ESPN College Football

What players have the most to prove in the SEC this coming season?

As the season creeps closer and closer, we're going to take a look at some and we're breaking it up by divisions.

I’ll take the East, and Chris will take the West later today.

Here’s my top five in the East:

1. Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia: Last season, Crowell was thrown right into the fire when he was named the starter coming out of fall camp. The true freshman had some early success, but steadily saw his popularity dip after nagging injuries continued to keep him hanging near the training table during games. Even though he was named the SEC's freshman of the year, his first season in Athens was headlined by off-field and injury issues. However, it sounds as though things are starting to turn around for Crowell, who had a much more focused and productive spring. Players said Crowell has become a more mature player, and had no problem dealing with injuries this time. He'll have to carry that over to the fall, because Georgia's offense is relying on him, and there are other backs ready to take his spot.

2. Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee: No one has questioned Bray's arm strength or throwing ability, but his leadership and focus have been questioned. He also hasn't gone through an entire season yet, as a thumb injury cut short his 2011 season. Bray said this spring that he knew his leadership skills were lacking, and that he coasted at times, so he started stepping up and speaking out immediately after the Vols' season-ending loss to Kentucky last fall. It carried over to the spring, but we still want to see that leader emerge this fall. Tennessee has a talented group of receivers, but if Bray can't really lead them, the Vols won't be able to use them to their best abilities.

3. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina: When healthy, Lattimore is one of the best running backs in the entire country. He's big, powerful and has deceptive speed. However, he's coming off of an ACL injury that cut short his 2011 season. Lattimore was held out of spring practice, but the coaches have insisted that he's ahead of schedule in his rehab and even started running sprints this spring. But he hasn't had any contact since his injury, and we won't know how affective he'll be for his team until we see him in a real game this fall. Regardless, Lattimore should get some early Heisman love this season.If he's truly healthy he makes South Carolina a real contender for an SEC title.

4. Xavier Nixon, OT, Florida: As a high school senior, Nixon was one of the most sought-after linemen around. He enjoyed a solid freshman year at Florida, but has since dealt with inconsistency. Weight fluctuation hasn't helped. Last year, Nixon was picked on by pass-rushers and developed a tendency to lose focus and discipline on the field. He was called for a handful of penalties (including several false-start calls), that stalled many drives. This spring, Nixon added some much-needed weight and appeared to actually keep it on this time. He will be looking over his shoulder at a few players this fall, so his spot isn't guaranteed.

5. James Franklin, QB, Missouri: Franklin enjoyed a breakout sophomore year that saw him pass for more than 2,800 yards and rush for nearly 1,000. Now, he'll try to do that against SEC defenses. Franklin said during the spring that his main objective going forward is to be a pass-first quarterback, but his progress was stalled by a shoulder injury. While the coaches expect him back for the season opener, another shot to it could sideline him for even longer, meaning the Tigers will have to turn to an unproven backup. Missouri's offensive success is riding on Franklin's health, and this team's success is riding on Franklin's play in a conference known for its defensive talent and speed. As Franklin goes, so will Mizzou.

You ask for people to write into the mailbag and there's no hint of hesitation.

The mailbag is back this week and we were bombarded with questions. The pages went on for a while, so I'm sorry if I couldn't get to all of them. Keep them coming, though, because there's always next week.

Let's get to this week's questions:

Ethan in Cullman, Ala., writes: With the recent dominance of Alabama and Coach Saban do you see Auburn and Chizik really being relevant nationally? I realize they have recruited fairly well but I think we all know without Cameron Newton the 2010 Auburn Team was a 6-7 7-5 football team and in all honesty I don't see them improving their win-losses as long as Gene Chizik is the head coach. Take away the 14-0 season and Chizik has a total record of 21-29 as a collegiate head coach. Lets just be honest in the world of college football everything runs through Tuscaloosa, Alabama and I don't see that changing anytime soon. RTR (:

Edward Aschoff: Man, Auburn fans will love you now. I'm sure the Christmas cards are being written as we speak. While I don't see Auburn surpassing Alabama this season, or really next season, I don't think Auburn is going to fall off the map without Newton. Like you wrote, Chizik has recruited well and the team he has now is pretty young. It's going to take more time for this team to crawl back up the SEC standings, but I don't think it's going to take years and years. Auburn has the young talent to challenge some teams in the West this year. Yes, even Alabama. I'm one of the few still on the Auburn bandwagon. I see improvement on the offensive line, quarterback Kiehl Frazier really came along stronger this spring with Scot Loeffler's help and the defense can only get better after a lousy 2011 showing. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Auburn made more news nationally in 2013.

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Jmathews in Weslaco, Texas, writes: Do you think Kevin Sumlin is going to surprise some teams this year with his offensive plan?

