Ad Disclosure
Day 3 from Hoover: Battle royal between Nick Saban and Paul Finebaum
By John Crist
Published:
HOOVER, Ala. — Elvis was in the building. A crimson-clad mob rabidly welcomed Alabama coach Nick Saban to The Wynfrey Hotel.
Saban’s press conference in the main media room was a pretty standard affair, as he answered questions yet revealed nothing that can be qualified as new info. He even thanked reporters before walking off the stage.
Turns out, the real fireworks were yet to come. Sitting on the set of SEC Network shortly thereafter, Paul Finebaum went after Saban hard for his failure to discipline Cam Robinson. A potential All-American left tackle, Robinson recently had drug and weapons charges against him dropped back in his home state of Louisiana.
Not only did Saban get testy with Finebaum on the air, but the dialogue got even more animated throughout the commercial break. Eventually, Saban stormed off the set. Finebaum detailed the exchange when back live again.
Flipping through my notebook after what was quite an interesting morning, here are a few more nuggets and tidbits.
new voices in Tuscaloosa
With Kirby Smart departing to go to Georgia, the Crimson Tide were in need of a new defensive coordinator.
He was replaced by Jeremy Pruitt, who brings a legit résumé to Tuscaloosa. Previously a part of the Tide staff, he captured a national championship at Florida State in his one year there (2013) as D-coordinator.
The last two seasons, he’s had the same job with the Bulldogs. Pruitt knows ‘Bama. He knows the SEC, too.
RELATED: Nick Saban a victim of his own unprecedented success at Alabama
“We love Coach Pruitt,” safety Eddie Jackson said. “He’s the type of guy who is going to get on top of you. If you’re doing something wrong, he’s not going to kiss your butt. He is going to let you know. But he also is going to let you know when you are doing something good, the things you can fix to become a better player.”
Another addition to the staff on D, Derrick Ansley, was taken from Kentucky to be the new secondary coach.
“Coach Ansley, I like him,” Jackson said. “He came in, in full force, right away. He let us know what it was and how it’s going to be, pushing us to the limit and showing us that the little things really matter on and off the field.”
lofty goals for the hogs
Bret Bielema had many glowing things to say about defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. and his 13 career sacks.
RELATED: If only Arkansas could win football games like Bret Bielema won Media Days
The 6-foot-5, 262-pounder really came on strong down the stretch in 2015, recording 7 sacks alone in four November outings. He’s sure to get serious consideration for preseason All-SEC from the media as a result.
When asked what the chances are of him matching his three-year total, Wise was impossible to misconstrue.
“One hundred percent,” he said, before repeating himself. “One hundred percent.”
It wasn’t just Wise who started slowly last season. The entire Arkansas team did. That can’t happen again.
“We usually start getting into a rhythm at the end of the season,” he said, “but getting into rhythm at the beginning would have us starting out strong. It’s the small-like communication, something to that nature with a hundred percent till the end of the season. It would be great.”
‘cats ready to dance
Running back Jojo Kemp may not be one of Kentucky’s biggest stars, but he burned rather brightly during his Q&A.
Overwhelmingly the most outgoing personality of any player in Hoover thus far, Kemp announced that one of his goals as a senior was to be chosen as a representative for the Wildcats at Media Days. Check that box.
About 10 minutes into what had already been an amusing display, Kemp was asked about his go-to TD dance.
“Oh, you want some of the moves? You trying to see some of the moves? No, I ain’t even going to give it to you,” he joked. “It’s business. I came here to get my message across.”
A few reporters seemed bummed that he was only teasing. But after a group laugh, Kemp gave them some hope.
“I got you afterwards, though,” he said. “West end, main lobby.”
more turnover at mizzou
There didn’t seem to be much to talk about prior to first-year Missouri coach Barry Odom taking the stage.
However, shortly before he made his debut as the top Tiger at Media Days, news broke out of Columbia that athletic director Mack Rhoades is departing to take the same post at Baylor. It was a shocking development.
Odom didn’t get a big warning. He and Rhoades spoke by phone to discuss the decision only the previous evening.
“I talked earlier about having opportunities,” he said. “And he’s got an opportunity that he thought was best for him. And I know that I’m very, very excited about the University of Missouri. I’m excited about what I’ve got in place from my staff from a football program standpoint.”
Rhoades is the latest in a long list of exits from embattled Mizzou at or near the top of the institution.
“The direction and leadership of Missouri, I look forward to representing Mizzou,” Odom said. “I look forward to representing and leading our football program and our athletic department, and we’re going to go find a great (AD). I look forward to being involved with that and helping if they want my help.”
pick six
- Saban is waiting for one of his quarterbacks battling for the starting job to separate himself from the competition. Unfortunately for him, “That hasn’t necessarily happened yet.”
- Satellite camps were finally a topic of conversation. Bielema admitted that a few of his current commitments wouldn’t have been possible without them. Mark Stoops, on the other hand, said he’s gotten nothing out of them.
- Stoops had the unenviable task of following the quote-friendly Bielema at the podium. He wasn’t going to try to match wits, though. “Don’t get in a pissing contest with a skunk,” Stoops quipped.
- I asked Odom about the relationship he expects to have with former coach Gary Pinkel this coming season. All parties involved are walking a fine line between seeking Pinkel’s input and giving Odom some space to operate.
- On radio row, I managed to grab CBS analyst Gary Danielson for some one-on-one time. When I asked him about Verne Lundquist, who’s retiring after 2016, he said he hoped that fans realize how much his partner in the booth has done for the SEC brand nationally.
- There is an 11-year-old boy by the name of Jack Ronilo credentialed at Media Days for Sports Illustrated Kids. Seriously, he asks better questions than half of the paid professionals in the room.
John Crist is the senior writer for Saturday Down South. You can send him an e-mail directly at jcrist@saturdaydownsouth.com or follow him on Twitter @SaturdayJC.
John Crist is an award-winning contributor to Saturday Down South.
