And fresh off Will Muschamp’s vow to end Georgia’s two-game winning streak, Grantham just shrugged off Muschamp’s comments, via Athens-Banner Herald.

“I mean, you know, what do you expect him to say at a Gator function?” Grantham said before speaking Wednesday night at UGA Day at Atlanta Marriott Buckhead, where he stepped in for head coach Mark Richt, who had a conflict with his schedule. “Will’s a guy that I know personally. I think he’s done a great job at Florida. I think he’s very competitive as we all are as coaches. He’s a guy that wants to win. I think he’s just really trying to fire up the people in Jacksonville.

“The bottom line is, in this league, you really win with individual performance,” Grantham said. “You win with mental and physical toughness and you do it on the field. The fact is the last two years, we’ve won in Florida and we’ve won the SEC–SEC East I should say. From that standpoint, that stuff has really no effect on me or how we prepare.”

I, too, was hoping for a great rebuttal from Grantham, who is always known as the fieriest guy on the field and isn’t afraid to get in the ring with Vandy’s James Franklin, but he didn’t deliver those candid remarks to the public.

The host, Chuck Dowdle, introduced Grantham with this gem:

“Certainly, Georgia’s defense has been among the premier in the country since this man came in and took over,” Dowdle said. “It’s been a pleasure to watch, unless of course you’re Will Muschamp and can’t figure out a way to get in the end zone.”

A couple of other notes from Grantham:

• All defensive signees are expected to make it into school.
• DT signee Toby Johnson’s recovery from knee surgery has been encouraging, and he’ll get a chance to compete for playing time right away.
• Grantham said he was particularly excited about Shaq Fluker in the secondary.

Photo Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

He issued a statement stating he would remain with the Bulldogs and has taken his name out of the pot for the Saints’ job, via the AJC.

“I want to thank (coach) Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints organization for the opportunity to interview and get to know them. They are a first-class organization in every respect,” Grantham said. “As I said Wednesday, Georgia is a great place, my family loves it here, and I do as well. This is where our heart is.”

New Orleans is expected to hire former Cowboys coordinator Rob Ryan.

And this is tremendous news for Georgia and Mark Richt. The Bulldogs’ defense loses nine starters, including star linebackers Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree, and keeping Grantham increases the odds this unit can overcome so many personnel losses.

Georgia’s defense in 2012 was all sizzle and no steak. The big names and accolades were there, but the reality is this was one of the most underachieving units in the country. And I have a suspicion that Georgia’s defense can collectively be better as a unit in 2013 with no big names and a hunger to be great. Add in the fact the offense returns 10 starters, including Aaron Murray, and the Bulldogs are a legit threat to play for another SEC Championship.

But just because Grantham is staying at Georgia this year doesn’t mean the NFL flirtation is over. Because Grantham’s contract states he must tell AD Greg McGarity about any and all job interviews first, we’ll all find out anytime the line gets crossed and the ever-burning ember of interest gets sparked.

Grantham enters his fourth season as Georgia’s defensive coordinator. Under his leadership, Georgia finished 23rd in total defense in 2010, 5th in 2011, but this unit fell to 32nd in 2012.

Photo Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

McGarity released a statement that he had been informed of the Saints’ interest.

“In accordance with his contractual obligation, Todd Grantham notified me Wednesday night of the New Orleans Saints’ interest in interviewing him for the defensive coordinator position.”

It was reported on Tuesday that the Saints would hire former Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. That report turned out to be false.

Todd Grantham’s name started emerging, and it was reported that he would at least interview with Sean Payton today. Grantham was asked about the report yesterday after signing day ended, and he remained coy.

“I told guys (recruits) that I love it, my family loves it and I fully expect to be here,” Grantham said. “But I told those guys as coaches if things come up you’re always going to do what’s best for your family and see what happens. But nothing’s come up for me from that standpoint where I feel I’ve got to contractually say something. So I’m in a good place, I’ve got a good job and I look forward to coaching here.”

This is the second time Grantham has been linked to an NFL coordinator vacancy in the last few weeks. New Eagles head coach Chip Kelly was said to be targeting Grantham, too.

