SEC Coaching Hot Seats by Barry Blevins

November sparks the debate of which teams will go to which bowls. It also sparks the debate of which coaches have the hottest seats and could have a change in venue for next season. Based on a variety of reasons, I have nominated the following coaches to the SEC Hot Seat:

• Mark Richt: My how fast some coaches can fall. Much like Fulmer and Tubberville a year ago, a coach can from legend to goat in a matter of a few games. However, the underachieving Georgia Bulldogs are in the midst of a second straight below-expectation type of year and it has the Dawg Nation furious. Last season, Georgia was the Preseason Number 1. They ended up losing 3 games by blowouts. This is the same team that was home to the #1 Overall Pick in the NFL Draft this past Spring and the first RB taken in the NFL Draft. Need more proof that Richt's teams are underachieving? According to Rivals.com, only five other teams in the nation have signed more 4 and 5-star players since 2005. They actually have more 4 and 5-star players than Texas on their team right now! When you see this and then see the product on the field, it simply leaves you to just scratch your head and wonder how this could happen. Richt will likely get one more chance under the condition that he makes some staff changes, but he will need a major transformation in a hurry because the SEC talent on other teams is quickly catching up to him. However, a blowout to GA Tech for the second straight year could change everything for Richt!
• Steve Spurrier: The Ole Ball Coach is not what he was 20 years ago. South Carolina is still a middle-of-the-pack football team and they do not appear to be anywhere close to advancing beyond where they were when Spurrier arrived. It is becoming more obvious by the day that Spurrier would rather play golf than coach football these days, so his seat could be starting to get warm. Gamecock fans are more patient than many other SEC fans, so I do not see him being fired this year. However, you have to wonder how much longer they will tolerate a coach that simply acts as if he does not care. His game plan against Tennessee was pathetic and they acted as if they had not practiced much at all, which seems to be the trend in South Carolina during the second half of the season under Spurrier. South Carolina could be well served to go find their guy this year since this appears to be a season that will not have the firings like we have seen in year's past. This would allow them to have far less competition for the coaches on the short list this year.
• Bobby Johnson: No way he is fired this year, but Vandy has sunk back into that dark hole called the Perennial SEC Cellar Dweller. It is not Johnson's fault, but Vandy has a track record for dumping coaches on a somewhat regular basis. Vandy would be an attractive job to an assistant coach looking for their first head coach position. With that said, Vandy will never have that Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Mack Brown, Bob Stoops type of hire that changes everything.
• Houston Nutt: His team is a HUGE disappointment this season. Their recruiting has been pitiful. The Rebels will be in for another long season next year with McCluster, Snead, and half of their defense gone. Nutt pulled off some miracles while in Arkansas, but he will be hard pressed to do the same at Ole Miss. Mullen is killing him on the recruiting trail. Arkansas is getting better. Alabama and LSU are on a whole other level from Ole Miss. Auburn is doing a better job on the recruiting trail. Add all of this up and it spells doom for Nutt down the road.

Well, there you have it. I think Richt is in the most trouble, but the SEC might go a whole year without firing anyone. However, a blowout by GA Tech and losses to Kentucky and Auburn could change that statement because Georgia fans recognize that the league has left them behind in terms of quality coaching staffs.

The Tiers of the SEC by Barry Blevins

November is here and rivalry season is amongst us. In the next few weeks, the conference battle will be decided and the National Championship picture should become much more clear. Here is a look at how I would breakdown the SEC:

Tier 1-Alabama, Florida, and LSU: There is little doubt that these are the top three programs and all of the others are in a totally different classification. Florida is locked into Atlanta after watching the rest of the East beat each other to death. Alabama and LSU are in a showdown for the West this weekend. If Bama wins, they clinch the West. If LSU wins, then they will have to win their remaining games to make it to the Dome. The rest of the West is out of the picture at this point.

Tier 2-South Carolina, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Auburn, and Arkansas-This tier is based on where I see the health of their program, not necessarily their record in 2009. The Gamecocks have Spurrier, who can still recruit and has put a decent team on the field this year. Dan Mullen has done a great job early on and I see them getting better each week. Lane Kiffin can recruit, but I predict 2010 to be a tough year for the Vols. Same goes for Chizik at Auburn. Arkansas has had some tough losses this season, but the future looks bright for Ryan Mallett and the Hawgs. Tennessee probably has the best chance out of this group to advance to Tier 1. They do not have the in-state competition like most of the other teams and the staff at Tennessee is as good as any in the country. I would not be surprised to see them a contender for the conference in 2011.

