SEC: Onterio McCalebb
Our look at the SEC's most productive returning players in 2012 continues with a look at the league's top returning kickoff returners.
Past producers:
The SEC returns seven of the top 10 kick returners from 2011. The top three returners are back, so kickers beware. However, the ball will now be moved forward five yards to the 35-yard line for kickoffs, meaning returns should occur less often. But that also means they'll now be more important. We're going by average per return. Note: To qualify, a player must have at least one return per team's games played. This is one of the most exciting plays in football and here's a look at the SEC's top returner:
Tre Mason, RB, Auburn: He returned 24 kicks for an average of 26.4 yards per return, had a long of 97 yards and recorded a touchdown. Mason dealt with being in a crowded backfield by making a name for himself in the return game during the first half of the season. He did most of his damage in the first two weeks, grabbing 10 returns for 348 yards and had a touchdown in the season opener against Utah State. He saw his production dip as the season went on because of injuries and his fumbling issues. He eventually lost his job, but could he make a comeback for his crown in 2012?
The SEC returns six more of the top kickoff returners in 2012:
Andre Debose, WR, Florida: He returned 19 kicks for an average of 26.1 yards per return, had a long of 99 yards and registered one touchdown.
Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas: He returned 18 kicks for an average of 25.6 yards per return, had a long of 98 yards and registered one touchdown.
Tobias Singleton, RB, Ole Miss: He returned 21 kicks for an average of 24.6 yards per return and had a long of 47 yards.
Andre Hal, CB, Vanderbilt: He returned 31 kicks for an average of 23.8 yards per return, had a long of 96 yards and registered one touchdown.
Devrin Young, RB, Tennessee: He returned 27 kicks for an average of 23.3 yards per return and had a long of 67 yards.
Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina: He returned 20 kicks for an average of 23.2 yards and had a long of 45 yards.
With kickoffs being moved up, we might see even less in the kick return game this fall. We could also see a new winner for this category if Mason doesn't get his job back. And with the amount of production he'll have on offense, his returns might get cut short anyway. Keep an eye on Mason's teammates, Onterio McCalebb and Quan Bray. McCalebb averaged 30.1 yards per return and had a touchdown on just 11 returns, while Bray averaged 24.2 on 10 returns.
Johnson has always been very dangerous in the return game. He entered the 2011 season as the SEC's active leader for career kickoff return yards and total return yards with 2,014 and he added 461 last fall. Johnson will likely have more steam to work with this fall with Knile Davis eating into his carries at running back. That will make him even tougher to stop in the return game and counting him out of the race for the return crown is just silly.
Debose was named the nation’s top kick returner by the College Football Performance Awards in 2010, but has always had some issues with his decision-making in the return game. Still, there's no doubting his speed when he finds a hole. When he's focused, he's exciting to watch, but he's yet to keep his focus for an entire season as a returner.
LaDarius Perkins will have more responsibility in Mississippi State's offense, but he was sometimes fun to watch in the return game.
Missouri receiver T.J. Moe averaged 23.3 yards on 26 kicks, but didn't return a kick longer than 49 yards. Still, he's shifty enough and has the vision to make a run at this thing.
Past producers:
The SEC returns seven of the top 10 kick returners from 2011. The top three returners are back, so kickers beware. However, the ball will now be moved forward five yards to the 35-yard line for kickoffs, meaning returns should occur less often. But that also means they'll now be more important. We're going by average per return. Note: To qualify, a player must have at least one return per team's games played. This is one of the most exciting plays in football and here's a look at the SEC's top returner:
Tre Mason, RB, Auburn: He returned 24 kicks for an average of 26.4 yards per return, had a long of 97 yards and recorded a touchdown. Mason dealt with being in a crowded backfield by making a name for himself in the return game during the first half of the season. He did most of his damage in the first two weeks, grabbing 10 returns for 348 yards and had a touchdown in the season opener against Utah State. He saw his production dip as the season went on because of injuries and his fumbling issues. He eventually lost his job, but could he make a comeback for his crown in 2012?
The SEC returns six more of the top kickoff returners in 2012:
Andre Debose, WR, Florida: He returned 19 kicks for an average of 26.1 yards per return, had a long of 99 yards and registered one touchdown.
Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas: He returned 18 kicks for an average of 25.6 yards per return, had a long of 98 yards and registered one touchdown.
Tobias Singleton, RB, Ole Miss: He returned 21 kicks for an average of 24.6 yards per return and had a long of 47 yards.
Andre Hal, CB, Vanderbilt: He returned 31 kicks for an average of 23.8 yards per return, had a long of 96 yards and registered one touchdown.
Devrin Young, RB, Tennessee: He returned 27 kicks for an average of 23.3 yards per return and had a long of 67 yards.
Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina: He returned 20 kicks for an average of 23.2 yards and had a long of 45 yards.
With kickoffs being moved up, we might see even less in the kick return game this fall. We could also see a new winner for this category if Mason doesn't get his job back. And with the amount of production he'll have on offense, his returns might get cut short anyway. Keep an eye on Mason's teammates, Onterio McCalebb and Quan Bray. McCalebb averaged 30.1 yards per return and had a touchdown on just 11 returns, while Bray averaged 24.2 on 10 returns.
Johnson has always been very dangerous in the return game. He entered the 2011 season as the SEC's active leader for career kickoff return yards and total return yards with 2,014 and he added 461 last fall. Johnson will likely have more steam to work with this fall with Knile Davis eating into his carries at running back. That will make him even tougher to stop in the return game and counting him out of the race for the return crown is just silly.
Debose was named the nation’s top kick returner by the College Football Performance Awards in 2010, but has always had some issues with his decision-making in the return game. Still, there's no doubting his speed when he finds a hole. When he's focused, he's exciting to watch, but he's yet to keep his focus for an entire season as a returner.
LaDarius Perkins will have more responsibility in Mississippi State's offense, but he was sometimes fun to watch in the return game.
Missouri receiver T.J. Moe averaged 23.3 yards on 26 kicks, but didn't return a kick longer than 49 yards. Still, he's shifty enough and has the vision to make a run at this thing.
Edward Aschoff talks about Auburn's depth at running back this spring.
Schedule: Auburn opened spring practice on Friday at 9:30 a.m. The Tigers’ A-Day spring game is set for April 14 at 3 p.m. at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Prior to the spring game, Auburn will unveil statues that morning commemorating its three Heisman Trophy winners – Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson and Cam Newton. All three players are scheduled to attend the ceremony.
What’s new: Scot Loeffler takes over for Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Loeffler was on the Temple staff last season, but has previously worked at Florida, Michigan and with the Detroit Lions. Malzahn left to take the Arkansas State head-coaching job. The Tigers’ defensive staff has just about been completely overhauled. Brian VanGorder is the new defensive coordinator after coming over from the Atlanta Falcons. He replaces Ted Roof, who is now the Penn State defensive coordinator after initially leaving to take the UCF defensive coordinator job. Willie Martinez will coach the Auburn secondary. Martinez was previously on Oklahoma’s staff and was the Georgia defensive coordinator prior to that. Tommy Thigpen has moved over to coach linebackers after coaching the Tigers’ safeties his first three years on the job. Defensive line coach Mike Pelton is the only one on the Auburn defensive staff that will be coaching the same position as a year ago.
On the mend: Tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen and defensive end Nosa Eguae are both recovering from surgeries and won’t practice this spring. Both players are expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the fall.
On the move: Sophomore C.J. Uzomah is moving from receiver to tight end. Defensive end Joel Bonomolo has left the team.
Key battle: Even though Michael Dyer was the centerpiece of the Tigers’ offense last season, they don’t seem to be fretting now that he’s gone. Maybe that’s because they like their talent at the running back position. Senior Onterio McCalebb returns, and while he’s been an excellent speed threat, he’ll have his hands full in terms of securing the role of every-down back. Sophomore Tre Mason filled in for Dyer in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and has a promising future. The same goes for transfers Corey Grant and Mike Blakely, both of whom sat out last season per NCAA transfer rules. Grant, who started his career at Alabama, has shined in the Tigers’ strength and conditioning program, and Blakely was rated as one of the top 10 running backs in the country when he signed with Florida in 2011. Grant and Blakely both enter spring practice weighing in the 205-pound range.
New faces: Fullback Jay Prosch has transferred from Illinois and will be eligible to play this fall. The 6-foot, 253-pound Prosch is a devastating blocker as well as an excellent special-teams player. Four freshmen who enrolled early are also going through spring practice, including quarterback Zeke Pike. The other three are offensive tackle Shane Callahan, offensive tackle Patrick Miller and linebacker Javiere Mitchell.
Breaking out: There’s not a lot of suspense about this one. Everybody on the Plains can’t wait to see redshirt freshman Greg Robinson, who’s the favorite to win the Tigers’ left tackle job on the offensive line. Robinson is freakishly athletic and has impressed coaches and teammates with his strength, quickness and power. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Robinson was the talk of bowl practices last December. Senior receiver Emory Blake said of Robinson, “He’s a beast of a person.”
Don’t forget about: Auburn’s secondary took its lumps last season. The Tigers finished last in the SEC in pass efficiency defense and gave up 23 touchdown passes while making just 11 interceptions. Despite those struggles, junior cornerback Chris Davis has everything it takes to be one of the premier defensive backs in this league. He battled injuries last season and wasn’t 100 percent. But he’s good in coverage, tackles well and has excellent instincts. The Tigers have to improve in the secondary next season. That’s a given. If Davis can stay healthy, here’s betting that he emerges as the anchor of that unit.
All eyes on: One way or the other, the Tigers will have a new starting quarterback to open the season for the sixth straight year. Last year, it was Barrett Trotter. The year before that, it was Cam Newton. And the year before that, it was Chris Todd. That’s just the way it’s gone at the position for the Tigers, who won’t be in any rush to name a starter. In fact, Loeffler doubts there will be a starter named this spring and doesn’t mind letting the competition extend into the preseason. Junior Clint Moseley has the most experience, but sophomore Kiehl Frazier has the edge in overall athleticism. Pike will also be getting reps. Ultimately, it’s going to be who adjusts best to what Loeffler wants to do on offense, which really hasn't been defined to this point.
