First Down Kentucky: The Texas Welcome Party

It’s still an odd sight to see. The Texas Longhorn logo was on center stage at SEC Media Days. It might take us a while to get used to, but Steve Sarkisian’s program is ready for this challenge.

In his opening address, he gave a shout out to his bosses for orchestrating the move to the SEC. “Their vision to take the University of Texas into the Southeastern Conference was one that took a lot of foresight,” Sark said.

“I wish they maybe would have informed me before I took the job that this was what we were going to do, but I didn’t get informed that until afterwards, but I said, hey, we already had to build a team that was going to beat the best team in the SEC if we wanted to win a National Championship. Not much had to change there for us on that front.”

Sark was only on the job for a few months when the news broke of the move. Even though it’s taken a couple of years to get here, he’s spent that time meticulously making roster moves to ensure the Longhorns are built for the long game in the SEC.

“This is the deepest team we’ve had, probably the most talented team we’ve had in my four years here, I can unequivocally say that, and we lost some really good players a year ago, but we’ve got a very deep football team, one that we’re excited about, and looking forward to watching them compete this fall,” he said.

What makes this league so challenging is not just the teams at the top, it’s the week-to-week grind. Texas appears to have a roster that can withstand it, but it’s one thing to have a roster that looks good on paper. It’s another thing to actually be able to endure that physicality into the month of November.

That’s what should make the road trip to Austin in November so intriguing for Kentucky football fans. Texas looks the part of an SEC juggernaut. Sark hits all the right notes and is an engaging ambassador for the league in the public eye. But everybody has a plan until you get punched in the face. Mark Stoops knows what it feels like to take some licks and his team might deliver one Texas isn’t expecting in the penultimate week of the regular season.

Sliding Doors Moment at SEC Media Days

It was Florida’s turn at SEC Media Days and the Gators’ daunting schedule was a primary topic of conversation. Our pal Aaron Gershon took things in a different direction when he spoke with quarterback Graham Mertz. There was a time when it looked like Mertz was going to be under center for the Wildcats.

“I enjoyed my time in Lexington. I think that the entire coaching staff they had was fantastic,” he shared with gaggle of reporters.

The issue was Kentucky didn’t have an offensive coordinator at the time. That played a pivotal role in Mertz’s final decision.

“That was kind of the selling point; they didn’t have it at the time, and I knew Florida did,” Mertz said. “At the time, I needed stability, and coming from a place where we had a coaching change at Wisconsin, I needed that stability of knowing who’s going to be calling the plays, what’s the offense going to be, how are we going to grow and develop that kind of thing. So I fell in love with Florida.”

Let’s be honest here, we all knew Liam Coen was going to be the offensive coordinator. Kentucky cooled on Mertz and pivoted to Devin Leary. Some will say in hindsight that was the incorrect decision, but if Brock Vandagriff ends up being the guy, it’s one case where hindsight is actually not 20/20.

Randall Cobb joins the SEC Network Crew

One of the most beloved football players to ever suit up for the Kentucky Wildcats is coming to a television near you. After spending 13 years in the NFL, Randall Cobb showed up on the SEC Network set Wednesday morning. Few players have done more for a football team than Cobb. Hopefully, he’ll do some heavy lifting to remind folks that Kentucky is a force to be reckoned with in the SEC.

Kentucky is up next at SEC Media Days

For the first time since we began sending all hands on deck to cover SEC Media Days, Mark Stoops will be closing out the event. The Kentucky head coach will be at the podium in the main room at 3:25 pm EST. Deone Walker, D’Eryk Jackson, and Marques Cox are accompanying him to Dallas. KSR will share everything the Wildcats have to say and get a few personal interactions beginning just after lunch. Prepare for a busy day, Big Blue Nation.

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KSR’s coverage at media days is presented by the team at Friends of Coal. Friends of Coal is dedicated to informing and educating Kentucky citizens about the coal industry and its vital role in the state’s future. They provide a united voice for an industry that has been and remains a critical economic contributor to Kentucky. By working together, they can provide good jobs and benefits for future generations. Coal is RESILIENT, RELIABLE, and AFFORDABLE.

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