SEC Media Days - Day 3
posted by Scott Hood, Friday, July 25, 2008
1:40: Spurrier has taken the podium here in the main ballroom at the Wynfrey Hotel. He's now done. He is the final coach to speak during SEC Media Days. Here is a summary of his comments:
1. Last year was mediocre. Too many mistakes to finish 8-4. He noted USC was last against the run and last running the ball. USC "was fortunate to get Ellis Johnson."
2. Between Johnson and having better players on defense, SOS expects USC to play a lot better on defense.
3. Ray Rychleski will have total control on special teams. SOS said this was the first time he has done that since Ron Zook at Fla.
4. Tommy Beecher will be the QB. He admitted most of the media haven't seen Beecher play, so he's a mystery man.
5. He was aked again about the play-calling. SOS said SOS, Jr. has watched him call plays for 11 years. Offenses are a lot more complicated now. It's something that you have to work on all week.
6. Dion Lecorn played well as the No. 2 WR last season. Joe Hills and Matt Clements are 2 guys with some speed and quicks. He also mentioned TE's Cook and Saunders. 'We're a little bit of a tight end team."
7. USC lost "heartbreakers" to UT and Clemson. But USC needs to getgoing. SOS admitted losing the last five games doesn't help recruiting. USC finally looks like a SEC team. USC had just 1 player drafted after the 2007 season. USC is still a young team.
8. USC is better than what the coaches have gotten out of the team.
9. Beecher "will be given every opportunity" to take over the QB job. SOS said he has accepted being the No. 1 QB based on the way he's worked in the summer.
10. SOS said he has "full confidence" in OL coach John Hunt, but that OL play must improve.
11. SOS said he and his staff are putting together a tape of the bad plays that cost USC games to show the players.
12. SOS said the coaches "haven't changed the players" enough to make them improve.
13. SOS said Garcia is close to fulfilling his requirements for returning. But he asserted against that it was up to the administration to decide when he comes back.
14. The 2008 team is much better prepared to contend in the SEC this season, though the 2007 team did beat UGA. But the 2007 team wasn't that great. USC had some good players, but they didn't play like it.
15. SEC coaches. SOS acknowledged the coaching is very good in the SEC with 5 that have won the national title.
16. SOS said USC "lacks some confidence" but that USC hasn't done enough to feel confident about winning.
17. SOS said he should have hired Ellis Johnson 2 or 3 years ago. It took just 2 hours after BVG left to get Johnson to agree to come to USC.
18. SOS acknowledged USC needs to have a "big year" to start beating UF, UGA and UT on recruits. Plus, facilities need to improve. Work on the "Dodie" is expected to start Monday.
19. Being 21-16 after 3 years is good based on the history of the school, which has shown it's not easy to win here. SOS said if he doesn't get it done in 5 years, it's time for someone else. The good thing about the SEC is you can lose 1-2 games and still win the MNC.
20. Beecher "hasn't really gotten a chance yet" and he performed better inthe scrimmages. "He deserves a chance to run with it. We're going to find out if he can take us a lng way."
12:15: Steve Spurrier has finished talking in the Radio/Internet Room. He was fairly generic and did not say anything that we haven't heard before. Here is a summary of his comments:
1. USC was "stuck in mediocrity" last season with a 6-6 record;
2. Defensively, USC has to improve, which is why Ellis Johnson was brought in. Johnson has a proven track record and Spurrier will "allow him to do his thing." Also, he said "I like the way Ellis Johnson coaches."
3. USC has better athletes now than they had earlier in his tenure. "We have a good looking team." As long USC does a good job coaching, "maybe something good will happen for USC."
4. Tommy Beecher will be the starting QB. "He has all the physical tools to play well."
5. Spurrier and Spurrier, Jr. will work on the play-calling together. Spurrier will stay involved in selecting the best plays during the week. During games, he'll "make the crucial call when needed."
6. Spurrier said nothing new re: Garcia. He only mentioned Garcia had a lot of requirements and that it was up to the university to decide when Garcia will come back. "It's pretty much in their hands."
7. He joked that new Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino "had as much fun coaching in the NFL as I did." Spurrier said he thought Petrino might last 2 years, but ended up leaving after less than 1 season.
