Live Updates From Day 1 of 2021 SEC Media Days

The latest from Monday portion of SEC Media Days, which includes Florida, LSU, South Carolina and commissioner Greg Sankey.

Summer's over. 

At least in terms of football in the South. 

Monday morning, the 2021 SEC Media Days will kick off in the familiar setting of the Wynfrey Hotel in Birmingham, where the nearly-annual event has been held for most of the last 20 years. 

However, it'll be the first appearance for the eight head coaches who were hired either in 2020 or 2021, as last year's event was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic: Arkansas’ Sam Pittman, Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, Mississippi State’s Mike Leach, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz last year, along with newcomers Bryan Harsin with Auburn, South Carolina’s Shane Beamer, Tennessee’s Josh Heupel, Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea.

Although this year's event will go on, numerous COVID-19 protocols remain in place. including the SEC issuing significantly fewer credentials than usual.

BamaCentral will still have wall-to-wall coverage.

Check out All Things Bama Podcast: Previewing 2021 SEC Media Days, and also our live thread on the BamaCentral forums.

Monday's Schedule

11:30 a.m.: SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey
12:15 p.m.: Florida: Dan Mullen; Zach Carter, DL; Ventrell Miller, LB
1:40 p.m.: LSU: Ed Orgeron; Austin Deculus, OT; Derek Stingley Jr., DB
3 p.m.: South Carolina: Shane Beamer; Kingsley Enagbare, DE; Nick Muse, TE

• Tuesday: Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ole Miss
• Wednesday: Alabama, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Mississippi State
• Thursday: Missouri, Arkansas, Auburn 

Commissioner Greg Sankey

The commissioner is at the podium, and we're under way. He starts by quoting Bob Dylan, the "The Times They Are A-Changin’" second verse:

Come writers and critics

Who prophesize with your pen

And keep your eyes wide

The chance won’t come again

And don’t speak too soon

For the wheel’s still in spin

And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’

For the loser now will be later to win

For the times they are a-changin’

"We need change," Sankey says, setting the tone for the week. 

• What you don't see during Sankey's speech are the screens on both sides of him. They include his tweets that are going out as the same time about how the SEC did not panic when other leagues decided to cancel their fall football season.

• Sankey notes that says that when SEC games go on ESPN/ABC in 2024 more kickoff times will be announced over the summer.

• "As we talk about change and the economics of college sports, we need to remember that college sports—through what are often identified as “non-revenue sports”—provides the feeder system for Olympians. Change college sports and you change our Olympic system."

• Sankey: 185 SEC athletes opted out of last season. Says that the SEC did not have any sports dropped during the height of the pandemic, which is something to be proud of. 

• Over half of our universities experienced a national championship moment since January of this year. "This happened because we tried when it was difficult."

• Six of 14 SEC football teams have reached 80 percent vaccine threshold. Sankey does not disclose which ones. "That number needs to grow and grow rapidly," he said. "We are learning how to manage through a COVID environment but we don’t yet have control over the COVID environment." With six weeks to go before kickoff, now is the time to seek vaccination.

• "It's not a political football," Sankey said of the vaccine.

• We must adapt. "I've been at fault - it's easy to criticize the NCAA."

• Over 13,000 student-athletes entered the transfer portal, and over 11,000 still remain in it.

• “Those accused of violations deserve a fair and timely outcome,” Sankey on NCAA investigations.

• We need a federal NIL law for consistency. We're ready to engage in a national dialogue about what's expected our of college athletics. 

• "NCAA rules can no longer resolve key issues."

• Wraps up with saying again "The Times Are A-Changin’ ... "The times are a changing. It's not simply a song lyric, it's a reality. It's an uncomfortable reality but that's how progress is made."

• Q&A part begins. First question is if your game doesn't happen do you forfeit this season. "You hope to not have disruptions but hope is not a plan." He recommended removing roster minimums and you play as planned. If you can't, the game would not be rescheduled (and that's when forfeiting comes into play). 

• Another theme from all the conferences is developing: If you can't play, you forfeit. No more no-contests this year

• Breaking away from the NCAA “is not the focus.”

• A uniform drug policy for the SEC is something that’s not being discussed. It’s still up to the individual schools to test and enforce.

• "450 pages of the NCAA Manual has seemed less relevant than it (ever) has before." ... "I'm not convinced you can put everyone in the room and have the needed outcomes. That doesn't mean everyone is detached ... I don't know the path forward."

Florida: Dan Mullen 

Mullen was asked how many players have been vaccinated, and he didn't directly answer the question. "We're getting very close to the high numbers that you need to be at."

• Mullen says he's been told RB Demarkus Bowman will be eligible this season.

• Mullen's talking up the "attitude" of his defense. Knows it'll be huge for this season. (Added note: Gene Chizik didn't hold back, "They embarrassed.")

• First off-the-wall question. Dan Mullen asked which is his favorite Star Wars movie. Didn't answer. Said the other part of the question about CB Jaydon Hill was easier. 

