Tag: SEC Network

SEC Network’s Cole Cubelic is a big fan of Texas A&M DE Shemar Turner’s impressive versatiliy

SEC Networks’ Cole Cubelic is a fan of Aggies junior defensive end Shemar Turner’s impressive versatility.

Texas A&M (2-1) is just a couple of days away from hosting the Auburn Tigers on Saturday afternoon, as both programs are set to open SEC play in front of what should be a packed Kyle Field.

As SEC Nation has already made its way to College Station to preview the game for the next two days up until kick-off, SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic joined many of us in Aggie media and the fanbase alike concerning junior defensive end Shemar Turner, who leads Texas A&M in sacks (3) netting one sack a week so far. Due to his impressive position versatility, Cubelic notes that this may be the beginning of Turner’s rise to stardom in the trenches.

“Shemar Turner was lights out, lights out again. And this is what’s cool: he can go outside of a tackle, and he can rush the edge; he can move down into a 3-technique, outside shade of a guard, and he can strike and shed an offensive lineman and play the interior of the defensive line exactly the way it’s supposed to be played. He had an awesome game again.” 

Despite tackling issues and poor coverage witnessed in the Aggies’ 48-33 Week 2 road loss to Miami, don’t count out the defense just yet, showing vast improvement in the win vs. UL Monroe, currently ranked 39th in the country, which includes their 35th-ranked rushing defense; a steady improvement from last season.

However, the pass rush has continued to struggle, but that may be changing with Turner’s sudden ascendance, which could open up the rest of the Aggie’s defensive line to finally get in the backfield at a consistent rate, starting with Auburn’s veteran, and transfer heavy offensive line.

Texas A&M will host the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 11:00 a.m., where it will air on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Arkansas vs. Kent State: How to watch, stream, listen on Saturday

Arkansas and Kent State will air on the SEC Network on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT.

After kicking off the season with a win in Little Rock last week, Arkansas will open its 2023 home football slate Saturday in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium at 3 p.m. (CT), with a showdown with Kent State, to be aired on the SEC Network.

It will be the first-ever meeting between the Razorbacks (1-0) and Golden Flashes (0-1), who hail from the Mid-American Conference. Arkansas opened the season last week with a 56-13 win over Western Carolina, while Kent State went on the road and got trounced by Central Florida and Coach Gus Malzahn, 56-6.

Arkansas is 3-1 all-time against teams from the MAC, but the last time the Hogs faced one of those teams in 2015, it ended with an embarrassing 16-12 loss to Toledo in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium.

MAC teams are 13-104 all-time against the SEC.

Arkansas Head Coach Sam Pittman is in his fourth season with an overall record of 20-17. He is 10-1 in non-conference games, with his lone loss coming against No. 23 Liberty last season.

Here’s when you should tune in to see the game

  • Date: Saturday, September 9
  • Time: 3 p.m. CT
  • TV Channel: SEC Network, SECN+ and ESPN+
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here)
  • Radio: Aired across the state on the Razorback Sports Network, or get the radio stream FREE on the Arkansas Razorbacks app.

‘SEC Nation’ will broadcast live from Tuscaloosa for Texas vs. Alabama

“SEC Nation” will be live from Tuscaloosa ahead of Alabama’s Week 2 matchup against Texas.

Alabama’s Week 2 matchup against the Texas Longhorns is already attracting plenty of national attention after last year’s one-point Crimson Tide win on the road in Austin, Texas. Tuscaloosa will host SEC Network’s Saturday morning show “SEC Nation” on Sept. 9.

The Longhorns will join the SEC in 2024 but will play out the 2023 season as a member of the Big 12, which makes this an interesting soon-to-be conference game.

With this being the rematch of the 2022 nail-biter, fans are eager to see how both playoff-hopefuls conduct themselves early in the season with numerous impact players from last season gone.

SEC Nation won’t be alone in broadcasting live from Tuscaloosa, as “Marty & McGee” will be live prior to the start of SEC Nation. The announcement was made this morning via Twitter.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM. 

Jimbo Fisher praises his experienced coaching staff with SEC Networks’ Marty and McGee

Aggies HC Jimbo Fisher praised his talented and experienced coaching staff during his conversation with SEC Networks’ Marty & McGee

Texas A&M’s 2022 football season was an utter failure by every definition, culminating in a 5-7 (2-6 SEC) finish that has left a lasting impression that will only be eliminated through a complete rebound campaign in 2023.

Head Coach Jimbo Fisher immediately felt the heat one month after the season, taking the “no risk, no reward” route in hiring Bobby Petrino as the program’s new offensive coordinator. In contrast, defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin and O-line coach Steve Addazio will return for their second season in Aggieland.