8. Return of Jasper Brinkley from a season-ending injury really help the defense.
9. Spurrier emphasized again that USC "has a good looking team" compared to how they looked 3 years ago. But he admits most of the teams are bigger. Spurrier pointed out that USC has more 6-4, 6-5 guys now and that the personnel is better. "We look like a good team, now we need to play like one."
10. The Lindsey brothers are back and "have done well" in the summer.
11. USC needs to coach better and play better "to have a chance."
12. The SEC has changed over the last 15 years. More teams are capable of winning the championship.
13. USC needs another wide receiver to step up and help Kenny McKinley. SOS is looking for tight ends Jared Cook and Wesyle Saunders to contribute catching the ball.
11:15: Steve Spurrier is scheduled to arrive at the Wynfrey Hotel at 11:40 a.m. I'm going to try to catch him first in the Radio/Internet room, where he's supposed to speak for 10 minutes. He's scheduled to take the podium in the main ballroom at 12:40 p.m.
11:00: Tommy Tuberville has taken the podium here at the Wynfrey Hotel. Auburn has beaten rival Alabama six straight times, but the Tigers lost four games last season, the most since 2003. The Auburn program, though, has been consistently good this decade. Starting with the 2002 season, Auburn has finished 9-4, 8-5, 13-0, 9-3, 11-2 and 9-4 over the last six campaigns. Auburn has a new offensive coordinator and Tuberville expects a new up-tempo offense. The players have bought into it, though the starting QB is not known. Tuberville said Auburn has 20 commitments already. Looking at their geographia breakdown, Auburn gets most of their players from three states: Alabama, Georgia and Florida. The toughest road game might be at West Virginia on Oct. 23. The good news for AU fans is they have LSU, Tennessee and Georgia at home. Tuberville expects the AU defense to be very strong with seven starters returning. Sen'Derrick Marks is one of the top DL in the SEC. Looking at AU's depth chart, there is just one senior listed as a probable starter. Here's an intresting subplot: Tuberville hired Bobby Petrino several years ago as AU's OC. Petrino left to take over at Louisville before moving on to the Atlanta Falcons. But now he's back at Aekansas, so teacher and student will go head-to-head.
9:50: Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks has taken the podium here in Hoover. Brooks says UK should be a "viable" team in the SEC East. Brooks believes UK will have a very strong defense, possibly the best one he's had at UK. Offensively, Brooks says the OL will be the best he's had. Four quality RB. The WR spot is the biggest question mark. The question is whether UK will be able to break into the Top 3 of the East. UK beat Florida State in the Music City Bowl. The 'Cats spent a brief stay in the Top 10 last season before the loss at USC. UK has a question at QB with Curtis Pulley and Mike Hartline. Brooks suggested the RB position will be b y committee. Senior Tony Dixon is the leader but he's been injured. Looking at the UK roster, they have a number of players from the Palmetto State. Brooks says the talent gap between UK and the "Big Three" in the SEC East is closing rapidly. USC's trip to Lexington on 10/11 is the second game of a critical two-game road trip. USC travels to Oxford, MS to face Ole Miss on 10/4. Those are critical games for the Gamecocks, and ones they should win. I believe USC has more talent that both teams. But both games should be close, hard-fought games.
9:30 - The SEC Media Days Pre-Season All-SEC Team is out and USC has five players on it. WR Kenny McKinley and LB Jasper Brinkley are on the First Team, while LB Eric Norwood and CB Captain Munnerlyn are part of the Second Team. PK Ryan Succop is also on the second team. USC has just as many players (5) on the All-SEC ream as Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Auburn has the most players with 9, followed by LSU with 8. Tennessee has four. One thing I noticed - only 1 player who calls the Palmetto State home is on the All-SEC team and that's Vanderbilt DB D.J. Moore, who made the First-team. As I said Wednesday. I'm sure Spurrier and his staff wish they had recruited him harder because he's a very good player.
