ESPN College Football

Our look at the SEC's most productive returning players in 2012 continues with a look at players that grabbed the most interceptions.

Past producers:

• Quarterback
• Running back
• Wide receiver
• Tight end
• Sacks
• Tackles

The SEC returns four players that ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in interception. The top pick man returns this season, though he'll have to sit to start the season.

Here's a look at No. 1:

Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia: He had eight interceptions and defended eight passes last season. With his size and strength, Rambo could play in the box and defend the run, but he never had any issue dropping back into coverage with his speed. Physically, Rambo was a beast, but his field vision was very underrated. He showed to have tremendous ball-hawking ability and could attack from all over the field. Rambo could have easily gone to the NFL after his junior year, but stayed, and even though he'll serve a suspension to start the year, he'll still be in the hunt to keep his crown.

The SEC returns three more players that ranked high in interceptions:

Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State: He had five interceptions and defended 14 passes.

Shawn Williams, S, Georgia: He had four interceptions and defended six passes.

Charles Sawyer, S, Ole Miss: He had four interceptions and defended nine passes.

All three of those players will have the opportunity to dethrone Rambo. Banks is one of the most underrated players in the league and he'll start to get a lot more national attention with his cover skills. Keep an eye on Sawyer. He said earlier this spring that he should have had at least two more picks last year and intends to have more in 2012.

Vanderbilt cornerback Trey Wilson recorded three interceptions last season, but defended 11 passes. He's a solid cover corner and he'll get more opportunities to frustrate quarterbacks this fall with Casey Hayward gone. Missouri corner E.J. Gaines is another player to watch. He only had two interceptions, but defended 16 passes. He isn't the biggest defensive back, but he'll annoy a lot of receivers and quarterbacks this fall.

South Carolina has two players to monitor in safety D.J. Swearinger and Spur DeVonte Holloman. Swearinger is someone who can roam all over the field and should improve on his 2011 numbers. Holloman is back at his old position and anytime you have the chance to move around more, you're likely to find the ball more.

LSU's Tyrann Mathieu is a corner you can't ignore, either. Mathieu has a magnetic attraction to the football, even though he only registered two interceptions. He defended 11 passes last season, and with Morris Claiborne gone, he'll have a little more room to work with. Teammate Eric Reid (safety) could also have a shot with his range.

Tennessee's Prentiss Waggner only recorded two interceptions in 2011, but that was with him playing both free safety and cornerback. He's staying put at corner and we saw how successful he is there when he picked off five passes in 2010. He'll battle to be one of the top corners in the SEC this fall.

Time for some links.

• Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News writes that the late Derrick Thomas was a major snub for the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Missouri dismisses safety Tavon Bolden ... again.
• Tennessee coach Derek Dooley and new athletic director Dave Hart laud new Hall of Famer Phillip Fulmer.
• Alabama coach Nick Saban says wide receiver DeAndrew White is "doing fine" after last month's late-night altercation outside of a Tuscaloosa, Ala., bar.
• Georgia coach Mark Richt talks space for the 2013 class.
• Mike Herndon of the Mobile Press-Register writes that Auburn has a chance to be much better in 2012.
• Florida coach Will Muschamp talks Texas A&M and his quarterback situation.
• Florida defensive tackle Leon Orr was cited for knowingly driving with a suspended license.

DawgNation Roundtable : After Mark Richt vacated the hot seat this past season, some of his fellow SEC coaches are starting to sweat. DawgNation wonders: “Which SEC coach has the most pressure on him going into the 2012 season?”

Kipp Adams writes : With names like Brice Ramsey and Derrick Henry, Georgia either has landed commitments from or is in hot pursuit of some of the top prospects of 2013 in the backfield.

Adams : Georgia CB target Brendan Langley holds steady with his top three: Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama.

USA Today's annual study is out on who in college athletics makes the most money and who spends the most money.

Not surprisingly, of the 10 biggest spenders, four are from the SEC: No. 4 Florida ($107.1 million), No. 5 Alabama ($105.1 million), No. 7 Auburn ($100.5 million) and No. 8 Tennessee ($97.6 million).