Edward Aschoff: It's a little unorthodox by SEC standards, for sure, but I'm not sure if SEC defenses will be confused by that air game. Sumlin and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will have to run the ball more in order to catch some defenses off guard. I know that flashy passing game was fun at Houston, but you have to run the ball to survive in the SEC. Balance will be key because we all know that Sumlin is going to want to throw the ball as much as he can. I don't think we'll truly see what all Sumlin wants to do because he's working with such young quarterbacks. That will restrict a lot of it and could make Christine Michael that much more important at running back. Once Sumlin has the right pieces in place then you'll see some offenses have to plan differently. For now, I think it's a work in progress.

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Jimmy in Pikeville, Ky., writes: Do you believe that Joker Phillips will be able to get the Kentucky Wildcats back to a bowl game this season?

Edward Aschoff: Phillips thinks he's found more offensive playmakers this spring, with youngsters such as Demarco Robinson, Daryl Collins and Ronnie Shields stepping up, and that's huge for the Wildcats. They didn't have many at all last year and that was a main reason Kentucky's offense was so bad. But we still need to see what those players can do against SEC competition in October. And a consistent quarterback has to step up. Maxwell Smith has the lead, but the race isn't over. The schedule is going to be tough for the Wildcats, as well. I think Kentucky needs to sweep nonconference play to ensure a bowl birth. That means beating Louisville to start the season. The Louisville loss was a big one for the Cats last year and right now, Louisville is still a better team. Getting those four nonconference wins will go a long way for Kentucky.

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Reed in Beijing, China, writes: Ex-pat hog fan here in Beijing. I wanted to get your opinion on how Arkansas will split carries between Ronnie Wingo, Knile Davis, and Dennis Johnson this year. Also, who besides Cobi Hamilton do you think will step up to fill the void at receiver?

Edward Aschoff: If Davis is healthy, he'll get the majority of the carries. I don't think there's any debate there. He is in another league compared to the other backs. After that, I think Arkansas goes Johnson then Wingo. Johnson came on during the second half of the season, while Wingo was inconsistent in my opinion. As for receiver, I think Marquel Wade could have a big year, along with tight end Chris Gragg. Wade is a very good athlete and the coaches loved what he did in practice last year. He's someone who has that dynamic feel in the offense and can make big plays. Gragg is big, athletic and tough. Tyler Wilson will key in on him a bunch this fall. He's probably the top returning tight end in the league.

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Ryan in Anaheim, Calif., writes: Is it safe to say that Vanderbilt will have one of the best offenses in the SEC this year? Returning Rodgers, Stacy, Matthews, and Boyd, while also getting Norman back and explosive freshman in Kimbrow. The only weakness I see is the O-line which will be inexperienced, but will that hold them back that much?

Edward Aschoff: That line barely got through spring practice, so it's a problem. Injuries and numbers really hurt the line. The good news is that six true freshmen will be on campus this summer. The bad news is that they are true freshmen. Jordan Rodgers still has to be more comfortable in the pocket. He can be really sporadic at times and coach James Franklin knows it. If he can't improve on the mental side, this offense will struggle. Brian Kimbrow is someone who can be used all over the field, so that will really benefit this offense. The other playmakers you mentioned are solid, no question, but there are some good offenses to battle near the top, such as Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina.

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Kyle in Gainesville, Fla., writes: The Gators haven't had many people drafted in the past two years, but next year will be much better. Who do you think could be drafted in the top 2 rounds next year? Bostic, Jenkins, Powell, Easley, Floyd, Elam, Nixon, Debose, and Reed are all guys I think can if they have a big year.

Edward Aschoff: Well, if Ronald Powell doesn't come back from his knee injury don't count on him heading to the draft. NFL scouts love Dominique Easley's potential. He's so strong and athletic and just pounds his way through offensive lines. He did suffer that knee injury, so his health will be monitored closely. Elam will compete to be the top safety in the SEC, but his name hasn't been thrown out as much as someone like Eric Reid. Jelani Jenkins is someone scouts like because of his speed and strength. He isn't the biggest linebacker, but he's extremely smart and that will help him a lot. Jon Bostic is getting some attention and a big year will boost his stock for sure. Xavier Nixon has to improve on a bad 2011 and Andre Debose and Jordan Reed have to be more consistent. Of all of them, I think Easley and Jenkins are Florida's top pro prospects.

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Brad in Longview, Texas, writes: If you could take one player from the SEC, outside of a QB, who would it be?

Edward Aschoff: Last year, the answer was easy: Trent Richardson. This year, it's a little more difficult. I don't think I'd go with another offensive player, so I'm going to go with Georgia's Jarvis Jones. He was one of the best players in the nation last year and was the SEC's top defensive player, after getting 13.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. He's a superb athlete, has tremendous speed and has a relentless attitude. He's also a great leader. He commands respect in the locker room and on the field. It's hard to find a better linebacker out there.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The adventure as a guest coach at Florida's spring game continues ...

12:00 p.m.: A host of former players get together for a flag football game dubbed the "Battle of the Decades," with players from the 1980s, '90s and 2000s participating. Thankfully, none of the old guys is hurt from all that running.

12:10: The quarterbacks come out and SI.com's Andy Staples and I try to meticulously dissect every single part of Jeff Driskel's and Jacoby Brissett's games to figure out which one is better. Like everyone around Florida's program, we're unable to.