What’s new: Scot Loeffler takes over for Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Loeffler was on the Temple staff last season, but has previously worked at Florida, Michigan and with the Detroit Lions. Malzahn left to take the Arkansas State head-coaching job. The Tigers’ defensive staff has just about been completely overhauled. Brian VanGorder is the new defensive coordinator after coming over from the Atlanta Falcons. He replaces Ted Roof, who is now the Penn State defensive coordinator after initially leaving to take the UCF defensive coordinator job. Willie Martinez will coach the Auburn secondary. Martinez was previously on Oklahoma’s staff and was the Georgia defensive coordinator prior to that. Tommy Thigpen has moved over to coach linebackers after coaching the Tigers’ safeties his first three years on the job. Defensive line coach Mike Pelton is the only one on the Auburn defensive staff that will be coaching the same position as a year ago.
On the mend: Tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen and defensive end Nosa Eguae are both recovering from surgeries and won’t practice this spring. Both players are expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the fall.
On the move: Sophomore C.J. Uzomah is moving from receiver to tight end. Defensive end Joel Bonomolo has left the team.
Key battle: Even though Michael Dyer was the centerpiece of the Tigers’ offense last season, they don’t seem to be fretting now that he’s gone. Maybe that’s because they like their talent at the running back position. Senior Onterio McCalebb returns, and while he’s been an excellent speed threat, he’ll have his hands full in terms of securing the role of every-down back. Sophomore Tre Mason filled in for Dyer in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and has a promising future. The same goes for transfers Corey Grant and Mike Blakely, both of whom sat out last season per NCAA transfer rules. Grant, who started his career at Alabama, has shined in the Tigers’ strength and conditioning program, and Blakely was rated as one of the top 10 running backs in the country when he signed with Florida in 2011. Grant and Blakely both enter spring practice weighing in the 205-pound range.
New faces: Fullback Jay Prosch has transferred from Illinois and will be eligible to play this fall. The 6-foot, 253-pound Prosch is a devastating blocker as well as an excellent special-teams player. Four freshmen who enrolled early are also going through spring practice, including quarterback Zeke Pike. The other three are offensive tackle Shane Callahan, offensive tackle Patrick Miller and linebacker Javiere Mitchell.
Breaking out: There’s not a lot of suspense about this one. Everybody on the Plains can’t wait to see redshirt freshman Greg Robinson, who’s the favorite to win the Tigers’ left tackle job on the offensive line. Robinson is freakishly athletic and has impressed coaches and teammates with his strength, quickness and power. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Robinson was the talk of bowl practices last December. Senior receiver Emory Blake said of Robinson, “He’s a beast of a person.”
Don’t forget about: Auburn’s secondary took its lumps last season. The Tigers finished last in the SEC in pass efficiency defense and gave up 23 touchdown passes while making just 11 interceptions. Despite those struggles, junior cornerback Chris Davis has everything it takes to be one of the premier defensive backs in this league. He battled injuries last season and wasn’t 100 percent. But he’s good in coverage, tackles well and has excellent instincts. The Tigers have to improve in the secondary next season. That’s a given. If Davis can stay healthy, here’s betting that he emerges as the anchor of that unit.
All eyes on: One way or the other, the Tigers will have a new starting quarterback to open the season for the sixth straight year. Last year, it was Barrett Trotter. The year before that, it was Cam Newton. And the year before that, it was Chris Todd. That’s just the way it’s gone at the position for the Tigers, who won’t be in any rush to name a starter. In fact, Loeffler doubts there will be a starter named this spring and doesn’t mind letting the competition extend into the preseason. Junior Clint Moseley has the most experience, but sophomore Kiehl Frazier has the edge in overall athleticism. Pike will also be getting reps. Ultimately, it’s going to be who adjusts best to what Loeffler wants to do on offense, which really hasn't been defined to this point.
Take Two: Who faces steeper challenge?
March, 22, 2012
Mar 22
4:40
PM ET
By
Edward Aschoff and
Chris Low | ESPN.com
SEC bloggers Chris Low and Edward Aschoff will occasionally weigh in on different questions facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same opinion. We'll let you decide who's right.
Today's Take Two topic: Auburn's Scot Loeffler and Florida's Brent Pease are two of six new offensive coordinators in the league. Who faces the steeper challenge in 2012 -- Loeffler or Pease?
Take 1: Chris Low
The truth is that both offenses were hard to watch last season, and Auburn’s 17-6 victory over Florida was a clinic in bad offensive football. The two teams were a combined 4-of-26 on third down, and there were 16 punts in the game. Neither team passed for more than 128 yards. Loeffler takes over an Auburn offense that’s losing its most productive player by far. Running back Michael Dyer was suspended for the bowl game and then wound up transferring to Arkansas State. He rushed for 1,242 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. Loeffler wants to bring a more physical style to Auburn’s offense, and even without Dyer, wants to be a run-first team. The Tigers aren’t lacking in talent at the running back position, and Onterio McCalebb has quietly been one of the league’s best breakaway threats the last two seasons. But the trick may be finding somebody who can make the tough yards and get it done between the tackles. Maybe that somebody is Florida transfer Mike Blakely. That’s what this spring is for.
The starting quarterback job is also up for grabs, although Loefller said he’s not in a rush to name a starter this spring. The Tigers also have to replace both offensive tackles. So there’s not a lot for Loeffler to hang his hat on this first season, at least in the way of proven offensive players. Loeffler has a vast coaching background, but he prefers more of a pro-style attack. It will help if the Tigers’ receivers can stay healthy. The passing game a year ago rarely produced any big plays down the field. Loeffler’s smart enough to realize that he has to play to his personnel. What makes that so difficult, though, is that it’s hard to say right now that the Tigers do anything particularly well on offense given what they have returning. Loeffler’s definitely going to need some new faces to emerge. He's also going to need a lot of focus out of everybody on offense this spring as the Tigers make the transition from Gus Malzahn's system. That transition isn't going to happen overnight, meaning it could take the Tigers a few games next season before they figure out what they do best.
Take 2: Edward Aschoff
I think both of these coaches will have their hands full this spring and fall. Both have to deal with inexperience at just about every position. But for Pease, he has to deal with more unproven players than Loeffler. Loeffler might have an interesting quarterback battle on his hands, but he at least has a proven running back in Onterio McCalebb and a proven receiver in Emory Blake. Pease has neither. Florida has three young quarterbacks -- Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel and Tyler Murphy -- running backs that have had consistency issues, unproven wide receivers and an offensive line that returns most of the parts of a unit that struggled mightily last season. The good news is that it sounds like the offensive line added some bulk during the offseason, and when you have four starters returning, improvements are inevitable.
Florida still isn't sure which quarterback will step up and lead this team. Brissett had the edge heading into spring, but Driskel was the top high school quarterback in his class for a reason. No matter which one prevails, baby steps will still have to be taken this fall because the winner will still be a little bug-eyed come SEC play. What would help is if a receiver or two steps up during the offseason. Since Riley Cooper left after the 2009 season, the Gators have lacked a consistent go-to receiver. Quinton Dunbar has shown flashes this spring, but he did last spring as well and caught just 14 passes in 2011. Frankie Hammond gets a lot of praise in practice, too, but it hasn't consistently translated onto the field. Andre Debose was Florida's best deep threat, but it's time for him to do more for this offense and be more reliable in all types of situations, not just deep throws. One thing that will help is that the tight end position should be solid with Jordan Reed and A.C. Leonard coming back. As for running back, Mike Gillislee has the talent to be a solid starter this fall, but he has to do more than just carry the rock. He has to improve his blocking as well. Mack Brown has the tools as well, but getting the offense down is his first objective because it has kept him off the field for two years. Pease is Florida's third offensive coordinator in three years and brings new elements like the others did, so the Gators are having to learn even more. It will be a challenge, but there are bodies to work with. It's all about getting his guys to understand things before the season starts or Florida's offense will continue to struggle.
Today's Take Two topic: Auburn's Scot Loeffler and Florida's Brent Pease are two of six new offensive coordinators in the league. Who faces the steeper challenge in 2012 -- Loeffler or Pease?
Take 1: Chris Low
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Austin McAfeeRB Onterio McCalebb should provide Auburn explosiveness out of the backfield in 2012.
AP Photo/Austin McAfeeRB Onterio McCalebb should provide Auburn explosiveness out of the backfield in 2012. The starting quarterback job is also up for grabs, although Loefller said he’s not in a rush to name a starter this spring. The Tigers also have to replace both offensive tackles. So there’s not a lot for Loeffler to hang his hat on this first season, at least in the way of proven offensive players. Loeffler has a vast coaching background, but he prefers more of a pro-style attack. It will help if the Tigers’ receivers can stay healthy. The passing game a year ago rarely produced any big plays down the field. Loeffler’s smart enough to realize that he has to play to his personnel. What makes that so difficult, though, is that it’s hard to say right now that the Tigers do anything particularly well on offense given what they have returning. Loeffler’s definitely going to need some new faces to emerge. He's also going to need a lot of focus out of everybody on offense this spring as the Tigers make the transition from Gus Malzahn's system. That transition isn't going to happen overnight, meaning it could take the Tigers a few games next season before they figure out what they do best.
Take 2: Edward Aschoff
I think both of these coaches will have their hands full this spring and fall. Both have to deal with inexperience at just about every position. But for Pease, he has to deal with more unproven players than Loeffler. Loeffler might have an interesting quarterback battle on his hands, but he at least has a proven running back in Onterio McCalebb and a proven receiver in Emory Blake. Pease has neither. Florida has three young quarterbacks -- Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel and Tyler Murphy -- running backs that have had consistency issues, unproven wide receivers and an offensive line that returns most of the parts of a unit that struggled mightily last season. The good news is that it sounds like the offensive line added some bulk during the offseason, and when you have four starters returning, improvements are inevitable.
Florida still isn't sure which quarterback will step up and lead this team. Brissett had the edge heading into spring, but Driskel was the top high school quarterback in his class for a reason. No matter which one prevails, baby steps will still have to be taken this fall because the winner will still be a little bug-eyed come SEC play. What would help is if a receiver or two steps up during the offseason. Since Riley Cooper left after the 2009 season, the Gators have lacked a consistent go-to receiver. Quinton Dunbar has shown flashes this spring, but he did last spring as well and caught just 14 passes in 2011. Frankie Hammond gets a lot of praise in practice, too, but it hasn't consistently translated onto the field. Andre Debose was Florida's best deep threat, but it's time for him to do more for this offense and be more reliable in all types of situations, not just deep throws. One thing that will help is that the tight end position should be solid with Jordan Reed and A.C. Leonard coming back. As for running back, Mike Gillislee has the talent to be a solid starter this fall, but he has to do more than just carry the rock. He has to improve his blocking as well. Mack Brown has the tools as well, but getting the offense down is his first objective because it has kept him off the field for two years. Pease is Florida's third offensive coordinator in three years and brings new elements like the others did, so the Gators are having to learn even more. It will be a challenge, but there are bodies to work with. It's all about getting his guys to understand things before the season starts or Florida's offense will continue to struggle.
