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Last week, we told you about the top five players in the SEC who are set to have breakout seasons in 2013.

While several of those players are in prime positions to step up to the big-boy table, there are youngsters on every team that are being counted on to be big-time players in 2013.

Which players from the class of 2012 need to have breakout seasons in 2013 for their respective teams? Our top player from each SEC program is in this slide show.

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Despite the transformation to the spread, the rushing attack is still as vital to the offense as it has always been at Ohio State. Urban Meyer's spread-option attack relies heavily on the run game, and with a dual-threat QB like Braxton Miller, it's the offense's "bread and butter."

Earlier in the season, Miller was asked to carry the ball an astronomical amount of times, and wasn't going to finish the season at that pace. However, as the season continued, sophomore running back Carlos Hyde began to make great strides as a back. In the last seven games, Hyde rushed for 125-plus yards four times and compiled 970 yards rushing over the season despite missing two games.  

Now with news that Jordan Hall is being granted a medical redshirt for his injury-plagued 2012 season, the Buckeyes have some serious weapons in their backfield. 

Other Buckeyes like Rod Smith, Bri'onte Dunn, Jalin Marshall or Ezekiel Elliot could make an impact in the rushing game depending on who emerges in the offseason. If I was a betting man, I would expect Jalin Marshall or Ezekiel Elliot to be this team's fourth leading rusher in 2013, mostly due to the versatility and speed they offer. 

The Buckeye's third leading rusher will most likely be Jordan Hall. The fifth-year senior will also be included a great deal in the Buckeye's passing attack, which should limit his carries slightly. 

Meyer seems content with Hyde's power style and I fully expect him to be the team's second-leading rusher. The bruising back made great strides as the season continued and should easily reach the 1,000-yard mark in 2013. 

This of course leaves Braxton Miller as the Buckeyes' leading rusher for the third straight year. Hopefully the junior QB will have fewer carries in 2013, but even if he does, I still expect him to lead the team on the ground. He's the most gifted runner on the team and can spontaneously turn a two-yard gain into a 30-yard scamper at any given time. 

In order for the Buckeyes to run the table again in 2013, Miller will have to make some big runs and use his feet as much as possible in tight games. However, the more help Hyde, a healthy Hall and another factor on the ground can provide, the better. Meyer must preserve Miller and ensure he remains healthy all season long, and this can't be accomplished without optimal contributions from other weapons. 

Like I said, the Buckeye's "bread and butter" is still the ground game. It just turns out a lot better when all ingredients are used.

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Super Bowl week never lacks storylines, and this week is apparently no different.

Sports Illustrated issued a report on Tuesday morning detailing current Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis' use of deer antler spray when recovering from the torn triceps injury that kept him out of action for nearly three months prior to the Ravens' playoff run.

So what does that have to do with college football?

SI reports that several Alabama players, including defensive end Quinton Dial, linebacker Alex Watkins and linebacker Adrian Hubbard, met with Christopher Key of S.W.A.T.S. (Sports With Alternatives to Steroids) on the two nights prior to its 21-0 BCS National Championship Game win over LSU in January of 2012.

In that meeting, Key provided the players with holographic "chips," negatively-charged water and deer antler spray—the third of which contains IGF-1, a banned substance by the NCAA.

Sound familiar?

If it doesn't, it should.

The same company using the same products was the subject of an April 2011 report by Yahoo! Sports detailing the use of "chips" by Alabama players, Auburn players and athletes from around the country, including Lewis himself.

In the Yahoo! report, S.W.A.T.S. founder Mitch Ross texted then-Cleveland Browns assistant coach in 2008 telling him that the Crimson Tide were going to "triple-chip" against Georgia that night.

"Tonight Alabama is going to triple chip against Georgia," Ross texted. "And the chips are going to be the reason why."

They won 41-30 in a game in which they led 31-0 at the half.

Nothing happened then, and unless the players test positively for a banned substance, nothing will happen now.

Sure, some of the products may contain banned substances, and most of the products seem odd to the casual fan.

The excuse, "I didn't know it was a banned substance," is standard operating procedure when almost any athlete is caught using performance-enhancing drugs. Sometimes it is the truth, and sometimes it isn't. But the fact that it is appropriate at times is an indication of an ongoing issue in all of athletics.

Educating players on what's legal and what isn't needs to evolve as technology does the same, which might mean that the rulebook that the NCAA wants to pare down may not become as small as the NCAA wants.

Alabama isn't going to get into any trouble over this, but it's certainly something to keep an eye on. Above all else, don't meet random people touting steroid alternatives in hotel rooms.

