ESPN College Football

2011 record: 11-2
2011 conference record: 6-2

Returning starters: Offense: 7; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 0

Top returners:
WR Ace Sanders, OG A.J. Cann, QB Connor Shaw, RB Marcus Lattimore, CB Akeem Auguste, DE Jadeveon Clowney, DE Devin Taylor, DT Kelcy Quarles, LB Shaq Wilson, Spur DeVonte Holloman, S D.J. Swearinger

Key losses:
WR Alshon Jeffery, OT Rokevious Watkins, OG Terrence Campbell, Spur Antonio Allen, DE Melvin Ingram, CB Stephon Gilmore, DT Travian Robertson

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Marcus Lattimore* (818 yards)
Passing: Connor Shaw* (1,448 yards)
Receiving: Alshon Jeffery (762 yards)
Tackles: Antonio Allen (88)
Sacks: Melvin Ingram (10)
Interceptions: Stephon Gilmore (4)

Spring answers

1. Shaw's development: The goal for quarterback Connor Shaw this spring was to work on the passing part of the position. The run-first quarterback showed flashes of transformation in his mindset toward the end of last season and it bled over to this year. He seems to be more confident in his passing and that will go a long way for the Gamecocks offense, as the downfield passing game was missing for most of South Carolina's season in 2011.

2. Running back depth: With Lattimore sitting out the spring, South Carolina turned to reserves Brandon Wilds and Kenny Miles. Both performed well, but Miles was named the offensive player of the spring. He wrestled with returning to the Gamecocks, and still seems to be creating some drama about his return this fall, but if he comes back he'll be the No. 2 back. Miles made major strides in his game and his return would mean South Carolina has some insurance at running back if Lattimore struggles. Even if he returns at full health, having Miles there will give the Gamecocks a solid option to keep Lattimore fresh.

3. Shell's development: South Carolina's coaches were anxious to see what redshirt freshman Brandon Shell could do and he didn't disappoint. He ended spring as the starter at left tackle -- the same position that Rokevious Watkins manned last season. The Gamecocks lost two starters along the offensive line, but Shell provided a nice spark at the most important position along the line.

Fall questions

1. Lattimore's health: While word out of South Carolina's camp is that Lattimore was ahead of schedule with his knee rehab, it's still unknown if he will be back to his old self. It's hard to believe that anyone could come back from an ACL injury in this amount of time and be as effective and as good as Lattimore was, but his coaches think he can do just that. Until we see him play, there will still be some uncertainty. A healthy Lattimore makes this an SEC contender and maybe more.

2. Secondary: South Carolina has veterans Akeem Auguste and D.J. Swearinger returning in its defensive backfield, but both dealt with injuries in the spring and the Gamecocks must replace three of its top four cornerbacks from last season. The injuries gave young guys the opportunity to get more reps, but questions still remain. Victor Hampton, listed as a starter, might be South Carolina's most athletic returning corner, but he has limited experience and a history of off-field issues. Brison Williams should enter the fall as a starter at strong safety, but has just one career start. He's one of two players at strong safety with game experience. Jimmy Legree and Cadarious Sanders are the only other corners with game experience. Expect redshirt freshman Ahmad Christian to compete for time as well.

3. Wide receiver: The Gamecocks will start the summer still wondering about the wide receiver position. Ace Sanders returns as the team's most productive receiver, but after that there isn't a lot of production. The good news was that Bruce Ellington returned to football this spring, but the bad news is that even with him back, Sanders is still the only receiver returning with 20 or more catches (29). Speedster Damiere Byrd showed progress and the coaches expect to get more from D.L. Moore, but the position is still a mystery. Incoming freshman Shaq Roland will be relied on a lot when he reports in the summer.

Schedule: South Carolina opens spring camp at 4:15 p.m. ET Tuesday at the Bluff Road Practice Fields. The Gamecocks will conclude spring with the Garnet & Black Spring Game on April 14, beginning at 1 p.m. ET at Williams-Brice Stadium. All 15 of practices are open to the public, unless determined otherwise.

What's new: Four of South Carolina's nine assistants are new. John Butler, Jay Graham, Jeep Hunter and Ellis Johnson are all gone. Lorenzo Ward was promoted from defensive backs coach to defensive coordinator, replacing Johnson. Ward will still focus on the cornerbacks this season. Head coach Steve Spurrier also added Kirk Botkin to coach linebackers/Spurs, Grady Brown to coach the secondary, Joe Robinson to coach special teams/tight ends, and Everette Sands to coach running backs. Joe Connolly also replaces Craig Fitzgerald as South Carolina's strength and conditioning coach. Also, South Carolina will be looking to replace kicker Jay Wooten and punter Joey Scribner-Howard. Walk-ons Landon Ard and Adam Yates will compete at kicker this spring, and sophomore Patrick Fish should be No. 1 at punter.

On the move: Safety DeVonte Holloman is looking to transition back to the Spur position after spending 2011 at safety. He worked at the Spur last spring, but the departing Antonio Allen played there last season. Also, Damario Jeffery is slated to move from the Spur to Will linebacker this spring. Jimmy Legree is moving back to cornerback after making a couple of starts at free safety last season.

On the mend: The Gamecocks will be without star running back Marcus Lattimore, who is still recovering from a devastating knee injury suffered halfway through the 2011 season. Running back Shon Carson is also out and recovering from a knee injury suffered last season. Sophomore offensive lineman Mike Matulis will sit out the spring after recovering from shoulder surgery, and senior cornerback Akeem Auguste will be limited as he tries to get over a foot injury that kept him out of all but one game last season. Safety D.J. Swearinger will miss the spring after having an operation on his foot. Offensive lineman Brock Stadnik will sit out the spring following shoulder surgery.