9:15 - Different year, same result for USC in the pre-season media poll. The Gamecocks are picked to finish fourth in the SEC East with 266 points behnd Tennessee, Georgia (121) and Florida (98). The media's selection of the Gators is a bit of a surprise but there are a lot of guys here from the Sunshine State. Auburn (99) is predicted to win the SEC West ahead of LSU (120) and Alabama (228). That's a shock to me. LSU is a better team than Auburn. But the thinking among some members of the media is LSU has to go to Auburn and Florida and host UGA in BR. I'm also a little surprised Arkansas was picked last in the West behind MSU and Ole Miss. I know they lost McFadden and Jones, but the R-Backs still have some talent. Just like Tennessee, I believe the contest against Arkansas at W-B on 11/8 is a must-win situation. UF is picked to win the SEC title. The Gators received twice as many votes as UGA. Here's the final results of the poll:
SEC EAST
1. Florida - 98
2. Georgia - 121
3. Tennessee - 222
4. South Carolina - 266
5. Kentucky - 356
6. Vanderbilt - 407
SEC WEST
1. Auburn (99)
2. LSU (120)
3. Alabama (228)
4. Miss. State (299)
5. Ole Miss (338)
6. Arkansas (386).
8:40 - We're back for Day 3 of SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. We have another busy day lined up with four more coaches scheduled to speak to the more than 800 credentialed journalists on hand. Here's the lineup for today in the main ballroom at the Wynfrey Hotel:
9:40 - Rich Brooks, Kentucky
10:40 - Tommy Tuberville
11:40 - Bobby Petrino
12:40 - Steve Spurrier.
So, if you're a Gamecock fan, you have to say they saved the best for last.
Kentucky is coming off back-to-back trips to the Music City Bowl. The Wildcats lost all of their key skill position guys, so they're rebuilding in those areas. ButI still expect UK wil be competitive. Rich Brooks is a good coach.
With Nick Saban at Alabama, Tommy Tuberville has sort of flown under the radar at Auburn. But the Tigers just keep churning out 8 and 9 win seasons. And they've beaten Alabama 6 times in a row. Auburn will have a new QB in '08, so we'll see how it goes.
Possibly the most intriguing figure at SEC Media Days is Petrino after he left the Falcons with 3 games left and showed up at Arkansas in the middle of the night. He'll bring a wide open offensive attack to the razorbacks after years of relying on a strong running game with McFadden and Jones.
Spurrier will then take the podium to end media days. Obviously, he'll field questions about play-calling, Stephen Garcia, expectations, progress of the program and how long he expects to stay at USC.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
We're back for Day 3 of SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. We have another busy day lined up with four more coaches scheduled to speak to the more than 800 credentialed journalists on hand.
1:40: Spurrier has taken the podium here in the main ballroom at the Wynfrey Hotel. He's now done. He is the final coach to speak during SEC Media Days. Here is a summary of his comments:
1. Last year was mediocre. Too many mistakes to finish 8-4. He noted USC was last against the run and last running the ball. USC "was fortunate to get Ellis Johnson."
2. Between Johnson and having better players on defense, SOS expects USC to play a lot better on defense.
3. Ray Rychleski will have total control on special teams. SOS said this was the first time he has done that since Ron Zook at Fla.
4. Tommy Beecher will be the QB. He admitted most of the media haven't seen Beecher play, so he's a mystery man.
5. He was aked again about the play-calling. SOS said SOS, Jr. has watched him call plays for 11 years. Offenses are a lot more complicated now. It's something that you have to work on all week.
6. Dion Lecorn played well as the No. 2 WR last season. Joe Hills and Matt Clements are 2 guys with some speed and quicks. He also mentioned TE's Cook and Saunders. 'We're a little bit of a tight end team."
7. USC lost "heartbreakers" to UT and Clemson. But USC needs to getgoing. SOS admitted losing the last five games doesn't help recruiting. USC finally looks like a SEC team. USC had just 1 player drafted after the 2007 season. USC is still a young team.
8. USC is better than what the coaches have gotten out of the team.
9. Beecher "will be given every opportunity" to take over the QB job. SOS said he has accepted being the No. 1 QB based on the way he's worked in the summer.
10. SOS said he has "full confidence" in OL coach John Hunt, but that OL play must improve.
11. SOS said he and his staff are putting together a tape of the bad plays that cost USC games to show the players.
12. SOS said the coaches "haven't changed the players" enough to make them improve.
13. SOS said Garcia is close to fulfilling his requirements for returning. But he asserted against that it was up to the administration to decide when he comes back.
14. The 2008 team is much better prepared to contend in the SEC this season, though the 2007 team did beat UGA. But the 2007 team wasn't that great. USC had some good players, but they didn't play like it.