Follow @BarrettSallee

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Ole Miss Head Coach Hugh Freeze is a natural born leader who is quickly gaining national attention.

Hired December 5, 2011 as the 37th head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels, Freeze is now entering his second season at Ole Miss. In just over a year, Freeze is already building a name for himself among his SEC and national coaching counterparts for his quality of work off and on the field.

Success off the Field

While Freeze is quickly building a perennial winner at Ole Miss, the root of his success stems from the kind of man he is away from the gridiron.  

Simply put, Hugh Freeze is a quality human being, not just a winning football coach.

In the world of college football—where too many coaches put winning above all else—the 43-year-old Rebel leader understands the importance of preparing his players for life after football. Sure every college football player wishes to play in the National Football League, but Freeze understands the majority of the young men he coaches on a daily basis need to develop life skills outside of football.

The quickest way to pick up on Freeze's ideals for living a quality life is to follow him on Twitter.

The inspirational head coach tweets almost on a daily basis about life in general, whether it's a motivational quote or quick proverb. Most people may wonder why Freeze takes the time out of his busy schedule to try and inspire his players and followers on Twitter. It's just in his genetic makeup.

Hugh Freeze is a passionate teacher and parent at heart.

Family is paramount to Freeze, as in his own family, his football team and the entire extended Ole Miss family (students, faculty, staff, fans and alumni).

During his introductory press conference as head coach at Ole Miss, Freeze proclaimed:

"Family will be a huge thing. I understand the Ole Miss people and the love you have for the University, each other and the love you have for family. I have that love.  This is a destination place for me. This is where I want to live and retire. This is home to me."

The Ole Miss and Oxford community is excited about what Freeze has brought to the Ole Miss program, and there is good reason to believe Freeze will remain a member of the Ole Miss family for a very long time.

Success on the Field

Prior to being named head coach at Ole Miss in 2011, Hugh Freeze had success in various positions at schools such as Arkansas State University, Lambuth University, San Jose State University and even at Ole Miss as an assistant coach.

In his initial season at Ole Miss, Freeze led the Rebels to their first bowl bid since 2009 and a 7-6 final record. That's impressive for a team and fan base that was reeling from 2-10 and 4-8 seasons respectively the two years prior.

Looking ahead to 2013, Ole Miss will look to improve upon last year's 7-6 record. As the Rebels try to work their way up the SEC ranks, year two of the Hugh Freeze era should produce an even more efficient fast break offense under QB Bo Wallace.

Having already pumped excitement back into a deflated fan base, Freeze has the Rebels becoming a national player on the recruiting trail. Currently sitting with the No. 12 recruiting class in 2013 per scout.com, Freeze's staff is still hot on the recruiting trail heading into National Signing Day on February 6. With a couple of more commitments from top recruits, which many expect the Rebels to sign, Freeze could haul in a Top 5 recruiting class in 2013.

The Ole Miss Rebels are here to stay with Freeze at the helm, and SEC foes now have another team to be on the lookout for, both on the field and on the recruiting trail. If Freeze can continue to sign talented recruiting classes that live up to their expectations on the field, Ole Miss should be armed with the talent necessary to compete for an SEC Championship within the next couple of years.

Don't expect less of Freeze, as he already has many things working in his favor at Ole Miss.

A closer look at Ole Miss Head Coach Hugh Freeze quickly reveals some of the reasons he is becoming one of the hot new coaches in college football, and he is just beginning his work in Oxford.

Follow me @SephTheRebel for Ole Miss news from an Ole Miss guy ...

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Members of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team may have put the program in hot water after a Sports Illustrated exposé on the company Sports with Alternatives to Steroids (S.W.A.T.S.) revealed that players took banned substances before their 2012 national championship victory.

As part of the article by Sports Illustrated's David Epstein and George Dohrmann, Tide players were revealed to have taken IGF-1, which is a banned growth hormone used for adding muscle mass. According to the report, it is also banned by the NCAA and every other major sports league:

IGF-1 is also a substance banned by the NCAA and by every major pro league. Alleging that the NFL warned players away from S.W.A.T.S.'s spray because it's a threat to "Big Pharma," [Christopher] Key boasted that S.W.A.T.S. is "the most controversial supplement company on Earth."

The Alabama players reportedly received the substance, based on harvested deer antlers, from Christopher Key, one of the two men who run S.W.A.T.S. The alternative drug company is run by Key and Mitch Ross, and the former reportedly met with the Tide players two nights before their 21-0 victory over the LSU Tigers.