Georgia fans, however, are up in arms about Grantham even interviewing, leaning on what he told new Georgia signee Davin Bellamy and his mother. Bellamy’s mother said she spoke to Grantham and Bryan McClendon before her son signed, and he told her there was no truth to the report. She spoke to the AJC before signing day.

“We spoke with Grantham, we spoke with (Bryan) McClendon, we’ve spoken with Mark Richt,” she said. “There is no truth to that and it will not affect Davin’s decision today.”

Bellamy signed with Georgia over Oregon, FSU and Tennessee.

But the reports are in fact true, and Grantham is set to interview with the Saints.

#Georgia DC Todd Grantham will get on a plane and fly to New Orleans tomorrow morning to interview with #Saints, I’m told.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 7, 2013

#UGA defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has informed the school last night that he the Saints are interesting in interviewing him.

— Radi Nabulsi ESPN (@RadiNabulsi) February 7, 2013

As it turns out, Grantham looks like he knowingly mislead recruits and their families. But what do you want him to do? Recruits sign with schools knowing coaching tenures are short, and in order to get promoted, it’s likely the coach will have to jump to another program. And taking an NFL coordinator job is most often better than a college coordinator job, depending on the goals of the particular coach.

The Grantham rumors may have already impacted Georgia in a big way. Other than Bellamy, Georgia missed on several top defensive prospects in the last few weeks.

Should we blame Grantham or Mark Richt for knowingly misleading recruits about the interview?

Recruits are told all the time to sign with a school that you will be happy at if the coaching staff leaves or gets fired. It happens every year at different programs.

It is deceiving, and it makes you appreciate the way Florida and Will Muschamp handled the same matter with Dan Quinn when he left for the Seahawks. It had little to no effect on Florida’s recruiting or signing day at all.

Photo Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Grantham was rumored to be a target even before Kelly was hired, along with Florida defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Kelly has set his sights on Grantham to join him in Philly.

Grantham has been at Georgia since 2010, after a two-year stint with the Dallas Cowboys where he served as the defensive line coach.

Grantham has 11 years experience in the NFL, coaching at Dallas, Cleveland, Houston and Indianapolis.

Photo Credit: Paul Abell-USA TODAY Sports

Final Record: 11-2 overall, 7-1 SEC – SEC East Division Champions

Georgia’s 2012 season didn’t have the fairytale ending Dawgs fans were hoping. With all the talent assembled on both sides of the football, especially on defense, combined with a weaker schedule, we knew Georgia would be in the SEC Championship hunt and national title picture. And they finished 1-2 against ranked opponents, beating Florida and losing to South Carolina and to Alabama in the championship game. I thought this would be the year for Georgia, especially with their nasty front seven. Guilty as charged.

For as much heat as offensive coordinator Mike Bobo takes, he had a very balanced and explosive attack this year. Georgia finished #3 in the SEC in scoring offense at 37.2 points per game and finished #3 in total offense as well. Georgia’s defense, however, didn’t quite have the year everyone expected, especially after finishing in the top five in the country in total defense in 2011.

This summer, starting running back Isaiah Crowell was dismissed for an off-the-field incident. It seems like years ago, right? The emergence of freshmen running backs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall will make you think that. Crowell would have been third on the depth chart behind both freshmen. If not for Johnny Manziel’s unbelievable season, Gurley would be the SEC’s freshmen of the year and arguably the offensive player of the year. He was the SEC’s best back, rushing for 1,260 yards and 16 touchdowns. Marshall finished with 723 yards and eight touchdowns. Gurshall combined forces to provide Georgia with a powerful and explosive running attack, helping the passing offense to thrive. The offensive line was described as patchwork before the season started, but they gelled nicely and elevated their game throughout the season, in both pass blocking and run blocking. They are still an underrated unit.

Aaron Murray became the first SEC quarterback to throw for three straight 3,000-yard seasons. Peyton Manning, Danny Wuerffel or Tim Couch never accomplished that feat. The knock against Murray, however, has been that he can’t win the big game. But he did beat #2 Florida, although maybe not a direct result of how well he played, and he played well enough to beat #2 Alabama. Murray threw for 3,466 yards and 31 touchdowns, completing 65.4 percent of his passes with eight interceptions.

