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Earlier this month, South Carolina reeled in its second straight top 20 recruiting class nationally.

But the biggest acquisition this offseason for the Gamecocks may have been who they kept.

Offensive line coach/running game coordinator Shawn Elliott was mentioned in connection with the Gators' offensive line job after Frank Verducci suddenly left the Florida staff.

Elliott had just recently been given a raise of more than $100,000 by South Carolina, taking him to $300,000 annually. There was a chance he could have earned even more money at Florida, although Florida coach Will Muschamp said he never offered Elliott the job nor talked to him about the job.

Either way, it's big on several fronts for South Carolina that Elliott is staying put.

For one, he’s done an excellent job with the Gamecocks’ offensive line and given them some stability up front after Steve Spurrier went through offensive line coaches for a period there the way most of us do socks. This past season was the first time since 2008 that South Carolina had gone into a season with the same offensive line coach two years in a row.

Elliott has also been instrumental in South Carolina’s development of the zone read offense and is a big reason the Gamecocks have run the ball so much better over the last two seasons.

“I’ll tell you what. I hired Shawn Elliott two years ago, and I tell people that he’s the winningest coach in South Carolina history,” Spurrier said. “He’s averaging 10 wins a year.

“He’s been very helpful. He’s the run game coordinator and knows that stuff inside and out. He gives me the running plays during the course of the game and makes a lot of suggestions.”

Spurrier said the fourth-and-6 play near the end of the Nebraska game in the Capital One Bowl was Elliott’s idea.

“We’re on the 40 with about three and a half minutes left, and the TV boys are saying that we’re going to punt it down in there,” Spurrier recounted. “But we had a 10-point lead, and there was no sense in giving them the ball if we didn’t have to. So we got in a funny formation and ran a quarterback sweep. Shawn suggested the play. We didn’t even have it in the game plan.

“Connor (Shaw) came out of there and was running down the field and nobody was within 10 yards of him in either direction at one point. It was sort of neat how wide open that thing popped. That put the game away.”

Elliott’s name also came up for the Coastal Carolina head coaching job following this past season. He’s the kind of coach other programs are going to keep coming after. And sooner or later, he’s going to get an offer he can’t refuse.

Still, it’s refreshing to see a guy remain loyal.

Elliott grew up in Camden, S.C., and used to attend games with his father, Charles, who worked games at Williams-Brice Stadium as a state highway patrolman. Before coming to South Carolina in 2010, Elliott had spent his entire coaching career at Appalachian State.

Now that he’s back home in South Carolina, Elliott is clearly a keeper for the Gamecocks.

Today, we delve deeper into the South Carolina coaching staff.

Coach: Shawn Elliott

Position: Running game coordinator and offensive line

Experience: He's entering his second season on the South Carolina staff. Elliott, 38, had spent his entire coaching career at Appalachian State before coming to South Carolina in 2010. He was the Mountaineers' offensive line coach from 2001-09, and they won three straight national championships from 2005-07. During that same three-year span, Elliott coached three consecutive Southern Conference Jacobs Trophy recipients as the best blocker in the league. After earning his bachelor's degree from Appalachian State in 1996, Elliott worked for two seasons as a defensive assistant and then for two seasons as the Mountaineers' tight ends coach.

Of note: This will be the first time since 2008 that South Carolina has gone into a season with the same offensive line coach two years in a row. Elliott replaced Eric Wolford, who left following the 2009 season to become the head coach at Youngstown State. Wolford replaced John Hunt, who was let go by Steve Spurrier following the 2008 season. ... Elliott brought with him from Appalachian State his version of the zone-read package to the South Carolina offense, a blocking scheme that paved the way for Marcus Lattimore to set a South Carolina freshman rushing record with 1,197 yards. ... The Gamecocks averaged 154.4 rushing yards last season after averaging 112.5 yards over the previous three seasons and never averaging more 121.2 yards on the ground in any of those three seasons. ... Elliott grew up in Camden, S.C., and used to attend games at Williams-Brice Stadium as a kid with his father, Charles, who worked the Gamecocks' home games as a state highway patrolman. ... Elliott played collegiately at Appalachian State and was a co-captain and all-league player as a senior on the Mountaineers' 1995 team that finished 12-1.

His challenge: South Carolina's offensive line play had been a sore subject with Gamecocks fans ever since Steve Spurrier arrived in 2005, but Elliott stepped in last season and added a degree of toughness and consistency that had been missing up front. Of course, it also helps to add a talent like Lattimore to the backfield. The bottom line is that the Gamecocks were much better at running the ball last season and also did a better job of protecting the quarterback. In addition to coaching the offensive line, Elliott oversees the Gamecocks' running game, which looked like a real-life SEC running game a year ago. Defenses will key on Lattimore more than ever this coming season, and the offensive line will also include some new faces. Redshirt freshman A.J. Cann was impressive in the spring at left guard. Junior college transfer Kaleb Broome will also push for playing time at both guard and tackle, and the Gamecocks need a big senior season out of Kyle Nunn, who returns at left tackle. The same goes for Rokevious Watkins on the right side. He's kept his weight down and will enter fall camp as the starter at right tackle, but could also slide inside to guard. Junior T.J. Johnson is one of the better centers in the league. It's an offensive line that should again be solid when it comes to run blocking. The challenge could be pass protection.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Ellis Johnson, South Carolina’s assistant head coach for the defense, isn’t necessarily trying to temper expectations for Jadeveon Clowney when he arrives this summer.