Without going into a rant concerning the talent on the roster, the Aggies lead the SEC in returning production. At the same time, the four presumed leaders on offense and defense include wide receiver Ainias Smith, strong safety Demani Richardson, right guard Layden Robinson, and defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, who are all entering their presumed final season with the Maroon and White.

Last week, Fisher sat down with college football analysts Marty Smith and Ryan McGee on SEC Networks “Marty and McGee” to preview the 2023 season and heap praise on the coaching as mentioned above staff he has assembled. Honestly, each coach has a downright impressive experience, combining a wealth of football knowledge and all the goals they have set out with just two weeks remaining before the Sept. 2 opener.

But outside of Petrino, Durkin, and Addazio, the longtime offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, known for his days helping future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees break NCAA records at Purdue in the late 90s-2000s, was hired as an offensive analyst back in February, and while Petrino will be the majority play caller, Chaney’s influence, especially on spread offense concepts, will be utilized through each week.

As they say, there is always strength in numbers; by the looks of it, Fisher feels very confident that this current staff is one of the best in the country.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

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Former Auburn defensive coordinator to join the SEC Network

Derek Mason is back in the SEC but is now a member of the media.

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Former Auburn defensive coordinator [autotag]Derek Mason[/autotag] is making his return to the SEC.

Mason, who was part of [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag]’s first staff in 2021, will be an analyst for the SEC Network, ESPN announced Wednesday afternoon. He will work with play-by-play commentator Dave Neal and sideline reporter Taylor Davis on SEC Network afternoon games this season.

After one season in charge of Auburn’s defense, Mason decided to step down and become Oklahoma State’s defensive coordinator for the 2022 season. In January he announced that he was taking a “sabbatical” from coaching.

Prior to his time at Auburn, Mason spent seven years as the head coach at Vanderbilt. He finished with a 27-55 record and two bowl appearances.

Under Mason, Auburn’s defense ranked 27th nationally in scoring defense (21.8 points per game) and 21st in rushing yards per attempt (3.5).

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SEC Network’s Chris Doering ranks Jayden Daniels as the top QB in the SEC

Jayden Daniels was a preseason Third Team All-SEC selection, but not everyone in the media agreed.

With many of the top quarterbacks in the SEC from a year ago moving on, there seems to be a power vacuum when you look at the signal-callers who sit at the top of the league.

One player who may be able to claim that top spot is LSU’s [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], who had a big year both passing and rushing in 2022 as a transfer from Arizona State. Daniels was voted as just a preseason Third Team All-SEC selection by the media behind Arkansas‘ KJ Jefferson and Mississippi State’s Will Rogers, but not everyone concurred.

SEC Network analyst Chris Doering recently ranked the top-five quarterbacks in the SEC, and Daniels took the top spot in his rankings. Rogers came in at the second spot while Jefferson ranked third.

Daniels is expected to take a leap. He’s been pushed all offseason by another talented quarterback in [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag], and with a loaded receiving corps and running back room, this team has a lot of weapons for him to take advantage of on offense.

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Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

SEC Network CFB analyst Takeo Spikes has complete faith in a Texas A&M rebound in 2023

SEC Network CFB analyst Takeo Spikes is all in on Texas A&M rebounding in 2023, starting and ending with QB Conner Weigman.

Inevitably, Texas A&M’s 2023 football season is already filled with doubt after what we all witnessed in 2022, culminating in a 5-7 (2-6 SEC) misery train that had all of us who cover the program wondering how Jimbo Fisher and Co. would respond after what has been a successful offseason thus far. Still, as we all know, results on the field are all that matter from now on.

After the usual hoe hum of SEC Media Days last week, former start Auburn linebacker and current SEC Network CFB analyst Takeo Spikes is a firm believer in Texas A&M’s chances at not only rebounds from their five-win season but making some serious noise in what could be a somewhat down year in the SEC West.

I’m still a believer,” Spikes stated while appearing on SEC Now Monday. “I believe in Conner Weigman. I really do believe in him. You look at what he did over the last four games: eight touchdowns, no interceptions, did not turn the football over.”

Entering Jimbo Fisher’s sixth season with the program, the quarterback postion has been a continual question mark, especially in recruiting, as former Aggie signal caller Haynes King’s once bright future took a turn for the worst as injuries and poor play led to his offseason transfer to Georgia Tech, leading to the ascendance of former five-star prospect Conner Weigman’s coming out party in the latter half of last season.

Appearing in five games, Weigman threw for 896 yards and eight touchdowns without an interception for a 132.3 passer rating, taking over for an injured Max Johnson while going 2-2 as a starter.

After ending the season with a rousing 38-24 win over the then No.5-ranked LSU Tigers, Fisher’s confidence in Weigman and Johnson will make its way to fall camp next month. Still, as things stand, Conner Weigman’s high ceiling and end-of-season momentum bode well for his chances to open the 2023 campaign as the starter and hopefully provide an instant offensive spark behind new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino’s play-calling debut.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

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Analyst, former Florida player Chris Doering dons LSU jersey after losing SEC Network bet with Peter Burns

Baton Rouge native Peter Burns had some fun at his co-host’s expense at SEC Media Days.

