ESPN College Football

Now that you've seen some SEC West notes delivered by the SEC office, here are some SEC East notes for your viewing pleasure:

FLORIDA

• Florida returns 10 starters on defense where the Gators ranked eighth nationally in total defense (299.5 yards per game) in 2011. The Gators ranked second in the nation in third-down defense in 2011, holding opponents to 48-for-176 (.273).
• Florida returns 14 of its top 15 tacklers for the 2012 season, including leading tackler senior linebacker Jon Bostic, who tallied 94 total tackles, 10 tackles for a loss and three sacks. Also returning for the Gators are their second and third leading tacklers, junior safety Matt Elam who recorded 78 tackles, a team-leading 11 tackles for a loss and a team-high-tying two interceptions, and junior linebacker Jelani Jenkins who totaled 75 tackles and a team-best six pass break-ups.
• Last year marked Florida’s FBS-leading 32nd-straight season with a winning percentage of .500 or higher. With the win over Ohio State in the Gator Bowl, the Gators have had 24 consecutive winning seasons, the longest active streak in the country. Additionally, with the trip to the Gator Bowl, Florida made its 21st straight bowl appearance, which ranks first in the SEC and second nationally.

GEORGIA

• Sophomore outside linebacker/defensive end Ray Drew and redshirt freshman receiver Justin Scott-Wesley are splitting time between track and football. Drew has competed in three discus competitions during the outdoor season, taking second and third in separate competitions. Scott-Wesley competed indoors and already ranks in the top 10 on the school’s 60-meter dash list.
• The Bulldog defense returns nine starters and 12 of the 14 leading tacklers after posting a No. 5 national ranking in 2011. All-American junior outside linebacker Jarvis Jones and All-American senior free safety Bacarri Rambo headline the unit.

KENTUCKY

• The line should be a strength of the UK defense in 2012. All three regular starters return, senior end Collins Ukwu and junior tackles Mister Cobble and Donte Rumph. Senior end Taylor Wyndham, a starter when Kentucky goes to a four-man line, also will be back.
• Junior linebacker Avery Williamson continued his improvement in the spring and is expected to anchor the defense at middle linebacker. He led all players in the spring game with eight tackles, featuring two tackles for loss and a sack. He made 49 tackles last season as a reserve and is ready to step into a leadership role.
• The Wildcats did not appear to have any major new injuries in the spring. Six players sat out the contact portions of spring drills, including quarterback Morgan Newton, tailback Josh Clemons, wide receiver Gene McCaskill, offensive lineman Tyler Davenport, Ukwu and linebacker Jabari Johnson. All six are expected to be ready to go in time for preseason practice.

MISSOURI

• Mizzou comes to the SEC after seven consecutive winning seasons under coach Gary Pinkel, who will be in his 12th year on the Tiger sideline. Mizzou has won 48 games in the past five seasons, which ranks as ninth-most in the nation from 2007-11 among BCS-AQ conferences. Mizzou is one of only six schools from BCS-AQ leagues to have won a minimum of eight games in each of the last six seasons (2006-11).
• Pinkel enters the 2012 as the eighth-winningest active coach in the FBS ranks, with his 158 wins. In 21 years as a head coach (1991-2000 at Toledo, 2001-present at Mizzou), Pinkel has a 158-91-3 overall record (.633). With an 85-54 mark in 11 seasons at Mizzou (.612), Pinkel stands 3rd alltime in wins, trailing only College Football Hall of Famers Don Faurot (101 wins from 1935-42, 1946-56) and Dan Devine (93 wins from 1958-70).

SOUTH CAROLINA

• The Gamecocks will open the 2012 season on a four-game winning streak. They had not finished a season with four consecutive wins since 1958 prior to last season’s finish, which included wins over Florida, The Citadel, Clemson and Nebraska.
• Connor Shaw is the first Gamecock quarterback in the last 40 years to win eight of his first nine starts.
• The Gamecocks have signed the last four “Mr. Football” winners in the state of South Carolina -- Stephon Gilmore (2009), Marcus Lattimore (2010), Jadeveon Clowney (2011) and Shaq Roland (2012).
• The Gamecocks are a perfect 8-0 over the last two seasons over their top four rivals -- division foes Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, and in-state rival Clemson.

