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Now that you've seen some SEC West notes delivered by the SEC office, here are some SEC East notes for your viewing pleasure:
FLORIDA
FLORIDA
Florida returns 10 starters on defense where the Gators ranked eighth nationally in total defense (299.5 yards per game) in 2011. The Gators ranked second in the nation in third-down defense in 2011, holding opponents to 48-for-176 (.273).- Florida returns 14 of its top 15 tacklers for the 2012 season, including leading tackler senior linebacker Jon Bostic, who tallied 94 total tackles, 10 tackles for a loss and three sacks. Also returning for the Gators are their second and third leading tacklers, junior safety Matt Elam who recorded 78 tackles, a team-leading 11 tackles for a loss and a team-high-tying two interceptions, and junior linebacker Jelani Jenkins who totaled 75 tackles and a team-best six pass break-ups.
Last year Josh McNeil was just a basketball player. Now, he's officially one of the top football prospects in the nation as evident by his selection to the Under Armour All-America Game on Tuesday.
“It's a dream come true,” said the tight end from Durham (N.C.) Hillside. “I'm the first person from my high school to be selected to the Under Armour All-America Game.”
McNeil decided to try his hand at football last summer when he realized scholarship offers weren't coming his way in basketball. Good move, considering he now has offers from many of the nation's top programs. McNeil will cut his list of schools down to seven on Friday and in a bit of a preview said that Florida, Georgia and Alabama will definitely be on the list.
“It's a dream come true,” said the tight end from Durham (N.C.) Hillside. “I'm the first person from my high school to be selected to the Under Armour All-America Game.”
McNeil decided to try his hand at football last summer when he realized scholarship offers weren't coming his way in basketball. Good move, considering he now has offers from many of the nation's top programs. McNeil will cut his list of schools down to seven on Friday and in a bit of a preview said that Florida, Georgia and Alabama will definitely be on the list.
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DN Roundtable: Best opponent this fall? 
May, 9, 2012
5/09/12
12:55
PM ET
By DawgNation Staff | ESPN.com
This week’s DawgNation Roundtable discussion centers on the outstanding players in the SEC who stand between the Bulldogs and another division title. We recently mentioned some of the skilled Georgia players we are going to keep an eye on, so it is only fair to ask: “Which opposing player are you most excited to see this fall?”
David Ching: I will be most intrigued to see James Franklin and the Missouri offense this fall, largely because it will be the first opportunity to gauge whether the Tigers can actually compete in the SEC.
Georgia visits Missouri on Sept. 8 in the former Big 12 program’s first game as an SEC competitor. Many observers have circled the matchup as a potential trap game for the Bulldogs, who will likely enter the season with a top-10 ranking. Franklin and the high-powered offense are the reason the Tigers might have a shot to pull off the upset.
David Ching: I will be most intrigued to see James Franklin and the Missouri offense this fall, largely because it will be the first opportunity to gauge whether the Tigers can actually compete in the SEC.
Georgia visits Missouri on Sept. 8 in the former Big 12 program’s first game as an SEC competitor. Many observers have circled the matchup as a potential trap game for the Bulldogs, who will likely enter the season with a top-10 ranking. Franklin and the high-powered offense are the reason the Tigers might have a shot to pull off the upset.
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DL Antonio Riles close to figuring it all out
May, 9, 2012
5/09/12
11:46
AM ET
By
Kipp Adams | ESPN.com
The arrival of Antonio Riles (Lawrenceville, Ga./Archer) to the Nike Football Training Camp in Charlotte, N.C., served as a suitable microcosm as to where he stands in his recruitment. The 6-foot-4, 274-pound defensive lineman got out of a bright red and black truck with a Florida Gators license plate on the front. He was wearing a Clemson baseball cap and a Georgia Bulldogs hoodie.
Needless to say, he has yet to make a decision regarding the college he will attend next year. But Riles is making progress, as two programs have maintained the top spots on his list for the past few weeks.
“I am just evaluating everyone, schools like California are close to offering and others like Michigan State just offered,” Riles said. “Right now, my No. 1 schools are Florida and Georgia.”
Needless to say, he has yet to make a decision regarding the college he will attend next year. But Riles is making progress, as two programs have maintained the top spots on his list for the past few weeks.
“I am just evaluating everyone, schools like California are close to offering and others like Michigan State just offered,” Riles said. “Right now, my No. 1 schools are Florida and Georgia.”
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MACON, Ga. -- Mark Richt remembers well -- as well as he can, given the circumstances -- the time Notre Dame safety Joey Browner knocked him cold as a true freshman Miami quarterback in 1978.
“He came on a safety blitz and I didn’t really know what I was supposed to do and I just kind of dropped back and got drilled,” Richt recalled of the play that came in the Hurricanes’ 20-0 loss in South Bend. “I saw stars and I was out.”