12:20: I walk over to punt-return drills, nearly getting clocked by a ball the wind carried over toward me. Marcus Roberson, Trey Burton, Loucheiz Purifoy and De'Ante "Pop" Saunders are taking reps.

12:29: One-on-ones between receivers and defensive backs begin. It's light, but it's something to look at and we still can't figure out which quarterback is better, but tight end Jordan Reed impresses with a one-handed catch and true freshman receiver Latroy Pittman out-muscles his opponents for a few tough catches.

12:35: The offensive line goes through drills which incorporate a lot of spinning, slapping, pulling and pushing. It's humorous, until you realize how much bigger they are than you. Then you just think it's dangerous. Offensive line coach Tim Davis screams "Spin, spin, spin," until he's blue in the face and his voice is hoarser than before.

12:49: After watching the offensive line go at the defensive line, headlined by a rough battle between Sharrif Floyd and Xavier Nixon, the team jogs to the middle of the field for one last huddle before hitting the locker room.

12:51: We're in the locker room and the fun begins. After the team splits up by position, the coaches start going over last-minute game plans and emphasizing technique. "Stay under control!" running backs coach Brian White yells. "Let's get this crowd jacked up! Have people leave this (game) knowing we're going to flat-out dominate up front!" Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn preaches mental toughness in loud, quick bursts. He doesn't want to see any walking around or hands on hips. He wants energy and aggression on the field. "Ball Out U!" he screams. "Put out great (expletive) tape! When we turn on the tape I want to make sure I can't wait to watch you."

12:57: The excitement is growing inside the locker room. An animal is waiting to be unleashed. Players are hyped, as White walks around with a smile on his face saying, "Lotta nervous faces in here today," over and over. He's followed by verbose defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson, who constantly taunts the receivers and pretty much every offensive player. "Let's get to those quarterbacks today and get in their faces!"

12:59: Floyd sits and stares at the floor, like he's ready to destroy it. The person giving bear hugs and high-fives at the Gator Walk is ready to rip someone apart like a bear. He sits in silence as a coach tosses him smelling salt. He sniffs and doesn't flinch. He's ready.

1:04: Defensive end/Buck Ronald Powell shoots up out of his chair and starts dancing around, yelling inaudible words of encouragement to his teammates. He's pushing guys and slapping their pads. "Play yo game, baby! It's just practice! Everything you do, you've done before!"

1:05: Floyd stands and walks to the center of the locker room. His teammates huddle around him. Players go silent when he speaks. "Do your job, not the man next to you!" His voice is deep, loud and haunting. He keeps shouting "aggressive" over and over, which fuels his teammates even more and incites a frenzy before head coach Will Muschamp arrives.

1:07: Following the Lord's Prayer, Muschamp delivers a short pregame speech. "Fast and physical. Offense, run the ball down their throats!" The place explodes as players exit the locker room, tapping the orange "GRIND" sign above the locker room door on the way out.

1:10: Kickoff.

We didn't get to actually coach or call plays, but here are some observations from the sideline:

• Davis was very hands-on with linemen when they made mistakes. He made them verbally repeat their mistakes and asked them what they had to do to correct them. He was extremely thorough with players and took time to teach between plays.
• Offensive coordinator Brent Pease was really concerned with clock management. He was constantly telling the quarterbacks not on the field to make sure that the one in the game knew about the clock and knew when it was running out, even though there was no delay-of-game penalty. That communication failed early in the scrimmage.
• Even though Pittman had a pretty impressive day, receivers coach Aubrey Hill and receiver Andre Debose were coaching him on his routes, helping him get out of his breaks faster on the sideline.
• Driskel and Brissett looked like old fishing buddies out there. They were joking with each other after plays and helping each other when they made mistakes. Competition didn't stop them from cooperating.
• Tyler Murphy appears out of the quarterback race, but he showed some excellent coaching skills. He was spouting terminology and trying to help as much as he could. He was by Pease's side almost the whole time and was able to find a lot of the little things the other QBs missed. He might know the offense the best, but isn't as skilled as the others.

Quick quotes:

• Running back Mack Brown after getting popped during his touchdown run: "He picked me good. He Goldberged me."
• Receiver Solomon Patton after Chris Johnson's 15-yard run in the fourth quarter: "Man, we got some backs."
• Debose to walk-on Michael McNeely after his 52-yard catch: "I bet you thought that ball was in the air forever, huh?"

2:53: Blue defeats Orange 21-20 and I debut with a victory. As Muschamp jogs to meet Florida's band director, he stops to congratulate me on my win and I announce my retirement from the coaching profession.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- On the eve of my coaching debut at Florida's 2012 Orange & Blue Debut, I had the chance to sit down with Gators coach Will Muschamp to talk shop about his team and tried to get a couple of pointers on how to handle the pressure of being a college coach in the toughest conference in America.

