07/22 at 08:38 PM

HOOVER — It’s not exactly “first to worst.“

But it’s pretty close.

Auburn was picked to finish fifth in the SEC West in the media preseason predictions released Friday, behind Alabama – the overwhelming favorite to win the league – LSU, Arkansas and Mississippi State.

The only team below the Tigers in the West is Ole Miss, which got two votes to both win the West and the conference.

Auburn, which was picked third in the West before its championship season last year, and Vanderbilt were the only two teams in the conference not to receive a first-place vote.
Auburn placed eight players on the three All-SEC teams.

Senior tackle Brandon Mosley was named to the first team after starting 11 games on the Tigers’ record-setting line last year.

Junior tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen, sophomore running back Mike Dyer, sophomore defensive end Nosa Eguae, senior safety Neiko Thorpe and junior running back Onterio McCalebb —as a return specialist—made the second team.

Junior wide receiver Emory Blake and junior cornerback T’Sharvan Bell made the third team.

Alabama placed the most players on the All-SEC teams, with 16, followed by Arkansas (14), South Carolina (10) and Georgia (9). The Crimson Tide also paced the conference with nine first-team selections.

South Carolina wideout Alshon Jeffery (152) got the most votes overall from the 167 participating media members, followed by Alabama offensive lineman Barrett Jones (148).

Alabama got 98 votes to win the SEC, LSU had 29, Arkansas 18, South Carolina, which was picked to win the East, 14, Georgia four, and Florida and Ole Miss each garnered two.
Conspicuous no-show
Wide receiver Russell Shepard was originally scheduled to be one of LSU’s three player representatives, but was scratched Friday in favor of offensive lineman T-Bob Hebert.

TigerSportsDigest.com reported Shepard is dealing with a compliance issue dealing with his off-campus housing, but Tigers coach Les Miles said he didn’t “know exactly the specifics of the matter.”

“There were some things he had to handle in his personal life that needed an immediate resolution,” Miles said. “That’s why he’s not with us.”

Miles also said he is “kind of prohibited to comment” on his relationship with scout Willie Lyles, which is the subject of an ongoing NCAA investigation.
Who’s state is it anyway?
Ole Miss coaches and players aren’t exactly enthused over rival Mississippi State’s new promotional campaign.

Namely, the billboards with coach Dan Mullen and the words “This is our state.”

“Everybody in Oxford thinks it’s funny,” Rebels running back Brandon Bolden said. “If it’s your state, why isn’t the capital there? Why does everybody go to Ole Miss?”

Defensive end Kentrell Lockett – after a pause, smile and chin rub –called the billboards “interesting.”

Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt wasn’t quite so democratic.

“You checked recruiting this past season, right? It didn’t affect us,” Nutt said. “We had the best recruiting in the state of Mississippi.

“To waste your time on energy, using just valuable energy on something like that is a waste of time.”
Objection!
Vanderbilt senior linebacker Chris Marve is probably the only second-team All-SEC selection that can tell you what a “tort” is.

Marve has been interning at a Nashville law firm this summer and aspires to be a civil litigator.

He said he’s learned a lot about how many different ways a law can be interpreted. And how much paperwork’s involved.

“They kill a lot of trees,” Marve said with a smile.

Quarterback Larry Smith, a Prattville native, said Marve is an “excellent debater,” which should serve him well in a courtroom.

And Smith knows who to call should he ever run afoul of the law.

“I know Marve will have my back for me,” Smith said.
Just a game
Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower doesn’t have to be reminded of just how big the Iron Bowl is.

He sees a continuous loop of video from last year’s in-state showdown – Auburn’s 28-27, come-from-behind win – every time he goes into the weight room at the athletic complex.

“That game last year, it’s still got me shocked,” Hightower said.

But even he thinks some people – namely, some fans – take things too far.

“Sometimes it’s like, ‘This is because of a football game?’” Hightower said. “‘Y’all are really gonna do this?

“But at the same time, I love it. We have great fans, they have good fans. Whenever they come together, you never really know what’s going to happen.”