To this day, Richt does not know if he suffered a concussion on the play since head trauma was not treated as seriously 30 years ago as it is today.
“He came on a safety blitz and I didn’t really know what I was supposed to do and I just kind of dropped back and got drilled,” Richt recalled of the play that came in the Hurricanes’ 20-0 loss in South Bend. “I saw stars and I was out.”
To this day, Richt does not know if he suffered a concussion on the play since head trauma was not treated as seriously 30 years ago as it is today.
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SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio – As the offers continue to pile up for four-star defensive tackle Donovan Munger (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights), he is reluctant to start cutting teams from his list. The plan is to have a top five in the coming months, though.
Munger has already made a handful of visits, but he will take his recruitment into his senior season so he can take official visits.
“I want to take [official visits] as soon as possible [to] my top five,” Munger said, “so that’s why I want to narrow them down in the summer so I know where I want to go.”
Munger has already made a handful of visits, but he will take his recruitment into his senior season so he can take official visits.
“I want to take [official visits] as soon as possible [to] my top five,” Munger said, “so that’s why I want to narrow them down in the summer so I know where I want to go.”
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Georgia Tech was the first program to offer Brandon Kublanow (Alpharetta, Ga./Walton) back in September, and another offer has arrived for the 6-3, 290-pound offensive lineman seemingly every two weeks since.
“The process has been pretty crazy for me,” Kublanow said. “It was kind of slow at first, and then right after our season ended things took off and now I am still getting offers by the day.”
Kublanow said this spring that his head coach had informed some prospective schools that they need not bother offering, as the dominating blocker was satisfied with the 16 options he already had.
“The process has been pretty crazy for me,” Kublanow said. “It was kind of slow at first, and then right after our season ended things took off and now I am still getting offers by the day.”
Kublanow said this spring that his head coach had informed some prospective schools that they need not bother offering, as the dominating blocker was satisfied with the 16 options he already had.
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Don't read too much into Uriah LeMay's scheduled list of attendees when he announces his college decision.
The four-star receiver from Matthews (N.C.) Butler insists that announcing in mid-May so that his brother, Christian LeMay, can be close by does not mean he's committing to Georgia, where Christian will be a redshirt freshman quarterback this season.
The younger LeMay recently said Nebraska, Clemson, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, North Carolina, Louisville and Tennessee are in the mix.
Georgia is thought to have a solid chance, but LeMay isn't offering any hints, other than he said he had a very positive visit there last month.
The four-star receiver from Matthews (N.C.) Butler insists that announcing in mid-May so that his brother, Christian LeMay, can be close by does not mean he's committing to Georgia, where Christian will be a redshirt freshman quarterback this season.
The younger LeMay recently said Nebraska, Clemson, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, North Carolina, Louisville and Tennessee are in the mix.
Georgia is thought to have a solid chance, but LeMay isn't offering any hints, other than he said he had a very positive visit there last month.
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DawgNation’s Radi Nabulsi was on ESPN’s Athens affiliate 960 The Ref this morning to talk about Georgia recruiting, golf and baseball. Some of the questions answered:
- What does Robert Nkemdiche’s postponed announcement mean for Georgia?
- Who are some of the next targets for the Bulldogs?
- Which Georgia recruits were recently invited to The Opening?
- Who should fans look for at the state track championships this week?
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- While defensive end Carl Lawson (Alpharetta, Ga./Milton) left little doubt Sunday at the Nike Football Training Camp that he was among the elite prospects in the country, he was not the only participant to have an outstanding performance. Throughout the day, linebacker Larenz Bryant (Charlotte, N.C./Vance) led his group from drill to drill, dominated the 1-on-1’s, and showcased the athleticism needed to excel at the next level en route to earning linebacker MVP honors and a trip to The Opening, a four-day competition at Nike Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.
College coaches are well aware of the 6-foot-2, 210-pound prospect, as 21 schools have offered Bryant so far. After last weekend's competition, Bryant said five schools stood out for him because of location, defensive coaching staff, and having a solid program in the his desired major, communications.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
David Ching
David Ching came to ESPN.com in 2011 after six years covering UGA for the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer and Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald. He lives in Athens. Email him at davidchingespn@gmail.com.
Radi Nabulsi
Radi Nabulsi joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering the University of Georgia for Rivals.com for four years and for the UGA Athletic Association since 1993. Nabulsi is a graduate of the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and lives in Athens. He can be reached at radinabulsiespn@gmail.com.
Kipp Adams
Kipp Adams joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering University of Georgia football and basketball recruiting for five years at Rivals.com. He lives in Sandy Springs, Ga., and enjoys spending time with his two sons. He can be reached at kippadamsespn@gmail.com.