Like most conversations between coaches, I'll choose not to repeat what advice Muschamp shared with me, but I will share that Muschamp appears to be much more comfortable with his team this year than he was at this time last spring. He was new to the head-coaching world and very new to all of his players, meaning there were plenty of bumps along the way.

"More than anything, I know the team better," Muschamp said. "I know the players better. I understand more about how they tick and what we need to do to be successful with them."

It's also easier now that his players have grown up a little. In Muschamp's debut season after leaving Texas as the defensive coordinator, the Gators were primarily made up of freshmen and sophomores -- more than 70 percent to be exact. They had less starts on defense going into the season than any other school in the SEC.

Florida also had to deal with transitioning from a spread offense to a more pro stye, and had different defensive philosophies to understand.

Now, Muschamp heads into Year 2 with reinvention on his mind -- for himself and his team.

Muschamp isn't as tense internally. He's more settled in his approach, making his understanding of his players easier. He's also made sure his guys toughened up, as new strength coach Jeff Dillman ran them through a gauntlet offseaon workout plan.

One area Muschamp sees a lot of positive change is the offensive line. With most of his line returning, Muschamp said there isn't much to teach this group. It's much better than last spring, when Muschamp and his coaches had six scholarship offensive linemen for the spring game. This line really struggled last season and as it declined, so did the offense. Muschamp said he's more comfortable with his guys upfront because they're bigger, stronger and more confident.

Keep an eye on the battle at right tackle. Veteran Matt Patchan is having the best spring of his Florida career, but redshirt freshman Chaz Green is going to make it tough for him to keep his job. Also, true freshman D.J. Humphries is pushing senior-to-be Xavier Nixon at left tackle. Humphries will play this fall and it wouldn't shock anyone if he claimed the left tackle spot.

But who will throw behind that line? No one knows. Honestly, no one is quite sure. Muschamp said Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel are both getting equal reps in practice and he expects that to continue into the fall. They're even and have made significant strides, Muschamp said, because the game has slowed down for both. For Muschamp, he isn't worried about talent. He just wants to get them more reps and as much live action as possible.

"Both of those guys can play and win a championship," he said. "They're both that talented and they also have the off-the-field things you gotta have at that position as far as leadership is concerned."

Muschamp called his team out for being soft last year, but one player who can't be considered soft is safety Matt Elam. People around the program think he was Florida's best player, regardless of position. He ended last season with 78 tackles and led the Gators with 11 for loss. He also played the last part of the season with a sports hernia and had surgery in January.

Muschamp expects him to be fine for the season and the thought is that he'll be a top defensive back in the SEC this fall.

Florida still has a lot of questions as it closes out the spring, but one thing is for sure, Muschamp is much happier with this group now than he was a year ago.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Xavier Nixon, Florida's left offensive tackle, isn't giving up any secrets, but he said the Gators are going to commit to running the ball this season.

"That's what you want as an offensive lineman, to be able to roll people off the ball," Nixon said. "That's what we were born to do."

Nixon dismissed the notion that Florida running backs Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey were too small to pound people with the running game.

"They may not be 200 pounds, but you've got to catch them before you can hit them," Nixon said. "Hey, I'm underweight myself."

Nixon said he's up to 285 pounds after playing around 275 last season.

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.

The big uglies up front on the offensive side are our focus today. There are some quality veterans out there, but teams all across the league are looking to replace some quality linemen in the trenches.

Here's how we see the league stacking up:

1. Alabama: Four of Alabama’s five linemen from a year ago return, making this one of the team’s strongest units. The returners have combined for more than 70 starts at Alabama. Barrett Jones is the star of the show. The junior has been the Tide’s starting right guard each of the past two seasons, but took reps at left tackle and could be asked to move. William Vlachos is back at center and could be the best at his position in the league. Fellow starters D.J. Fluker and Chance Warmack are back and took reps at left tackle this spring.

2. Ole Miss: The Rebels’ offense isn’t getting much respect this offseason, but its offensive line returns All-SEC candidates in tackles Bradley Sowell and Bobby Massie. Seven of Ole Miss’ linemen started two or more games each on the offensive line in 2010. Last season, the Rebels were first in the league in sacks allowed, giving up just 14. Alex Washington should stay at left guard after starting eight games there and A.J. Hawkins will likely get the nod at center after playing eight games there as well. Arkansas transfer Matt Hall will compete for time at center.

3. LSU: Joseph Barksdale might be gone, but the Tigers have a very talented group of linemen returning. Tackle Alex Hurst seems primed to be a star in the league and senior Josh Dworaczky is arguably the Tigers’ top lineman with 25 career starts. Patrick Lonergan is solid at center, while T-Bob Hebert is valuable at both center and guard. Sophomore Chris Faulk has the tough assignment of replacing Barksdale, but made quite the impression on his coaches this spring.

4. Kentucky: The Wildcats return four starters on their line. Right guard Larry Warford headlines the group after gaining second-team All-SEC honors a year ago. Kentucky also returns two-year starter Stuart Hines at left guard and Matt Smith at center, who was solid in his first year there. Left tackle Chandler Burden missed spring practice, but is expected back by fall practice. Finding a suitable right tackle is the next step for Kentucky.