Key also reportedly gave the players, which reportedly included defensive end Quinton Dial, "stickers, which [Key] calls chips" to place on three acupuncture points. These, according to Key, were meant to help give the players balance and energy through all four quarters. 

He also provided them with something called "negatively charged water," with the three products combining to create hormones throughout the body. 

It should be noted that the deer antler spray provided by Key that night only had small doses of IGF-1, and the deer byproduct has not been scientifically proven to work on humans. 

Nonetheless, S.W.A.T.S. has also found its way into the professional ranks. According to Epstein and Dohrmann, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis met with Ross to help heal a torn triceps that limited him to six regular season games in 2012. Lewis returned for the Ravens' playoff run, helping key his team to a Super Bowl XLVII appearance.

It ultimately remains unclear whether these products had any effect on Lewis or the Tide players, real or imagined. However, after Tuesday's report, look for there to be far more questions about S.W.A.T.S. in the coming weeks. 

Follow @tylerconway22

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The Michigan Wolverines have lost a big 2014 commitment from 3-star offensive tackle Denzel Ward.

Update: Kyle Meinke of mlive.com is reporting that Ward was dropped from Michigan's class. He has been hosting other head coaches per Meinke's report, and Michigan has a strict policy when it comes to commitments considering other programs. 

Ward is a 6'8'', 295-pound tackle recruit from Hales Franciscan High School in Chicago, Illinois. He may only be a 3-star recruit, but his size as just a junior gives him incredible potential. He has the size of a dominant left tackle, and he still has his whole senior year of football to work on technique and to get better.

Ward took to his Twitter account to announce the news:

Derek Tyson of ESPN.com then Tweeted that Florida could be the program to watch in regards to Ward's recruitment from here on out:

Michigan's 2014 class now just features one recruit: 4-star inside linebacker Michael Ferns. He is currently ranked as the No. 7 inside linebacker in the class of 2014, according to the 247Sports Composite.

This could be discouraging for Michigan, but right now the 2014 class is in no way a priority. With 2013's national signing day just days away (Feb. 6), Brady Hoke and his staff have to be concentrated on locking down their current class, and then once that's settled down they can start giving some more attention to 2014 recruits.

Ward is a big recruit, but when all is said and done Michigan will be just fine.

The Wolverines will finish with one of the better recruiting classes in the country for this cycle, and that will only help them on the recruiting trail for 2014. A lot of Michigan's future recruiting success will also hinge on what the team is able to do on the field in 2013. 

Expectations are certainly high, and a great year on the field could really propel Michigan to an elite level in regards to recruiting.

Dropping Ward is a notable early disappointment for Michigan, but there should be plenty of good news on the horizon.

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It's hard to believe that National Signing Day is now only about a week away. It seems only yesterday that we still had months to go before reaching it.

The recruiting process has slowed down mightily for Michigan over the past few months, but that's not a surprise when considering the hot start they got off to. In fact, it was about a year ago at this time when the 2013 recruits started committing at a historic rate.

With the class basically all but wrapped up, what will Michigan's top goals be on Signing Day?

All information found at thewolverine.com.

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Trey Johnson isn’t the most highly-touted recruit to commit to the Ohio State Buckeyes. He’s just the most important.

Urban Meyer has, per usual, assembled a stellar recruiting class down in Columbus. And Trey Johnson was the biggest commit of them all.

There are commits ranked above him but, in terms of importance, no one else compares. Urban Meyer needed Johnson.

Ohio State has a tradition of linebacking excellence. There have been guys like A.J. Hawk, James Laurinaitis and, most recently, Ryan Shazier locking down the position for the Buckeyes. Those are some pretty big names.

But that strength has the potential to become a major weakness, both this season and beyond it. Shazier is the only returning starter at the position, and the team desperately needs to find players who can give him some support

It’s not like the Buckeyes don’t have any options when it comes to filling the gaps at linebacker—they do. In fact, the Buckeyes have some really talented guys who could step up and fight for the spot.

The problem is that, to this point, none of those options have proven to be anything other than unreliable at best.

There’s a lot of names and a lot of potential. Curtis Grant, Josh Perry, Jamal Marcus, Camren Williams, David Perkins—they will all be competing for spots. But none of them are proven.

On the surface, Grant and Perry appear the most ready to step in and fill the void, but both have some big question marks.

Grant (ESPN’s No. 3 inside linebacker in 2011) is about as talented as they come at the position, but there are major concerns about his ability to adapt to the Buckeyes’ complex system. And while Perry got some burn last season, he’s still essentially completely untested.

Johnson is (obviously) as unproven as the rest of them, but he’s a superb athlete and gives Meyer what he needs most—insurance.

