Alabama scrimmaged Friday afternoon. Quarterback John Parker Wilson was 12- of- 27 for 233 yards. His backup Greg McElroy was 13- of- 24 for 149 yards. Glen Coffee led all rushers with 81 yards on 15 carries. Freshman tailback Jamar Taylor (Lakeland High) ran 10 times for 32 yards. Matt Caddell led the receivers with four catches for 80 yards. Brian Motley, who moved from offense to the defensive line, made 11 tackles including three tackles for loss. Alabama coach Nick Saban suspended running back Jimmy Johns last week for academics. He returned Tuesday, but Saban said he would have to totally earn his way back. Receiver Keith Brown has missed some time due to sore ribs. His fellow receiver, D J Hall, will have shoulder surgery after spring practice. Of the 10 high school defensive linemen signed in 2004 and 2005, only one player-Bobby Greenwood-has started a game.

Saban has made several player moves. Former Alabama linebacker Matt Collins has been working at defensive end. Taylor Pharr has been moved back to the offensive line from the defensive line. Safety Cory Reamer has been moved to linebacker.

Arkansas had a scrimmage on Saturday that featured the offensive putting up big numbers after the defense was limited with injuries and the made fewer blitzes. Tailback Michael Smith ran for 143 yards on eight carries. He had runs of 63 and 56 yards. Quarterback Casey Dick was 14- of -18 for 236 yards and four scores. Backup quarterback Nathan Emert was 8- of -12 for 130 and one score. Emert is becoming a capable backup as the spring progresses. Fullback Peyton Hillis led the receivers with 77 yards on three catches. Receiver Marcus Monk had two catches for 62 yards. Converted linebacker Adrian Davis had three sacks. Safety Matt Hewitt had six tackles. Arkansas has its spring game on Saturday. Linebacker Matt Stoltz went down with a knee injury on Tuesday. He might have torn an ACL. The defensive line and linebackers have been very thin due to injuries.

Auburn offensive coordinator Al Borges said he was pleased with the play of receivers Rod Smith and Robert Dunn during spring, but he wanted the rest of the receivers to step up in the fall. Redshirt freshman receiver Tim Hawthorne was making progress until he was hurt in a car accident. Sophomore Montez Billings moved ahead of senior Prechae Rodriquez on the depth chart. Both are expected to battle for the position in fall drills. The area under the most scrutiny is the offensive line with only one starter returning-- left tackle King Dunlap. At spring’s end, the other starters were left guard Tyronne Green, center Jason Bosley, right guard Leon Hart, and right tackle Andrew McCain. Redshirt freshman Mike Berry could be the first player off the bench for the line.

Tiger defensive coordinator Will Muschamp said progress was made in developing some of his younger players during spring. He said defensive tackle Mike Blanc, defensive back Zac Etheridge, defensive ends Zach Clayton and Michael Goggans, linebacker Craig Stevens and cornerback Walter McFadden. Except for McFadden, who is a sophomore, the rest of the players are redshirt freshmen.

Georgia’s offenses put up 55 points and 642 yards on G-Day in front of 21,407 fans. The Red team beat the Black team, 34-21. The red team, which had most of the first team offense and the second team defense, averaged 26 yards on just nine completions and 7 yards per play. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was 6- of- 12 completions for 155 total yards and two scores. He connected with fullback Brannan Southerland for 43 yards, receiver Mohamed Massaquoi for 21 more and receiver Mikey Henderson for a 60 yard score. The quarterbacks were a combined 23- of- 38 for 443 yards and four scores. Quarterback Joe Cox was 7- of- 9 for 156 yards and one score. Tailback Knowshon Moreno ran 11 times for 72 yards and Kregg Lumpkin ran 13 times for 56 yards. Receiver Kris Durham caught six passes for 137 yards including a 60- yard touchdown pass from Cox. Tight end Tripp Chandler caught three passes for 74 yards.