Questions: Auguste and Swearinger are dealing with injuries, South Carolina must replace three of its top four cornerbacks, and Holloman is moving back to the Spur, meaning the Gamecocks' secondary is loaded with questions. Sophomore Victor Hampton is expected to take one of the cornerback spots. He's talented, but has had off-field issues. He has the potential to be a key player for the Gamecocks. Depth behind him is a question, as Legree and Cadarious Sanders are the only other cornerbacks with game experience. A big spring from redshirt freshman Ahmad Christian could put him in the thick of it for a starting cornerback spot. Sophomore-to-be Brison Williams takes over at strong safety after playing in eight games last season, but depth behind him is a concern, as rising sophomore Kadetrix Marcus, Edward Muldrow and Sheldon Royster enter spring with six games of experience, all from Marcus. South Carolina must also find players at free safety.

Key battle: With Alshon Jeffery taking his talents to the NFL, and Bruce Ellington sticking to basketball, South Carolina enters the spring with little experience at wide receiver. Ace Sanders is the only returning receiver with 20 or more catches (29), and Nick Jones is the only other one with 10 or more catches (12). There are bodies, but not production. D.L. Moore and DeAngelo Smith should enter the spring as starters, along with Sanders. Both showed promise in the past, but they combined for just 11 catches last season. Lamar Scruggs is a junior, but didn't catch a pass last season. Speedster Damiere Byrd is back after missing four games last season because of NCAA issues. Also, redshirt freshmen Shamier Jeffery (Alshon Jeffery's brother) and K.J. Brent will need to have big springs. South Carolina is expected to get good use out of incoming freshman Shaq Roland, but the Gamecocks need to find at least two solid options before he arrives this summer.

Don't forget about: South Carolina's front seven should be solid again in 2012. Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor will man the defensive end positions, while rising sophomore Kelcy Quarles, who enjoyed a tremendous freshman season, will help ease the loss of Travian Robertson inside. At linebacker, South Carolina only lost Rodney Paulk, and returns seniors Reginald Bowens and Shaq Wilson, who combined for 96 tackles in 2011. Seniors Damario Jeffery and Quinn Smith will also get time at the Will spot.

Breaking out: The coaches are very excited about the potential redshirt freshmen offensive tackle Brandon Shell possesses. He was a standout high school player, and will have every chance to earn the starting spot at left tackle this spring. He has supposedly had a good offseason so far, and has gotten stronger. If he's as good as the coaches say, he'll help shore up a line that has to replace two starters, including left tackle Rokevious Watkins.

All eyes on: Quarterback Connor Shaw saw vast improvements in his game as the 2011 season went on. He started to develop into more of a passer than a runner. While he still likes to run at times, you could tell that Shaw was making a conscious effort to rely on his arm first. In his last three games, Shaw averaged 219 yards and threw eight touchdowns to one interception. Now is the time for him to really come into his own as a passer. For South Carolina's offense to be successful, Shaw has to play smarter, and has to boost the Gamecocks' passing game. He'll also need to create better chemistry with his unproven receivers. South Carolina's offensive players will feed off Shaw's spring.

After further review, I missed a player on the NFL combine list.

Yesterday, we listed the 60-plus SEC players invited to this year's NFL combine and as I went through all those names I missed South Carolina defensive tackle Travian Robertson, who will also be in attendance, making it 63 SEC players (including Missouri and Texas A&M).

The 6-foot-4, 303-pound Robertson was sixth for the Gamecocks with 49 tackles and had eight for loss. He also had 2.5 sacks in 2011.

South Carolina is sending six players to the NFL combine.

Now that you've seen the recruiting needs for the SEC Western Division teams, it's time to check what teams in the East needed to focus on when it came to recruiting for the 2012 class:

FLORIDA

Offensive line: There's no getting around how much Florida's offensive line struggled in 2011. Florida doesn't lose a lot from its line, but the Gators need more talent. There are a lot of questions surrounding this position and getting qualities bodies is a must.

Running back: Florida loses seniors Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps, and will enter the fall with unproven players in Mike Gillislee and Mack Brown. As Florida continues to move closer to a more traditional/pro-style offense, the Gators also need to add size to the position.

Wide receiver: Again, this is a position in which the Gators need to improve in the talent category. Florida lost just one senior from last year's squad, but unproven players lurk. What Florida needs to get in this class is a true playmaker at receiver. There is hope that Quinton Dunbar, Andre Debose and Frankie Hammond can step up, but some solid competition won't hurt.

GEORGIA

Offensive line: Georgia loses three starters in Cordy Glenn, Ben Jones and Justin Anderson. The Bulldogs would like to add a few more big bodies up front in this class to help with all that unproven depth.

Linebacker: In Todd Grantham's 3-4 defense, linebackers are extremely important. The Bulldogs will likely lose a couple bodies at outside linebacker next year, including star Jarvis Jones, and would like to add a couple of true playmakers at that position in this class.

Wide receiver: Come 2013, Georgia will have taken some hits at its wide receiver depth. There is young talent in Malcolm Mitchell, Chris Conley and Michael Bennett, but veterans like Tavarres King, Marlon Brown and Rantavious Wooten will be gone. Adding a couple standouts at wide receiver in this class would be nice.

KENTUCKY

Offensive playmakers: Whether it comes at quarterback, wide receiver, running back or tight end, the Wildcats need to find players who can make plays when they get the ball in their hands. Kentucky's offense was hard to watch all season because there was no one who could consistently move the ball.

Offensive line: Kentucky loses three starters -- Chandler Burden, Stuart Hines and Billy Joe Murphy -- from its offensive line and needs to load up here in this class. There is a handful of young players at each offensive line position, but the Wildcats need to think about adding more for the future.

Defensive back: Veterans are leaving the Wildcats' secondary, so it's time to stock up. Winston Guy, Taiedo Smith, Randall Burden and Anthony Mosley will all be gone, meaning the Wildcats are in need of adding some depth to both the cornerback and safety positions.

MISSOURI

Running back: Leading rusher Henry Josey suffered a severe knee injury toward the end of the 2011 season and the Tigers have some veterans jam packed at the top of the depth chart at the position. Getting help to add to future rosters would really help this offense as it moves to the SEC.

Defensive line: The Tigers are losing three starters along the defensive line and 10 players from 2011 will be gone by the end of next season. There are some youngsters there, but it's time to getting into restocking mode along the defensive line. Also, this is where games are won and lost in the SEC. Finding more athleticism here is crucial.