According to the 2011 figures gathered by USA Today, 13 of the 14 SEC schools operated in the black, meaning they generated enough money to cover all of their athletic expenses. The only one that didn't, according to the USA Today figures, was Missouri, which was in the Big 12 last year, but will be joining the SEC in 2012 along with Texas A&M. The Tigers were extremely close to breaking even. They spent $64,160,358 and generated $64,146,530.

Only 22 Division I public schools generated more money than they spent in 2011.

None of the SEC athletic departments were heavily subsidized, meaning they received very few funds from the school side. Mississippi State had the largest subsidy among SEC schools with 8.2 percent of its revenue ($4,819,653) coming from the school and not generated by the athletic department, according to USA Today.

Below is a breakdown of the total revenue and total expenses for SEC schools in 2011. Vanderbilt is a private institution and not included:

Total revenue

1. Alabama: $124,498,616
2. Florida: $123,514,257
3. LSU: $107,259,352
4. Tennessee: $104,368,992
5. Auburn: $103,982,441
6. Georgia: $92,341,
7. Arkansas: $91,768,112
8. Texas A&M: $87,296,532
9. Kentucky: $84,878,311
10. South Carolina: $83,813,226
11. Missouri: $64,146,530
12. Mississippi State: $58,981,769
13. Ole Miss: $49,180,892

Total expenses

1. Florida: $107,157,831
2. Alabama: $105,068,152
3. Auburn: $100,497,784
4. Tennessee: $97,580,406
5. LSU: $91,796,925
6. Kentucky: $82,840,006
7. Georgia: $80,759,498
8. South Carolina: $80,525,711
9. Arkansas: $79,392,988
10. Texas A&M: $78,310,805
11. Missouri: $64,160,358
12. Mississippi State: $51,588,743
13. Ole Miss: $47,109,301

With two new teams added to the mix, let’s take a look at what we learned in the SEC this spring:

1. Quarterback Central: The SEC gets a bad rap for not piling up Xbox-like passing yards, and granted, it wasn’t a great year for quarterbacks in the league last season. But did you know that an SEC quarterback has been taken in the first round of the NFL draft eight of the last 10 years? And that includes four quarterbacks taken No. 1 overall. The 2012 season has a chance to be one of the best in recent memory for SEC quarterbacks, especially if Missouri’s James Franklin returns to form after undergoing surgery in the spring to repair a torn labrum. Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson and Georgia’s Aaron Murray are the two most established quarterbacks. Wilson likely would have gone in the first round had he come out this year. Murray has thrown 59 touchdown passes in his first two seasons, and he also has one of the more talented backups in the league in sophomore Hutson Mason, who shared Offensive MVP honors with Murray in the spring. Some early mock drafts have Tennessee’s Tyler Bray going in the first round, and Bray has one of the strongest arms in the league. Alabama’s AJ McCarron demonstrated in the BCS National Championship Game what he’s capable of and is poised to have a big junior season. South Carolina’s Connor Shaw is one of the more improved quarterbacks in the league, and the new guy on the block to watch is LSU’s Zach Mettenberger.

2. Lining up at LSU: How many defenses out there could lose a pair of first-rounders and come back the next season and potentially be even better? LSU’s defense certainly had that look to it this spring despite the loss of cornerback Morris Claiborne and defensive tackle Michael Brockers, both of whom declared early for the NFL draft and were taken in the first round. It starts up front for the Tigers, who have the best pair of bookend defensive ends in the country in Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo. Both are potential top 10 picks in the 2013 NFL draft. In the middle of that LSU defensive line is tackle Bennie Logan, who also has a chance to be a first-rounder. And from a pure talent standpoint, sophomore tackle Anthony “Freak” Johnson is exactly what his nickname suggests. Kevin Minter was one of the Tigers’ most improved players this spring at middle linebacker, and in the secondary, Tyrann Mathieu, Eric Reid and Tharold Simon are all future pros. It’s obviously a defense that’s oozing with talent, but it’s also a defense that still has a chip on its shoulder with the way last season ended.