The Bulldogs had seven offensive linemen who had never played in front of a bigger crowd than the G-Day game. Encouraged by former Bulldog great Hines Ward guest coaching the receivers, Durham and Tony Wilson caught a combined nine passes for 190 yards and three scores. Bulldog receivers caught six passes of 20- or- more yards. Senior middle linebacker Brandon Miller led the defense with six tackles and a sack. The defense line has only two players-Kade Weston and Jeff Owens—with any SEC experience. The line was not allowed to sack the quarterbacks during the spring game. Second team safety Reshad Jones made one pick and almost had another.

The offense under coordinator Mike Bobo has improved greatly. Bobo was very creative with his play calling in the spring game. The offensive line consisting of Chester Adams, Fernando Velasco, true freshman mid-term enrollee Trinton Sturdivant, Scott Haverkamp and Chris Davis protected Stafford and opened up holes for the running game. Tripp Chandler is a threat at tight end. Conversely, the first team offense lit up the first team defense for five touchdowns. The secondary is getting beat, the end are not getting enough pressure or the linebacker over-pursuing.

Florida spent most of Saturday scrimmaging with 11- on- 11 instead of 7- on- 7. Freshman tight end Aaron Hernandez had one of his better days on Saturday. He caught a 30-yard pass from quarterback Tim Tebow. After running out of bounds, Tebow encouraged Hernandez to be more aggressive after the catch. Hernandez and quarterback Cam Newton are adjusting to the speed of the game. The first two kick returners are Joe Haden and Brandon James. Defensive end Trent Pupello has returned after going home for a couple of days. James Pouncey was first team guard partly due to Ronnie Wilson, who is suspended and Maurice Hurt sitting. Defensive lineman Lawrence Marsh had two sacks in Saturday’s practice. Lakeland defensive tackle John Brown, who attended practice earlier in the week, said he is working hard on his academics.

Gator coach Urban Meyer said he wants to play two quarterbacks again this season. With junior college transfer Bryan Waggener sidelined with a broken foot, freshman Cam Newton looks like he the backup. The running backs in Saturday’s spring game will be James and Chevon Walker since Mon Williams is out for the season with a torn ACL and Kestahn Moore will miss the game after surgery for a sports hernia.

Offensive coordinator Dan Mullen said after Saturday’s practice that the offense has good chemistry. He added that Tebow must learn to use some finesse along with his strength. Senior center Drew Miller has done a nice job of leadership and calling the right alignments. Tight end/receiver Cornelius Ingram, who is recovering from an ankle sprain, is going to be a major part of the offense. Meyer called Ingram, the face of Florida football. Ingram nearly transferred after last year. Mullen expects the offense to score a lot of points, especially after the defense carried the team last season. Mullen emphasized that the offense is going to be 50/50 pass and run. He noted that James, Percy Harvin and Jarred Fayson having done a good job running the ball. Fayson and junior Louis Murphy drew praise from Meyer for the receivers.

In Monday’s practice, Newton teamed up with receiver Bubba Caldwell for several big gains. Markus Manson and Wondy Pierre-Louis were victimized. Newton is improving but he holds the ball too long. Linebacker Ryan Stamper continues to progress.

Kentucky had a Saturday scrimmage in freezing temperature. The backup quarterback race between Will Fidler and Mark Hartline, two redshirt freshmen, was featured. Senior quarterback Andre Woodson went out with a slight shoulder sprain. Sophomore running back Alfonso Smith was impressive running and catching. Senior receiver Steve Johnson was the best receiver during the scrimmage. Senior receiver John Logan has been dismissed from the team for a violation of team policy. Tailback Rafael Little is due back this week after missing most of spring due to having his knees scoped.

