SEC spring football analysis: Team-by-team look

ALABAMA (13-1)

Returning starters: 6 offense, 4 defense, 3 special teams

Spring practice started: March 9

A-Day: April 14

Pressing question: The defending national champions rode one of the best defenses of the past decade to the title in 2011, but the nucleus of that unit has moved on to the NFL. Alabama?s recruiting classes have been highly rated under Nick Saban; the question is whether those recruits can replace proven production.

Area of strength: Four members of the offensive line, including All-American left tackle Barrett Jones, who is shifting to center to replace the departing William Vlachos. In his place, highly talented sophomore Cyrus Kouandjio steps into a proven unit.

Area of need: With Courtney Upshaw, Dont?a Hightower and Jerrell Harris gone, Alabama has to replace three linebackers in its 3-4 defense, and returning contributor C.J. Mosley is recovering from a dislocated hip suffered in the national title game.

ARKANSAS (11-2)

Returning starters: 7 offense, 6 defense, 3 special teams

Spring practice starts: March 14

Spring game: April 21

Pressing question: Under Bobby Petrino, Arkansas has built itself into one of the SEC?s best offenses, but the Razorbacks have yet to field a top-flight SEC defense. Newly minted defensive coordinator Paul Haynes, who replaces Willy Robinson, has to spend the spring trying to improve the SEC?s No. 9 defense.

Area of strength: In addition to the return of their top two rushers, Dennis Johnson and Ronnie Wingo Jr., the Razorbacks also return the services of Knile Davis, who rushed for 1,322 yards in 2010 before missing 2011 with a fractured ankle.

Area of need: Arkansas returns one of the SEC?s best quarterbacks in Tyler Wilson, but his three top receivers are NFL-bound. Fourth-leading receiver Cobi Hamilton is back with 34 catches, but the Razorbacks have to replace the rest.

AUBURN (8-5)

Returning starters: 7 offense, 9 defense, 2 special teams

Spring practice starts: March 23

A-Day: April 14

Pressing question: A quarterback battle has become an annual rite of spring at Auburn, a team that used three passers in 2011. First-year offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler will hold an open competition and try to find a solid starter from a group that includes Clint Moseley, Kiehl Frazier and early enrollee Zeke Pike.

Area of strength: Led by All-SEC pick Corey Lemonier at defensive end, the defensive line returns all four starters and every key backup off of a unit that was hit hard by injury in 2011. The battle between Kenneth Carter and Carver graduate Gabe Wright will be the one to watch in the spring.

Area of need: Three players who opened 2011 as starters on the offensive line have graduated, and the Tigers will have to replace both tackles. Redshirt freshman Greg Robinson is the likely favorite on the left side; the right is up for grabs.

FLORIDA (7-6)

Returning starters: 7 offense, 10 defense, 2 special teams

Spring practice starts: March 14

Spring game: April 7

Pressing question: New offensive coordinator Brent Pease has to try to breathe life into a Gators offense that ranked 105th in the country and returns none of its best playmakers from 2011. Most of the offensive line returns, but there is precious little beyond the big guys.

Area of strength: Florida returns 10 starters off of a defense that finished the season ranked ninth in the nation, including star middle linebacker Jonathan Bostic and impact safety Matt Elam.

Area of need: Somebody has to handle the football in the wake of John Brantley?s graduation and the departure of both running backs. Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel played quarterback as freshmen, but somebody has to emerge.

GEORGIA (10-4)

Returning starters: 6 offense, 10 defense, 1 special teams

Spring practice starts: March 20

G-Day: April 14

Pressing question: A wave of off-the-field infractions have hit the Bulldogs this offseason, most notably in the secondary, where Sanders Commings is suspended for two games and Branden Smith was just arrested. Georgia has to find a way to get stabilized during the spring.

Area of strength: One of the country?s most dominant defenses brings almost everybody back, including Butkus Award candidate Jarvis Jones (Carver High) and ballhawking safety Bacarri Rambo, to give newly extended Todd Grantham plenty of weapons.

Area of need: Cordy Glenn, Ben Jones and Justin Anderson are preparing for the NFL Draft and leave Georgia looking for big guys to protect a deep and talented stable of skill players led by quarterback Aaron Murray.

KENTUCKY (5-7)

Returning starters: 6 offense, 6 defense, 1 special teams

Spring practice starts: March 21

Spring game: April 21

Pressing question: Quarterback Maxwell Smith has to prove he is the answer after a promising impression in the starter?s spot as a freshman at the end of the 2011 season. For Kentucky to make noise, Smith has to be a game-changer.

Area of strength: The entire starting defensive line returns, led by defensive tackle Mister Cobble. Kentucky?s front four failed to produce much in 2011, but a year of experience should help.

Area of need: Playing in the quarterback-heavy SEC East, Kentucky has to replace three starters in the secondary around free safety Mikie Benton, who did not have an interception.

LSU (13-1)

Returning starters: 6 offense, 6 defense, 2 special teams

Spring practice started: March 1

Spring game: March 31

Pressing question: After the national title game painfully highlighted LSU?s lack of elite talent at quarterback, Zach Mettenberger has to prove he can take the Tigers? offense to another level with lots of talent around him.

Area of strength: All four of LSU?s talented running back rotation -- Spencer Ware, Michael Ford, Alfred Blue and Kenny Hilliard -- are back behind an experienced line, which will lighten the load on Mettenberger considerably.

Area of need: Finding a real pressing area of need on a defense that returns Tyrann Mathieu, Eric Reid and a deep defensive line is no easy task, but LSU has to develop a pair of impact linebackers around Kevin Minter in the middle.