3. Fighting back: A long list of marquee players in this league missed the spring with injuries and still have to prove they’re all the way back in the fall. Franklin’s surgically repaired shoulder will be a huge key for Missouri in its first season in the SEC, and a lot of eyes will be on the two best running backs in the league. South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore missed the second half of last season after tearing knee ligaments, while Arkansas’ Knile Davis missed the entire season after fracturing his ankle in the preseason. At Ole Miss, they’re keeping their fingers crossed that linebacker D.T. Shackelford can return after he underwent a second knee surgery in March. He missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in the spring. Texas A&M running back Christine Michael is also coming back from an ACL tear. Tennessee receiver Justin Hunter went down in the third game last season with a torn ACL, and Florida defensive tackle Dominique Easley is trying to work his way back from a torn ACL suffered in the regular-season finale against Florida State last season.

4. Hogs hanging tough: Sure, the whole Bobby Petrino scandal was embarrassing to the entire state of Arkansas. But the players and coaches on the team didn’t lose focus this spring, and the leadership really came to the forefront. Quarterback Tyler Wilson, running back Knile Davis and linebacker Tenarius Wright picked the team up and made sure that nobody was feeling sorry for themselves, and in the process, reminded everyone that all of their goals were still intact. Credit also goes to the Arkansas coaching staff for handing a very difficult matter about as well as it could be handled. There are more tests to come, but now that John L. Smith is in place as the interim head coach, the program has a clear leader for these next eight months. Nothing is more valuable than strong player leadership, though, and the Hogs proved during that turbulent month of April that they’re made of the right stuff.

5. Getting physical: It was obvious that Florida coach Will Muschamp never felt good about his team’s ability to line up and be physical last season in his first year on the job. There were times that the Gators were downright soft on their way to going 0-6 against FBS teams that finished the season with a winning record. So this spring, just about everything they did was directed at being a more physical football team, a football team committed to running the ball and a football team determined to finish games. Muschamp has repeated several times since the end of spring practice that the Gators are a better team right now than at any point last season, and a lot of that goes back to this team adopting the kind of blue-collar, hit-you-in-the-mouth approach that has defined Muschamp’s coaching career. Clearly, he’s excited about where the program is headed, and he’s equally excited that he’ll be better equipped to play the way he wants to during the 2012 season.

Does anybody really remember spring awards? They don’t hand out any hardware for what goes on in March and April.

Nonetheless, we’re still going to honor the highs and the lows of the spring in the SEC:

Best performance: How sharp was Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson this spring? The Hogs’ offensive coordinator, Paul Petrino, said if anybody had a better spring than Wilson, then he was Superman. In four major scrimmages, including Arkansas’ spring game, Wilson threw 16 touchdown passes and completed 75.5 percent of his passes. He threw for 467 yards and three touchdowns in the spring game on 31-of-41 passing, and 404 of those yards came in the first half.

Best performance by a true freshman: They’re churning out great running backs these days at Alabama. T.J. Yeldon looks like he’s going to be the next one. He was sensational in the Crimson Tide’s A-Day spring game with 179 rushing/receiving yards, including a 50-yard touchdown after catching a short pass, breaking a tackle and then outrunning everybody to the end zone. He certainly caught Nick Saban’s attention this spring. At 6-foot-2 and 216 pounds, Yeldon can run inside and outside. He catches the ball well, and as Saban noted, is one of those guys who can do everything.

Best explanation: Seven assistant coaches left Tennessee’s staff following last season, and coach Derek Dooley was still hiring replacements just a couple of weeks prior to the start of spring practice. While conceding that it was rare to lose that many assistant coaches in one year, Dooley wasn’t bemoaning the mass exodus. Rather, he said it was a “correction” and equated it to a company starting up and fixing all of the things you don’t get right in the beginning. Then again, maybe all those coaches bolting were doing a little fixing of their own. Dooley clearly needs to show progress in Year 3 if he’s going to be around for Year 4, and the coaches who left made lateral moves.

Best Evel Knievel impersonation: Even though Bobby Petrino’s motorcycle didn’t land at the bottom of Snake River Canyon, it did end up in a roadside ditch -- busting the lid wide open on Petrino’s affair with football staffer Jessica Dorrell. This was a relationship that Petrino wasn’t forthcoming about to Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long. Petrino lost a job that paid him $3.56 million a year. Arkansas lost its head coach, and we’ll find out this fall what all the Hogs might have lost as they attempt to break through in the Western Division race.

