Who says that we can’t learn anything about the SEC between January and September?

National Signing Day, spring practices, SEC Media Days and other events during the offseason have revealed plenty. Here are 10 things we learned specifically about the SEC West.

1. The SEC West may be the most lucrative place in the world for a football coach.

Thanks to new deals for Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen, every head man in the division will get paid at least $4 million in 2015. Alabama coach Nick Saban remains the highest-paid coach in college football. To boot, four of the seven defensive coordinators in the division now make more than $1 million, including the three highest-paid assistant coaches in the sport. The influx of cash from the SEC Network is a big part of the coaching bonanza.

2. The program that finishes last in the SEC West probably will be shocked.

The media slotted Mississippi State seventh in its preseason poll, and while I’m sure there are a few rational Bulldogs fans who aren’t going to argue that projection, the majority responded by yelling “WE STILL HAVE DAK PRESCOTT” repeatedly. Texas A&M and a healthy portion of the Arkansas fan base don’t expect to win the division, but last place? To borrow from Chad Johnson: child, please. We should see at least one shellshocked fan base, and maybe even a team or two that falls flat once they’re out of the race.

3. Jeremy Johnson is capable of at least challenging Dak Prescott as the best quarterback in the SEC.

We’ve seen glimpses (vs. Arkansas in 2014) and heard whispers of Johnson’s ability, but the bright lights didn’t turn toward Auburn’s new quarterback until this offseason. Nick Marshall, who led Auburn to a BCS Championship Game appearance following the 2013 season, is gone. With a helmet and pads, Johnson (6-foot-5, 240 pounds) looks strikingly similar to Cam Newton. He’s not elusive like those two players, but he’s fast enough to keep defenses honest if they sag away from the line to protect against his rocket NFL-caliber arm. Potential doesn’t always equate to results, but it’s there in spades for the Tigesr quarterback.

4. Bret Bielema is one of the most likable head coaches in college football.

It’s not that Bielema was shy before — we knew that from his feud with Auburn coach Gus Malzahn and the fact that he met his wife at a Vegas blackjack table — but Arkansas didn’t get much attention prior to the last two seasons. The Razorbacks became a team that nobody wanted to play at the end of last year, though, and the national and SEC-wide media have paid closer attention to Bielema this offseason. That’s been enjoyable. He answers every question honestly, whether it’s silly or serious. And he backs up his big talk about academics and behavior with legitimate discipline. If Bielema sticks, we have a new go-to guy for SEC Media Days should Steve Spurrier fail to coach until he’s 80.

5. The SEC West remains the best division in college football.

It’s been two full seasons since a team from the division won a national championship. The SEC West finished 2-5 in bowl games last season. You have to scroll all the way down to No. 3 to find an SEC West team in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll. The horror. Don’t start tearing down the “best division in the country” banners just yet. Mississippi State and Texas A&M very nearly snuck into that Top 25, but the division had to settle for five of the top 20 in the rankings. Bama and Auburn are national title contenders. Top to bottom, the division is as good as it’s been.

6. Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin is going to get another head coaching opportunity, maybe as soon as 2016.

The Tide’s revamped offense should get a heap of credit for the team’s ’14 SEC championship. More tempo and more aggression in the passing game helped Bama average nearly 37 points per game. The Kiffin hire proved wildly successful, even if the team did wear down late in the year with all the extra plays. According to numerous reports, including some from Kiffin’s father, he already received interest from teams wanting to be his next destination. There have been rumors of a “two-year plan” for Kiffin at Alabama. The 40-year-old already has been head coach of the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Volunteers and USC Trojans, incredible for his age. This offseason seemed to add credence to the theory that he’ll eventually be a big-time head coach again.

7. The LSU-Texas A&M rivalry is here to stay.

Geographically, the Aggies are pulling a “Price Is Right” move on the Tigers, cutting off their imminent domain to the West and into Texas. A&M also stole away defensive coordinator John Chavis this offseason, a bitter coup that ended with some very public legal action. The gloating on the part of the Aggies fans should only add to what already is a fun rivalry. The two teams have been clashing regularly in recruiting. LSU is determined not to let Texas A&M step over it to climb the SEC West rungs.

8. Ole Miss is the ultimate win-now team in 2015.

Hugh Freeze essentially handcuffed himself to quarterback Chad Kelly during spring break and flew to Haiti. Ole Miss took a risk on the junior-college quarterback with a history of petulance and off-field troubles. It’s possible that Freeze would’ve taken on Kelly in any year, but it’s not a stretch to tie the decision to the narrative that the Rebels are in win-now mode. Freeze has done an excellent job maintaining a high standard in recruiting, and Ole Miss is well-positioned to remain a strong team in the SEC West. But with as many as four members of the 2013 class, all former five-star players, set to enter the NFL draft after the season, it’s now or never to accomplish something spectacular in Oxford.

9. The SEC West is about to become one of the best quarterback divisions in the country.

Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss all have some level of concern at quarterback entering fall camp. Dak Prescott is entering his final college season. Jeremy Johnson will remain at Auburn through 2016 at best. But here’s the kicker — the SEC West could become the best quarterback division in college football in the next couple of years. Alabama is loaded with five-star true freshman Blake Barnett and a pair of young four-star players in David Cornwell and Cooper Bateman. Auburn is lining up understudies for Jeremy Johnson. Ole Miss (Shea Patterson) and LSU (Feleipe Franks) are set to sign two of the SEC’s biggest quarterback recruits in several years. Kyler Murray and Kyle Allen are the only two five-star quarterbacks on the same team in the SEC, and they’re both underclassmen. The SEC West is about to get and stay really, really good at the most important position.

10. Nick Saban isn’t afraid to talk about big-picture issues.

Cost of attendance. Pace of play. Satellite camps. The NFL draft process. The College Football Playoff system. Saban is an opinionated coach, and he’s not afraid to take a hard stance, even when it opens him up to criticism. Sometimes he comes across as whiny or like he’s making excuses. Often the perception of his takes depends on the eyes of the beholder. But it’s as clear as ever that Saban does not mind using his lectern as a soap box.