5. Tennessee: This group could be one of the most impressive units for the Volunteers this season. It’s deeper and more experienced in Derek Dooley’s second year and he was very pleased with its performance this spring. Junior Dallas Thomas is solid at left tackle, and sophomore Ja’Wuan James really came on strong in his first year and is one of the top linemen in the SEC. James Stone also returns at center. The surprise of the group was true freshman Marcus Jackson, who held down the left guard spot for most of the spring.

6. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs must replace All-American left tackle Derek Sherrod, but most of the line is somewhat on point. Center Quentin Saulsberry will anchor the line and is versatile enough to play just about every position on the line. Left guard Gabe Jackson and right tackle Addison Lawrence return and the Bulldogs will have junior Tobias Smith lining up at right guard. Blaine Clausell and James Carmon, who moved from defensive tackle, will compete at left tackle.

7. Georgia: This was supposed to be one of the strongest offensive line units in the league, but the Bulldogs lost tackle Trinton Sturdivant to a season-ending knee injury this spring and fellow tackle A.J. Harmon transferred. Georgia’s most-reliable options are Cordy Glenn, who moved from guard to left tackle and Ben Jones at center. Kenarious Gates is at left guard, but he’s athletic enough to play tackle if needed. Former defensive lineman Justin Anderson will start off at right tackle. Right guard is the next area of business and the depth all around is a problem.

8. South Carolina: The Gamecocks have questions here, but there is talent across the line. Rokevious Watkins is one of the most talented guards in the league and he’ll be assisted by returning starter at center T.J. Johnson. Senior Kyle Nunn has made strides at left tackle and redshirt freshman A.J. Cann took over duties at left guard this spring. Still, the younger linemen will be counted on to contribute this fall.

9. Arkansas: The Razorbacks must replace three starters on the offensive line. Center Travis Swanson and left guard Alvin Bailey are the only returning starters. Just a sophomore, Bailey impressed his coaches last season and will be one of the top linemen in the league this fall. After that, the Hogs will have to turn to youth for help. True freshman Brey Cook could be thrust into the starting role at right tackle, while sophomore Anthony Oden could get the job at left tackle.

10. Florida: Florida’s offensive line struggled throughout the 2010 season -- and that was with a senior-laden group. This fall, the Gators will start over with a ton of inexperience. Right guard Jon Halapio and right tackle Xavier Nixon are the only returning starters. Halapio struggled at times last season and Nixon battled injuries. Florida’s line spent most of the spring in the infirmary, so little is known about the overall talent. Freshman Chaz Green left spring as the starter at left tackle, Jonotthan Harrison will battle former Notre Dame lineman Dan Wenger at center. He transferred in after spring, but has health concerns.

11. Auburn: The Tigers will go from having one of the top offensive line groups in the country to having a major work in progress in 2011. Senior Brandon Mosley is the lone returning starter, and while he was solid on Auburn’s line last season, he came from junior college as a defensive end/tight end. The good news is that tackle A.J. Greene should be fine this fall after sustaining a season-ending leg injury last year. The rest of Auburn’s linemen are very young and inexperienced. Don’t expect many redshirts from this group.

12. Vanderbilt: The Commodores might return all five starters, but this unit had trouble keeping things together last year. The offense needs this group to improve mightily. Wesley Johnson is Vanderbilt’s best option, despite only being a sophomore at left tackle. There will be size on the right side, with 300-plus pounders Kyle Fischer and Ryan Seymour over there. Simply put, this unit has the experience, but it requires a lot of improvement.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- While Florida’s spring game was a bit of a snoozer, new coach Will Muschamp was pleased with how his team progressed this spring.

Here are some notes from the Blue team’s 13-10 win over the Orange in Saturday’s Orange and Blue Debut:

