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SEC Media Days is fun because there’s always some strong statements being made, and Day 2 in Hoover, Ala., certainly provided us with a few.
Mississippi State, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas A&M were on the docket, and here’s a look at the quotes that stood out from the players/coaches in attendance on Tuesday.
Kevin Sumlin
The fifth-year Aggies coach approached the podium to the sound of crickets after he was introduced by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
1. “Good afternoon. Thank you, commissioner, for the introduction, and thank you, guys, for the large round of applause, so …”
Jalen Reeves-Maybin
Tennessee’s linebacker was asked whether he felt the swagger was back at Rocky Top with all the talent returning and the especially high expectations.
2. “The swagger never left. We might have lost a couple games and losing seasons, but as long as I’ve been there I’ve never seen guys fold and shy away from anything and attack full speed during the season.”
Kirby Smart
Many believe the first-year coach won the day, for what that’s worth, with the confidence he showed at the podium. Inevitably, he was asked about the Bulldogs’ long-time former head coach in Mark Richt, who led the program for 15 seasons. He was asked how much of a challenge it’s been to get Richt’s former players to buy in.
“I don’t think it’s a competition between Coach Richt and I to win over this team. I think you earn that by the way you behave and the way you perform.”
Myles Garrett
Garrett, a potential top 10 pick in next year’s NFL Draft, was asked about Oklahoma transfer quarterback Trevor Knight, and how he’s adjusted to the team. He gave Aggies fans what they wanted to hear.
4. “A confident leader as a quarterback, that is what we needed. We have a lot of young guys who have to prove themselves, and Trevor has already proven himself.”
Dan Mullen
Mullen got a lot of softballs at first, but the pressing questions eventually came. In this particular one, he was asked about where the responsibility goes when a player with a violent incident in their past then causes an incident on campus that turns one of his students into a victim.
5. “We’re all responsible. If that happens, all of us, to be honest with you, I’m responsible for all of the actions for every one of my players. I’m responsible as a head coach.”
Butch Jones
Tennessee’s coach is facing quite a fourth season in Knoxville, one that’s supposed to pay big dividends, or at least a major step in the program’s rise back to prominence in college football.
6. “You want those expectations. I think it’s a compliment to everyone in our program of how far we’ve come.”
The team will have to do so after a grueling offseason that included UT’s $2.48M settlement in its Title IX lawsuit. He was asked how he’s planning on handling it going forward with his team.
7. “Well, we don’t look at it as something of the past or something that’s been settled. Everything is a teaching unit. These are very, very serious issues that surround every college campus, they surround society today, and we’ll continue to educate our players on the importance of it.”
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.