TENNESSEE

• Tennessee is slated to open a new training center this summer. The 145,000-square foot building includes an amphitheater-style team room, coaches offices, position meeting rooms, a dining hall, players' lounge, a 7,000-square foot locker room, a 22,000-square foot, multi-level weight room as well as a new training room and hydrotherapy area.
• For just the fourth time in school history, Tennessee will enter October with five games under its belt (2006, 1995, 1990). In the previous three campaigns, the Vols won at least nine games, highlighted by a 1990 SEC Championship.
• Eight of Tennessee’s opponents earned a bid to play in a bowl game last season: NC State (Belk), Florida (Gator), Georgia (Outback), Mississippi State (Music City), Alabama (National Championship), South Carolina (Capital One), Missouri (Independence) and Vanderbilt (Liberty). All but Georgia and Vanderbilt were victorious.
• For the second consecutive year, Tennessee’s opponents compiled an overall record of 81-71 the previous season. Seven of Tennessee’s opponents had winning records in 2011: NC State (8-5), Florida (7-6), Georgia (10-4), Mississippi State (7-6), Alabama (12-1), South Carolina (11-2) and Missouri (8-5).

VANDERBILT

• Among the most impressive offensive players during spring practice for the Commodores were redshirt freshmen Josh Grady and Kris Kentera, both recruited out of high school as possible quarterbacks. Grady, from Tampa, Fla., impressed as a wide receiver and wildcat quarterback during the Black & Gold Spring Game. Kentera, from Colorado Springs, Colo., has athleticism and excellent hands and made a strong case for playing time this fall at H-back.
• For the second straight spring, the Commodores were limited with potential offensive linemen. During the spring game, only eight linemen participated. The limited numbers allowed three young prospects to showcase their talents to the staff: sophomore center/guard Spencer Pulley and Joe Townsend, and redshirt freshman guard Jake Bernstein.
• The Commodores introduced a "rover" position on defense during spring drills. Junior Karl Butler was one of Vanderbilt's defensive standouts during the spring working exclusively in the hybrid linebacker-safety role.

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- I spent part of Wednesday at Kentucky’s Nutter Training Center and had a chance to visit with coach Joker Phillips, both of the Wildcats’ coordinators, Randy Sanders and Rick Minter, as well as a handful of players.

Here’s some of what I came away with:

• Phillips really likes his past two recruiting classes, and said patience has been the key. “We do our homework, do it the right way and stay the course, and we’ve had some very good players fall to us,” Phillips said.