After all, Johnson recruited him and knows the caliber of athlete the Gamecocks are getting in the country’s top-rated overall prospect.

But what are realistic expectations for the 6-foot-6, 252-pound Clowney in his first season?

“I think it’s realistic for him to come in and be a starter, but I think it’s also realistic not to assume that,” Johnson said. “But once a kid gets the kind of attention and hype he did in the national media and all the recruiting services, he can never do as much as everybody expects him to. So I won’t even go there.

“But, physically, he could have put on a football uniform for the Carolina Panthers last year and played three games, and nobody would have known that he shouldn’t have been in there. That kid is physically ready to go, but there’s a difference in this league and high school. There are going to be some things he doesn’t do well.”

Other than his freakish athletic ability, the other thing about Clowney that jumped out to Johnson was how hard he played.

“There are a lot of big, tall, physical and fast kids in high school, and they don’t play like he did because they don’t have to,” Johnson said. “Jadeveon played like a reckless train.”

Big spring for Cann: It’s been a rarity under Steve Spurrier at South Carolina to see the same offensive line coach back for a second year in a row, but Shawn Elliott is going through his second spring.

The Gamecocks played much more consistently up front under Elliott last season and proved that they could run the ball in big games -- Florida and Georgia.

Elliott has a couple of holes to fill this spring and feels like redshirt freshman A.J. Cann may be the key to how everything comes together.

“If he can come in and we can insert him at one of those guard positions, then I think we’ve got something going,” Elliott said. “If he can’t step it up a notch, we’ll have to go back to the drawing board, but I think he’s going to do a good job this spring. He’s as physical looking a character as you ever want to see up front. He’s 6-3 and 310 pounds. I’m going to put the pressure on him to be that guy.”

The other thing Elliott plans to do this spring is see if senior Rokevious Watkins can move over from guard and be the Gamecocks’ starting right tackle.

“Watkins has changed his attitude,” Elliott said. “He wasn’t out of shape a year ago, but was a heavier guy. He’s leaned up and starting to do the right things. He’s in the weight room when he’s not supposed to be in there. He’s starting to do a little more than what’s expected of him. We’re going to experiment with him at right tackle because he’s so fluid. He could really be a strong right tackle and solidify us.”

Senior Kyle Nunn returns at left tackle and junior T.J. Johnson at center. Senior Terrence Campbell is the favorite to win the other guard spot.

“Terrence is a big, strong guy who filled in at guard in the bowl game,” Elliott said. “I’ve got to see if he can play in a full-time role.”

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COLUMBIA, S.C. -- I'll be in Gamecock Land the next couple of days checking in on the defending Eastern Division champions.

Sort of seems weird to write that after all those years of seeing South Carolina wallow in mediocrity.

But not anymore.

The Head Ball Coach has this program on the move, and the Gamecocks are my favorite to win the East again in 2011.

They opened spring practice on Tuesday and will practice again today and tomorrow.

The big story around here is that senior quarterback Stephen Garcia has been suspended (again) for the first part of the spring.

We'll see how he responds from that suspension, which stems from some late-night partying in his hotel room that turned rowdy the week of the bowl game last season.

More importantly, we'll see how Steve Spurrier responds from what is another issue with his senior quarterback.

It's obviously a big spring for Connor Shaw. If he plays well this spring and does what Spurrier asks him to do, I believe there's a very good chance that he will be the Gamecocks' starter next season.

I doubt that Garcia's just going to stand around and let that happen. However it shakes out, he once again finds himself on double-secret probation.

I'll catch back up with everybody later today after visiting with Spurrier and some of the players. The Gamecocks practice at 4 p.m. ET today.

If everything falls right defensively, this has a chance to be the best defensive line the Gamecocks have put on the field in a long time, and they were pretty stout up front last season with a league-leading 41 sacks. It will be interesting to hear what assistant head coach for the defense Ellis Johnson has to say.

One of the unsung heroes last season for the Gamecocks was first-year offensive line coach Shawn Elliott, who once again is looking for the right combination up front this spring.

Hey, just having the same offensive line coach for the second year in a row is a win for the Gamecocks when you consider the way they've gone through those guys under Spurrier.

I think Elliott is a keeper. I like the edge he brought to that group last season.

South Carolina has released its pre-spring depth chart. The Gamecocks open spring practice next Tuesday.