Best no-show: Duron Carter wins in a landslide. There have been more questions about this guy, and he’s yet to take a snap for Alabama. No wonder Nick Saban gets riled up every time he’s quizzed about Carter, who was suspended all spring and is obviously not Mr. Accountability in terms of doing everything he needs to do to be a part of Alabama’s team.

Best quote: Steve Spurrier is starting to sound more and more like Spurrier, circa 1996. When asked what he thought about the Georgia game moving from Week 2 to Week 6 this season, he cracked, “I don’t know. I sort of always liked playing them that second game because you could always count on them having two or three key players suspended.”

Best comeback: Back surgery curtailed what looked to be a promising season for Auburn defensive end Dee Ford last year. This spring, he was back as good as new and heads into the fall as one of Auburn’s starters at end along with Corey Lemonier. The Ford-Lemonier combo coming off the edge won’t be a lot of fun for opposing offensive tackles. Speaking of the offensive line, Missouri left tackle Elvis Fisher was granted a sixth year of eligibility and progressed faster than anybody thought he would this spring after tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee prior to last season.

Best spring awakening: LSU went into the spring looking for a middle linebacker, and junior Kevin Minter responded by playing some of the best football he’s played since arriving on campus, according to LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis. South Carolina defensive tackle Byron Jerideau also had a stellar spring and is big enough and athletic enough to wreak some serious havoc. The former junior college transfer didn’t have the impact the Gamecocks had hoped for his first two seasons, but could be poised for a big senior season. Spurrier quipped, “I told him, ‘I hope you’re going to be known for something besides hitting me with the Gatorade bucket after a big win.’ He’s the one who grabs the bucket first, to get his picture in the paper.”

Best position move: Malcolm Mitchell was Georgia’s best deep threat at receiver last season and one of the more impressive true freshmen in the league. But he spent his time at cornerback this spring and looked like a natural. That’s where he’ll play in the fall, although he’ll still get a few snaps on offense. The Bulldogs needed help at cornerback, and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham felt all along that Mitchell could be a difference-maker back there. The truth is that he’s a difference-maker anywhere you put him.

Best quarterback battle: Spring came and went without a few starting jobs being settled around the league, but it’s a dead heat at Florida between sophomores Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel. Coach Will Muschamp feels like he can win with both players, which is a pretty good indication that both Brissett and Driskel will end up playing in the fall for the Gators. For the time being, Muschamp is content to let it play out this summer and on into preseason practice. Whoever emerges as the best leader over these next three months is going to end up winning the job.

From billboards to an untimely joy ride, the SEC has seen a lot of change in recent months.

The black Missouri billboards sprinkled around the South, reading “PROUD TO BE SEC: MIZZOU” coupled with those not-so-discrete Texas A&M/SEC TV adds ushered in the arrival of the SEC’s new families. But their exodus from the Big 12 wasn’t the only big change for the league.

The league said goodbye to a load of defensive talent and lost a couple of head coaches -- and even more assistants. Still, for as much change that has been made, it seems the overall results will be the same.

“You have to give the SEC a lot of credit,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “I tell a lot of people that we played in the Big 12, which is a great conference, but they just have more good team in [the SEC]. It’s remarkably competitive.”

LSU, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, four top-10 defenses from a season ago, return relatively intact this fall. Of those four, all but Florida will be involved in national championship discussions to start the season, especially LSU.

On paper, the Tigers might be the most talented team in the country. The defensive line possesses three potential first-rounders and the Honey Badger (Tyrann Mathieu) is still lurking in a secondary stocked with talent and athleticism.

The offense has to be better with Zach Mettenberger taking over at quarterback. He possesses the skill to throw the ball pretty much whenever he’s asked to, so that will be a major upgrade. He’ll also have plenty of weapons with five able running backs to choose from -- including Michael Ford and Spencer Ware who were both ranked in the top 10 in SEC rushing -- and a talented, young receiving group.