Tier 3-Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Georgia, and Kentucky-Kentucky is a basketball school and will continue to be content with mediocre football as long as they make the token bowl game each year. Vandy is Vandy. Enough said there. Ole Miss is a disappointment this year and they do not appear to have much in the cupboard for the future. In other words, Houston.....we have a problem! However, the biggest shocker to this list is Georgia. This is a team that has Top Ten potential for talent, but is playing sub-.500 football right now. The staff is in turmoil and anytime they start looking to change the QB, that translates to deeper problems within the team. With Richt now having competition in Atlanta for recruits coming from Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn, and GA Tech, things appear to be close to falling apart. At least they have their black helmets now I suppose!

The tier system is a good way to look at this because I think you get a fair perspective of how the SEC is truly divided these days. Recruiting is as intense as ever, so I anticipate it becoming a two-tier conference again soon, but Bama, LSU, and Florida will the roost for at least 1 more year.

SEC Mid-Season Awards by Barry Blevins

We are half-way into the season, so I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the SEC Mid-Season Awards (both good and bad) and evaluate where the teams are at this point in the season.

League MVP-Offense: This one it tough. However, I would have to say that Mark Ingram is the MVP of the SEC on offense. Sorry Tebow lovers, but Ingram has played like an absolute stud all year long. Ingram has never lost a fumble in his Alabama career and has scored a TD in every game this season. He is averaging over 100 yards per game and really has proven to be the backbone of the Alabama offense. Alabama does have some depth at Running Back, but it is easy to see that Mark Ingram has taken his game to another level.

In fact, Tim Tebow is not even my honorable mention. Monterio Hardesty at Tennessee would be my second choice. He has been the only consistent player on the Tennessee squad and runs like a bus without brakes. Without a doubt, he will be playing on Sundays. Ryan Mallett would have been my choice had it not been for the Alabama game. He was squashed in that game. Mallett is the best QB in the league, but the talent around him might hide that right now.

League MVP-Defense: So call me a homer for taking Alabama players with both picks for League MVP, but no one can convince me of a better player in the SEC than Rolando McClain. McClain would be my pick for best overall player as well. He is an absolute beast. McClain can hit, he can call in the plays, he can play coverage......he is quite simply the best all-around player in the conference right now. The loss of Dont'a Hightower has made him pick his game up to a whole new level, which is even more impressive. This could very well be his last season at Alabama, but he is making sure he builds a legacy before he goes on for a healthy payday.

My runner-up here is Eric Norwood from South Carolina. I have always liked this kid. He is a terror from his outside linebacker position. He is one of the few players across the conference that I feel could take a starting job away from someone on Alabama's defense. Brandon Spikes at Florida gets a lot of press, and rightfully so, but he is the third best linebacker in the conference if you ask me. In fact, I would have ranked him 4th behind Dont'a Hightower before his knee injury, but Spikes gets bumped by default here.

Coach of the Year: I am going with Steve Spurrier for right now. You can make an argument for a lot of coaches. However, I think everyone knew Urban Meyer and Nick Saban would have solid teams. Spurrier does not have the same level of talent, but has done a great job getting them to believe in the program and has put a competitive team on the field. For this reason, I wanted to take a coach that is guiding a team that no one expected that much out of, so Saban and Meyer were not considered for this one.

My runner-up is Rich Brooks. He has put a very tough team on the field. Nick Saban claims they are the most physical team Alabama has played, which includes VA Tech. Kentucky lost a close one to South Carolina last week, but I would not be too shocked if they give Auburn all they want this weekend.

Freshman of the Year: Onterio McCalebb at Auburn has made the most noise from the Class of 2009. McCalebb has played a big role in the Auburn offense, so I find it hard to believe there has been a Freshman make a bigger impact than McCalebb at this point in the season. He has blazing speed, but needs to add some bulk. If he hits the weight room hard, he could become a very dangerous back before he leaves Auburn.

My runner-up is Trent Richardson at Alabama. Richardson has more TDs than any other Freshman this season and is built like a Mack Truck. It is easy to see why there has been so much fuss over him. With Ingram ahead of him, he will not get the looks that McCalebb is getting right now. However, I do think he is the most talented player we have seen from the Class of 2009.

Best New Coach: Dan Mullen. Forget the Lane Train and the Malza.....I mean Chizik Express. Mullen has the Bullies looking tough. They have minimal talent. The talent they do have is young. To make LSU and Houston sweat like they did tells me that the guy can coach. The local Calhoun players love Dan Mullen and claim he is the best recruiter in the SEC. Time will tell there, but Mullen has done some good things early on.

The runner-up is Gene Chizik. They blew their momentum last week against Arkansas, which cost him the mid-season award in this column. However, he has put together a good staff that has helped turn some heads in the conference.

Biggest Disappointment-Offense: Jevan Snead. What else can you say? This guy was suppose to be the #1 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and he looks like someone that needs to play at UT-Chattanooga. Snead looked horrible against Alabama and threw 3 picks against Vanderbilt. I cannot think of anyone who has let me down as a football fan more than Snead at this point in the season.

My runner-up has to be Jordan Jefferson at LSU. What happened to the guy that showed off at the Peach Bowl? He is nowhere near the bust magnitude of Jevan Snead, but he is a disappointment right now.