Offensive line: Like the defensive line, Missouri will lose three starters here. There are some bodies to fill in for now, but you can never have too many offensive linemen and now that the Tigers are headed to the SEC, getting some bigger, more athletic linemen will be key to survival in this jungle.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Defensive line: The Gamecocks have gotten a ton of production from here lately, but South Carolina will lose two starters in Melvin Ingram and Travian Robertson. South Carolina might want to add to defensive end the most, with Ingram leaving and Devin Taylor getting ready to depart in a year.

Linebacker: Over the next two years, the Gamecocks will lose some quality players at linebacker and even the spur position. A handful of veterans occupy the depth chart at linebacker, so that means South Carolina needs to add a few quality bodies for the future.

Defensive back: South Carolina's depth in its defensive backfield could be considered thin. The Gamecocks are down two starters at cornerback and will lose solid players in D.J. Swearinger and DeVonte Holloman in 2013.

TENNESSEE

Running back: The Vols never figured out how to run the ball last year and will now turn to a group of unproven running backs. Marlin Lane has the talent to excel, but he needs to be more consistent. Finding a couple talented backs in this class would help this position tremendously.

Defensive tackle: The Vols need some help inside, and now that they are moving to the 3-4, getting quality nose guards is a must for Tennessee. Adding some girth inside will be very important in order to improving this position.

Defensive back: Tennessee will say goodbye to quite a bit of their defensive backs in the next couple of years, so getting a head start on adding to players to both safety and corner would be a plus.

VANDERBILT

Offensive line: The Commodores return the bulk of their offensive line next year, but after that, Vanderbilt will be pretty thin and very young up front. Adding four or five bodies to the offensive line would go a long way for Vanderbilt.

Linebacker: Vanderbilt loses one starter, in Chris Marve, here for next season, but the year after will see a lot of turnover at the position, with four rising seniors on the roster.

Defensive end: Two starters — Tim Fugger and T.J. Greenstone — are gone and Vanderbilt will lose a handful more after the 2012 season. Getting some help at this position is another must for coach James Franklin.

Even as we turn our attention to the 2012 football season, there's always time to check back with the past from time to time.

The SEC released its last set of notes from the 2011 season this week, so we thought we'd take a look at some of the interesting facts and figures from the previous season.

For starters, how about a look at the SEC players of the week?

Week 1 (Games of Sept. 1-3): Offense - Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Rokevious Watkins, OT, South Carolina; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Luke McDermott, DT, Kentucky; Co-Freshman - Trey Depriest, LB, Alabama; Tre Mason, RB/RS, Auburn.

Week 2 (Games of Sept. 10): Offense - Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee; Defense - Mark Barron, S, Alabama; Special Teams - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Offensive Lineman - Alvin Bailey, OG, Arkansas; Defensive Lineman - Rob Lohr, DT, Vanderbilt; Co-Freshman - Josh Clemons, RB, Kentucky; Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 3 (Games of Sept. 15-17): Co-Offense - Chris Rainey, RB, Florida; Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina; Defense -Trey Wilson, DB, Vanderbilt; Special Teams - Caleb Sturgis, PK, Florida; Offensive Lineman - Wesley Johnson, C, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Bennie Logan, DT, LSU; Freshman- Odell Beckham, WR, LSU.

Week 4 (Games of Sept. 24): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Defense -Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Barrett Jones, OT, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Freshman- Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 5 (Games of Oct. 1): Co-Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas; Defense - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia..

Week 6 (Games of Oct. 8): Offense - Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Mike Gilliard, ILB, Georgia; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Tevin Mitchel, CB, Arkansas.

Week 7 (Games of Oct. 15): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Co-Defense - Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn; D.J. Swearinger, FS, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - Chris Faulk, OT, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Co-Freshman - Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina; Ray Drew, OLB, Georgia.

Week 8 (Games of Oct. 22): Offense - Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Ryan Seymour, OG, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU; Freshman - A.J. Johnson, LB, Tennessee.

Week 9 (Games of Oct. 29): Offense - Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn; Co-Defense - Jerry Franklin, LB, Arkansas; Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia; Special Teams - Zach Hocker, K, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Brandon Wilds, RB, South Carolina.

Week 10 (Games of Nov. 5): Offense - Jeff Demps, RB, Florida; Defense - Eric Reid, S, LSU; Special Teams - Dennis Johnson, RS/RB, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas; Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Maxwell Smith, QB, Kentucky.

Week 11 (Games of Nov. 12): Offense - Zac Stacy, RB, Vanderbilt; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Travian Robertson, DT, South Carolina; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 12 (Games of Nov. 19): Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Co-Defense - Ron Brooks, DB, LSU; Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Co-Defensive Lineman - Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee; Abry Jones, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Curt Maggitt, LB, Tennessee.

Week 13 (Games of Nov. 25-26): Co-Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Ryan Tydlacka, P, Kentucky; Co-Offensive Lineman - Kyle Fischer, OT, Vanderbilt; William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Co-Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Garrison Smith, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU.

SEC Championship Game MVP: Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

BCS (Yes, the SEC has won six straight)

• Since 2006, more than half of the slots in the BCS National Championship Game have been taken by SEC teams (7 of 12). The Big Ten and the Big 12 have two each and the Pac-12 has one.

• An SEC team has led or tied for the lead at the end of 20 of the last 24 quarters of BCS National Championship Game play.
• Since 2006, an SEC team has been ranked first in the weekly BCS standings in 26 of the 48 weeks, with four different teams holding the top spot. Florida was first for seven weeks, Alabama for six weeks, Auburn for three and LSU for 10 weeks, including all eight polls of this season.
• The SEC has had more teams ranked in the BCS standings for the most times than any other conference since 2006. The league has had 11 of its 12 teams ranked at one time or another since 2006 for a total of 238 times. The SEC breakdown: LSU (45), Alabama (35), Florida (33), Auburn (29), Georgia (23), Arkansas (23), South Carolina (21), Tennessee (14), Mississippi State (8), Kentucky (4) and Ole Miss (3).
• Since 2006, the SEC has posted a 9-3 record in BCS bowl games, more wins and a higher winning percentage (.750) than any other conference. The win total equals that of the next two highest conferences.

