Tag: SEC Media Days

Eight Bulldogs named to All-SEC preseason offensive teams

Eight players on the Georgia offense were selected as preseason All-SEC, including three on the first team.

With the conclusion of SEC Media Days, the media’s official All-SEC preseason teams were released on Friday morning. Among the selections on the offensive side of the football are eight Georgia Bulldogs players, up from seven a year ago.

Three Bulldogs were selected to the first team, including at the quarterback position, where Carson Beck was given the nod over Texas‘ Quinn Ewers and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe. Florida Gators transfer Trevor Etienne was selected as the first team running back alongside Auburn’s Jarquez Hunter, while guard Tate Ratledge was selected as a first team offensive lineman.

Two more Georgia offensive linemen were chosen for the second team, with guard Dylan Fairchild and tackle Xavier Truss getting the nod. On the third team roster, tackle Earnest Greene was the fourth Bulldog lineman selected, while wide receiver Dominic Lovett and tight end Oscar Delp rounded out the list. Wide receiver Dillon Bell also made the second team special teams’ roster as an all-purpose player.

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Georgia was also selected as the heavy favorite to win the conference, receiving 165 first-place votes compared to 27 for the next closest team, that being the Texas Longhorns.

Vols enter 2024 with ‘deepest’ secondary under Josh Heupel

Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel discusses the Vols entering 2024 with the deepest secondary during his tenure.

Tennessee will kick off fall training camp on July 31. 2024 will be the fourth season for the Vols under head coach Josh Heupel.

Heupel discussed Tennessee’s secondary for the upcoming season at SEC media days on July 16 in Dallas, Texas.

“Expecting those guys to play at a championship level,” Heupel said. “I love the group as far as their length, athleticism, play-making ability, their willingness to be physical, take on destruct blocks, tackle in open space, their care factor, their knowledge and understanding of what we’re doing, how they approach their practice every single day. I’m really excited about it.

“I mentioned a little bit earlier, but this is the deepest that we’ve been within our roster, and that affords you to have the opportunity to have great competition every single day. That’s on the practice field. That’s in the meeting room. That depth becomes important as you go throughout the course of the season, as well. I’m looking forward to that group taking a real step here this fall for us.”

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

On3 expert thinks this unit will be the reason Oklahoma sinks or swims

Does Bill Bedenbaugh’s offensive line have enough to get the job done in the SEC?

You’ve heard about it all offseason if you’re an Oklahoma Sooners football fan. Can the offensive line mesh together well enough to get by in Year 1 in the brutal [autotag]SEC[/autotag]? Will the young players and [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] additions help or hurt OU in their pursuit of making the inaugural 12-team [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag]?

Elsewhere on the roster, Oklahoma looks pretty good on paper. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] takes the reins at quarterback, a moment OU fans have been eagerly anticipating for a long time. Arnold is inexperienced, yes, but his talent and upside are evident to anyone who has watched him play.

The Sooners have an embarrassment of riches at wide receiver, with no less than five players who fans would trust to be on the field in pressure-cooker moments.

Running back is solid, with leading rusher [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] returning. Health will be key in the backfield, but that position group should have the horses to get the job done.

The secondary is another position that must stay healthy, but there’s plenty of experience at most of the starting spots and plenty of young talent behind the starters. Safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag]’s return makes the defensive backfield a strength.

Another strength comes in the form of [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and the linebacker group. Almost all of the key contributors from a year ago return and they complete a back seven that is seen by some as being among the best in the conference.

The defensive line is a bit more of a concern, but [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] is back to lead the defense in the trenches. Oklahoma lost a lot of experience, talent and depth to graduation, the NFL and the portal, but they’ve worked hard to replace those exits. A major win in the spring portal window was the commitment of TCU transfer [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag]. He helps fortify one of the most important positions on the roster under Brent Venables’ vision and identity for the program.

The Sooners have other areas of concern. Tight end still needs to be sorted out. The same goes for the special teams. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] is entering just his third season as the head coach in Norman and is breaking in brand-new coordinators on both sides of the ball. [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] comes over from Jacksonville State to lead the defense, while [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] and [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] were internal promotions who are now in charge of the offense.