Biggest Disappointment-Defense: Willie Martinez at UGA has no excuses. UGA has had a Top 10 Recruiting Class every year since Mark Richt has been there, but the UGA defense looks like a bunch of Division 1-AA rejects. Martinez was given another chance to improve the defense and they have gotten much worse. This might be the worst defense I have ever seen in Athens. Martinez should be fired at the end of the year. The problem is his friendship with Richt. However, Richt should consult with Mike Shula before making a case to keep a friend on the staff.

The runner-up here would be Arkansas' secondary. These guys could not stop a pig squeezing through a coke bottle. As bad as they are, it is not as big of a disappointment because most people expected them to not be real good. They are worse than expected, but nowhere near the caliber of sorriness as Georgia!

Hot Seat Coaches: I do not think any of the SEC coaches are in danger of being fired right now. However, Mark Richt and Houston Nutt may have the most disgruntled fan base right now. Those guys have a lot of work to do. Richt has been at UGA for most of the decade now, but has seen his team start to decline in a hurry. Top that with disappointing a fan base that expected a National Championship last year, only to receive a team that lost 3 games by virtue of complete blowouts, you have the makings of a very warm seat beginning to take place.

Houston Nutt has not been at his program as long as Richt, but this was suppose to be Ole Miss' year. Now, they will do good to make the Peach Bowl. Also, they lose a ton of talent off this year's team and Nutt has not replaced them with the caliber players that Coach O had been signing. The fans are furious about having 2 losses right now, so he better beat a team like LSU to win the fans back over again.

This concludes the mid-season awards. There is a lot of football left to be played and all of this can change in a hurry. I think it is becoming clear that Alabama and Florida are the top teams in the league. However, you never know a game can turnout in the SEC. Arkansas has the potential to upset Florida. South Carolina has the potential to upset Alabama. Do I think that will happen? No. Do I respect every team in the SEC? Of course. Remember, an Ole Miss team that lost to Vanderbilt last year upset the National Champion Florida Gators, so never underestimate your opponents in this league!

SEC Power Rankings After Week 3 by Barry Blevins

Some teams have surprised me and some have went as predicted. Here is a look at where I see the SEC right now:



1. Florida-As Ric Flair says, "To be the man, you have to beat the man." Florida looked beatable last week against UT, but Florida usually does have a couple of iffy games each year. The main thing for Florida is that they need to stick to what they do best: the spread. Trying to prep Tebow for the NFL is nice in theory, but it could cost them down the road. The Kentucky game could get really interesting this weekend depending on which Florida shows up. However, until they go down, the defending champs have the right to stay at the top.



2. Alabama-Bama's defense looks rock solid. It will get tested against Arkansas this weekend. Rolando McClain and Dont'a Hightower have NFL written all over them. Bama's offense has been the surprise. Greg McElroy has looked sharp ever since the second half of the Virginia Tech game. The running game is as good as any running game in the conference. The emergence of Trent Richardson give Alabama 4 quality players at the position. The key for Bama is to avoid the letdown. Bama has had a problem in recent years of playing down to their lesser opponents' level, so you will continue to hear Saban talk about "finishing the game" for the remainder of the season.


3. LSU-Some people laughed because the Tigers struggled with Washington-oops! I think LSU is as physical as any team in the conference. However, Les is always up for an upset, so LSU will be on the watch list for the next couple of weeks. They should handle Mississippi State, but Georgia could be one to watch.



4. Georgia-Their defense is horrible at best. They are here because they are 2-0 in conference play, but Georgia has a lot of issues. They should handle Arizona State this week, but LSU will present some real challenges for Georgia. Willie Martinez should probably dust the ole resume off because he will need it soon.



5. South Carolina-Spurrier has a quality defense, but the offense is still iffy. They beat Ole Miss last night, which let them jump in the poll from where I had originally planned to put them, but Spurrier said it best when he basically stated that it is too early in the year to tell just how big of a win the Ole Miss game really is to this team because no one really knows that much about them yet. It was just two years ago that South Carolina made it to the Top 10 and then lost their next 5 games, so don't read too much into this game......yet!

6. Kentucky-Rich Brooks has the Wildcats looking good early on. Their defense is tough and the offense is scoring a lot of points. They get the ultimate test this weekend when they play Florida. Kentucky is capable of an upset, but a loss to the #1 team probably will not change their ranking a whole lot.

7. Auburn-Gene Chizik is the coach, but Gus Malzahn was the best hire Auburn made. His offense is quite impressive and can score quick. The defense is a little bit of a question mark, but Auburn is certainly improved from a year ago. They played a very mediocre West VA team last week and get Ball State this week, so they really have not had a good test. A measure of new coaching staffs happens next week when Auburn plays UT.

