AUBURN: The Tigers ended spring practice with a 7-0 game in front of roughly 10,000 fans. Tight end Tommy Trott had four catches for 112 yards including a touchdown from quarterback Brandon Cox. The defense sacked Auburn quarterbacks eight times. Brad Lester led the running backs with 10 carries for 62 yards. Starting cornerback David Irons led the first team with five tackles and an interception. In Thursday’s scrimmage, the offensive line allowed only four sacks after allowing 16 sacks in the previous scrimmage. Redshirt freshman linebacker Patrick Trahan had three tackles, two sacks and recovered a fumble. There are more questions on defense with new coordinator Will Muschamp and linebackers coach James Willis. David Irons and Jonathan White have the cornerback jobs locked down, but there are plenty of questions at safety. Auburn has a solid core of six at the linebacker spots. On the line, Josh Thompson is a good nose tackle. The ends are two of the best in Marquies Gunn and Quentin Groves. At tackle, Chris Browder will push juco Greg Smith.

MISSISSIPPI STATE: Sophomore tailback Brandon Thornton is the heir apparent to Jerious Norwood, but he has been limited in spring drills after having shoulder surgery in the offseason. He’ll be competing this fall with freshmen Courtney Jones and Anthony Dixon.

FLORIDA: Quarterback Chris Leak, who is recovering from a dinged shoulder, and tight end Tate Casey, has staph infections. Leak has surgery last Friday to drain the infection when he was at home in Charlotte. Casey has to be hospitalized for two days after suffering staph infection while visiting his girlfriend during spring break. During the 2005 season, receivers Jemalle Cornelius and Dallas Baker dealt with the same thing. Coach Urban Meyer spoke in Tallahassee. He sat down to eat and a woman asked him what he did for a living. This week the West Virginia, Ohio State and Maryland staffs were in. New England coach Bill Belichick was also in. Tim Tebow is trying to stay at 230 pounds. Kestahn Moore is the No. 1 tailback. Meyer has made it clear that the tailbacks are not a strength of the program. Receiver David Nelson has a chance to play. Offensive line is a concern. The top five coming into spring are Steve Rissler, Jim Tartt, Phil Trautwein, Drew Miller and Ronnie Wilson. He commended the attitude of defensive lineman Marcus Thomas. Defensive end Jarvis Moss is up to 252 pounds. Defensive backs Kyle Jackson and Tony Joiner are coming on but have a long way to go. In the last grading period, the football team had the highest GPA in school history.

GEORGIA: The Bulldogs returned from spring break this week and the quarterback competition with Joe Tereshinski, Matthew Stafford, Blake Barnes and Joe Cox resumes. Senior Jarvis Jackson has moved to the middle linebacker position. He switched positions with Tony Taylor. Paul Oliver and Thomas Flowers are making the move from reserve to starters at cornerback replacing DeMario Minter and Tim Jennings. Redshirt freshman Bryan Evans and freshman Asher Allen are competing for time behind Oliver and Flowers. At safety Tra Battle and Kelin Johnson are the starters with sophomore C J Byrd and redshirt freshman Donovan Baldwin vying for playing time. Fullback Des Williams is back at practice after missing all of last year after he tore a pectoral muscle working out. Williams has the position nearly by himself because Brannan Southerland is out rehabbing his shoulder after surgery. Freshman receiver Michael Moore is out after injuring his knee. Team doctors are not sure if he has torn scar tissue or something worse. Coach Mark Richt met with the 10 seniors expected to start this season and provide leadership. He was excited about their attitude. Former Florida offensive tackle Michael Brown (6-5, 270) might land at Georgia. If Florida doesn’t release Brown he wouldn’t be able to play until 2008 but if they do then he would only miss this season.

TENNESSEE: Several players are out of non-contact jersey’s for the first time—tailbacks Montario Hardesty and LaMarcus Coker, offensive lineman Cam Mayo and center Josh McNeil. At the halfway point of practice, the offense is slowly improving but the Vol coaches said the “swagger” is not yet returned.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Quarterback Blake Mitchell has a firm hold on the quarterback position. Mitchell took 32- of- 39 snaps in Tuesday’s practice. Coach Steve Spurrier does not feel either Cade Thompson or Tommy Beecher are ready for a serious challenge. Mike West, a former linebacker and rover, remains at receiver. Spurrier has been impressed with linebacker Jasper Brinkley (6-3, 250), a junior college transfer. He said Brinkley is hitting too hard. Spurrier said he plays like linebackers at Georgia and Tennessee. His twin brother, Casper, another linebacker, joins him this summer.