There's sure to be some shuffling in the offensive line this spring while second-year offensive line coach Shawn Elliott tries to find the right combination. Redshirt freshman A.J. Cann is listed No. 2 at left guard behind senior Terrence Campbell, but Cann is a player the Gamecocks' coaches expect to make a move this spring. Also, sophomore Ronald Patrick is listed No. 2 at right guard behind senior Rokevious Watkins. Patrick was the backup to T.J. Johnson at center last season as a true freshman.

Look for Elliott to experiment with several different combinations this spring. The idea is to get the best five guys on the field. Junior college signee Kaleb Broome is listed behind redshirt freshman Cody Gibson at right tackle going into the spring, and heralded high school signee Brandon Shell won't be on campus until this summer.

Senior quarterback Stephen Garcia is listed as the starter going into the spring, but coach Steve Spurrier has already said that it will be an open competition at that position with sophomore Connor Shaw. Spurrier said the same thing this time a year ago. But with a year's experience and this being his second spring, it will be interesting to see if Shaw can make it more of a battle this spring.

Garcia was more consistent last season and had some big games, but he played poorly in the Gamecocks' last two games when he threw five interceptions.

Defensively, junior Shaq Wilson is back in the starting lineup at weak side linebacker after being plagued by hamstring problems and redshirting last season. He was the Gamecocks' leading tackler in 2009.

Senior Akeem Auguste has moved back to cornerback after playing safety last season. Auguste and junior Stephon Gilmore are listed as the starters at cornerback. The Gamecocks had recurring problems a year ago when it came to covering the pass.

Our SEC spring preview continues with a look at the Eastern Division:

FLORIDA

Start of spring practice: March 16
Spring game: April 9

What to watch:

• Stamp of Muschamp: All eyes will be on Will Muschamp as he sets foot for the first time on a practice field as a head coach. He takes over for Urban Meyer, who won two national championships in six seasons at Florida, but let it get away from him last season. Muschamp’s first order of business is restoring that edge to the Florida program that made the Gators so successful under Meyer. It was a disjointed bunch a year ago with some obvious chemistry problems, but the talent is in place for Muschamp to come in and win right away if he can get everybody on the same page.
• New life for Brantley: With Charlie Weis taking over as the Gators’ offensive coordinator, he plans to install a pro-style offense, which fits senior quarterback John Brantley a lot better than the spread attack the Gators tried to run with Brantley rotating in and out last season. Tim Tebow was a hit in that offense. Brantley was woefully out of place. But in this new offense, he gets a chance to do what he does best -- throw the ball from the pocket. He’ll also have true freshman Jeff Driskel pushing him every step of the way. Driskel, ranked by ESPN as the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the country, enrolled early and will go through spring practice.
• Second time around: Remember that freshman class the Gators signed last year that was being hailed as perhaps the most talented ever? We start to find out a lot more about those guys this spring, and the Gators will need a lot more production out of that crowd, too. We’re talking about defensive linemen Ronald Powell and Sharrif Floyd, running back Mack Brown, receiver Chris Dunkley, safety Matt Elam and cornerback Joshua Shaw, to name a few. It’s time for some of the Gators’ younger talents to make their presence felt.

GEORGIA

Start of spring practice: March 10
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Murray’s ankle: There was a collective sigh of relief across the state of Georgia when it was learned that Aaron Murray’s ankle injury wasn’t more serious than it was. The Bulldogs’ sophomore quarterback sprained his ankle playing soccer this past weekend and says he will be ready to go for spring practice. Still, don’t look for him to overdo it, particularly early, which means sophomore Hutson Mason may get some increased reps with the first unit. This will be Murray’s third spring at Georgia, and he’s going to get plenty of work. Something says, though, that his soccer days are over.
• Elevating the O-line’s play: Most Georgia fans would readily tell you that the Bulldogs’ play in the offensive line each of the past two seasons has been disappointing. There’s a new guy calling the shots up there this spring, former Alabama All-SEC performer Will Friend. Look for Friend to move some guys around and try to settle on the best combination. Cordy Glenn will get a shot at tackle, and Kenarious Gates may, too, after playing some at right guard last season as a true freshman. However it shakes out, the Bulldogs need to play with more consistency up front next season.
• Lining up linebackers: Losing outside linebacker Justin Houston early to the NFL draft was a big blow. He was Georgia’s finisher on the edge in Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defense and was second in the SEC in sacks last season. Jarvis Jones, a talented transfer from Southern California, is probably the closest thing the Bulldogs have to Houston, which means he’ll probably start out on the outside. Jones also worked some on the inside last season. Senior Richard Samuel needs a big spring and could really help fill the void inside.