15. SEC coaches. SOS acknowledged the coaching is very good in the SEC with 5 that have won the national title.
16. SOS said USC "lacks some confidence" but that USC hasn't done enough to feel confident about winning.
17. SOS said he should have hired Ellis Johnson 2 or 3 years ago. It took just 2 hours after BVG left to get Johnson to agree to come to USC.
18. SOS acknowledged USC needs to have a "big year" to start beating UF, UGA and UT on recruits. Plus, facilities need to improve. Work on the "Dodie" is expected to start Monday.
19. Being 21-16 after 3 years is good based on the history of the school, which has shown it's not easy to win here. SOS said if he doesn't get it done in 5 years, it's time for someone else. The good thing about the SEC is you can lose 1-2 games and still win the MNC.
20. Beecher "hasn't really gotten a chance yet" and he performed better inthe scrimmages. "He deserves a chance to run with it. We're going to find out if he can take us a lng way."
12:15: Steve Spurrier has finished talking in the Radio/Internet Room. He was fairly generic and did not say anything that we haven't heard before. Here is a summary of his comments:
1. USC was "stuck in mediocrity" last season with a 6-6 record;
2. Defensively, USC has to improve, which is why Ellis Johnson was brought in. Johnson has a proven track record and Spurrier will "allow him to do his thing." Also, he said "I like the way Ellis Johnson coaches."
3. USC has better athletes now than they had earlier in his tenure. "We have a good looking team." As long USC does a good job coaching, "maybe something good will happen for USC."
4. Tommy Beecher will be the starting QB. "He has all the physical tools to play well."
5. Spurrier and Spurrier, Jr. will work on the play-calling together. Spurrier will stay involved in selecting the best plays during the week. During games, he'll "make the crucial call when needed."
6. Spurrier said nothing new re: Garcia. He only mentioned Garcia had a lot of requirements and that it was up to the university to decide when Garcia will come back. "It's pretty much in their hands."
7. He joked that new Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino "had as much fun coaching in the NFL as I did." Spurrier said he thought Petrino might last 2 years, but ended up leaving after less than 1 season.
8. Return of Jasper Brinkley from a season-ending injury really help the defense.
9. Spurrier emphasized again that USC "has a good looking team" compared to how they looked 3 years ago. But he admits most of the teams are bigger. Spurrier pointed out that USC has more 6-4, 6-5 guys now and that the personnel is better. "We look like a good team, now we need to play like one."
10. The Lindsey brothers are back and "have done well" in the summer.
11. USC needs to coach better and play better "to have a chance."
12. The SEC has changed over the last 15 years. More teams are capable of winning the championship.
13. USC needs another wide receiver to step up and help Kenny McKinley. SOS is looking for tight ends Jared Cook and Wesyle Saunders to contribute catching the ball.
11:15: Steve Spurrier is scheduled to arrive at the Wynfrey Hotel at 11:40 a.m. I'm going to try to catch him first in the Radio/Internet room, where he's supposed to speak for 10 minutes. He's scheduled to take the podium in the main ballroom at 12:40 p.m.
11:00: Tommy Tuberville has taken the podium here at the Wynfrey Hotel. Auburn has beaten rival Alabama six straight times, but the Tigers lost four games last season, the most since 2003. The Auburn program, though, has been consistently good this decade. Starting with the 2002 season, Auburn has finished 9-4, 8-5, 13-0, 9-3, 11-2 and 9-4 over the last six campaigns. Auburn has a new offensive coordinator and Tuberville expects a new up-tempo offense. The players have bought into it, though the starting QB is not known. Tuberville said Auburn has 20 commitments already. Looking at their geographia breakdown, Auburn gets most of their players from three states: Alabama, Georgia and Florida. The toughest road game might be at West Virginia on Oct. 23. The good news for AU fans is they have LSU, Tennessee and Georgia at home. Tuberville expects the AU defense to be very strong with seven starters returning. Sen'Derrick Marks is one of the top DL in the SEC. Looking at AU's depth chart, there is just one senior listed as a probable starter. Here's an intresting subplot: Tuberville hired Bobby Petrino several years ago as AU's OC. Petrino left to take over at Louisville before moving on to the Atlanta Falcons. But now he's back at Aekansas, so teacher and student will go head-to-head.
