SEC Football: The 5 Most Surprisingly Disappointing Players in the Conference

Going into the 2011 SEC football season, pundits projected the all-conference teams for the Southeastern Conference and predicted which players would excel on each team.

Over the course of the first 11 weeks of the schedule, there have been injuries that derailed some of these predictions.

However, there have also been players who simply have not produced.

This is the list of the five most surprising non-producers in the SEC so far this season.

Click through the slideshow to see which conference players have been a bust, outside of injuries, in 2011...

5. WR Marquis Maze, Alabama

Alabama has the best defense in the country and a strong running game.

What has been lacking at times, including in their one loss, has been a vertical passing game.

Marquis Maze had a nice season in 2010 as the second receiver, behind All-American wideout Julio Jones, and racked up 38 receptions for 557 yards and three touchdowns.

With Jones gone, Maze moved into the No. 1 receiver role for Alabama this season.

Many expected Maze's numbers to grow, even with a freshman quarterback at the helm for Bama in 2011.

However, Maze has not delivered the stats that were expected. Through 10 games, he has more receptions than a year ago by just one catch per game and has only hauled in one touchdown all season.

The Tide passing offense has been stagnant in recent weeks, and Maze has just 83 yards in the last two games combined.

More was expected of the senior wideout.

4. RB Brandon Bolden, Ole Miss

In the preseason, Ole Miss had aspirations of a bowl invite in 2011.

One of the reasons was what was supposed to be an effective run game led by senior running back Brandon Bolden.

In 2010 Bolden had over 1,300 total offensive yards and scored an impressive 17 touchdowns. It was a breakout season that almost everyone thought would continue this season.

However, a few minor injuries and inconsistent results for Bolden have led to a major letdown season for the Rebel running back. He still has talent and has made some solid plays, but much more was expected of him.

In 2011 he has just 543 total yards all season, just five touchdowns and has dropped from over six yards to just five yards per carry.  

Ole Miss has had a disaster of a season and certainly it can't be blamed on Bolden, but he has definitely failed to reach the expectations set for him this year.

3. QB Chris Relf, Mississippi State

Chris Relf entered his 2011 senior season with high expectations from media, fans and coaches.

Mississippi State eneted the season in the top 25 and moved up to 16th after a week one win over Memphis.

However, the rest of the season, especially in SEC play, has been poor for Relf and the Bulldogs.

In 2010 Relf threw for 13 touchdowns and had a quality 141 QB rating. So far in 2010, he has just seven touchdowns in 10 games and has a lackluster QB rating of 120.

Relf has seen limited action, after being benched for beack up Tyler Russell, and has been a huge disappointment for State this season.

2. RB Taureen Poole, Tennessee

This season many expected Tauren Poole to continue his progression as one of the top backs in the conference.

The senior running back had a break out season in 2010, running for over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Volunteers.

So far in 2011, things couldn't be more different.

The bulky 5'10" 215-pound back has struggled to find success this year, as he has amazed just 554 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games.

Poole went from averaging a healthy 5.1 yards per carry last year to a pedestrian 3.5 yards perry carry this season.

There have been offensive line issues, but Poole has seemed to lack the ability to shed tackles like he did a year ago and has not broken the big runs expected of him in 2011.

1. WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

The junior wide out was projected by many as an All-American candidate and as one of the best receivers in the nation.

The big and talented athlete is 6'4" and 229 pounds and has the ability to out-jump and out-muscle smaller defenders for the ball.

In 2010, as a sophomore, Jeffery had a break out season with 88 receptions for 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns.

This season, the Gamecock receiver has just 46 catches for 763 yards.

In 2011 he has just one game with more than five receptions and hasn't eclipsed the 100-yard mark one time in 10 games.

In contrast, he had eight 100-plus games last season and had nine games where he caught more than five balls.

There has been inconsistency at quarterback and a running focus for South Carolina, but this drop in production is still definitely hard to explain.

Jeffery is the most surprising bust of the SEC season, so far in 2011.