KENTUCKY

Start of spring practice: March 30
Spring game: April 23

What to watch:

• Moving to the 3-4: Rick Minter came aboard as Kentucky’s new defensive coordinator prior to the bowl game last December and will continue the transition from the 4-3 to the 3-4 this spring. The Wildcats still need to recruit to this defense, in particular find a bigger nose guard, before going full scale to the 3-4. But Minter would like to create a hybrid position where he can take a linebacker and play him some at end, thus giving the Wildcats more flexibility. Kentucky isn't short on talent at linebacker, and junior Ridge Wilson could be a candidate for that hybrid role.
• Newton’s law: Mike Hartline’s eligibility has run out, and Ryan Mossakowski is transferring. That leaves Morgan Newton as the Wildcats’ quarterback of record. Heading into his junior season, he needs a big spring with the focus clearly being on becoming a more consistent passer, while also establishing himself as a leader. He needs to prove it to the coaches. But more importantly, he needs to prove it to his teammates that he’s the guy to lead this team.
• Finding the end zone: Randall Cobb and Chris Matthews combined for 22 touchdowns last season, but they’re now gone. Derrick Locke, when healthy, was one of the more dangerous breakaway threats in the SEC at running back. He’s also gone. The good news is that Kentucky returns four offensive line starters, but one of the priorities this spring will be identifying guys who can get the ball into the end zone, which is where Raymond Sanders, Brandon Gainer, CoShik Williams and La'Rod King all come in. Getting junior receiver Gene McCaskill back will help, too. He missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in preseason practice.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Start of spring practice: March 15
Spring game: April 9

What to watch:

• Shoring up the pass coverage: Ellis Johnson, South Carolina’s assistant coach for the defense, is determined to get to the bottom of the Gamecocks’ issues covering the pass last season. They’re plenty talented in the secondary, but were beaten way too often and gave up far too many big plays. One change is Akeem Auguste moving back to cornerback from safety. Auguste played cornerback two years ago. The Gamecocks also hope redshirt freshman Victor Hampton can provide some coverage help when they go to extra defensive backs.
• Retooling up front: Gone are four senior offensive linemen who started at some point last season. Of course, some of the best news for the Gamecocks is that they’re going to have the same offensive line coach for the second year in a row. When Shawn Elliott arrived last year, he was the third different offensive line coach at South Carolina in as many years. He did a nice job with the Gamecocks’ offensive line in his first season and was able to mix and match when guys were injured. Redshirt freshman A.J. Cann will have a chance to win one of the starting guard jobs, while junior college signee Kaleb Broome is already on campus and will vie for the right tackle spot.
• Sustaining success: The Gamecocks made history last season by playing in their first SEC championship game. They’re likely to be favored in the East race again in 2011, but are they ready to embrace that role and properly manage those expectations? The leaders need to take charge of this team this spring and make sure there’s no complacency from simply having gotten to Atlanta last season. The goal now is getting there and winning a first-ever SEC championship. The Gamecocks have the returning talent to make that happen, but do they possess everything else it takes to win a title in this league?

TENNESSEE

Start of spring practice: March 22
Spring game: April 16

What to watch:

• Growing as an offense: The Vols were so young on offense last season that a lot of the time they were merely trying to keep their heads above water. But with the three true freshman offensive line starters a year older and quarterback Tyler Bray going through his second spring practice and being able to get his timing down that much more with receivers Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers, Tennessee has a chance to really have its offensive attack humming by the fall. Having everybody together this spring and working under offensive coordinator Jim Chaney should only expedite the process.
• Living in limbo: Janzen Jackson, the Vols’ star junior safety, will not be around for spring ball. He’s withdrawn from school this semester to deal with personal problems. Tennessee hopes to get him back for the fall, but there are no guarantees. Brent Brewer, a former minor league baseball player who really came on at safety the latter half of last season, is suspended indefinitely from all team activities following his arrest on a domestic assault charge. The Vols signed two junior college defensive backs, Byron Moore and Izauea Lanier, but they won’t be on campus until this summer.
• Beefing up the front: The Vols really like promising defensive ends Jacques Smith, Corey Miller and Willie Bohannon and will be looking to bolster their pass rush with those three coming off the edge. Senior Malik Jackson will likely stay inside after moving from end to tackle last season and leading the Vols in tackles for loss (11) and sacks (5). But there’s still a huge need for more muscle inside. Junior college signee Maurice Couch will certainly help, although he doesn’t arrive until this summer. Montori Hughes is coming off a disappointing 2010 season. The Vols will be looking for all the bodies they can find inside this spring.