8. Ole Miss-The Rebels looked dreadful last night against South Carolina. Their offensive line is pitiful and Snead is running for his life. They have a decent defensive line, but their inability to move the ball on a good defense is scary if you are a Rebel fan. When you consider that they have Alabama, Tennessee, and LSU on the schedule (all with better defenses than South Carolina), then you have to wonder how the Rebels will end the year. I look for Ole Miss to be the biggest disappointment in the SEC this year.

9. Tennessee-The Vol defense is strong like last year. However, Crompton might be worse than he was a year ago. I am not into the moral victory stuff. They still lost to Florida. They could not score when they needed to and the offensive playcalling late in the game stunk for a second straight week. Hardesty is a solid running back, but I am not real sold on Bryce Brown right now. Tennessee will flex their muscle against Ohio, but Auburn could pose problems for them next week.

10. Arkansas-The Hawgs have a high-powered offense and a very bad defense. Their defense looked like a large open flesh wound against Georgia. Arkansas has potential to really move up this list because their offense is really good. However, their defense is pitiful. Really, Arkansas and UT are about even in this power ranking, but I give the edge to UT for now.

11. Mississippi State-Dan Mullen won the battle of cellar dwellers last week against Vandy. He has a QB battle brewing and a lot of Freshmen playing starter-type minutes. This is as high as I see the Bullies getting this year, but don't fall asleep on Dan Mullen this year.

12. Vanderbilt-Injuries have killed the Commodores this year. Top that with a very ineffective offense and you have a major problem in Nashville. Nash Nance cannot get to Vanderbilt soon enough!

My upset alert games this week are Alabama vs. Arkansas and Kentucky vs. Florida. If Alabama's secondary gives up a couple of big plays, then the game could play well into Arkansas' favor. However, Alabama's defense looks rock solid early on. This will be the biggest test so far. Florida looked human last week. Another performance like last week could have Sportscenter buzzing Saturday night!

Quick SEC Rewind on WEEK 1 & A Look Ahead by Barry Blevins

Week 1 is in the books and the SEC represented its conference well (for the most part). Here is a breakdown on how each team looked during Week 1 and what to watch for next week:

Tennessee

The Lane Kiffin era started with a bang as they steamrolled Western Kentucky 63-7. The Vol fans are beating their chests right now, but lets remember who they were playing. I will say that Crompton looked much improved from a year ago. The defense was hard to gauge because of the lack of opponent they were playing. Bryce Brown looked good, but Marsalis Teague was the most impressive Frosh that I saw. UCLA is up this week and it will be revenge time in Tennessee. I would not be surprised to see UT 2-0 heading to the Swamp.

Florida

Their week was similar to UT's week: looked impressive against a lousy team. However, everyone knows Florida is good. The verdict is still out on UT. Tebow looked poised and Demps looked like suitable replacement for Percy Harvin. Brandon James looked as fast as he has ever looked, which is bad news for opposing teams' special teams units. Troy is up next for the Gators and LSU will tell you that you had better not look past them. With that said, look for Florida to cruise past Troy and begin focusing in on the Vols.

Vanderbilt

Vandy blew out Western Carolina 45-0 in a tune-up game before playing LSU this weekend. The story of the game was Vandy's defense. Western Carolina never crossed mid-field the entire game, which was impressive regardless of the opponent. It is not too far fetched to believe that Vandy can beat LSU. If the defense shows up like it did this past weekend, then LSU better be prepared for a fight.

Kentucky

The Wildcats looked good against and outmatched Miami (Oh) team. Kentucky ran the ball well, which will be key if they want to compete in the East this year. The defense also looked strong, headlined by Trevard Lindley. Lindley was SEC Defensive Player of the Week with 3 tackles, 1 INT, 3 PBUs, and 1 TD. With in-state rival Louisville on deck, they will need Lindley to step-up again this week.

South Carolina

In the Batman series, there is a character named "Two-Face" because half his face is good and half is face is awful. You could use the same comparison for South Carolina. The defense looked very strong against NC State, but the offense looked totally inept. South Carolina traditionally starts slow in their first game and bounces back to play Georgia tough, so look for that to happen here because Stephen Garcia is better than what he played against NC State.

Georgia

Georgia was the only SEC team to lose this past week. Oklahoma State is a good team, so that should be nothing to be ashamed of. What Georgia players should be ashamed of is appearing to be out of shape heading into the season. The defensive line was out of gas in the third quarter, which is a bad sign for the Dawgs. Joe Cox struggled, but he did battle the flu all week. The good news is that this is not a conference game and there is time to rebound. The bad news is that they lost their star LT Trinton Sturdivant again. He tore the same ACL that he tore a year ago and it gone for the year. For the Dawgs to have a chance in the East, they will have to find someone who can give Joe Cox time in the pocket. South Carolina will be a very tough game for Georgia.

