What they said about Alabama at SEC Media Days: Day 1

Alabama won’t make the rounds at SEC Media Days until Wednesday, July 19, but there was still plenty said about the Crimson Tide on Day 1 of the league’s annual media event in Nashville.

Below is a roundup of what opposing coaches and players said about UA at SEC Media Days.

LSU HEAD COACH BRIAN KELLY

“The foundation of success is built in consistency. Alabama and Georgia continue to hold that mantle of consistency in terms of playing for championships, and that’s what we’ll be looking to be at LSU, is playing for championships consistently, year in and year out.

“You don’t do it by just being a one-and-done. You’ve got to be able to do that over a period of time, and that’s really the transition from year one to year two. Where in year one I was learning the league. I was learning how to go on the road and play in the kind of environments. I was learning our roster and our strengths and weaknesses.

“Going into year two, we have a lot of that knowledge and we understand a lot of those things necessary to be competitive and win games. Now it’s how do you do it week in and week out. For us, that’s what our team now has been focused on.”

On Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees…

“I think it starts with he played the game at a high level. Smart, builds great relationships with his players and I think he understands the balance of art and science when it comes to play-calling. Play-calling is not just about analytics, it’s just not about tendencies. You’ve gotta have a gut feeling, you’ve gotta know when to make those calls. He played the position, he knows it, he can balance those two things. I hope he has great success in every game he plays until we play him at LSU.”

On his conversations with Rees about the Alabama job…

“Well, I think what I can share is the first thing is we have a great relationship that we’ve kept since I recruited him and he played for me. I think that for him, he wanted to make sure that this was the right move in his career, and I felt like it was. I thought it was gonna be a great move. Now, it was ultimately his decision. He didn’t make it because I told him to do it. He did it because he felt like it was.

“But you don’t get a chance to work for Nick Saban very often, and when you do, good things generally happen. Matter of fact, mostly all the time. So that’s not a hard track record to look at. So if you get a chance to work for Nick Saban, if you get a chance to work at a place like Alabama, that has that kind of, obviously, unparalleled success, this would be a great opportunity. He felt the same way, and I’m happy for him. I’m going to be happy for him, except for one weekend or if there’s implications of a tie or something.”

LSU QB JAYDEN DANIELS

On what it meant to beat Alabama last season…

“It’s meant a lot obviously. He lost to Alabama in the National Championship game, so it meant a lot to him to get that win. It meant a lot to the state of Louisiana to get that win against Alabama at home for the first time in a while.”

LSU RB JOSH WILLIAMS

On what the win over Alabama last year meant…

“It meant everything. Alabama is our rival game, and it was a big deal being at Tiger Stadium, Saturday night. And just the way we won the game and everybody running onto the field and just giving us that momentum for the rest of the year, I think it really helped us push forward.”

LSU DL MEKIHI WINGO

On the distinction between Alabama and Georgia…

“I wouldn’t say there’s a distinction between the two teams. There are two great offensive lines, two great quarterbacks, and two great coaches on both. Georgia, obviously the defending national champs, so they have the trophy right now. But both programs are phenomenal, and we’ll be looking forward to playing them this year.”

What he remembers of the overtime win over Alabama…

“It was very exciting to see the crowd rush the field. They had done it the previous week before, but it was nothing like that game. Just to see the excitement on our quarterback’s face and just on the team and the coach’s face to get that win. It was a great bonding moment for us, and we’re hoping to build on it this year.”

TEXAS A&M WR AINIAS SMITH

On what he attributes his success against Alabama to…

“Not for real. I try to play every game the hardest, you know what I’m saying. Of course, I have a little, I guess you could say, back history with Alabama and whatnot with my brother (Maurice Smith) going there, but I always try to go hard each and every game. I try to play each game like it’s my last game. Those big games that you call, I just look at it as a normal game. We try to go into practice each and every week like it’s just a regular game, and that’s my whole thought process each and every week. Just don’t make the moment too big. Just go ahead and be in the moment. Be where your feet are and just enjoy the process.”

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