VANDERBILT

Start of spring practice: March 18
Spring game: April 17

What to watch:

• Franklin’s debut: With the exception of offensive line coach Herb Hand, Vanderbilt will have an entirely new coaching staff running the show this spring. It will be the first collective look that new coach James Franklin has had at his team. It’s also his first chance to evaluate his returning talent, not to mention the returning players’ first chance to get a feel for Franklin and the new assistants on the practice field. Franklin has vowed that he won’t be afraid to take some risks and that the Commodores will be aggressive.
• Smith’s time to shine: As quarterback Larry Smith enters his senior season, his slate is wiped clean with this new staff. He won’t stray too far from new quarterbacks coach Ricky Rahne this spring and gets a chance to take an early lead in the quarterback battle before the three true freshmen arrive this spring. Jordan Rodgers will be limited this spring after undergoing shoulder surgery last year, but will also get a chance to prove to the new staff that he’s the guy to pump some life into a passing game that finished 105^th nationally last season.
• Identifying playmakers: The Commodores need to generate more big plays in 2011, and that goes for all three areas of the game. This is a big spring for younger receivers Jordan Matthews, Jonathan Krause and Chris Boyd. And on defense, Vanderbilt needs to find a few more finishers in terms of getting to the quarterback. The Commodores were last in the SEC with 20 sacks last season and were also last with 15 forced turnovers. Creating more short fields for the offense and making more happen on special teams will be a must next season.

Nobody is ready to proclaim South Carolina's offensive line as the best in the SEC or even one of the top two or three.

But the Gamecocks were significantly better up front than they were a year ago and played big in some of their biggest games this season.

Credit first-year offensive line coach Shawn Elliott for bringing stability to an area that has been a constant source of concern under Steve Spurrier. Of course, when you change offensive line coaches every year, you're not going to have a whole lot of stability.

Elliott was the Gamecocks' third offensive line coach in as many years, and for a change, they're actually going to have an offensive line coach for the bowl game. Eric Wolford left for the Youngstown State head coaching job prior to the bowl game last season. And two years ago, Spurrier fired longtime offensive line coach John Hunt prior to the Outback Bowl.

Over and above stability, Elliott has also brought a toughness and an edge to South Carolina's offensive line that might have been missing in the past. The Gamecocks protected the quarterback better this season and took their running game to another level with freshman Marcus Lattimore stepping in and rushing for 1,198 yards. Elliott is also the Gamecocks' running game coordinator, and the zone read part of the offense that was so successful with Lattimore was something he brought with him from Appalachian State.

Elliott could face one of his toughest challenges in the Chick-fil-A Bowl matchup with Florida State. The Gamecocks' best lineman this season, senior left guard Garrett Chisolm, hurt his knee last week and could be iffy for the bowl game. That means some guys may have to play in different spots if Chisolm can't play.

Plus, the Seminoles rank second nationally with 46 sacks.

A year ago, there would have been some real concern in South Carolina's camp going into this game, but Elliott has raised the Gamecocks' level of play up front considerably.

Better yet, it looks like he's going to be around for a while.

SEC blogger Chris Low looks at some of the top assistant coaching jobs in the SEC this season.

A look at three keys for each team Saturday in the SEC championship game:

AUBURN

1. Shut down Lattimore: It’s no coincidence that in South Carolina’s three losses this season that freshman running back Marcus Lattimore averaged just 47.3 rushing yards per game. Lattimore missed the Vanderbilt win. But in the four SEC wins he played in for the Gamecocks, he averaged 167.8 rushing yards and scored eight touchdowns. Auburn shut him down last time, holding him to 33 yards on 14 carries. That will be the Tigers’ priority again: make South Carolina one-dimensional and put everything on Stephen Garcia’s shoulders.

2. Red-zone success: The Tigers have been a better red zone offense this season than the statistics show, and scoring touchdowns against the Gamecocks when they get down there will be critical. Auburn is ranked 25th nationally in red zone offense, converting 50 of 57 opportunities (87.7 percent). However, four of Auburn’s seven missed opportunities were instances in which the Tigers took a knee inside the opponents’ red zone to run out the clock at the end of a game. Therefore, when trying to score in the red zone, the Tigers are 50-of-53, which would rank third nationally. South Carolina has been stingy around its own goal line and is tied for sixth nationally in red zone defense. The Gamecocks have given up just 17 touchdowns in 39 red zone trips.

3. Eliminating big plays: Only once this season has Auburn allowed a running play of 30 yards or longer, but it’s been a different story when it comes to giving up big plays in the passing game. South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery certainly has big-play capability and lit the Tigers up in the first game. Auburn does not want a repeat of that performance, and as good as the Tigers have been this season at coming from behind, the last thing they want to do is give up a bunch of big scoring plays and have to dig their way out of a deep hole for the second week in a row.

SOUTH CAROLINA

1. Win the turnover battle: Nobody needs to remind the Gamecocks that their past four possessions against the Tigers in the first game ended in turnovers -- two Garcia fumbles and two Connor Shaw interceptions. South Carolina recovered from that debacle and has been on the plus side more than the minus side of the turnover battle down the stretch. The Gamecocks have forced 24 turnovers and lost 19 for the season. Protecting the football is a given if they are going to win this game, but they also need to create some turnovers and give the offense some short fields.

