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Tennessee has suspended sophomore tight end Cameron Clear indefinitely after his arrest on a felony theft charge involving a laptop stolen from a Volunteers' baseball player.

Tennessee associate athletic director for communications, Jimmy Stanton, announced the suspension on Wednesday and said university officials were continuing to gather information.

Jail records show Clear was arrested Tuesday on a felony charge of theft between $1,000 and $10,000. Bail was set at $2,500. Clear posted bond late Tuesday night.

Clear, a rising sophomore, left spring listed as No. 2 on the depth chart at tight end behind senior Mychal Rivera, who caught 29 passes for 344 yards and a touchdown in 2011.

2011 record: 5-7
2011 conference record: 1-7
Returning starters: Offense: 10; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners:
OG Dallas Thomas, WR Da'Rick Rogers, OT Ja'Wuan James, WR Justin Hunter, TE Mychal Rivera, QB Tyler Bray, LB A.J. Johnson, S Brian Randolph, LB Curt Maggitt, LB Herman Lathers, CB Prentiss Waggner

Key losses:
RB Tauren Poole, DT Malik Jackson, DE Ben Martin, LB Austin Johnson

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Tauren Poole (693 yards)
Passing: Tyler Bray* (1,983 yards)
Receiving: Da'Rick Rogers* (1,040 yards)
Tackles: Austin Johnson (81)
Sacks: Malik Jackson (2.5)
Interceptions: Austin Johnson (4)

Spring answers

1. Tyler Bray's leadership: No one has questioned Bray's arm as he can sling it with the best of them. But his heart has been questioned, and he knew it heading into spring. He never considered himself a real leader until this year, when he decided to take his job more seriously. Bray said players listened to him more in practice and respected him more as a person, not just a player. Bray can now be looked at as someone to rally around and look up to. He's finally learning how to be a real quarterback in this league.

2. Richardson's revival: Tennessee's offensive line took a lot of heat last season and for good reason. The Vols were last in the SEC and 116th nationally in rushing. The line needed to find a spark and rising sophomore Antonio Richardson might be just that. His potential has always impressed coaches and after playing on special teams last year, he came out of the spring as the starter at left tackle. Richardson is an extremely athletic and gifted player and the coaches feel confident that he can protect Bray's blind side.

3. Lathers' and Hunter's health: Linebacker Herman Lathers and wide receiver Justin Hunter did all the right things this spring. Lathers missed the 2011 season with an ankle injury, while Hunter missed most of the season after tearing his ACL in against Florida last September. While both still aren't 100 percent, the coaches feel confident that both will be by the fall. Hunter got some good work in this spring and even flew by some players in a scrimmage. Lathers' ankle progressed more and more and thinks he'll be right on track come fall practice.

Fall questions

1. Defensive comfort: Tennessee returns eight defensive starters, but it welcomed a brand new defensive coordinator in Sal Suneri, three other new coaches and a new defensive scheme. Sunseri would like to run more 3-4 this fall, but it'll take time for his players to adjust and Tennessee isn't sure if that comfort level is quite there yet. Tennessee players will also have to continuing adjusting to the new coaching faces they'll be working with this fall. It's important that this defense, which is still relatively young, get on the same page exiting camp.

2. Running the ball: Rising sophomore Marlin Lane showed nice improvement, but he finished the spring tied with Rajion Neal and Devrin Young at running back. So, the jury is still out on whether this team will be able to run the ball more consistently this season and Tennessee might have to look to its incoming freshmen for more help. While the running backs struggled last year, the offensive line was another reason for the Vols' shortcomings in the rushing department. There was a lot of movement up front and improvements need to start there before Tennessee can even think about handing the ball off more.

3. Defensive tackle: There's a lot of uncertainty and inexperience at tackle, and a lot of of players listed as co-starters on Tennessee's post-spring depth chart. Maurice Couch had an up-and-down 2011 season and now will be called to take on more responsibility now that Malik Jackson is gone. Daniel Hood, who was recovering from shoulder surgery this spring, Steven Fowlkes, Darrington Sentimore and Gregory Clark will all get chances in the middle. Also, keep an eye on incoming junior college transfer Daniel McCullers, who the coaches think can contribute immediately.

