• Coach: Billy Donovan (49-41, fourth year; 84-61, sixth overall).

• Key player: Mike Miller, a 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (12.2 ppg). Preseason All-SEC first-teamer.

• Outlook: Donovan’s biggest chore might be finding enough minutes for a roster boasting four McDonald’s All-Americans. Kenyan Weaks, the Gators’ only senior, says freshman point guard Brett Nelson is just as flashy with his no-look passes as former Gator Jason Williams. The other marquee freshman is 6-8 forward Donnell Harvey. ‘‘I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘Hey, we’re not that good, we’ve got nine freshmen and sophomores and gee, I don’t know, we’re probably a year or two away from being where we need to be,’’’ Donovan said.

Kentucky

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Tennessee

• Coach: Jerry Green (41-18, third year; 263-195, 17th overall).

• Key player: Tony Harris, a 6-foot junior guard. The preseason All-SEC first-teamer is the Vols’ leading returning scorer (12.4 ppg).

• Outlook: The Volunteers return four starters from an SEC East title team, but a postseason flameout followed by Harris’ comments denigrating Green have left many wondering if Team Turmoil has what it takes to battle the Gators and Wildcats this season. Green must find a replacement for guard Brandon Wharton, the Vols’ leading scorer the last three seasons.

Vanderbilt

• Coach: Kevin Stallings (first season here; 123-63, seventh overall).

• Key player: Dan Langhi, a 6-11 senior forward. He was the league’s second-leading scorer (17.7 ppg) and ninth-leading rebounder (7.3 rpg) last year.

• Outlook: Stallings inherits four returning starters and very little depth. The Commodores have just nine scholarship players. That means Langhi will be counted on for even more leadership and production than last season. Point guard Deandre Moore, who started eight games last season and was second on the team in assists, quit the team shortly after the Commodores returned from a summer trip overseas that Stallings deemed invaluable because it allowed he and his players ‘‘an opportunity to bond.’’

Georgia

• Coach: Jim Harrick (first season here; 403-182, 20th overall).

• Key player: Sophomore guard D.A. Layne, the lone returning starter. He ranked third in the league in 3-point shooting (.412) as a freshman and averaged 12.7 points.

• Outlook: Five seasons since guiding UCLA to a national title, the 61-year-old Harrick will try his hand at rebuilding a program that dropped off significantly when Tubby Smith bolted for UK. Five of the top six scorers from last year are gone; no wonder Harrick had second thoughts about taking a job he accepted and then rejected before finally saying ‘‘I do.’’ The first time Harrick took the job he introduced himself to Layne and junior guard Adrian Jones and showed them his national championship ring. ‘‘He asked if we wanted one and told us if we work hard enough, we can get one,’’ Jones said.

South Carolina

• Coach: Eddie Fogler (93-85, seventh year; 235-165, 14th overall).

• Key player: Guard/forward Herbert Lee Davis (6.3 ppg), the team’s lone senior and leading returning scorer.

• Outlook: Three years ago, the Gamecocks won the Eastern Division. Last year they plummeted to last with a 3-13 league mark and an atrocious 8-21 overall record. Despite the loss of career scoring leader BJ McKie, Fogler expects things to be better this season. ‘‘This team is a totally different basketball team,’’ he said. Fogler said the leadership of Davis and junior Antonio Grant will be vital.

WEST DIVISION

• Coach: Cliff Ellis (96-59, sixth year; 444-271, 25th overall).

• Key player: Chris Porter, the reigning SEC Player of the Year. The skywalking senior forward averaged 16 points and 8.6 rebounds a game last year.

• Outlook: The Tigers set numerous school records on the way to a 29-4 record, top-5 ranking and Sweet 16 appearance last year. The pieces are in place for an encore, beginning with Porter. Two other potential NBA first-round draft picks return in point guard Doc Robinson and center Mamadou N’diaye. Ellis understands that the Tigers won’t sneak up on anybody this season. ‘‘There’s only one SEC champion and that’s Auburn,’’ he said. Said Alabama’s Mark Gottfried: ‘‘On our side of the league, it’s Auburn and then everyone else.’’

Arkansas

• Coach: Nolan Richardson (337-129, 15th year; 456-166, 20th overall).

• Key player: Sergerio Gipson, a 6-3 sophomore swingman. He’s the leading returning scorer at 7.4 ppg.

• Outlook: You’ve heard of 40 minutes of hell. Richardson says it’s time to take things to a new level, since his Razorbacks will be short on height but long on quickness: ‘‘It could be 40 minutes of absolute hell.’’ Pat Bradley, Derek Hood and Kareem Reid are finally gone. Chris Jeffries transferred to Fresno State. Those were the top four scorers last season. But jet-quick guards Gipson, T.J. Cleveland and Brandon Dean all return. ‘‘This is the quickest team I’ve ever had,’’ said Richardson.

Alabama

• Coach: Mark Gottfried (17-15, second year; 85-39, fifth overall).

• Key player: Jeremy Hays, a 6-10 senior center. He averaged 12 points and 8.4 rebounds a game last year.

• Outlook: An early-February win over Kentucky helped the Crimson Tide close 4-2, ekeing out a winning season and NIT trip in Gottfried’s first year. This season, behind a stellar recruiting class that includes junior-college standout Schea Cotton, the Tide could make a run at the NCAA Tournament. Of the seven Tide freshmen, 6-8 guard (that’s right, guard) Rod Grizzard should make the most impact. But for name value, it’ll be hard to beat the eyebrows that will be raised around SEC arenas when 6-9 freshman forward Kenny Walker enters a game.

Mississippi State

• Coach: Rick Stansbury (20-13, second year; same overall).

• Key player: Tang Hamilton, a 6-7 junior forward. The team’s second-leading scorer last year (11.3 ppg).

• Outlook: The Bulldogs were crushed when prized recruit Jonathan Bender opted for the NBA, but there’s still some joy in Starkville. Junior-college guard Antonio Jackson, who was pursued by Kentucky, cast his lot with the Bulldogs. Last year the Bulldogs won 20 games but were left out of the NCAA Tournament because of a weak nonconference schedule.

Louisiana State

• Coach: John Brady (21-33, third year; 110-110, ninth overall).

• Key player: Jabari Smith, a 6-11 junior center who averaged 12.7 points and 9.7 rebounds a game last year.

• Outlook: Junior-college transfer Lamont Roland of New Albany, Ind., and high-scoring freshman recruit Torris Bright (33.4 ppg in high school) add some talent to a roster that includes Smith and highly touted forward Stromile Swift. Because of NCAA sanctions, the Tigers have just nine scholarship players, but LSU might be closing the talent gap on the rest of the league.

Mississippi

• Coach: Rod Barnes (20-13, second year; same overall).

• Key player: Marcus Hicks, a 6-6 senior forward. The team’s leading returning scorer (11.7 ppg).

• Outlook: Gone are four-year starters Keith Carter and Michael White and three-year starter Jason Smith. Hicks and Jason Flanigan are the returning starters. Bulky Rahim Lockhart (6-8, 250) and tiny Jason Harrison (5-5, 150) must step up. Help also might come from an unlikely source: the Rebels football team. Syniker Taylor, a cornerback/wide receiver, averaged 27 points a game in high school and might join Barnes’ team when football season ends.

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