2. Establish the run: The best way to defend Cam Newton is to keep him on the bench. The only way to do that is to keep the football, drive the football … and successfully run the football. South Carolina offensive line coach Shawn Elliott said earlier this week that his guys had to “play their butts off.” He’s right. The Gamecocks have been solid up front and have certainly improved over the past two years. But this needs to be their best game yet, and Lattimore needs to get the football at least 25 times. When he is moving the chains and making yards on first down, it just opens up things for everybody else, and more importantly, keeps Newton off the field.

3. Sure tackling: The Gamecocks had one of their poorest tackling performances of the season against Auburn the first time around. Of course, Newton has made poor tacklers out of a lot of people this season. The Tigers love to play fast, which means quick runs and quick throws. Not only do the Gamecocks need to tackle better in this game, but they need to get off blocks and be in position to make tackles. Staying home on the back side is another key, because the Tigers also love to hit you with misdirection. Obviously, the Gamecocks need their front four to man up and keep Newton from gashing them like he did the last time to the tune of 176 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The defensive backs also have to tackle well, and that includes Antonio Allen, their hybrid linebacker/safety or what they call the Spur. He’s playing his best football right now.

It wasn’t a marquee weekend for the SEC in terms of anticipated matchups, but there were a couple of dandy games.

And some dandy performances, too.

Those performances are reflected in our Week 12 helmet stickers in the SEC:

Tennessee defensive end Gerald Williams: He was everywhere Saturday for the Vols, who moved closer to becoming bowl eligible with a 24-10 win at Vanderbilt. Williams finished with a career-high eight tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. He had a sack, a quarterback hurry and blocked a field goal. He also had a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown, but it was wiped out by a roughing the quarterback penalty on Malik Jackson.

South Carolina’s offensive line: It’s about time first-year South Carolina offensive line coach Shawn Elliott and his guys up front get some props. The Gamecocks, in beating up on Troy 69-24, are averaging 10 points more per game than they did a year ago. They also have a 1,000-yard rusher (Marcus Lattimore) and a 1,000-yard receiver (Alshon Jeffery) in the same season for the first time in school history and have given up 12 fewer sacks than a year ago. You don’t have that kind of success on offense without playing well up front.

Arkansas running back Knile Davis: In becoming the 10^th rusher in Arkansas history to top the 1,000-yard mark in a season, Davis rushed for a career-high 187 yards on a career-high 30 carries in the Hogs’ 38-31 double-overtime win against Mississippi State. He also scored three touchdowns, including a 62-yard run to open Arkansas’ scoring in the first quarter and a 7-yard catch in the second overtime. Davis’ game-winner in the second overtime made amends for his fumble near the end of regulation when the Hogs were trying to run out the clock.

LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson: It’s been a rocky season for Jefferson throwing the ball, but he was at his best Saturday. The Tigers needed him at his best, too, in rallying to beat Ole Miss 43-36 to complete an unbeaten season at Tiger Stadium. Jefferson finished 13-of-17 for a career-high 254 yards. He also rushed for 45 yards. Both of his touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, a 3-yard run and then a 27-yard pass to Michael Ford.

Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy: The quintessential student-athlete, McElroy completed 12-of-13 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns in Alabama’s 63-7 pummeling of Georgia State on Thursday night. Two days later, McElroy participated in finalist interviews for the Rhodes scholarship. He wasn’t selected, but that doesn’t diminish what an incredible run he’s had as both a student and a football player.

Some Thursday linkage for your viewing pleasure:

• LSU's Patrick Peterson got some snaps on offense during Wednesday's practice.
• South Carolina offensive line coach Shawn Elliott ripped his unit's effort in the Auburn loss.
• Nathan Stanley has learned to bide his time as Ole Miss' backup quarterback.
• Redshirt freshman Nosa Eguae has muscled his way into Auburn's starting lineup.
• New Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity has a scheduling philosophy that will keep the Bulldogs closer to home.
• Tennessee dipped into the Knoxville high school ranks to pick up its latest commitment, running back Devrin Young.
• Alabama running back Trent Richardson has a chip on his shoulder when it comes to speed this weekend.
• Florida's "Heavy" package on defense is the Gators' answer to Alabama's ground attack.
• Vanderbilt is looking to reach the .500 mark Saturday at Connecticut.

A look at what we learned in the SEC in Week 2:

1. Alabama still on top: The Crimson Tide made it look easy in their 24-3 win over Penn State and were playing without their best two players -- running back Mark Ingram and defensive end Marcell Dareus. The Tide’s defense is full of first-time starters and first-time contributors, and it's getting a little bit better and a little bit more comfortable every week. That’s bad news for the rest of the league. Alabama’s hardly unbeatable. But come November, we may think differently. After all, this is a defense that’s given up just two field goals in two games.