ACL’s delivered the biggest blow to the Dawgs’ offense when both Michael Bennett and Marlon Brown went down with season-ending knee injuries. At the time, Bennett was Georgia’s leading receiver and most consistent receiver. The offense wasn’t the same without him. Tavarres King and Malcolm Mitchell then picked up the slack in Bennett and Brown’s absence. They combined for 12 touchdowns and 1,418 yards.

Bacarri Rambo said it best before playing Alabama, “We are a more talented defense”. That’s an understatement when you look at all the talent among the 11 starters. Rambo, Shawn Williams, Sanders Commings, Alec Ogletree, Jarvis Jones, John Jenkins and Cornelius Washington all could make a splash at the next level. But the most talented defense on paper really never got going the entire season. With four suspended players to start the year, the defense never really played to their potential until the Florida game (game eight). Jarvis Jones once again was a single unstoppable force, as he was chosen as the AP’s Defensive Player of the Year. Against lesser opponents, the defense was great. However, when it mattered the most in Atlanta, the defense just could not stop the Alabama power run game, giving up 350 yards.

Five yards ended up being the difference between Georgia and the national championship.

Offensive Stud: The face of Georgia’s offense is Aaron Murray, but the real reason Murray and the offense thrived was because of running back Todd Gurley. He’s the most complete back in the SEC as a freshman. Gurley combines top-end speed as a long-strider with power, quickness and vision. He’s a solid pass-blocker, too, in just his first season. His yards after contact are what make him stand out. Gurley led the SEC running backs in yardage with 1,260 and 16 touchdowns. You give me one back in the SEC to build around the next couple of years, and I’m taking Todd Gurley. He was the lifeblood of the Georgia balanced attack.

Defensive Stud: Jarvis Jones is the best linebacker in the SEC, but the one who has the most upside is Alec Ogletree. However, Jones is no doubt the defensive MVP. He totaled 12.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss. In Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defense, Jones is the heartbeat of the attack from his outside linebacker position. He doesn’t have great speed, but he has enough quickness and power to get to the quarterback. He’s been a force since he stepped foot on Georgia’s campus as a transfer from USC.

Where To Next: Even though the Bulldogs won the Eastern division, they were jumped by Florida in the BCS rankings and voided a BCS bowl. So, on to Orlando for the Capital One Bowl against Nebraska – the same Nebraska team that gave up 500 yards on the ground to Wisconsin. Gurley and Marshall are licking their chops as you read this. Georgia needs a good recruiting class, and we’ll have to wait until the end of the season to see how bad the draft wipes out the roster. Nonetheless, Georgia has a great nucleus of young players to build around in the future.

Photo Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Here are the top assistants in the SEC:

1. John Chavis, LSU, Defensive Coordinator
Particulars: Age: 55. This was his 5th season at LSU.
The Buzz: John Chavis is the top assistant coach in the SEC. His career proves that, and his development of great talent and defenses at both Tennessee and LSU also proves that. Chavis had to replace three of four in the secondary and two of three at linebacker just this season. LSU’s defense once again finished the regular season ranked in top 10. The only head-coaching job Chavis would really consider would be Tennessee. But he’s happy at LSU, and content with developing blue-chip prospects every year.

2. Kirby Smart, Alabama, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
Particulars: Age: 36. This was his 5th season at Alabama.
The Buzz: Kirby Smart coordinated the top-rated defense in the country, once again, in 2012, and he had to replace six starters off of last year’s stellar squad. His Bama squad finished #1 overall in total defense. Smart is a hot commodity among the coaching ranks, and he’ll have his opportunity to nab an open job if he wants one, but he has it made at Bama, making a ton of money and winning. Smart is destined for a head-coaching job in the near future, but he has the luxury to wait and take the right situation.

3. Todd Grantham, Georgia, Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach
Particulars: Age: 45. This was his 3rd season at Georgia.
The Buzz: Todd Grantham has once again helped lead the Bulldogs to the SEC Championship game. While his defense probably didn’t have the regular season they desired, thanks in part to four suspensions early, Grantham is Jarvis Jones’ primary position coach, who once again turned in a monster year. Grantham will be a head coach in the near future, as his defense currently prepares for the SEC Championship. Grantham has both college and NFL experience, and he has learned from some of the best coaches in the business, such as Nick Saban and Frank Beamer.

