Post spring SEC Capsules

[Eckwood43]

SEC WestCapsules

ALABAMA

RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 7 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 38

CHANGES
For the first time in three years Alabama is eligible to play in a real bowl game — rather than scheduling a season finale at Hawaii — and compete for the SEC championship. Sophomore Kyle Tatum moved from DL to OT, where he is a projected starter. In the secondary, junior Roman Harper moved from SS to FS and junior Charlie Peprah moved from CB to FS. Sophomore Tim Castille, a starter at FB last season, got a lot of work at TB in the spring and figures to play both running positions in the fall.

SETTLED
The Crimson Tide is loaded at linebacker, led by junior SLB DeMeco Ryans. Senior Cornelius Wortham, who redshirted last season because of a dislocated elbow, returned and will be part of a strong 1-2 punch at MLB with junior Freddie Roach. Junior quarterback Brodie Croyle was limited in spring practice after undergoing surgery on his left (nonthrowing) shoulder, but he is the unquestioned starter heading into the fall. While there have been some position changes in the secondary, Harper, Peprah and senior CB Anthony Madison are returning starters.

UNSETTLED
Sophomore Tyrone Prothro is the only returning WR who caught any passes last season, so inexperienced players have to step up. Senior LT Wesley Britt and senior C J. B. Closner are the only offensive linemen projected to start at the same spots as last season. SPRING STARS WR Brandon Brooks, CB Ramzee Robinson, QB Marc Guillon

ARKANSAS

RETURNING STARTERS 1 offense, 3 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 42

CHANGES
For a change, there was no change on Houston Nutt’s coaching staff. For the first time in four years, every coach from the previous season is back. Tracy Rocker, the former Outland and Lombardi Award winner at Auburn who in the spring was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, returns for his second season as defensive line coach after Arkansas hadn’t had the same assistant coach the defensive line for more than a year since 1999. Sophomore John Johnson moved from TB to CB to help add depth to the secondary.

SETTLED
Senior Matt Jones is the unquestioned starter at QB, though he may play some WR depending on how well redshirt freshman QB Robert Johnson progresses. The Razorbacks should be solid at TB with senior DeCori Birmingham and junior De’Arrius Howard. Junior TB Dedrick Poole had a good spring and also figures in the rotation. Ten of the top 13 defensive linemen are back.

UNSETTLED
Junior OT Zac Tubbs is the only Razorback with starting experience on the offensive line, and he has just two starts, though one was in the Independence Bowl victory over Missouri. The secondary is a huge question mark after the loss of seven of the top DBs from last season. Junior Lerinezo Robinson is the most experienced DB, but it’s unclear where he’ll play in the fall. He closed spring drills at SS, but may move to CB. The Razorbacks also must replace their top two WRs from last season with the loss of George Wilson and Richard Smith. SPRING STARS WR Cedric Washington, FS Vickiel Vaughn, NG Lucas Jackson

AUBURN

RETURNING STARTERS 7 offense, 6 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 48

CHANGES
Al Borges became Auburn’s fourth offensive coordinator in four years. Borges, who came to Auburn from Indiana and also coached in the Pacific-10 Conference at UCLA and Cal, installed the West Coast offense in the spring. Look for the Tigers to throw downfield more as they pick their spots to go for big plays out of a controlled passing game. Sophomore Ben Grubbs moved from TE to LG, where he won a starting job. Senior Jay Ratliff moved from DE to DT to help shore up the inside.

SETTLED
Senior TBs Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and Ronnie Brown each have rushed for 1,000 yards in a season. Brown led the team in rushing two years ago when Williams was injured, then Williams was the top rusher last season. Now Borges plans to get them on the field together. Fifth-year senior QB Jason Campbell is 18-9 as a starter and picked up the West Coast offense well in the spring. He’s gotten used to making adjustments while working with so many changes at the coordinator spot. Seven of the top eight receivers from last season return. All four starters are back in the secondary.

UNSETTLED
There is uncertainty among Auburn’s front seven on defense, where senior DE Bret Eddins and LB Travis Williams are the only returning starters. The Tigers still are looking for a reliable PK after senior Phillip Yost and sophomore David Vaughn combined to hit just 11 of 19 FG attempts last season, including missing several tries inside 40 yards. SPRING STARS DE Stanley McClover, OG Ben Grubbs, CB David Irons.

