Excuses? Unlike Notre Dame’s previous head coach, Marcus Freeman isn’t making any.
I’ve been open about my lack of care for conference media days as a whole. The only things I really enjoy about them are the fact that they mean college football season is getting close to kicking off, and I’ve certainly been thankful for that the last two weeks.
[autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] doesn’t have to participate in these media days for the time being and the good Lord willing, will not have to anytime soon. However, he made the media rounds right after Notre Dame’s epic Shamrock Series jersey reveal video went viral.
What did Freeman have to say as he made stops at both ESPN’s “Get Up” (at least it wasn’t “First Take”) and on Rich Eisen’s radio show? You can catch interviews in full at the links above, but here were the main takeaways, specifically from his time on “Get Up.”
And be sure to check it all out as you may enjoy his not-so-subtle jab at [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] in regards to the position Notre Dame is in to win a national championship today.
A great line from Phil Longo at Wisconsin’s media day:
It’s here. Not the season quite yet, but Wisconsin conducted local media today in advance of preseason training camp beginning tomorrow at UW-Platteville.
These days in the past would often be Paul Chryst expressing excitement for the opportunity to enter another season. There was a different energy entering the event Tuesday.
Not much headline news generally comes from local media day, but there are a few significant quotes to note.
First, defensive coordinator Mike Tressel set high expectations for transfer defensive lineman Darian Varner while offensive coordinator Phil Longo did the same for transfer wide receiver Bryson Green. Both players missed spring practice due to injury, though both figure to play prominent roles in their respective units when the season begins.
The real headline was a note from Longo, which may become the quote of the year:
Wisconsin OC Phil Longo with the quote of local media day so far: "I told my wife, I think the thing I love the most after my wife and my kids are slot receivers. They are typically one of the most productive positions in the offense."
The thing he loves the most after his wife and kids are slot receivers, a terrific line. The position has excelled under Longo in recent years, most recently with Josh Downs leading UNC in receiving yards last year with 1029.
Will Pauling and Skyler Bell figure to be Wisconsin’s two primary slot receivers this year with both playing prominent snaps. The talent is there, and Longo clearly wants to get the group involved.
While Notre Dame doesn’t have a conference preseason media session to promote their product, they did have last week when [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] and a few of the Irish standouts invaded New York for a media tour. Meanwhile, Freeman’s predecessor [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] got things started as he was first up at this week’s SEC Media Days on Monday.
Kelly shocked the college football world and left Notre Dame for LSU after the 2021 regular season concluded. Kelly was again asked about that and shared a few other marquee openings that he was reached about over the years as well.
He also shared thoughts on [autotag]Tommy Rees[/autotag] taking the Alabama offensive coordinator job, an evaluation of former Notre Dame running back, and more. Here are a few of the highlights as he met the media Monday.
The SEC announced the four-day schedule for the conference’s media days in July. The 14 coaches will speak over the four-day period.
The SEC has announced the schedule for when coaches will take the podium during the 2023 SEC media days event. This will be the last time that 14 teams will speak during the four-day span. Starting in 2024 you will be able to add the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns to the schedule.
There are plenty of storylines to follow starting from the first day. On Monday, Jul. 17, we will hear from Brian Kelly and Jimbo Fisher. The latter will likely be addressing how he bounces back in 2023 along with his new offensive coordinator, Bobby Petrino. Kelly will be entering year 2 after securing the SEC West title in his first season on the job.
The second day will feature new Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze and two-time defending national champion head coach Kirby Smart. What does Freeze have in store for his second run in the SEC? Plus who will Smart tab as the next quarterback of the Dawgs with Stetson Bennett heading to the next level?
Nick Saban and Billy Napier will headline day three. Napier will surely be asked questions about the fallout of Jaden Rashada. While the Alabama head coach will have a new quarterback in 2023.
Lane Kiffin and Josh Heupel will close out the four-day event on Friday. When Kiffin is speaking, you better get your popcorn ready.
Brent Venables discusses parallels between Josh Heupel and Dillon Gabriel.
Brent Venables enters his first season as Oklahoma’s head coach in 2022.
Venables returns to Oklahoma after serving as the Sooners’ defensive coordinator from 2004-11 and co-defensive coordinator between 1999-2003.
Venables took part in Big 12 media days Thursday in Arlington, Texas.
He was asked about Oklahoma, under then first-year head coach Bob Stoops in 1999, having a transfer quarterback in Josh Heupel start for the Sooners. Venables added transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel to the Sooners’ roster in 2022.
“There are certainly parallels in many ways, bringing in an experienced lefty in our first year,” Venables said. “To me it goes back just to the people. You’ve got to be good enough. Dillon Gabriel is a winner. You can’t say it any better than that. He’s thrown for 8,000 yards, completed over 60 percent of his passes, incredible touchdown-to-interception ratio, just a great leader. He’s our quarterback. Certainly anything can happen as we move forward through fall camp. It’s always about daily competition, but I feel great I can lay my head down at night knowing not just what he has done on the football field but the quality of the person he is.
“He’s about all the right stuff. He’s dependable. He’s reliable. He’s accountable. He’s humble. He’s one of the hardest workers, shows up early. He’s last one to leave, always working to improve, and he leads by example — guys follow him. He’s a galvanizer of people.”
Central Florida coach Josh Heupel and quarterback Dillon Gabriel (11) celebrate in the rain after a touchdown against Marshall during the Gasparilla Bowl NCAA college football game Monday, Dec. 23, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
Gabriel transferred to Oklahoma from UCF. He played for Heupel from 2019-20 at UCF.
Heupel enters his second season as Tennessee’s head coach in 2022. He served as UCF’s head coach from 2018-20.
“Without Nick Saban, I wouldn’t be sitting here today.”
On Thursday, Steve Sarkisian was asked about the opportunity to face Nick Saban. As you might expect, the Texas coach was effusive in his praise of his former head coach.
Sarkisian has the greatest respect for Nick Saban, and with good reason. Saban effectively saved his career.
After his rapid rise and fall as head coach of the USC Trojans, the face of college football helped Sarkisian exorcise personal demons and develop into the coach he was destined to become. Sarkisian confirmed that sentiment to the media present at AT&T Stadium.
“Without Nick Saban, I wouldn’t be sitting here today.”
Despite having the unenviable task of facing the sport’s greatest coach, Sarkisian looks forward to coaching against one of his heroes this season.
“Without Nick Saban I wouldn’t be sitting here today with y’all… I can’t wait to play #Alabama because of the discipline and commitment Coach Saban has with his players and the program…”
During Saban’s tenure, the Crimson Tide have often made short work of their premier early-season opponents. Nevertheless, win or lose, Sarkisian will be reminded of the coach who revived his career.
The SEC has released the schedule for this summer’s Media Days.
SEC Media Days will take place this summer at the College Football Hall of Fame and The Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center.
The four-day media event will run from July 18-21, and today the Southeastern Conference announced the appearance schedule for the conference’s head coaches.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, who will be accompanied by a few select players, will speak with the media on Wednesday, July 20. He will share the day with Arkansas’ Sam Pittman, Billy Napier of Florida and Kentucky coach Mark Stoops.
The order in which coaches and their players will speak has not yet been released.
A more detailed daily schedule with full television information, rotational breakdown and student-athletes attending will be available prior to the event in early July.
2022 SEC media days schedule for each football head coach.
The Southeastern Conference media days are returning to the College Football Hall of Fame and The Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
SEC media days were held at the College Football Hall of Fame and The Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center in 2018.
The 2022 media days will take place July 18-21 and SEC Network will televise the annual event.
Below is a schedule of when each SEC head coach will speak.
