The takeaway at 2021 SEC Media Days: Nick Saban takes center stage, coaches defend CFP . expansion

[ad_1]

SEC Media Days dominate the college football scene for four days each July – unless canceled due to a pandemic – but when Nick Saban steps up on the podium, the hype accelerates to another level. That was the case again on Wednesday, when the legendary Alabama coach took his turn on the microphone in the wake of his seventh National Championship to highlight the event’s third day.

While the interest of Texas and Oklahoma to join the Securities and Exchange Commission caused quite a stir in the afternoon, there were plenty of other highlights from another day of the recent marathon. In addition to Saban, a pair of Novices taking center stage in the event were Clark Lea of ​​Vanderbilt and Mike Leach of Mississippi State, along with another heavyweight in Jimbo Fisher of Texas A&M.

From more talk about the evolving landscape of college football to specific questions on the field, there is a lot to summarize from the event. Let’s get to the biggest results from Wednesday’s events at SEC Media Days.

Alabama, Georgia doing well on vaccination threshold

Six of the league’s 14 teams have been above the 80% vaccination rate for COVID-19, Securities and Exchange Commission Commissioner Greg Sankey said on Monday, which is significant because once teams reach 85%, they will not be asked Take the test regularly. With the league not planning to reschedule games that have been disrupted by complications from COVID-19, teams that can reach the 85% threshold could end up with a competitive advantage by avoiding potential loses related to virus issues.

It should come as no surprise, then, that the two league favorites are among those with the highest vaccination rates. Saban said he believes Alabama is “very close” to a 90% vaccination rate just a day after Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Bulldogs are above the 85% mark.

“I hope more players will make that decision, but it’s theirs,” Saban said.

Of course, Saban missed Alabama’s win over arch-rival Auburn last season after he tested positive for COVID-19 before a vaccine was available. Then offensive coordinator Steve Sarkissian played a lofty role in the game, which Crimson Tide won 42-13.

“How does the decision and personal choice you make affect the team?” Saban said before noticing how COVID-19 issues deprived the North Carolina baseball program of the opportunity to continue with the College World Series last month. “There are two examples here in baseball right now that have had a huge impact and impact on teams.”

But Saban reiterated that he allowed doctors to give a “kind of lecturing” about the vaccine because they were making what he referred to as a “personal decision.”

Jimbo Fisher did not regret Alabama’s comment

Fisher injected some life into the off-season news cycle when Fisher made a statement he made to Houston’s Touchdown Club in May about the win over Alabama coach Nick Saban, making the rounds in a playful but eye-catching manner.

“I have no regrets. That’s what we’re here for, right? Isn’t that why everyone is here?” Fisher said. “That’s what makes this league this league. It’s what we expect to do at Texas A&M. Saying all that – Nick and I are friends. We’ve known each other for a long time. We’ve coached together. We’re from the same world, if that makes sense. I have the max. Respect for what he did and what he accomplished. It’s the standard, and the standard is what you have to play with.”

Fisher is among a long line of former Saban aides who have tried and failed so far to oust their former president. Last year, Alabama’s loss cost Texans A&M a spot in the college football game.

Despite surviving the rigors of the SEC schedule with only one loss last season against the eventual National Champions, Texas A&M found itself looking outside when the CFP announced its four-team stadium. The Aggies still benefited from a fantastic post-season opportunity by defeating North Carolina in the Orange Bowl, but Fisher made it clear that he thinks the Aggies belong in the playoff.

Texas A&M could easily have built a 12-team field, though, and Fisher landed himself among the most vocal proponents of the possibility of expansion during his appearance on Wednesday.

“I’m with it all,” Fisher said. “I think it’s necessary. I think it’s essential. Not only because we finished fifth, but I think – that’s the point I want you to ask. Name me a sport at any college level, that, except for the first five conferences, which has about 60 teams, where there are no Another 60 teams have a chance to win the National Championship. There is no sport in our world that isn’t – it can’t happen.”

Mike Leech really likes the CFP expansion

Leach is known for his unorthodox rants about pirates, amulets, and historical events, but he also has an unconventional approach to one of the hot topics in college football. While most coaches seem relatively accepting of the potential expansion of the College Football Playoff to include 12 teams – with a few exceptions such as Clemson’s Dabo Swinney – Leach believes the CFP’s current four-team doubling should be just the start.

It’s never enough, said Leach. I’ll tell you, Dr. (Mark) Keenum, our president, is on that committee, so I know they’re in good hands. I think this part is great. I think 12 teams is a huge step in the right direction. Personally, I would like to see 64, and you can format it quite easily. But I think it’s a huge step in the right direction, and I’m looking forward to it.”

While Leach has mainly stayed on topic and avoided the epic speeches for which he is known, he snuck in a few classic Leach moments during his first appearance on SEC Media Days. For one thing, he skipped an opening statement on the podium, ditching the opportunity most coaches seem to use to get a list of canned talking points that heighten the virtue of their programs. That left more time for questions, one focused on courting Tennessee while Volunteers searched for a new coach in 2017 after Butch Jones was fired.

“I talked to Tennessee, but this thing never happened — well, nothing ever got fixed,” said Leach. “Then, pretty soon, a coup happened there. You can sort that out among you, but this is well documented. So yeah, I didn’t end up in the middle of the coup, lucky for me.”

New energy in Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt’s first-year coach Clark Lea faces a steep rise as he takes over a program that struggled to achieve a record 0-9 during last season’s SEC-only roster. Although his predecessor Derek Mason took the Commodores in two bowl appearances in his seven seasons, it’s been eight years since Vanderbilt last finished with a winning record, as back-to-back campaigns with nine wins in 2012 and 2013 fizzled out under rear-view James Franklin. . Mirror.

During this period, the quality of sports facilities continued to increase in the league as universities invested in lavish upgrades to help attract top talent. However, Vanderbilt has lagged behind in this arms race. Fortunately for Leah, a former Vanderbilt defender who arrived from his previous position as defensive coordinator at Notre Dame, the Commodores have some big upgrades on their deck. This spring, the university announced plans to spend $300 million to modernize the sports facilities, and Leah is starting to see the profits.

“It certainly has an impact and will continue to have an impact,” Leah said. “I think when that number is visualized in the charts and released and when the shovels hit the ground, I think we’ll continue to see a positive impact in recruitment.”

Of course, enlistment will remain a unique experience for Lea at Vanderbilt, where admission criteria are lofty and elite academics require a commitment from athletes that make the school unique among its SEC peers. But as a former Vanderbilt player, he is uniquely qualified to play that stadium.

“I jump from an accelerated perspective,” Leah said. “I know the intricacies of what the program is about, how it fits into our university, what the recruitment profile should look like and where the resources are. So for me, it’s taking the opportunity we have to build something different to give this program a chance to be at its potential.”

[ad_2]