LSU

LSU entered Washington thinking they had it easy against a team that did not win a game last year and has a new head coach. However, Steve Sarkisian had his Huskies ready to play. LSU was too much for Washington in the end, but they did make LSU work for it. Charles Scott looked good at RB, but Jordan Jefferson was a bit shaky. LSU needs Jefferson to play like he did against GA Tech in the Peach Bowl if they plan to beat Vandy this weekend.

Auburn

The debut of Gene Chizik as Head Coach was out-shined by the debut of Gus Malzahn as Offensive Coordinator. Auburn struggled at times in the first half, but poured it on in the second half. Chris Todd looked good at QB, but Kodi Burns was way too predictable. This weekend, Auburn gets a Mississippi State team that blew out the school for the blind, but expect it to be higher scoring than the 3-2 Auburn win from last year. Mississippi State's defense should be able to give this offense a much better look than Louisiana Tech did last week, so we will know much more about Auburn's offense after Saturday.

Mississippi State

The Dan Mullen era is off to a winning start with a win over Jackson State. 9 players made their first career start in this game and the Freshmen did not disappoint. QB Chris Relf and WR Chad Bumphis both looked better than a typical Freshman, but keep in mind that this was Jackson State, which is one step above the school for the blind. The Bullies will go to Auburn this weekend to look for a big SEC win against an Auburn team that is also breaking in a new coach. Carl Torbush's defense will have to stop the Auburn running game to have a chance. This game should be close.

Ole Miss

Ole Miss blew out Memphis, but the score did not tell the story. Ole Miss looked lousy in the first half. The played better in the fourth quarter, but this is a team they should have not struggled with. For all the preseason hype, this team did little to back-up their claim that they belong in the same mention as Alabama and LSU. Ole Miss is off this week, which could not have come at a better time considering the Swine Flu has hit the team.

Arkansas

Ryan Mallett looked great in his Arkansas debut at QB. Jarius Wright also had a big day at WR for the Hawgs in a blowout win over MO State. For Arkansas, it is all about Ryan Mallett's arm. Petrino's offense struggled last year because they did not have a suitable QB to run the offense. Mallett will be to Arkansas what Jevan Snead has been to Ole Miss.....EVERYTHING! Arkansas will also be off this week before playing Georgia on the 19th.

Alabama

For the second straight year, Alabama opened the year in the GA Dome. For the second straight year, Alabama is off to a big start by simply over-powering the projected best team in the ACC. VA Tech was very fortunate to have even been in this ballgame. Some boneheaded mistakes by Alabama resulted in some cheap points for the Hokies. In the 2nd half, Bama took control and sealed a big win for the Crimson Tide. Mark Ingram and Roy Upchurch both ran the ball well on offense. Bama's defense did a good job living up to the hype. This week, Alabama will get Florida International in a game that should be over by halftime. Look for Bama to work on the Wildcat Formation and opening up the passing attack during practice, but not a bad way to start the year if you are an Alabama fan.

Preseason All-SEC Team by Barry Blevins

The SEC is loaded this year, so I am going to pick things the way I see the league as of right now. Remember, these picks are why they call us the "Fearless" Football Forecasters!

All SEC-Offense

Quarterback: Jevan Snead/Ole Miss-I agree with Steve Spurrier on this one. It seems that it is politically correct to pick Tim Tebow, but I believe Snead is the best pure QB in the conference. He likely will leave early and be the first pick in the NFL Draft. Snead is an accurate passer and has a quick release, which the NFL loves. Tim Tebow is a tremendous talent, but Snead is the best QB. Honorable Mention-Tim Tebow/Florida. Sleeper-Greg McElroy/Alabama. Top Newcomer-Ryan Mallett.

Running Back: Charles Scott/LSU, Anthony Dixon/MSU-Charles Scott surprised many when he returned to LSU for his senior season. He is a big back that can carry the ball 30+ times a game if need be. He has been productive and is quite worthy of the recognition. Anthony Dixon is one of my favorite players in the conference because he has been so productive despite playing on a really bad team. Dixon is a lot like Scott in their style, but Dixon has to work a little harder for his yards than Scott does. Honorable Mention-Mark Ingram/Alabama. Sleeper-Richard Samuel/UGA. Top Newcomer-Trent Richardson/Alabama and Bryce Brown/Tennessee

Wide Receiver: Julio Jones/Alabama, AJ Green/UGA-Julio Jones turned a lot of heads last year as a Freshman. The most impressive thing about his performance is that no one knew until after the season that he played with a broken wrist. That is tough! Julio had surgery and is 100%, so I look for Greg McElroy to zero-in on Julio early and often. AJ Green lived up to all the hype last year as well. Green is now without Massaquoi, so he will be expected to make plays under much more double coverage looks. I expect Green to have a big year despite the lack of help from other receivers at UGA. Honorable Mention-Brandon Lafell/LSU. Sleeper-Deonte Thompson/Florida. Top Newcomer-Reuben Randle/LSU and Michael Bowman/Alabama.

