10 SEC Breakout Players in the Season's Second Half

As the college football season reaches its midpoint, teams will begin to reassess their strategies on both sides of the ball, and there are sure to be a number of lesser-known players who will blossom over the next eight weeks.

Last year, among others, we saw Spencer Ware burst onto the scene at LSU and we saw Tyler Bray bring some life into the Tennessee offense during a four-game winning streak.

Here are 10 SEC players with the potential to go from relative unknowns to budding stars in the season's second half.

WR De'Anthony Arnett, Tennessee

The injury bug has hit Tennessee hard this season, with Justin Hunter lost for the season and Tyler Bray out until mid-November.

Without Hunter, the opportunity is there for one of of the Vols' young receivers to step up to play along side Da'Rick Rogers.  Arnett has 14 catches and a pair of touchdowns in the first five games, and the true freshman from Saginaw should be a top target for new QB Matt Simms.

RB Alfred Blue, LSU

The Bayou Bengals have been more balanced on offense than was expected, with Jarrett Lee playing well and Reuben Randle and Odell Beckham Jr. emerging on the outside.

LSU still prefers the ground game; however, as the pounding of an SEC season begins to take its toll, Blue will play a big role in spelling Spencer Ware.  Blue only has 218 yards thus far, but has found the end zone four times.

QB Kiehl Frazier, Auburn

Most folks on the Plains think it's only a matter of time before Frazier replaces Barrett Trotter as Auburn's starting quarterback.

Trotter hasn't been bad, but the true freshman Frazier is the quarterback of the future.  If he can do with his arm what he can do with his legs, the Tigers' offense could start looking like the 2010 version.

RB Tre Mason, Auburn

Gus Malzahn loves to spread the ball around, and with Michael Dyer's workload needing to be lessened as the season progresses, look for Mason to get more carries.

Ontario McCalebb is still the top option behind Dyer, but the true freshman Mason has been impressive so far and his role should continue to increase.

LB Alec Ogletree, Georgia

Ogletree suffered a broken foot in the season-opening loss to Boise State, but the sophomore inside linebacker should be able to return for the Bulldogs' huge game with Florida at the end of the month.

Georgia's defense has performed really well the past month after being exposed by Boise State and South Carolina, and Ogletree could be the difference in whether or not the 'Dawgs can win the SEC East.

QB Tyler Russell, Mississippi State

Russell appeared to be confined to the bench until spring practice after Chris Relf's performance late last season and in the first two weeks of this year, but the sophomore replaced the struggling Relf last week at UAB and played very well.

He's connected on 20 of his 30 pass attempts this season and thrown four touchdowns, and should see the field again this week for the Bulldogs' huge game with South Carolina.

QB Connor Shaw, South Carolina

With Stephen Garcia's dismissal earlier this week, the Gamecocks' hopes to get back to Atlanta ride on the right arm of the sophomore Shaw.

Shaw threw four touchdowns in a rout of Kentucky last week, and now with no quarterback debate in Columbia, should help reduce the number of visor tosses from the head ball coach.

S Brandon Taylor, LSU

While Tyrann Mathieu is the household name in the LSU secondary, Taylor is just as important to the Tigers.

The only senior starter in the defensive backfield, Taylor has 34 tackles and a pair of interceptions, and has many more spotlight games in the second half to enhance his All-SEC credentials.

WR DeAndrew White, Alabama

The redshirt freshman made a highlight-reel catch in last week's win over Vanderbilt, but big plays in the Alabama passing games have been minimal this season.

While Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks are steady targets for A.J. McCarron, White has incredible athleticism and should be a big-play threat for the Crimson Tide.

DT Jesse Williams, Alabama

Despite not having a marquee name like Terrence Cody or Marcell Dareus, the Alabama defensive line has continued its run of dominance in 2011.

The Samoa-born Williams is a massive nose tackle who is still grasping the fundamentals of the game.  Once everything clicks, he'll be a brick wall in the middle of the Tide's defensive front.