The scary thought is that a lot of people around the program think Les Miles might have a better team in 2012.

Georgia has 15 total starters returning, including a potential Heisman candidate in quarterback Aaron Murray, and yet again has a favorable schedule. South Carolina looks like it’s a healthy Marcus Lattimore and a more polished Connor Shaw away from making it back to Atlanta.

While defending national champion Alabama is down a handful of defensive starters from last season, the Crimson Tide can’t be counted out. The defense has more than capable players ready to fill holes. Nico Johnson and C.J. Mosley are ready to take over at linebacker, while Jesse Williams and Damion Square will lead up front. The secondary still has veterans Dee Milliner and Robert Lester and welcomes junior college studs Deion Belue and Travell Dixon.

“We’re going to be younger on defense. We don’t have as much experience, but we’ve got some good players,” coach Nick Saban said.

“I was pleased with the progress that we made -- not satisfied with where we need to be.”

Then, there’s Arkansas.

After Bobby Petrino's infamous motorcycle ride, the Razorbacks look to bounce back with an offense capable of pushing Arkansas to an SEC title and beyond. We still don’t know how effective interim coach John L. Smith will be, but he’ll have quarterback Tyler Wilson, running back Knile Davis and receiver Cobi Hamilton at his disposal, and that will make things easier.

With an improved offensive line and some talented, young receivers, Arkansas will score points. Now if only the defense can keep up …

There will no doubt be awkward situations ahead in the SEC. Making flights to Kansas City and Houston will seem wrong. Watching an entertaining coach’s news conference at Arkansas will feel unnatural. And not knowing what to expect from a Saban defense will confuse you.

But with everything that has changed, one thing that should remain is another championship run.

There’s still just too much clicking for the SEC.

Chris Low discusses the SEC players to watch during the 2012 season.

A check of what's shaking in and around the SEC:

Missouri quarterback Corbin Berkstresser is arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident.

Arkansas receiver Kane Whitehurst has been granted his release and plans to transfer.

Vanderbilt is off to an early start on the 2013 recruiting trail.

Auburn defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder is looking to stock up at safety.

Auburn's Gene Chizik says his young Tigers are growing up.

The SEC is making officiating adjustments with Missouri and Texas A&M coming aboard.

The Florida influence is apparent in the management style of Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity.

Florida could have as many as nine players selected in next year's NFL draft.

2011 overall record: 10-4
2011 conference record: 7-1 (T-1st)
Returning starters: Offense: 7; defense: 9; kicker/punter: 0

Top returners:

QB Aaron Murray, OLB Jarvis Jones, S Bacarri Rambo, S Shawn Williams, LB Alec Ogletree, RB Isaiah Crowell, WR Tavarres King, N John Jenkins, CB Sanders Commings, DE Abry Jones

Key losses:

OT Cordy Glenn, C Ben Jones, CB Brandon Boykin, TE Orson Charles, K Blair Walsh, P Drew Butler, OT Justin Anderson, DE DeAngelo Tyson

2011 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Isaiah Crowell* (850 yards)
Passing: Aaron Murray* (3,149 yards)
Receiving: Tavarres King* (705 yards)
Tackles: Shawn Williams* (72)
Sacks: Jarvis Jones* (13.5)
Interceptions: Bacarri Rambo* (8)

Spring answers

1. Mitchell joins defense: Georgia’s coaching staff planned to experiment with receiver Malcolm Mitchell as a two-way player even before several members of the Bulldogs’ secondary ran into disciplinary trouble. Now Mitchell’s services are a necessity on defense rather than a luxury. He will probably play defense almost exclusively in the first few games and convinced his coaches that he should fare well there after becoming one of the Bulldogs’ breakout offensive stars last year as a freshman.

2. Washington, Drew shift to end: Georgia’s depth was a bit thin at defensive end, but outside linebackers Cornelius Washington and Ray Drew cross-trained there during spring practice, which should also bolster the Bulldogs’ pass rush off the edge. Washington lamented that he was picking up the position slowly during the spring, but he had worked his way into a starting position and earned widespread praise for his work at end by the G-Day game.

