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2021 SEC football predicted order of finish by the media.
The 2021 Southeastern Conference football media days were held July 19-22 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.
Below is how media voted for a predicted order of finish in the SEC East and West divisions, as well as a conference champion for the 2021 season.
2021 SEC media days: Predicted order of finish ballot
The 2021 Southeastern Conference football media days were held July 19-22 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.
Below is Dan Harralson of Vols Wire’s ballot submitted to the conference for the 2021 SEC predicted order of finish.
Lane Kiffin discusses coaching at Tennessee and his love for the Vols’ fan base.
The 2021 Southeastern Conference football media days are taking place July 19-22 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.
Second-year Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin took part at SEC media days on Tuesday.
Kiffin returned to the SEC as a head coach in 2020, guiding Ole Miss to a 5-5 record.
Kiffin’s SEC media days appearance on Tuesday was his first with the Rebels. The 2020 SEC media days were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He served as Tennessee’s head coach in 2009.
Kiffin discussed returning to Neyland Stadium as an opposing head coach in 2021. The Vols host Ole Miss on Oct. 16 at Neyland Stadium.
“It will be exciting to go back there,” Kiffin said of playing at Tennessee. “We had an exciting year there. I’ve said it before, I love the fan base there, very passionate, and it’s a special place.”
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Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. details Josh Heupel’s personality.
The 2021 Southeastern Conference football media days is taking place July 19-22 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.
Redshirt senior wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. took part at SEC media days on Tuesday.
Jones Jr. discussed Vols’ head coach Josh Heupel’s personality off the field and what makes him relatable with student-athletes.
“He has an amazing personality,” Jones Jr. said of Heupel. “He’s a real open guy. I feel comfortable going up there any time the second I need to. Just the whole staff is amazing. With Coach Heupel, he really interacts with the players a lot, always around us, whether it’s like tossing the football or coming in the weight room, checking on us, asking us about our personal lives, like he’s just an amazing guy.
“He’s always involved, he’s always around, you’re always seeing his face, so he’s a really likable guy. I’m so proud to go to war for that man this fall.”
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Alontae Taylor discusses Vols’ quarterback battle.
The 2021 Southeastern Conference football media days is taking place July 19-22 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.
Senior defensive back Alontae Taylor took part at SEC media days on Tuesday.
Taylor discussed Tennessee’s quarterback battle comprised of Harrison Bailey, Hendon Hooker, Brian Maurer and Joe Milton.
“I feel like, when you have a group of quarterbacks like we have, it’s really hard to just say we need to have a clarity of who our quarterback is going to be,” Taylor said. “All of them are great quarterbacks, all of them are smart guys, respectful guys, and they’re all leaders on our team. Just make sure they’re working hard, make sure we stay on top of them.
“As a corner, specifically in their passing game, being able to talk to them, what do they see, what do I see, things like that, that could help them out as far as bettering their game is probably what’s most important to me.
At the end of the day, I don’t think rushing to figure out who your quarterback is going to be is a smart thing. I feel like just let it play out, let every guy work as hard as they can, and may the best man win. At the end of the day, our quarterback room is big, it’s deep now, and I feel like they all respect each other.”
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Josh Heupel details a misnomer about his offense.
The 2021 Southeastern Conference football media days are taking place July 19-22 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.
First-year Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel took part in SEC media days on Tuesday.
Heupel discussed philosophies and how there is a misnomer about his offense not being balanced.
“I think that’s the misnomer about what we do offensively,” Heupel said. “You look at, when we were at Missouri, we set a Power Five record for the fewest amount of zero negative yard plays and then reset the record the following year. When we took over at Missouri, they were 125th in the country in total offense. We ended up leading the league for two straight years in total offense.
“We’re very balanced in our approach. You look at our numbers, run and pass, we’re extremely balanced, so our ability for us, it really starts with the run game. It starts with the five guys up front, your tight ends, if they’re playing. They’re located in the core. Then our running backs have to be great with the football in their hands. That is a position that we’re relatively young at, were hit by the transfer portal, but really like the guys that we have on campus.”
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Georgia quarterback JT Daniels discusses playing with Velus Jones Jr. at USC.
