That time of year is almost here. It follows Christmas and New Year’s and lasts eight months. It’s the SEC offseason. Recruiting will happen. SEC Media Days will happen. Arrests will happen. Stories will appear to tide fans over until the games begin again.

Here are five storylines to look forward to when 2017 kicks off:

MARQUIS HAYNES RETURNS TO OXFORD: Ole Miss’s defense had its well-documented issues in 2016. To sum it up, the unit was really bad. There will be turnover with the retirement of defensive coordinator Dave Wommack, but getting DE Marquis Haynes back is a coup. Haynes lost some of his attention because of the team’s struggles, but his stat line had NFL payday written all over it – 43 tackles, 16.5 tackles-for-loss, 10 sacks and three forced fumbles. He initially said he was all but gone but this week tweeted he would be back. Haynes has a chance to be the best defensive end in the SEC, if not the nation.

 

CAN TEXAS A&M CONTINUE TO WIN? The Aggies have somehow worked through potential quarterback issues. Since Johnny Manziel left, A&M has molded quarterbacks and sent them to Houston, TCU and Oklahoma. Oklahoma returned the favor with Trevor Knight, but Knight is about to be gone. The Aggies choose from senior veteran backup Jake Hubenak and a handful of freshmen. Kevin Sumlin has kept the Aggies in the Playoff picture consistently despite the drama under center. He’s about to face that challenge again. The first test will be at UCLA on Sept. 2.

DRAMA UNDER CENTER ON THE PLAINS: The SEC is stocked with young quarterbacking talent. Add former Baylor QB Jarrett Stidham to the mix. Stidham signed with Auburn as 247Sports’ top junior college prospect in the country, despite not playing junior college football. What it means for Auburn is another spring of quarterback talk and fan second-guessing. Current starter Sean White will be a redshirt junior; John Franklin III will be a senior; Woody Barrett and Tyler Queen are sophomores. The Tigers could have a live audition Sept. 2 against Georgia Southern before there needs to be a guy the following week at Clemson.

CAN KENTUCKY CLIMB EVEN HIGHER? Kentucky finished 7-6 after losing to Georgia Tech in the TaxSlayer Bowl, its first winning season since 2009. The Wildcats darn near won the SEC East. Has that time arrived for Mark Stoops? Kentucky will return two of the best backs in the conference in Stanley Williams and Benny Snell Jr. The sophomore and freshman combined for 2,192 yards and 20 touchdowns on 339 carries. Kentucky finished third in the SEC in rushing. A 3-0 start to 2017 against Southern Miss, Eastern Kentucky and South Carolina with Florida headed to Kentucky on Sept. 23 would be something else.

WILL ED O HAVE THE SEC’S BEST OFFENSE? It’s possible. LSU beat Louisville 29-9 in the Citrus Bowl and looked good doing it. The SEC’s third-ranked defense did its damage but the offense had a second straight game that showed off 2017 potential. Derrius Guice can now have the spotlight in the backfield. His push for Heisman talk in 2017 included 138 rushing yards, 23o total yards, a rushing touchdown and a passing touchdown. Danny Etling, who will be competing with talented freshmen Myles Brennan and Lowell Narcisse, may or may not be the guy, but their receiving corps can have a senior star in Malachi Dupre, who caught seven passes for 139 yards against the Cardinals. In the season finale against Texas A&M, the offense produced a season-high 622 yards. LSU could go from ninth in the SEC in offense to the top under Orgeron and new coordinator Matt Canada.