ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

JARRET JOHNSON DT * 6-4 * 287 * Senior Chiefland, Fla. (HS) At the end of the 2001 season, Tide coach Dennis Franchione said Johnson was "playing his best football yet" ... one of three returning senior starters on the Tide defensive line ... the trio has combined for 80 career starts ... Johnson has 39 combined career tackles behind the line and sacks, tied for third on the career list with E.J. Junior behind Derrick Thomas (74), current teammate Kindal Moorehead (45) and Cornelius Bennett (40) ... he holds the school record for most tackles for loss in a game (5 vs. Southern Miss, 2000) ... is currently 5th on the Tide career sack chart ... as a junior, was selected as a team captain ... he is a three-year starter ... played for a 2A school in Chiefland, Florida as a prepster.

TYLER WATTS QB * 6-3 * 222 * Senior Pelham, Ala. (HS) Started 9 games in 2001 before torn groin muscle forced him to sidelines ... set the Tide single-game completion percentage mark against South Carolina when he completed 20 of 25 passes (80 percent) for 231 yards and one TD ... his 1,889 yards of total offense last season was 7th on the Tide's all-time single season total offense list ... had 100 or more yards rushing three times last season ... finished 2001 10th on the single-season quarterback rushing attempt list with 111 and third on rushing yards list with 564 ... owns pair of Tide weightroom record with 530-pound squat and 335-pound hang and clean ... a three-time Academic All-SEC selection ... member of prestigious campus organizations Anderson Society and Blue Key.

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

JERMAINE BROOKS DT * 6-3 * 310 * Senior Pasadena, Calif. (Rancho Cucamonga HS) Listed as the first-team nose guard for this season, Brooks is coming off of shoulder surgery, which forced him to miss spring practice ... Coming off his junior campaign, Brooks led the Razorbacks with 3.5 sacks for (-19) yards ... He earned at least five tackles in six of UA's 11 contests and posted 11 tackles including five for losses (-16) in the Hogs win over Auburn ... His 12 tackles for loss was second on the team and his total of 31 yards in losses led the team ... He ranked sixth in tackles on UA defense with 56 stops - credited with 27 unassisted and 29 assisted tackles ... His five tackles for loss tied a school record held by Mark Smith, Henry Ford and Wayne Martin ... Brooks was also named to the 2001-02 SEC Football Academic Honor Roll.

GEORGE WILSON SE * 6-1 * 205 * Junior Paducah, Ky. (Tilghman HS) Coming off a record-breaking season, George Wilson is the Razorbacks' top returning receiver after posting 40 catches for 568 yards - a new first year player record for catches ... Wilson is listed as the starting split end despite missing spring drills after arthroscopic knee surgery on April 16 ... Wilson had an impressive year in 2001, breaking Richard Smith's first year reception record (33) set in 2000 with 40 catches ... He led the Razorbacks in catches and with 568 yards ... He averaged 14.2 yards per catch and 51.6 yards per game ... He scored three touchdowns in 2001, tallied two or more receptions in eight games, recorded five or more catches in four outings, and topped the 70-yard mark in receiving yards five times including two 100-yard plus contests ... He also made seven grabs against Alabama ... He earned a career-high eight catches for 105 yards against Ole Miss and caught the ball for a career high 115 yards against LSU.

AUBURN TIGERS

LORENZO DIAMOND TE * 6-3 * 258 * Senior Biloxi, Miss. (HS) Has been married for four years ... His wife's name is Delphine and they have a three-year old son, Zavier ... He is heavily involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes with team chaplain Chette Williams ... In his spare time, likes watching old television shows including Andy Griffith Show, Sanford and Son, Gomer Pyle, etc ... He is the only athlete from his high school, Biloxi High, to be elected into the school's Hall of Fame ... Has several rituals that he follows before a game. He always calls his mother-in-law the night before a game, he has to eat the same thing on Friday and listen to the same music on the way to the stadium on Saturday.

