HOOVER, Ala. (AP) -- If you want to get Casey Clausen fired up, bring up Tennessee's loss to LSU in the Southeastern Conference championship game last season.

"Do myself and my team still remember that game? Yes," the Volunteers quarterback said. "Our motto for this year is unfinished business. We've got something to prove.

"To get to that point and not get it done, just talking about it sets a spark in me."

The Volunteers are overwhelming favorites to win the league title this season, but the players are still seething over that 31-20 loss that ended their national championship hopes in Atlanta.

"A lot of guys that were in that lockerroom after the LSU game are coming back," Clausen said at SEC Media Days Thursday. "Hopefully we can learn from that and get better from it."

Coach Phillip Fulmer knows the fans are expecting them to respond with another league title -- at the least. Nevermind that the Vols have to replace their entire starting defensive line and tailback Travis Stephens, the league's leading rusher last year.

"We've got a lot of high expectations at our place. That doesn't change," Fulmer said.

There's a three-way battle among returnees to replace Stephens, including Cedric Houston, Troy Fleming and Corey Larkins.

Fulmer is hoping one of them will claim the job and carry on the Vols' workhorse tradition of the likes of Charlie Garner, Jamal Lewis and Stephens.

"I hope one of them will establish themselves as a future All-American like we've had," Fulmer said.

He said the summer has proven productive, with seniors finally accepting leadership roles in getting younger players -- particularly the receivers -- to attend voluntary workouts.

"That's been a challenge for us," Fulmer said. "Great teams have very strong senior leadership."

Watts May Be Looking Over His Shoulder
Finally, Tyler Watts can relax and get comfortable as Alabama's starting quarterback.

Or can he?

"Fall camp will answer that better than I can today," coach Dennis Franchione said. "I think it's real possible that Brodie (Croyle) may come in and have 29 great practices. If he does that, then he's going to give us a real thought process on how we're going to get him in there with Tyler.

"We have a bona fide leader in Tyler, but I think we have a real rising star in Brodie Croyle and Spencer Pennington."

Watts started nine games last season, rushing for 100-plus yards three times. A torn groin muscle against Southern Mississippi ended his year. He had battled the past few years with Andrew Zow for the job.

Watts has nothing but praise for Croyle, a former prep All-American who became the state's all-time passing leader at Westbrook Christian.

Watts' scouting report: "Tremendous athletic ability. An incredibly strong arm. He's really learning about football. When he first got here, he was kind of a gunslinger who just slung it around.

"He's really learned self-control. He's learned how to play smart. He's going to do great things for this university in times to come."

Watts certainly doesn't sound like a quarterback fretting over the competition.

"Tyler is going to play out of personal pride to do well more than looking over his shoulder at anybody coming and how they're doing," Franchione said.

College Football's 'Best-Kept Secret'?
Kentucky's Guy Morriss believes in accentuating the positive instead of negatives that include NCAA probation and last year's 2-9 record.

"If you're an outside observer, all you've heard about is the negative about Kentucky football," the second-year head coach said. "I think Kentucky football's in as good a shape as it's been in a long time.

"I think Kentucky's the best-kept secret in college football," he said.

He cited a new, football-oriented president and athletic director and good facilities in an interview session that resembled a recruiting pitch.

"I sense good things happening in Kentucky football," Morriss said. "I think it's a good time for a young man to come to Kentucky."

Receiver Derek Abney thinks a six-win season is realistic if the Wildcats can get an early confidence boost.

"It is a realistic goal in my mind, because of all the games we were close to winning last year," Abney said. "We have to get that first big, close win before we start rolling."

Morriss said he's not concerned about the weight of lineman-sized quarterback Jared Lorenzen, who has already passed the team's conditioning test.

"I'd like him at under 280. He's getting close to that," Morriss said. "I feel pretty good about his physical condition."

Lorenzen's favorite target isn't concerned either.

"Seventy five percent of my completions are when he's scrambling," Abney said. "Now, what's a 300-pounder doing scrambling? I don't know, but he gets it done."

Fant Brings Toughness to Bulldogs
Mississippi State is trying to recover from a 3-8 season that included a loss to Division I-A newcomer Troy State.

"Everybody learned from that experience," linebacker Mario Haggan said. "I think we're going to bounce back and have a good season."

The Bulldogs began to show life when Kevin Fant took over at quarterback, scoring more points (74) in their last two games than they did in their first six (67).

Sherrill was impressed by his quarterback's summer job.

"I don't know of many Division I quarterbacks that are starters that are driving tractors," Sherrill said. "That tells you what he's made of and the toughness he has."

Quotable
"I'm glad he's in Washington. I will not miss him." -- Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer on Steve Spurrier's departure for the NFL.