4. Dan Quinn, Florida, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
Particulars: Age: 42. This was his 2nd season at Florida.
The Buzz: Dan Quinn is one of the fastest rising coordinators in the SEC. He has an NFL pedigree with experience in coaching defensive lines in the NFL, and now he has coordinated arguably the best defense in the country in Florida. The Gators forced 29 turnovers in 12 games this season. Quinn will have some big opportunities in the future at any level, and he’s a fantastic coach tabbed by Will Muschamp to run his defense. Quinn has helped develop players such as Shariff Floyd and Dominique Easley in two short years.

5. Kliff Kingsbury, Texas A&M, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Particulars: Age 33. This was his 1st season at Texas A&M.
The Buzz: Kliff Kingsbury largely believes he’s still the best quarterback on the field every Saturday. The former record-setting Texas Tech quarterback has had a fantastic season as the offensive coordinator, and he’s had a big hand in helping to develop Johnny Manziel in the process. Kingsbury has made noise in the coaching ranks, and he’ll have his opportunity to get a head-coaching job in the immediate future. Texas A&M finished #1 overall in total offense in the SEC and #3 nationally during the regular season.

6. Bob Shoop, Vanderbilt, Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach
Particulars: Age: 46. This was his 2nd season at Vanderbilt
The Buzz: The job that Bob Shoop has done at Vanderbilt has been fantastic. Shoop has guided the Commodores to back-to-back top-six finishes in total defense. He primarily coaches the safeties aside from his coordinator position, and the pass defense has been lights out the last two years. This season, the passing defense finished 3rd in the SEC, and it has other head coaches turning their heads toward Shoop. He’s been rumored to be on Jimbo Fisher’s shortlist at FSU as their new defensive coordinator. Bob Shoop can coach!

7. Frank Wilson, LSU, Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Particulars: Age 39. This was his 3rd season at LSU.
The Buzz: Frank Wilson is known as a top recruiter in the SEC, but what he’s done with the running backs at LSU has been spectacular to watch. Entering 2012, he had four legit backs who could start for several teams, but freshman Jeremy Hill, who wasn’t considered one of the four, exploded onto the scene and was the biggest playmaker on offense. Wilson’s hand in helping develop this running back corps and keeping them all happy is truly intriguing.

8. Rodney Garner, Georgia, Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Particulars: Age: 46. This was his 14th season at Georgia.
The Buzz: Rodney Garner is known largely for his ability to pull top recruits. He’s had other job opportunities in the past, but he’s chosen to stick with Georgia. Garner is a fantastic coach, and he’s helped develop some great defensive linemen at Georgia, too. John Jenkins is under his tutelage, and he should be a first-round draft pick this spring, adding to his list of four previous first rounders.

9. Lorenzo Ward, South Carolina, Defensive Coordinator
Particulars: Age: 45. This was his 4th season at South Carolina.
The Buzz: No Ellis Johnson; no problem. Lorenzo Ward was tabbed by Steve Spurrier when Johnson left for Southern Miss. He’s picked up where Johnson left off, too.  Ward’s defense finished #4 overall in the SEC, and they were one of the top red zone defenses in the SEC, too.  He’s done a fantastic job for Spurrier. The former Alabama player first coached the defensive secondary under Frank Beamer. He’s fast rising up-and-coming coach.

10. GA Mangus, South Carolina, Quarterbacks Coach
Particulars: Age: Early 40s. This was his 4th season at South Carolina.
The Buzz: The former Florida quarterback still works with his college coach in Columbia. GA Mangus has done a fantastic job as a position coach with Connor Shaw and backup Dylan Thompson, as Shaw is 16-3 as a starter and Dylan Thompson is 2-0. He’s been a head coach at Delaware State, and he took them from 2-8 to a 33-4 record during his tenure, before heading to Middle Tennessee. Mangus has learned from one of the best offensive minds in the business in Spurrier, and Mangus continues to be a hot name in the coaching ranks.

Photo Credit: Thomas Campbell-US PRESSWIRE

What’s not to like about either of these pass-rushing beasts?