Auburn is on the docket today, and the Tigers will be looking to rev up their running game this spring.
OUT: RB Michael Dyer. After leading Auburn in rushing each of his first two seasons and reaching the 1,000-yard mark each season, Dyer landed in trouble off the field one too many times and was suspended for the Chick-fil-A Bowl last season. There were rumblings at the time that he would never play another game for the Tigers, and those rumblings proved to be correct. Dyer left Auburn after the season and transferred to Arkansas State, where he was reunited with former Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. Dyer pretty much was Auburn’s offense last season and carried the ball 242 times for 1,242 yards. He had 141 yards on 41 carries in the 16-13 win over South Carolina. The Tigers couldn’t throw the ball, so their answer was turning around and handing the ball to Dyer. That answer won’t be available in 2012.
IN: Onterio McCalebb, Tre Mason, Mike Blakely or Corey Grant. As a complement to Dyer, McCalebb was one of the more underrated running backs in the SEC the past two seasons. He has breakaway speed and is the kind of big-play threat that coaches love at the running back position. McCalebb now gets the chance to prove that he can be the go-to back. He’s never averaged fewer than 5 yards per carry, but isn’t known for his ability to run between the tackles and get the tough yards. Mason, who will be a sophomore, may be that guy. He’s added weight and strength and was impressive when he got chances a year ago, be it on offense or kickoff returns. The other guy to watch is Mike Blakely, a transfer from Florida who will be eligible next season. Blakely could also wind up being an inside running threat for the Tigers along with Grant, who’s helped himself with a terrific offseason in the strength and conditioning program. First-year offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler will almost certainly use the running backs in the passing game as well, which makes McCalebb even more of a commodity. He caught 32 passes for 344 yards and two touchdowns last season.
OUT: RB Michael Dyer. After leading Auburn in rushing each of his first two seasons and reaching the 1,000-yard mark each season, Dyer landed in trouble off the field one too many times and was suspended for the Chick-fil-A Bowl last season. There were rumblings at the time that he would never play another game for the Tigers, and those rumblings proved to be correct. Dyer left Auburn after the season and transferred to Arkansas State, where he was reunited with former Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. Dyer pretty much was Auburn’s offense last season and carried the ball 242 times for 1,242 yards. He had 141 yards on 41 carries in the 16-13 win over South Carolina. The Tigers couldn’t throw the ball, so their answer was turning around and handing the ball to Dyer. That answer won’t be available in 2012.
IN: Onterio McCalebb, Tre Mason, Mike Blakely or Corey Grant. As a complement to Dyer, McCalebb was one of the more underrated running backs in the SEC the past two seasons. He has breakaway speed and is the kind of big-play threat that coaches love at the running back position. McCalebb now gets the chance to prove that he can be the go-to back. He’s never averaged fewer than 5 yards per carry, but isn’t known for his ability to run between the tackles and get the tough yards. Mason, who will be a sophomore, may be that guy. He’s added weight and strength and was impressive when he got chances a year ago, be it on offense or kickoff returns. The other guy to watch is Mike Blakely, a transfer from Florida who will be eligible next season. Blakely could also wind up being an inside running threat for the Tigers along with Grant, who’s helped himself with a terrific offseason in the strength and conditioning program. First-year offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler will almost certainly use the running backs in the passing game as well, which makes McCalebb even more of a commodity. He caught 32 passes for 344 yards and two touchdowns last season.
SEC postseason position rankings: ST
February, 10, 2012
Feb 10
4:00
PM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
We've come to the end of our postseason position rankings. Special teams don't get a ton of credit when things go right, but we all know how much grief they get when things go wrong. Just look at all those shanks we saw from kickers last season.
Fortunately, there are other aspects of special teams that involve more exciting plays, like returns that can change the dynamic of a game or are just really easy on the eyes (just take a look at what Joe Adams did to Tennessee last fall).
You can see how we ranked the SEC's special teams units before the season here.
Here are our final rankings:
1. LSU: All-American punter Brad Wing averaged 44.4 yards per kick, had 20 punts of 50-plus yards and pinned 27 kicks inside the opposing 20-yard line. His long of 73 yards completely changed LSU's first game with Alabama. Tyrann Mathieu had two clutch punt returns for touchdowns against Arkansas and Georgia at the end of the season and was fifth nationally averaging 15.6 yards per return. Morris Claiborne also returned a kickoff for a touchdown and averaged 25.1 yards per return. Opponents averaged 3.7 yards per punt return and just 20 yards per kickoff against LSU. Drew Alleman led the SEC in field goal percentage (88.9), hitting 16-of-18 kicks.
2. Arkansas: Adams was one of the best punt returners in the country, averaging 16.9 yards per return and taking four to the house for scores. The Hogs were just as dangerous on kickoffs, as Dennis Johnson and Marquel Wade both returned kicks for touchdowns and ranked in the top five in the SEC in return average. Zach Hocker hit 21-of-27 kicks and led all kickers by averaging 9.1 points per game. Dylan Breeding led the SEC in punting (45.3) and downed 16 inside the 20. Arkansas was one of the best in the SEC in kickoff coverage, but did allow two punt returns to go for scores in the two biggest games of the season.
3. Auburn: Auburn had Onterio McCalebb and Tre Mason take kickoffs back for touchdowns, as the Tigers led the SEC in kickoff return average (24.7) and also in kickoff coverage. Auburn wasn't great returning punts, but punter Steven Clark was a Ray Guy Award finalist and pinned 33 punts inside the 20. Cody Parkey ranked sixth in the league in field-goal kicking, connecting on 13-of-18 kicks (72.2).
4. Florida: Even without Urban Meyer running the show, the Gators were still pretty successful in this department. Florida was first in the SEC and tied for sixth nationally with six blocked kicks. Two punt blocks went for touchdowns. Caleb Sturgis was a Lou Groza Award finalist, hitting 22-of-26 field goals, including three from 50-plus yards. Florida was also solid in kickoff coverage and got kickoff touchdowns of their own from Andre Debose, who was third in the league in return average, and Jeff Demps. Florida averaged 7.2 yards per punt return and averaged 39.8 yards per punt.
5. Ole Miss: If not for special teams, Ole Miss would have been even worse in 2011. Tyler Campbell averaged 43.6 yards per punt on his 72 attempts and pinned 28 inside the 20. The Rebels also had two different players -- Nickolas Brassell and Jeff Scott -- return punts for touchdowns and Ole Miss was near the top of the league in kickoff coverage and had a net punting average of 38 yards. Bryson Rose also hit nine of his 11 field-goal attempts.
6. Vanderbilt: It was a mixed bag for the Commodores when it came to special teams. Vanderbilt was second in the league in opponent punt return average (3.9), but allowed a touchdown, and gave up another touchdown on kickoff coverage. Vanderbilt also blocked two kicks. Missed field goals haunted Vanderbilt, as the Commodores missed two in the six-point loss to Tennessee and one at the end of regulation in a three-point loss to Arkansas. Andre Hal logged a kickoff touchdown, but Vandy was 11th in the league in punt return average.
7. Alabama: Before the national championship game, Alabama's field-goal kicking game received a ton of criticism, especially for the four misses in the 9-6 loss to LSU. But Jeremy Shelley redeemed the unit by hitting 5-of-7 in the rematch. Alabama's kickers missed 13 kicks. Marquis Maze only had 12 kickoff returns, but averaged 28.5 yards per return, was third in the SEC in punt return average (13.2) and had that nifty touchdown against Arkansas. However, Alabama was 11th in the league in kickoff coverage and 10th in punt average.
8. Kentucky: Punter Ryan Tydlacka was fourth in the league in punting (43.6), had 20 punts of 50-plus yards and had 19 of his punts downed inside the 20. Craig McIntosh connected on 12-of-14 field-goal attempts (.857). Kentucky was in the middle of the pack in kickoff coverage. The Wildcats weren't so good at returning kicks, ranking 11th in the SEC in kickoff returns and last in punt returns, averaging 1.8 yards per return.
9. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs were last in the league in kickoff returns and were the only team to average fewer than 20 yards a return. The Bulldogs were better on punts, getting touchdowns from Chad Bumphis and Johnthan Banks, and ranked fifth in the league in punt return average. Punter Baker Swedenburg ranked seventh in punting and pinned 19 punts inside the 20. Derek DePasquale hit 12-of-18 field goals.
10. Tennessee: The Vols didn't record any special teams touchdowns, but were fifth in the league in kickoff returns and seventh in punt returns. As far as defending returns, Tennessee allowed just 18.1 yards per return, but was 10th in punt return coverage and gave up a touchdown. Michael Palardy hit of nine of his 14 field-goal attempts and punter Matt Darr was 10th in the SEC in punt average (38.1).
11. South Carolina: The Gamecocks struggled in the kicking game, but did have a bright spot in Ace Sanders recording a touchdown on a punt return and South Carolina blocked two kicks. However, South Carolina was seventh and eighth in the SEC in kickoff and punt returns, respectively. South Carolina was last in kickoff coverage and gave up a touchdown. Jay Wooten missed four field goals and three extra points, while punter Joey Scribner-Howard was ninth in the SEC in punting, averaging 38.9 yards per punt.
12. Georgia: Outside of Brandon Boykin's 92-yard touchdown return in the Outback Bowl, his 22.4-yard average on kick returns and Drew Butler's 44.2 yards per punt, Georgia didn't do much at all on special teams. The group that was supposed to be first in the league allowed two kickoffs and punts to go for touchdowns and allowed a fake punt for a touchdown against South Carolina. Blair Walsh entered the season as one of the nation's top kickers, but hit just 21-of-35 kicks, including missing two in overtime in the bowl loss to Michigan State.