3. Tight end turnover: With Orson Charles leaving Georgia after his junior year and Aron White and Bruce Figgins exhausting their eligibility, one of the Bulldogs’ least experienced positions is tight end. However, Arthur Lynch and redshirt freshman Jay Rome made it clear that the position is still in good hands. Rome, ESPN’s top-rated tight end in the 2011 signing class, caught a 66-yard touchdown in the final minute of the G-Day game.

Fall questions

1. Offensive line: Coach Will Friend began determining a pecking order on his rebuilt line this spring, but the competition will likely carry over into the season. When the Bulldogs closed spring practice, Kenarious Gates and Kolton Houston manned the tackle spots with Chris Burnette and Dallas Lee at guard and David Andrews at center. That lineup is subject to change, particularly with stud offensive line signee John Theus set to join the competition when he arrives this summer. Mark Beard, Watts Dantzler and Austin Long are also worth watching.

2. Special teams: Not only was Georgia’s kick coverage incompetent last season -- the Bulldogs were 116th nationally in punt return yardage defense and 88th against kickoffs -- but the Bulldogs must replace longtime starting kicker and punter Blair Walsh and Drew Butler. The Bulldogs signed Marshall Morgan and Collin Barber to take over for the departed kickers and Coach Mark Richt promised that the Bulldogs will work more on live kicking situations in preseason camp than perhaps any previous time in his tenure.

3. Secondary: This appears to be a temporary problem, with starters Sanders Commings, Bacarri Rambo and Branden Smith facing possible disciplinary suspensions to open the season. Mitchell’s shift to cornerback will help Damian Swann and Devin Bowman hold down the position until Commings and Smith return. Depth will also be an early issue at safety without Rambo. Commings, who will sit out the first two games, has safety experience, but few other Bulldogs have played significant downs at the position besides Rambo and Shawn Williams. Corey Moore is a player to watch here.

Another Monday chat is in the books. Here's a little of what you might have missed from earlier:

Brian (Florida)
Ed, What do you think would be the likelihood of Florida leaving the SEC, if they were presented with an option to join a new league by FSU if it decided to create a new league instead of joining the Big 12 or staying in the ACC. My friend was telling me with the WAC being dead the time is ripe for a new conference to be formed and that FSU could be the driving force for it.

Edward Aschoff (12:02 PM)
No with a side of chance. Florida has no reason to leave the SEC and you can bet that Florida State would have no influence on the school. Remember AD Jeremy Foley doesn't like the idea of having FSU or Miami in the same conference as Florida because of recruiting. UF wouldn't follow FSU.

Greg /Atl, Ga. [via mobile]
Ed, I have seen Mel hypers 2013 mock draft. Please help me understand how it includes D. J. Flicker as 1st rounder but does not include the Barrett Jones who won the Outland Trophy last year and can play every position across the O line. Baffled!!! Please shed some light!

Edward Aschoff (12:05 PM)
I was surprised at first too, but when you talk to NFL scouts they all like Fluker's upside more and think he'd be a better pro prospect than Jones. But the funny thing is that neither might have as much upside as Chance Warmack. Scouts seem more interested in him right now and if he has a good year I wouldn't be surprised if he was taken before either Jones or Fluker.

Shane (Athens)
Hey Dash, you think this year's vandy-uga game is gonna be exciting enough for me to skip music midtown?

Edward Aschoff (12:06 PM)
It'll be pretty good for sure. There is some bad blood there (see James Franklin and Todd Grantham) and Vanderbilt will be hungry to get a signature win the SEC. It's tough turning down good music, until the SEC comes around.

Clay (Birmingham, AL)
Ed, things just went from bad to worse in Arky. Is it lack of discipline from the Petrino era or a lack of control from Smith?

Edward Aschoff (12:08 PM)
It's way to early to say that Smith doesn't have control. He acted quickly and correctly when he suspended those players. Now, going forward will be interesting. How long with the suspension last? how severe will it be? It's all going to depend on the legal side. This is just another poor decision made in Fayetteville that has put this football team in a bind. Marquel Wade is expected to be a big-time contributor this fall. Not having him will hurt the offense, in my opinion, because he's so versatile.