OLE MISS (2-10)

Returning starters: 8 offense, 6 defense, 3 special teams

Spring practice starts: March 23

Spring game: April 21

Pressing question: Coming off of a 2-10 season that cost Houston Nutt his job as the head coach, the Rebels have to see if they can build any momentum under new hire Hugh Freeze. Few playmakers return on either side of the ball, and Freeze is installing new schemes on each.

Area of strength: Linebacker Mike Marry emerged as a playmaker in 2011 with a team-leading 81 tackles, and outside linebacker Joel Kight was fifth on the team in the tackles.

Area of need: Only defensive tackle Uriah Grant returns from Ole Miss?s starting defensive line in an SEC driven by defenses who can rush the passer. The Rebels have experience in the back end, but somebody has to emerge to pressure quarterbacks.

MISSISSIPPI STATE (7-6)

Returning starters: 5 offense, 7 defense, 2 special teams

Spring practice starts: March 22

Spring game: April 21

Pressing question: The Bulldogs? only proven playmaker on offense, running back Vick Ballard, is headed to the NFL, and Mississippi State has been underwhelming with the ball in its hands during Dan Mullen?s three years. To be a factor, Mullen has to get the offense turned around.

Area of strength: Three starters return in the defensive backfield, including both cornerbacks and safety Johnthan Banks, a rising star who had 71 tackles, 14 pass breakups and five interceptions in 2011.

Area of need: Leading rusher Vick Ballard has left Starkville for the NFL Draft. Rising junior LaDarius Perkins has been Ballard?s backup the past two seasons, and now he has to show he can replace his predecessor?s 1,200 yards.

MISSOURI (8-5)

Returning starters: 5 offense, 6 defense, 2 special teams

Spring practice started: March 6

Spring game: April 14

Pressing question: Injuries struck the Tigers up and down the roster in 2011, including a torn ACL suffered by the Big 12?s leading rusher, Henry Josey, late in the season, and prospective left tackle Elvis Fisher. Missouri needs to get as many players ready as possible as it makes the move to the SEC.

Area of strength: Three starters return in the secondary, but ever since Gary Pinkel, Missouri?s fate has rested on the quarterback, and junior James Franklin is back after passing for 2,872 yards and rushing for 981.

Area of need: Only one starter returns on the defensive line, and that starter, Brad Madison, will miss most of the spring due to shoulder surgery, as will prospective starting defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, which leaves Missouri?s defensive line with precious little experience this spring.

SOUTH CAROLINA (11-2)

Returning starters: 8 offense, 6 defense, 1 special teams

Spring practice starts: Today

Spring game: April 14

Pressing question: He may not even be participating in spring practice, but the health of Marcus Lattimore, who will start to run laterally after tearing knee ligaments last fall. When healthy, Lattimore is one of the top two or three backs in the country, and he changes the Gamecocks? offense.

Area of strength: The Gamecocks have lost a possible top-10 pick in Melvin Ingram, but he will be replaced by phenom Jadeveon Clowney, who had eight sacks, and South Carolina also brings back DE Devin Taylor (6 sacks) and tackle Kelcy Quarles.

Area of need: Both cornerbacks are gone, including possible first-rounder Stephon Gilmore. The ferocity of the Gamecocks? pass rush lessens pressure in the back end, but the top of the SEC East is full of talented quarterbacks and receivers.

TENNESSEE (5-7)

Returning starters: 10 offense, 8 defense, 2 special teams

Spring practice starts: March 26

Spring game: April 21

Pressing question: An alarming rate of movement on the coaching staff left the Vols with only seven of the nine coaches on staff returning under head coach Derek Dooley. Whether or not the staff gels quickly in the spring could determine Tennessee?s fate in the fall.

Area of strength: Provided that quarterback Tyler Bray can stay healthy, the Vols have all kinds of experience returning in the passing game. With the entire offensive line, three receivers and a tight end coming back, Bray could be one of the SEC?s better passers.

Area of need: Leading rusher Tauren Poole is gone, and the Volunteers had one of the nation?s worst rushing offenses in 2011. A playmaker has to emerge at running back for Tennessee to find any kind of balance under offensive coordinator Jim Chaney.

TEXAS A&M (7-6)

Returning starters: 9 offense, 5 defense, 2 special teams

Spring practice starts: March 31

Spring game: April 28

Pressing question: New head coach Kevin Sumlin is going to install his wide-open offense in College Station, but who is going to play the role of trigger man Case Keenum? Incumbents Jameill Showers, Matt Joeckel, Johnny Manziel and early enrollee Matt Davis all have a chance.

Area of strength: An offensive line that paved the way for a 1,000-yard rusher (Cyrus Gray) and a 900-yard rusher (Christine Michael) returns completely intact. Sumlin would be wise to consider running behind them a lot.

Area of need: QB is a pressing need, but the Aggies also have to find big bodies up front on defense in an SEC West full of teams that can run the ball, and only defensive tackle Eddie Brown, Jr. is back.

VANDERBILT (6-7)

Returning starters: 8 offense, 7 defense, 3 special teams

Spring practice starts: March 16

Spring game: April 14

Pressing question: Given what James Franklin did in one year at the helm with a largely unproven roster, the Commodores cautiously hope he can take a veteran-laden roster to the next level and develop quarterback Jordan Rodgers.

Area of strength: Beyond Rodgers, Vanderbilt returns most of its playmakers on offense, including key running back Zac Stacy, and wide receivers Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd.

Area of need: Returning defensive tackle Rob Lohr had five sacks last season, but somebody has to emerge to replace defensive Tim Fugger?s eight. The most likely candidate could be returning starter Walker May, who had three.

-- Joel A. Erickson

Source: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/03/13/1969796/sec-spring-football-analysis-team.html

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