• The Gators entered Muschamp’s first spring game with a laundry list of injuries. Here are some of them: RB Mike Gillislee (stress fracture), RB Mack Brown (broken fibula), RB Mike Blakely (shoulder surgery), OL Xavier Nixon (ankle), OL Matt Patchan (wrist surgery), OL Nick Alajajian (knee), FB Trey Burton (ankle), WR Andre Debose (ankle), DT Jaye Howard (ankle surgery) and CB Janoris Jenkins (shoulder surgery).
• Freshman wide receiver Javaras McRoy missed Saturday’s game after undergoing a medical procedure on his lung. Muschamp said he missed the last week and a half of practice, but will be fine. “There’s no serious situation right here,” Muschamp said.
• Redshirt freshman receiver Chris Dunkley wasn't seen at the game. He was suspended from the team earlier in the week for academic reasons.
• Redshirt freshman quarterback Tyler Murphy finished 7-for-11 passing with a game-high 68 yards. “I made some plays,” Murphy said. “I made some mental errors and stuff like that. I have to focus on getting better in the offseason and watching film and learning from my mistakes.” Starter John Brantley only played in the first half, going 4-for-14 with 45 yards. Brantley started the game 0-for-6 and didn’t complete his first pass -- a 19-yard completion to tight end Jordan Reed -- until 5:28 remaining in the second quarter.
• The teams combined for 340 yards of total offense, while the Orange defense held the Blue to the fewest points (13) by a winning team in the history of Florida’s spring game. The Orange also limited the Blue to six total completions, tied for the lowest in spring game history (Orange, 2008). The Blue defense held the Orange to the fewest total offensive yards (143) in spring game history. “It’s going to look different, but we’re going to be more comfortable with it,” Brantley said of the offense. “Everyone will be healthy, everyone will be fresh.”
• However, the Orange broke the spring game record for highest third-down percentage, completing .625 (5-for-8) of its third-down attempts. The previous record was .556 by the Orange team in 2001.
• Rising senior kicker Caleb Sturgis tied Jeff Chandler’s 2001 spring game record by making all three of his field-goal attempts. In the first half, Sturgis made a 21-yarder for the game’s first points. He followed with a 43-yarder with 1:56 left in the half. His final one came on a 33-yard attempt late in the third.
• Freshman punter Kyle Christy tied Nick Fleming’s 2003 spring game record for longest punt with a 55-yarder in the first quarter. Christy enrolled at Florida in January and is listed as the first-team punter.
• Muschamp said he and his staff achieved the goal of finding its playmakers and devised a list of 22 players they are comfortable relying on. One of those players was redshirt freshman Quinton Dunbar, who caught two passes for 45 yards, including a 29-yarder to start the second half. “Dunbar has made more big plays than anybody else [this spring],” Muschamp said.

For Will Muschamp, this spring has been about using every shred of his time wisely, especially with his offense.

With Florida’s spring game just days away, the new guy in charge has watched as a pro-style offense has been installed, replacing the spread brought in by former coach Urban Meyer.

Fortunately for Muschamp, taking most of the offensive construction responsibility is former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator and Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis. Weis has the task of rebuilding a unit that suffered in 2010, ranking 10th in the SEC in yards per game (350.8) and eighth in scoring offense (29.8).

With only 15 practices, efficiency has been the key.

“We’ve been very careful with what we’ve asked our players to do,” Muschamp said. “That’s something as a staff that we’ve been very conscious of. Not spoon feeding them, but making sure we’re putting them in the right situations where they can be successful on both sides of the ball and evolve a little bit to what we want to be.”

There’s a whirlwind of information swirling around Florida’s practice fields, meaning Muschamp and his staff have had to ease players in. They want to play to their players’ strengths and find out who can adjust quickly and who’s left spinning.

Muschamp has run his team through a slew of situational drills, such as working in the red zone and near the goal line, and third down and end-of-game situations.

Florida converted just 37.6 percent of its third downs last fall and was last in the conference in red zone efficiency, scoring on 41 of 58 chances (70.7 percent).

It’s been less than a month, but players are starting to feel more comfortable. Other than new terminology and route designs, Frankie Hammond Jr. said the offense isn’t that different. Even with more tight end sets, there is still motion and the blocking scheme is similar.

“Everybody can benefit from this offense,” Hammond said. “They’re throwing it deep, throwing it short.”

And the guy doing the throwing is excited, too. Struggling in the spread, quarterback John Brantley has found a home in Weis’ offense. He’s under center more and running isn’t a requirement.

Brantley said he and his teammates are more in sync, which is a pleasant change.

“It’s coming along good,” he said. “We’re moving up the ladder. That’s what we want to see out of the team right now.”

However, recent nagging injuries have slowed the process. Running backs Mack Brown (broken fibula) and Mike Gillislee (stress fracture) are out. With Jeff Demps participating in outdoor track season, Florida is left with Chris Rainey as its only scholarship running back for the spring game.

Backup center Nick Alajajian suffered a knee injury that will require three months of recovery, and starting right tackle Xavier Nixon sprained his ankle, but could return this week.

“We're working about seven [offensive linemen], and that's total bodies,” Muschamp said. “That's all we've got. Injuries are part of the game. There's nobody feeling sorry for the Gators right now, I can tell you that.

“Injuries are part of it. You have to have other guys step up. One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity. You build depth on your football team through these times and you find out a lot more about your football team in these situations.”

With limited offensive numbers, Muschamp said Saturday’s Orange and Blue Game will have an offense that scores for the Orange and one that scores for the Blue.

The past week has been a chore with the injury list, but Muschamp is happy with the headway made by his team and he’s confident he’ll see good results this weekend.

“I’ve been pleased with the progress,” he said. “I look forward to getting out in front of the Gator Nation and in our stadium. Our guys really take a lot of pride when they run out there and play and we appreciate the support we have.”

Schedule: The Gators open spring practice on Wednesday, and their Orange & Blue Debut spring game will be played on April 9. The noon ET game will be televised live by Sun Sports. None of the Gators’ practices or scrimmages will be open to the public.

