A look around the Conference after Spring Practices

Now that spring football is over in the Southeastern Conference, Tennessean staff writer Chris Low looks ahead to the 2006 season by offering his latest league analysis with his post-spring picks, predictions and prognostications: Alabama
-Season No. 3 was more like it for Alabama coach Mike Shula. After going 10-15 in his first two seasons at his alma mater, Shula matched that win total in 2005, leading the Crimson Tide to a 10-2 record and a Cotton Bowl victory over Texas Tech. Staying at that level next season will be a real challenge without quarterback Brodie Croyle and the talent Alabama lost on defense. John Parker Wilson steps in at quarterback, and linebacker Juwan Simpson is the only one of the top seven tacklers last season on defense that is back. Kenneth Darby is one of the top running backs in the league, but it's probably a long shot to expect receiver Tyrone Prothro to return from his devastating leg injury last season.
Arkansas
-With former Springdale (Ark.) High School coach Gus Malzahn stepping in as Arkansas' new offensive coordinator, it remains to be seen what the Razorbacks will look like on offense next season. He ran a wide-open passing attack in high school, and his star pupil, heralded quarterback Mitch Mustain, will arrive on campus this summer. For the time being, Casey Dick exits the spring as the Hogs' starting quarterback, but Robert Johnson isn't far behind. Arkansas has proven it can run the ball with Darren McFadden and Felix Jones and has 20 starters returning from last season. But the Hogs have to find a passing game, as well as take a step forward on defense under second-year coordinator Reggie Herring.
Auburn
-The most consistent program in the league since 2000 just might be Auburn, although Georgia fans would argue that point. Nobody has a better record against SEC foes (37-13) since 2000, and the Tigers produced nine wins last season after losing four players in the first round of the NFL Draft the year before. Tailback Kenny Irons is a rugged runner, and quarterback Brandon Cox has a year under his belt in the SEC. He's also tutoring under the best play-caller in the league right now, offensive coordinator Al Borges. Will Herring has moved from free safety to linebacker and will anchor the defense. Typical of Tommy Tuberville's defenses, the Tigers will feature more speed than size next season.
Florida
-The second time around is always supposed to be a lot easier, and Florida coach Urban Meyer hopes that holds true for his offense. Quarterback Chris Leak never looked comfortable in Meyer's spread-option attack last season until the Gators tweaked some things to his strength toward the end. Leak hopes to have his deep threat, Andre Caldwell, back healthy after Caldwell missed most of last season with a broken leg. Meyer wasn't pleased with the Gators' running game this spring and publicly challenged his backs. There's enough talent on defense that the Gators will probably be the favorite in the Eastern Division race.
Georgia
-Get ready for a freshman to take the reins at quarterback for Georgia. Matthew Stafford might not start the first game, but he's going to be behind center at some point. Stafford graduated high school early and went through spring practice. He had his ups and downs, but finished strongly in the spring game. The Bulldogs again figure to have a strong running game, which should take some of the pressure off Stafford. The biggest concern might be on defense, where they lost most of their playmakers. Senior defensive end Quentin Moses returns, though, as one of the top pass-rushers in the league.
Kentucky
-It's no secret that Kentucky probably has to show some real progress next season if coach Rich Brooks is going to remain. The Wildcats were beset with injuries in 2005 and hope to get many of those players back. Receiver Keenan Burton has battled injuries each of the past two seasons, and the Wildcats have been careful with him this spring. It's still too close to call in the quarterback race. Brooks said he might go all the way up to the opener before making a decision between Curtis Pulley and Andre Woodson. Do-it-all running back Rafael Little was sidelined for the last half of spring after breaking a bone in his wrist. The Wildcats hope to use Little and Tony Dixon in the same backfield next season.