Jeff (VA)
What do you think is the real reason Sims left Bama for UVA? Family or lack of play time? You think he'll make UVA a better squad?

Edward Aschoff (12:10 PM)
I think he saw the writing on the wall. This is AJ McCarron's team. Sims is a talented player, but he isn't up there with McCarron when it comes to being a more complete QB. He knew he wasn't going to beat out McCarron, so it was time to move on. The guy wants to play.

Dawgfan012 (atlanta ga)

Is Jim Delaney affraid of his beloved B1G 10 consistantly not being represented in a new championship scenerio or just an avid fan of the BCS automatic bid system and desperately trying to save it?

Edward Aschoff (12:12 PM)
I think he fears the SEC takeover just like the rest of college football. He knows that a system that doesn't require conference champions will give the SEC more chances to get two teams in. I understand where he's coming from, but his approach is way off. Belittling Alabama is a weak move. He knows how good that team was and most people know Alabama deserved to be in the title game.

Our look at the SEC's most productive returning players in 2012 continues with a look at the top tacklers.

Past producers:

• Quarterback
• Running back
• Wide receiver
• Tight end
• Sacks

The SEC returns three of the top 10 tacklers from 2011, but don't let that fool you. There's still a lot of quality out there on those SEC defenses. Last season's tackling king, Kentucky linebacker Danny Trevathan, is gone, and so are his 143 tackles. But the league's No. 2 tackler is back.

Here's a look at the top tackler returning in the SEC:

Cameron Lawrence, LB, Mississippi State: He was second in the SEC with 123 tackles and had 50 solo stops. He also averaged 9.5 tackles per game. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder found ways to take down opposing offensive players by roaming all over the field for the Bulldogs. Lawrence started on the outside, but made his presence known on many different areas of the field with his speed and relentless attitude. Lawrence picked up right were he left off this spring, and the coaches expect him to be just as valuable this fall. It'll be tough to stop Lawrence from taking the tackling crown in 2012.

The SEC returns two more of its top tacklers:

• Daren Bates, LB, Auburn: He registered 104 tackles, including 59 solo, and averaged eight tackles a game.
• Jonathan Bostic, LB, Florida: He registered 94 tackles, including 60 solo, and averaged 7.2 tackles a game.

Those three will certainly get their chances to fight for the crown, but there are other players to keep an eye on as well this fall. Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw are gone at Alabama, but that means Nico Johnson and C.J. Mosley will have the chance to take some of that lost production.

Missouri linebacker Andrew Wilson was a stud last season with his team-high 98 tackles, so he'll definitely be in the race this season. So will South Carolina's Devonte Holloman, as he moves back to the Spur position that he lost last season to Antonio Allen, who led the Gamecocks in tackles. Georgia's Jarvis Jones will also take a crack at it. He was the best when it came to making plays behind the line of scrimmage last season, but you better believe offenses will look to protect the backfield more against him. That means he'll have more opportunities to make plays past the line, and he's just as deadly when he isn't rushing the passer.

Ole Miss linebacker Mike Marry had a solid season in 2011, accumulating 81 total tackles. He's turned into a better player, and with the Rebels lining up in all sorts of different defensive formations, he'll be moving all around the field to make plays. Also, keep tabs on Arkansas linebacker Alonzo Highsmith and defensive end/linebacker Tenarius Wright. Highsmith had a tremendous 2011 season, racking up 80 tackles, and with the team's top tacklers gone, expect his production to increase. And if Wright stays at linebacker, he'll have more opportunities to add to his tackling numbers.

Two other players to watch out for are Texas A&M linebacker Jonathan Stewart and Vanderbilt linebacker Chase Garnham. Stewart led the Aggies with 98 tackles last season, and Garnham moves into Chris Marve's spot in the middle. A spot where Marve registered a team-high 91 tackles.