Clowney leads the SEC in sacks and tackles-for-loss this season, while Jones is the most dynamic player for the SEC East champs. Both are superb at ruining offensive game plans and rattling opposing quarterbacks from their comfort zone.

The SEC’s top two defenders have each had Heismanesque performances late in the season indicative of athletes pushing themselves a little farther into the spotlight. Jones’ signature dreads were all over the field during Georgia’s best win, a 17-9 victory over second-ranked Florida in Jacksonville, while Clowney recorded a Memorial Stadium-record 4.5 sacks last weekend to lead the Gamecocks to their fourth straight win over Clemson.

Clowney’s 13-total sacks is a school record this season. Deeper inside the numbers, however, reveals Jones is quite the pass-disrupter himself. Used as a defensive end/outside linebacker hybird in Todd Grantham’s system, Jones has tallied 30 quarterback hurries on the season. Clowney on the other hand, has just five. Jones has forced six fumbles with two recoveries and helped UGA stuff Missouri with a key interception in the second half way back in September. Outside of Clemson, Clowney’s shining moment came in the final minutes against Tennessee when he sacked-and-stripped Tyler Bray with his team leading by three points in Gamecock territory.

Last season, LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu received the coveted Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts in leading the Tigers to an SEC Championship and berth in the BCS title game. Mathieu’s numbers (6 FF, 5 FR, 7 PBU, 70 TCKL and 6.5 TFL) are similar to Jones’ junior season (6 FF, 2 FR, 2 PBU, 71 TCKL and 19.5 TFL) and Georgia still has a shot at both the SEC title and BCS Championship. Bonus points to Jones over Clowney in that regard.

As for which of this season’s candidates has had more impact on their respective team is a tough question to answer. No doubt, Jones is the heart and soul of Georgia’s defense, a star-studded unit that has gotten stronger as the season’s progressed. Clowney, on the other hand, anchors one of the country’s fiercest defensive lines and is the cornerstone of Lorenzo Ward’s “pressure the passer with four” mentality, one of the best defenses — statistically — in the Steve Spurrier era at South Carolina.

As you can see, both phenoms have earned their stripes as the SEC’s best defenders and you can’t go wrong with either of these future first-round draft picks as this season’s SEC Defensive Player of the Year. I’d give the edge to Jones considering what’s still out there for the Bulldogs.

Photo Credit: Kevin Liles-US PRESSWIRE

Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham lit into his team after Saturday’s performance against FAU. One player described it as “Grantham started cursing out defensive backs, then moved to the linebackers and finally engulfed the entire defense”.

The Bulldogs returned nine of 11 starters from last season’s physically crippling defense, which features arguably the top defensive player in the country in OLB Jarvis Jones, and he knows what they are capable of.

“Me personally, I know how good we are,” junior outside linebacker Jarvis Jones said. “Some of the numbers that y’all see, I know they’re not the greatest and they’re not like they were last year, but it’s still early. We haven’t done a lot on defense as far as a lot of our packages and stuff like that. So we’ve still got a lot to put in and there are still a lot of plays out there to be made. It’s just the fourth game of the season.”

Even though nine starters returned, Georgia hasn’t even fielded the complete nine yet, because safety Bacarri Rambo and linebacker Alec Ogletree have yet to see the field and will remain out for another week on suspension.

Georgia has given up 40 first-half points, compared to 23 points in the second half. You can credit the staff and the players for making second-half adjustments and winning football games. But against better SEC competition moving forward, the defense will need faster starts to games, particularly with Vanderbilt, Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida looming ahead on the schedule.

Grantham knows they can start faster and play for four quarters.

“If you look at the games, we didn’t play in the first half against Buffalo well, but we came back in the second. I think we played pretty good in the Missouri game all the way through. And this past weekend we played better in the second half again,” Grantham said. “So we’ve gotta work to get some consistency and get some guys to just be more consistent in what they’re doing. And if we do that, we’ll play well for four quarters.”

Fast starts are not a necessity to win football games, but Bulldogs will have to start faster and get in better rhythm earlier on defense in at least a couple games this season.

The good thing is that the offense is really firing on all cylinders and picking up the slack for the defense in the first half.

