AUBURN: Neil Brown, a defensive lineman from Buford (Ga.) who signed with the Tigers out of high school, has decided to transfer to South Carolina or UTEP. He has seen limited action in two seasons.

ARKANSAS: The Hogs started practice this week. Much attention will be on new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. Senior right tackle Zac Tubbs appears to be in great shape. Houston Nutt called attention to Peyton Hillis. He wants the receivers such as Chris Baker, Cedric Logan and Reginald Fish to help Marcus Monk and Cedric Washington.

OLE MISS: Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis (5-11, 211) ran for 82 yards on 10 carries in Saturday’s scrimmage. Former quarterback turned tailback Bruce Hall had 112 yards and four scores. Coach Ed Orgeron wants to improve on the Rebels skimpy 73 yards per game rushing average last season. Defensive lineman Peria Jerry had four sacks and dominated during the scrimmage.

MISSISSIPPI STATE: Tailback Brandon Hart scored the only touchdown in Saturday’s scrimmage as the defense dominated. The defense caused six quarterback sacks, three fumble recoveries, one interception and five pass break ups. Hart, a former fullback, ran for 57 yards on 14 carries. He has lost from 250- to- 228 pounds in order to play the tailback position. Quarterback Mike Henig was 12- of- 18 for 100 yards with a pick. Defensive back Keith Fitzhugh led the team with 11 tackles. He also took a fumble back 56 yards for a score. Linebacker Jamar Chaney had three sacks for 19 yards and nine tackles.

GEORGIA: In Saturday’s scrimmage all four quarterbacks got work. Joe Tereshinski and Joe Cox quarterbacked the first team and Matthew Stafford and Blake Barnes worked with the second team. Cox was with the first team simply because it was his turn in the rotation. Mikey Henderson has shown that he can make the transition from rover to receiver quite well. He has turned into a deep threat that the Bulldogs need. Unfortunately, Henderson hurt his hamstring and is out for awhile. Henderson along with redshirt freshman Mike Moore are struggling with hamstring injuries. Because of the injuries, Georgia has only five scholarship receivers. Coach Mark Richt was happy with the play of the defensive ends—Quentin Moses, Charles Johnson and Marcus Howard—that put pressure on the backfield. He also praised the performance of linebacker Jarvis Jackson, center Nick Jones and tight end Martrez Milner.

SOUTH CAROLINA: In Saturday’s scrimmage, the offensive dominated the first half and the defense did the same in the second half. Quarterback Blake Mitchell was 8- of- 9 for 107 yards. He scored once and threw a touchdown pass to receiver Sidney Rice. Tailback Cory Boyd ran 10 times for 64 yards. Bobby Wallace carried seven times for 31 yards. In the second half, linebacker Jasper Brinkley intercepted a pass and returned it 71 yards for a score. In the next series, reserve rover Jerod June picked off a pass and returned it 30 yards for a score. Rice said he will stay this season and next season. Steve Spurrier said he was going to be more involved with the defense this season. He was not happy that South Carolina’s opponents ran 873 plays compared to 720 for the Gamecocks. That has happened only twice in Spurrier’s career--once at Florida in 2000 and once at Duke. He was very unhappy about the performance of the defense in the bowl game that allowed 407 yards in the second half. Defensive end Shea McKeen has been suspended for his role in a bar fight last Friday. Spurrier said he is not sure of McKeen’s future status.

KENTUCKY: As the Wildcats started spring practice Wednesday, the emphasis is on defense. Last season, Kentucky was last in the SEC in five major categories. Seven starters return from last year’s unit. More than 30 Wildcat players have had surgeries during the offseason. More than a dozen players will miss spring practice.

TENNESSEE: The Vols are at the halfway point of spring practice. They are hoping to get Josh McNeil back at center. If McNeil can play center, David Ligon and Anthony Parker are free to man other positions. The defensive line is coming around with Demonte Bolden and Dan Williams, who has lost 50 pounds since August. The coaches would like to see the offense come together and push the defense, which has had the upper-hand the past two seasons. Coach Phil Fulmer is looking for more consistency from the receivers. Jayson Swain might be the only receiver that has a starting spot sewn up. Austin Rogers, Josh Briscoe, Robert Meachem and Bret Smith and sophomore Lucas Taylor are pushing for time. Taylor might be the best playmaker presently.

DUKE: Ted Roof has hired Larry Kerr, the former UCLA defensive coordinator, as a linebacker coach.

FLORIDA STATE: FSU has scrimmaged four times in eight days. The running game was again featured in last Saturday’s scrimmage. FSU’s offense dominated in the beginning but the defense turned the table before the scrimmage was over. Junior linebacker Lawrence Timmons (six tackles) and junior defensive end Alex Boston (four tackles for loss) were the defensive stalwarts. The defense had more than a dozen tackles for loss. Tailback Antone Smith led the offense with 51 yards rushing on five carries. Sophomore defensive tackle Emmanuel Dunbar spent two days in the hospital last week due to hernia complications. Dunbar, who lost 20 pounds during the stay, still showed up for the scrimmage and had a sack. The absence of defensive backs Tony Carter, J R Bryant and Roger Williams, who are nursing injuries, have provided opportunity for freshman Myron Rolle, sophomore Darius McClure, and redshirt freshmen Korey Mangum and Jamie Robinson to get some valuable playing time.

MIAMI: Punter Brian Munroe caught a 70-yard pass in the latest scrimmage. Monroe has been used as a receiver during practice in the past few years. Coach Larry Coker also said receivers Lance Leggett, Ryan Moore, Darnell Jenkins all made big plays. He praised the play of quarterbacks Kirby Freeman and Kyle Wright along with running backs Andrew Johnson and Charlie Jones. He said linebackers Willie Williams and Jon Beason stood out on defense. USC offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin said Miami contacted him for a similar position last month, but he was not interested. Larry Coker hired former Cane assistant Rich Olson, who was a Minnesota Viking assistant last year.

CLEMSON: Sophomore tight end Akeem Robinson (6-5, 260) has made an impression on Coach Tommy Bowden. Robinson, the second team tight end behind Thomas Hunter, has improved his pass catching skills to the point of attracting attention. Bowden hope one of the young defensive linemen will step up before practice ends. The Tigers have a deep group of defensive linemen. Bowden has complimented the play of junior college safety transfer Chris Russell, who once played at Colorado. He also pointed out the performances of sophomore receiver Rendrick Taylor, junior cornerback C J Gaddis, and Robinson.

VIRGINIA: Linebacker Ahmad Brooks, safety Tony Franklin, a captain last season, and defensive end Vince Redd have all been dismissed from the team. The Cavs start spring practice today. Virginia won their bowl game over Minnesota last year without both Franklin and Brooks.

SOUTH FLORIDA: The Bulls want to improve their passing game next season after throwing 15 picks and only 8 touchdowns (47% completion rate). Sophomore Carlton Hill is the No. 1 quarterback with last year’s starter Pat Julmiste the No. 2 quarterback.

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.