Notes from around the country as spring football starts to heat up.

Arizona
All eyes on Costa
Yes, starting QB Jason Johnson returns, but as Arizona spring practice opens Friday, all eyes will be on redshirt freshman Nic Costa.

So while it's not an open competition for the position, Arizona coach John Mackovic is curious as to see what Costa can do.

"He has a flick of his wrist, and that ball goes flying," Mackovic told the Arizona Daily Star. "His accuracy is good, he moves around and I liked everything about what I saw."

Of course, Johnson is still the starter. As a junior, Johnson threw for 2,347 yards (fourth-best in UA history) and 19 TDs. He was also first-team all-academic Pac-10.

"He knows where to go with the football before the ball is snapped, and he's good at picking up the blitz and the coverages," Costa told the Daily Star. "That's where I'm trying to get."

But just seeing Costa line up under center and running the Wildcats' plays instead of leading the scout team will be something to see.

"It will be nice to take 100 percent of the reps with our offense. I prepared myself (last fall) like I was going to play each week. I learned the game plans and the reads, but come practice time I didn't get to show what I learned," Costa told the Daily-Star. "Things are a little bit different now. It's my time to show the coaches what I can do."

Searching for the next great lineman
One area of great concern to Mackovic is the defensive line and he's hoping to find the next dominating Wildcats lineman over the next six weeks.

On the speth chat, Fata Avegalio and Isaac Watts are the first team defensive ends, while Carlos Williams and Young Thompson are the tackles. Andre Toney -- depsite a broken bone in his right hand -- is the backup at end with Brad Brittain, Vince Feula and Matt Lam getting looks as tackles.

"We will do everything we can to coach all of the guys that are here to get them ready to play," Mackovic said in the Tuscon Citizen. "We also have an eye out for August when the freshmen come because we do expect several of those guys on the defensive side to be given an opportunity to play, and play early."

South Carolina
Holtz says Watson not coming back
With spring practice starting Monday, South Carolina coach Lou Holtz put to rest the lingering rumors about RB Derek Watson's return.

It won't happen.

"If it was any way possible for me to help him and keep him here, I would because we have an obligation to him," Holtz told the Charleston Post Oberserver. "Sometimes there are some things that you just can't overcome."

Watson was suspended from the team last month after being charged with simple possession of marijuana.

TCU
New role for Stilley
Suddenly, Sean Stilley is the starting QB for TCU.

With Casey Printers' surprising transfer to Florida A&M last month, Stilley has a new role heading into the opening of spring practice Saturday. In fact, coach Gary Patterson said the starting job is Stilley's to lose.

"I can't even begin to tell you what it means," Stilley told the Dallas Morning News. "You work so hard all this time, and now it pays off."

Stilley has been a solid backup for Printers, but Patterson was impressed with Stilley's work in his handful of starts as well as his work in relief, most notably his work against Army (21-29, 273 yards and 3 TDs).

"He showed enough to win against Army," Patterson told the Morning News. "The key is for him to pick his game up to win against other people, and I think he can."

Brandon Hassell and top recruit Tye Gunn will battle for the backup job.

Auburn
Questions at QB continue
Last year, it was a tossup between Daniel Cobb and Jason Campbell. This year, Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville hopes someone can claim the job outright as the Tigers kick off spring practice Friday.

"Hopefully they've grown up to where somebody can take charge," Tuberville told told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.

Campbell enters the spring as the No. 1 quarterback, but there are no guarantees. Cobb, who received a sixth year of eligibility due to medical hardship, will have his chance to win the job.

"We're going to be watching it very closely with those two guys," Tuberville told the Ledger-Enquirer.

Cobb completed 56 percent of his passed for 1,165 yards and 6 TDs with 7 interceptions while Campbell completed 62 percent of his passed for 1,117 yards and 4 TDs and 4 interceptions.

BYU
Injuries plague Cougars
When second-year head coach Gary Crowton kicks off the spring practice Monday, he'll be without Levi Madarieta (LB), Brandon Heaney (DB), C.J. Ah You (DL), and Scott Jackson (OL).

The Cougars will return a total of 39 letterwinners for the upcoming season. The list of returning players includes 10 starters from the 2001 campaign, including four offensive and six defensive starters. Matt Payne will also return as the Cougars' field goal kicker.

The Cougars will welcome back several players who have recently returned from LDS Church missions. The list of key players includes quarterback Matt Berry, receiver Brett Cooper, Chris Stevens, tight end Jeremy Gillespie and offensive lineman Nathan Hall. Scott Young, a mid-year transfer from Dixie College, is also expected to participate in spring drills.

Mississippi
Defense the focus at Ole Miss
With seven strarters returning and a new defensive coordinator, Chuck Driesbach, defense will be the focus when Ole Miss kicks off spring practice Friday. the Rebels will be looking to improve

"It's obvious on defense that we have to defend the run better. We are going to have to pressure and attack quarterbacks better since we only had 13 sacks a year ago. With a conference as tough as this one (SEC) and the quarterbacks we see, we must put better pressure on the quarterback. We also have to find a couple of cover guys since we lost two corners who did the bulk of the playing for us in the secondary."

Defensively, Ole Miss must replace four starters - tackles Kenny Jackson and Anthony Sims and cornerbacks Syniker Taylor and Justin Coleman. Returning starters include ends Charlie Anderson and Cory Robinson, linebackers Eddie Strong, Goethie, and Spence, and defensive backs Matt Grier and Von Hutchins.

"Having to learn a new defensive system and getting Coach Driesbach's system installed is a priority," Cutcliffe said. "The thing we'll do is not be totally focused on scheme as much as getting our players to learn and understand what's expected of them at their position."

Spring drills will mark the return of three players who missed last season due to injuries -- running back Tremaine Turner (neck), defensive back Wes Scott (lower back), and linebacker Ian Bass (knee).

However, the Rebels will be without the services of a number of key players this spring, including starting linebacker Lanier Goethie (foot surgery), defensive back Travis Blanchard (foot surgery), linebacker Johnny Ducking (ankle surgery), and offensive lineman German Bello (knee surgery), while defensive lineman Justin Blake, who missed last season with mononucleosis, is still unavailable for practice.

Linebacker L.P. Spence, who had knee surgery, and defensive back Marcus Woodson, who had shoulder surgery, will be limited this spring. Quarterback Seth Smith will also be limited since he is playing baseball.