What’s new: Actually, what isn’t new? Will Muschamp takes over for Urban Meyer in what will be Muschamp’s head coaching debut. Former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis will run the offense and plans to put in a pro-style attack. Longtime NFL assistant Dan Quinn moves in as the Gators’ defensive coordinator, and five other new coaches round out Muschamp’s first staff at Florida – Aubrey Hill (receivers), Derek Lewis (tight ends), Travaris Robinson (defensive backs), Frank Verducci (offensive line) and Bryant Young (defensive line).

On the mend: Cornerback Janoris Jenkins (shoulder), running back Mike Blakely (shoulder) and linebacker Neiron Ball (congenital syndrome) will all be held out of spring practice. Running back Jeff Demps is running track this spring and won’t participate. Other players who will be limited because of injuries include offensive linemen Matt Patchan, James Wilson and David Young, defensive tackles Omar Hunter and Jaye Howard, linebacker Kedric Johnson and defensive back Jaylen Watkins.

On the move: Sophomore Gerald Christian is moving from tight end to strong side linebacker, where he’s listed No. 1 on the depth chart. Sophomore Jordan Reed, after playing some at quarterback last season, is at tight end to stay. Sophomore Trey Burton, who also rotated in at quarterback last season in the Gators’ old spread attack, will move to a hybrid position on offense. He could be used as an H-back, running back, receiver or tight end. Redshirt freshman Leon Orr has moved from defensive end to defensive tackle.

Key battle: Senior quarterback John Brantley gets a do-over in Weis’ pro-style system after being miscast in the spread last season. To hold onto the starting job, he’s going to have to hold off true freshman Jeff Driskel and redshirt freshman Tyler Murphy. Driskel was ESPN’s No. 1 quarterback prospect in the country last year and is a freakish athlete who’s equally adept at throwing the ball from the pocket.

New faces: The Gators had seven players to enroll early, including Driskel. Blakely was another one, but shoulder surgery will keep him from going through the spring. The others were defensive end Clay Burton, punter Kyle Christy, tight end A.C. Leonard, receiver Javares McRoy and cornerback De’Ante Saunders.

Breaking out: Take your pick of some of those sophomore defensive linemen, namely tackle Sharrif Floyd and buck end Ronald Powell. Switching over to offense, junior receiver Frankie Hammond, Jr. has been the talk of the offseason program and could be the one to provide some of those big plays that were missing in the Gators’ offense last season.

Don’t forget about: Although he was on campus last season, Chris Martin didn’t play for the Gators. He had to sit out after transferring from California, where he signed in 2010 as one of the most highly rated defensive end prospects in the country. A redshirt freshman, Martin was a force on the scout team last season and opens this spring No. 2 on the depth chart at defensive end.

All eyes on: Not only are the Gators putting in a new offense, but they will be doing it with a brand new offensive line. The projected starters going into the spring have a combined 19 career starts. The right side of the line is the most experienced with sophomore guard Jon Halapio and junior tackle Xavier Nixon.

Auburn is 2-0 after standing its ground defensively in the second half against Mississippi State on Thursday night. Here are a few links from that game and elsewhere in the SEC:

• It's a good thing Auburn's much-maligned defense came to the rescue, writes Andy Bitter of the The Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer.
• Auburn offensive tackle Lee Ziemba didn't return /a> after suffering an injury to his right knee.
• Kevin Scarbinsky of The Birmingham News writes that Auburn's defense looks like an Auburn defense at last.
• Mississippi State isn't quite ready for prime time, writes Kyle Veazey of The Jackson Clarion-Ledger.
• The turning point in Auburn's 17-14 win over Mississippi State was last New Year's Eve when quarterback Cameron Newton picked the Tigers over the Bulldogs, writes Rick Cleveland of The Jackson Clarion-Ledger.
• Suspended Georgia receiver A.J. Green sold his jersey to a former North Carolina football player who's at the center of an NCAA investigation into alleged rules violations involving the Tar Heels' program, reports Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com.
• Ole Miss junior offensive guard Rishaw Johnson is dismissed from the team, while sophomore linebacker Brandon Sanders has been suspended indefinitely.
• Which school really is Linebacker U? Alabama or Penn State?
• LSU running back Stevan Ridley is looking to make amends after fumbling twice last week in the opener.
• Florida left offensive tackle Xavier Nixon is cleared to play this weekend after missing the opener with a knee injury.
• Vanderbilt received an apology from Big Ten officials for blowing the call on safety Jay Fullam last week when he was wrongly penalized for head-to-head contact on a personal foul penalty late in the Northwestern game.

Today, we examine the Gators’ strengths and weaknesses coming out of the spring.