The 2021 Southeastern Conference football media days is taking place July 19-22 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.
Georgia quarterback JT Daniels took part in SEC media days on Tuesday.
Daniels transferred to Georgia from USC in May 2020. He played alongside wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. at USC from 2018-19.
Jones Jr. transferred to Tennessee in Jan. 2020.
During Daniels’ SEC media days appearance, he discussed playing with Jones Jr. at USC.
“Velus and I are really good friends,” Daniels said. “When I was going into my freshman year, I graduated a whole year early, so I didn’t get to do spring. During that spring period going into USC, I would come up to USC and spend the weekend or spend almost the whole week there to watch spring practice and try and learn, and I stayed with Velus.
“Velus and I have been really good friends since I was 17, so he’s just a really good guy. I’m pumped to see him succeeding back in the South where he’s from, having a good time.”
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SEC media days: Dan Mullen discusses Josh Heupel’s offense being a challenge
The 2021 Southeastern Conference football media days is taking place July 19-22 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.
Florida head coach Dan Mullen took part on the first day of SEC media days on Monday.
Mullen was asked about Josh Heupel being hired as Tennessee’s head coach.
“I don’t know that I ever faced him,” Mullen said of Heupel. “I know he’s been successful everywhere he’s been throughout his career, and so, I think he’ll bring a lot of excitement.
“I know, offensively, they’re always a challenge. They’re an exciting team to watch, have a great system, put up some big numbers, so it will be a great challenge to finally get the opportunity to go against him.”
Tennessee will play at Florida on Sept. 25.
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SEC media days: Discussing Josh Heupel’s Tennessee tenure in relation to Dennis Franchione at Alabama
The 2021 Southeastern Conference football media days will take place July 19-22 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.
First-year Vols’ head coach Josh Heupel will join Tennessee student-athletes Velus Jones Jr. and Alontae Taylor at SEC media days on July 20.
Ahead of SEC media days, Pete Fiutak of College Football News joined the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” to discuss the 2021 season and Tennessee under Heupel.
Fiutak discussed how Tennessee’s program and Heupel as a head coach should not be under sold.
A topic of discussion was Heupel at Tennessee in relation to when Dennis Franchione served as Alabama’s head coach (2001-02) before NCAA sanctions hampered the Crimson Tide’s program.
Franchione was hired as Alabama’s head coach in Nov. 2000. He replaced Mike DuBose who was fired following a 3-8 season in 2000.
Franchione inherited NCAA sanctions, like Heupel is expected at Tennessee.
Alabama’s sanctions were announced heading into Franchione’s second season with the Crimson Tide in Feb. 2002. The Crimson Tide received five years probation, including a two-year postseason ban due to a recruiting scandal in which boosters were accused of paying money for players. Alabama also received scholarship reductions.
Franchione led Alabama to a 10-3 season in 2002 and ended the Crimson Tide’s seven-year losing streak to Tennessee. After finishing 17-8 in two seasons at Alabama, Franchione departed the Crimson Tide to become Texas A&M’s head coach.
His departure came before scholarship reductions hampered Alabama’s program.
Tennessee fired head coach Jeremy Pruitt with cause on Jan. 18 after an investigation showed evidence of multiple Level I and Level II NCAA recruiting rules violations during his tenure.
Tennessee is awaiting sanctions from the NCAA.
Below is commentary of discussing Heupel at Tennessee following Pruitt’s departure due to violations and when Franchione was hired at Alabama with NCAA sanctions forthcoming.
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SEC media days: Phil Steele discusses Tennessee football
The 2021 Southeastern Conference football media days will take place July 19-22 at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama.
First-year Vols’ head coach Josh Heupel will join Tennessee student-athletes Velus Jones Jr. and Alontae Taylor at SEC media days on July 20.
Ahead of SEC media days, Phil Steele joined the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” to discuss the 2021 college football season and his magazine, Phil Steele’s College Football Preview.
The show can be listened to here or below as Steele discusses Tennessee football under Heupel, Alex Golesh and the Vols’ quarterback battle.
2021 Southeastern Conference media days student-athlete attendees
2021 Southeastern Conference football media days schedule
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