Our look at the SEC's most productive returning players in 2012 continues with tight ends.

Past producers:

• Quarterback
• Running back
• Wide receiver

The SEC returns six of the top 10 statistical tight ends this season. Orson Charles led all tight ends in yardage with 574 yards and had five touchdowns on 45 catches. The No. 2 tight end returns this fall, and this race might be the most wide open of all the top returners by position.

Here's the conference's top returning producer at tight end:

Chris Gragg, Arkansas: He was second among tight ends in catches (41) and receiving yards (518) last season, and had two touchdowns. Gragg also averaged 12.6 yards per catch last season. In an offense obsessed with throwing the ball, there was no way Gragg wouldn't get a good amount of passes thrown his way. But it's not like Gragg didn't deserve all the attention. The 6-foot-3, 236-pounder is an ideal target for any quarterback, and while he's a big body, he has good speed and is quite agile for his position. With all the receiving talent leaving Fayetteville, Gragg should get even more looks from quarterback Tyler Wilson, and there probably aren't too many people around that program upset by the thought of that.

The SEC returns five more of the top 10 statistical tight ends from a year ago:

Mychal Rivera, Tennessee: He caught 29 passes for 344 yards and one touchdown, and averaged 11.9 yards per catch.

Jordan Reed, Florida: He caught 28 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns, and averaged 11 yards per catch.

Philip Lutzenkirchen, Auburn: He caught 24 passes for 238 yards, and led all tight ends with seven touchdowns. He averaged 9.9 yards per catch.

Malcolm Johnson, Mississippi State: He caught 11 passes for 207 yards and three touchdowns, and averaged 18.7 yards per catch.

Michael Williams, Alabama: He caught 16 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns, and averaged 11.9 yards per catch.

This race really is wide open. While Gragg is probably the most physically gifted of the returning tight ends, it's not a foregone conclusion that he'll take home prize of top SEC tight end. Reed, who is a freak athlete, is someone who the coaches at Florida think will be a major factor in the Gators' offense this fall because young quarterbacks tend to shorten throws, and Reed is a solid underneath target. Williams will get more attention with Brad Smelley gone, and Johnson, who won't share time with Marcus Green this year, drew comparisons to past Mackey Award winner Aaron Hernandez in spring camp.

Keep an eye on South Carolina rising senior Justice Cunningham. He played alongside fellow tight end Rory Anderson, who had more yards and touchdowns, but Cunningham doubled Anderson's catch count last season, and gained 142 yards and one score. With Alshon Jeffery gone, expect Cunningham to get more looks this fall.

If Missouri's Eric Waters comes back 100 percent from his MCL injury this spring, he could have a pretty productive season in that offense. Waters is replacing one of the best in Michael Egnew, but one reason Egnew was so successful was because Mizzou loves using its tight ends.

Texas A&M uses its tight ends a lot as well. Nehemiah Hicks is probably the most gifted tight end for the Aggies and started seven games, but is recovering from shoulder surgery. Michael Lamothe and Hutson Prioleau combined to catch 28 passes for 244 and four touchdowns last season.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Georgia and Tennessee played a game of field goals in the first half Saturday at Neyland Stadium and went into halftime tied 6-6.

Here’s a quick halftime analysis:

Turning point: Georgia led 6-3 and looked like it would go into the half with a three-point lead after a 15-yard personal foul penalty on the Vols backed them up to their own 39 with less than a minute to play. But on second-and-25, Marlin Lane gathered in a screen pass and rambled 27 yards for a first down. Tennessee capitalized with a 43-yard Michael Palardy field goal to tie the game on the final play of the half.

Stat of the half: The four scoring drives were all eight plays or longer, but neither team could get the ball into end zone. Three of the four scoring drives were 11 plays or longer.

Stat of the half II: The Vols had almost as many penalty yards (23) as they did rushing yards (29).

Player of the half: Tennessee tight end Mychal Rivera caught four passes for 66 yards.