Even if Johnson doesn’t play this season, he’s the most highly-touted linebacker that the Buckeyes have landed in years—since Grant, in fact. Once Shazier graduates or heads to the pros, Meyer is going to need someone to build around defensively, and Johnson can be that guy.

Unless one of Ohio State’s reserves makes an astonishing leap forward, Johnson is the only recruit, or linebacker on the roster, that you would feel confident saying that about. By all accounts he’s the real deal, and he’ll give the Buckeyes defense some punch in the future.

He has a shot at seeing the field early, but even if he doesn’t, Trey Johnson is the Buckeyes' biggest recruiting get this season.

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The Auburn Tigers are in a hard transition point as the Gus Malzahn regime takes hold over the Plains. Auburn was on a roll recruiting under Gene Chizik, and Malzahn is hoping to continue that trend with the 2013 class. 

There was a drop off that occurred with the coaching change, but Malzahn has plenty of selling points to pull from to help get top talent back in the fold for the Tigers in the future. 

Right now, playing time will be abundantly available at specific positions, there is a Heisman-winning tradition and the Tigers have been national title winners within the past five years. Auburn is a place that can return to dominance with the right players and coaches. 

Here is a look at the tools this staff will use to bring elite talent to the Plains. 

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The South Carolina Gamecocks have one true priority for National Signing Day. 

They need linebacker help in the worst way. 

Given the idea that all committed players stick to their commitments, the Gamecocks look to be in pretty good shape with this class.  It isn't the greatest of all the Steve Spurrier South Carolina classes, but it will rank in the top 20. 

While I've already compiled a wish list of recruits that would really help bolster the program, there are two names that come to the top of the list and rank as the biggest priorities. 

Those names belong to 4-star linebackers Skai Moore and Yannick Ngakoue. 

Skai Moore is a 6'2" 210 pound wrecking ball at outside linebacker from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  He's a player with the type of frame SEC coaches drool over.  He's also got plenty of speed and range and could immediately contribute at linebacker for the Gamecocks. 

According to ESPN, he runs a 4.69 forty and some of his key traits are his ability to diagnose plays, his outside run support and his excellent tackling and coverage skills. 

This would be a huge grab for the Gamecocks. 

Yannick Ngakou would be an even bigger grab. 

At 6'3" and 240 pounds, Ngakou has elite size.  He's also athletic and is ranked as the fourth best linebacker in the country.  He could start for the Gamecocks in 2013. 

If these two players commit elsewhere, I'd consider the recruiting class of 2013 a minor disappointment.  If they become Gamecocks, this is another home-run class that meets many of the team's needs. 

These two are must-haves. 

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Another day equals another twist and turn in the saga known as Robert Nkemdiche's recruiting process.

Yesterday, a report came out via Kipp Adams of ESPN.com where Nkemdiche stated that he was setting up an official visit to LSU this weekend. Soon thereafter, a conflicting report surfaced that sourced Nkemdiche's father, Dr. Sunday Nkemdiche, who said that Robert would not take any more official visits.

Neal McCready of RebelGrove.com reports the bad news for LSU:

Nkemdiche said he did not expect his son to take any more official visits, adding that there would not be a trip to LSU this weekend. Nkemdiche said Robert's announcement plays are undecided, adding it will come "likely on signing day" Feb. 6.

If Nkemdiche does indeed not visit LSU, the Tigers can basically count themselves out of the running for his commitment.

Les Miles and the Tigers had a good pitch for the No. 1 overall recruit (early playing time, great football atmosphere, national relevance and competitiveness in the SEC), so this has to go down as a major recruiting loss. The Tigers may have been an outlier in the recruiting process, but they still had a chance. 

That's more than most elite programs were able to say in regards to Nkemdiche, and at the very least LSU was able to make it interesting.

Ole Miss is considered to be the popular leader and the Rebels appear to have a pretty good chance to land Nkemdiche's commitment considering his family ties to the program, and there's also no doubting the hype and anticipation surrounding Hugh Freeze's program this recruiting cycle.

The other program that is still in the running is Florida, who landed a surprise official visit from Nkedmcie on January 18, and the Gators have a lot to offer the elite recruit from a defensive standpoint.

LSU can't afford to not receive a visit, and while it looked like the Tigers may have had a chance yesterday, McCready's report basically renders LSU null and void.

It's worth noting that this was Nkemdiche's father who said there wont be a visit, but considering how up-and-down the No. 1 recruit's process has been, I wouldn't count out a change of heart just yet in regards to a visit to LSU. He's surprised us before, and he can do it again.

For now though, LSU looks to be out of this race.