[Eckwood43]

LSU

RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 7 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 41

CHANGES
There are four new assistant coaches on Nick Saban’s staff, including Bobby Williams, who replaced Saban at Michigan State but was fired as the Spartans’ coach two years ago. Williams will coach WRs at LSU. Senior CB Corey Webster, an All-SEC first-team pick, got some work in the spring at WR and may see twoway duty in the fall. Junior RB Joseph Addai also got in some work at WR. Junior Nate Livings moved from LG to RT, where he is a projected starter. Junior Brandon Washington moved from DT to OT.

SETTLED
The Tigers return their top three rushers from last season’s SEC and national championship team, led by sophomore TB Justin Vincent, the MVP of LSU’s Sugar Bowl victory over Oklahoma. Webster leads an experienced secondary that has three returning starters. Senior C Ben Wilkerson is back to anchor the offensive line.

UNSETTLED
Senior Marcus Randall ended spring practice as the Tigers ’ top QB, but competition for the starting job will continue in fall camp between Randall and redshirt freshman JaMarcus Russell. While Russell has a stronger arm than Randall and is a better athlete, Randall has the edge in experience. Randall has played in 21 games, including six starts in the 2002 season when he replaced an injured Matt Mauck. With the loss of Michael Clayton and Devery Henderson to the NFL, junior Skyler Green has to show he’s ready to step up and be the team’s go-to receiver along with being the nation’s top punt returner. SPRING STARS LB Ali Highsmith, DB Mario Stevenson, DT Claude Wroten

OLE MISS

RETURNING STARTERS 7 offense, 4 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 49

CHANGES
Ole Miss Coach David Cutcliffe doesn’t have a Manning on his team for the first time in 10 years. Eli Manning was at Ole Miss the previous five years and the four years before that, Peyton Manning was Tennessee’s QB while Cutcliffe was the Vols’ offensive coordinator. With Eli Manning having moved on to the NFL with the New York Giants, redshirt junior Michael Spurlock nailed down the Rebels’ starting QB job in the spring. Spurlock has a strong arm and is more mobile than Manning. He’s expected to do a lot of rollouts and maybe some option running. Junior OT Tre Stallings has moved from the left side to the right side.

SETTLED
Ole Miss returns four starters on the offensive line, led by senior RG Marcus Johnson, who has made 37 consecutive starts. Three of the top four WRs from last season return, including sure-handed Bill Flowers and speedy Mike Espy. Senior FS Eric Oliver will be going for 100-plus tackles for the third consecutive season and is among three returning starters in the secondary.

UNSETTLED
While Spurlock is the No. 1 QB, he’s played in only three games as a backup and has to show he’s ready to be the starter. Three starters are gone from the defensive line. The new starters at DE, junior Jayme Mitchell and senior Cory Robinson, have more size and strength than the guys they’re replacing, but not as much speed. The Rebels also will have new starting LBs, with seniors Ken Bournes and Rob Robertson taking over. SPRING STARS QB Michael Spurlock, CB Trumaine McBride, NG Michael Bozeman

MISSISSIPPI STATE

RETURNING STARTERS 7 offense, 7 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 54

CHANGES Jackie Sherrill is out after 13 season at Mississippi State and Sylvester Croom is in as the Bulldogs’ new coach. Croom, an All-American center at Alabama, made history as the SEC’s first black head football coach. He began his coaching career at Alabama but was an NFL assistant the previous 17 years, including the past four with Green Bay. Croom brought the West Coast offense to Mississippi State, but the Bulldogs will run a trimmeddown version of what the Packers did. Croom is big on discipline and wasted no time dismissing RB Nick Turner — who last season set a school record with 1,664 all-purpose yards — for breaking team rules. During spring practice, he also suspended starting C Chris McNeil for disciplinary reasons.

SETTLED
Sophomore Omarr Conner won the starting QB job in the spring. He came to Mississippi State as a QB, but played WR last season because he was too good not to be on the field somewhere. Now with Kevin Fant gone, Croom has turned to Conner to lead the offense. He has a strong arm and also will be a dangerous runner. Junior TB Jerious Norwood is a productive runner and should have a good season if the Bulldogs can solve their blocking problems.