Fortunately, there are other aspects of special teams that involve more exciting plays, like returns that can change the dynamic of a game or are just really easy on the eyes (just take a look at what Joe Adams did to Tennessee last fall).
You can see how we ranked the SEC's special teams units before the season here.
Here are our final rankings:
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AP Photo/John BazemoreTyrann Mathieu's punt return for a touchdown against Georgia turned the momentum in the game.
AP Photo/John BazemoreTyrann Mathieu's punt return for a touchdown against Georgia turned the momentum in the game.2. Arkansas: Adams was one of the best punt returners in the country, averaging 16.9 yards per return and taking four to the house for scores. The Hogs were just as dangerous on kickoffs, as Dennis Johnson and Marquel Wade both returned kicks for touchdowns and ranked in the top five in the SEC in return average. Zach Hocker hit 21-of-27 kicks and led all kickers by averaging 9.1 points per game. Dylan Breeding led the SEC in punting (45.3) and downed 16 inside the 20. Arkansas was one of the best in the SEC in kickoff coverage, but did allow two punt returns to go for scores in the two biggest games of the season.
3. Auburn: Auburn had Onterio McCalebb and Tre Mason take kickoffs back for touchdowns, as the Tigers led the SEC in kickoff return average (24.7) and also in kickoff coverage. Auburn wasn't great returning punts, but punter Steven Clark was a Ray Guy Award finalist and pinned 33 punts inside the 20. Cody Parkey ranked sixth in the league in field-goal kicking, connecting on 13-of-18 kicks (72.2).
4. Florida: Even without Urban Meyer running the show, the Gators were still pretty successful in this department. Florida was first in the SEC and tied for sixth nationally with six blocked kicks. Two punt blocks went for touchdowns. Caleb Sturgis was a Lou Groza Award finalist, hitting 22-of-26 field goals, including three from 50-plus yards. Florida was also solid in kickoff coverage and got kickoff touchdowns of their own from Andre Debose, who was third in the league in return average, and Jeff Demps. Florida averaged 7.2 yards per punt return and averaged 39.8 yards per punt.
5. Ole Miss: If not for special teams, Ole Miss would have been even worse in 2011. Tyler Campbell averaged 43.6 yards per punt on his 72 attempts and pinned 28 inside the 20. The Rebels also had two different players -- Nickolas Brassell and Jeff Scott -- return punts for touchdowns and Ole Miss was near the top of the league in kickoff coverage and had a net punting average of 38 yards. Bryson Rose also hit nine of his 11 field-goal attempts.
6. Vanderbilt: It was a mixed bag for the Commodores when it came to special teams. Vanderbilt was second in the league in opponent punt return average (3.9), but allowed a touchdown, and gave up another touchdown on kickoff coverage. Vanderbilt also blocked two kicks. Missed field goals haunted Vanderbilt, as the Commodores missed two in the six-point loss to Tennessee and one at the end of regulation in a three-point loss to Arkansas. Andre Hal logged a kickoff touchdown, but Vandy was 11th in the league in punt return average.
7. Alabama: Before the national championship game, Alabama's field-goal kicking game received a ton of criticism, especially for the four misses in the 9-6 loss to LSU. But Jeremy Shelley redeemed the unit by hitting 5-of-7 in the rematch. Alabama's kickers missed 13 kicks. Marquis Maze only had 12 kickoff returns, but averaged 28.5 yards per return, was third in the SEC in punt return average (13.2) and had that nifty touchdown against Arkansas. However, Alabama was 11th in the league in kickoff coverage and 10th in punt average.
8. Kentucky: Punter Ryan Tydlacka was fourth in the league in punting (43.6), had 20 punts of 50-plus yards and had 19 of his punts downed inside the 20. Craig McIntosh connected on 12-of-14 field-goal attempts (.857). Kentucky was in the middle of the pack in kickoff coverage. The Wildcats weren't so good at returning kicks, ranking 11th in the SEC in kickoff returns and last in punt returns, averaging 1.8 yards per return.
9. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs were last in the league in kickoff returns and were the only team to average fewer than 20 yards a return. The Bulldogs were better on punts, getting touchdowns from Chad Bumphis and Johnthan Banks, and ranked fifth in the league in punt return average. Punter Baker Swedenburg ranked seventh in punting and pinned 19 punts inside the 20. Derek DePasquale hit 12-of-18 field goals.
10. Tennessee: The Vols didn't record any special teams touchdowns, but were fifth in the league in kickoff returns and seventh in punt returns. As far as defending returns, Tennessee allowed just 18.1 yards per return, but was 10th in punt return coverage and gave up a touchdown. Michael Palardy hit of nine of his 14 field-goal attempts and punter Matt Darr was 10th in the SEC in punt average (38.1).
11. South Carolina: The Gamecocks struggled in the kicking game, but did have a bright spot in Ace Sanders recording a touchdown on a punt return and South Carolina blocked two kicks. However, South Carolina was seventh and eighth in the SEC in kickoff and punt returns, respectively. South Carolina was last in kickoff coverage and gave up a touchdown. Jay Wooten missed four field goals and three extra points, while punter Joey Scribner-Howard was ninth in the SEC in punting, averaging 38.9 yards per punt.
12. Georgia: Outside of Brandon Boykin's 92-yard touchdown return in the Outback Bowl, his 22.4-yard average on kick returns and Drew Butler's 44.2 yards per punt, Georgia didn't do much at all on special teams. The group that was supposed to be first in the league allowed two kickoffs and punts to go for touchdowns and allowed a fake punt for a touchdown against South Carolina. Blair Walsh entered the season as one of the nation's top kickers, but hit just 21-of-35 kicks, including missing two in overtime in the bowl loss to Michigan State.
SEC postseason position rankings: RBs
February, 2, 2012
Feb 2
3:15
PM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
Now that national signing day is behind us, we'll continue our look back at each position in the SEC. Today, we're ranking the league's running back units:
1. Alabama: Not only did Alabama lead the SEC in rushing (214.5 yards per game) but Alabama's running game led the league with an average of 5.1 yards per carry against SEC teams. Alabama also had the Doak Walker Award winner in Trent Richardson. Projected as a top-10 pick in April's NFL draft, Richardson finished the season with 1,679 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. Backups Eddie Lacy and Jalston Fowler combined for 1,059 yards and 11 touchdowns.
2. LSU: The Tigers used a stable of running backs throughout the year and led the SEC with 200.9 rushing yards per conference game. Michael Ford and Spencer Ware each eclipsed the 700-yard mark, while Kenny Hilliard and Alfred Blue combined for 875 yards. LSU's four regular running backs combined for 30 touchdowns. For 13 games, LSU made its mark on offense by wearing teams out with its running game.
3. Auburn: This group of Tigers might not have gotten a ton of offensive praise this season, but Auburn probably had the best running back duo behind Alabama in Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb. Dyer was the only back other than Richardson to average more than 100 yards rushing against SEC opponents (101.1) and he was second in the league with 1,242 yards. McCalebb put up 641 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
4. South Carolina: The Gamecocks would have been higher on this list if not for the unfortunate season-ending injury Marcus Lattimore suffered in the middle of the year. Lattimore led the SEC in rushing after six games, but was injured a week later, ending the year with 818 yards and 10 touchdowns. Former redshirt candidate Brandon Wilds was a pleasant surprise as he rushed for 486 yards, including gaining 100-plus yards in three of his last five games.
5. Georgia: Like LSU, the Bulldogs used a stable of running backs to get through the season. Freshman Isaiah Crowell led the group and started the season off well, but his play dipped during the second part of the season, as injuries took hold. He was named the SEC's freshman of the year by the Associated Press and gained 850 yards with five touchdowns. Injuries affected Georgia's entire backfield, but the Bulldogs still ranked fifth in the league averaging 169.8 yards in SEC games.
6. Vanderbilt: The Commodores didn't have great depth at running back, but did have an absolute stud in the starting lineup. Zac Stacy came out of nowhere in 2011 to rank third in the SEC with 1,193 yards and second with 14 touchdowns. Freshman Jerron Seymour added 268 yards and five touchdowns.
7. Florida: The Gators had two of the fastest running backs in the country in their backfield in Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps. Both excelled in space and both ranked in the top 10 in rushing during conference play, as they each averaged more than 59 yards a game and combined for 872 yards. They combined for 1,430 yards, but didn't create a power running game as Florida ranked eighth in the league in rushing.
8. Mississippi State: Vick Ballard had a tremendous season for Bulldogs, rushing for 1,189 and 10 touchdowns in 2011. But the Bulldogs scored just seven rushing touchdowns in SEC play and averaged 131.1 yards per SEC game, ranking ninth in the league. LaDarius Perkins was second on the team with 422 yards and Mississippi State averaged just 3.4 yards per carry against conference teams.
9. Arkansas: The Razorbacks took a major hit when Knile Davis missed the season with an ankle injury. There was depth, but it took a while before Dennis Johnson finally emerged as Arkansas' top back. He finished the season with just 670 yards and three touchdowns. Ronnie Wingo Jr. was second with 458 yards and three scores, as Arkansas ranked ninth overall in rushing in the SEC and seventh in conference play. As a whole, inconsistency plagued Arkansas' backfield.
10. Ole Miss: Houston Nutt prided himself on running the ball, but Ole Miss failed to do it well in 2011. Brandon Bolden's ankle injury at the beginning of the season didn't help. Speedster Jeff Scott received the bulk of the carries, but never really provided a consistent spark and bruiser Enrique Davis was a no-show for most of the year. The Rebels were 10th in the SEC in rushing and their running backs scored just three rushing touchdowns against SEC opponents.
11. Tennessee: If not for Tauren Poole, the Vols would have been dead last on our list. Tennessee was awful running the ball, but Poole gained 693 rushing yards and five touchdowns. However, Tennessee ranked 116th nationally in rushing and last in the SEC, averaging 90.1 yards per game and averaged just 63.5 against conference opponents. Tennessee running backs scored just 11 rushing touchdowns.
12. Kentucky: As a whole, the Wildcats' numbers were better than Tennessee's. They were 11th in the league in rushing and averaged nearly 40 more rushing yards in conference games, but injuries ravaged this group. Freshmen Josh Clemons looked like he might have a solid season before a knee injury cost him the second half of the season. Raymond Sanders was supposed to be the guy, but played just six games. CoShik Williams ended up being Kentucky's leading rusher, with 486 yards.