Here are the 10 best assistant coaches in the SEC. Let’s give this a shot:

1. John Chavis, LSU, Defensive Coordinator
Particulars: Age: 55. This is his 4th season with the Tigers.
The Buzz: The former Tennessee offensive lineman is figuring out ways to dominate the position he once played. He’s made a living at it, too. John Chavis won the Frank Broyles Award for the top assistant coach in college football last year due to his leadership of one of the most dominant defenses in the country. Chavis has expressed no desire to become a head coach. He made his name as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator in the Vols’ dominant years in the 90’s. He’s happy where he is at LSU, and I think his job security is pretty set.

2. Kirby Smart, Alabama, Defensive Coordinator
Particulars: Age: 36. This is his 5th season at Alabama.
The Buzz: Kirby Smart has quickly become the SEC’s most obvious coordinator destined for a head coaching position. He’s been groomed under ‘the process’ of Nick Saban, and he is destined for a big-time coaching gig at some point. Smart’s defense in 2011 was one of the most dominant defenses in the history of college football in almost every statistic possible. He’s been in the NFL with the Dolphins in 2006, and played safety for Georgia from 1995 to 1998. He started his coaching career at Valdosta State as a defensive backs coach.

3. Todd Grantham, Georgia, Defensive Coordinator, Associate Head Coach
Particulars: Age: 45. This is his 3rd season at Georgia.
The Buzz: Todd Grantham has brought the physicality back to the Georgia Bulldogs’ defense that has been missing since Brian VanGorder left. His 3-4 defense allowed OLB Jarvis Jones to be the leading sacker in the SEC last year. Grantham comes from the NFL, having coached the defensive line or been a coordinator for 11 years, and he’s learned under some prominent head coaches in Nick Saban and Frank Beamer. He’s expressed his desire to be a head coach some day.

4. David Yost, Missouri, Offensive Coordinator, Recruiting Coordinator
Particulars: Age: 41. This is his 4th season at Missouri.
The Buzz: If you don’t know David Yost, and most of you don’t, he’s easy to spot with his surfer boy floppy haircut. But this guy can coach an offense. He assumed the offensive coordinator position in 2009 after having been the quarterback coach. He was the quarterback coach who helped develop Chase Daniel, Blaine Gabbert, and now, James Franklin. Yost is also the recruiting coordinator, and he’s on the fast track to a head-coaching gig in the near future.

5. Frank Wilson, LSU, Running Backs Coach, Recruiting Coordinator
Particulars: Age: 39. This is his third year at LSU.
The Buzz: Frank Wilson has emerged as one of the top recruiters in the SEC and the rest of the country in his short career. LSU is always inking top recruiting classes, and he’s assembled possibly the deepest running back rotation in all of college football. The Tigers ran for 202.6 yards per game last year, tied a school record with 35 touchdowns and had three backs surpass the 500-yard mark for the season. He’s a dynamite recruiter and great position coach.

6. Brian VanGorder, Auburn, Defensive Coordinator
Particulars: Age: 53. This is his 1st season at Auburn.
The Buzz: Auburn head coach Gene Chizik tabbed Brian VanGorder to be his defensive coordinator after Ted Roof left town. This may only be VanGorder’s first season at AU, but he’s had a decorated NFL and college career. Previously, he served as Georgia’s defensive coordinator from 2001 to 2004, and UGA hasn’t had a physical defense until last year since he left. VanGorder then took his talents to the NFL and coached with the Jaguars and Falcons, serving as a linebacker coach and defensive coordinator. He has talent to work with at Auburn now, too.

7. Sal Sunseri, Tennessee, Defensive Coordinator
Particulars: Age: 53. This is his 1st season at Tennessee.
The Buzz: Derek Dooley nabbed Sal Sunseri to transform Tennessee’s defense, literally, into a 3-4 scheme. Sunseri has both college and NFL experience, most notably being Nick Saban and Alabama’s assistant head coach and linebackers coach for the last three years. Before Alabama, Sunseri coached the defensive line for the Carolina Panthers for seven years after a long stint in the collegiate ranks. The former Pittsburgh linebacker brings his experienced career to Knoxville to lead Dooley’s defense.