With just few days left before national signing day, Miles and his staff don't have time to waste on the recruiting trail. Losing out on Nkemdiche is a notable recruiting loss, but the Tigers still have work to do.

The most notable recruit with high interest in the Tigers is junior college receiver Courtney Garner. He's 6'3'', 215 pounds and runs a 4.40 40-yard dash according to 247Sports, so he'd be a huge pickup for LSU. Thankfully for the Tigers, they are listed as the favorite according to his 247Sports interest list. 

Another top recruit that has LSU listed as his favorite (according to 247Sports) is 4-star tight end Josh McNeil. He's a former Alabama commitment and is ranked as the No. 10 overall tight end according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He would represent a major recruiting win for LSU, especially considering the fact that he used to be an Alabama recruit.

With literally days left before national signing day, all coach Miles and his staff can do is move on from Nkemdiche.

Unless something drastic happens (which is always a possibility, mind you), LSU looks to be on the outside looking in for his commitment. 

The Tigers would be setting themselves up very nicely on the offensive side of things though by landing either Garner or McNeil, and if LSU can get both—that should make up for losing out on Nkemdiche.

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National Signing Day is next Wednesday, February 6, and it is always full of the most crazy, bizarre and wildest memories of the recruiting year. We have witnessed some downright odd moments on NSD, and this year likely won't be any different.

So, how about we take a stroll down memory lane—National Signing Day style—and look at the craziest stunts pulled over the years. This read will have you laughing, scratching your head, shaking your head, reminiscing and even feeling a little miffed—all at once.

Crazy stunts and National Signing Day go together like piranhas and peanut butter...exactly.

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Many people throughout the college football world are giving Notre Dame a shot to return to the National Championship because of the defense. With eight starters returning from a unit that ranked seventh last year in total yards allowed, the Irish are in good position to win a lot of games in 2013.

Although, with spring ball ready to take place soon, two key players from that defense will miss all of the practices and the spring game that kicks off in the middle of April. According to Tony Krausz of the The Journal Gazette, those two guys will be cornerback Bennett Jackson and linebacker Dan Fox. (H/t College Football Talk)

Most would consider this terrible news, as you never want to see key players go down with an injury. Practices in the spring are extremely valuable and injuries just mean that both players will be behind once fall camp rolls around. You only have so many practices available during the offseason and every one of them counts big time when it comes to being in game shape for the regular season.

However, this isn't a torn ACL we are talking about here. It is shoulder surgery for both players, an injury that both should be well recovered from once fall camp arrives. Irish fans should also be fortunate that it happened to two players who already have experience under their belts and know the ropes. Jackson finished last season third on the team in tackles with 65 and Fox was right behind him with 63 on the year.

If anything, this may be a blessing in disguise. Behind Fox at the linebacker position is a battle between several guys that will be competing for playing time. The list includes Joe Schmidt, who saw limited playing time last year; Carlo Calabrese should be in on the action as a fifth-year player, as well as 2013 recruit Michael Deeb, who will enroll later in the year. This also gives us more time to watch Jarrett Grace, who is expected to replace Manti Te'o at middle linebacker.

There is no question Fox will remain the starter because he has been the most improved player from year to year for the Irish, but without him taking reps in the spring, it gives other guys a chance to make an impact. With the backup linebacker spot behind Fox in question, we may have this position filled by the time spring is over with. On the other hand, with Fox on the field, it could have been a question that lingered up to the opening week.

The secondary was an area for concern with the Irish last season due to injuries and inexperience. If this team could have afforded an injury to a member of the defensive backfield, it would have been to Jackson, who is entering his senior year. Much how the backup linebackers will gain valuable experience due to Fox going down, the corners will benefit with the injury to Jackson.

This is a chance for cornerback Jalen Brown to make an impression with the coaching staff. A solid recruit back in 2011, Brown had a disappointing season in his first year on the field. Playing in only seven games and finishing with three tackles, this gives Brown a chance to get reps with the starters and prove that he deserves increased playing time next season.

The secondary should be improved next year with KeiVarae Russell making an effortless transition from wide receiver to corner and Max Redfield likely filling in one of the vacant safety spots. However, the depth in the secondary remains an issue and should benefit with one of the surefire starters not around to steal a lot of the reps in the spring.

Spring practice is all about finding out what you have to work with and who some of the younger guys are who will be able to step up during the season. Everybody knows that Fox and Bennett are going to contribute on defense. The questions that remain are located in the depth department.

These aren't injuries that are going to cripple the Irish during the regular season. They may answer as many question as they have posed once spring arrives.

Follow @Randy_Chambers

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