LSU
-Coaches will always take too many quarterbacks over too few quarterbacks, but there's a logjam at the position for the Tigers. JaMarcus Russell missed the spring after separating his shoulder in the SEC Championship game last season and was undergoing wrist surgery in the offseason. Matt Flynn, the star of the Peach Bowl, looked sharp this spring, and former hotshot prospect Ryan Perrilloux isn't going to sit around and watch for long. The Tigers have plenty of talent to go around whoever emerges, and this could be the year that several guys break out at receiver. It's unclear at this point, though, how healthy running back Alley Broussard will be after missing all of last season with a knee injury.
Ole Miss
-In desperate need of some offense, Mississippi coach Ed Orgeron brought in some reinforcements. He hired offensive coordinator Dan Werner and offensive line coach Art Kehoe after they were fired at Miami, and he went out and signed former Tennessee quarterback Brent Schaeffer, who's finishing up junior college and will arrive at Ole Miss this summer. The Rebels ranked near the bottom of Division I-A schools last season in most offensive categories. Schaeffer has already been penciled in as the starting quarterback, and the Rebels are equally excited about the addition of bruising running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who sat out last season after transferring from Indiana.
Mississippi State
-Having leaned on tailback Jerious Norwood the last two seasons, Mississippi State will have to look to other playmakers next season. Quarterback Michael Henig had a stellar spring and was named Most Improved Offensive Player. The best news for him is that the offensive line should be more experienced around him, and coach Sylvester Croom hopes junior college newcomer Tony Burks can be a home-run threat at receiver. Burks had hamstring problems and missed most of the spring. Even without departed defensive end Willie Evans, the defensive line will be strong. Middle linebacker Quinton Culberson also has star potential.
South Carolina
-What does Steve Spurrier have in store for an encore at South Carolina? The Gamecocks again have the skill players, led by sophomore receiver Sidney Rice, to be a factor again in the Eastern Division race. But they still don't appear to be quite there yet on both sides of the ball. Rice is the most consistent playmaker in the league. He caught 13 touchdown passes and had 1,143 receiving yards last season. The return of running back Cory Boyd should take some of the pressure off Rice this season. Boyd, who was suspended last season, has breakaway speed and will keep defenses honest. The secondary took a hit with cornerback Johnathan Joseph and safety Ko Simpson both deciding to turn pro early.
Tennessee
-Most Tennessee fans are still sort of holding their breath. They hope last season was merely an aberration, but don't know for sure. The Vols will find out right away how good they are. They open the season against California at home. Erik Ainge looked more comfortable at quarterback this spring under new offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe, but the offense as a whole struggled to finish drives. The Vols desperately need receiver Robert Meachem to make some plays down the field for them next season. Six of seven starters in the front seven on defense are gone, but tackles Justin Harrell and Turk McBride may be the best twosome in the league.
Vanderbilt
-The Commodores were agonizingly close last season to breaking through and going to their first bowl since 1982. They still wound up with a respectable 5-6 record, thanks primarily to the brilliant play of quarterback Jay Cutler. Now that Cutler has moved on, coach Bobby Johnson has to find a new quarterback. Chris Nickson will get first shot, but Mackenzi Adams got plenty of time this spring. Whoever it is, Vanderbilt needs somebody to get the ball to talented receiver Earl Bennett, who had nine touchdown catches last season. The Commodores won't have much depth on defense, and it will also be difficult to overcome the loss of linebacker Moses Osemwegie.