Bowls

• Since 2006, the SEC has accrued more bowl wins (36) and appearances (55) than any other conference. The conference’s .655 bowl winning percentage is third behind the Big East (23-10, .697) and Mountain West (20-9, .690) during that time.
• In January bowl games, the SEC is 22-10 (.688) against nonconference competition. Since 2008, the league is 16-6 (.727) against nonconference opponents in January bowls.
• In seven 2011-12 bowl games against nonconference teams, SEC defenses held opponents to less than its scoring average in five of those games. One of the two other games were in overtime (Michigan State-Georgia) and the other was Auburn holding Virginia to 24 points, when the Cavaliers season average was 23.2 points per game.

Random

• Over the last five seasons, Alabama owns the SEC's best winning percentage with a 50-12 record (.806). LSU has the most wins with 53, while Vanderbilt owns the league's lowest winning percentage (.355). LSU owns the best winning percentage over the last 10 years (.795) with a 105-27.
• SEC teams were 20-28 on the road against SEC opponents last season. Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt failed to win on the road against conference opponents.
• LSU led the SEC with a touchdown efficiency on drives of 34.8. Alabama led in scoring efficiency (46.8). Ole Miss was last in scoring efficiency (20.1) and Kentucky was last in touchdown efficiency (13.2).
• LSU led the SEC with 129 fourth-quarter points and a fourth-quarter scoring margin of plus-95. Ole Miss was last with 41 points and a scoring margin of -36.
• Arkansas led the SEC in yards per scoring drive (61.9).

South Carolina is down a man in its secondary.

Coach Steve Spurrier announced over the weekend that freshman safety Brison Williams has been suspended indefinitely from the football team for "conduct detrimental to the South Carolina football team."

Williams played in eight games for the Gamecocks in 2011, recording 11 tackles. His lone start of the season came against Florida when he stepped in for DeVonte Holloman, who was out with a concussion.

Williams originally signed with South Carolina in 2010, but attended Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy in the fall. He returned to South Carolina last spring, but later broke his arm during preseason practice. He missed the first four games of the season and made his season debut against Auburn on Oct. 1.

Williams is the second South Carolina player to be suspended from the team this offseason. Defensive tackle Byron Jerideau was also suspended after being arrested earlier this month. The junior reserve was arrested and charged with public disorderly conduct and traffic/pedestrian on a controlled access highway (jaywalking). According to a police report, Jerideau was arrested after leaving a bar in Columbia, S.C., and using profane language at oncoming traffic while crossing the street without using a crosswalk. The report also said that Jerideau was nearly hit by a vehicle, and he almost caused an accident.

Per South Carolina policy, Williams' arrest means an automatic suspension from the team.

Jerideau played in all 13 games this season, backing up Travian Robertson inside. He finished the season with seven tackles and 1.5 sacks.

When Antonio Allen looks back at his South Carolina career, he can’t help but feel that it was almost perfect.

Almost.

Though South Carolina has undergone a tremendous transition since the senior safety stepped on campus, he has yet to savor the sweet taste of a bowl victory.

He has hoisted no trophies with his teammates at the end of the season, and until he does, his South Carolina career will feel incomplete.

Getting a win Monday against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl would end a three-game losing streak in bowl games for the Gamecocks and it would also give the program its first 11-win season.

“It would be great to get that 11th win because no one has ever done it in South Carolina history. We want to be the first to make history,” Allen said.

South Carolina didn’t exactly have a rich tradition before Steve Spurrier arrived. Spurrier has done wonders for the program, but this group of seniors has also been a major factor in elevating South Carolina to a program that made it to its first SEC championship game in 2010 and won 10 games for only the second time in school history in 2011.

“We came a long way,” senior defensive tackle Travian Robertson said.

“It’s been a great ride coming from the bottom and trying to get to the top.”

But that run has come without much success in the postseason. Spurrier is just 1-4 in bowl games and the Gamecocks have been outscored 77-38 in their last three losses.

Allen said the losses have been frustrating, but what’s been more frustrating is seeing a lack of chemistry at times. Allen said that before last season’s run to Atlanta, he noticed that players were never as close as they should have been. The Gamecocks were more of a group than a team.

Now, Allen said he sees more of a family inside South Carolina’s football complex. There is more trust and players are happier around each other. That mentality has the Gamecocks feeling much more confident heading into the Capital One Bowl.

With South Carolina’s recent success have come heightened expectations. Robertson and Allen agreed that fans are proud of where the program has come but expect the winning to continue and expect the Gamecocks to be competing for championships more often.

Allen and Robertson are OK with that because they feel South Carolina is on track to do just that.

“We came in with the purpose to win and try to win championships,” Robertson said. “We’ve accomplished some of our goals, but it feels great to know that we started something that’s going to be great around here. I know that once we get it started, Coach Spurrier and all of the other coaches are going to keep it going.”

Regardless of Monday’s outcome, Allen said he’d always look back at his South Carolina career and feel as though he helped accomplish a lot for the program.

Still, hoisting that bowl trophy for the first time wouldn’t be so bad.

“Hopefully it means a lot and I can tell my kids and they can tell their kids about it,” he said. “Hopefully, the tradition doesn’t stop with me and it goes along with my kids.”

The Gamecocks lost their starting quarterback and running back, but still managed to get 10 wins for only the second time in school history:

OFFENSE: C+

South Carolina's offense was hard to watch for most of the year. There were times when the Gamecocks really moved the ball down field, but had a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot with mistakes that cost them points. They scored less than 20 points in four SEC games, including 13 to Auburn, which ranked near the bottom of the SEC in every major defensive category. The Gamecocks entered the year with one of the best one-two punches in running back Marcus Lattimore and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. They even had a seasoned quarterback in Stephen Garcia. But Garcia's troubles on and off the field caught up with him at the beginning of the year. Garcia passed for just 844 yards with four touchdowns and nine interceptions before being dismissed from the program after Week 6. Shortly after, Lattimore went down with a season-ending knee injury. Before his injury, Lattimore was among the nation's best with 818 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Jeffery rarely looked like his old self, grabbing just 614 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, and South Carolina never found a consistent secondary receiver. It did, however, find replacements in quarterback Connor Shaw and running back Brandon Wilds. Shaw struggled here and there, especially throwing, but recorded just one loss as a starter, while Wilds, who was a redshirt candidate, rushed for 100-plus yards in three of his five starts. The Gamecocks' inconsistency hurt, as South Carolina averaged 25 points in conference games, but led the league with 21 turnovers in league play.