8. Shawn Elliott, South Carolina, Offensive Line Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator
Particulars: Age: Approaching 40. This is his 3rd season at South Carolina.
The Buzz: Shawn Elliott has done a wonderful job at South Carolina during his time. He previously served as the running game coordinator, but Steve Spurrier gave him a promotion to co-offensive coordinator. In his first year with the Gamecocks, Elliott transformed the running game from last in the SEC to eighth, and his offensive lines have been some of the best over the last couple of years. Spurrier continues to rave about this guy. Elliott previously served at his alma mater Appalachian State.

9. Rodney Garner, Georgia, Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Particulars: Age: 46. This is his 14th season at Georgia.
The Buzz: One thing that the Bulldogs can’t be criticized for is their recruiting. Rodney Garner has done a great job of getting guys on campus, but the development has obviously lacked in a number of positions. Garner has done a great job assembling a top defensive line in the SEC. He’s coached four first-round draft picks in his career. Garner has been a hot commodity in the coaching ranks for a while, as several schools try to pull him away from Georgia every year, but to no avail.

10. GA Mangus, South Carolina, Quarterbacks Coach
Particulars: Age: Early 40s. This is his 4th year at South Carolina.
The Buzz: GA Mangus is probably most known for his off-the-field incident in last summer’s arrest. But on the field, this guy can coach. Formerly the quarterback who played under Spurrier at Florida in late 80s and early 90s, GA Mangus has blossomed into very good coach. Mangus took a 2-8 Delaware Valley program and turned it around, with a 33-4 record in the next three seasons. He found his way at South Carolina in 2009, and he had a hand in developing Stephen Garcia and now Connor Shaw (8-1 as a starter). Mangus will be a head coach at some point.

SDS will be taking an early look at each SEC Championship contender and their chances of winning it in Atlanta by listing three reasons why they will win and three reasons why they will not.

Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia opens in the SEC East as the favorite to get back to Atlanta to take on an SEC West team again. The Bulldogs return a very potent offensive attack and what could be the best defense in the country. Mark Richt has one of his best teams returning that he’s had during his tenure, and there is much anticipation in Athens and around the SEC for the Bulldogs. No different than any year, but this could be the year, if Georgia is ever going to take that next step and win a championship under Richt. When you’re Georgia, you are expected to compete for not only SEC Championships but national championship as well.

Three Reasons Why

1. Schedule: Steve Spurrier knows the No. 1 reason Georgia is a favorite to contend for an SEC Championship is because the Bulldogs boast the easiest schedule in the SEC. Spurrier’s team, of course, doesn’t have the luxury of playing Ole Miss and Auburn for cross-divisional games. But Mark Richt does. UGA plays three cupcakes – Buffalo, FAU and Georgia Southern – along with only three to four teams that will be ranked in the top 25 to start the year off in South Carolina, Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech. Georgia plays at South Carolina, Missouri and Auburn as the three road games that will be a fight. The good thing for the Bulldogs is the toughest three-game stretch comes against Vanderbilt, Tennessee and at South Carolina, and the Bulldogs also don’t have to travel two weeks in a row the entire season. Ten wins should be a goal that should be rather easily accomplished. Georgia is no doubt capable of going undefeated during the regular season and squaring off against the West in Atlanta. The big game to keep an eye on will be the Florida game in week nine in Jacksonville.

2. Defense: Two words that come to mind when thinking about this defense are ‘more physical’. Georgia hasn’t really been physical on defense since Brian VanGorder left Georgia for the NFL. But defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has this defense flying to the football and being physical at the point of attack, and it does help that he has the best linebacker in the country in Jarvis Jones. Jones led the SEC in sacks a year ago with 13.5. Georgia, as a team, was sixth in scoring defense and fourth in total defense in the SEC. Against the run, Georgia’s opponents only averaged right around a respectable 101 yards per game, and the Bulldogs were second to only Alabama and LSU in that category. Grantham’s 3-4 defense starts with big John Jenkins and Kwame Geathers in the middle. Both are 350-plus and clog up holes in the middle. Abry Jones, Garrison Smith and Cornelius Washington will be the staples at end. Washington really came into his own last year, and I look for him to be a prime player this year. Seasoned veterans in addition to Jones at linebacker are Michael Gilliard, Christian Robinson and Alec Ogletree, and they all complement one another very nicely. If not for some early-season suspensions in the secondary, this unit would probably be dubbed the top defense entering 2012, and they likely are anyway. Bacarri Rambo, Sanders Commings and Branden Smith are all suspended for at least the first two games, and because of the suspensions, the secondary could be susceptible early on. Overall, this defense is ready to get theirs in 2012, and this unit will have a very big say on how well the team finishes in the SEC.

