said at the SEC meetings in Destin, Fla., last week.

Kentucky appeared primed to be in the thick of the SEC East race in 2007 before bowing out during the second half of the season. The next three seasons saw the Wildcats hovering around six and seven wins.

However, Phillips sees a change in the way his program is perceived. The new TV deal has brought in more viewers and they’ve increased their level of competition on the field, Phillips said.

“The perception is changing,” he said.

Since 2006, the Wildcats have beaten Georgia twice, a No. 1-ranked LSU team, a 10th-ranked South Carolina team, and Florida State in a bowl game.

“We’ve beaten some of the traditional powers in this league,” Phillips said. “The thing we have to try to do is do it on a consistent basis.”

The 2011 season brings up a handful of questions for the Wildcats. For starters, they lost playmakers on offense, including do-everything weapon Randall Cobb and quarterback Mike Hartline, who was second in the league in passing last fall. The defense is also going through changes with new defensive coordinator Rick Minter installing more of a multiple scheme.

Publicly, Phillips hasn’t expressed any concern with those issues. He looks at 11 of the top 13 tacklers on defense coming back, four returning starters to the offensive line and much improved progress by the offense from the fall to the spring.

Replacing Cobb, who lined up as a wide receiver, wildcat quarterback, kick returner, punt returner and the holder, won’t be easy, but Phillips thinks his job(s) will be taken care of by committee, especially after signing five receivers in the 2011 class.

“We have to find out who our next up and coming star is,” Phillips said. “We have a lot of potential on our football team and we have a lot of potential guys in our recruiting class.”

Getting the ball to those guys might be the most comforting thought. Frustrated by two up-and-down seasons, Morgan Newton is finally the guy. He has no real competition for his spot and Phillips said he saw a more mature and comfortable Newton under center this spring.

He improved so much this spring that Phillips believes he’s ahead of where Hartline and Andre Woodson were his age -- which is saying a lot.

“We’ve been able to develop quarterbacks and we feel Morgan Newton is one of those guys who we feel will be a big-time quarterback in time at Kentucky,” Phillips said.

2010 overall record: 6-7

2010 conference record: 2-6

Returning starters

Offense: 6, defense: 9, kicker/punter: 2

Top returners

QB Morgan Newton, WR La’Rod King, OG Stuart Hines, OG Larry Warford, DE Collins Ukwu, LB Danny Trevathan, LB Ronnie Sneed, S/LB Winston Guy

Key losses

QB Mike Hartline, RB Derrick Locke, WR Randall Cobb, WR Chris Matthews, DE DeQuin Evans

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Derrick Locke (887 yards)

Passing: Mike Hartline (3,178 yards)

Receiving: Randall Cobb (1,017 yards)

Tackles: Danny Trevathan* (144)

Sacks: Danny Trevathan* and Luke McDermott* (3)

Interceptions: Winston Guy* (3)

Spring answers

1. Strength up front: Despite being gutted at the skill positions on offense, Kentucky should be able to match up with just about anybody in the league on the offensive line. Four starters return, and the Wildcats will also have some flexibility with players capable of playing a couple of different positions. The guard tandem of Larry Warford and Stuart Hines has a chance to be dominant.

2. Morgan Newton takes control: After filling in for Mike Hartline as a spot starter each of the past two seasons, Newton took the reins this spring as the Wildcats’ full-time starting quarterback and showed the kind of consistency coach Joker Phillips has been looking for from the 6-foot-4, 235-pound junior. Newton was much more in command of the offense and also improved his accuracy. The trick now is playing that way in games.

3. Making the transition on defense: First-year defensive coordinator Rick Minter installed his multi-look defense designed for getting the Wildcats’ best athletes in a position to make more plays and help create more turnovers. Two of those players – Ridge Wilson and Winston Guy – will play hybrid roles next fall. Wilson will alternate between linebacker and a pass-rushing end position, while Guy will move up and play some linebacker in addition to his safety duties.

Fall questions

1. Who’s going to make plays on offense? Randall Cobb, Derrick Locke and Chris Matthews accounted for 32 of the Wildcats’ 53 touchdowns last season. They’re all gone now, leaving a huge void in the playmaking department. Sophomore running back Raymond Sanders was one of the stars of the spring and looks like he’s ready to step in for Locke, but there were as many dropped passes as there were big plays from the receivers this spring.

2. Will there be a big learning curve on defense? Phillips likes the aggressive approach on defense and is confident the new scheme will pay dividends. Along the way, though, there’s sure to be some busts and mental errors while everybody adjusts and works to get on the same page.

3. Can Kentucky get to the quarterback? The Wildcats managed just 21 sacks in 13 games last season, finishing tied for 10^th in the SEC. They were also 10^th in the league in opponents’ third-down conversions. The bottom line: Kentucky needs to do a better job of harassing the quarterback. The Wildcats could sure use big seasons from junior end Collins Ukwu and sophomore tackle Mister Cobble.