OLE MISS: Signee Jerrell Powe (6-0, 360) said he is on track to be in school this fall. Powe is currently at Hargrave Academy. He is scheduled to graduate in May and arrive in June. Contrary to rumor, quarterback signee Brent Schaeffer is also on track to graduate in May. Schaeffer is now 6-2, 190, and runs a 4.4 in the 40-yards dash.

LSU: After a specialized scrimmage on Wednesday, coach Les Miles praised the play of quarterback Matt Flynn, and tailbacks Jacob Hester, a junior, and R. J. Jackson, a redshirt freshman.

ARKANSAS: The Hogs start practice on Monday. Casey Dick is listed as the top quarterback with Robert Johnson and Alex Mortensen behind him. Darren McFadden and Felix Jones are the top running backs with Michael Smith behind them.

FLORIDA STATE: FSU coaches want to scrimmage as much as possible without getting too many players hurt. In Wednesday’s scrimmage, the defense controlled the offense. Freshman defensive lineman Everette Brown led the team with two sacks. In Monday’s scrimmage, the Noles ran the ball 17- of- 32 plays. The offense gained over 400 yards and scoring five touchdowns. Quarterback Drew Weatherford was 6- of- 7 for 164 yards and two scores. The offense is improved partly because the line is healthy. The defense allowed 16 plays of 10 yards- or- more. Another problem for the defense has been only three players that have started actual games lined up with the first team defense. In that scrimmage, eight –of- the- 11 players were either freshmen or sophomores. Quarterback Christian Ponder is working with walk-on Tommy Keane. Offensive lineman Matt Hardrick (6-5, 340) said he has qualified at Hargrave Military Academy. In Friday’s scrimmage, Weatherford was 9- of- 9 for 65 yards. Receivers Joslin Shaw, Richard Goodman and Robert Hallback caught passes. Tailbacks Lorenzo Booker, Antone Smith, Jamaal Edwards and Richard Ball all rushed for 100 yards in the scrimmage. Redshirt freshman Russell Ball ran for a 43-yard touchdown. Freshman defensive back Myron Rolle was all over the field with sacks and recovered a fumble. Center John Frady was back after major shoulder surgery. He is benching over 300 pounds. Shannon Boatman, a juco transfer, has been a pleasant surprise during the early part of spring drills. He is trying to break into one of the tackle spots. David Overmyer and Mario Henderson are manning the starting offensive tackle positions. Tailback Lamar Lewis is probably transferring to Georgia Southern. He wanted to stay near his son Elijah who was born on Feb. 25.

MIAMI: The Canes started spring practice Tuesday. Coach Larry Coker said he is aware of the urgency to have a better season. Backup quarterback Kirby Freeman said he has been frustrated with his experience at Miami and might consider transferring close to his Texas home if he is not happy with his role at the end of spring. Wednesday he said he would likely stick it out since he would have his senior year as the probable starter. New offensive coordinator Rich Olson said his unit will stretch the field horizontally and vertically in the running and passing game. Olson said he wants the quarterbacks to release the ball quicker and he will give them more freedom to audible at the line of scrimmage. Cornerback Glenn Sharpe said he is close to being 100% after two knee surgeries. He is working at first team cornerback opposite Randy Phillips. Defensive end Baraka Atkins said he will be just as productive at end as he was at tackle. James Bryant has moved from fullback to linebacker. Richard Gordon has been impressive at tight end. He is behind Greg Olsen and Chris Zellner.

Linebacker will be a position of strength for the Canes with starting experience from Jon Beason, Romeo Davis, Glenn Cook and Tavares Gooden. Spencer Adkins and Darryl Sharpton are behind them. Eric Houston and Demetri Stewart are also pushing for playing time. Where will Willie Williams play? Beason could move to the middle with Gooden probably starting on the outside. Williams could get a shot to start. Gooden had a shoulder injury in the 2005 opener than cost him a season.

GEORGIA TECH: Football coach Chan Gailey signed a new $5 million, five-year contract that he agreed to in November. The deal runs through 2010. He has a 28-22 record at Tech and four straight bowl appearances.

NORTH CAROLINA: Cam Sexton and Joe Dailey are battling at quarterback. Both have had their moments. The spring game has been set for April 8. A youth clinic will be held before the game and an autograph session afterwards.

SUGAR BOWL: Officials have replaced Nokia with All-State insurance as the title sponsor. Nokia held that claim for 12 years.

BRENT BEAIRD IS A SPORTS WRITER FOR THE CLAY COUNTY LINE IN ORANGE PARK, FLA., HE ALSO WRITES FOR RIVALS.COM, SAMSPORTSLINE.COM AND GATOR BAIT MAGAZINE. HE CAN BE HEARD ON ESPN 1460 ON MONDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOONS ON THE RUMBLE WITH MIKE DEMPSEY AND TOM MCMANUS.