UNSETTLED
The offensive line returns four starters, but overall they needed to lose weight and add strength. Progress was made in the spring, but must continue over the summer. Sophomore Brad Horton worked at first-team MLB in the spring and is a smart, steady player and a good leader in the huddle, but not overly talented. He may be overmatched as a starter in middle. SPRING STARS QB Omarr Conner, SS Marcus Evans, CB Adrian Griffin.

[Eckwood43]

SEC East Capsules

FLORIDA

RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 3 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 43

CHANGES
Coordinator duties, including play calling, shifted from quarterbacks coach Ed Zaunbrecher to receivers coach Larry Fedora so Zaunbrecher could spend more time with QB Chris Leak and because Fedora will call plays faster, Coach Ron Zook said. What, Zaunbrecher couldn’t speed up the play calls if his boss asked? An underlying factor in the move: Fedora is Zook’s boy, so to speak. The multiple-scheme philosophy remains the same.

SETTLED
Leak, who started and played well as a true freshman, looked less mechanical and allowed more of his natural ability to surface. A balanced group of receivers emerged led by Dallas Baker and deep threat Andre Caldwell (brother of former Gator Reche Caldwell). WR O. J. Small (broken finger) did not practice but will be ready for two-adays. The front seven on defense is improved.

UNSETTLED
Secondary. All the starters are gone, although new starting FS Jarvis Herring and SS Cory Bailey have played extensively. Both cornerback spots are serious concerns and coaches will take some pressure off them by not putting them in man-toman coverage often. SPRING STARS DE Jeremy Mincey, a junior college transfer, WR Jemalle Cornelius

GEORGIA

RETURNING STARTERS 10 offense, 7 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 51

CHANGES
When you return most of the components from a team that has played in back-to-back SEC championship games, you don’t need to change. Coach Mark Richt didn’t impose quite as much scrimmaging this spring with so many veteran players on hand who already know what they’re doing.

SETTLED
Quarterback. Fourth-year starter David Greene didn’t have to prove anything but looked good in the work he did do. The offensive line returns intact, led by honors candidate Max Jean-Giles. DE David Pollack decided not to enter the NFL so he could play his senior season. After spring practice, Pollack fell at a boathouse, split open his head and needed 32 stitches but he’s back working out. TB Kregg Lumpkin won the starting job and at 215 pounds is the fastest running back. WR Fred Gibson did not play basketball so he could improve on his already strong receiving skills. DE Will Thompson, who tore a knee ligament last season, was held out of the spring but will be back for two-a-days.

UNSETTLED
An old cornerback is one of the new cornerbacks — Tim Jennings, who lost his job early last season. DeMario Minter finished No. 1 at the other spot. WLB Tony Taylor tore a knee ligament, is out for the season and will be replaced by Derrick White. SPRING STARS TB Kregg Lumpkin, WR A. J. Bryant, who moved from quarterback.

KENTUCKY

RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 9 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 41

CHANGES
For the first time in recent memory, the Wildcats won’t have a drop-back passer in the mold of Jared Lorenzen and Tim Couch. Shane Boyd takes over. He’s the offense’s best runner and the play calls will feature him with quarterback draws, sweeps and other designed runs.

SETTLED
Did we mention Boyd at quarterback? His backup is a redshirt freshman and the only other scholarship quarterback, so Boyd’s job is safe. The team found a replacement for WR and All-America KR Derek Abney in Keenan Burton. Burton is a tall receiver who has enough speed to handle kickoff and punt returns but will have a hard time matching Abney’s production, as any mortal would. With most starters back, the defense was able to concentrate on shoring up the depth.

UNSETTLED
Tailback. Arliss Beach, Draak Davis and Alexis Bwenge combined for fewer than 900 yards rushing last season, 3.6 yards per carry. Beach missed the last part of the spring with a sprained ankle and still finished as the starter. Incoming signee Rafael Little could challenge for the job. Senior WR Tommy Cook tore a knee ligament in the spring and probably is out for the season. G Jason Rollins is the only established SEC-caliber lineman. Kentucky remains under NCAA-imposed scholarship limitations. SPRING STARS WR-KR Keenan Burton, CB Karl Booker, a converted receiver.