But the biggest talking point this offseason, aside from OU’s brutal schedule in 2024’s journey to the SEC, has been that offensive line. Oklahoma had to replace the entire unit after last year and it’s one of the most valuable position groups on any football team. The performance of the o-line could literally make or break 2024 for the Sooners.

On his show, “The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell” On3’s college football expert J.D. PicKell gave his thoughts on Venables and the Sooners following [autotag]SEC media days[/autotag]. He laid out just how important one position group can be for the offense, and the entire Oklahoma team:

“I think the number one question we’ve all got to ask right now is can they protect Jackson Arnold because you bring in pretty much a whole new offensive line,” PicKell said. “Now I love (offensive line coach) [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag]. I think he’s going to be able to get the most out of whatever unit they have out there; I trust him. But at the same time if you can’t protect Jackson Arnold, in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] that’s one thing, in the SEC that’s a completely other beast.”

PicKell also stated that it’s not all Arnold’s fault if the young quarterback struggles in the season’s early stages, while also laying out a path to early success.

“So if Jackson Arnold struggles early on in the year, make sure we evaluate the context for him,” PicKell said. “Make sure we’re assessing what he’s getting on that offensive line and how much time he has to deliver the football. Because if they can protect Jackson Arnold, if they do give him a chance to read the defense and feel comfortable confident back there in the pocket, they have, I believe, one of the most slept on wide receiver rooms in not just the SEC, in all of America. I’ll say it again. [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] … I love [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] I love [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] when he’s healthy, so all of those pieces I think make it very difficult as a defense to give the proper attention to all those weapons.”

PicKell went on to say that the offensive line’s success opening up running lanes will help take the pressure off Arnold and make OU’s offense more multi-faceted. He also highlighted the returning experience on Oklahoma’s defense and hypothesized that the Sooners could be in a few more low-scoring battles that fans are used to in Norman.

Simply put, the offensive line could be the reason that Oklahoma sinks or the reason the Sooners swim in 2024. The season is approaching quickly and Bedenbaugh will have fall camp to get his unit ready to gel together and compete in the SEC. The true mark of OU being an “SEC-ready” program would if the Sooners are able to overcome a weaker part of their roster by over-excelling at, perhaps, wide receiver or the defensive back seven.

The 2024 Oklahoma Sooners begin their season in less than six weeks. They’ll host the Temple Owls on Friday, August 30 at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN.

Paul Finebaum calls Brent Venables ‘very underrated’

Brent Venables has received plenty of praise over the past week. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum joined in by calling him “very underrated.”

[autotag]SEC media days[/autotag] have come and gone for the Oklahoma Sooners, their first go-around participating in media days in their new conference. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and the Sooners had a successful week in Dallas, showing they won’t back down from the challenge that the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] presents.

One of the most influential voices in the SEC has been very complimentary of OU and of Venables since the Sooners joined the conference, and he was back at it again on Friday. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum is a trusted college football analyst and his show “The Paul Finebaum Show” is heard by SEC and college football fans everywhere.

Venables appeared on Finebaum’s show back on July 1st when Oklahoma officially joined the SEC, and had plenty to say about the football program. The Sooners’ head coach was impressive at media days, and on Friday’s edition of his show, Finebaum heaped praise on the third-year head coach after a caller gave his positive thoughts on Venables and OU.

“I agree,” Finebaum said. “I was with Coach Venables in Norman two weeks ago and a couple of other times. To me, he is very underrated. If you take Brent Venables out of Clemson, Dabo Swinney may have a title, he may not have a title instead of two titles and six playoff appearances.”

Finebaum’s remarks about the current head ball coach at Oklahoma certainly differ greatly from his thoughts about the guy who used to call the shots in Norman.

Venables’ work at Clemson, along with his history at Oklahoma, are what ultimately got him hired to be OU’s next head coach back in December of 2021. He helped Swinney build the program at Clemson into a national powerhouse that won the national title in 2016 and 2018.