Tight End: DJ Williams/Arkansas-DJ is almost a clone of Tony Gonzalez at this stage of his career. Williams will be the main target for a pass happy Bobby Petrino offense and should have the best numbers of any TE in the league this season. Honorable Mention-Aaron Hernandez/Florida. Sleeper-Brad Smelley/Alabama. Top Newcomer-Colin Peek/Alabama.

Offensive Line: Ciron Black (T)/LSU, John Jerry (T)/Ole Miss, Mike Johnson (G)/Alabama, Mike Pouncey (G)/Florida, and Maurkice Pouncey (C)/Florida-The SEC is known for its big linemen and this year will not disappoint. The Pouncey duo at Florida is about as good as it gets for a spread offense. Ciron Black is probably the best Tackle in the nation this year. Mike Johnson has the size to be an NFL Guard next year. John Jerry was solid last year and he will have to help fill the void for the departed Michael Oher. Honorable Mention-Clint Boling/UGA. Sleeper-Josh McNeil/Tennessee. Top Newcomer-James Carpenter/Alabama.

All SEC-Defense

Defensive Line: Terrence Cody (NT)/Alabama, Geno Atkins (DT)/UGA, Antonio Coleman (DE)/Auburn, and Greg Hardy (DE)/Ole Miss-No one made a bigger impact on the defensive line last year than Mount Cody. He shocked a lot of people coming back for his senior season. After shedding some pounds, he is now a lean 350 pounds. Look for him to play on crucial 3rd down situations this year. Geno Atkins is also coming off a big season and will anchor the UGA front. Antonio Coleman looked like the only player with a pulse during the Iron Bowl last year, so it will be up to him to help Gene Chizik find the answers this year in Auburn. Greg Hardy has the most NFL potential of the group, but his desire has always been a big question mark. If he gets it together, then he will be force this year. Honorable Mention-Carlos Dunlap/Florida. Sleeper-Lorenzo Washington/Alabama. Top Newcomer-Fletcher Cox/MSU.

Linebackers: Rolando McClain/Alabama, Brandon Spikes/Florida, Dont'a Hightower/Alabama, Eric Norwood/South Carolina-It is tough to pick just 4 this year. There are about 8 worthy of this distinction. However, when you look at the outlook for this season, I think these 4 will have the biggest numbers. Alabama is buzzing about Dont'a Hightower and his ability to play the WILL and the JACK positions. Meanwhile, Rolando McClain looks to impress scouts this year as he is a projected 1st Round pick. Brandon Spikes could have left early, but he wanted to play for one more National Championship. He has been the anchor of the Gator defense. Eric Norwood is always around the football. He is not as well known as the other 3, but he will have a big year for the Gamecocks. Honorable Mention-Rico McCoy/Tennessee and Micah Johnson/Kentucky. Sleeper-Eryk Anders/Alabama. Top Newcomer-Nico Johnson/Alabama.

Defensive Backs: Eric Berry/Tennessee, Chad Jones/LSU, Joe Haden/Florida, Javier Arenas/Alabama-Eric Berry is probably the best defensive player in the league. Chad Jones is coming off a big year at LSU. Joe Haden and Javier Arenas provide the speed to make this an impressive group. Honorable Mention-Trevard Lindley/Kentucky. Sleeper-Ryan Hamilton/Vandy. Top Newcomer-Dre Kirkpatrick/Alabama.

All SEC-Special Teams

Kicker: Joshua Shene/Ole Miss
Punter: Clinton Durst/Auburn
Kick Returner: Javier Arenas/Alabama
Punt Returner: Javier Arenas/Alabama

Next week, look for a new recruiting update!

SEC Recruiting News and Notes by Barry Blevins

This summer's recruiting has been much more interesting than that of year's past. The SEC putting a cap of 28 on the number of players that a team can sign is playing a major role. Recruits are now having to take their spot before someone else takes their spot from them. Here is a look at how the teams in the SEC are doing here at the end of July:

Tennessee

Lane Kiffin landed a big recruit this past week in Henry County, GA WR Markeith Ambles. Ambles is a 4-star WR according to Rivals and has the abilities to be a great player in the SEC. His recruitment was somewhat mired with some character questions, but no one questions his football talents. Some think that Ambles is a soft commitment right now, but I would probably gamble and say he signs with the Vols in February. The only thing that might change this is if UT is unable to land a top flight QB. So far, they have struck out on everyone they have targeted. They are now trying to get Phillip Sims and Barry Brunetti to reconsider their picks of Alabama and West Virginia respectively. They likely have a better shot with Brunetti, but both will be tough to move.

It is no secret that Tennessee needs lineman. Jacques Smith and JC Copeland are already in committed and will give a boost to the defense, but the Vols will likely turn to the JUCO ranks to bolster their line needs. There are several prospects in the JUCO ranks they are considering, including John Cullen and Maurice Hayes. Cullen has been courted by several schools and is considered to be one of the better JUCO OL prospects in the 2010 class.

