Live Updates: LSU Football at SEC Media Days
Jayden Daniels, Mekhi Wingo and Josh Williams join LSU head coach Brian Kelly at SEC Media Day with the Tigers kicking off the event on Monday.
SEC Media Days take place Monday, July 17 through Thursday, July 20 at the Grand Hyatt in Nashville. LSU will be joined on day one by Missouri and Texas A&M. LSU’s rotation with the media runs from 10:30 a.m. until 1:45 p.m.
Here's a live thread from Monday in Nashville:
10:15 am CT - Brian Kelly meets with local media ahead of LSU taking the stage.
- "There is no question that we can contend [for a national championship]," Brian Kelly said.
- John Emery Update: Brian Kelly says he feels good about Emery being with the team to start fall camp. Emery still has a few things to clear, but Kelly remains optimistic about his status.
- 10:20 am CT - Jayden Daniels meets with the local media ahead of taking the stage.
- "Our expectations, our goals are to win a National Championship. But we've gotta take it one day at a time," Daniels said.
- "I feel like I'm more mature. I've grown a lot from when I was a freshman to now going into Year 5. It's been a rollercoaster facing adversity, but I'm happy to be here now," Daniels said.
10:30 am CT - Josh Williams and Mekhi Wingo meet with the local media ahead of taking the stage.
- "Our team's whole mindset is to graduate champions and to follow our morals. We have to stay focused. Aside from graduating champions, I want to have fun on the field and be more vocal. I want to be myself," Josh Williams said.
- "I have seen Jayden [Daniels] grow tremendously since he has gotten to LSU. Not just from a vocal standpoint, but he has more confidence. He's gotten stronger in the weight room. He's gotten more confident in throwing the ball," Williams said.
- "I became a better run defender week by week, so going into year two with the same scheme, I think I can improve even more," Mekhi Wingo said of his growth.
- "Jayden has been phenomenal. This year is really going to be his year. He's gotten more comfortable. His growth has been phenomenal. He's a guy who can take even more shots this year," Wingo said of LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.
11:35 am CT - SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey takes the stage to address the media.
- Greg Sankey confirms that next year's SEC Media Days will be held in Dallas. The event will be held at the Omni Hotel in downtown from July 15-18. It will not be held at AT&T Stadium where Big 12 Media Day is held.
- "In many ways, NIL has been a net positive for young people competing in collegiate athletics, but it has also created a series of realities that put the long-term viability of collegiate athletics at risk," Sankey said. "And, we all know there are stories—some told and many untold—of false promises, empty commitments, NIL agreements unfulfilled, inducements offered but not provided, and other behaviors that rightly cause concern."
- "Student-athletes want to know their competitors from other states are governed by the same rules. Uniformity will ensure a high school student being recruited by universities across the country knows there is a consistent set of rules guiding their NIL activity. Student-athletes ask for our help in navigating this minefield, and they want protections for themselves, their teammates, and their competitors."
12:35 pm CT - Brian Kelly takes center stage at SEC Media Days.
- "At LSU, all we can think about is championships, after what Jay Johnson did in baseball, Kim Mulkey in basketball, our success in gymnastics. I've got a big opportunity on my hands as well to continue the success."
- Kelly says the goal of the program going into Year 2 is to be a consistent contender. Highlights the way Alabama and Georgia have been consistent programs in the National Championship contention.
- Brian Kelly on revamped secondary: "When you have to dip into the transfer portal at one position, that's a concern. Because you don't know what you have... We are a team that needs to get off the field on 3rd down. That's something we weren't very good at it last year. That starts with that group" - - Teams converted 39% of third downs against LSU last year, which ranked 74th in the country.
- Brian Kelly on how to close the gap between LSU/rest of the SEC and Georgia: "Based upon how we've recruited and how we'll continue to recruit, we'll have a football roster that will be able to compete against Georgia ... and then it's just a matter of getting it done on the field."
- Brian Kelly on QB's: "Jayden is the starter but he's gotta have a great camp. Garrett is getting better every single day. They've got a great relationship but I think that's a really positive situation."
- Brian Kelly on Jayden Daniels: “What we saw during the year was his natural progression of understanding the offense and being more confident. We want to see that in Year 2. We want to see the confidence that we saw at the end of the year continue to show itself.”
- Brian Kelly said artificial intelligence is “something we’re about to venture into.” Mentioned LSU may be able to use it for building ideal recruiting profiles.
Brian Kelly says Maason Smith being healthy will be huge for the LSU defense. Teams will have to essentially pick double-teaming him inside or Harold Perkins on the edge, leaving the other in a 1-on-1.
1:30 pm CT - Brian Kelly hops on SEC Network.
- Brian Kelly discusses how the moment LSU got "thumped" by Tennessee it changed the trajectory of the season.
- Brian Kelly discusses Jayden Daniels return: "He now can prepare himself and he can prepare the guys around him. That takes our program to the next level. It's important to have your QB back for a second year."
Brian Kelly on the culture at LSU: "They bring your family into it. They want to be family. I went to a gymnastics game and it was incredible. The environment that is being created... I became. I've never done this before. It was fun."