DONTARRIOUS THOMAS LB * 6-4 * 223 * Junior Perry, Ga. (HS) Thomas, who led Auburn with 122 tackles last season and is a 2002 Preseason Second-Team All-American, received his only other Division I scholarship offer from South Carolina and that was to play basketball ... In high school, rather than attend football camps, he went to an engineering camp ... He has one of the top grade point averages on the team, with a 3.43 cumulative GPA, while majoring in Management Information Systems ... He graduated with honors from high school ... He was nicknamed "Reindeer" in high school because as he says, "I could run track and I was tall and skinny."

FLORIDA GATORS

REX GROSSMAN QB * 6-1 * 220 * Junior Bloomington, Ind. (Bloomington South) His grandfather played quarterback and linebacker for Indiana University from 1945-46 and in the NFL for the Baltimore Colts ... Father was an Indiana quarterback from 1970-72 ... Parents and two sisters have won national championships in competitions in the International Arabian Horse Association ... Uncle Doby Grossman was a 1972 letterman in football at South Carolina (quarterback) ... Ran for a 60-yard touchdown on his first play of organized football as an 8-year old running back.

IAN SCOTT DT * 6-3 * 307 * Junior Gainesville, Fla. (HS) Valedictorian of his high school class with a 4.6 weighted GPA ... Majoring in industrial and systems engineering with a 3.5 GPA ... Starting center on two-time state championship basketball team ... Member of National Honor Society in high school ... Admires his father more than anyone because of his impact on young people ... Greatest moment outside sports was "getting baptized" ... Enjoys football because he can be tenacious without any consequences ... Describes himself in one word: responsible ... Describes his perfect day as his wedding day ... Scored a 1270 on his SAT ... Favorite class was Calculus 2 which he had with a blind professor ... Was honored as the team's best student-athlete during spring drills of 2002 ... Was high school teammates and is still good friends with former Miami tailback Clinton Portis ... Little brother, Alik, is a walk-on linebacker at Florida ... Didn't play football until the 9th grade because he was too big ... Was the Gainesville Sun's Male High School Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2000.

GEORGIA BULLDOGS

BOSS BAILEY SLB * 6-4 * 218 * Senior Folkston, Ga. (Charlton County) Two older brothers both played at Georgia: Ronald Bailey (1995-97) and Champ Bailey (1996-98) ... Missed 2000 season after suffering ACL knee injury on kickoff of the season opener vs. Georgia Southern ... Named first team pre-season All-America by The Sporting News.

JON STINCHCOMB OT * 6-6 * 282 * Senior Lilburn, Ga. (Parkview) Along with older brother Matt, currently with Oakland Raiders, could be the first brother combination in the country to be: (1) Two-time Academic All-America first team; (2) All-America first team; (3) Two-time AFCA Good Works Team ... Named first team pre-season All-America by The Sporting News ... Has 33 career starts ... Student-athlete representative to the University of Georgia Athletic Association Board of Directors.

KENTUCKY WILDCATS

DEREK ABNEY WR * 5-10 * 175 * Junior Mosinee, Wisc. (Everest HS) Returning starter at the "X" wide receiver ... Also handles punt return and kickoff return duties ... Will enter the season ranking seventh in school history in pass receptions (106) and 13th in receiving yardage (1,154 yards) ... Is in a five-year joint academic program in which he will earn his bachelor's degree in engineering and his master's in business administration ... Wears uniform No. 12 in honor of his childhood best friend, Ezra Hartinger, who died when they were in seventh grade ... His versatile performance earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors by The Associated Press as an all-purpose player in 2001 ... Started all 11 games at the "X" receiver ... Had 66 catches for 741 yards and six touchdowns, leading the team in all three categories ... Also led the team in scoring with 42 points ... Ranked third in the SEC in pass receptions ... Handled punt returns and averaged 9.6 yardsAveraged 22.4 yards on kickoff returns ... His versatility helped him rank second in the SEC and 11th nationally with 153.8 all-purpose yards per game ... His 1,692 all-purpose yards was the third-highest single-season total in school history.

