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2016 SEC Media Days: Day 2 Recap

Talal Elmasry

By Talal Elmasry

Published:

The SDS crew is on site this week in Hoover, Ala., covering the 2016 SEC Media Days. If you missed the coverage today, here’s your Day 2 recap …

Each head coach and his respective team was in high demand from the 1,500 media members in attendance for Day 2 of Media Days, and all for different reasons.

Everyone wanted to see how the newbie (Kirby Smart) would handle himself and all the questions about how he’ll run the Georgia program and the high expectations he carries before even standing on the sidelines for the program.

One particular coach (Dan Mullen) probably figured to bring an umbrella due to the questions that would rain down on him about a perceived lenient punishment to a serious charge.

Another coach (Butch Jones) has higher expectations than any coach in college football’s best conference. Jones’ Vols are the trendy pick to win the SEC East and help Rocky Top take a big leap back to the top.

And yet another (Kevin Sumlin) has a Texas A&M team that’s slowly become a popular dark horse pick in the conference. The talent on his roster seems to be getting more and more attention as the season approaches.

Before we get into each team that participated in Day 2, there was some big news regarding another Power 5 conference on Tuesday. It seems the SEC’s new slogan that was unveiled on Monday, “It Just Means More,” threw a wrench in the ACC’s plans.

https://twitter.com/SDS/status/752871311823736832

GEORGIA

Bulldogs first-year coach Kirby Smart didn’t look like he was making his debut at SEC Media Days. In fact, he looked a little too comfortable at the podium in Hoover.

https://twitter.com/SDS/status/752868774156595202

Smart had to address things that I’m sure he anticipated: 1) Are you going to be an Alabama East?; 2) How hard will it be to step in Mark Richt’s shoes?; 3) Is your running back situation the last thing you think of at night and the first thing you think of in the morning?

On the first topic, Smart didn’t actually deny trying to emulate his former head coach in Tuscaloosa at all, and honestly why should he? He basically spoke about carrying over the knowledge he gained from his eight years as a defensive coordinator there, such as understanding the difference between a team and a program.

Running things similar to Saban is not a bad thing, but many fans in Athens don’t want Smart to be similar to the Bulldogs’ previous coach. Still, center Brandon Kublanow managed to say, “I don’t know if Coach Smart is really that different, but we’re having a great time.”

Somehow, Smart didn’t mention quarterback Jacob Eason by name the entire presser.

What Kirby Smart said
What Georgia players said

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Dan Mullen has gotten plenty of attention recently for his athletic exploits like running in the Boston Marathon and wakesurfing.

However, even with the coach brimming with youthfulness as he came to Hoover wearing his “Yeezy Boost 750s,” that swag couldn’t save him from the media’s wrath regarding the punishment of five-star defensive end Jeffery Simmons. Well, not at first since the media was reluctant to attack Mullen on the stage.

But then the media grilled him about the decision a little harder in more private settings at Media Days. This was just one of the questions posed to him away from the podium.

It wasn’t a good day for Mullen because on top of it all, the Bulldogs coach incorrectly called us by name. It’s “Saturday” singular, not plural, coach.

https://twitter.com/SDS/status/752891430629216256

Oh, and there’s more. Apparently, one of the biggest Mississippi State fans, “Stingray,” is an Alabama graduate and also roots for the Crimson Tide in every other game except for when it plays the Bulldogs.

TENNESSEE

Not sure how to take this from Butch Jones. There has to be a reason, but I’m not sure there’s a good one.

He’s never said happy birthday to his mother?

“And I’m going to do something that I’ve never done before, but I’d like to wish my mom a happy birthday. She’s a regular on the SEC Network. She’s at home right now watching it, and she turns 79 years old today. So, Mom, I love you, and happy birthday.”

Well, at least his staff is doing everything it can to make sure Tennessee’s game against Virginia Tech in the “Battle at Bristol” runs smoothly. Jones revealed that his administrative staff, led by Chris Spognardi, has been to Bristol Motor Speedway “almost every week” to make sure logistics and everything else are being worked on.

https://twitter.com/SDS/status/752928403301470208

Jones couldn’t duck the huge target on his and the Vols’ backs heading into 2016, mainly thanks to the Tennessee fans and media.

“You want those expectations. I think it’s a compliment to everyone in our program of how far we’ve come,” Jones said. “It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish. But I think it is a compliment in how we’ve grown and developed this football program.”

Is anyone helping him deal with the lofty hopes in Knoxville?

“You have friends maybe in different sports. Erik Spoelstra is a good friend of mine that I lean a lot on. We talk about leadership. We talk about how to handle expectations, the consistency in your approach.”

Just focusing on that “it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish” comment. In many ways, the Vols’ season will come down to the beginning of the season, which is the most brutal in the entire country.

That stretch features home games vs. Florida and Alabama and road games against Georgia and Texas A&M. That’s not to mention tricky out-of-conference games against Appalachian State and Virginia Tech.

The player ducked any trash-talking of the Gators, who did plenty on Day 1. However, QB Josh Dobbs did challenge Mullen’s sock game.

TEXAS A&M

Kevin Sumlin was the last coach to speak on Day 2, and by that time, many of the media members have been there all day and get a little tired.

Sumlin understood that but at least thought he’d get a reception.

“Good afternoon. Thank you, commissioner, for the introduction, and thank you, guys, for the large round of applause, so …”

As his session went on, it was long thought to be the case, and the fears of College Station were finally realized: There’s no escaping the ghost of Johnny Manziel. There simply isn’t.

Sumlin was asked about Manziel, a player he coached three years ago, and for a brief period of time.

“I can say this, I exchanged text messages with Johnny Manziel over the last two weeks. That’s the extent of it. Look. Here’s the bottom line. He’s an Aggie and he’s always going to be an Aggie. At Texas A&M, we take care of each other. So, you know, that has gone on. I have exchanged text messages with him, and really that’s the extent of it.”

Later on, Fox Sports’ Stewart Mandel reported that the Aggies starting quarterback this season, Trevor Knight, has a connection to Manziel, albeit a harmless one.

The Aggies had some notable players participating in the event, DE Myles Garrett, QB Trevor Knight and WR Ricky Seals-Jones.

Garrett talked about what he’s been working on to improve, which is a scary thought considering he led the SEC in sacks (12.5) and tackles for loss (19.5) last season.

“Just keeping the hands off of me,” Garrett said. “Getting off the edge and run-defending, I know my coaches tell me I could get better at that, and I have been working on that for the last two years.”

Knight talked in length about his decision to come to College Station.

“So coach (Lincoln) Riley, the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma, gave me some great advice, it was ‘Don’t walk to something run to something. If there is an opportunity you are running towards and you think it is great for your future, then take it,’ and I think Texas A&M was that and since I’ve gotten there, everything has fallen into place with being named the starter and other things dealing with relationships off the field that have been proven to be true.”

Meanwhile, receiver Ricky Seals-Jones showed off his school pride, which was hiding in the inner lining of his maroon suit.

What Texas A&M players said at Media Days

Talal Elmasry

Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.

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