SEC Spring Capsules (in order of 2007 finish)

EAST

Tennessee

2007 RECAP: 10-4 (6-2 SEC, T-1st East); beat Wisconsin 21-17 in Outback Bowl.

SPRING PRACTICE STARTS: March 11

HOLES TO FILL: With poised quarterback Erik Ainge gone, the Vols have to find a replacement. Jonathan Crompton appears to be the heir apparent, but that's no lock by the time the season arrives. ... Ainge's loss might be overstated, in some ways, considering UT returns most everyone else at the offensive skill positions. That includes 1,000-yard rusher Arian Foster and one of the SEC's leading receivers, Lucas Taylor, who had 1,000 receiving yards on the nose.

POSITION BATTLES: It's Crompton's job to lose, but redshirt freshman B.J. Coleman could make a push during the spring. ... Running back is still a crowded position at UT, with Foster joined again by Montario Hardesty and LaMarcus Coker.

SPRING GAME: April 19

Georgia

2007 RECAP: Finished 11-2 (6-2 SEC, T-1st East); beat Hawaii 41-10 in Sugar Bowl.

SPRING PRACTICE STARTS: March 3

HOLES TO FILL: The Bulldogs bring a lot back, but center is a position at which they're looking for an anchor now that Fernando Velasco is gone. Freshman Ben Jones could factor in immediately snapping the ball to big-armed upperclassman Matt Stafford. ... Receiver A.J. Bryant is gone, but the Georgia faithful might be OK with that given his perpetual inconsistencies. A more pure playmaker is needed. All eyes are on Summerville's A.J. Green as the suitor for the job. Perhaps Mohamed Massaquoi will step forward, as well.

POSITION BATTLES: After being inexperienced along the defensive line a year ago, now there's a deep pool of talent. Roderick Battle, Jarius Wynn and Jeremy Lomax are among those who will vie for a spot at end. ... As good as Knowshon Moreno was as a redshirt freshman, he might lose carries to talented redshirt freshman Caleb King and true freshmen Richard Samuel and Dontavius Jackson. Running back is where UGA is deepest and most gifted.

SPRING GAME: April 5

Florida

2007 RECAP: Finished 9-4 (5-3 SEC, 3rd East); lost to Michigan 41-35 in Capital One Bowl.

SPRING PRACTICE STARTS: March 19

HOLES TO FILL: Florida's got plenty of playmakers left, such as Percy Harvin, but losing Andre "Bubba" Caldwell won't help matters. ... Florida's defense would've been a heck of a lot better if end Derrick Harvey hadn't left for the NFL, but Harvey's a first-round talent. And the Gators should be OK, given the repeated top-tier recruiting classes.

POSITION BATTLES: It'll be interesting to see how the running back carries play out. Everyone's interested in seeing what Southern Cal transfer Emmanuel Moody does, but speedsters Harvin and Chris Rainey ought to be involved, also. And then there's returning backs Kestahn Moore and Brandon James. ... Some of those same names will be involved in the return game, too. No quarterback battle here as long as Heisman winner Tim Tebow is around.

SPRING GAME: April 12

Kentucky

2007 RECAP: Finished 8-5 (3-5 SEC, T-4th East); beat Florida State 35-28 in Music City Bowl.

SPRING PRACTICE STARTS: March 26

HOLES TO FILL: QB Andre Woodson is gone. His void might be the biggest in the league this side of Darren McFadden. ... It's not just Woodson. It's the men who caught his passes. Targets Keenan Burton, Steve Johnson and Jacob Tamme were also seniors. ... Linebacker Wesley Woodyard was a tremendous player, one of the league's best tacklers.

POSITION BATTLES: Curtis Pulley and Mike Hartline will be first in line to take over for Woodson. Each can move a bit, so that might help coach Rich Brooks and coordinator Joker Phillips in this transition period. Some are convinced that Pulley can pick up where Woodson left off. ... Dicky Lyons Jr. is the only holdover at receiver.

SPRING GAME: April 19

South Carolina

2007 RECAP: 6-6 (3-5 SEC, T-4th East)

SPRING PRACTICE STARTS: March 19

HOLES TO FILL: Blake Mitchell led such an embattled career as USC's quarterback. And, after five years, it's over. Stephen Garcia and Chris Smelley will vie for the job. ... Running back Cory Boyd was the team's overall leader, and it'll be difficult for someone to step in to that role. His versatility out of the backfield will also be missed. ... This is the team in the league that returns the most — 18 of 22 starters.

POSITION BATTLES: Garcia might have an edge on Smelley because of his adequate mobility. But it's all a matter of whether Garcia has grasped the offense well enough to take control. ... At running back, Mike Davis, Bobby Wallace and newcomers Eric Baker and Kenny Miles will all have a shot. ... Receiver is going to be another contentious position. Dion Lecorn's recent run-in with the law has perhaps opened the door for other young wideouts to find a home opposite Kenny McKinley. ... Incumbent Ryan Succop might have a challenger, Ryan Doerr, as the team's punter.

SPRING GAME: April 19

Vanderbilt

2007 RECAP: 5-7 (2-6 SEC, 6th West)

SPRING PRACTICE STARTS: March 11

HOLES TO FILL: After finishing 15th in the country a year ago in total defense, that's where the Commodores have been hit the hardest by losses. Linebackers Jonathan Goff and Marcus Buggs are gone. ... Earl Bennett will be incredibly difficult to replace at receiver, but Sean Walker and Justin Wheeler have shown flashes of talent.

