What they said about Alabama at SEC Media Days: Day 4

Alabama already made the rounds at SEC Media Days on Wednesday, July 19, but there was still plenty said about the Crimson Tide on Day 4 of the league’s media event in Nashville.

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

OLE MISS HEAD COACH LANE KIFFIN

On what Nick Saban has meant to his coaching career…

“I’m extremely grateful to Coach Saban and our time together and, most importantly, him giving me an opportunity to learn from him. I mean, he’s the best to ever do it, I’ve said it before. I really do believe he is the best coach to ever do it because – you guys know in here – I kind of take in all the information and look it instead of, OK, a record. He’s done it in a time of scholarship limitations where some of those older coaches didn’t have them. I mean, what if Nick Saban didn’t have an 85 rule? What would his roster look like if he had 150 scholarships to give?

“And also, he’s done what I don’t think anybody did over time of do it continuously with so much staff turnover, so many people are hired off of his staff at other places to be head coaches, and it’s kind of like, man, all these first-round picks and he loses these coordinators – it’s why we have (Paul) Finebaum so he can motivate him every other year and say, ‘Oh, his dynasty’s over,’ and, ‘This is the end of Saban.’ And then we’re like, ‘Hey, thanks a lot for pissing him off.’ And Paul’s always wrong on this subject, and he just did it again the other day. ‘If he doesn’t make the playoffs, he’s not any good as a coach.’ So thanks, Paul.”

On new offensive coordinator Pete Golding…

“Pete Golding coming in on defense, we are really excited about that change and what he brings, to bring him over from Alabama. I’ve known Pete and people that worked with him a long time. He’s ahead of the game, very intelligent and great recruiter, as well. There’s some transition there with a lot of new coaches and a ton of new players and some that missed spring, like Cedric Johnson who is here today, missed the spring. So this fall will be really important for us in all areas but especially on defense of putting all that together to play good defense.”

TENNESSEE HEAD COACH JOSH HEUPEL

On what he expects the environment to be like for Tennessee at Alabama…

“A great Alabama team. A hostile, tough environment. They’re one of the great programs. A difficult test, absolutely.”

SOUTH CAROLINA HEAD COACH SHANE BEAMER

On Alabama quarterback Tyler Buchner…

“Really talented, athletic, gamer. I remember seeing him right after the game – I finished my press conference and he was out in the hallway, getting ready to go in for their press conference. I just told him, ‘Heck of a performance, great respect for you.’ He made some really good throws in that game, as well, and just a guy that you could tell his teammates had great respect for him and rallied around him and certainly a guy they had a lot of confidence in at Notre Dame.”

TENNESSEE TE JACOB WARREN

On the feeling going into the Alabama game last year…

“It’s the same thought every single game. We go into the game expecting to win, be able to operate, do everything we plan to do, whether that’s execute our run game, pass game, stop them on defense, third-and-short. There’s a game plan every single week. It’s about sticking to the game plan, playing your best, your hardest. That week we were able to do it, and we were able to come out victorious. That doesn’t do us a lot of good now, thinking about that game, going back to that. You definitely look back and learn lessons from that.”

TENNESSEE DL OMARI THOMAS

On what he remembers about last year’s Alabama game…

“It’s crazy. I remember taking one hour to get from the goalpost the ball went through to the other end to get into the locker room. Took a whole hour just to do that. Taking pictures, enjoying the moment with my teammates, my family being on the field. It was just good to have that whole atmosphere. The whole buildup to the day was just amazing.”

OLE MISS RB QUINSHON JUDKINS

On if it is more special to play Alabama or Auburn, being from Pike Road…

“I don’t think so. That’s the area I come from, but I don’t think it makes the game more special or anything. I think my situation is coming into any game, I come in with the same mindset and same goal, which is to win.”

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