• Minter faces a tough task after coming in last season and putting a charge into the Wildcats’ defense. They created nine more turnovers than they had the year before, and ended the season playing their best football. But five of the top seven tacklers are gone, including stalwarts Danny Trevathan and Winston Guy, both of whom finished with 120 or more total tackles.
• Even though Kentucky’s losing six starters on defense, Minter has been impressed with the way some of the younger players have come on this spring. Sophomore Alvin “Bud” Dupree has a huge upside at the Wildcats’ hybrid linebacker/end position. He started the last three games a year ago. Sophomore Ashley Lowery would be a fit at the hybrid linebacker/safety spot (Guy’s old position), but the Wildcats need him at safety. Minter said sophomore Miles Simpson is currently holding down that spot and doing a good job. The entire staff is excited about Marcus Caffey’s development at cornerback. He came in as a heralded running back, redshirted last season, and told the coaches in December that he would like to play defense. Minter loves having Caffey’s physical approach at the cornerback position.
• The strength of Kentucky’s defense should be up front, where senior end Collins Ukwu, and junior tackles Donte Rumph and Mister Cobble all return. “Those three are SEC-type football players, particularly the big heavyweights in there. They can play with a lot of guys,” Minter said of the 315-pound Rumph and 331-pound Cobble. “And then we’re cultivating younger players who are beginning to fill out. Farrington Huguenin (a redshirt freshman defensive end) is really going to be a good football player. He just got here, but I’m really high on him. As he grows and develops in the weight room, you’re going to see a legitimate defensive end in the SEC. Christian Coleman is just getting started, and it’s going to take him another year or so. But all defenses are dominated up front, and we have an outside linebacker like Bud Dupree with a big upside. So we can put a front four out there that can compete with a lot of teams.”
• Sophomore quarterback Maxwell Smith has impressed his coaches and his teammates with the way he’s thrown the ball this spring. He still has to hold off senior Morgan Newton once preseason practice resumes, but it’s Smith’s job to lose at this point. Newton is still recovering from a shoulder injury and not participating through the spring.
• One of the things that plagued Kentucky last season was an inconsistent passing game, and it wasn’t all on the quarterback play. Senior receiver La’Rod King said he’s seen more playmakers emerge this spring, and is determined to be more of a leader. King has caught 12 touchdown passes over the past two seasons, including seven a year ago. “We’ve got to do it in every game, and can’t have those games where we don’t show up,” King said.
• Until Kentucky had its streak of bowl appearances stopped at five straight years last season, the Wildcats were one of only five teams in the SEC to go to at least five bowl games in a row. The other four teams in that group were Alabama, Florida, Georgia and LSU.

We’ll have more on the Wildcats in the coming days, so stay tuned to the SEC blog. They finish up spring practice this Saturday with their annual spring game.

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

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

You can see our preseason rankings here.

Now onto our postseason rankings:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some SEC linkage on a Wednesday:

• Alabama true freshman Cyrus Kouandjio is pushing for a starting job at left tackle.
• The NCAA denies Mike Blakely's appeal to be eligible at Auburn this season.
• Mister Cobble and Donte Rumph are primed to man the middle for Kentucky.
• A dream comes true for Ole Miss freshman receiver Donte Moncrief.
• Brandon Wilson goes from walk-on to starter for Mississippi State.
• Tennessee coach Derek Dooley dials down his mother's radio persona.
• Georgia's Aaron Murray has more than a little admiration for his Boise State counterpart, Kellen Moore.
• Florida offensive coordinator Charlie Weis is raving about his co-starters at running back -- Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps.
• Arkansas' De'Anthony Curtis is thankful for another chance at running back.
• LSU's Craig Loston is poised for a breakout season.

If there's one area where Kentucky coach Joker Phillips knows his team must master during Thursday's season-opener against Western Kentucky, it's the rushing defense.

Last season, the Wildcats surrendered 184 yards on the ground and two touchdowns to Western Kentucky running back Bobby Rainey. Though Kentucky came away with a near 40-point win over the Hilltoppers, seeing Rainey run all over his defense is not something Phillips would like to see again.

"I'm not sure exactly what the team did. I mean, you cannot allow a team to rush for that many yards on you," Phillips said. "Rushing yards demoralize you. You've got to stop the run. When people are able to line up and run the ball on you, it's a slap in the face. Last year was a slap in the face the way they ran the ball on us."

On the season, Kentucky's rush defense didn't fair much better. The Wildcats ranked 11th in the SEC, giving up 177.1 yards per game and allowed a league-high 30 rushing touchdowns.

"We've got to stop the run," Phillips said. "To stop the run, sometimes you have to commit to getting enough people in the box to stopping the run, which sometimes hangs guys in the secondary out to dry. Those guys have got to compete like the dickens outside because we've got to try to commit extra people to the line of scrimmage."

Phillips is hoping the new defensive looks, brought in by new defensive coordinator Rick Minter, will help improve a struggling run defense. The multiple schemes and different blitzing packages have players pretty excited, and the hope is that this unit is more aggressive, especially up front.