RONNIE RILEY LB * 6-2 * 234 * Senior San Antonio, Texas (Judson HS) Has returned for a fifth year after an unexpected hardship injury season ... Had reconstructive knee surgery last September and a follow-up surgery in the winter ... Sat out spring practice but is expected to be at full speed in August ... Bracketed with Dustin Williams as the starter at an inside linebacker ... Team co-captain last season who is an emotional, vocal leader for the team ... Has finished his bachelor's degree in decision science and information systems ... Plans to begin master's work in the same field during the fall ... Has played in 33 regular-season games, starting five ... Sustained a season-ending knee injury in the season opener last year ... Had made 10 tackles in the game before the injury ... Received a medical hardship and retained his final season of eligibility ... Team co-captain along with Dougie Allen.

LSU TIGERS

BRADIE JAMES LB * 6-3 * 238 * Senior West Monroe, La. (HS) Turned down NFL for one more year after deciding to return to LSU for senior season ... Ranked second on the squad in tackles the last two years and enters senior season with 264 career stops ... Has recorded 100-plus tackles each of the last two years - 110 as a sophomore in 2000 and 113 as a junior in 2001 ... Outstanding both on the field and in the classroom ... Named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll as well as a First Team All-SEC selection at linebacker in 2001 ... Person of outstanding character ... Father passed away a week before the Peach Bowl in 2000 ... James responded by being named Defensive MVP in LSU's 28-14 victory over Georgia Tech ... James, who didn't join the team until the day before the game, dedicated the game and the MVP trophy to his father ... His mother then passed away two months later.

LaBRANDON TOEFIELD RB * 6-0 * 224 * Junior Independence, La. (HS) Tore ACL in left knee in second quarter of SEC Championship game vs. Tennessee ... Had surgery in December and has been cleared by the doctors to practice ... Was actually ready to play just six months after surgery ... Has now torn ACL in both knees - tore right ACL prior to senior season and missed entire final year of high school football ... Quiet person who leads by example ... Tied and SEC record with 19 rushing TDs last season ... Rushed for 992 yards last year ... It was his mother's dream to watch her son play in Tiger Stadium at LSU ... After seeing LaBrandon redshirt as a true freshman in 1999, she passed away on congestive heart failure in the spring of 2000, just a few months before LaBrandon made his LSU debut.

OLE MISS REBELS

LANIER GOETHIE LB * 6-0 * 223 * Senior Baxley, Ga. (Appling County) One of four permanent team captains for 2002 ... Received the Chucky Mullins Courage Award and will wear the late Mullins' No. 38 during the 2002 season ... Returning starter who did not go through spring drills due to surgery to his left foot ... Logged 85 tackles in 2001 and has 156 career stops ... Had career high 16 tackles against Kentucky last season.

ELI MANNING QB * 6-4 * 215 * Junior New Orleans, La. (Isadore Newman HS) Has been nominated for the AFCA Good Works Team ... Eli is president of the University of Mississippi Chapter of "Best Buddies Program," a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment ... Started 11 games last season, completing 259 of 408 passes for 2,948 yards with 31 TDs and nine interceptions ... Set or tied 17 school records last season ... Brother, Peyton, played at Tennessee and is the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts ... Father, Archie, is considered one of the greatest players in Ole Miss football history ... Brother, Cooper, was a freshman member of the Ole Miss team in 1992, but an injury ended his playing career ... Member of SEC Academic Honor Roll for two years.

MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS

KEVIN FANT QB * 6-2 * 212 * Junior Moss Point, MS (HS) Played in nine games last season, starting three ... Completed 94 of 170 passes for 1,352 yards with 8 TDs in 2001 ... While in high school, he volunteered serving with a group that performed a "trucker's ministry" ... Was an honor roll student from the first through the 12th grade and is majoring in industrial technology at MSU ... Worked with a high school group HOSTS (Helping One Student To Succeed) ... Enjoys hunting.

MARIO HAGGAN LB * 6-3 * 253 * Senior Clarksdale, Miss. (HS) Has led the team in tackles last two seasons ... Two seasons ago, led SEC in tackles with 132 and last season, had 95 stops ... Aspires to be a sports announcer when his playing career is completed and interned this summer in the university's television center ... His inspiration to be a success both on the field and off it comes from a brother who is in jail ... His mother's house in Clarksdale burned a year ago, losing many household items.