Ole Miss had its Grove Bowl last Saturday in front of 17,000 fans. The Blue team beat the Red team, 23-21. Blue quarterback Seth Adams was 16- of- 20 for 159 yards. Coach Ed Orgeron said Adams might have a leg up in the race going into the summer. On the first play of the game, quarterback Brent Schaeffer (2- of- 5 for 13 yards with 31 yards on 13 attempts) lined up at receiver before returning to his original position. Tailback Cordera Eason led all running backs with 105 yards on 12 carries. Receiver Shay Hodge caught five passes for 65 yards. Orgeron told a booster group in Atlanta that the team had a good spring. He singled out defensive end Marcus Tillman as the most improved defensive player. He has gained 20 pounds from last season and is up to 270.

South Carolina scrimmaged last Friday with sophomore defensive end Eric Norwood finishing with 3.5 sacks and numerous quarterback pressures. Quarterback Blake Mitchell was 13- of- 26 for 135 yards with three touchdowns and one pick. Tommy Beecher was 8- of -12 for 90 yards and Chris Smelly was 12- of- 21 for 171 yards. The quarterbacks were 33- of- 59 for 396 yards with three scores and two picks. Tailback Cory Boyd rushed eight times for 50 yards and caught three passes for 72 yards. Bobby Wallace led all rushers with 13 carries for 56 yards. Tight end Nick Prochak caught five passes for 42 yards, leading all receivers. Receiver Scott Spurrier, the son of the head coach, caught passes for seven and 20 yards on the first series. Lemuel Jeanpierre has moved from the defensive line to offensive guard. Spurrier said he could be a starter by the first game.

Gamecock backup quarterback Tommy Beecher sprained his shoulder in Friday’s scrimmage so Smelly will see most of the snaps with one of the team’s in the spring game. Spurrier said, “Chris Smelly will get the opportunity to throw about 30 to 35 balls. We’ll see if he can hit a few.” He also said,” I told Chris Smelley that if he’ll throw about 400 of those cover two fade routes this summer, he might be able to hit one when the season starts. But if he doesn’t he’ll never hit one.” Linebacker Casper Brinkley is also playing on the defensive line. The defensive line has been a major upgrade.

Tennessee received a verbal commitment last week from Carson Anderson (6-3, 270), an offensive lineman from Florence, Ala. He took unofficial visits to Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss. His father and uncle played at Tennessee.

LSU offensive lineman Zhamal Thomas and defensive back Troy Giddens were arrested Monday for burglarizing a campus apartment then using a stolen credit card. They have been suspended from the team.

Miami had its spring game Saturday morning in front of 7,000 fans with the Orange team beating the White squad, 7-0. Quarterback Kyle Wright, who was 7- of- 14 for 60 yards, connected with receiver Sam Shields on the only score of the game. Quarterback Kirby Freeman completed 8 -of -19 passes for 117 yards. Tailback Javarris James left the game with a knee sprain. The defense dominated the scrimmage. Charlie Jones led the rushers with 39 yards on 11 carries. Khalil Jones led the receivers with three catches for 54 yards. The defense had eight sacks and 14 tackles for loss. Defensive lineman Calais Campbell had three. Defensive back Kenny Phillips led all defenders with eight tackles. The tight ends had seven catches for 82 yards. Shannon praised the play of several defenders including tackles Teraz McCray and Josh Holmes, end Eric Moncur, linebackers Demetri Stewart and Colin McCarthy and safety Anthony Reddick. New offensive coordinator Patrick Nix said the offense revealed only 5% of its scheme.

In summary of the spring, the quarterbacks were inconsistent. Running back Graig Cooper should have a big impact. Receiver Lance Leggett showed flashes before his injury. Tight end DajLeon Farr dropped some balls, but made big plays. Chris Rutledge was the most improved lineman in the spring. Campbell was dominating during the spring. Linebacker Colin McCarthy had a breakout spring.

Jeremy Lewis (6-4, 285), a defensive tackle from Palm Beach Lakes High, is verbal commitment No. 5 for the Canes. He is the third defensive tackle to pledge this spring. Lewis had interest from LSU, Auburn, Arizona State, and Ole Miss.