DEFENSE: A

All it took was some quiet encouragement from defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson after the Navy game to jump start this unit. Players acknowledged that their play during the first three games wasn't up to par, but after that, South Carolina's defense was one of the best in the country. Up front, the Gamecocks got a ton of production out of veterans Melvin Ingram, an All-American, and Travian Robertson, and freshmen Jadeveon Clowney and Kelcy Quarles blossomed. Antonio Allen quietly had one of the most productive seasons in the league, recording 81 tackles, three interceptions, defended five passes and scored two touchdowns. Opposing backfields were constantly harassed, as South Carolina totaled 25 sacks and was sixth in the SEC in rushing defense. Against the pass, the Gamecocks were even better, ranking second nationally and tied for first in the SEC in interceptions (18) and takeaways (30). South Carolina currently ranks fourth nationally in total defense and is allowing 4.2 yards per play.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C-

The Gamecocks were rarely ever a threat in the kicking game. South Carolina was last in the league in kickoff coverage, with a net average of 40.1 yards. Jay Wooten also recorded just six touchbacks on his kicks. While Ace Sanders scored on a punt return, the Gamecocks have averaged just 7.6 yards per punt return. Wooten missed six total kicks (three field goals and extra points), while Joey Scribner-Howard was near the bottom of the SEC in punting, averaging 38.9 yards per punt. He pinned 10 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

COACHING: A

Steve Spurrier led a South Carolina team to 10 wins for only the second time in school history even after losing his starting quarterback and one of the nation's best running backs. Spurrier made the right adjustments, put a lot of trust in Wilds and slowly turned Shaw into more of the right passer for his offense. It also helped that Johnson did a tremendous job with his defense. Yes, the Gamecocks were loaded with athletes on that side of the ball, but he helped create a new mentality after the first three games of the season. For a second straight year, South Carolina was a legit SEC East contender.

The SEC league office has announced its top performers from last week:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Zac Stacy, RB, Vanderbilt: Stacy rushed for 135 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries, leading Vanderbilt to a 38-8 win over Kentucky. It was the Commodores' most decisive SEC victory in four decades. It marks the fourth rushing performance of more than 125 yards for Stacy this season, including three coming against league teams. The last Vanderbilt back to top 100 rushing yards in four games was Kwane Doster in 2002. Stacy scored on touchdowns of 3 and 8 yards in the first half and 18 yards in the fourth quarter. He ranks fourth in the SEC with 891 rushing yards. Stacy's nine rushing touchdowns this season is the most by a Commodores running back since Jamie O'Rourke scored 12 touchdowns in 1974.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama: Hightower led Alabama with 11 total tackles with 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks and a pass break-up in the Crimson Tide’s 24-7 win at Mississippi State. Alabama recorded five sacks in the game and nine tackles for loss and held Mississippi State to just 131 total yards and nine first downs (3-of-16 on third down). Hightower’s unassisted sack came on third-and-8 at midfield late in first quarter, forcing the Bulldogs to punt. The Crimson Tide have not allowed an opponent to score more than 14 points during the first 10 games of the season and 11 dating back to the bowl game (longest since 1975-76 when the Tide did that for 14 games). Hightower is Alabama's leading tackler with 66 total stops on the season (8.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks)

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas: Adams returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown and also had two catches for 52 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown in Arkansas’ 49-7 win against Tennessee. Adams made several Vols miss (six different defenders had a hand on Adams) on the 60-yard punt return for a score to give the Razorbacks a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter. The punt return touchdown was the third of the season (leads NCAA) and fourth of Adams' career. His single-season total is tied for second in SEC history, and his career total is tied for fourth in conference history.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK

Ben Jones, C, Georgia: Jones helped lead Georgia to a 45-7 win against Auburn, blocking for a unit that gained 528 offensive yards and had two 100+ rushing yardage performances. He graded out at 85 percent and had 10 dominator blocks while starting his 45th game at center for the Bulldogs. This is his second straight SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honor. He anchored an offense that scored at least 40 points for the fourth time this season and helped Georgia rush for 304 yards, the most on the ground by the Bulldogs since 2009.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK

Travian Robertson, DT, South Carolina: Robertson tallied four total tackles, including two solos, with two for losses (-10 yards), including a sack (-8 yards) in South Carolina’s 17-12 win against Florida. The Gamecocks held the Gators to 261 total offensive yards and registered 11 tackles for losses, including three sacks. Robertson’s sack came on the last play of the game with Florida near midfield. For the season, Robertson has 25 total tackles (15 solos) with 4.5 for loss, including one sack.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia: Crowell recorded the fourth 100-yard rushing game of his career (all vs. SEC competition) after rushing for 132 yards on 24 carries (5.5 avg.) and a touchdown in Georgia’s 45-7 win against Auburn. Crowell and his teammate, Carlton Thomas, both had 100-yard games – the first for a Bulldog duo since the 2009 Georgia Tech game and the first time in SEC play since 2004. Georgia moved to fourth in rushing in SEC games with an 185.0 average after tallying a season-high 304 yards on the ground (most since the 2009 season). Crowell is the top freshman and third in the league overall against SEC competition with an average of 96.4 yards. He's also fourth among all freshman rushers in the nation.

Here are some other top performers from last week.

Shortly after one last shriek from the electrically charged rooster hiding inside South Carolina’s PA system triggered an end to the Gamecocks’ 35-21 upset of No. 1 Alabama last season, everything seemed to change about South Carolina’s football program.

For a moment, we looked up at the Gamecocks, wondering how far they would go and who they would leave hurting along the way.

That feeling lasted about a week as the Gamecocks went out and blew an 18-point lead to a 3-3 Kentucky team, losing 31-28, reassuring everyone that South Carolina still had a ways to go before it could be taken seriously as a title contender.