Swinney was named the interim head coach at Clemson midway through the 2008 season, dropping the interim tag and becoming the full-time head coach in 2009. Venables joined the Clemson staff in 2012 and together the pair continued establishing the culture and roster that would ultimately take Clemson to the top. By their fourth season together, the Tigers were in the national championship game and by year five, Clemson was on top of the college football world.

Dominant defenses were the hallmark of six-straight [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] appearances from 2015 to 2020 for the Tigers, with Venables having full control of that side of the ball. Everyone around that program knows how important Venables was and how big of a loss his departure was two seasons ago. Finebaum’s theory that the remarkable Clemson run doesn’t happen without Venables is likely pretty accurate.

Finebaum’s comments on Friday are just the latest in a steady stream this week of positivity from respected voices about the Sooners and the way Venables has the program going. Despite that, the media still has Oklahoma picked to finish eighth in their preseason SEC poll. Venables will garner even more praise if he can defy the expectations and take Oklahoma to the Playoff in their first season in the SEC.

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Cole Cubelic believes Auburn offense will be stronger in 2024

After a lackluster 2023 season offensively, Auburn football alumnus Cole Cubelic believes the Tigers’ offense is going to be better in 2024.

The Auburn offense was particularly lackluster in the 2023 season, and a disastrous year left many scratching their heads on what is to come.

At SEC Media Days, many conference foes made comments on how electrifying the atmosphere inside Jordan-Hare Stadium is. Typically that energy propels the offense to success, but as people saw last year, that was not always the case.

While in Dallas, ESPN/SEC Network analyst and former Tigers offensive lineman Cole Cubelic spoke to Paul Finebaum on how he thinks that offense will be better in year two under head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag].

Cubelic believes that for second-year quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], there will be a lot more time in the pocket due to a strengthened interior on the offensive line, a position that has been a large weakness at Auburn for a while.

He also points toward senior running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] as a reason to be optimistic, thinking this will be a breakout year that will have him turning many heads.

“How many people have asked you about Jarquez Hunter in the last 48 hours?” Cubelic asked Finebaum. “Nobody is talking about him. He’s the most proven back in this league. I think you could make the argument he’s the best running back in the SEC right now.”

Cubelic claims that with these improved portions of the offense, the Tigers have the chance to cause some havoc against opposing defense, keeping them on their toes schematically and giving Thorne time to make plays.

“So let’s say middle three, Jarquez Hunter is pretty good, they (Auburn) can run the ball. Well, what do you (the defense) have to do?” Cubelic said. “You have to take your alley defenders, your safeties, add an extra linebacker — you play the run. Well, that’s going to bump coverage off of you or give you less numbers in coverage where Payton Thorne is not going to have as difficult of a time completing passes.”

Thorne was the league’s least efficient passer last season and now hopes to make in impact in his final season of eligibility to help Auburn on its road back to prominence in college football.

These statements will truly be put to the test when the Tigers begin SEC play against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Sept. 21, but will start to show when they open up against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs on Aug. 31 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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Gators linebacker at SEC media days names 4 teammates to watch

Shemar James thinks everyone needs to keep an eye on these four fellow defensive players in 2024.

SEC media days have come and gone, and the past week has offered many delicious morsels to help tide the nation’s appetite until the start of the college football season at the end of August.

One story of interest for fans of the Florida Gators comes from junior linebacker [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag], who was one of three players along with head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] to represent the Orange and Blue in Dallas, Texas.

He had some encouraging words about his team’s secondary this fall, naming four members of the secondary when asked if there are any defenders on his side of the ball that people do not know about yet.

“[autotag]Gregory Smith[/autotag], a freshman that came in, [autotag]Jameer Grimsley[/autotag], another freshman,” James offered first.

“[autotag]DJ Douglas[/autotag]…” he followed. “Got [autotag]Trikweze Bridges[/autotag], a transfer from Oregon. Those are some names that we have in the household right now that I believe are going to make a big splash this year.”

Gators four who will ‘make a big splash’

Smith was a four-star recruit and ranked No. 319 overall and No. 13 at the athlete position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at No. 262 overall and 19 at safety nationally in the 2024 cycle.

Grimsley was a top-100 transfer after enrolling early with the Alabama Crimson Tide but departed after the retirement of Nick Saban.

