By JOHN ADAMS
Scripps Howard News Service
August 11, 2008

- Combine returning starters with last season's record, then gauge the schedule's degree of difficulty and you have the basic information for projecting a college football team's success or failure in the upcoming season.

To a lesser extent, you might want to factor in a recruiting class, which can provide depth or fill a void that returning players can't.

That covers just about everything -- except the comeback kids. I'm referring to players who missed last season. They might have had to sit out because of a transfer, or they might have been injured.

In the Southeastern Conference, the comeback kids could be significant. And no should be more aware of that than Tennessee.

Demetrice Morley, who wasn't academically eligible last season, will start at free safety. He and All-American candidate Eric Berry are being touted as one of UT's all-time best safety tandems.

Gerald Williams, who originally signed with the Vols in 2005, could provide depth at defensive end or linebacker after finally completing his circuitous journey to UT. If he wins an appeal to the NCAA and SEC, tight end Brandon Warren, a transfer from Florida State, could give the Vols a playmaker at tight end after sitting out last season.

SEC rivals Florida and Georgia also should get a boost from comeback kids.

Florida offensive tackle Phil Trautwein, who missed last season with a stress fracture in his foot, made first-team preseason All-SEC. Running back Emmanuel Moody, who sat out last season after transferring from Southern Cal, could lead the Gators in rushing.

Georgia will benefit from a returning linebacker. Akeem Hebron, a consensus first-team All-American in high school, enrolled at Georgia in 2006, then played last season at Georgia Military College. Ole Miss would be in dire straits offensively if not for Texas transfer Jevan Snead, who will start at quarterback.

Snead heads up my All-SEC newcomer team, which is composed of true or redshirt freshmen, junior college transfers or returning players who missed last season.

OFFENSE

-- QB Jevan Snead, Ole Miss: He completed 20 of 26 passes for 269 yards in Ole Miss' spring game.

-- RB Emmanuel Moody, Florida: He started four games as a true freshman at Southern Cal in 2006. He was slow to pick up Florida's offensive system after transferring, but finally hit his stride in the spring game.

-- RB Caleb King, Georgia: After redshirting last year, he should get plenty of carries as Knowshon Moreno's backup.

-- WR Julio Jones, Alabama: A consensus high school All-American, the 6-4 freshman has the playmaking ability Alabama lacks.

-- WR A.J. Green, Georgia: Another big true freshman who joins a team that could use more firepower at the position.

-- TE Brandon Warren, Tennessee: After making freshman All-American two seasons ago at Florida State, he could give UT its biggest threat at the position since Jason Witten.

-- OL Phillip Trautwein, Florida: Before missing last year, he had started 14 games at tackle, making second-team All-SEC in 2006.

-- OL Ben Jones, Georgia: Rated as one of the top centers in the nation, he enrolled in Georgia in the spring and began competing for a starting position.

-- OL Tyler Love, Alabama: The 6-7, 290-pound five-star recruit could start on a veteran offensive line that has a vacancy at one tackle spot.

-- OL Justin Anderson, Georgia: Redshirted last season, he ended spring drills as the backup right tackle on a deep offensive line.

-- OL James Wilson, Florida: The former high school All-American had an exceptional spring after almost transferring.

DEFENSE

-- DL: Omar Hunter, Florida: Urban Meyer has been raving about the freshman Hunter, who has the size, strength and gung-ho attitude that the UF coach loves.

-- DL Matt Patchan, Florida: A high school All-American in the offensive line, he enrolled at Florida in January and switched to defense. Like Hunter, he could start.

-- DL Raven Gray, Auburn: When Auburn moved Sen'Derrick Marks from DE to tackle, it created a starting opportunity for Gray, a juco transfer.

-- DL/LB: Gerald Williams, Tennessee: He could bolster the pass rush at end or linebacker.

-- LB Jerrell Harris, Alabama: One of the top players in Alabama's No. 1-ranked recruiting class, he could help at linebacker, where the Tide is dangerously thin.

-- LB Patrick Trahan, Ole Miss: A juco transfer, he originally signed with Auburn, but should be good enough to start for the Rebels.

-- LB Akeem Hebron, Georgia: He strengthens an already-deep linebacking corps.

-- S Demetrice Morley, Tennessee: Fast and athletic, he could play cornerback if needed.

-- S Will Hill, Florida: Big and fast, he will vie for a starting safety job.

-- CB Akeem Auguste, South Carolina: The true freshman should provide depth at cornerback in one of the SEC's best secondaries.

-- CB Patrick Johnson, LSU: One of the nation's best high school defensive backs, Johnson could start on a defense that lost both corners.

(Contact John Adams at adamsj@knoxnews.com.)