• Mullen almost always takes a shot at media days at the predicted order of finish and rankings. He used to always point out that Mississippi State never finished last when he was there despite regularly being picked there. He's reminding everyone today that Florida won the SEC East after Georgia was picked first last year. 

SEC Media Days Update...
He didn't mean it as trash talk, but it'll be framed that way: Dan Mullen on UF being picked behind Georgia in SEC East:
"Didn't they say that last year?"

— David Whitley (@DavidEWhitley) July 19, 2021

• NIL question: There's a big learning curve. 

• Mullen takes question about facing Alabama for the first time at home in 10 years to lobby to do away with the permanent crossover game between divisions. Gators get LSU every year. 

• Mullen was asked about signing so many standout wide receivers out of the state of Florida. "No one asked me my opinion about ratings" and then shifted gears and talked up Florida. 

LSU Ed Orgeron 

• "We brought in Jake Peets and DJ Mangus to run Joe Brady's offense." Bet the offensive coordinators really appreciated that. 

• How many players have vaccinated. Orgeron dodges it as well, "I can't answer that" but adds that most of them are.

• On new coaches: When I was interviewing them, I was pretending to be one of our players. I wanted to see how well they communicated. The coaches we hired are about 20 years younger on average.

• On Joey Blackwell's question on NIL: Orgeron smiles, says he's all for it. "Whatever we can give to our players legally, I think they deserve it." Adds that when it's time to focus on football, they need to focus on football. 

• Orgeron says LSU will play a lot more zone and players won't be switching off as much. The idea is to keep the ball in front of of the secondary, and make plays. ... DBU can't handle man? 

• Orgeron was asked about legal issues, and how his name is now involved in lawsuits, declined to comment. "Thanks for asking, though." Yeah, the body language and the look from his eyes was the telling thing there. (What's Cajun for ticked off?)

• Orgeron admits that he didn't interview some coaches face-to-face before hiring them, but says it wasn't a big deal. Still would have hired Bo Pelini regardless. "It just didn't work out"

• Orgeron said the biggest lesson he learned from 2020: Do it the way I want. If it's not the way I want it I'm going to fix it.

SEC Network 

• Jordan Rodgers just admitted that he used to cheat on tests by trying to get answers off the person next to him. Said when the teacher gave out 3-4 versions of the same test it messed him up. When they called him on it he said he tried and failed, so he really didn't cheat. Roman Harper tried to help him out with the old SEC line "If you aren't cheating you aren't trying." Not a good look for the network today. 

South Carolina: Shane Beamer 

• "I believe the best days of South Carolina football are in front of us and I couldn't be more excited to be the head coach at South Carolina."

• "I learned under Lincoln Riley that you better be able to adjust your offense to your personnel."

• Here's the thing that will get the attention of Alabama fans. Says Alabama reached out to his father Frank about the head coaching job multiple times.

• Went 12 minutes on opening statement, but was energetic and prepared. Beamer went over pretty well. 

Jersey Numbers 

The first day of media days means new media guides, which include updated rosters. Here are the assigned jerseys numbers for the latest Crimson Tide additions: 

Signing Class of 2021 (Summer Arrivals)

• 6 Khyree Jackson, DB, 6-3, 197; Upper Marlboro, Md. (East Mississippi CC)
• 10 JoJo Earle, WR, 5-10, 170; Aledo, Texas (Aledo)
• 12 Terrion Arnold, DB, 6-0, 180; Tallahassee, Fla. (John Paul II Catholic)
• 15 Dallas Turner, LB, 6-4, 245; Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
• 25 Camar Wheaton, RB, 5-11, 190; Garland, Texas (Lakeview Centennial)
• 27 DeVonta Smith, DB, 6-0, 185; Cincinnati, Ohio (La Salle)
• 29 Kadarius Calloway, DB ,6-0, 210; Philadelphia, Miss. (Philadelphia)
• 40 Kendrick Blackshire, LB, 6-2, 245; Duncanville, Texas (Duncanville)
• 44 Damon Payne Jr., DL, 6-4, 297; Belleville, Mich. (Belleville)
• 49 Kaine Williams, DB, 6-2, 195; Marrero, La. (John Ehret)
• 59 Anquin Barnes Jr., DL, 6-5, 299; Montgomery, Ala. (Robert E. Lee)
• 77 Jaeden Roberts, OL, 6-5, 340; Houston, Texas (North Shore)
• 96 Tim Keenan III, DL, 6-2, 335; Birmingham, Ala. (Ramsay)

Transfers 

• 10 Henry To'o To'o, LB, 6-2, 225; Sacramento, Calif. (Tennessee)
• 11 Jameson Williams, WR, 6-2, 189; St. Louis, Mo. (Ohio State)

Special-Teams Additions 

• 52 Carter Short, LS
• 86 Jame Burnip, P
• 95 Jack Martin, P (Troy)

This story will be regularly updated on Monday.