Losing do-everything wide receiver Randall Cobb was a major blow to Kentucky’s offense, but running back Derrick Locke’s departure stung a bit as well.

If not for a shoulder injury, Locke would most likely have surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in 2010 and he was a perfect complement to Cobb and quarterback Mike Hartline.

The good news for the Wildcats is that they should be able to plug someone right into Locke’s position.

Sophomore Raymond Sanders entered the spring as Kentucky’s starting running back, and with the spring game looming, he figures to leave that way.

Kentucky coach Joker Phillips said Sanders gained 10 pounds before the spring and actually got faster. He’s the type of running back who can carry the ball on any down and can catch the ball out of the backfield.

Phillips said Sanders will be relied upon to not only run inside and out, but he’ll have to pick up blitzes and act like another receiver -- all things Sanders should be fine with.

“You have to be that type of back when you play in our offense,” Phillips said.

Sanders really started impressing coaches last summer when he came in and quickly picked up the offensive scheme and enhanced his footwork after working with Locke.

With the fundamentals down, Sanders saw time as a reserve, carrying the ball 68 times for 254 and three touchdowns.

Even better news for the Wildcats? Phillips said Sanders isn’t just a quality back, but he already has captain-like qualities.

“Raymond is a natural leader, so we expect him to be one of the leaders of our offense,”

Some SEC linkage for your viewing pleasure:

• Drug arrest doesn't stop freshman running back Marlin Lane from landing at Tennessee.
• LSU's three quarterbacks show their stuff.
• Chase Goodbread of The Tuscaloosa News previews the Alabama linebackers heading into the spring.
• Florida freshman linebacker Neiron Ball continues his recovery.
• Former Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline has his criminal record expunged.
• Four Georgia players on their way to sping break stop to help wreck victims.

We’re not going to completely turn the page on the 2010 season.

I’ve spent much of this week compiling the 10 players that I thought were the most improved players in the SEC this past season.

We’ll name it the All-Nick Fairley Team, which ought to tell you who the captain of the team is.

Here goes:

1. Auburn junior defensive tackle Nick Fairley: He went from two starts and 3.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore to the Lombardi Award winner and most dominant interior defensive lineman in college football as a junior. He led the SEC with 24 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks and could end up being the No. 1 pick overall in April’s NFL draft.

2. Arkansas sophomore running back Knile Davis: He had trouble overcoming injuries and a crowded Arkansas running back stable earlier in his career. But after rushing for only 163 yards as a freshman, Davis exploded this season to lead all SEC running backs with 1,322 yards.

3. Mississippi State junior quarterback Chris Relf: He got better all season, but saved his best game for the Gator Bowl when he passed for three touchdowns and ran for one in the 52-14 rout of Michigan. Relf finished with 13 touchdown passes and only six interceptions and was second on the team in rushing with 713 yards to go along with five more touchdowns.

4. Alabama sophomore safety Robert Lester: After playing mostly on special teams as a redshirt freshman, Lester was presented with a huge opportunity this season with the Crimson Tide losing just about everybody from their secondary on the 2009 national championship team. He responded by tying for second nationally with eight interceptions.

5. Ole Miss junior offensive tackle Bradley Sowell: Remember Sowell trying to block South Carolina’s Eric Norwood early during the 2009 season? It was a mismatch, but Sowell came back strong later that season and even stronger this season, settling into his left tackle spot and earning second-team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press.

6. LSU junior running back Stevan Ridley: What Ridley really needed was a chance, and he got one this season. He finished with 1,147 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns and was the heart and soul of the LSU offense. That’s after combining for 57 carries and 272 yards in his first two seasons. Ridley entered his name in the NFL draft following the season.

7. Kentucky senior quarterback Mike Hartline: The suspension for the bowl game was unfortunate, but it doesn’t diminish what was a brilliant senior season for Hartline. He’d been plagued by inconsistency throughout much of his career and had the knee injury as a junior, but passed for 3,178 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing 66.2 percent of his passes this season.

8. Kentucky senior receiver Chris Matthews: In his first season at Kentucky after coming over from junior college, Matthews showed flashes. But this season, he emerged as one of the most productive receivers in the league. He was second only to South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery with six touchdown catches against SEC competition.

9. Tennessee sophomore cornerback Prentiss Waggner: He moved from safety to cornerback midway through the season, developing into one of the best ball hawks in the league. Waggner intercepted five passes, returning three for touchdowns, on his way to second-team, All-SEC honors by the Associated Press. That’s after finishing with six total tackles and no interceptions as a redshirt freshman.

10. Arkansas senior linebacker Anthony Leon: A position change made a world of difference for Leon, who seemed a step slow at safety, but was a disruptive force at outside linebacker. He was one of the chief reasons the Hogs improved so much this season on defense and finished second on the team with 12.5 tackles for loss.

