SEC Media Days Tracker: Comments From Greg Sankey, Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin in Dallas

This is Monday's SEC Media Days tracker where we will track comments made by commissioner Greg Sankey and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin at the podium.

Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin speaks at the 2023 SEC Football Kickoff Media Days at the Nashville Grand Hyatt on Broadway, Thursday, July 20, 2023. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA

DALLAS -- Talking season is officially here as SEC Media Days is set to begin on Monday at the Omni Hotel in downtown Dallas.

Monday features opening comments from SEC commissioner Greg Sankey followed by appearances from the LSU Tigers, South Carolina Gamecocks, Ole Miss Rebels and Vanderbilt Commodores. Sankey is scheduled to take the podium in the Dallas Ballroom at 9:05 a.m. CT, and his session will run until approximately 9:50.

Ole Miss will get its time in the spotlight beginning at 1:50 p.m. with Lane Kiffin's appearance at the podium, a session that is scheduled to last until 2:20. Quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receiver Tre Harris and defensive lineman Jared Ivey are scheduled to be in the big room from 2:40 to 3 p.m., and there will be various breakout sessions throughout the day.

Ole Miss On SI will have individual coverage throughout the day from the Omni Hotel, but you can follow along with this story all day for instant updates from the men at the podium in the Dallas Ballroom, whether that be the commissioner, Kiffin or the Rebel players.

Commissioner Greg Sankey -- 9:05 a.m. CT

- Greg Sankey opens with some highlights from his previous career stops in Dallas, and he emphasizes the new 16-team look of the SEC: "from 14 deep to 16 strong."

- Sankey says there is no "magic pill" to solve the issues currently facing college athletics. Says Saturdays in the United States provide an opportunity for people to "come together" from different backgrounds, even in the midst of political strife. "We need more of what college sports does, not less."

- Heads into a discussion about "modernizing important elements of college sports" regarding NCAA court settlements. Working to make a decade's worth of change in a matter of months.

- Sankey says "we are going to seek to capitalize on revenue opportunities" that benefit the member schools and student athletes.

- The Southeastern Conference is the only conference whose name "still means something" with the Southeastern United States and restoring rivalries with expansion.

- "We need national standards." Says that student athletes say "we deserve better" than state-by-state laws regarding NIL.

- The SEC will continue its dialogue with congress since it can "help set national standards."

- In 2025, SEC Media Days will return to Atlanta and the College Football Hall of Fame.

- Sankey said that Dallas has a large SEC alumni base and is accessible. Considered hosting an earlier edition of Media Days in the city. As the conference went through expansion, that made "Western" events more and more important.

- SEC's new tiebreaker system without divisions could be "lengthy" and could be finalized at any point between now and the season.

- Sankey pays attention to what's happening with the ACC, "is not a recruiter" and is focused on the 16 SEC universities.

- The commissioner emphasizes multiple times that his focus is on the 16 SEC teams and says the conference can remain at 16 teams for a "long, long time and be incredibly successful."

Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin -- 1:50 p.m. CT

- Lane Kiffin opens with remarks on his late father Monte Kiffin, expressing gratitude for the "outpouring of support" from the community and former players and staff. Says that Monte was a "superhero" to the people he impacted throughout life.

- Kiffin emphasizes that the outside hype for his team "means nothing" in the preseason. Borrows Nick Saban's term of "rat poison" to describe the current situation.

- States that his team "has to come together," and the focus won't be on just Xs and Os. Also believes the 2024 schedule is "very exciting," and fans get to go places they aren't used to in the SEC.

- Lane believes that there have been some examples to learn from in the transfer market. Mentioned the 2022 Alabama game and how that affected the end of the season. He says that there is so much "bonding and coming together" where teambuilding is concerned, especially with the portal, but he also thinks that having some returning leaders helps that process.

- Kiffin thinks that the rule change allowing on-field coaching from analysts can be a good thing for college football.

- On the development of Jaxson Dart, Kiffin believes that leadership and investment in players is a strong suit for the quarterback. Says that he took really good care of the football at the end of last season.

- Kiffin thinks that the Rebels have addressed the length and size issues from last season, and they will "look better coming off the bus" than 2023.

- He called it "critical" to have a really good balance between high school and portal recruiting, but what that means changes every year, not placing a specific percentage on one category or the other. "We're always evolving in that. We're going to try to sign the best players, but we're also going to look at who they are."

- Kiffin offered some praise for Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr., claiming that Ole Miss could run the ball better against Arkansas after Paul went down with an injury.

- Calls the addition of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC "really exciting" with really tough places to play.

- Lane calls Quinshon Judkins "one of the best players in college football" and that he wishes him the best. Says he is very hard to replace, but they have some guys they are excited about at running back. Going to try to find ways to win, and that can "look very different year-to-year."

- He doesn't know that you can "contain" the "rat poison," but he continues to remind the players that preseason hype doesn't mean anything.