Douglas finished the 2023 campaign at Tulane with 54 tackles (39 solo), three interceptions, two pass breakups and a tackle-for-loss over 13 games with 12 starts at safety.

Bridges played cornerback and nickel at Oregon but switched to safety by coming to Gainesville. His peak came in 2022 when he started all 13 games, amassing 49 tackles (including a tackle for a loss), three interceptions and a forced fumble at cornerback that season.

Florida’s 2024 season opener

The Florida and the Miami Hurricanes open their schedule on Aug. 31 in Gainesville, Florida. Kickoff time is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.

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Confident Eugene Asante talks strong 2023 season at SEC Media Days

Now understanding of what it takes to succeed in the SEC, Asante is confident he can build on last season’s fantastic campaign.

Linebacker [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag] entered last season with much uncertainty. Buried on the depth chart following a 2022 season in which he played in only four games, Asante completely flipped the switch in 2023,  breaking out in a massive way to become Auburn’s leading tackler. Now a senior with a starting job locked down entering 2024, Asante is not only more sure of his role, but ready to build on an impressive junior campaign.

The talented tackler spoke to the media at SEC Media Days this week about last season’s second contest against Cal, where he accumulated a team-high 12-tackles.

“They gave me an opportunity to start in that night game at Cal we had, and just coming into halftime at that game and to just seeing them say, Eugene, you guys are doing well, continue to do what you are doing,” Asante said. “I’m forever indebted to Coach Freeze. I’m forever indebted to Coach (Josh) Aldridge for helping me and getting me to this point.”

Asante’s 12 tackle performance in the road win against the Golden Bears was just the first act of what would go on to be a fantastic junior showing. After it was all said and done, the 6-foot-1, 219 pound inside linebacker finished his season with 86 tackles, including two more double-digit tackle performances against LSU and Mississippi State.

Now understanding of what it takes to succeed in the SEC, the Alexandria, Virginia native is confident he can build on last season’s fantastic campaign.

“It was just a process where I wanted to prove to my coaches that they can trust me to be out on the field, that really started with my day-to-day process and how I carried myself in my life… I wanted to be a person that is a reliable person in terms of preparation… being somebody that was relentless in terms of his effort and the way he played the game,” proclaimed Asante.

At the end of the day, Auburn’s defensive leader just wants to make his teammates and coaches proud, “I’m so grateful to Coach Freeze and the staff for giving me that opportunity when they did, and I’m going to continue to try to make them proud in all my endeavors.”

Asante’s mission to surpass his 86 tackles from last season begins at the end of next month when the Tigers host Alabama A&M at Jordan-Hare on August 31.

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2025 SEC media days location announced

The 2025 SEC media days event will be held in the Peach State after being in Dallas for the 2024 event

The 2025 SEC media days event will be held in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, at the College Football Hall of Fame.

2024 SEC media days featured the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns for the first time in conference history.

Georgia fans in Atlanta have a lot to be fired up about. The Bulldogs could play in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium up to four times during the 2024 college football season.

The 2023 edition of SEC media days was held in Nashville, Tennessee, and Dallas, Texas, hosted the 2024 version.

The 2025 event will span four days and likely be held in mid-July.

Georgia football had 15 players made the media’s All-SEC teams. The Bulldogs are picked to win the conference.

ESPN thinks this is Oklahoma’s biggest question mark

The 2024 season for the Oklahoma Sooners could hinge on one position group, says ESPN.

Every year, college football teams have strengths and weaknesses on paper before the season begins. During the season, we see what the actual problem areas are and if they get fixed during the season or doom that year’s squad.

The Oklahoma Sooners have plenty of strengths on paper. They’re loaded at wide receiver. The linebacker room is filled with talent. The secondary is strong throughout. But, there are some weaker spots on [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ third team at OU.

