1. South Carolina’s Bruce Ellington says he will again play both football and basketball next season for the third straight year.  Ellington is South Carolina’s leading returning receiver.

2. Martavius Newby was a freshman guard on the Ole Miss basketball team – he’s now working out with the football team as a linebacker.

3. Injuries along the offensive line have Ole Miss running out of bodies. Depth will increase this fall.

4. Tennessee offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James on the group’s potential: “I feel like we definitely have the talent and capability to have the best offensive line, really, in the country.”

5. Vanderbilt lost only one starter on its offensive line. Coach James Franklin’s like the group’s depth.

6. Kentucky’s Alvin “Bud” Dupree started at linebacker all 12 games last year but he’s moving to defensive end for new defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot: ”I had recruited Bud when I was at Florida State,”

7. Florida defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin on new defensive line coach Brad Lawing - who came to the Gators from South Carolina: “He brings a wealth of knowledge of the position, a wealth of knowledge and experience. He’s a great staff guy, a great guy to work with.

8. LSU coach Les Miles on Thursday’s scrimmage: ”The offense is much improved. It’s just that they’re shooting themselves in the foot. ”

9. Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix on competition in the Alabama secondary: “When there’s someone trying to outplay you, it helps you go even better, even harder, even faster, when you have someone as good as you next to you.”

10. Auburn Robenson Therezie thinks he’s faster than former Tigers running back Onterio McCalebb. ”We never did (race) but I believe I could beat him probably by a foot.” The defensive back could see some time on offense. Update: Robenson should check with his coaches next time - Right now, he’s 100 percent defense.”

11. 17 Auburn players gained weight in the offseason – 12 of them are a little lighter. What’s Auburn’s first unit on defense looked like today.

12. Georgia coach Mark Richt says running back Todd Gurley looks trimmer but he’s actually gained six pounds. ”I feel like the best I’ve felt in a while.”

13. 22 wins later, assessing Georgia’s “Dream Team” class of 2011.  “The Dream Teamt has done what it came here to do.”

14. Arkansas defensive coordinator Chris Ash: “We’ve got some very talented players. We’ve got some deficiencies at some spots, too.”

15. Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin on Nate Askew’s adjustment from wide receiver to linebacker:“The great thing about it has been his attitude.”

16. The price of fame for Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel – even a trip to the grocery store is no longer simple.  “Twenty pictures later it was 11 at night.”

NFL Prospects

17. Is Mississippi State defensive back Johnthan Banks slipping in mock drafts?

18. Former Alabama running back Eddie Lacy will run for pro teams on April 11th in Tuscaloosa.

SEC Basketball

19. It’s Florida vs. Florida Gulf Coast tonight.  That enormous scoreboard at Cowboys Stadium?  It’s longer than the court.

20. Key player to watch?  Keep your eye on FGCU point guard Brett Comer.

21. Florida stayed in Texas after winning in Austin last weekend.  FGCU flew back to Fort Myers from Philadelphia. FGCU coach Andy Enfield: “It took us a day and a half to recover mentally and physically.”

22. Kevin Scarbinsky on how to reinvigorate college basketball in the state of Alabama. Could  the Auburn-Alabama game be played the night before the Iron Bowl?

23. With BJ Young moving on to the NBA, Arkansas has an available scholarship to fill.

24. Ex-Kentucky and now ex-Minnesota coach Tubby Smith could be headed to Texas Tech.

25. As Smith demonstrates, making the NCAA Tournament is sometimes not good enough for a coach.

Extra

26. Oops. Southeastern Lousiana says 137 ineligible athletes competed for the school between 2005 and 2010.

1.  CBSSports.com’s Dennis Dodd believes a Facebook campaign to create an Auburn-Alabama preseason scrimmage for charity is a good idea.

2.  Ex-Michigan coach Lloyd Carr says the NCAA has got to improve its investigative powers.

3.  When it comes to Auburn booster Bobby Lowder, this writer believes “no one man should have that much power.”  (And we still say Lowder isn’t about to disappear from the scene entirely.)

4.  Onterio McCalebb is the sixth AU footballer to be arrested since February… the previous five were all dismissed.

5.  Sports Illustrated’s reporters discuss their cover story on the Tuscaloosa tornadoes here.

“Punt, Bama, Punt.”

It’s one of the most famous cries in SEC football history.  If you’ve heard those words — or seen an old bumper sticker featuring those words as you drove through Alabama — you might not know the full history of the game and the saying.

Well the SEC has posted an excellent history of that 1972 Iron Bowl game on its website today.  In honor of today’s Auburn-Alabama clash, we suggest you check it out.

Bama fans, we’ll understand if you choose not to accept this invitation.