Strongest position: Offensive line

Key returnees: Senior center Mike Pouncey, senior guard/tackle Carl Johnson, senior tackle Marcus Gilbert, sophomore tackle Xavier Nixon, senior guard Maurice Hurt, junior guard James Wilson

Key departures: Center Maurkice Pouncey

The skinny: The Gators did some bang-up recruiting this offseason with a signing class some have called the most talented ever. But their most important recruit might have been holding onto Mike Pouncey, who opted not to turn pro early and will instead slide over from guard and take over for his twin brother, Maurkice, at center next season. Maurkice was a first-round selection and will certainly be missed, but the Gators return four starters up front -- and three of those are seniors. Nixon took over at left tackle as a true freshman last season and started the last five games. Johnson returns at left guard, but has also started at tackle. Gilbert returns as the Gators’ right tackle. Hurt and Wilson will probably battle it out for the right guard spot. Hurt started some at guard a year ago. The Gators have enough depth and versatility in their offensive line that Steve Addazio will have the luxury of working a couple of different combinations to ensure getting his best five guys on the field. Junior tackle Matt Patchan could also factor in somewhere after being injured most of last season. Barring a rash of injuries, this may end up being the best offensive line Urban Meyer has had at Florida.

Weakest position: Defensive end

Key returnees: Senior Justin Trattou (17 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception), senior Duke Lemmens (10 tackles), junior William Green (12 tackles, three tackles for loss)

Key departures: Carlos Dunlap (38 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks), Jermaine Cunningham (34 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two forced fumbles)

The skinny: If ever the Gators could use an infusion of talent, it’s at defensive end. Not by coincidence, they went out and signed some of the most talented end prospects in the country, most notably Ronald Powell of Moreno Valley, Calif. He might need to bulk up some, but Powell is an incredible athlete who will be a nightmare for opposing offensive tackles off the edge. It’s rare that true freshman defensive linemen come into the SEC and make an immediate impact, but Powell is that kind of talent. Trattou is the top returnee and will need to make more big plays for the Gators, who got a combined 31.5 sacks from Dunlap and Cunningham the past two seasons. Green has big-play potential at the other end. He just has to go do it. Lemmens is a steady player, but neither is in the class of Dunlap and Cunningham. Rushing the passer effectively will be more important than ever next season, too, when you consider that the Gators will be filling holes in the secondary created by the early departures of cornerback Joe Haden and safety Major Wright. Two more true freshmen who could end up helping are Dominique Easley and Lynden Trail. Easley could get snaps at both end and tackle.

Today, we take a look at what should be the strongest and weakest positions for Florida in 2010:

Strongest position: Offensive line

Key returnees: Mike Pouncey, Carl Johnson, Marcus Gilbert, Xavier Nixon, Maurice Hurt, Matt Patchan, James Wilson

Key departures: Maurkice Pouncey

The skinny: Had Maurkice Pouncey not decided to turn pro, the Gators would have one of the deepest, most experienced offensive lines in the country in 2010. Even with him gone, they should still be very good up front. They really like the way Xavier Nixon is developing after he stepped in as the starter at left tackle late last season as a true freshman. Mike Pouncey, an All-SEC performer, will move from guard to center. Carl Johnson has started at both guard and tackle, while Marcus Gilbert was the starter at right tackle last season. Maurice Hurt and James Wilson will probably fight it out for that other guard spot, and if Matt Patchan is healthy, he’ll push somebody for a starting spot.

Weakest position: Receiver/tight end

Key returnees: Deonte Thompson, Andre Debose, Omarius Hines

Key departures: Riley Cooper, Aaron Hernandez, David Nelson

The skinny: The Gators lost four of their top five receivers from a year ago, including their top three. One of those was Hernandez, who was a nightmare matchup problem for defenses at tight end. Freshman Gerald Christian may be the heir apparent to replace Hernandez. At receiver, the Gators have some talent, but even more unknowns. Is this the year Thompson is more consistent and doesn’t have as many drops? He needs to become the go-to guy of this group. How healthy will Debose be after coming off hamstring surgery? As talented as he is, keep in mind that he’s never played in a college game. There’s also a huge opportunity for guys like Frankie Hammond, Solomon Patton and Hines to step up and be playmakers. One move the Gators made was shifting Chris Rainey from running back to slot receiver.

Kicking off the week with some SEC linkage:

• Big plays return to Alabama's passing game, writes Gentry Estes of The Mobile Press-Register.
• Auburn is looking to fix its mistakes during the bye week before taking on Alabama, writes Charles Goldberg of The Birmingham News.
• Georgia coach Mark Richt says safety Bacarri Rambo has recovered extremely well after suffering a concussion in the Auburn game.
• South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier says he can see why Stephen Garcia made the decision he did on the interception that turned around the Florida game last Saturday.
• Ole Miss freshman offensive tackle Bobby Massie makes his first start a memorable one. The Rebels move John Jerry to guard.
• Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline will undergo knee surgery and miss the final two regular-season games.
• With Charles Scott out, LSU's Keiland Williams comes to life, writes Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett Louisiana Newspapers.
• Florida true freshman Xavier Nixon comes through just fine at left tackle in his first start for the Gators.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- True freshman Xavier Nixon started at left offensive tackle Saturday for Florida, becoming the first true freshman to start at left tackle for the Gators since Reggie Green in 1992.

Florida moved Carl Johnson inside to left guard. The Gators felt like they were best last season up front when Johnson was playing inside at guard.

Nixon has gone against South Carolina pass-rushing specialist Eric Norwood several times in the first half and held his own.