However, South Carolina rebounded and made it to its first SEC championship game, where the Gamecocks lost to eventual national champ Auburn 56-17.

South Carolina then lost in the Chick-fil-A Bowl to Florida State, ending both an encouraging and head-scratching 2010 season.

As the Gamecocks enter the 2011 season, they are the overwhelming favorites in the East, but there is still the perception that South Carolina can only go so far.

“We hear that and we’re going to keep that in the back of our heads,” safety D.J. Swearinger said. “There are a lot of people out there that said South Carolina would never win a SEC championship.

“We’re trying to stay consistent this year and we’re trying to get back to the SEC championship and redeem ourselves.”

And redeem themselves they can. Coach Steve Spurrier believes this is the best team he’s had in Columbia. If there is a team that should be getting the extra publicity, it’s this one.

“We've accomplished a few firsts, but there's plenty more for us to go after,” he said. “We feel like we've probably assembled the best group of players we've had in the seven years now that I've been there. But time will tell. Time will tell how this year's team will do.”

Time will also tell if this team can finally get over the hump of underachieving. South Carolina has seen this all before.

In 2005, the Gamecocks tied for first in the East, going 5-3 in conference play. However, South Carolina missed out on a trip to Atlanta because of a “coulda shoulda woulda game”, as Spurrier puts it, in which the Gamecocks fell 17-15 to Georgia. In 2006, they started 6-1 before losing their last five games. And Spurrier is just 1-4 in bowl games.

But players insist this time it‘s different. The mindset is different. There is more confidence, camaraderie and closeness.

“We don’t worry about that stuff. We know what we have to do and what we have to take care of,“ defensive tackle Travian Robertson said. “We try to block all of that negative talk out and do what our coaches ask us to do.

“We set our goals. Other people don’t set our goals.”

The Gamecocks return 13 starters from a year ago, including one of the nation’s best one-two punches in running back Marcus Lattimore and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. Troubled quarterback Stephen Garcia is back, with supposedly a new outlook on life, and the defense is solid and should feature the league’s top pass rush.

There is no question this team has the talent to make back-to-back trips to the SEC title game, but with the expectations higher than ever, can this group keep itself in check? Can it keep from wilting under the pressure?

“We’re more experienced and more confident,” Jeffery said. “Going into this season, we’re more together and just one. This year, we are more prepared.”

One reason for South Carolina’s improved togetherness is last season’s disappointing finish. Robertson said this team rallied around the mutual disgust of the 0-2 finish. They felt they were better, and this season Robertson knows this team will be better.

“Anytime you fail or you lose, you have to think about what you did to keep winning and thinking about what you did to stop yourself from losing,” he said. “We didn’t end well, so we know we have to finish strong this year, and that’s one thing we lacked last year.”

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- There were times this summer when Stephen Garcia wanted to throw in his garnet towel.

His careless off-the-field lifestyle had gotten him suspended for the fifth time in his five years on campus and he felt things had finally fallen apart.

Garcia was suspended indefinitely this spring after an alcohol-related incident at a mandatory leadership seminar event. At South Carolina’s media day Sunday, Garcia said he reached out to the man running the event and apologized, thinking his actions wouldn’t garner such attention.

But they did, and Garcia could only watch as his teammates went through the early motions of defending their Eastern Division title.

As the mocking and scrutinizing intensified -- again -- Garcia’s only support came from his teammates. Players like Alshon Jeffery and Marcus Lattimore took to Twitter and Facebook to support him and gush about the Stephen Garcia they knew.

After seeing the lavish outpouring, Garcia, who had fallen into a major funk, lifted his head and decided he couldn’t leave his teammates -- not now.

“It really put it in my head that I really love these guys a lot and I’m very thankful to still be here,” Garcia said.

He met with coach Steve Spurrier and discussed transfer options; much like they did in 2008 after off-field antics also got him suspended from the team.

He was allowed to transfer, which he seriously considered before his teammates’ actions, but told Spurrier he was committed to the program and turning his life around.

Garcia was officially reinstated just before preseason camp and while he’s still competing with sophomore Connor Shaw, there was little said Sunday to make anyone think that Garcia isn’t the guy.

His improved level of commitment had Spurrier singing his practice praises Sunday.

“He’s not goofing around as much as he used to, well, he’s not goofing around at all, really,” Spurrier said.

That’s a good start. His head should be on the field, not on the social scene. Focus is good because Spurrier took a major chance bringing the enigmatic Garcia back.

Players have insisted Garcia’s troubles haven’t become a distraction -- their silly exchanges with him during Sunday’s news conference proved as much -- but this team will undoubtedly change that thought if Garcia falls out of line again.

“We’re going to follow Stephen no matter what,” defensive tackle Travian Robertson said. “He’s like a brother to all of us.

“Just to hear his name is back on the team, we’re going to follow him and try to help him out because he’s a great player and a great guy.”

This team will follow Garcia as far as he’s willing to take them, but any sort of slip-up might cause both parties to change directions. The expectations and goals are too high for one person to derail this season.

Garcia never elaborated on his "lifestyle changes" and was visibly tired of all the questions about his off-field life, but he understands that he brought it on himself and he’ll likely hear them for the rest of his time at South Carolina.

“It is what it is. I’ve been dealing with it since I first got here, my first month here,” he said. “I’ve developed some pretty thick hide, so I’m used to it. I hope that it’s passed, but if it’s not then it’s not and it is what it is.”

Alcohol factored into Garcia’s hijinks before, and while some have suspected he’s receiving counseling for his drinking, Garcia emphatically denied those rumors, saying he and the team doctor “chit-chat” from time to time. He also denied having a problem with alcohol.

Through everything, Garcia insists he wouldn’t take anything back. He considers his experiences ones that have made him grow as a person and a football player.

“I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here,” he said. “Coming in here, I didn’t think it was going to be this kind of a fishbowl. I learned the hard way, which I tend to do over the course of my life, but I wouldn’t do it any other way. It’s made me who I am today. You only live once.”

Yes, you've read correctly: South Carolina will enter the 2011 season as the favorite to win back-to-back SEC East titles.