Vols Land Franklin Receiver

It’s a very good year in the Volunteer State for high school football talent and Phillip Fulmer and staff are Volume shopping at Vol-Mart.
The latest Tennessean to commit to the University of Tennessee is 6-foot-1, 190-pound wide receiver Todd Campbell, who plays for Franklin High School in the historic middle Tennessee town of Franklin.
Campbell has run a 4.41 and regularly clocks sub-five times in the 40, giving him the size and speed to remain a big-play receiver at the next level. As a junior, he caught 35 passes for 810 yards (an average of 23.3 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns to earn Class-5A All-State honors.
"I am the type of guy who just wants to score,” he told Larry Vaught of Kentucky Sports Report. “If I have the ball, then I am looking to go to the goal line any way I can. Whatever it takes to get there, I'll do it."
Campbell is originally from Elkton in western Kentucky and played at Todd Central High School as a freshman before making the move to Franklin. That change of locale proved fortuitous because the next year Franklin hired a new head coach, Craig Clayton, who brought in an offensive system that showcased Campbell’s considerable skills and athletic ability.
“Todd moved down here from Elkton as a sophomore,” Clayton told Brian Eldridge of Kentucky Sports Report, “And then his first year here, they played more of a running game,” “When I got here, we opened up the offense a little, so he could show his talents."
Those talents include soft hands, good concentration and the core strength to shake tacklers. There are elements of his route running that can be improved, but he makes the tough catch and has an outstanding burst to the ball.
UT should see a sharp rise in Campbell's stock after he attends the Scout combine in Louisville on May 20. That will the first chance many scouts have had to see him since his breakthnrough junior season.
Campbell committed to Tennessee over offers from Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Louisville, Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Kansas State. He joins a UT Class of 2007 that now has three commitments with Anthony Anderson, a defensive back/athlete from Knoxville Austin-East and Tyler Maples, a wide receiver from Maryville. That equals the number of in-state high school signees the Vols had in the Class of 2006.
The Vols are sure to exceed that number with the biggest in-state prizes still undeclared.

Rebels' Maples commits to Vols

Maryville's Tyler Maples could have other taken visits. He could have listened to what other coaches had to say.
But it would have been a waste of time. Maples is now and has always been a Volunteer.
``I grew up watching Tennessee football,'' said the Rebel junior. ``Anyone who has grown up here, who lives here, they have a passion for Tennessee. I always knew this is what I wanted.
``I wanted to be a Vol.''
And so he shall be. Maples -- Maryville's speedy wide receiver/defensive back/return specialist -- verbally committed to the University of Tennessee Tuesday afternoon. He becomes the Vols' second official commitment for 2007 season, joining Austin-East athlete Anthony Anderson.
Tennessee took criticism for its weak instate recruiting for this year's class. The Vols finished with four instate players -- including Alcoa tailback Dustin Lindsey -- in a class of 22 new prospects.
With Anderson and Maples -- both Knoxville area players -- each choosing to commit prior to their senior season, the 2007 class seems to be headed in a different direction.
It's something that Maples is hopeful for.
``Ask anybody and they'll tell you local players will play harder and give more effort,'' said Maples, who scored an outstanding 23 touchdowns for the Rebels in 2005. ``The whole program is going through a change right now, and I want to be apart of that. Any local player would. They're worried about winning, and that seems to be what they need.''
Maples received significant looks from Vanderbilt and attention from Alabama. But a constant flow of letters and phone calls isn't what the rising senior wants for his final year under MHS coach George Quarles.
``He told me he wants to be able to focus on the season ahead,'' said Quarles, who also coached Maples' brother Ryan in 1999 and 2000. ``I think that speaks a lot about the player he is. He really cares about things and pours himself into it. He wants to be around a winning team.''
Assuming Maples signs with the Vols next February, he will become the seventh Rebel under Quarles to reach the Division I level. Few of them may make the impact Maples could, Quarles said.
``He's a very versatile player, but he's just so fast,'' Quarles said. ``He's just special, and you can't imagine how valuable his speed is going to be for him.''
Maples ran a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash earlier this season and plans on continuing to work the number down. Tennessee assistant coaches Dan Brooks and Steve Caldwell each recruited Maples, who plays with Caldwell's son, Lendl.
At this point, Maples said he would prefer to play receiver at the next level -- a position Quarles said he could excel in -- but really it doesn't matter. He just looks forward to realizing a dream.
``I want to be a part of it all,'' Maples said. ``Running through the `T' with 108,000 people cheering for you. Who wouldn't want to be a apart of that?''