Georgia

Mark Richt is putting together another good recruiting class, despite have increased competition for in-state prospects from Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee among others. Getting Calhoun's Da'Rick Rogers was huge. Da'Rick is quick and physical, which will help him see the field early. Da'Rick could very well be the best receiver in the entire 2010 class. Another big commitment is Dalton's Jalen Fields. Jalen is quick for his size and could develop into a fierce rush end in the SEC.

Last week, Georgia landed a big one in TJ Stripling. He is 6'6", but is a little thin for his frame at 215. Look for him to add about 20-30 pounds in the weight room over the next couple of years. If he does this, Georgia could have themselves another NFL defensive end.

So far, Mack Brown would be the one that got away at this point in the class. Georgia would like to get a solid RB in this class, so don't expect them to give up on Brown just yet.

Vanderbilt

Calhoun's QB Nash Nance committed to Vandy last month, so he will give the area a reason to care about Vandy in the coming years. Speedster Jerrell Priester committed to Vandy last week and could very well be one of the sleepers in this class. He is small at 5'9", but he reportedly ran a 4.28 in the 40 recently, which could make him a dangerous threat in the return game. He is projected to play in the secondary, so he will need to prove he is physical enough to play in the SEC. Priester picked Vandy over Notre Dame and East Carolina.

Kentucky

Zzzzzzzzzzz, oh sorry. Kentucky's recruiting does that to me! They picked up a kicker this month in Joseph Mansour. I work with his uncle and he is excited about the opportunity for his son to play in the SEC. Outside of this, there is not much in the way of their football recruiting. Basketball is a much different story!

South Carolina

Spurrier is working on a solid class that could include RB Marcus Lattimore, who is the #2 RB in the nation according to Rivals. They also picked up OL Eric Mack, who was thought to be leaning to Auburn at one point in time. Another big thing going for South Carolina is that their state has some of the best talent it has produced in a long time. The state has 8 players in the Rivals Top 250, which includes commit DT Kelcy Quarles. Quarles is the 2nd highest rated DT in the nation.

Besides Lattimore, the prospect that will be the most fun to watch during the recruiting process will be DB John Fulton. He is the 57th best overall player in nation according to Rivals, which makes him a 4-star recruit. Fulton was thought to be a have Alabama lean until recently. He visited South Carolina recently and came away naming them the leader. However, the distance between South Carolina and Alabama is not much in Fulton's mind and this one could get very interesting.

Florida

This will be the first class to take the field without ever playing with Tim Tebow, so a lot of pressure is on this class to help insure the future success of the program. So far, the class is full of potential stars. Matt Elam highlights the group as Florida's lone 5-star commitment. RB Mack Brown committed last week and broke the hearts of the Georgia nation. Brown is a speedy back and will fit the Florida system well. Another guy that spurned the Dawgs for Florida is Neiron Ball. Ball's brother, Neland, plays for Georgia now. However, Georgia is loaded at DE in this class, so it is not that big of a loss for Georgia.

A guy to watch is Ronald Powell. This guy is a pure beast and he seems to be high on Florida. If they can land him, they will have at least two of the top ten players in the 2010 class.

Auburn

For all the tricks and antics, the Auburn class is not really much to talk about at this point time. They got a lot of press for the "Big Cat Weekend". "Stars and Stripes" ended up a bust. At one point, Auburn was looking for each of the Top 3 RBs in the nation. Now, they will be lucky to get one. They do have two 4-star WRs in Jeremy Richardson and Antonio Goodwin. Both of them should see the field early at Auburn. Outside of this, there is very little to talk about concerning commitments.

Prospect wise, Auburn has been creamed once again by Alabama for in-state recruits. Ladarius Owens is the only prospect that Alabama really wants that they have not gotten at this point. Auburn did pick-up Kenneth Carter this past week, but he never had a written offer from Alabama despite attempts by desperate Auburn beat writers to prove otherwise. As Lattimore and Seastrunk look more and more like a distant memory for Auburn recruiting, they still do have a great shot at 5-star RB Michael Dyer. If they could land him, it could save the class. However, it is going to take big name to keep Auburn from being the embarrassment of the SEC in 2010 when you consider all of the hype and efforts put into this class by their staff.

Ole Miss

For all the hype around the '09 Rebels, you would think that would translate to some good things on the recruiting trail. They picked up only their third commitment recently from Safety prospect Brishen Mathews. Their counterpart in Dan Mullen seems to be hitting the pavement a lot harder than Houston Nutt at this point, but the Rebels have a lot more in the cellar than Mississippi State. If Ole Miss is as good as advertised, then things should change for their recruiting efforts. The good news is that most of their difficult games are at home. The bad news is that if they have a bunch of recruits in town and they get beat, it may not help ignite the momentum that they need.