It's not something you hear often, if ever, but it's reality.

The Gamecocks open preseason practice Wednesday, and while the hype for this season won't literally make them faster or stronger, it has fueled this team to improve its workout habits during the offseason. There is a more positive attitude around the football program and the mindset is better heading into this season compared to last year, defensive tackle Travian Robertson said.

"It's helping us work harder and a lot of guys understand we have a great team and we have a chance to do something big this year," Robertson said. "It's helping us work harder in the weight rooms ... and in summer conditioning."

And it doesn't help that those players working harder have some decent talent to go along with it -- the best coach Steve Spurrier said he's had in Columbia. The Gamecocks return one of the fiercest defensive lines in the league, starting with Robertson in the middle and ending with two of the SEC's best in Devin Taylor and Melvin Ingram outside. And incoming freshman Jadeveon Clowney has the talent and to have an immediate impact for the Gamecocks.

Behind them, Shaq Wilson, the unquestioned quarterback of the defense, is back at the Mike linebacker position. In his only appearance last season, Wilson registered seven tackles and recovered two fumbles against Auburn. He led the Gamecocks with 85 tackles in 2009.

All-American Stephon Gilmore headlines a defensive backfield that should be much improved and DeVonte Holloman, one of South Carolina's top defensive playmakers, will play the hybrid linebacker/safety position known as the Spur.

Offensively, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better one-two punch than Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery. Lattimore burst onto the scene with a monster freshman year carrying the ball, while Jeffery proved he’s nearly impossible to cover one-on-one.

Throw in quarterback Stephen Garcia's supposed off-field transformation, and it's hard to pick against the Gamecocks.

But can they live up to the hype? We've seen them struggle with it in the past -- most recently with a loss to Kentucky after upsetting No. 1 Alabama last fall and two losses to close out the year.

The Gamecocks have heard both sides and neither really matter. Lattimore said expectations are high for the defending East champs, but the focus is on something bigger than hype -- much bigger.

"[The hype] really doesn't matter to me," he said. "The main goal is to win the national championship and that's what we plan on doing.

"We have a lot of talent coming back. We're trying to build a family. If we do that, then it's going to be hard to beat us."

It's never too early to talk about next year's NFL draft, right? Of course not.

Well, ESPN colleague Mel Kiper recently made a list of his top-five juniors and seniors at each position and 12 SEC seniors made Kiper's list -- it would have been 13 if not for the dismissal of former Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who is rated as the No. 3 corner on Kiper's list.

Here is the list of SEC seniors on Kiper's list:

Running backs:

• No. 5: Jeffery Demps, Florida

Offensive guards:

• No. 3: Cordy Glenn, Georgia
• No. 4: Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina

Centers:

• No. 2: William Vlachos, Alabama
• No. 3: Ben Jones, Georgia

Inside linebackers:

• No. 5: Chris Marve, Vanderbilt

Outside linebackers:

• No. 1: Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

Cornerbacks

• No. 4: Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt

Safeties

• No. 1: Mark Barron, Alabama
• No. 3: Tramain Thomas, Arkansas

Kickers

• No. 1: Blair Walsh, Georgia

Punters

• No. 2: Drew Butler, Georgia

My thoughts:

• It's interesting to see Demps on this list. Yes, he has incredible speed and there isn't a player in the country that can catch him after he hits a hole and finds some space, but he has size (5-8, 190 pounds) and durability issues. He injured his foot last season against Tennessee when he carried the ball more than 20 times and was never the same in 2010. Demps needs to stay healthy and excel in Charlie Weis' pro-style offense this fall in order to stay on this list. Also, I expect Ole Miss' Brandon Bolden to creep onto this list. He's one of the most underrated players in the SEC.

• Tennessee's Malik Jackson and South Carolina's Travian Robertson have the ability to nudge their way into the list of top defensive tackles with solid seasons this fall. Also, Arkansas' Jerry Franklin and Kentucky's Danny Trevathan will push get in on the action at linebacker. I think Franklin has, like, 1,000 career tackles at this point.

• I like the love Hayward got. He hasn't gotten a ton of national attention, but he would start on just about any team in the SEC.

Now for the juniors:

Quarterbacks

• No. 5: Tyler Wilson, Arkansas

Running backs

• No. 1: Trent Richardson, Alabama
• No. 2: Knile Davis, Arkansas

Wide receivers

• No. 1: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina
• No. 5: Rueben Randle, LSU

Tight ends

• No. 2: Orson Charles, Georgia
• No. 4: Michael Williams, Alabama

Offensive tackles

• No. 5: Xavier Nixon, Florida

Offensive guards

• No. 2: Barrett Jones, Alabama
• No. 5: Larry Warford, Kentucky

Centers

• No. 5: T.J. Johnson, South Carolina

Defensive ends

• No. 4: Devin Taylor, South Carolina

Inside linebackers

• No. 4: Dont'a Hightower, Alabama

Cornerbacks

• No. 1: Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
• No. 4: Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
• No. 5: Morris Claiborne, LSU

Safeties

• No. 2: Robert Lester, Alabama
• No. 3: Janzen Jackson, Tennessee

Kickers

• No. 5: Bryson Rose, Ole Miss

My thoughts:

• Well, this junior class sure is stacked. There are 19 SEC juniors on Kiper's list and all of them are impact players in this league. I won't argue many of the players on this list, but I'm going to hold off on putting Wilson on here. He played in just one game last season, and while he did pretty well, I need to see more of him before I place him on a draft list. Cue his 4,000-yard performance this fall ...

• I saw where my Big 12 blog compadre David Ubben disagreed with Kiper for his decision to put Jeffery ahead of Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon. Sure, Blackmon has the killer speed that Jeffery doesn't, but Jeffery is a physical beast on the field and was the best in one-on-one situations last season. He'll catch anything, no matter who's around him. I'll take Jeffery as well and he should be just fine at the next level.

• Five of Kiper's 10 defensive backs reside in the SEC. Memo to all the quarterbacks in this league: throw with extreme caution. One player to keep an eye on this season is Claiborne. He has all the tools to be the top corner in the league this fall and could end up being the top corner in the country.