1. Alabama: Not only did Alabama lead the SEC in rushing (214.5 yards per game) but Alabama's running game led the league with an average of 5.1 yards per carry against SEC teams. Alabama also had the Doak Walker Award winner in Trent Richardson. Projected as a top-10 pick in April's NFL draft, Richardson finished the season with 1,679 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. Backups Eddie Lacy and Jalston Fowler combined for 1,059 yards and 11 touchdowns.
2. LSU: The Tigers used a stable of running backs throughout the year and led the SEC with 200.9 rushing yards per conference game. Michael Ford and Spencer Ware each eclipsed the 700-yard mark, while Kenny Hilliard and Alfred Blue combined for 875 yards. LSU's four regular running backs combined for 30 touchdowns. For 13 games, LSU made its mark on offense by wearing teams out with its running game.
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Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesAuburn's Michael Dyer was one of two SEC running backs to average over 100 rushing yards in league games. The other? Heisman finalist Trent Richardson.
Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesAuburn's Michael Dyer was one of two SEC running backs to average over 100 rushing yards in league games. The other? Heisman finalist Trent Richardson.4. South Carolina: The Gamecocks would have been higher on this list if not for the unfortunate season-ending injury Marcus Lattimore suffered in the middle of the year. Lattimore led the SEC in rushing after six games, but was injured a week later, ending the year with 818 yards and 10 touchdowns. Former redshirt candidate Brandon Wilds was a pleasant surprise as he rushed for 486 yards, including gaining 100-plus yards in three of his last five games.
5. Georgia: Like LSU, the Bulldogs used a stable of running backs to get through the season. Freshman Isaiah Crowell led the group and started the season off well, but his play dipped during the second part of the season, as injuries took hold. He was named the SEC's freshman of the year by the Associated Press and gained 850 yards with five touchdowns. Injuries affected Georgia's entire backfield, but the Bulldogs still ranked fifth in the league averaging 169.8 yards in SEC games.
6. Vanderbilt: The Commodores didn't have great depth at running back, but did have an absolute stud in the starting lineup. Zac Stacy came out of nowhere in 2011 to rank third in the SEC with 1,193 yards and second with 14 touchdowns. Freshman Jerron Seymour added 268 yards and five touchdowns.
7. Florida: The Gators had two of the fastest running backs in the country in their backfield in Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps. Both excelled in space and both ranked in the top 10 in rushing during conference play, as they each averaged more than 59 yards a game and combined for 872 yards. They combined for 1,430 yards, but didn't create a power running game as Florida ranked eighth in the league in rushing.
8. Mississippi State: Vick Ballard had a tremendous season for Bulldogs, rushing for 1,189 and 10 touchdowns in 2011. But the Bulldogs scored just seven rushing touchdowns in SEC play and averaged 131.1 yards per SEC game, ranking ninth in the league. LaDarius Perkins was second on the team with 422 yards and Mississippi State averaged just 3.4 yards per carry against conference teams.
9. Arkansas: The Razorbacks took a major hit when Knile Davis missed the season with an ankle injury. There was depth, but it took a while before Dennis Johnson finally emerged as Arkansas' top back. He finished the season with just 670 yards and three touchdowns. Ronnie Wingo Jr. was second with 458 yards and three scores, as Arkansas ranked ninth overall in rushing in the SEC and seventh in conference play. As a whole, inconsistency plagued Arkansas' backfield.
10. Ole Miss: Houston Nutt prided himself on running the ball, but Ole Miss failed to do it well in 2011. Brandon Bolden's ankle injury at the beginning of the season didn't help. Speedster Jeff Scott received the bulk of the carries, but never really provided a consistent spark and bruiser Enrique Davis was a no-show for most of the year. The Rebels were 10th in the SEC in rushing and their running backs scored just three rushing touchdowns against SEC opponents.
11. Tennessee: If not for Tauren Poole, the Vols would have been dead last on our list. Tennessee was awful running the ball, but Poole gained 693 rushing yards and five touchdowns. However, Tennessee ranked 116th nationally in rushing and last in the SEC, averaging 90.1 yards per game and averaged just 63.5 against conference opponents. Tennessee running backs scored just 11 rushing touchdowns.
12. Kentucky: As a whole, the Wildcats' numbers were better than Tennessee's. They were 11th in the league in rushing and averaged nearly 40 more rushing yards in conference games, but injuries ravaged this group. Freshmen Josh Clemons looked like he might have a solid season before a knee injury cost him the second half of the season. Raymond Sanders was supposed to be the guy, but played just six games. CoShik Williams ended up being Kentucky's leading rusher, with 486 yards.
Fullback Jay Prosch transferring to Auburn
January, 18, 2012
Jan 18
1:25
PM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
Auburn is adding some bulk to its 2012 roster.
Wednesday, Illinois fullback Jay Prosch announced that he is transferring to Auburn to be closer to his ailing mother.
The 6-foot-1, 250-pound sophomore is from Mobile, Ala., and his mother, Iris, was diagnosed with brain cancer last spring and has been receiving treatments both in Mobile and at Duke University.
"Jay Prosch has decided to transfer to Auburn and will be there for the current semester," Illinois coach Tim Beckman said in a statement. "He will have an opportunity to be much closer to his mother, who continues to face health issues. We wish Jay the best as he makes this move."
Prosch will likely keep his role as a lead blocker once he is in Auburn's offense, though he could be used as a short-yardage receiving threat as well.
Prosch's role could even be similar to tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen, who was a very reliable red zone threat for the Tigers in 2011, recording a team-high seven touchdown catches.
Wednesday, Illinois fullback Jay Prosch announced that he is transferring to Auburn to be closer to his ailing mother.
The 6-foot-1, 250-pound sophomore is from Mobile, Ala., and his mother, Iris, was diagnosed with brain cancer last spring and has been receiving treatments both in Mobile and at Duke University.
"Jay Prosch has decided to transfer to Auburn and will be there for the current semester," Illinois coach Tim Beckman said in a statement. "He will have an opportunity to be much closer to his mother, who continues to face health issues. We wish Jay the best as he makes this move."
Prosch will likely keep his role as a lead blocker once he is in Auburn's offense, though he could be used as a short-yardage receiving threat as well.
Prosch's role could even be similar to tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen, who was a very reliable red zone threat for the Tigers in 2011, recording a team-high seven touchdown catches.
The 2011 SEC All-Bowl team
January, 13, 2012
Jan 13
11:00
AM ET
By
Chris Low and
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
We're taking one last look at the SEC's postseason by putting together our All-SEC bowl team:
OFFENSE
QB: Connor Shaw, South Carolina: Shaw didn't seem to feel the pressure of a bowl game, completing 11 of 17 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 42 yards and another score in the Gamecocks' win against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl. He even gave South Carolina the momentum going into the second half with a touchdown on a Hail Mary to end the first half.
RB: Vick Ballard, Mississippi State: Ballard ended his career with the Bulldogs with one of his best performances, as he rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries in Mississippi State's win against Wake Forest in the Music City Bowl. His touchdowns went for 72 and 60 yards.
RB: Onterio McCalebb, Auburn: As the Tigers' lead back in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, McCalebb had a game-high 109 rushing yards, including a long of 60. He also recorded a three-yard touchdown run and caught two passes for 53 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown in Auburn's win against Virginia.
WR: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina: Jeffery's day would have been even better if he hadn't been ejected. However, he still caught four passes for a game-high 148 yards and snagged Shaw's Hail Mary touchdown pass at the end of the first half. He also had a 78-yard reception.
WR: Tavarres King, Georgia: King tried his best to get Georgia a victory in the Outback Bowl against Michigan State. He was Aaron Murray's best friend, catching six passes for a career-high 205 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown pass that at one point stood as the longest play in Outback Bowl history.
TE: Brad Smelley, Alabama: The Crimson Tide got its passing game going with Smelley in Monday's Allstate BCS National Championship win against LSU. He was AJ McCarron's safety net when plays broke down, and the young quarterback also used Smelley on rollouts. Smelley finished the game with seven catches for 39 yards.
OL: Barrett Jones, Alabama: Behind one of the most versatile linemen in the entire country, Alabama's line held back LSU's defensive front for most of Monday night's game. Alabama ran for 150 yards against LSU's vaunted defense. He also kept McCarron safe, as the youngster was sacked only twice while throwing for 234 yards.
OL: Alvin Bailey, Arkansas: He just keeps looking better and better for the Razorbacks. In Arkansas' AT&T Cotton Bowl victory against Kansas State, he helped Arkansas churn out 129 rushing yards on 4.3 yards per carry and helped give quarterback Tyler Wilson enough time to pass for 216 yards and two touchdowns.
OL: Kyle Nunn, South Carolina: The Gamecocks' offensive line gave up four sacks to Nebraska, but Shaw was still able to throw for 230 yards and two touchdowns. With Nunn's help, the Gamecocks also rushed for 121 yards against the Cornhuskers.
OL: Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State: Ballard's outstanding performance for the Bulldogs wouldn't have been possible if not for some solid line play. Jackson had one of his best outings, as he helped Mississippi State rush for 253 yards and pass for another 129. Mississippi State gave up just one sack to Wake Forest.
C: William Vlachos, Alabama: Vlachos had his hands full with the interior of LSU's defensive line, but he more than held his own. He battled all night with LSU's Michael Brockers and allowed him to assist on just one tackle for loss. He provided a ton of protection in the passing game and helped Alabama rush for 150 yards on LSU's defense.
DEFENSE
DE: Jake Bequette, Arkansas: Bequette said before Arkansas' bowl game that the Hogs' defense needed to make a statement. Bequette certainly made a few in his final game with the Razorbacks, registering two sacks, forcing a fumble and totaling three tackles.
DE: Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina: The freshman put a nice bow on his first season with the Gamecocks. He put a ton of pressure on Nebraska's backfield with two sacks for a loss of 13 yards and finished the game with four tackles.
DT: Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State: Cox wanted to make a lasting impression in his final game with the Bulldogs, and he certainly did by disrupting Wake Forest's offensive line in the Music City Bowl. He finished the game with seven tackles, including two for loss and a sack, and blocked his fifth career kick, which is a Mississippi State record.
