The annual, four-day pilgrimage of largesse known as SEC Media Days is indeed upon us. With teams still some three weeks away from camp, everyone’s jonesing for football. At this point, a bunch of head coaches, star players, and media folks getting together to talk in a hotel ballroom to is as close as we’re going to get.
This event kicks off the whole media days circuit, when each conference does this in turn.
Watch SEC Media Days on TV on the SEC Network, or WatchESPN for streaming online.
As far as which coaches and players fill those time slots, info is below.
SEC Media Days Monday schedule
Team | Coach | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Coach | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
Arkansas | Bret Bielema | Austin Allen, Sr., QB | Frank Ragnow, Sr., OL | Kevin Richardson II, Sr., DB |
LSU | Ed Orgeron | D.J. Chark, Sr., WR | Derrius Guice, Jr., RB | Christian LaCouture, Sr., DE |
Tennessee | Butch Jones | Emmanuel Moseley, Sr., DB | Jashon Robertson, Sr., OL | Kendal Vickers, Sr., DL |
Things will kick off with SEC commissioner, Greg Sankey, before the different teams take the stage.
Besides LSU head coach Ed Orgeron, who is making his second appearance after coaching Ole Miss over a decade ago, the cast of characters remains the same, as far as coaches go.
SEC Media Days Tuesday schedule
Team | Coach | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Coach | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
Georgia | Kirby Smart | Nick Chubb, Sr., RB | Sony Michel, Sr., RB | Roquan Smith, Jr., LB |
Vanderbilt | Derek Mason | Oren Burks, Sr., LB | Kyle Shurmur, Jr., QB | Ralph Webb, Sr., RB |
Mississippi State | Dan Mullen | Donald Gray, Sr., WR | Dez Harris, Sr., LB | Martinas Rankin, Sr., OL |
Florida | Jim McElwain | Duke Dawson, Sr., DB | Marcell Harris, Sr., DB | Martez Ivey, Jr., OL |
The highlight of Tuesday will likely be what shoes Dan Mullen shows up wearing. The school’s Adidas connection has meant he shows up every year with some sweet kicks.
I think I'm winning shoe swag today. pic.twitter.com/aXbF4tCmq3
— Dan Mullen™ (@CoachDanMullen) July 12, 2016
SEC Media Days Wednesday schedule
Team | Coach | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Coach | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
Alabama | Nick Saban | Bradley Bozeman, Sr., OL | Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jr., DB | Calvin Ridley, Jr., WR |
Missouri | Barry Odom | Eric Beisel, Sr., LB | Drew Lock, Jr., QB | J’Mon Moore, Sr., WR |
Texas A&M | Kevin Sumlin | Christian Kirk, Jr., WR | Koda Martin, Jr., OL | Armani Watts, Sr., DB |
Kentucky | Mark Stoops | Mike Edwards, Jr., S | Stephen Johnson, Sr., QB | Courtney Love, Sr., LB |
Kentucky, Mizzou, and Texas A&M hit the stage Wednesday, but that day is all about Alabama.
SEC Media Days are held at a hotel in Hoover, Alabama. For Bama fans who may not have the means to get into a home game at Bryant-Denny Stadium, it’s a chance to get up close and personal with Nick Saban and a few of their favorite members of the Tide. The hotel’s lobby swells with people and cries of “Roll Tide” reverberate through the ballrooms.
SEC Media Days Thursday schedule
Team | Coach | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Coach | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
South Carolina | Will Muschamp | Jake Bentley, So., QB | Deebo Samuel, Jr., WR | Hayden Hurst, Jr., TE |
Ole Miss | Hugh Freeze | Javon Patterson, Jr., OL | Shea Patterson, So., QB | Breeland Speaks, Jr., DT |
Auburn | Gus Malzahn | Daniel Carlson, Sr., K | Tray Matthews, Sr., DB | Braden Smith, Sr., OL |
Thursday sees Auburn roll through, which is Alabama-style fervor on a bit of a smaller scale. The SEC smartly puts the two teams on different days. But Thursday’s session will be particularly high stakes because in addition to South Carolina, Ole Miss takes the stage. Twelve-hundred reporters will get to take a crack at Hugh Freeze for the first time publicly since the school’s lengthy response to the NCAA’s notice of allegations was released.
Happy talkin’ season, folks. We’re getting closer and closer to college football.