There’s nothing like a little friendly competition between coworkers and fans of opposing SEC programs.

After losing a bet with fellow co-host Peter Burns — a Baton Rouge native and LSU fan — SEC Network analyst and former Florida football player Chris Doering had to wear a Tigers baseball jersey to SEC Media Days.

The pair bet on the College World Series final between LSU and the Gators, which coach Jay Johnson’s team ultimately won in three games while capturing the program’s seventh national title, with the stakes apparently being public humiliation in Nashville.

And Doering is clearly a man of his word.

It’s a bit of adding insult to injury for Doering, whose Gators missed out on just the program’s second national title with the loss to the Tigers, which avenged UF’s 2-0 win in the final series in 2017.

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Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

WATCH: Texas A&M to take over SEC Network with all-day sports coverage

For all day Thursday, Texas A&M will take over the SEC Network with dedicated sports coverage filled with the best moments of the past year.

Are you in need of all-day plans for this coming Thursday? Texas A&M and the SEC Network have you covered, so feel free to block off your entire schedule.

For the ninth straight summer, the SEC Network is handing over the controls, literally, to the 14 conference schools for a two-week stretch in July. Beginning Saturday, July 1, each school gets the spotlight with a dedicated day of programming that’s filled with the best moments of the past year. The selected programming highlights can include SEC Championships, SEC Storied films, memorable regular season battles, spring football, SEC Network original programming, and more.

The Aggies’ dedicated coverage will kick off on Wednesday, July 12 at 11 p.m. CT, and will conclude on Thursday, July 13 at 8 p.m. CT.

Notable programming highlights for the Maroon and White include the Aggie football team’s upset win over then No. 5 ranked LSU in the 2022 season finale, which essentially knocked the Tigers out of College Football Playoff contention while giving Aggie fans a taste of what should be an emphatic bounce-back campaign in 2023. That caps off Texas A&M’s takeover with an 8 p.m. CT start time.

The Men’s basketball team will also get some love in replaying their 67-61 win over No. 2 Alabama at Reed Arena in the regular season finale. The Maroon and White would go on to finish 15-3 in the SEC, reach the SEC title game for the second consecutive year, and punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018.

Fans surely can’t miss the replay of the SEC Women’s Golf Championship, in which the Aggies took the conference crown for the first time since 2015. Following an eight-year hiatus, the Women’s Aggie Golf team beat No. 5 Mississippi State 3-2 to bring the trophy back home to College Station. That programming kicks off at 3 p.m. CT on Thursday.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee.

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SEC Networks’ Cole Cubelic is very high on one Aggie football transfer portal addition

SEC Network’s Cole Cubelic is an apparent fan of one Texas A&M Football transfer portal addition, former North Carolina CB Tony Grimes.

Last week, SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic, well known for his highly entertaining sideline reporting during the SEC Football slate, is apparently a big fan of one Texas A&M transfer portal addition, former North Carolina shutdown cornerback Tony Grimes, who after three seasons in Chapel Hill is back with the program that recruited him the hardest out of Virginia Beach (VA).

With ten transfer portal additions, Grimes announced his intentions to finish his collegiate career with the Aggies back in late December, and due to his vast experience in the always high-scoring ACC, he’s a shoo-in to compete for the starting cornerback position opposite junior corner Tyreek Chappell.

While discussing which teams made the best additions through the portal during a recent episode of the Cube Show, Cubelic’ made it clear: Grimes is slated to become “that dude” for the Maroon and White in 2023, recording a PFF coverage grade of 66.3 in 2022.

“Texas A&M, another one that’s pretty easy. We don’t need to spend a ton of time on it because there’s not a ton of dudes going in. I’ll go Tony Grimes, cornerback out of UNC,” Cubelic stated. “Outside of one safety spot, I don’t feel super comfortable with the A&M secondary. So you go get someone with experience, understanding of playing big-time college football, should be able to come in, lock down a spot and be a good player for that A&M defense.”

Grimes joins former Florida State defensive back Sam McCall and former Boston College cornerback Josh DeBerry in what will be a revamped secondary from a depth perspective, as the departures of Antonio Johnson and Jaylon Jones to the NFL present a challenge. Still, I’d be a fool, not to mention sophomore hybrid defensive back Bryce Anderson, who is undoubtedly poised to pick up where he left off after a very successful and highlight-worthy 2022 performance.

Nevertheless, Tony Grimes’ speed, length, and football intelligence led to 97 tackles, 74 solo tackles, 19 pass deflections, and one interception in three seasons with the Tarheels, including 36 tackles and seven pass deflections during the 2022 season.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

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