3. Aaron Murray: I might take some heat for listing Murray as a reason the Dawgs can win the SEC. Some say he hasn’t lived up to the potential, quick to scramble out of the pocket and has a long way to go to be a leader. And I do agree with all of that, but why can’t this be Murray’s year? The junior amassed over 3,000 yards passing and 35 touchdowns last year. Some are quick to point out his 14 interceptions, and that is of concern. He has to limit his turnovers and make better decisions. But that’s part of progressing and being a quarterback in the best defensive league in the country. And the beautiful thing about it is that Murray has had a full off-season to get better and watch a lot more film to get him to where he needs to be. The physical tools are certainly there. He has a good arm, good speed and has a high ceiling as a quarterback and as an athlete. I look for Murray to take a bigger step at becoming a better quarterback in 2012. He has all the tools necessary to lead Georgia back to Atlanta and actually get a W this time.

Three Reasons Why Not

1. Offensive Line: The biggest hole on the Georgia roster is at offensive line. Particularly when you lose three starters at any position it hurts, but it’s tougher to overcome on the offensive line. Early on during the spring, the young line was totally dominated by the bigger, stronger defensive line. That’s to be expected. Kenarious Gates and Chris Burnette had the best springs among the group. Kolton Houston is finally eligible this fall after being ineligible last year because of an unspecified NCAA issue, and Houston should start at right tackle. David Andrews will be the likely center, and Dallas Lee will play guard. And help is coming in the fall with one of the top high school linemen in the country entering school in John Theus. Theus will contend for a starting spot immediately. While there are big bodies and some depth among this group, they really have no proven players. This was a great spring for the linemen, not so much performance-wise, but having to go against John Jenkins, Kwame Geathers and the rest of the line made this group stronger physically and mentally. Now this group has to translate that to performance in the fall.

2. Mike Bobo: There I said it. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo takes the most heat of any player or coach at Georgia. And the criticism sometimes is very deserving. Bobo’s offenses have been criticized for being too vanilla, and most defenses can see what’s coming at the line of scrimmage. They call very few misdirection plays, and the conservative calling is making the Bulldog nation anxious. It seems Georgia’s offense has lost all element of surprise with Bobo at the helm, and that’s one reason the running game has been largely ineffective. Sure, against teams like Coastal Carolina and New Mexico State, UGA puts up very crooked numbers. But against better defenses in the SEC, the offense seems to putter, and very little rhythm is sometimes seen. Georgia is very good, with good skill positions all over the field, but teams have to mix up the offensive play calling to win some games, too. Against lesser teams, you can line up and run the same play all game. But against better teams, the vanilla offense struggles. This is the year Bobo can silence his critics and make fans forget the past. Bobo has the most to gain, and most to lose, of any assistant coach in the SEC this year.

3. Running Back: This position was sitting pretty a few weeks ago before Isaiah Crowell was dismissed. It was Crowell leading the way in what looked like would be his best season, after a great off-season. That’s obviously out the window. Let’s look at the facts. Georgia has a bunch of really unproven guys at the position. And it’s a very good thing they recruit the top running backs around the country every year. Sophomore Ken Malcome returns to lead this group, along with senior Richard Samuel. Malcome only had 42 carries last year, and Samuel only rushed for 240 yards. As unlikely as it might seem, former walk on Brandon Harton has the most rushing yards returning with 247. But freshmen Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley will be forced into the limelight quicker than anyone anticipated. Marshall enrolled early; so, he has the leg-up on Gurley, but Gurley could have the highest ceiling of them both. I think you’ll see all five guys play until Georgia feels comfortable with one starter. It’s a definite area of concern, but losing Crowell didn’t break the Bulldogs’ season by any means. It just gives another talented back a chance to step up.