2. Turning Murray loose: A lot of Georgia fans aren’t real happy with the defense the day after and rightfully so. The Bulldogs’ tackling stunk in the 17-6 loss to South Carolina. But there is a bright side. Freshman quarterback Aaron Murray is going to be a good player, and he’s going to be a good player this season. The Bulldogs just have to turn him loose. They were way too conservative with him against the Gamecocks, and it cost them. Let him throw the ball down the field. Let him get out of the pocket and make some plays. Let him do what he does best. The Bulldogs did a good job of protecting him until the end when they had to throw, and they have a veteran offensive line. If they’re going to get back into the East race, they better take the training wheels off Murray.

3. LSU quarterback concerns: The bottom line for LSU is that the Tigers are 2-0 and play their next three games at home before going to Florida. They’re a talented bunch that hasn’t come close to playing its best football. But for this team to make a legitimate run in the Western Division race, junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson can’t continue to take one step forward and another step backward. He still has time to get it going. But to this point, there simply hasn’t been enough consistency on offense with Jefferson under center, and LSU coach Les Miles sounds like he’s growing antsy. Following the 27-3 win over Vanderbilt, Miles said, “We’re going to continue to evaluate our quarterback situation, and frankly, we’re going to expect more out of the position -- period.” In other words, don’t be surprised if you see Jarrett Lee get a shot in these next few games.

4. Hold that line: From the time Steve Spurrier arrived at South Carolina in 2005, he just hasn’t been able to get it right in the offensive line. The Gamecocks have missed on some guys in recruiting and never been able to sustain any continuity with offensive line coaches. Shawn Elliott is South Carolina’s third different offensive line coach in as many years, and he deserves a tremendous amount of credit for what the Gamecocks have accomplished up front the first two weeks. They’re playing together, playing with confidence and playing with a purpose. It hasn’t been perfect. But for the first time in a while, this looks like an honest-to-goodness SEC-caliber offensive line that can push some people off the line and dictate the flow of games.

5. Long season on Rocky Top: The Vols played inspired football for the first half Saturday and really played above their heads. But as Tennessee coach Derek Dooley said himself, their 48-13 beatdown at the hands of No. 7 Oregon shows them exactly where they are, which is squarely in the bottom half of the SEC. The Ducks left the Vols in their tracks en route to scoring 45 unanswered points and handing Tennessee its most lopsided loss ever in Neyland Stadium. There’s no shame in losing to the Ducks. They’re a terrific football team with speed everywhere you turn. But as soon as the tide turned in Saturday’s game with Oregon taking an interception back for a touchdown, the Vols wilted. If that pattern continues (and they don’t show a little more resiliency), it could really get ugly this season on Rocky Top.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina shook off suspensions to three starters and motored past Southern Miss 41-13 in the season opener Thursday night at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Here’s an instant analysis from the game:

How the game was won: The Gamecocks unleashed the kind of balanced offense on the Golden Eagles that Steve Spurrier was famous for at Florida, but hasn’t been able to produce at South Carolina on a consistent basis. After Southern Miss pulled within 7-3 late in the first quarter, South Carolina went on a 27-3 spree to put the game away. The Gamecocks had touchdown drives of 92, 85, 62 and 48 yards in the first three quarters.

Player of the game: South Carolina junior quarterback Stephen Garcia played one of the most efficient games of his career. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 193 yards and no interceptions and also had a pair of rushing touchdowns. The first of those was a 22-yard scamper where he ran over a Southern Miss safety.

Unsung hero of the game: Let’s go with the entire South Carolina first-team offensive line, a group of guys that’s been beaten on relentlessly the last couple of years. Even without starting left tackle Jarriel King, the guys up front paved the way for more than 200 rushing yards and also did a better job of protecting Garcia. First-year offensive line coach Shawn Elliott has done a nice job with this unit.

What it means: Spurrier, still fuming from that awful performance against Connecticut in the Papajohns.com Bowl to end last season, vowed that this would be a different team. Well, the Gamecocks looked like it in the kind of complete effort it’s going to take on down the road if they’re going to contend in the East. The offense was on top of its game, but so was the defense. The Golden Eagles never really threatened to score a touchdown until the closing minutes of the game, and even then, the Gamecocks held. All in all, this is exactly the way South Carolina wanted to go into Georgia this week, and the Gamecocks will have a couple of extra days to prepare, too.

What South Carolina learned: No doubt, it had been a crazy past few weeks with the Whitney Hotel investigation, all the stuff with Weslye Saunders and all the rumors floating around. But the Gamecocks refused to allow any of that to become a distraction -- a sure sign of maturity.

Schedule: Practice starts Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The first day in full pads is Saturday (Aug. 7).

What’s new: Shawn Elliott is South Carolina’s third different offensive line coach in as many years. He’ll also serve as the Gamecocks’ running game coordinator and brings with him from Appalachian State a version of the zone-read offense that South Carolina plans to incorporate into its package this season.

Sidelined: Tight end Weslye Saunders’ eligibility for the season remains in limbo after being questioned by NCAA representatives about alleged improper dealings with agents. It’s unclear how that investigation will affect his practice status.