Making the rounds in the SEC:

• One of Ole Miss' top commitments, receiver Tobias Singleton of Madison, Miss., faces felony malicious mischief charges and misdemeanor domestic violence charges. He's accused of punching his girlfriend.
• Tennessee commitment Marlin Lane gives the Vols the speed they needed at running back, writes Jay Greeson of The Chattanooga Times Free Press.
• Herschel Walker has no doubt he could still play in the NFL, but isn't seeking a return to pro football.
• Former Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline gets community service on alcohol charges.
• Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett Louisiana News examines the Michigan myth concerning Les Miles.
• What's next for former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, who's trying to impress scouts at the Senior Bowl this week?
• Former Florida safety Will Hill says his Twitter account was hacked.
• Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel writes that Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins is more of a bonehead than a pothead.

» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-10 | SEC | Non-AQ

Here’s a look at the final SEC power rankings for the 2010 season.

After Monday night’s Tostitos BCS National Championship Game, there’s not much drama at the top spot:

1. Auburn: The Tigers (14-0) completed a perfect season with their first national championship since 1957. Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton was the story for most of the season, both on and off the field, but the Tigers proved in their 22-19 win over Oregon on Monday that they could win even when Newton doesn’t play his best football.

2. LSU: After winning 11 games or more for the fourth time in six seasons under Les Miles, LSU (11-2) must now stave off Michigan’s run at Miles. The Mad Hatter is going to listen to what his alma mater has to say. His Tigers beat four teams that finished in the Top 25 of the final BCS standings this season and were 5-2 against nationally ranked foes. They were extremely impressive in their AT&T Cotton Bowl win over Texas A&M.

3. Alabama: As pleasing as it had to be for Alabama fans to see the Crimson Tide (10-3) destroy Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl, they’re probably wondering where that team was all season long. Nobody in the league was more talented than Alabama, but the Tide didn’t always play that way.

4. Arkansas: If only the Hogs (10-3) could have capitalized in the fourth quarter against Ohio State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, what was a very good season could have been a great season. Arkansas beat four teams that finished in the Top 25 of the final BCS standings and was 3-3 against nationally ranked teams.

5. Mississippi State: The award for the most-improved team in the league goes to the Bulldogs (9-4). They routed Michigan in the Progressive Gator Bowl and promptly sweetened Dan Mullen’s deal. The downer was that defensive coordinator Manny Diaz got away and went to Texas.

6. South Carolina: Once again, the Gamecocks (9-5) bombed pretty badly at the end. And in doing so, Steve Spurrier finished with his sixth straight season of at least five losses or more at South Carolina. All in all, though, getting to the SEC championship game for the first time was a coup.

7. Florida: The Gators (8-5) made sure Urban Meyer went out a winner by taking care of business in the Outback Bowl against Penn State. Otherwise, this was not a season they will remember fondly in Gainesville. The offense hit rock bottom. The Gators finished 10^th in the league in total offense and tried to make a spread quarterback out of pocket passer John Brantley.

8. Georgia: What a pitiful performance by the Bulldogs (6-7) in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The only reason they’re not ranked even lower is because they routed Tennessee 41-14 head-to-head this season. Mark Richt is down to one last chance to get this program turned around. If the Bulldogs are not back among the SEC’s elite next year, Richt will be gone.

9. Tennessee: The Vols (6-7) were another one of those Eastern Division teams that finished with a losing record. Four of the six teams in the East had losing seasons. Tennessee didn’t get any help from the officials in its overtime loss to North Carolina in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, but the Vols did win four in a row to get to the postseason.

10. Kentucky: Kentucky (6-7) managed to stink it up even more in its bowl game than Georgia did, if that’s possible. The Wildcats were inept offensively in the 27-10 loss to Pittsburgh without starting quarterback Mike Hartline and weren’t good enough everywhere else to make up the difference. Other than the second-half comeback against South Carolina, it’s a season that fell short of expectations.

11. Ole Miss: About the only thing the Rebels (4-8) won all year was the appeal with the NCAA for quarterback transfer Jeremiah Masoli to be able to play prior to the first week of the season. After that, it was all downhill. The Rebels lost at home to FCS foe Jacksonville State in the opener and also lost by two touchdowns at home to Vanderbilt. Defensive struggles persisted all season long.

12. Vanderbilt: The Commodores (2-10) at least won an SEC game this season after going winless in the league the previous season. Robbie Caldwell was already in a tough spot from the outset, and then the injuries set in. The Commodores struggled at quarterback, couldn’t finish drives and also saw their normally reliable defense suffer. Caldwell stepped down at the end of the season, giving way to former Maryland offensive coordinator James Franklin as Vanderbilt’s head coach.