ESPN asked its reporters to identify the question marks for each of their Top 25 teams before fall camps begin. The staff has OU ranked No. 18 in the nation heading into the season and eighth in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

It is no surprise that Oklahoma’s offensive line that was named the biggest question mark exiting [autotag]SEC media days[/autotag]. Here’s what ESPN’s Dave Wilson had to say regarding the often-talked-about unit:

The Sooners lost their entire starting offensive line, including first-round pick [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] and nine O-lineman in total. They added [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] from Michigan State, [autotag]Geirean Hatchett[/autotag] from Washington,  [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] from North Texas and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag]  from USC along with four incoming freshmen, then added a big piece in SMU center [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] after the spring portal. Brent Venables said they will need contributions from all of them, but added that he has complete confidence in line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag], who has helped produce 13 NFL draft picks in the past 10 years. But with a grueling schedule in Year 1 in the SEC, it’s not an ideal time for an offensive line rebuild. – Wilson, ESPN

Bill Bedenbaugh’s presence is key for the Sooners. He’s one of the best offensive line coaches in college football. If he can find a unit of five that will jell as a group, then Oklahoma could turn a weakness into a strength. The [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] additions were key for Bedenbuagh, especially Hickman at center. Some combination of four players around him will need to step up in preseason camp and separate themselves from the pack.

Oklahoma’s performance along the offensive line could make or break its  season. If they’re better than expected early, quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and the many weapons in the passing game will be given a chance to shine. [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and the running backs will be given room to run wild. The defense will not have as much pressure placed on it to control games early, especially with a bit of reshuffling on the defensive line. The special teams will not have such a spotlight placed on every move it makes if the offense is dominant. Venables and the coaching staff will not have as many high-pressure decisions to make.

If the offensive line struggles or is a liability, Arnold’s youth could show with added heat on him. Mistakes could be made, despite having plenty of receivers to throw to. He will not get any help from the running game. The defense will have to win games by themselves, which will not hold up all year. The special teams will face more pressure to put points on the board or flip the field when the offense stalls out. The coaches will find themselves in more close games, where the stakes rise with every passing snap.

A good offensive line will be paramount if the Sooners want to have success moving from the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] to the SEC. Venables trusts Bedenbaugh, as he should, and Bedenbaugh will rely on his young returning players and transfer additions to pave the way for Oklahoma in 2024.

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Freshman WR Cam Coleman gets high praise from teammates at SEC Media Days

Auburn’s top 2024 signee is quickly earning respect from his teammates.

Auburn’s offensive talent for the 2024 season has been a talk over the course of recent weeks. That topic appeared once again when the Tigers took the stage for SEC Media Days on Thursday.

It is no secret that freshman wide receiver [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] has high expectations for the upcoming year from not only the entire Auburn fanbase, but from his teammates as well. The team thinks he will live up to the hype, voicing that during their session in Dallas.

Senior linebacker [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag] has seen the new kid show a mindset that equals that of a true veteran player and is ecstatic to see how he develops.

“Cam Coleman is a dynamic player. He’s so dynamic in the way he plays the game in terms of high-pointing the football. He is somebody that’s fast in terms of taking off the top of the defense,” Asante said. “The biggest thing I want to emphasize about Cam Coleman, he’s somebody that is a freshman that really cares about this game and really wants to be one of the best to ever play this game at this university.”

Young defensive lineman [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] has recognized how Coleman is not letting the hype get in his head and is just working hard overall, something uncommon out of a lot of freshman.

“Cam Coleman, he’s been phenomenal in the spring,” Faulk said. “You could tell from when he first came, being five-star or not, it didn’t really matter to him. He came in with his head down. He was ready to work as soon as he stepped on campus. You could tell from the first practice to the end of spring how developed his game was. He was already a pretty good player, but by the end of the spring he looked really good.”

Quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] also had a lot of praise to give to his new receiving target, talking about how fans should be optimistic in what they’ll see, as he can do it all.

“He’s been great so far, and it’s going to make a lot of plays for us this year, and Auburn is going to love him,” Thorne said. “He gives the ability to spread the field, both horizontally and vertically. Teams are going to have to respect that, and I can’t wait to be on the field with him.”

While head coach Hugh Freeze wants to warn the Tigers’ faithful to not have too high of expectations, it seems as if the positive vibe for the former high school phenom is there for his college career.

Auburn kicks off its season on Aug. 31 at home against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at 6:30 p.m. CST.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Tyler on Twitter @traley34