Adams: Glamour absent on list of top SEC players

Each school will be represented by a head coach and two players during the three-day media event. The 24 players include four quarterbacks, two running backs and one wide receiver.

The conference rarely has looked less glamorous.

There will be more offensive linemen than quarterbacks at the media get-together. There also will be more defensive backs than wide receivers, and more linebackers than running backs.

The player representation isn't an aberration. It's indicative of a league whose best players aren't playing high-profile positions.

The preseason All-America teams send the same message. The message will be repeated in next spring's NFL draft.

The conference is loaded with outstanding players. But the most outstanding players aren't playing the outstanding positions.

UT cornerback Jason Allen, LSU safety LaRon Landry, South Carolina safety Ko Simpson, UT defensive tackle Jesse Mahelona and LSU defensive tackle Kyle Williams have been honored as first-team All-Americans by at least one preseason publication. So have Auburn offensive tackle Marcus McNeill and Georgia offensive guard Max Jean-Gilles.

"Phil Steele's College Football Preview" ranks Jean-Gilles as the No. 1 offensive guard in the country, Florida's Mike Degory as the second-best center, McNeill as the third-best offensive tackle, and LSU's Andrew Whitworth as the fifth-best offensive tackle.

If you adhere to the coaching cliche that games are won and lost in the trenches, then the SEC should win a lot. It also should have greater representation in the top 10 than on the Heisman Watch.

That's nothing new. It always has been easier for the SEC to win a national championship than a Heisman Trophy.

Since 1956, the SEC has had 12 national champions but only five Heisman Trophy winners.

I'm not trying to revive conspiracy theories, but you aren't going to win the Heisman unless you're a running back, quarterback, wide receiver or a cornerback on a national championship Michigan team.

The two top Heisman candidates are last year's winner, USC quarterback Matt Leinart, and his teammate, tailback Reggie Bush. Next come Oklahoma tailback Adrian Peterson and Texas quarterback Vince Young. Big Ten quarterbacks Drew Tait at Iowa and Chad Henne at Michigan probably have a better Heisman shot than anybody in the SEC.

The best quarterback in the SEC is a healthy Brodie Croyle. But based on his track record, how can you count on him staying healthy through his senior season at Alabama?

Florida quarterback Chris Leak has talent and talented receivers. He also has a new coach and an offense that was designed for someone who can make the option pitch as well as the forward pass.

Jay Cutler is the conference's most experienced quarterback and even made the coaches' preseason All-SEC team. But he plays for Vanderbilt.

Jerious Norwood, who is arguably the best running back in the league, has a similar problem. He plays for Mississippi State.

Anyone in the SEC who runs, throws or catches the ball has an even bigger problem. He has to do it against SEC defenses.

Three SEC defenses were ranked in the top five nationally last year. Four were ranked in the top eight.

You can expect more of the same. Not only does the conference have a number of All-America candidates on defense, it has younger defensive players like Stanley McClover and Quentin Groves of Auburn on the verge of stardom.

Not everybody in the SEC has a proven quarterback, but almost everyone has a good linebacker. Auburn's Travis Williams is a first-team All-American. Alabama and Florida each has two linebackers on the Butkus Award list. All three of UT's starting linebackers have received All-American honorable mention in preseason.

The league isn't short on blue-chip players. It's just that so many of the blue-chippers will play blue-collar positions.

Georgia's Leonard Pope might be the most talented player in the conference who's eligible for a pass. And he's a tight end. What does that tell you?

It's hard to believe this is still a Steve Spurrier league. The same coach who once gave you the Fun 'n' Gun offense at Florida returns to media days Wednesday as the head coach at South Carolina.

He's bringing a linebacker and tight end with him.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.