DT: Michael Brockers, LSU: Brockers had a tough time with Vlachos in the middle, but that didn't stop him from making plays. He did a tremendous job of clogging holes in the middle for the Tigers and finished the game with seven tackles, assisting on one for loss, and blocked a field goal attempt.
LB: Courtney Upshaw, Alabama: It came as no surprise that Upshaw was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game. He was nearly unblockable for LSU on Monday night. He put immense pressure on LSU's backfield and finished the game with six tackles, including a sack.
LB: Archibald Barnes, Vanderbilt: Barnes was a true rover for Vanderbilt against Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl. He had a game-high 10 tackles, assisting on one for a loss, and blocked a field goal attempt in the fourth quarter that gave Vandy some life late.
LB: Alec Ogletree, Georgia: Georgia might not have come up with the win in the Outback Bowl, but it wasn't because of how Ogletree played. He was all over the field for the Bulldogs, grabbing a game-high 13 tackles, including two for loss, breaking up two passes and getting a sack.
CB: Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt: Yet again, Hayward was tremendous in coverage for the Commodores. He grabbed two interceptions and broke up another pass. He was also second on the team with eight tackles, including one for loss. Cincinnati threw for just 80 yards against the Commodores.
CB: Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina: Gilmore ended his South Carolina career on a high note. He recorded five tackles, including one for loss, and an interception. He also returned a blocked extra point for South Carolina's first points of the game. Nebraska threw for just 116 yards on the Gamecocks' secondary.
S: Mark Barron, Alabama: Barron recorded just two tackles, including a sack, but he was outstanding in coverage. He roamed the back part of the field for the Crimson Tide and didn't allow LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson to stretch the field at all because of his positioning. Jefferson threw for just 53 yards on Alabama.
S: Matt Elam, Florida: Elam was Florida's most consistent player during the regular season, and he was all over the field for the Gators in the Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl against Ohio State. He finished the game with six tackles, two for loss and a sack.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK: Jeremy Shelley, Alabama: Talk about redeeming the position that spoiled Alabama's first game against LSU. Shelley hit five of his seven field goal attempts against the Tigers and even rebounded to hit four of his final five after having his second attempt blocked in the second quarter.
P: Dylan Breeding, Arkansas: He punted four times for an average of 46.8 yards per kick. He had a long of 63 yards and dropped two inside the 20-yard line against Kansas State.
RS: Joe Adams, Arkansas: Surprise, surprise, Adams made another special teams unit look silly. Against Kansas State in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, Adams got things started for the Hogs with a nifty 51-yard punt return for a touchdown. His return sparked a 16-point second quarter for the Hogs.
AP: Brandon Boykin, Georgia: Boykin found a way to put points on the board three different ways in the Outback Bowl. He forced a safety when he stuffed Michigan State's Keshawn Martin on the Spartans' first offensive play, returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown and caught a 13-yard touchdown late. His punt return was the longest play in Outback Bowl history.
OFFENSE
QB: Connor Shaw, South Carolina: Shaw didn't seem to feel the pressure of a bowl game, completing 11 of 17 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 42 yards and another score in the Gamecocks' win against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl. He even gave South Carolina the momentum going into the second half with a touchdown on a Hail Mary to end the first half.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Mark HumphreyMississippi State's Vick Ballard rushed for 180 yards against Wake Forest in the Music City Bowl.
AP Photo/Mark HumphreyMississippi State's Vick Ballard rushed for 180 yards against Wake Forest in the Music City Bowl.RB: Onterio McCalebb, Auburn: As the Tigers' lead back in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, McCalebb had a game-high 109 rushing yards, including a long of 60. He also recorded a three-yard touchdown run and caught two passes for 53 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown in Auburn's win against Virginia.
WR: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina: Jeffery's day would have been even better if he hadn't been ejected. However, he still caught four passes for a game-high 148 yards and snagged Shaw's Hail Mary touchdown pass at the end of the first half. He also had a 78-yard reception.
WR: Tavarres King, Georgia: King tried his best to get Georgia a victory in the Outback Bowl against Michigan State. He was Aaron Murray's best friend, catching six passes for a career-high 205 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown pass that at one point stood as the longest play in Outback Bowl history.
TE: Brad Smelley, Alabama: The Crimson Tide got its passing game going with Smelley in Monday's Allstate BCS National Championship win against LSU. He was AJ McCarron's safety net when plays broke down, and the young quarterback also used Smelley on rollouts. Smelley finished the game with seven catches for 39 yards.
OL: Barrett Jones, Alabama: Behind one of the most versatile linemen in the entire country, Alabama's line held back LSU's defensive front for most of Monday night's game. Alabama ran for 150 yards against LSU's vaunted defense. He also kept McCarron safe, as the youngster was sacked only twice while throwing for 234 yards.
OL: Alvin Bailey, Arkansas: He just keeps looking better and better for the Razorbacks. In Arkansas' AT&T Cotton Bowl victory against Kansas State, he helped Arkansas churn out 129 rushing yards on 4.3 yards per carry and helped give quarterback Tyler Wilson enough time to pass for 216 yards and two touchdowns.
OL: Kyle Nunn, South Carolina: The Gamecocks' offensive line gave up four sacks to Nebraska, but Shaw was still able to throw for 230 yards and two touchdowns. With Nunn's help, the Gamecocks also rushed for 121 yards against the Cornhuskers.
OL: Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State: Ballard's outstanding performance for the Bulldogs wouldn't have been possible if not for some solid line play. Jackson had one of his best outings, as he helped Mississippi State rush for 253 yards and pass for another 129. Mississippi State gave up just one sack to Wake Forest.
C: William Vlachos, Alabama: Vlachos had his hands full with the interior of LSU's defensive line, but he more than held his own. He battled all night with LSU's Michael Brockers and allowed him to assist on just one tackle for loss. He provided a ton of protection in the passing game and helped Alabama rush for 150 yards on LSU's defense.
DEFENSE
DE: Jake Bequette, Arkansas: Bequette said before Arkansas' bowl game that the Hogs' defense needed to make a statement. Bequette certainly made a few in his final game with the Razorbacks, registering two sacks, forcing a fumble and totaling three tackles.
DE: Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina: The freshman put a nice bow on his first season with the Gamecocks. He put a ton of pressure on Nebraska's backfield with two sacks for a loss of 13 yards and finished the game with four tackles.
DT: Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State: Cox wanted to make a lasting impression in his final game with the Bulldogs, and he certainly did by disrupting Wake Forest's offensive line in the Music City Bowl. He finished the game with seven tackles, including two for loss and a sack, and blocked his fifth career kick, which is a Mississippi State record.
DT: Michael Brockers, LSU: Brockers had a tough time with Vlachos in the middle, but that didn't stop him from making plays. He did a tremendous job of clogging holes in the middle for the Tigers and finished the game with seven tackles, assisting on one for loss, and blocked a field goal attempt.
LB: Courtney Upshaw, Alabama: It came as no surprise that Upshaw was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game. He was nearly unblockable for LSU on Monday night. He put immense pressure on LSU's backfield and finished the game with six tackles, including a sack.
LB: Archibald Barnes, Vanderbilt: Barnes was a true rover for Vanderbilt against Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl. He had a game-high 10 tackles, assisting on one for a loss, and blocked a field goal attempt in the fourth quarter that gave Vandy some life late.
LB: Alec Ogletree, Georgia: Georgia might not have come up with the win in the Outback Bowl, but it wasn't because of how Ogletree played. He was all over the field for the Bulldogs, grabbing a game-high 13 tackles, including two for loss, breaking up two passes and getting a sack.
CB: Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt: Yet again, Hayward was tremendous in coverage for the Commodores. He grabbed two interceptions and broke up another pass. He was also second on the team with eight tackles, including one for loss. Cincinnati threw for just 80 yards against the Commodores.
CB: Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina: Gilmore ended his South Carolina career on a high note. He recorded five tackles, including one for loss, and an interception. He also returned a blocked extra point for South Carolina's first points of the game. Nebraska threw for just 116 yards on the Gamecocks' secondary.
S: Mark Barron, Alabama: Barron recorded just two tackles, including a sack, but he was outstanding in coverage. He roamed the back part of the field for the Crimson Tide and didn't allow LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson to stretch the field at all because of his positioning. Jefferson threw for just 53 yards on Alabama.
S: Matt Elam, Florida: Elam was Florida's most consistent player during the regular season, and he was all over the field for the Gators in the Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl against Ohio State. He finished the game with six tackles, two for loss and a sack.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK: Jeremy Shelley, Alabama: Talk about redeeming the position that spoiled Alabama's first game against LSU. Shelley hit five of his seven field goal attempts against the Tigers and even rebounded to hit four of his final five after having his second attempt blocked in the second quarter.
P: Dylan Breeding, Arkansas: He punted four times for an average of 46.8 yards per kick. He had a long of 63 yards and dropped two inside the 20-yard line against Kansas State.
RS: Joe Adams, Arkansas: Surprise, surprise, Adams made another special teams unit look silly. Against Kansas State in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, Adams got things started for the Hogs with a nifty 51-yard punt return for a touchdown. His return sparked a 16-point second quarter for the Hogs.
AP: Brandon Boykin, Georgia: Boykin found a way to put points on the board three different ways in the Outback Bowl. He forced a safety when he stuffed Michigan State's Keshawn Martin on the Spartans' first offensive play, returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown and caught a 13-yard touchdown late. His punt return was the longest play in Outback Bowl history.
The SEC still has three bowl teams left, but we're going to take a look at some players who have already seen their seasons come to an end.
It was a fun weekend of football and a good weekend for the SEC. The conference went 4-2, with Georgia and Vanderbilt being the only teams to come up short.
With those games came some pretty good performances from players.
Here are some top performers:
It was a fun weekend of football and a good weekend for the SEC. The conference went 4-2, with Georgia and Vanderbilt being the only teams to come up short.
With those games came some pretty good performances from players.
Here are some top performers:
- Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State: He saved one of his best performances for last, as he rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries. His touchdowns went for 60 and 72 yards.
- Archibald Barnes, LB, Vanderbilt: He was all over the field for the Commodores, leading the Liberty Bowl with 10 total tackles. He also blocked a field goal in the fourth quarter that gave Vandy some life late.
- Emory Blake, WR, Auburn: Blake made his day in the Georgia Dome look easy as he caught six passes for 108 yards in the win over Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
- Jon Bostic, LB, Florida: He was one of the most active players on defense this past weekend, recording eight tackles, including four for loss.
- Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia: In his final game as a Bulldog, Boykin found a way to put points on the board three different ways in the Outback Bowl. First, he forced a safety when he stuffed Michigan State's Keshawn Martin on the Spartans' first offensive play. He then returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown and caught a 13-yard touchdown late. His punt return was the longest play in Outback Bowl history.
- Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina: The true freshman put a stamp on his first season by recording two sacks for a loss of 13 yards. He finished the Capital One Bowl with four total tackles.
- Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State: Cox made sure he went out with a blast in the Music City Bowl, recording seven tackles, with two coming for loss, had a sack and blocked a field goal.
- Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt: He grabbed eight tackles, including one for loss, and grabbed two interceptions. With his picks, Hayward tied for first in career interceptions at Vanderbilt.
- Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina: If not for his ejection, Jeffery's numbers would have been much better. Still, he caught just four passes for a game-high 148 yards. He snagged Connor Shaw's Hail Mary touchdown pass at the end of the first half and had a 78-yard reception.
- Tavarres King, WR, Georgia: King was almost one of the heroes for Georgia, catching six passes for a career-high 205 yards and had an 80-yard touchdown reception, which was also a career long. Before Boykin's punt return, King's play stood as the longest play in Outback Bowl history.
- Onterio McCalebb, RB, Auburn: Taking over as Auburn's lead back in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, McCalebb had a game-high 109 rushing yards, including a long of 60 yards. He also recorded a 3-yard touchdown run and caught two passes for 53 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown.
- Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia: He was all over the field for the Bulldogs, recording an Outback Bowl-high 13 tackles, including two for loss, broke up two passes and had a sack.
- Chris Rainey, RB, Florida: Rainey ended his Florida career with a great showing against Ohio State in the Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl. He led Florida with 71 rushing yards, had 31 receiving yards and blocked a punt that was scooped up and run in for a touchdown by linebacker Graham Stewart.
- Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina: Shaw didn't let the big stage bother him, as he passed for 230 yards and two touchdowns, including a nifty Hail Mary to end the first half. He also carried the ball for 42 yards and another touchdown.
Instant Analysis: Auburn 43, Virginia 24
December, 31, 2011
12/31/11
11:29
PM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
After falling behind early, Auburn emptied out its playbook on offense and dominated the kicking game to charge past Virginia 43-24 on Saturday night in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Here’s an instant analysis from the game:
How the game was won: Auburn was truly special in special teams, and Virginia was utterly awful. The Tigers blocked two punts -- one leading to a touchdown and another resulting in a safety. They perfectly executed an onside kick to lead to another touchdown, snuffed out a Virginia fake field goal and also returned a free kick 62 yards to set up a field goal. The Tigers, who led 28-17 at the half, also played much better defensively in the second half and held the Cavaliers to 140 total yards after the break.
Turning point: Cody Parkey’s onside kick came right after Auburn had tied the game at 14-14 early in the second quarter. On the second offensive play, Barrett Trotter hit Emory Blake on a 50-yard pass. Three plays later, Kiehl Frazier scored on a 1-yard touchdown plunge to give Auburn the lead for good.
Player of the game: Auburn’s Onterio McCalebb said prior to the game that he wanted to prove to everybody that he could be the go-to running back with Michael Dyer indefinitely suspended. McCalebb delivered for the Tigers with 109 rushing yards on 10 carries and two catches for 53 yards. He ran for a touchdown and also caught a touchdown pass.
Unsung hero: After Auburn starting quarterback Clint Moseley went down with an injury in the second quarter, Trotter came off the bench to throw the ball as well as has all season. He finished 11-of-18 for 175 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. He also scrambled for 32 yards and kept several plays alive.
Stat of the game: Auburn’s 43 points were a season high.
Stat of the game II: Auburn coach Gene Chizik ran his bowl record to 9-0. He’s now 6-0 as an assistant coach in bowl games and 3-0 as a head coach.
Stat of the game III: Auburn (8-5) avoided the dubious distinction of becoming the first defending national champion since Ohio State in 1943 to lose six games.
Best call: Just about everything Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn dialed up. The Tigers ran statue-of-liberty plays, reverses, throwback screens, wrap-around handoffs and halfback passes. Malzahn, who will move on to be the head coach at Arkansas State, went out in style.
Second guessing: In one of several special teams blunders by the Cavaliers, coach Mike London called for a fake field goal in the second quarter with Auburn leading 21-14. The Tigers had all the momentum at the time, and the Cavaliers needed some points. But their fake from the 15-yard line was snuffed out by Auburn’s Chris Davis, and the Tigers answered with a touchdown drive of their own to take a 28-14 lead.
What it means: Auburn heads into the offseason with some momentum, not to mention its third straight season of at least eight wins under Chizik. The finish to the 2011 regular season for the Tigers was anything but memorable, as they were blown out by LSU, Georgia and Alabama. Defensive coordinator Ted Roof left for the same job at UCF. Malzahn took the head coaching job at Arkansas State, and Dyer was indefinitely suspended. But the Tigers overcame the distractions to play one of their most complete games of the season and win their fifth straight bowl game. The Cavaliers (8-5) are still looking for their first bowl win since the 2007 season and will go into the offseason with a sour taste in their mouths. Counting the 38-0 loss to Virginia Tech to end the regular season, they lost their last two by a combined 81-24 margin.
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Auburn vs. Virginia
December, 30, 2011
12/30/11
3:00
PM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
No. 25 Auburn (7-5) makes it back to Atlanta to take on Virginia (8-4) in the Chick-fil-A Bowl Saturday night. Here's a quick preview:
WHO TO WATCH: Auburn sophomore defensive end Corey Lemonier showed how to avoid the sophomore slump this season. Despite the Tigers' defensive troubles, Lemonier was an absolute stud, finishing second in the SEC in sacks with 9.5, getting 8.5 of those in SEC play. He also tied for fifth with 13.5 tackles for loss. Against Virginia, Lemonier will have to be able to generate some pressure in the Cavaliers' backfield to take pressure off the rest of the defense. Virginia isn't great throwing the ball, but the Cavaliers are averaging 232 passing yards per game and are rushing for 165 yards a contest. Getting stops up front will go a long way for Auburn's defense Saturday.
WHAT TO WATCH: With Michael Dyer suspended for the bowl game, Auburn will turn to junior Onterio McCalebb and freshman Tre Mason to carry the rushing load. Dyer was Auburn's top offensive player and was a much more complete back than the others in the Tigers' stable. However, McCalebb and Mason have the talent to be a formidable one-two punch, but Mason is still very inexperienced. Freshman Quan Bray, who has a ton of athleticism, could get some work as well out of the backfield. Awaiting this running game is a Virginia defense that ranks 33rd nationally in rushing defense and is allowing just 3.7 yards per carry.
WHY TO WATCH: Until a winner is crowned between LSU and Alabama, these Tigers are still the defending national champs. On the other side, Virginia was a pleasant surprise in the ACC this season. A year removed from a 4-8 start to his coaching career at Virginia, Mike London guided the Cavaliers to an 8-4 regular season and they were in the mix for the ACC championship game until the final week. These two teams are similar in some ways. They are both young, rotated quarterbacks and had a knack for pulling out close games in 2011. Auburn's Gene Chizik is also pulling double duty as head coach and defensive coordinator, so it'll be interesting to see how the defense plays now after a season where it was near the bottom of the SEC in every statistical category.
PREDICTION: Virginia 31, Auburn 17. Thirty-one points for the Cavaliers is probably a little high, but I'll stay with my original prediction. Both teams are dealing with a youth movement, but Auburn's youngsters hit the wall at the midpoint of the season, while Virginia almost made the ACC title game. I'm not sure Chizik can turn this defense around that quickly and Dyer won't be around. Advantage: Cavaliers.
WHO TO WATCH: Auburn sophomore defensive end Corey Lemonier showed how to avoid the sophomore slump this season. Despite the Tigers' defensive troubles, Lemonier was an absolute stud, finishing second in the SEC in sacks with 9.5, getting 8.5 of those in SEC play. He also tied for fifth with 13.5 tackles for loss. Against Virginia, Lemonier will have to be able to generate some pressure in the Cavaliers' backfield to take pressure off the rest of the defense. Virginia isn't great throwing the ball, but the Cavaliers are averaging 232 passing yards per game and are rushing for 165 yards a contest. Getting stops up front will go a long way for Auburn's defense Saturday.
WHAT TO WATCH: With Michael Dyer suspended for the bowl game, Auburn will turn to junior Onterio McCalebb and freshman Tre Mason to carry the rushing load. Dyer was Auburn's top offensive player and was a much more complete back than the others in the Tigers' stable. However, McCalebb and Mason have the talent to be a formidable one-two punch, but Mason is still very inexperienced. Freshman Quan Bray, who has a ton of athleticism, could get some work as well out of the backfield. Awaiting this running game is a Virginia defense that ranks 33rd nationally in rushing defense and is allowing just 3.7 yards per carry.
WHY TO WATCH: Until a winner is crowned between LSU and Alabama, these Tigers are still the defending national champs. On the other side, Virginia was a pleasant surprise in the ACC this season. A year removed from a 4-8 start to his coaching career at Virginia, Mike London guided the Cavaliers to an 8-4 regular season and they were in the mix for the ACC championship game until the final week. These two teams are similar in some ways. They are both young, rotated quarterbacks and had a knack for pulling out close games in 2011. Auburn's Gene Chizik is also pulling double duty as head coach and defensive coordinator, so it'll be interesting to see how the defense plays now after a season where it was near the bottom of the SEC in every statistical category.
PREDICTION: Virginia 31, Auburn 17. Thirty-one points for the Cavaliers is probably a little high, but I'll stay with my original prediction. Both teams are dealing with a youth movement, but Auburn's youngsters hit the wall at the midpoint of the season, while Virginia almost made the ACC title game. I'm not sure Chizik can turn this defense around that quickly and Dyer won't be around. Advantage: Cavaliers.
Checking out the league with some links.
- Freshman wide receiver DeAnthony Arnett is seeking a release from his scholarship at Tennessee.
- A.J. McCarron's younger brother, Corey McCarron, will transfer from South Alabama to Alabama to walk on to the football team.
- Mississippi State hopes to bulldoze over Wake Forest in the Music City Bowl.
