[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Another SEC media days are in the books, and there is quite a bit to unravel. Over four days, coaches and players fielded questions about the upcoming season in Atlanta. Being in attendance all four days, I witnessed the action up close and personal. The following are some of my takeaways from the SEC media days.
Day 1 Takeaways
New LSU head coach Brian Kelly kicked things off this year. Coach Kelly handled his first SEC media days with poise and class. He maneuvered his way through the questions from reporters with tactical grace. The overall vibe in Baton Rouge seems to be optimistic about the future of the LSU program. He mentioned a few places he is looking forward to playing in, including Auburn, Texas A&M, and Florida. The questions about his fake accent came about as expected. Like a savant, he joined in on the jokes and fun about himself.
Next to take the podium was Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. Before making his way to the stage, the Rebels’ head coach walked through the quad of the College Football Hall of Fame, signing mustard bottles and golf balls. Kiffin expressed his opinion on NIL and was very direct in his comments. He said to succeed in the NIL game; you need to have a rich and involved base of boosters.
Day 2 Takeaways
Nick Saban kicked off day two, and his Alabama Crimson Tide were picked in the SEC media poll to win the conference title this season. Reading his demeanor, you would not know they were selected to finish first. Safe to say that the Crimson Tide means business ahead of the 2022-23 season. A revenge tour seems to be the phrase that fits after hearing from Saban and team leaders Bryce Young, Will Anderson Jr., and Jordan Battle. The statement that stood out to me the most was when returning SEC defensive player of the year was asked about Texas A&M. His response was, “When we play Texas A&M, everything will be addressed then.” Alabama is focused and has a one-track mind on winning a National Championship this year.
Legendary coach Mike Leach took to the podium in the way only he could. After a great introduction from Commissioner Sankey, Leach immediately went into questions with the media without an opening statement.
My final takeaways from day two are how optimistic gamecock fans are in Columbia, South Carolina, following year one of Shane Beamer at the helm. Lastly, Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea feels optimistic about the future of Vandy football.
Day 3 Takeaways
The Georgia Bulldogs were selected to win the SEC east again, setting up a collision course between the bulldogs and Alabama. Head coach Kirby Smart is high on his defense despite losing a ton to the NFL last year. Smart believes there will be no drop-off as far as talent, just a lack of experience. He also defended his quarterback Stetson Bennett and the quarterback room, stating that they are very deep at the position, and Bennett is a great leader for the group and team.
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Coach Sam Pittman of the University of Arkansas expressed how excited he is to revive their rivalries with Oklahoma and Texas in the future. He also mentioned having and winning recruiting battles with Texas and Oklahoma, which shows how far the team has come.
Florida head coach Billy Napier felt that he and his staff have succeeded in adding players to their roster for the upcoming season. Napier also paid his respects to Kirby Smart and expressed how proud he was of him and his national championship this past season.
Day 4 Takeaways
After a failed attempt to fire Harsin by the Auburn boosters, head coach Bryan Harsin stood tall and confident during his press conference. He did not shy away from the hard questions thrown at him. I was impressed with how Harsin conducted himself during the press conference.
Judging by the roar of the Vols fans inc attendance as they sang Rocky Top in the quad, as coach Josh Heupel walked in, the energy was and is high and positive in Knoxville. The future looks bright while Heupel seems to have the Vols trending in the right direction.
Last but certainly not least, Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher rounded out media days in typical Jimbo fashion. Fisher answered questions similar to an auctioneer and addressed why he did to reporters stating that he likes to get his thoughts out. He also touched on the back and forth between him and Nick Saban in the off-season, reiterating that there are no problems between the two and how much he respects coach Saban. All in all, this should be an exciting and very much so interesting season for the Southeastern Conference.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