What will also help is getting their big guys to be more consistent. There isn't a lot of experience on Kentucky's defensive line, but the coaches see potential. Two players who need to shed the underachiever label are interior linemen Donte Rumph and Mister Cobble.

Both were expected to be major contributors and both have yet to make their presences really known to opposing teams.

Phillips complimented Rumph's play in the last few days, and reiterated that in order for Kentucky to disrupt backfields, Rumph and Cobble, who combine to weigh almost 660 pounds, will need to make much bigger impacts up front.

"For us to stop the run, you have to have some big guys inside," he said. "These guys like to go to extra offensive linemen in their run game, extra tight ends. You'll see six offensive linemen, you'll see three tight ends at times. They want to run the ball. They do a really good job of it.

"We'll have some different packages. We'll try to match big versus big. Donte is a huge key to that. He and Mister Cobble are a big key to that."

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.

Today we look at the big uglies that cause all the mayhem in the trenches. The SEC consistently spits out nasty defensive linemen and this year has more of an athletic feel.

Here's how the teams stacked up:

1. South Carolina: The Gamecocks return a defensive line that would make any offensive line shutter. Plus, incoming freshman Jadeveon Clowney comes in as the top high school player in the country and could be one of the best ends in the league this fall. Devin Taylor leads the group at end and was second on the team with 7.5 sacks as a sophomore. Helping on the outside is Melvin Ingram, who plays inside on passing downs, and led South Carolina with nine sacks a year ago. Senior Travian Robertson, who came off injury to get four sacks last year, is solid in the middle as well.

2. Arkansas: The Razorbacks might have the best pass-rushing group Arkansas has seen in a while. Things revolve around defensive end Jake Bequette, who was one of the more unheralded players in the league last year, despite having seven sacks. On the other side of the line is Tenarius Wright, who will make up the second part of a formidable outside duo in Fayetteville with his speed and athleticism. In the middle, there are plenty of options. Byran Jones and DeQuinta Jones missed spring due to injury, but will be back this fall and there’s a wealth of depth behind them. Junior college transfer Robert Thomas might be the best and most athletic option in the middle is primed to break out.

3. LSU: There are some questions about the experience the Tigers bring back, but no one will question the talent and athleticism in Baton Rouge. Sam Montgomery is back at defensive end, after suffering a serious knee injury. He hasn’t played much, but the coaches believe he’s got what it takes to be a top end in this league. Kendrick Adams started 11 games last year at end, while Lavar Edwards filled in for Montgomery. Ego Ferguson redshirted last year, but should get a ton of playing time in the middle this fall. He is already one of the most athletic tackles in the SEC. Don’t forget about five-star early enrollee Anthony Johnson, who made very strong impressions on his coaches this spring and will be in the rotation inside.

4. Florida: This unit was criticized for lacking toughness last season, but will be full of that and even more athleticism in 2011. Jaye Howard is returning from spring ankle surgery and is already considered a top defensive tackle prospect in next year’s NFL draft. Alongside him are youngsters Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley. Floyd was the most consistent of the much-ballyhooed freshman class last fall, while Easley struggled with attitude problems. Easley has rebounded and both excelled this spring. Omar Hunter is finally healthy and will share time with Floyd at noseguard and senior William Green will occupy an end spot. This group is even better when Ronald Powell lines up at end in the 4-3.

5. Alabama: On paper, there are a few questions with this group, but it’s hard to drop Alabama very far on this list. The 3-4 scheme will have senior Josh Chapman at noseguard. Chapman started 12 games in the middle last fall, totaling 31 tackles, including 3.5 for loss. Damion Square will compete for time on the outside, and since returning from his ACL injury, he’s gained a lot more playing confidence and could be a budding star in the league. Junior college transfers Quinton Dial and Jesse Williams will compete for time on the line as well, while sophomore Ed Stinson will stay at end after starting last season at Jack linebacker.

6. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have arguably the top returning tackle tandem in the SEC. Fletcher Cox and Josh Boyd are the behemoths in the middle who combined for 53 tackles, 13 for loss and five sacks last year. Finding any sort of inside running game against Mississippi State will be extremely tough. Developing a pass-rusher is the next step for the Bulldogs’ staff. Sean Ferguson occupies one side, but the other is still up for grabs. Trevor Stigers and Shane McCardell battled for the spot this spring, but neither has really pushed ahead.

7. Georgia: There is a lot of talent in Athens, but there could be a lot of movement on the line. JUCO transfer John Jenkins is the big -- and we mean big -- name up front and he’s yet to play a down in the SEC. He arrives with a ton of hype, but is perfect at noseguard in Todd Grantham’s 3-4. DeAngelo Tyson moves to his natural position outside after playing noseguard last year. Kwame Geathers played in the middle this spring, but could be usurped for Jenkins this fall and move outside. Abry Jones is still maturing after moving to end and recording 34 tackles including 3.5 for loss last season and had a 16-tackle performance against Georgia Tech.

8. Auburn: The Tigers must replace three starters this season. Inside, Auburn is talented but inexperienced with Kenneth Carter and Jeffrey Whitaker having 13 combined tackles from a year ago. There’s less concern on the outside with lone returning starter Nosa Eguae on one side and sophomore Corey Lemonier on the other. Eguae might have more experience with 11 starts, but Lemonier appears to be more athletic and should be near the top of the defensive end pool this year. After that, the Tigers are young across the board.

9. Tennessee: The Volunteers’ line will grow with senior Malik Jackson running things in the middle. He had 48 tackles and five sacks a year ago and some think he’ll be even better this fall. A lot will also be expected from incoming JUCO transfer Maurice Couch. He’s pretty athletic at 6-foot-4, 327 pounds and he’ll be greatly needed, considering the dismissal of Montori Hughes. Jacques Smith has All-SEC potential and will hold one of the end spots. After that, Tennessee has some young, but encouragingly talented bodies at each position.

10. Ole Miss: Some of the best news of the spring coming out of Oxford was the return of Kentrell Lockett at defensive end. Lockett was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA and will not only be the Rebels’ top lineman but possibly their best defensive player. After that, the questions roll in with four tackles gone and youth coming in. Tackle Justin Smith has yet to really emerge as the All-SEC talent he was expected to be and Ole Miss is smaller up front. JUCO transfer Gilbert Pena could add some size in the middle. Gerald Rivers returns to get time at end, but has played in just 15 career games in two years.

11. Vanderbilt: This was supposed to be a strength for the Commodores last year until injuries hit. Still, Vanderbilt returns three starters. Experience is there, but this unit has to continue to improve, especially in the pass-rushing department where the Commodores had just 20 sacks in 2010. Rob Lohr led Vanderbilt with four sacks a year ago and had 35 tackles. T.J. Greenstone is coming off of injury and will line up inside. Tim Fugger was one of the Commodores' most consistent players at end, playing in every game and registering three sacks and four forced fumbles.

12. Kentucky: End Collins Ukwu and tackle Luke McDermott return with the most experience on Kentucky’s line. Ukwu improved not only on the field but in the weight room this spring and is expected to be a more consistent pass-rusher. McDermott is a walk-on currently ahead of Donte Rumph, who has the talent to be one of Kentucky’s top defenders, but has yet to fully buy in to the program. The coaches are also waiting for tackle Mister Cobble to finally break out of his funk and be a regular contributor. The rest of Kentucky’s linemen have some developing to do and are inexperienced.

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.