Florida State had a scrimmage last Friday. The defense had six sacks and nine tackles for loss but offense stole the show with three touchdown runs of 30 yards or more. Tailback Antone Smith (10 carries for 118 yards) had touchdown runs of 55 and 31 yards. He is averaging 8.7 yards per carry in scrimmages, mostly against the first team defense. All the tailbacks combined for 230 yards. Jamaal Edwards (8 carries for 73 yards) had a 65 yards scoring run. Quarterback Drew Weatherford, who was 11- of- 19 for 150 yards, led the first team offense on six series while Xavier Lee, who was 8- of- 21 for 108 yards, only once. Receivers Joslin Shaw and De’Cody Fagg combined for 11 catches and 131 yards. Sophomore defensive end Everette Brown, who had three sacks, continues to play well. Neefy Moffett blocked a field goal, had a sack and also a tackle for loss in the scrimmage. Saturday’s spring game will be the offense against the defense with a point system. Nole coaches have said defensive tackle Andre Fluellen has been the most disruptive force this spring.

There have been some lineup changes for the Noles. Caz Piurowski is ahead of Shannon Boatman on the offensive line. Ryan McMahon, who moved from the defensive line to the offensive line, has supplanted John Frady at center. Seddrick Holloway has moved past Joe Surratt at fullback. Linebacker Derek Nicholson is on the mend after having his ACL repaired. He should be ready for two-a-days. Governor Christ visited practice on Monday. He threw a few passes with Fagg. Bobby Bowden commented that he had not seen a governor in a while with a better arm. In Wednesday’s scrimmage, quarterbacks Weatherford (7- of- 11 for 167 yards and three scores), Lee (7- of- 11 for 68 yards and one score) and Christian Ponder (4- of- 5 for 48 yards and a score) combined to throw five touchdowns. Receiver Rod Owens (3 catches for 52 yards) caught two of them. Greg Carr led the receivers with three catches for 78 yards. Smith ran seven times for 44 yards. Brown, Eli Charles and Ricardo Wright all recorded sacks. The coaches were pleased with fewer dropped passes.

Maryland had its first scrimmage Saturday in the midst of cold and some snow flurries. Quarterbacks Jordan Steffy (4- of- 6 for 33 yards), Josh Portis (2- of- 7 for 16 yards and a pick) and Chris Turner (4- of- 7 for 41 yards and two picks) all struggled.

Clemson had its second scrimmage over the weekend. Cullen Harper (14- of- 21 for 140 yards) is still the top quarterback. Willy Korn (8- of- 17 for 80 yards) and Tribble Reese (4- of- 9 for 47 yards) are pushing for the No. 2 slot. Sophomore linebacker Ricky Sapp had a solid scrimmage after collecting three sacks last week. Sophomore tailback Michael McElrathbey had another solid scrimmage. Freshman DeAndre McDaniel had six tackles and broke up three passes. There was a rumor by an ESPN reporter over the weekend that tailback C J Spiller still might transfer. Spiller denied it and said all that is behind him now. Coach Tommy Bowden said Spiller would be more involved in the passing game this season. Bowden wants to get both players on the field at the same time meaning one of them would line up in a slot position. Clemson enters the season with only eight seniors on scholarship the lowest number since 1985. The Tigers need to replace their quarterback and four starters on the offensive line.

Georgia Tech’s No. 1 offense got the ball 10 times in Saturday’ spring game and scored every time. New offensive coordinator John Bond, who comes from Northern Illinois, was happy with his unit’s performance this spring. Quarterback Taylor Bennett was 10- of- 15 for 197 yards with five scores and no picks. Leading rusher Tashard Choice and four- of- five offensive linemen return. Even without Calvin Johnson, redshirt freshman Demaryius Thomas (6-4, 225), who had a good spring, caught six passes for 87 yards and two scores. Receiver James Johnson was out with a hamstring injury. Freshman quarterback Steven Threet might have an edge over Calvin Booker, the Auburn transfer, for the second team job. A J Smith (6-7, 300) made strides this spring at right tackle.

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.