Best call: Georgia went for it three times on fourth down and converted all three. Tennessee also converted its only fourth down.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The running game has been missing all season for Tennessee, and it's letting the Vols down again in this game.

The Vols have had success throwing the ball against Georgia, but have repeatedly bogged down when they've tried to run.

After a fourth-and-8 conversion, Tennessee had it first-and-goal from the 7, but Tauren Poole lost 3 yards on first down, and the Vols ended up having to settle for a short field goal to tie the game at 3-3.

The Vols have just 22 rushing yards on 12 carries, and Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray has had time to throw, too.

At this point, you wonder if the Vols don't just spread it out, ditch the run and take their chances throwing the ball.

Georgia hasn't covered Tennessee tight end Mychal Rivera all night, as he's had a field day down the middle.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Tennessee coach Derek Dooley said he'll wait for an MRI on the knee of sophomore wide receiver Justin Hunter, but the thought is that the injury could be serious.

"Every indication that it's not OK," Dooley said.

Hunter, who entered the game with a team-high 16 catches for 302 yards and had two touchdowns, was injured on the fourth play of Tennessee's opening drive.

Hunter went into the locker room during the second quarter and came back out on crutches and in warmups. Without Hunter in the game, the Vols lost a major weapon in their passing game and lacked another true deep threat outside of Da'Rick Rogers, who had five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown.

The immediate affects of Hunter's absence was in Tennessee's confidence. The Vols looked drained during the first couple of drives after he left.

"It was clear that it was a break in your spirit when you saw it happen," Dooley said. "The whole team saw it happen. You have to move on. I could tell when he went down that it had an effect on our team. It is an effect and you have to come out of it and play out of it because it is part of the game.

"It is very unfortunate, but that is the way it is."

Tennessee showed that it has some weapons at wide receiver, with freshman DeAnthony Arnett having a game-high eight catches for 59 yards. Tight end Mychal Rivera also had five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown.

Those were nice stats, but none of Tennessee's other receivers are as talented as Hunter and if he is out for a significant amount of time, it could really hurt this offense. Quarterback Tyler Bray, who is very gifted, now faces the challenge of making some of those unproven receivers better in a hurry.

The tight end and H-back spots can be very important positions for teams. If you can find the right athlete, he can be a true mismatch for defenders -- too fast for linebackers and too strong for cornerbacks.

The fun thing about the H-back is that your more athletic tight ends can line up in the backfield to add yet another dimension to an offense.

This year’s crop is a little younger, but could contain budding stars in the league.

Here’s a look at some of the top players at these positions:

1. Orson Charles, Georgia, Jr.: Charles has the nice combination of strength and speed to give defenders fits and could flex out to wide receiver if needed. He’s elevated his game throughout each of his two seasons with the Bulldogs and should be a star in the league this fall. He’s not as fast as receiver Tavarres King, but should eat into his production.

2. Brandon Barden, Vanderbilt, Sr.: Barden was Vanderbilt’s leading pass catcher a year ago. He hauled in 34 catches (nine more than the leading wide receiver) for 425 yards and three touchdowns. He’s easily the best option in the passing game for the Commodores and should continue to put up solid numbers at the tight end position.

3. Philip Lutzenkirchen, Auburn, Jr.: He didn’t have the most exciting stats a year ago, but he’ll be a major factor in the Tigers’ offense this fall. He took over as a leader for the young offense this spring and will be used in and out of the backfield as an H-back. He’ll be a very reliable target for whomever takes over at quarterback.

4. Jordan Reed, Florida, So.: Reed did most of his damage last fall at quarterback, but people around Gainesville think he could be the Gators’ most athletic offensive weapon now that he’s back at tight end. He’s a big target, at 6-3, 237 pounds and he doesn’t lack speed. In fact, he used most of the offseason working on becoming more fleet-footed.

5. Deangelo Peterson, LSU, Sr.: Like Charles, Peterson has the athleticism to flex out to wide receiver as well. He grabbed 16 passes for 198 yards in 2010, but had a solid spring and should get more attention in the offense this fall.