9:50: Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks has taken the podium here in Hoover. Brooks says UK should be a "viable" team in the SEC East. Brooks believes UK will have a very strong defense, possibly the best one he's had at UK. Offensively, Brooks says the OL will be the best he's had. Four quality RB. The WR spot is the biggest question mark. The question is whether UK will be able to break into the Top 3 of the East. UK beat Florida State in the Music City Bowl. The 'Cats spent a brief stay in the Top 10 last season before the loss at USC. UK has a question at QB with Curtis Pulley and Mike Hartline. Brooks suggested the RB position will be b y committee. Senior Tony Dixon is the leader but he's been injured. Looking at the UK roster, they have a number of players from the Palmetto State. Brooks says the talent gap between UK and the "Big Three" in the SEC East is closing rapidly. USC's trip to Lexington on 10/11 is the second game of a critical two-game road trip. USC travels to Oxford, MS to face Ole Miss on 10/4. Those are critical games for the Gamecocks, and ones they should win. I believe USC has more talent that both teams. But both games should be close, hard-fought games.
9:30 - The SEC Media Days Pre-Season All-SEC Team is out and USC has five players on it. WR Kenny McKinley and LB Jasper Brinkley are on the First Team, while LB Eric Norwood and CB Captain Munnerlyn are part of the Second Team. PK Ryan Succop is also on the second team. USC has just as many players (5) on the All-SEC ream as Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Auburn has the most players with 9, followed by LSU with 8. Tennessee has four. One thing I noticed - only 1 player who calls the Palmetto State home is on the All-SEC team and that's Vanderbilt DB D.J. Moore, who made the First-team. As I said Wednesday. I'm sure Spurrier and his staff wish they had recruited him harder because he's a very good player.
9:15 - Different year, same result for USC in the pre-season media poll. The Gamecocks are picked to finish fourth in the SEC East with 266 points behnd Tennessee, Georgia (121) and Florida (98). The media's selection of the Gators is a bit of a surprise but there are a lot of guys here from the Sunshine State. Auburn (99) is predicted to win the SEC West ahead of LSU (120) and Alabama (228). That's a shock to me. LSU is a better team than Auburn. But the thinking among some members of the media is LSU has to go to Auburn and Florida and host UGA in BR. I'm also a little surprised Arkansas was picked last in the West behind MSU and Ole Miss. I know they lost McFadden and Jones, but the R-Backs still have some talent. Just like Tennessee, I believe the contest against Arkansas at W-B on 11/8 is a must-win situation. UF is picked to win the SEC title. The Gators received twice as many votes as UGA. Here's the final results of the poll:
SEC EAST
1. Florida - 98
2. Georgia - 121
3. Tennessee - 222
4. South Carolina - 266
5. Kentucky - 356
6. Vanderbilt - 407
SEC WEST
1. Auburn (99)
2. LSU (120)
3. Alabama (228)
4. Miss. State (299)
5. Ole Miss (338)
6. Arkansas (386).
8:40 - We're back for Day 3 of SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. We have another busy day lined up with four more coaches scheduled to speak to the more than 800 credentialed journalists on hand. Here's the lineup for today in the main ballroom at the Wynfrey Hotel:
9:40 - Rich Brooks, Kentucky
10:40 - Tommy Tuberville
11:40 - Bobby Petrino
12:40 - Steve Spurrier.
So, if you're a Gamecock fan, you have to say they saved the best for last.
Kentucky is coming off back-to-back trips to the Music City Bowl. The Wildcats lost all of their key skill position guys, so they're rebuilding in those areas. ButI still expect UK wil be competitive. Rich Brooks is a good coach.
With Nick Saban at Alabama, Tommy Tuberville has sort of flown under the radar at Auburn. But the Tigers just keep churning out 8 and 9 win seasons. And they've beaten Alabama 6 times in a row. Auburn will have a new QB in '08, so we'll see how it goes.
Possibly the most intriguing figure at SEC Media Days is Petrino after he left the Falcons with 3 games left and showed up at Arkansas in the middle of the night. He'll bring a wide open offensive attack to the razorbacks after years of relying on a strong running game with McFadden and Jones.
Spurrier will then take the podium to end media days. Obviously, he'll field questions about play-calling, Stephen Garcia, expectations, progress of the program and how long he expects to stay at USC.
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Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.