What they said about Alabama at 2024 SEC Media Days: Day 1
Alabama won’t make the rounds at SEC Media Days until Wednesday, July 17, but there was still plenty said about the Crimson Tide on Day 1 of the event at the Omni Dallas Hotel. To kick things off on Monday, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Vanderbilt took the stage.
Below is a roundup of what opposing coaches and players said about UA at SEC Media Days.
SEC COMMISSIONER GREG SANKEY
On what Nick Saban can do to help the league continue to grow…
“What can Nick do? Well, help us avoid rat poison would be the first on the list. He and I spoke — it was a couple days after the announcement of his retirement, and I think one of Nick’s observations, I think it’s fine to share, is the ability to be influential in a different role outside of coaching. He and I probably dealt with, well, you’re doing this because Nick thinks it’s competitively favorable.
“One of the things I’ve found over time is Nick in many ways uniquely thought ahead on issues, provided really deep and clear insight, and he and I have had any number of conversations over — this is my tenth year as commissioner, but I’ve been in the SEC for 23 years, and but for the two years he was with the Dolphins, were in conversation throughout those couple of decades.
“So I think he can bring that clarity. I think he can bring an understanding that even I don’t have dealing with these issues on the front lines as a head football coach, and I know he brings love of the game overall to an analysis.
“I have seen him engage in conversations already in a big picture problem solving way, and I hope that will continue, and he can evaluate my performance, since he’s sitting in the room listening, my performance in answering that question.”
FORMER ALABAMA COACH NICK SABAN
On Alabama’s biggest question mark this season…
“I think Bama has really got a lot of good players. I think they’ve got question marks in the secondary, especially at corner. Getting (Kadyn) Proctor back probably was important because they were a little bit weak at tackle. That’s going to help them. I think depth of the team will be the biggest question. If Alabama can stay healthy, I think they have enough good first-line players to compete against anybody.”
On why he doesn’t have Alabama in the SEC title game…
“I really like Texas. I think Georgia has got a really good team. I believe in our Alabama team, too. I believe in Jalen Milroe. I just think the question marks in the secondary – until those get resolved – it’s hard to, sort of, jump on that bandwagon.”
OLE MISS COACH LANE KIFFIN
On Nick Saban’s popular “rat poison” phrase…
“Just very appreciative to Coach Saban, who called the other day and stopped me and talked to me there. In respect to Coach Saban as terms, this is really, as he said, this is a rat poison situation here to have all this attention on our players, and it means nothing because it’s all about the work that they put in, the process they do daily, they’re working extremely hard this summer, and then we’re going to have a lot of work to do in training camp.”
On how last year’s Georgia loss impacted how he attacked the portal…
“We’ve got to recruit better. That was not a shot towards or players because I hate that. Well, the coach is saying… We got to coach better, but we as coaches got to recruit better in our thinking and evaluations and so forth. One of the big things was I just thought should happen in a few games over our time here, really with Alabama and Georgia, was there was a length and size issue.
“Both Kirby (Smart) and Coach Saban, you learn from Coach Saban there is an impact profile they recruit to of size. That’s — that’s not easy to do everywhere. Everybody would love to have every player 6’5″. I do think we address that and I do think in that game it was glaring. Again, we got to perform really well, practice really well, and coach really well. But we’re going to look better coming off the bus I guess. We’ll have more length and size.”
SOUTH CAROLINA COACH SHANE BEAMER
On hiring former Alabama coach Mike Shula as an analyst…
“Four new coaches … and then Mike Shula, who we brought in as a senior analyst and works closely with our quarterbacks, as well. I see a lot of eyes that just popped up that don’t cover South Carolina regularly that heard that Mike Shula is on our staff. Mike has made us better, along with all of those guys.”
LSU QB GARRETT NUSSMEIER
On what he learned from stepping in against Alabama last year…
“I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to step into some pretty tough situations. I think they’ve only made me better as a player. Now getting the experience and the preparation, as well as the starter, I think it will only help even more. That experience at Alabama, the SEC Championship against Georgia, the end of the game against Auburn. I’ve been thrown into some tough situations but it’s only made me better and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. And even the times when I failed, just learning from them, and hopefully just continuing as always to just try and push better.”
LSU TE MASON TAYLOR
On if he is excited to face Alabama this season…
“Yeah, it’s a great game every time we play them. Alabama is one of the best college football teams in the country. Like we said in the SEC, you play the best. Definitely going to be fun. It’s definitely competitive, and it’s definitely a great game. So it will be fun.”
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