- Charles Goldberg of The Birmingham News fills in the blanks in Auburn's 2012 schedule.
- Several questions still remain with Arkansas' 2012 schedule.
- Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel wonders which team needs a bowl win more: Florida or Florida State?
- Georgia running back Ken Malcome continues his tenacious turnaround for the Bulldogs.
- More Georgia underclassmen are considering making the early jump to the NFL.
- Florida's offense is finally healthy and back up to speed.
- Running backs Onterio McCalebb and Tre Mason are ready for their extended roles in Auburn's offense.
- South Carolina defenders Devin Taylor and Stephon Gilmore are both considering making the jump to the NFL.
- Vanderbilt and Cincinnati players take in Liberty Bowl festivities.
- LSU has been a family affair for senior safety Brandon Taylor.
Players we can't forget about in bowls
December, 27, 2011
12/27/11
2:00
PM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
We know the players everyone will being watching when SEC teams start postseason play.
You have Jordan Jefferson. Everyone wants to see Trent Richardson. People want to know how John Brantley really ends things as a Gator.
But there are a few other players to keep an eye on as well during the heart of bowl season. Here's a look at a player from each SEC participant that we can't forget about this time of year:
ALABAMA
WR Marquis Maze: Alabama didn't generate much of a passing game last time it met LSU's defense, but it'll have to this time around and Maze could be a major player here. He was seventh in the SEC in receiving and caught a game-high six passes during the first game, but also had that devastating interception on a trick play. He's no doubt looking to redeem himself in the national championship.
ARKANSAS
DE Tenarius Wright: The Cotton Bowl figures to be a high-scoring affair with these two offenses going at it. But the best way to stop an offensive train is to get a lot of pressure in the backfield. That's where Wright comes into play. Jake Bequette will be manning one side, with Wright on the other. Wright has been hampered by a broken arm this year, but is all healed up and if he can apply some pressure to Kansas State's backfield it should slow down the Wildcats.
AUBURN
RB Tre Mason: The Tigers lost their best offensive weapon for the Chick-fil-A Bowl when running back Michael Dyer was suspended. Mason will now have the opportunity to help Onterio McCalebb and should get a bunch of carries against a Virginia team that possesses a pretty good run defense. Mason has that big-back mentality and should complement McCalebb well.
FLORIDA
WR Deonte Thompson: This is Thompson's last game in a Florida uniform. With Florida looking for one last offensive spark this season, maybe Thompson can provide that. Thompson caught just 19 passes during the regular season, but he has tremendous speed and has the ability to make one or two last plays for the Gators against Ohio State in the Gator Bowl.
GEORGIA
TE Aron White: He's a player who can sneak up on defenses. With fellow tight end Orson Charles and receiver Malcolm Mitchell getting most of the attention in Georgia's passing game, White can slip right by and make a big play. Michigan State's defense is tough and talented, but it can't forget about someone who had four touchdowns on nine total catches.
LSU
RB Spencer Ware: He's fallen under the radar since his midseason suspension. Running backs designated as backups have had more of an impact for the Tigers in recent weeks, but Ware is still a bruiser and he'll still need to show up against the Crimson Tide. For LSU to pound the ball against Alabama, it will need all of the components of that talented backfield and we could see the Ware of old in New Orleans.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
CB Corey Broomfield: It's been a relatively quiet year for Broomfield. He's recorded a good bit of tackles, but has yet to snag an interception. What a perfect time to come alive for the Bulldogs. There has been more bend in Mississippi State's secondary than most expected this year, but there is still a lot of talent back there. Broomfield has the ability to be a game changer and his coverage skills could be an issue for Wake Forest in the Music City Bowl.
SOUTH CAROLINA
RB Brandon Wilds: He surprised most of us with the way he played after Marcus Lattimore went down. He's certainly not as talented as Lattimore, but he works hard and he has become a major component to the Gamecocks' offense. For this offense to get going against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl, Wilds needs to continue to play with that bulldog-like mentality between the tackles.
VANDERBILT
WR Chris Boyd: The Commodores have a pretty good group of offensive playmakers, but Boyd could end up being really special. As a freshman, he leads Vandy with seven touchdown receptions. Cincinnati will likely key in on running back Zac Stacy and top receiver Jordan Matthews, meaning Boyd could have a big day. The Bearcats will have to monitor both Boyd and Matthews during the Liberty Bowl, which won't be easy.
You have Jordan Jefferson. Everyone wants to see Trent Richardson. People want to know how John Brantley really ends things as a Gator.
But there are a few other players to keep an eye on as well during the heart of bowl season. Here's a look at a player from each SEC participant that we can't forget about this time of year:
ALABAMA
WR Marquis Maze: Alabama didn't generate much of a passing game last time it met LSU's defense, but it'll have to this time around and Maze could be a major player here. He was seventh in the SEC in receiving and caught a game-high six passes during the first game, but also had that devastating interception on a trick play. He's no doubt looking to redeem himself in the national championship.
ARKANSAS
DE Tenarius Wright: The Cotton Bowl figures to be a high-scoring affair with these two offenses going at it. But the best way to stop an offensive train is to get a lot of pressure in the backfield. That's where Wright comes into play. Jake Bequette will be manning one side, with Wright on the other. Wright has been hampered by a broken arm this year, but is all healed up and if he can apply some pressure to Kansas State's backfield it should slow down the Wildcats.
AUBURN
RB Tre Mason: The Tigers lost their best offensive weapon for the Chick-fil-A Bowl when running back Michael Dyer was suspended. Mason will now have the opportunity to help Onterio McCalebb and should get a bunch of carries against a Virginia team that possesses a pretty good run defense. Mason has that big-back mentality and should complement McCalebb well.
FLORIDA
WR Deonte Thompson: This is Thompson's last game in a Florida uniform. With Florida looking for one last offensive spark this season, maybe Thompson can provide that. Thompson caught just 19 passes during the regular season, but he has tremendous speed and has the ability to make one or two last plays for the Gators against Ohio State in the Gator Bowl.
GEORGIA
TE Aron White: He's a player who can sneak up on defenses. With fellow tight end Orson Charles and receiver Malcolm Mitchell getting most of the attention in Georgia's passing game, White can slip right by and make a big play. Michigan State's defense is tough and talented, but it can't forget about someone who had four touchdowns on nine total catches.
LSU
RB Spencer Ware: He's fallen under the radar since his midseason suspension. Running backs designated as backups have had more of an impact for the Tigers in recent weeks, but Ware is still a bruiser and he'll still need to show up against the Crimson Tide. For LSU to pound the ball against Alabama, it will need all of the components of that talented backfield and we could see the Ware of old in New Orleans.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
CB Corey Broomfield: It's been a relatively quiet year for Broomfield. He's recorded a good bit of tackles, but has yet to snag an interception. What a perfect time to come alive for the Bulldogs. There has been more bend in Mississippi State's secondary than most expected this year, but there is still a lot of talent back there. Broomfield has the ability to be a game changer and his coverage skills could be an issue for Wake Forest in the Music City Bowl.
SOUTH CAROLINA
RB Brandon Wilds: He surprised most of us with the way he played after Marcus Lattimore went down. He's certainly not as talented as Lattimore, but he works hard and he has become a major component to the Gamecocks' offense. For this offense to get going against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl, Wilds needs to continue to play with that bulldog-like mentality between the tackles.
VANDERBILT
WR Chris Boyd: The Commodores have a pretty good group of offensive playmakers, but Boyd could end up being really special. As a freshman, he leads Vandy with seven touchdown receptions. Cincinnati will likely key in on running back Zac Stacy and top receiver Jordan Matthews, meaning Boyd could have a big day. The Bearcats will have to monitor both Boyd and Matthews during the Liberty Bowl, which won't be easy.
It’s that time of year when college underclassmen begin to finalize their decisions on whether or not to turn pro.
A year ago, the SEC produced five of the top six selections in the NFL draft, and all five were underclassmen.
The top two prospects in the league this season are again underclassmen -- Alabama running back Trent Richardson and LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne.
Both are projected as top 10 picks and are expected to give up their senior seasons to enter the 2012 NFL draft.
A couple of underclassmen, Alabama offensive tackle D.J. Fluker and Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, have already said publicly that they plan to return to school.
Here’s a sampling of the SEC underclassmen pondering a jump to the NFL. Keep in mind that third-year sophomores are eligible:
ALABAMA
LB Dont’a Hightower
CB Dre Kirkpatrick
RB Trent Richardson
AUBURN
RB Onterio McCalebb
GEORGIA
TE Orson Charles
S Bacarri Rambo
LSU
DT Michael Brockers
CB Morris Claiborne
DE Sam Montgomery
WR Rueben Randle
MISSISSIPPI STATE
DT Fletcher Cox
SOUTH CAROLINA
CB Stephon Gilmore
WR Alshon Jeffery
S D.J. Swearinger
A year ago, the SEC produced five of the top six selections in the NFL draft, and all five were underclassmen.
The top two prospects in the league this season are again underclassmen -- Alabama running back Trent Richardson and LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne.
Both are projected as top 10 picks and are expected to give up their senior seasons to enter the 2012 NFL draft.
A couple of underclassmen, Alabama offensive tackle D.J. Fluker and Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, have already said publicly that they plan to return to school.
Here’s a sampling of the SEC underclassmen pondering a jump to the NFL. Keep in mind that third-year sophomores are eligible:
ALABAMA
LB Dont’a Hightower
CB Dre Kirkpatrick
RB Trent Richardson
AUBURN
RB Onterio McCalebb
GEORGIA
TE Orson Charles
S Bacarri Rambo
LSU
DT Michael Brockers
CB Morris Claiborne
DE Sam Montgomery
WR Rueben Randle
MISSISSIPPI STATE
DT Fletcher Cox
SOUTH CAROLINA
CB Stephon Gilmore
WR Alshon Jeffery
S D.J. Swearinger
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Chris Low
Low joined ESPN.com in 2007 after 10 years with The (Nashville) Tennessean covering the University of Tennessee and SEC. The Rock Hill, S.C., native lives with his wife in Knoxville and has three sons.
Edward Aschoff
Aschoff joined ESPN.com in 2011 after spending four years covering the University of Florida for The Gainesville Sun. He grew up in Oxford, Miss., before attending UF, graduating with a B.S. in journalism.
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