There’s no need to waste much time at the bottom of the SEC West.

Ole Miss – without Dexter McCluster and John Jerry, just to name a few stars from the disappointing 2009 team – is going to be a wafer-thin outfit in 2010.

Last season gave the Rebels their big chance to bust through the threshold and win their first-ever SEC West crown, but that window came and went. Coach Houston Nutt will have his hands full this season.

The same is true for Mississippi State and coach Dan Mullen.

The Bulldogs will work and scrap and exert, but they lack top-shelf offensive talent at every position.

They’re fighting uphill in a division that – as you will soon find read – is loaded with skill-position studs. The situation is still stark in Starkville, and the Bulldogs will remain confined to the bottom tier of this six-team collection.

There’s considerable cause for concern at LSU, a program that expects to compete for national championships. Just 10 starters return overall, and only four on the defense that powered the team in 2009.

The defense does return its leading tackler, linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, plus All-America candidate Patrick Peterson at cornerback.

The Tigers will need both players to play at an extremely high level to compensate for the loss of three defensive linemen. Head coach Les Miles and defensive coordinator John Chavis have to be concerned with so much turnover on a defense they relied on so heavily last year.

The offense returns six starters, including Jordan Jefferson at quarterback. Talented dual threat Russell Shepard will be a full-time wide receiver in 2010 after being used as a change-of-pace running quarterback as a freshman.

However, the jury is still out (very much so) on Jefferson’s ability to be a mature every-down player for the Bayou Bengals.

As good the Auburn offense was in 2009, it may be even better in 2010 as seven starters return.

Four offensive linemen, including preseason All-America left tackle candidate Lee Ziemba, return along with the top four leading receivers. Ontario McCaleb returns to run the ball after backing up the newly-departed Ben Tate.

He’ll he joined by super recruit Michael Dyer on a very talented offense. The biggest offseason acquisition was quarterback Cameron Newton.

The former Florida signee joined the Tigers from junior college in January and was able to participate in spring practice.

He is the perfect strong-armed and mobile weapon in an offense led by coordinator Gus Malzahn.

The defense also returns virtually intact. All five leading tacklers return for head coach Gene Chizik, led by senior linebacker Josh Bynes.

The secondary returns three of four starters which should ease the pressure on the pass rush while new starters are developed along the defensive front. There’s talent on board, and several highly rated freshman could also see time in coordinator Ted Roof’s attacking defense.

All in all, if Auburn’s offense can max out, this team could go a long way and maybe steal the West.

The same can be said for Arkansas, which will – like Auburn – lean on point production and not defense to win games.

Ten of 11 starters return on the offense including heralded quarterback Ryan Mallett, four of the top five rushers, and all four for the top receiving targets. Several preseason publications have listed the Arkansas receiving corps of Jarius Wright, Greg Childs, and Joe Adams as one of the top groups in the nation.

With Petrino’s playcalling, Mallett’s remarkably strong arm, the skill position weapons, and four of five offensive linemen returning, the Razorbacks will be a matchup nightmare for every opponent.

If experience brings improvement, an Arkansas defense that gave up so many yards and points in 2009 will only get better in 2010.

Seven starters return, including a very talented secondary. While they took their lumps last season, corners Rudell Crim and Ramon Broadway should enable their experience to benefit Petrino and the rest of the UA coaching staff.

Alabama, though coached by a defensive guru in Nick Saban, will also put its best foot forward on the offensive side of the ball.

The incredibly talented running back duo of Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson returns, along with quarterback Greg McElroy, dangerous wide receivers Julio Jones and Darius Hanks, and three starters along the offensive line. Look for the Tide to maintain the physical, ball-control style that relies heavily on the running game and play action passing.

The Tide return just two starters from the nation’s best defense, but the talent is still there; it just needs to be developed. Alabama is one of the few programs that truly reloads, and while they aren’t as powerful as the 2009 edition was, the 2010 Tide will still be worth taking seriously on defense.

Back from injury is physical specimen Dont’a Hightower at linebacker, a huge plus for Saban and the rest of the Bama staff.