6. Chris Gragg, Arkansas, Jr.: Gragg actually moved from receiver to tight end, so he’s already a headache for linebackers with his speed. Backing up D.J. Williams, Gragg only caught eight passes last season, but one of them went 57 yards for a touchdown.

7. Trey Burton, Florida, So.: Florida was short on offensive playmakers last year, but Burton definitely made that short list. He’s no longer lining up at quarterback, but will be Florida’s H-back. Burton caught 32 passes as a freshman and has good speed and a little elusiveness to continue to be a reliable target for quarterback John Brantley.

8. Marcus Green, Mississippi State, Sr.: Injuries have been his downfall, but if he’s healthy, he’ll be a valuable weapon for quarterback Chris Relf. He was only healthy enough to catch three passes last year, but hauled in 27 catches for 306 yards in 2009, so the talent is there.

9. Mychal Rivera, Tennessee, Jr.: There’s no secret that Tennessee is going to air it out this fall. Rivera backed up Luke Stocker last season, so his numbers weren’t great, but the staff is confident that he’ll be a reliable target in the offense. He’ll be a good third option with the talent at receiver.

10. Michael Williams, Alabama, Jr.: Williams was overlooked because he was staring up at Preston Dial on the depth chart. But he’s far from inexperienced. Williams has appeared in 27 games, making 14 starts. He’s a good run blocker and is athletic enough to challenge most linebackers opposite him.

Today we take a look at the wide receiver/tight end positions in the SEC. This one gets tricky since we’re basing rankings on two different positions.

Let’s take a look at what we came up with:

1. Arkansas: The Razorbacks could have the best wide receiver corps in the country. Making things even better for Arkansas is that each member of its tremendous trio is a senior. First, there’s Greg Childs, who would have taken part in the NFL draft this year had he not suffered a knee injury late in the season. Childs is Arkansas’ best receiver when he’s healthy. Joe Adams really came on strong last year, especially after Childs went down. He’s the best when he gets the ball in open space and will command the slot. Then there’s Jarius Wright, who is the fastest of the three and got even stronger this spring as well. The three have 324 combined career receptions for 5,404 yards and 41 touchdowns.

2. LSU: The Tigers might have lost Terrence Toliver, but they’ll still have weapons at receiver. Junior Rueben Randle is expected to be the go-to guy in LSU’s offense and is coming off a season where he caught 33 passes for 544 yards and three touchdowns. Russell Shepard was right behind him last season, catching the same amount of balls, but only totaled 254 yards and one touchdown. He looked sharper this spring and is looking to break out this fall. Tight end Deangelo Peterson should also get more attention this fall. He only caught 16 passes, but that number should increase.

3. South Carolina: For starters, the Gamecocks have the league’s best receiver in Alshon Jeffery. The 6-foot-4, 233-pound freak snatched just about everything that came his way last fall and registered 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s nearly impossible to stop in one-on-one situations. Senior Jason Barnes didn't make a major impact in 2010, but he does have 60 career receptions under his belt. The smaller Ace Sanders should be even better after bursting onto the scene with 25 receptions for 316 yards and two touchdowns. D.L. Moore, who caught 17 passes in 2010, should have a more expanded role as well.

4. Georgia: The Bulldogs are still looking for a few playmakers at receiver, but there is definitely talent in Athens. Junior Tavarres King has moved into A.J. Green’s flanker spot and while he’s not Green, he proved this spring that he’s ready to be the Bulldogs' main receiving threat. Tight end Orson Charles is the best at his position and can flex out to receiver if needed. His 26 catches for 422 yards should increase this upcoming season. Marlon Brown also made strides this spring and should be the No. 2 receiver.

5. Tennessee: Neither Justin Hunter nor Da'Rick Rogers had a ton of catches last fall, but that will change with a strong passing game in 2011. Hunter caught 16 passes, but registered 415 yards and seven touchdowns in the process. He’s a solid deep threat and playmaker. Rogers also only caught 16 passes, and while he didn’t have the yardage Hunter had, he made tremendous strides this spring. Tight end Mychal Rivera caught 11 passes in 2010 and with Luke Stocker gone he takes over as the Vols’ weapon at tight end.