POSITION BATTLES: Mackenzi Adams started the second half of the season, taking over for Chris Nickson. Both are back. Has any one of them made leaps toward seizing the job? ... There'll be a fight for Bennett's spot. Walker appears to have a leg up to become Vandy's new No. 1 receiver.

SPRING GAME: March 29 (practice ends April 5)

West

LSU

2007 RECAP: 12-2 (6-2 SEC, 1st West); beat Tennessee 21-14 in SEC title game and beat Ohio State 38-24 in BCS national title game.

SPRING PRACTICE STARTS: Feb. 29

HOLES TO FILL: Defensively, there has to be some level of dropoff for the Tigers. Glenn Dorsey, Ali Highsmith, Jonathan Zenon, Chevis Jackson and Craig Steltz were all-conference performers. And they were all seniors. ... Matt Flynn was supposed to give way to Ryan Perrilloux, but he's not exactly high on Les Miles' good-behavior list after several incidents in the past few months. He's currently serving an indefinite suspension. ... Running back Jacob Hester and receiver Early Doucet were all-timers in terms of dependability.

POSITION BATTLES: If Perrilloux remains suspended through spring drills, junior Andrew Hatch and redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee will step to the fore at quarterback. ... Be sure that plenty of highly rated recruits will be sprinkled in those defensive vacancies. ... An interesting thing to watch is the Tigers' return game. It's a matter of pick your weapon for Miles. It all should start with Trindon Holliday, one of the fastest players in college football.

SPRING GAME: April 5

Auburn

2007 RECAP: Finished 9-4 (5-3 SEC, 2nd West); beat Clemson 23-20 (OT) in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

SPRING PRACTICE STARTS: Feb. 28

HOLES TO FILL: Brandon Cox is out at quarterback, and that might be a good thing for new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin. Franklin employs a spread system that just might suit youngster Kodi Burns. ... New D-coordinator Paul Rhoads will have a lot of work to reconstruct the Tigers line. Quentin Groves, the school's all-time sacks leader, was an incredibly active player who's virtually impossible to immediately replace.

POSITION BATTLES: Burns' will have to beat out JUCO transfer Chris Todd, and sophomore Neil Caudle and freshman DeRon Furr might also challenge. ... The Tigers are particularly deep at running back, so that might lead to some continuing competition between Brad Lester and Ben Tate. ... Receiver will be a spot of note, especially given Franklin's arrival. Montez Billings and Robert Dunn haven't done anything special just yet.

SPRING GAME: March 29

Alabama

2007 RECAP: Finished 7-6 (4-4 SEC, T-3rd West); beat Colorado 30-24 in Independence Bowl.

SPRING PRACTICE STARTS: March 13

HOLES TO FILL: D.J. Hall was a steady force at receiver, but that's why landing a potential star such as Julio Jones means so much. ... Offensive coordinator Major Applewhite left for a lesser assistant job at Texas, but Bama folks are pumped about the arrival of former Fresno coordinator Jim McElwain.

POSITION BATTLES: John Parker Wilson should hang on at quarterback, but there'll be others nipping at him. ... Corner will be a spot to keep an eye on, with all-conference player Simeon Castille moving on.

SPRING GAME: April 12

Arkansas

2007 RECAP: Finished 8-5 (4-4 SEC, T-3rd West); lost to Missouri 38-7 in Cotton Bowl.

SPRING PRACTICE STARTS: April 3

HOLES TO FILL: The most decimated team in the league, bar none. Darren McFadden and Felix Jones were two of the best running backs in recent SEC history, and they'll be running around NFL backfields this fall. ... And don't overlook the loss of fullback Peyton Hillis, very much a glue kind of figure for the Razorbacks. Marcus Monk, also, is a big name to replace at receiver. ... The defense was also hit hard, losing leaders such as linebacker Weston Dacus and corner Michael Grant.

POSITION BATTLES: One depends on the NCAA, actually. If former Michigan quarterback Ryan Mallett is allowed to transfer home without sitting out a year, he'll immediately be in the mix. He's an instant fit in new coach Bobby Petrino's system. ... There are loads of positions that'll have new names — running back, receiver, cornerback, linebacker, safety.

SPRING GAME: April 26

Mississippi State

2007 RECAP: 8-5 (4-4 SEC, T-3rd West); beat Central Florida 10-3 in Liberty Bowl.

SPRING PRACTICE STARTED: Feb. 26

HOLES TO FILL: Defensive end Titus Brown was a terrific talent and leader. Look even at the bowl game, when the 'D' held Central Florida to three points. At least All-SEC safety Derek Pegues hung around for his senior year.

POSITION BATTLES: Wesley Carroll sure looks like the leader to keep the quarterback job. Michael Henig would have to make great strides to get back in the mix there. ... Mississippi State is still young at running back. Juniors Anthony Dixon and Christian Ducre will vie for carries.

SPRING GAME: March 29

Mississippi

2007 RECAP: 3-9 (0-8 SEC, 6th West)

SPRING PRACTICE STARTS: March 17

HOLES TO FILL: Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis is no longer the SEC's mouthful name to say. Green-Ellis was also one of the league's most underrated backs, a typical 1,000-yard performer. ... The Rebels are moving out of the Ed Orgeron era, and, with that, they're also leaving behind the era of the revolving quarterback. At least that's the hope, with Texas transfer Jevan Snead now eligible for action after sitting out the mandated season.

POSITION BATTLES: In Green-Ellis' spot, there's a couple of talented sophomores waiting for their shots. Cordera Eason and Jeremy McGee, a UCLA transfer, could find themselves star status in Houston Nutt's offense.

SPRING GAME: April 12