Mississippi State

Dan Mullen landed a big one in Kaleb Eulls. Eulls is a big DE that could play early for the Bullies. This 4-star prospect had offers from Alabama, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and LSU among others, but chose to go with Miss. State. The state is not as loaded as it has been in the past, but Eulls would have been a top 10 prospect any year in Mississippi.

Mullen's challenge right now is finding players that fit the spread. He will need to find a QB that can manage the offense similar to what you would have seen when Mullen was at Utah because it is very unlikely they will find another Tebow. Also needed is a solid RB. Anthony Dixon graduates, so they will need someone that can endure the pressure of the SEC schedule. I believe Mullen was a good hire, but it will take time to get the guys that he needs.

LSU

Les Miles just picked up their 21st commitment for 2010 in RB Spencer Ware from Ohio. He compares very favorably to their current RB Charles Scott. Ware is a 4-star prospect and should be a good player for the Tigers. While LSU only has 7 spots left, those 7 spots will be occupied by some big names. Lache Seastrunk is the top RB and #2 overall player in the nation according to Rivals and the Tigers have a great shot at landing him. USC, Baylor, and Auburn will also be in the hunt. Trovon Reed, a 4-star receiver, is considered a heavy LSU lean and could commit any time. Reed and Seastrunk are very close, so this could play a big role in Seastrunk's decision.

Their current commitment list is solid. QB Zach Lee will provide depth at a position that was a big question mark a year ago. DB Eric Reid was a huge commitment and he should see some early playing time on the defense. Another solid commitment is Jordan Allen. Allen is a solid DE prospect that will provide a good pass rusher off the end for Les Miles. However, probably my favorite of their commits is LB Justin Maclin. This guy is going to be a stud. He is quick, instinctive, and strong as an ox. If he puts on a little more weight, he could easily become an All-SEC linebacker.

Arkansas

Perhaps the biggest shock for Bobby Petrino right now is that he is well behind on the recruitment of 5-star Michael Dyer, who is the top player in Arkansas and in Petrino's backyard. It is not too late and the pressure to stay in-state is always there, but they will have to make a better effort than what they have put forth at this point.

OL Cam Feldt is the prize of the class at this point. Arkansas is not loaded with talent this year, so look for the Hawgs to branch into Louisiana, Texas, and the JUCO ranks to complete their class. Arkansas has some OL issues to address, as well as WR. To run the pass happy Petrino offense, Arkansas will have to find more playmakers than what they have now.

Alabama

The two-time defending recruiting national champions are not disappointing this year. Demarcus Milliner is the prize of the class. This 5-star DB is one of the best athletes in the nation. He has the size and speed to step on the field and play right away. Jarrick Williams was another in-state prospect Bama took away from Auburn. Williams projects as a safety and could challenge for playing time right away. The surprise of the class is probably the early commitment of QB Phillip Sims from Virginia. He is the top rated QB in the nation according to Rivals and will give McCarron a run for his money on day one for the rights to McElroy's throne.

At this point, Alabama just has to finish strong. Picking up commitments last week from TE Brian Vogler and RB Corey Grant certainly helps. Alabama probably won't have the number one class this year due to the areas of need, but they will certainly be a Top 5 class. In my opinion, look for their top remaining commitments to come from DeMarco Cobbs from Tulsa, OK, in-state linebacker CJ Mosley, OL James Stone, and possibly DB Jonathan McKnight, who is the little brother of USC star Joe McKnight. McKnight's status will likely be dictated by what John Fulton does, but given Bama's track record in South Carolina, I think the edge is with the Gamecocks right now. With that said, McKnight would be a very nice consolation prize. Also, Bama should re-sign two players that they signed two years ago in Devonta Bolton and Brandon Lewis. These guys went the JUCO route and were both 4-star prospects.

Summary

If you are Alabama, LSU, Georgia, and Florida, then you have to be happy with how things are going. If you are South Carolina, Tennessee and Auburn, then you are optimistic that things will come together because of the intense recruiting efforts in place. If you are Vanderbilt and Mississippi State, then you are hoping that you find those players that slip through the cracks and become stars like Jason Smith from Baylor. If you are Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Arkansas, then you might be on suicide watch at the present time because things don't look good at all.

In the end, I think Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Mississippi State fans will be satisfied with how things went. Kentucky will get by because no one cares about Wildcat football. Ole Miss and Arkansas fans will be severely ticked when they realize how many players their lazy recruiting efforts lost. Then, there will be the Auburn fans. They are delusional enough to think that their class is great and it is better than Alabama's class. When they realize that most of these guys that they talk about go somewhere else, denial will set in. Much like when they hired a coach with a 5-19 record. Auburn's class could become the life of the party!

Next week: I will publish the Fearless Forecast All-SEC Team and list the Impact True Freshmen for 2009.