Making the rounds in the SEC as we count down the days to Christmas:

• Auburn's newcomers join the veterans in the Tigers' run to the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.
• Alabama's bowl trip is more about business than it is pleasure.
• South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia and the Gamecocks are eager for bowl redemption.
• Tennessee reports a secondary violation in connection with the Bar Knoxville brawl this past summer. As many as 36 athletes were not required to pay cover charges at the bar.
• LSU lands its 19th commitment for the 2011 class, cornerback Micah Eugene of Acadiana, La. He's rated by ESPN as the No. 23 cornerback prospect in the country.
• After being ruled academically ineligible for the season, Kentucky defensive tackle Mister Cobble will make his collegiate debut in the BBVA Compass Bowl.
• Arkansas gets a commitment from cornerback Tevin Mitchel, who had previously been committed to Nebraska. Mitchel is rated by ESPN as the No. 16 cornerback prospect in the country.
• Four-star tight end Drew Owens of Charlotte, N.C., commits to South Carolina, giving the Gamecocks 26 commitments for the 2011 class.

Schedule: Practice starts Friday at 2:55 p.m. ET for the first group and 4:15 p.m. ET for the second group. The first day in full pads is Tuesday (Aug. 10).

What’s new: The Joker Phillips era at Kentucky is being billed as “Operation Win” as he takes over for Rich Brooks. Phillips made several changes, including bringing in Mike Summers to coach the offensive line, Tee Martin to coach receivers, David Turner to coach the defensive line, Greg Nord to coach tight ends and special teams and Rock Oliver to head up the strength and conditioning program. Summers, Turner, Nord and Oliver all had previous stints at Kentucky.

Sidelined: Redshirt freshman Mister Cobble, who would have competed for one of the starting defensive tackle spots, has been ruled academically ineligible and won’t play this season. Defensive line signee Tim McAdoo will attend junior college, while linebacker signee Tim Patterson is on hold after undergoing knee surgery.

Key battle: The Wildcats lost four starters on the offensive line, and one of the battles to watch will be at center. Junior Jake Lanefski has the most experience after moving over from guard. He’s also coming off a knee injury that caused him to miss the contact portions of spring practice. Sophomore Matt Smith and redshirt freshman Sam Simpson will both push Lanefski.

New on the scene: Prep school signee Donte Rumph qualified late after two years of trying and should be able to help on the defensive line. Redshirt freshman Qua Huzzie will battle for a starting linebacker job. Redshirt freshman Jonathan George will help spell Derrick Locke at tailback. Junior college defensive back Mychal Bailey has a chance to make an immediate impact in the secondary. A pair of true freshmen to watch are kicker/punter Joe Mansour and linebacker Avery Williamson.

Breaking out: In his first season out of junior college, Chris Matthews emerged as Kentucky’s second leading receiver a year ago. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Matthews should be even better in Year No. 2. He’s big, but can also run and will take the pressure off Randall Cobb on the other side.

Don’t forget about: Junior Ronnie Sneed has waited his turn behind Micah Johnson at middle linebacker and is healthy now after battling through a bum shoulder last season.

All eyes on: Senior quarterback Mike Hartline. This is his last chance to make the kind of mark he wants to on this program. He heads into the preseason with a slight lead, but Phillips insists the quarterback race will be wide open with sophomore Morgan Newton and redshirt freshman Ryan Mossakowski also getting every opportunity to show what they can do over this next month.

Quoting: “We want to take this program to the next level, and the way you do that is by winning the key games Kentucky hasn’t typically won, going to BCS bowls and playing for SEC championships.” -- Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb

2009 overall record: 7-6

2009 conference record: 3-5

Returning starters

Offense: 5; Defense: 7; Kicker/punter: 1

Top returners

QB Mike Hartline, RB Derrick Locke, WR Randall Cobb, WR Chris Matthews, OG Stuart Hines, DE DeQuin Evans, LB Danny Trevathan, FS Winston Guy

Key losses

FB John Conner, OT Zipp Duncan, DT Corey Peters, LB Micah Johnson, LB Sam Maxwell, CB Trevard Lindley

2009 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Derrick Locke* (907 yards)

Passing: Mike Hartline* (802 yards)

Receiving: Randall Cobb* (447 yards)

Tackles: Micah Johnson (105)

Sacks: DeQuin Evans* (6)

Interceptions: Sam Maxwell (6)

Spring answers

1. No Joking matter: Everybody knew Joker Phillips’ day was coming. He was named the Wildcats’ coach-in-waiting back in 2008. But with Rich Brooks retiring following last season, it’s now Phillips’ time to see what he can do with a program that’s made four consecutive bowl appearances. A sharp recruiter, Phillips understands the importance of continuing to upgrade the talent, which was obvious the last few years as Kentucky won seven or more games four years in a row.