[Eckwood43]

SOUTH CAROLINA

RETURNING STARTERS 9 offense, 6 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 43

CHANGES
Coach Lou Holtz effectively sacked both coordinators, firing Chris Cosh on defense and demoting his son Skip on offense. Lou has taken over the offense, scaling way back on the Spread and installing the Veer package he used at Notre Dame. After dropping the ax on his coaches, a softer side of Holtz emerged with the players. He backed off some policies, such as no facial hair and keeping haircuts neat, and he visited the players in the locker room after each practice instead of going directly back to his office. Holtz is coming off his first back-to-back losing seasons since his first three years in college coaching in the 1970s.

SETTLED
The defensive front is strong led by DEs Moe Thompson and George Gause. Defensive coordinator Rick Minter kept Cosh’s 4-3 but threw in more inside stunts and twists, a la LSU. Overall, the defense looked good. RB Demtris Summers and an established offensive line never quite shook off the rust.

UNSETTLED
QB Dondrial Pinkins is the returning starter but Syvelle Newton put up a serious challenge. Holtz said he might use two quarterbacks. Newton accounted for 348 of the 515 total yards in the spring game and led all four scoring drives working with both offenses. He also threw two interceptions. FS Jamacia Jackson and Jermaine Harris will carry their competition into two-a-days. No kicker was found. SPRING STARS QB Syvelle Newton, SS Ko Simpson, DE Moe Thompson.

TENNESSEE

RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 4 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 53

CHANGES
Draw a line right down the middle — fullback, quarterback, center, middle linebacker, both defensive tackles and both safeties are gone. G Jason Respert moved to center. Kevin Simon moved from outside to inside linebacker. The offense was simplified to help inexperienced quarterbacks. New RBs coach Trooper Taylor injected some energy into the backfield.

SETTLED
LBs Kevin Burnett and Kevin Simon made it through the off-season and spring without surgery or rehab to anchor the strength of the defense. DL Parys Haralson built on his break-out 2003 season (14 1 / 2 tfl, 5 sacks) by thickening his body and could end up being as good as some of the great Vols defensive ends of years past.

UNSETTLED
For the first time in four years, the quarterback won’t be named Casey Clausen but he could be Rick Clausen, the former’s younger brother. Rick Clausen and C. J. Leak competed but neither distinguished himself. The position is so unsettled that incoming freshmen Brent Schaeffer and Eric Ainge (nephew of former NBA player Danny Ainge) could work into the competition. In the secondary, three jobs were open and projected starting CB Antwan Stewart tore a knee ligament and will likely miss the season. SPRING STARS CB Jason Allen, junior college transfer RT Albert Toeaina (6-6, 365)

VANDERBILT

RETURNING STARTERS 10 offense, 11 defense
RETURNING LETTERMEN 53

CHANGES
One thing third-year Coach Bobby Johnson has brought is stability. He’s only had one staff change in two years, bringing RBs coach Kenny Carter in from Penn State this year. OL coach Robbie Caldwell took a job at South Carolina and then returned to Vanderbilt within a week last December. So how about this for a change — winning. The Commodores believe they’re in position to pull off a winning season for the first time since 1982 because they’re so experienced.

SETTLED
Just about everything. All starters but one are juniors or seniors and 26 players participated in the spring after starting at least four games each last season. QB Jay Cutler turned in one of the best seasons in school history and ranked fourth in SEC total offense. Two proven backs competed. TB Norval McKenzie maintained an edge on TB Kwane Doster (2002 SEC Freshman of the Year) as the Commodores tried to put some punch back into their running game.

UNSETTLED
C Steven Brent is the returning starter but will go into August still being challenged by Chris Williams, who moved from tackle. CB Bill Alford tried to fend off Lorenzo Parker and Kahill Sutton. Parker moved from receiver. Coaches are looking for one or two more defensive linemen to play at the same level as DE Jovan Haye, a second-team All-SEC pick last year. SPRING STARS QB Jay Cutler, DE Jovan Haye, LT Justin Geisinger.

[Benthelus]

Hotty Toddy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chris]

Thanks for this, is this from an article you wrote? Very nice and informative.

PS. Contact me @ chris@aximsite.com

[Eckwood43]

No Chris....I'd like to take the credit and I've worked on a few things but this is all a compilation of things I've come across while reading. Just thought it would be something to give everyone an early idea before things start heating up........literally, it's hot as blazes here this week.

Won't be long now though........I'll continue to post some things I come across or come up with on my own.