Key battle: Akeem Auguste started nine games at cornerback last season, but he and Chris Culliver will be switching positions in 2010. If Auguste is going to remain in the starting lineup at free safety, he’ll have to hold off D.J. Swearinger, who was one of the stars of the spring.

New on the scene: Depending on how Stephen Garcia responds from being challenged publicly all offseason by Steve Spurrier, true freshman Connor Shaw could certainly see his share of snaps at quarterback. The Head Ball Coach was impressed with Shaw in the spring. Byron Jerideau, a 6-foot, 310-pound junior college newcomer, is being counted on at defensive tackle. Spurrier thinks true freshman Ace Sanders will fit in nicely as a slot receiver, while true freshman offensive linemen A.J. Cann, Tramell Williams and Ronald Patrick will all get a long look.

Breaking out: His former high school teammate, Stephon Gilmore, has already shown that he’s a budding star. Now it’s DeVonte Holloman’s turn at strong safety. The 6-3, 226-pound sophomore has all the tools to be a big-time player in this league.

Don’t forget about: Rodney Paulk has missed most of the last two seasons with knee injuries, but he returns as the Gamecocks’ starting middle linebacker. He’s started in 23 games during his career, but only one since the 2007 season. The NCAA recently granted Paulk a sixth year of eligibility, meaning he'll also be able to play during the 2011 season.

All eyes on: Freshman running back Marcus Lattimore. He’s perhaps the most important recruit that Spurrier has signed since arriving in Columbia in 2005. The jury is still out on South Carolina’s offensive line and will be until the Gamecocks prove otherwise. Lattimore is the kind of back with power, speed and acceleration that can make an offensive line look a lot better than it really is.

Quoting: “I think we’ve got the best group of athletes since we’ve been there. I know they have the best attitudes. Their work habits and so forth have been excellent. Now we need to get past seven wins. We need to win big at South Carolina.” – South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Shawn Elliott doesn’t run away from challenges.

In fact, he runs to them.

The third offensive line coach in as many years at South Carolina, Elliott had spent his entire coaching and playing career at one place -- Appalachian State.

He loved it there. It was home. He helped the Mountaineers win three straight Division I-AA national championships from 2005-2007.

But when the South Carolina offensive line job opened after Eric Wolford left to take the Youngstown State head job, Elliott knew he had to pursue it.

He grew up in nearby Camden, S.C., and he used to attend games at Williams-Brice Stadium as a child with his father, Charles, who worked the games as a South Carolina state highway patrolman.

“This was the one job that could have pulled me away from Appalachian State,” Elliott said.

And you talk about tough jobs.

The offensive line has been a sore subject really ever since Steve Spurrier arrived in Columbia in 2005. The Gamecocks gave up 37 sacks a year ago, tying for the SEC high with LSU. They also finished last in the league in rushing offense.

In addition to coaching the offensive line, Elliott is also the Gamecocks’ running game coordinator.

“We really worked hard on it this spring,” said Elliott, who’s incorporating his version of the zone-read package into the Gamecocks’ offense. “When I first got the job, we talked a lot about the run game. As an offensive line coach, I’m not real big on having a bunch of different runs. I’m a guy who likes to hang his hat on one or two or three runs and get real successful at those runs and incorporate them. We made a really good commitment to running the football this spring.”

Elliott’s approach with his offensive line, a group that’s been beaten up pretty badly the past few years, has been to be real.

“They were like a bunch of beat dogs when I got here,” Elliott said.

The main thing the Gamecocks need up front, according to Elliott, is stability. Going through three different line coaches in three years would take its toll on any offensive line.

“It’s just like a young child and the parents are running out on him or the father is running out on him,” Elliott explained. “They don’t grow up a lot of times to be the men you want them to be.

“I believe consistency is a key, as a coach and as a player, and doing the right things. They have to hear the same technique talk, whether it’s in the meeting rooms or out here on the field, and understand what I’m trying to get across to them.”

Elliott isn’t ready to settle on any combination up front at this point. Senior Jarriel King is the likely starter at left tackle and sophomore T.J. Johnson the likely starter at center.

After that, it’s murky with several different players fighting for spots. Spurrier thinks three freshmen have a chance to come in and play next season -- A.J. Cann of Bamberg, S.C., Tramell Williams of Jacksonville, Fla., and Ronald Patrick of Cocoa, Fla.

However it shakes out, how much the Gamecocks improve next season on the offensive line will go a long way toward determining if they’re going to be a legitimate contender in the East.

“I think any team that’s a good football team, it all rides on the shoulders of the offensive line. I really do,” Elliott said. “I firmly believe that. I’ve seen teams with great skill players and not be very good up front and be an average football team.

“These guys have a chip on their shoulder right now. They know they can play well. I know they can play well from what I’ve seen in practice. We’re going to do better things in the offensive line, and we’re going to work hard to get people off their back, so to speak.

“I wouldn’t call it pressure, but they want to do well … and they know people are watching.”