SEC notes: Auburn's defense can't plug leaks

“We’re spending every waking moment assessing everything with the defense,” coach Gene Chizik said Tuesday.

Clemson, which snapped Auburn’s 17-game winning streak Saturday, ran 92 plays — 29 more than Auburn — had 624 yards and converted 14 of its 18 third-down chances, including 10 in a row.

“Third down is the money down,” cornerback T’Sharvan Bell told McClatchy Newspapers. “If you can’t get off the field on third down, then you have to go another six or eight plays and then guys are tired and not running as hard, not playing as hard, not getting lined up. It just takes a toll on the whole defense.”

Auburn lost other defensive players from last year’s national championship team and also had to replace quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, a reason why the Tigers are converting only 35.3 percent on third downs, which contributes to the time their defense spends on the field.

If there is hope for the Tigers, it’s in the fact that 21 defensive players who have seen action this season are sophomores or younger.

In the meantime, the heat is on defensive coordinator Ted Roof and Chizik, who is a former defensive coordinator.

Burning question

Is there anything that Florida’s Chris Rainey can’t do?

Rainey has been one of the more unstoppable players in the country. He’s second in the SEC to South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore with an average of 187.7 all-purpose yards a game, and has already rushed for two touchdowns, caught two touchdown passes, returned a punt for a score and blocked two punts.

Rainey rushed for 114 yards, caught two passes for 104 yards, including an 83-yard scoring play, in which he ran for about 80 of those yards, and blocked a punt in the Gators’ victory over Tennessee on Saturday. He’s one of only two players in the country who lead their team in both rushing and receiving.

“He’s unbelievable. He’s a freak,” Florida’s Trey Burton told espn.com. “There’s things he does that not too many people around the world can do. It’s fun blocking for him. When he scores, we all score.”

In focus

South Carolina point guard Bruce Ellington is having a productive offseason away from the basketball court.

He joined the football team in the spring and has played in all three of the Gamecocks’ games as a receiver, kick returner and Wildcat quarterback.

Ellington, who led South Carolina’s basketball team with 12.8 points and was on the SEC’s all-freshman team, has rushed three times for 18 yards, caught one pass for seven and leads the team with a 21.9-yard average on seven kick returns.

South Carolina basketball coach Darrin Horn allowed Ellington to join the football, but is counting on having him back for basketball season.

‘’This is not a football-basketball thing,’’ Horn told The Associated Press. ‘’It’s a Bruce Ellington thing, and we’re going to support him.’’

Ellington’s presence on the football field adds another dimension to South Carolina’s rivalry with Clemson.

Bruce and cousin Andre Ellington, who is the Tigers’ leading rusher with 300 yards, were teammates at Berkeley High in Moncks Corner, S.C.

Etc.

Tennessee freshman linebacker A.J. Johnson (Gainesville) had seven tackles, forced a fumble and recovered one in a loss to Florida. ... The versatile T-Bob Hebert (Greater Atlanta Christian) is starting at right guard for LSU. He has 11 career starts at center, seven at right guard and three at left guard. ... Chris Boyd (Roswell) is Vanderbilt’s leading receiver with seven catches for 105 yards and three TDs, and Jonathan Krause (South Gwinnett) is second with six catches for 25 yards. ... Alabama freshman linebacker Xzavier Dickson (Griffin) has a tackle for a loss in two games. ... Defensive tackle DeWayne Cherrington (Central Gwinnett), who transferred from Holmes Community College to Mississippi State, has four tackles, including one for a loss.

Quotable

“I was talking to my dad on the bus ride back [after the loss to Clemson] and trying to forget how terrible it feels to lose. Losing hasn’t been in my vocabulary for 21 straight months. It’s hard to swallow.” — Auburn tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen (Lassiter) as told to al.com.

“We don’t like to focus on hardships or adversities that we’ve faced on the road. We’re more into the personality, the character, who we are and how we’ve played in whichever stadium that we decide to play in. The LSU personality will take hold wherever we play. There is a confidence and an enjoyment of a road venue that this team has now.” — LSU coach Les Miles on playing three of the first four games on the road.

By the numbers

5 Players from LaGrange on Kentucky’s roster. They are cornerback Randall Burden, safety Mychal Bailey, defensive tackle Tristian Johnson and kickers Joe Mansour and Pat Simmons.

10.9 Alabama running back Eddie Lacy’s average per carry. He has rushed for 304 yards on 28 attempts.

Schedule

Georgia at Mississippi, 12:21 p.m. (WPCH)

Arkansas at Alabama, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)

Florida at Kentucky, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Vanderbilt at South Carolina, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)

Florida Atlantic at Auburn, 7 p.m. (SPSO)

Louisiana Tech at Mississippi State, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)

LSU at West Virginia, 8 p.m. (ABC)