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS

RASHAD FAISON DB * 5-9 * 200 * Senior Wauchula, Fla. (Hardee County) Second-team All-SEC by AP last season ... Led squad with 99 total tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss ... Also had an interception and six pass deflections ... Had three double figure tackle games including 13 against Clemson and 10 against Kentucky ... Has 250 career tackles and 27.5 career tackles for loss.

ANDREW PINNOCK RB * 5-11 * 250 * Senior Bloomfield, Conn. (HS) Tallied 10 touchdowns last season to lead the Gamecocks ... Team's second leading ground gainer in 2001 with 573 yards on 103 carries ... Rushed for 97 yards on 12 carries against Miss. State ... Also had 105 rushing yards against Vanderbilt ... Has 20 career TDs and 1,240 career yards.

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS

CASEY CLAUSEN QB * 6-4 * 215 * Junior Northridge, Calif. (Alemany) 2002 Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl Most Valuable Player, 2000 The Sporting News Freshman All-America (3rd), 2000 Freshman All-SEC, 2000 The Sporting News All-SEC (2nd) ... Threw for 2,969 yards in 2001 for the third-best passing season in UT history ... Already second in school history with 37 career TD passes and fifth with 4,442 career passing yards ... Finished 2001 second in the SEC and 11th nationally in pass efficiency (150.0) ... Threw for career high 393 yards in Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl win over Michigan ... Equaled personal best with five TDs vs. Memphis ... SEC Offensive Player of Week after 21-of-28 outing, 293 yards and two TDs at Alabama ... Started last 20 games, compiling 17-3 record ... Has six fourth-quarter comebacks, including triumphs in 2001 vs. Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky and Florida ... Career Totals: 548 attempts, 348 completions, 63.5 pct., 15 interceptions, 4,442 yards, 37 TD, long-80.

EDDIE MOORE LB * 6-0 * 210 * Senior South Pittsburg, Tenn. (HS) Stepped up during 2001 as a key performer in the Vols' linebacking corps ... Fought through a shoulder injury from preseason two-a-day practices to finish as the 2001 team's leading tackler ... Had 81 total tackles to lead Tennessee, with 58 unassisted stops ... Following the season, had open posterior left shouder reconstruction Jan. 3 and will not participate in any spring practice contact drills ... Expected to make a full recovery by fall ... Best game of 2001 featured career-high 13 tackles against Kentucky that included the game-saving caused fumble in the final minute ... Also sparkled in win over South Carolina, with seven tackles and a caused and recovered fumble ... Career Totals: 118 hits (83 tackles, 35 assists), 3 quarterback sacks, 8 TFL, 7 PBU.

VANDERBILT COMMODORES

RUSHEN JONES CB * 6-1 * 198 * Senior Memphis, Tenn. (Whitehaven) Elected one of three 2002 co-captains, Jones returns to action as the defensive secondary leader. Physically and mentally tough, Jones is the Commodores' top cover cornerback and most reliable open-field tackler. Sustained dislocated wrist in practice last season, causing Jones to miss six games ... Registered 22 tackles in five games ... He expects to graduate this December with a degree in Human and Organizational Development ... Known as "RJ 3000" to teammates ... Enjoys weightlifting ... Played the tenor saxophone as a youngster and is an avid listener of jazz music ... Also paints sketches.

DAN STRICKER WR * 6-3 * 200 * Senior Cincinnati, Ohio (Elder) An All-American candidate, Stricker is the Commodores' top returning offensive weapon and one of its all-time leading receivers ... Second Team All-SEC WR by the Coaches and Associated Press ... Started every game last season and Posted career highs in catches (65), yards (1,079 yards, 16.6 avg.) and TDs (8) ... Fastball clocked at 92 mph as a high school baseball pitcher ... Played on Connie MackWorld Series champion ... An inductee into the Price Hill (Ohio) Baseball Hall of Fame for prep exploits ... He is scheduled to complete a degree in economics from the School of Arts and Science in December ... Loves to hunt and fish, bagged Tennessee's eighth biggest turkey in 2001 season ... Avid gun collector ... Visits with patients in Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and has tutored students at schools near campus.