Strange: Thompson can be key to offense of Spurrier

His short-passing game needed plenty of work in his first spring practice at South Carolina and the good weather allowed the Gamecocks to get the maximum reps.

"If we had to play right now,'' Spurrier said Monday on an SEC conference call, "we certainly wouldn't be a wide-open, throwing-it-around team.

"We might be a 15-to-20-passes-a-game-type team.''

Spurrier hopes the Gamecocks' offense evolves into a fun-'n-gun team before the season-opener. But it depends on the development of his quarterback.

Whoever that might be.

Syvelle Newton has moved to receiver, leaving Blake Mitchell and redshirt freshman Antonio Heffner of Memphis Melrose as the top spring candidates.

Mike Rathe will get in the mix if his appeal for a sixth year of eligibility is approved. Spurrier looks forward to the arrival of Maryville's Cade Thompson, and fellow signee Tommy Beecher in August.

"We would have loved to inherit an all-conference quarterback and plug him into our system here,'' Spurrier said, "but that didn't happen.''

Alex vs. Chris: Florida's new coach, Urban Meyer, said he "is hoping" for a favorable comparison between Alex Smith, the NFL's No. 1 draft pick, and Chris Leak.

Meyer developed Smith the past two seasons at Utah. Now he is integrating Leak into a new system, which spreads the field and calls for the quarterback to run some option.

"Alex is six-four and Chris is six-foot,'' Meyer said, "but as far as preparation and intangibles, they're very similar.

"The thing that separated Alex from other players was his preparation, which was like you cannot imagine.''

Leak has taken well to the spread offense, Meyer said:

"He has the intangibles you look for at that position. You're making a decision every play.

"By Sept. 3, he should be a very good decision-maker.''

Turnovers: Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Alabama were the only SEC schools that had no staff changes. Four schools have new head coaches and four others a new coordinator.

When Georgia lost defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder to the NFL, head coach Mark Richt minimized the transition by promoting secondary coach Willie Martinez.

"We have really changed little or nothing at all about how we call our defenses or how we expect them to work in practice,'' Richt said.

"A wholesale change would have been a lot more disruptive.''

Staying Power: Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville was proud to watch three of his seniors go among the top 10 picks in the NFL draft Saturday. A fourth, Jason Campbell, also went in the first round.

"All four guys decided to come back and use their fourth year (in college),'' Tuberville said. "It probably made all four of those guys $7 to $10 million (more) each than if they'd come out last year.''

All-SEC offensive tackle Marcus McNeill, who returned for his senior year, is no doubt licking his chops.

Good News, Bad News: Coach Rich Brooks expects Kentucky's struggling offense to take flight in 2005 with a new quarterback, sophomore Andre Woodson, and a new coordinator, Joker Phillips.

"Andre has the ability to be a big-time guy,'' Brooks said. "What we did to help him this spring is we got better around him. We're protecting better and running the ball better.

"Our offensive line is better than it was at any time last fall.''

The arrival of juco guard Fatu Turituri and getting 2004 juco transfer Ernie Pelayo healthy at tackle is the key.

On defense, however, the Cats are down to their fourth-string middle linebacker in the new 4-3 scheme. Dustin Williams and Jon Sumrall gave up football and Chad Anderson was suspended for grades.

At least defensive coordinator Mike Archer spurned NFL offers to stay in Lexington.

Not Rebuilding: Unlike Spurrier and Ed Orgeron at Ole Miss, LSU's new coach, Les Miles, walked into a team ready to compete for an SEC title.

The Tigers are only two years removed from a share of the national title and went 9-3 last season before Nick Saban left for the NFL.

"The players are good and they've won so they know what sacrifice is,'' Miles said. "There are some lessons you don't have to teach, but you still have to get the team on the same page.''

ET Guys Ready: A pair of local sophomores have a big opportunity at Vanderbilt, although for a tragic reason.

Kassen Jackson-Garrison of Knoxville Central and Jeff Jennings of Jefferson County are the top running backs. The team is still coping with the shooting death of Kwane Doster last Dec. 26.

"Our players have mourned along with everybody else,'' said coach Bobby Johnson, "but now they're at a point of trying to remember the great things about Kwane and how much they enjoyed having him on the team.

"One of the things they want to do to honor him is to be a better football team.''

Cutcliffe Factor: Several coaches were asked Monday if David Cutcliffe's (and Chan Gailey at Georgia Tech's) heart problems were a wake-up call to watch their health in a high-stress job.

Arkansas' Houston Nutt said he ordered all his assistants to get thorough physical exams for the first time. But Nutt said he jogs only once a week during the season.

Spurrier said daily workouts have been his lifestyle for 30 years.

"You can choose to work out or do nothing,'' Spurrier said. "We've all got time if we really want to. It's a choice.''

Richt's good intentions often fall to the wayside.

"Somewhere around late October or November, I don't run as much as I should or don't eat as well,'' he said. "But it certainly got my attention.''

Making the Grade: It's a consensus that the NCAA's new academic reforms will change recruiting evaluations.

"We've adjusted our recruiting the last three years,'' Tuberville said. "We're not taking as many chances.''

Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer applauds the intent but wants to see some fine-tuning.

"There's some areas it (the NCAA) is going to have to take a look at,'' he said, "leaving early for pro football in good standing, the transfer issue when they're in good standing and the discipline issue when they're in good standing.

"There's probably more strategies out there now, and more attention being paid to it, which is what the purpose of it is for.''

Loose Ends: Alabama's offensive backfield is in surgical rehab mode. Coach Mike Shula said he is hearing nothing but positive news on quarterback Brody Croyle (knee), tailback Kenneth Darby (groin) and fullback Tim Castille (knee). Former UT shot-put All-American Aaron Ausmus is the new strength and conditioning coordinator at Ole Miss. New most-complicated name in the league: Ole Miss running back BenJarvus Green-Collins. Sylvester Croom said Mississippi State is improved at every position except offensive tackle, where David Stewart was drafted by the Titans and Robert Burch was kicked off the team.

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.