2. Hartline states his case: He’s never been the most popular guy among the fans, but you’ve got to hand it to senior Mike Hartline. He doesn’t discourage easily and bounced back from a knee injury that ended his season a year ago to have a solid spring. His experience and understanding of the offense gave him the edge this spring over Morgan Newton and Ryan Mossakowski, and Hartline has made it clear that he’s preparing as if he’ll also be the guy come fall. A big senior season by Hartline would go a long way toward sending the Wildcats to a fifth straight bowl game.

3. New faces on defense: Much of the progress Kentucky made under Brooks can be traced to the caliber of defensive players he was able to bring into the program and the depth the Wildcats built on defense. Some key guys are gone on that side of the ball, but some newer faces such as linebackers Danny Trevathan and Qua Huzzie and tackle Mister Cobble made big steps this spring. Trevathan will be one of the leaders of this defense. Senior end DeQuin Evans, in his second year in the program, returns as one of the top pass-rushers in the league.

Fall questions

1. Padding the passing game: The No. 1 objective this spring was to improve the passing game. After Hartline went down last season, the Wildcats weren’t able to generate much of anything through the air and had to rely way too much on Randall Cobb in the Wildcat formation. Ideally, Phillips would like to ease some of the load on Cobb, which should make him even more effective as a receiver. The other key is Chris Matthews, who now in his second season after coming over from junior college has the size and speed at receiver to be a major headache for opposing defenses.

2. Getting it done on ‘D’: Even though the Wildcats feel good about the way they’ve recruited on defense the last couple of years, you don’t lose the likes of Corey Peters, Micah Johnson, Sam Maxwell and Trevard Lindley and not have some type of drop-off, especially early. There may be some growing pains for this defense as new guys settle into starting roles. How long those growing pains last could prove crucial because the middle part of the schedule is grueling, starting with the trip to Florida on Sept. 25

3. Molding the offensive line: The only starter returning on the Wildcats’ offensive line is guard Stuart Hines, and he’s a good one. Some of the guys who will step in have at least played some in the past, and a few have started. But this is a group that will need to establish some continuity pretty quickly. Protecting the passer will be key, particularly if the Wildcats are serious about being a better passing team. That means tackles Brad Durham and Billy Joe Murphy better hit the ground running.

We've had quite a bit of debate on the SEC blog about who the best player was in the SEC last season and who some of the best players might be next season.

But what about the best name?

I'm going on record right now that I already have the runaway winner for 2010 -- Mister Cobble.

That's right, Mister Cobble, and Kentucky hopes he plays like a Mr.

He'll be a redshirt freshman defensive tackle and should play a key role in the Wildcats' defensive line. He showed enough promise last season during practice that there was some discussion among the coaches about playing him as a true freshman.

But his redshirt remained intact, and with Corey Peters gone, the 6-foot, 290-pound Cobble will have a big opportunity this spring to nail down a spot in the rotation. A standout wrestler in high school, Cobble understands the importance of playing with leverage and should be a lot more equipped physically to play in the SEC this coming season having gone through an entire year in the Wildcats' strength and conditioning program.

He's also another one of those Louisville products who has been so good to the Kentucky program lately, following in the footsteps of Myron Pryor and Peters.

It will be a riot hearing the Kentucky coaches referring to Cobble as "Mister" on the practice field this spring. On second thought, I bet they call him by his last name.