It's almost here, folks. SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala., are just a week away, which means the regular season is just around the corner.

You're ready for some football, and we're definitely ready for some football.

You can always find an interesting story or two at media days and there are always a few surprises here and there.

What will the coaches say about paying players? What will players say about paying players? What will be the reactions to the new rules on oversigning? Who will have the snazziest suit? Who will drop the best/funniest quotes of the week?

And of course, which fan base will have the most representation during the three-day event?

Each team will be bringing three players, along with the head coach. There are some good names on this year's list, including Ole Miss defensive end Kentrell Lockett. He's not only fun to talk with but has one of the more interesting stories to follow, considering his 2011 season was up in the air a few months ago.

Two youngsters that should get a lot of attention are South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore and Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray. Big things are expected from each one this fall, so it will be interesting to see how they deal with the media onslaught.

This will be Will Muschamp and James Franklin's first go-rounds at media days. Florida's new coach will also be bringing much-criticized quarterback John Brantley with him, but senior defensive tackle Jaye Howard won't make the trip. Too bad because he has a great personality and is fun to talk to.

Alabama coach Nick Saban, running back Trent Richardson, safety Mark Barron and linebacker Dont’a Hightower should get a few cameras and tape recorders in their faces next week. Alabama enters the fall as the likely favorite in the league and everyone will let Saban and his crew know that when they arrive Friday morning.

One disappointment is that South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia won't be around. The troubled athlete is looking to clean up his image in Columbia, but we won't have an opportunity to hear what he has to say as he attempts his transformation. Luckily, coach Steve Spurrier will be in town, meaning there should be some good laughs and great quotes. Plus, I'm interested to see if he's had more thoughts on compensating student-athletes.

I’m sure a few more personalities will come out next week, so it should be fun.

Here is a complete list of players and coaches for next week's event.

WEDNESDAY
First Rotation: 1 -- 3:50 p.m. ET

Arkansas
Coach Bobby Petrino
RB Knile Davis
WR Jarius Wright
DE Tenarius Wright

Florida
Coach Will Muschamp
QB John Brantley
DE William Green
WR Deonte Thompson

Second Rotation: 3:20 -- 6 p.m. ET

South Carolina
Coach Steve Spurrier
WR Alshon Jeffery
RB Marcus Lattimore
DT Travian Robertson

Mississippi State
Coach Dan Mullen
RB Vick Ballard
DT Fletcher Cox
QB Chris Relf

THURSDAY
First Rotation: 8:30 -- 11:20 a.m. ET

Kentucky
Coach Joker Phillips
OG Stuart Hines
CB Anthony Mosley
QB Morgan Newton

Georgia
Coach Mark Richt
CB Brandon Boykin
C Ben Jones
QB Aaron Murray

Second Rotation: 10:50 a.m. -- 1:30 p.m. ET

Auburn
Coach Gene Chizik
WR Emory Blake
DT Nosa Equae
TE Phillip Lutzenkirchen

Tennessee
Coach Derek Dooley
DL Malik Jackson
RB Tauren Poole
OL Dallas Thomas

FRIDAY
First Rotation: 8:30 -- 11:20 a.m. ET

Alabama
Coach Nick Saban
S Mark Barron
LB Dont'a Hightower
RB Trent Richardson

Vanderbilt
Coach James Franklin
CB Casey Hayward
LB Chris Marve
QB Larry Smith

Second Rotation: 10:50 a.m. -- 1:30 p.m. ET

Ole Miss
Coach Houston Nutt
RB Brandon Bolden
DE Kentrell Lockett
OT Bradley Sowell

LSU
Coach Les Miles
LB Ryan Baker
QB Jordan Jefferson
WR Russell Shepard

Last week, my ESPN colleague Bruce Feldman mentioned South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery as an early candidate for the Biletnikoff Award in his mailbag.

Few would argue with this and most have him pegged as the SEC's best receiver anyway. But can Jeffery push himself to the top of the country's receiving list and take home the prize?

Uh, yeah.

He might not have the speed of Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon or Oklahoma's Ryan Broyles, but he's a physical freak at 6-foot-4, 233 pounds and out-muscled just about every defender who tried -- and I emphasize tried -- to cover him. He was nearly unstoppable in one-on-one situations and finished 2010 as the top pass-catcher in the SEC.

Last season he caught 88 passes for 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns -- all league highs. He's caught a reception in 22 straight games, tied Sydney Rice's school record with 11 career 100-yard receiving games and ranks eighth in career receptions (134) and fourth in career yards (2,280) at South Carolina after just two seasons.

One important thing to remember is that Stephen Garcia is back. We still aren't sure if Garcia will make it through a full season, but he and Jeffery developed a superb field connection last year.

What could hurt his numbers are the added attention he's sure to get and the emergence of running back Marcus Lattimore. The sophomore could be an even bigger part of the offense this season (I know, it sounds hard to believe with the carries he got a year ago) and that could eat into the Gamecocks' passing game. Still, we'd be shocked if Jeffery didn't put himself at or near the top of the SEC in receiving for a second straight season.

Feldman also touched on the top defensive line units in the SEC. What a coincidence: We at the SEC blog actually came up with our early list of top defensive line groups in the league as well!

Anyway, I guess we aren't that crazy at the blog, as Feldman agreed with us and went with South Carolina having the best defensive line in the conference.

Here's what Feldman wrote:

Florida has an intriguing group featuring several really hyped young former blue-chippers, including Dominique Easley and Shariff Floyd. LSU also has an impressive crew of young guys, led by DT Anthony Johnson, although they do have to replace Drake Nevis. But for my answer, I'll go with South Carolina's defensive line.

The Gamecocks led the SEC in sacks in 2010 with 41, and many of them came from defensive linemen. They return two really productive ends in Melvin Ingram (9 sacks, 11 TFLs) and Devin Taylor (7.5 sacks, 13 TFLs). Inside, Travian Robertson (10 TFLs, 4 sacks) is very underrated. Then you add in the nation's top incoming freshman, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who is simply too explosive and talented to not contribute this fall, in passing situations at the very least. That's a lot of weapons at defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson's disposal.