Tennessee Opens Spring Practice With Familiar Question

The Tennessee Volunteers began spring drills Thursday, and coach Phillip Fulmer said he wants to have an established starter at quarterback by the end of spring practice.
The Vols are coming off a disappointing 5-6 season. Eric Ainge, a rising junior, entered the first day of practice at Number One ahead of redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton.
Fulmer said he believes the Vols will be good at quarterback, where no one stepped forward last season. David Cutcliffe, who returned to Tennessee to replace Randy Sanders at offensive coordinator, is in charge of the quarterbacks.
He's been tutoring them on football philosophy -- not just how a play works but why.

Tennessee football team's spring drills will be under the microscope

Usually for Tennessee, spring football is a time for key players to get healthy, while the young or unproven guys on the roster make a case for playing time the following fall.
But this isn't your usual spring for the Volunteers, who begin drills this week.
The Vols' spring workouts will be watched more keenly than usual - not only by the coaches, but also by the massive Rocky Top fan base following the team's first losing season since 1988.
Here are the five key questions that stand out, each of which will receive in-depth attention as the spring sessions progress.
1) Is Cutcliffe the answer?
After an underachieving year by the offense, Phillip Fulmer literally went "old school" to fix the problem, bringing back David Cutcliffe after the resignation of Randy Sanders. The Vols compiled a record of 62-11 during Cutcliffe's previous stint as coordinator, before he left to take over the Ole Miss program.
From a schematic standpoint, there wasn't much difference between the offense Cutcliffe ran and the one employed by Sanders, who learned under Cutcliffe. However, last year the explosive capability of the Vols' offense was noticeably absent.
Meanwhile, consider this. If Cutcliffe succeeds this coming season, he'll be one of the hot names surrounding any head coaching vacancy. Should Cutcliffe bolt, we'll be evaluating some other guy's effectiveness as offensive coordinator a year from now.
2) Who's the quarterback?
Talk about another case of déjà vu. For the third consecutive spring, the Vols face a quarterback controversy.
Rising junior Erik Ainge enters the spring atop the depth chart at signal- caller after a dismal season last fall. As it turns out, he played much of the campaign with a nagging turf toe problem.
It's Cutcliffe's job to try and help Ainge recapture the magic he at times displayed as a freshman.
Don't forget about redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton, a highly touted recruit who missed all of last year recovering from shoulder surgery. Either way, you'd think Fulmer and Co. would do their darnedest to avoid another shuffling of quarterbacks, as was the case last season.
3) Who will step up at linebacker?
Somebody needs to, because all three starters from last season were seniors.
As of now, the top healthy candidates are Ryan Karl, Ellix Wilson and Marvin Mitchell. Big things are expected of redshirt freshman Rico McCoy, who has the same kind of buzz that surrounded tailback Arian Foster coming out of his redshirt year.
Perhaps the best linebacker on next season's team won't be available this spring due to knee surgery. Jerod Mayo received high praise from veterans like Kevin Simon and Omar Gaither this past fall, and they said he had the potential to be the next great UT linebacker.
4) Can Trooper turn around the receivers?
In 2005, Bret Smith, Robert Meachem and Jayson Swain combined for 1,138 yards and 13 touchdowns. Last fall, that same trio combined for 986 yards and just seven TDs as part of an underachieving year for receiving corps that embodied the disappointing results of the season.
Enter Trooper Taylor, who moves over to coach the wideouts after two years managing the running backs. Taylor got concurrent 1,000-yard rushing seasons from Cedric Houston and Gerald Riggs Jr., finally seemed able to motivate Riggs before his injury and tutored Foster during his ascension. Taylor received an assistant head coach title and big pay increase in 2005 because he relates well to players and had success on the recruiting trail. After a subpar recruiting haul this year, Taylor may feel some heat if the receivers underachieve again.
5) Is this Turk McBride's season?
For years, people have been talking about the potential of the soft-spoken giant from New Jersey. Now, McBride has just one more chance to live up to the hype.
A Parade All-American in high school, McBride was hobbled by foot and ankle problems last season, missing two games and recording only 16 tackles.
But in each of the past two years, a defensive lineman emerged from relative obscurity to post a big season. In 2005, it was Jesse Mahelona. Last year, it was Jason Hall.
There's no reason McBride can't follow that trend.