Some Monday linkage for your viewing pleasure:

• Former Alabama linebacker Eryk Anders is making hits in mixed martial arts.
• Former Georgia safety Terreal Bierria begins trial on Monday and is accused of killing his childhood best friend in a bloody fight over drugs.
• The Big Ten's Jim Delany needs to get over his SEC obsession, writes David Climer of The Tennessean.
• College football isn't done yet with realignment, writes Tommy Hicks of The Mobile Press-Register.
• The 2013 signing class for Georgia will be one of the Bulldogs' larger ones, as they have room to back-count some players.
• Mike Strange of The Knoxville News-Sentinel wonders who will be the top-ranked college football coaches in 2022.
• The three Arkansas players that were arrested and charged with felony residential burglary are released from jail on bond.
• Auburn receiver Trovon Reed is arrested and charged with failing to appear in court in his hometown of Thibodaux, La.
• Will Muschamp leads the revival of Florida football.
• Former Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline is trying to make the most of his time learning under Tom Brady.
• What will become of the Kansas-Missouri rivalry when the games end?

The 2012 nonconference slate involving SEC teams isn't as attractive as a year ago.

There just aren't as many marquee matchups with schools from other BCS conferences. That's something that will change if strength of schedule is given more weight in the selection process for the teams participating in the proposed national playoff.

Here's a look at our top five nonconference games involving SEC teams for the 2012 season:

1. Alabama vs. Michigan, in Arlington, Texas, Sept. 1: Nick Saban likes the idea of playing a big-name opponent at a neutral site. The Crimson Tide get the Wolverines in Cowboys Stadium to open the season in what will likely be a matchup of preseason top-10 teams. Alabama will be somewhere in the top 5 after winning its second national championship in three seasons a year ago, and Michigan appears to be on the move after Brady Hoke led the Wolverines to 11 wins, including a victory over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, in his debut season a year ago.

2. South Carolina at Clemson, Nov. 24: The Gamecocks have won three in a row over the Tigers, the first time that's happened since 1968-70, and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier has made sure everybody is well aware of the Gamecocks' current winning streak in a rivalry that has historically been dominated by the Tigers. The game is in Death Valley this season, and the last thing Dabo Swinney and Co. want to endure is another loss to South Carolina. The Gamecocks haven't won four in a row in this series since 1951-54.

3. Auburn vs. Clemson, in Atlanta, Sept. 1: The second part of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game weekend, the Auburn-Clemson tilt will mark the third straight year that these two teams have met. Auburn has a new offensive coordinator and new defensive coordinator, and Clemson has a new defensive coordinator. The winner of this game the last two years has gone on to play in a BCS bowl. The game will be played on Saturday in the Georgia Dome. NC State and Tennessee will meet the day before in the Georgia Dome.

4. Florida at Florida State, Nov. 24: Yes, these two teams play every year. But, yes, it's still one of the best rivalries in college football, especially now that Jimbo Fisher has the Seminoles back in the national spotlight. It's a big second season for Florida coach Will Muschamp, and one of the things he's going to be judged on is how he does against Florida's two biggest rivals. The Gators lost to both Georgia and Florida State a year ago, which hadn't happened since 1989. Look for this rivalry to get really spicy again.

5. Washington at LSU, Sept. 8: LSU has scaled back this season after facing Oregon at a neutral site and West Virginia on the road a year ago. The Huskies venture into Tiger Stadium the second week of the season, which should give us some early answers about this LSU defense. Can the Tigers be even better on that side of the ball than they were last season? Washington quarterback Keith Price will put them to the test. He threw 31 touchdown passes last season as a sophomore and completed 67 percent of his passes.

A few others to watch:

• Louisiana Tech vs. Texas A&M, in Shreveport, La., Aug. 30
• North Carolina State vs. Tennessee, in Atlanta, Aug. 31
• Kentucky at Louisville, Sept. 2
• Vanderbilt at Northwestern, Sept. 8
• Texas at Ole Miss, Sept. 15
• Arizona State at Missouri, Sept. 15
• Rutgers at Arkansas, Sept. 22
• Georgia Tech at Georgia, Nov. 24
• Vanderbilt at Wake Forest, Nov. 24

It's Monday, so that means we're chatting. You know the drill. Come with all of your SEC football questions at noon ET. It might be the offseason, but there's plenty to talk about when it comes to the SEC.