6. Alabama: There aren’t a lot of questions surrounding the Crimson Tide, but receiver isn’t Alabama’s best area. Seniors Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks should get the brunt of the catches. They combined for 70 catches for 1,013 yards and six touchdowns last season. There is a long list of other inexperienced players who should grab some catches as well and former Ohio State receiver Duron Carter, who just transferred in, could be a factor this fall.

7. Florida: The Gators have talent at wide receiver, and Florida should have a more pass-friendly offense, but the group is very unproven. Frankie Hammond Jr. could be Florida’s best weapon at receiver with his speed and athleticism. Omarius Hines has the size and speed to be a major mismatch for defenders in the slot and on the outside. Freshman Quinton Dunbar was Florida’s top deep threat this spring and should get ample playing time. At tight end, Jordan Reed was called Florida’s best athlete and could end up being the Gators’ top playmaker. Trey Burton should catch a few more passes as well.

8. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have a ton of depth at receiver, starting with Chad Bumphis. The junior has yet to really break out, but this could be the year he finally puts it together. Alongside him, Mississippi State has Chris Smith, Brandon Heavens and Arceto Clark, who all had solid springs. Those four combined for 115 catches last fall. The Bulldogs also have a host of young receivers who appear ready to compete.

9. Auburn: There is still some talent left on the Plains at receiver. Sure, Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachery are gone, but the Tigers will look to Emory Blake and Trovon Reed to make up for their departures. Blake is the leading returning receiver, while Reed will be used all over the field by Auburn’s coaches. He can be a threat in the slot and on the outside. Philip Lutzenkirchen will be more of a staple in the offense as the Tigers’ trusted H-back.

10. Ole Miss: Athletically, the Rebels are fine. However, this group is very inexperienced and was inconsistent this spring. The incoming freshmen will have every opportunity to take a starting spot and Tobias Singleton could be the best option of Ole Miss’ youngsters. Of the returners, Melvin Harris did the most in 2010, catching 30 passes for 408 yards and three touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Vincent Sanders will also get a chance to heavily contribute after making strong strides this spring.

11. Vanderbilt: Four of Vanderbilt’s five receiving leaders return, but the group wasn’t tremendously productive last fall. The Commodores didn’t have a receiver go over 320 yards last season and tight end Brandon Barden caught a team-high 34 passes for 425 yards. Vanderbilt's top two wideouts -- John Cole and Jonathan Krause -- are back, but the Commodores might have to turn to their youngsters for help.

12. Kentucky: The Wildcats lost a lot when do-everything Randall Cobb left early for the NFL and things didn’t get any better by losing No. 2 wideout Chris Matthews. Now, it’s back to the drawing board in Lexington. La'Rod King should be the top target for quarterback Morgan Newton, but he disappointed at times this spring. Matt Roark and E.J. Fields will compete for time, but both need vast improvement. The top athlete could be Brian Adams, but he spent spring playing for Kentucky’s baseball team.

Making the rounds on a Tuesday in the SEC:

• Kevin Scarbinsky of The Birmingham News writes that any talk this early about replacing Auburn defensive coordinator Ted Roof is nonsense.
• Coming off a shaky offensive performance in the opener, Florida approaches South Florida with a sense of urgency.
• Tennessee tight end Mychal Rivera, the younger brother of "Glee" FOX television show cast member Naya Rivera, will be taking on his old team this Saturday when Oregon comes to Knoxville.
• Ole Miss does its best to put the loss to Jacksonville State in its rearview mirror.
• Kentucky needs to do a better job of "choking the life" out of opponents.
• The news is mixed for South Carolina's banged-up defense. Linebacker Shaq Wilson is still out, but Spur linebacker Antonio Allen is back.
• After standing on the sideline last week in the opener because of suspensions, Georgia running back Washaun Ealey and receiver Tavarres King are eager to get back on the field against South Carolina.
• Offensive guard Will Blackwell's broken ankle puts even more pressure on LSU's offensive line.