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College football conference media days preview

By Andrew Hammond

TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide shakes hands with head coach Gus Malzahn of the Auburn Tigers after their 30-12 win at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 26, 2016 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide shakes hands with head coach Gus Malzahn of the Auburn Tigers after their 30-12 win at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 26, 2016 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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College Football season inches closer with SEC Media Days starting on Monday, Andrew Hammond takes a look at the storylines for each “Power 5” conference.

Next week, it begins. College football. 

On Monday, the College football season unofficially begins with SEC Media Days in Hoover, AL. You know, the place where the SEC gathers to see Nick Saban, Paawwwwllll Finebaum and the rest of the SEC elites. Once the SEC begins it’s media days, the other conferences around America soon follow.

Conference media days are the first time we’ve seen coaches and players en masse since spring football and end of the spring 2017 recruiting period. Outside of the usual “We’re excited to be here” and “Excited to get the season and fall camps going”, you really don’t learn much from what’s being discussed at the various conference media days. While not every team will delve into anything beyond the typical yearbook answer to every question, there are some that will have a special spotlight on them once they take the stage.

Since the SEC kicks things off on Monday, here’s my look at what to watch out for during SEC Media Days.

SEC media days

When: July 10-13
Where: Hoover, Alabama
TV Coverage: SEC Network, ESPN

Explain yourself

In 2016, a lot of strange things happened across the board. That was no different in the college football world. The SEC looked “weak” for the first time since they began their triumphant run through the sport in 2007. Kevin Sumlin and Butch Jones walk into the 2017 season with the hottest seats in the conference. Meanwhile, you’ve got Hugh Freeze and the dark, ominous clouds of the NCAA hanging over Ole Miss.

The “Ed O” show

In the middle of last season, LSU had a miniseries in the middle of their football season. Les Miles gets fired and Ed Orgeron takes over, the Tigers go to a bowl game and now there’s a bit of optimism headed into 2017. With a new offensive coordinator in Matt Canada, it’s possible that we might see Danny Etling turn the corner, but will it be enough to be a player in the always tough SEC West race.

The wild, wild, East

Death, Taxes and trying to figure out the SEC East. Florida or Georgia? Or can Tennessee finally add an SEC East crown to their “Champions of Life” title in Knoxville. In all seriousness, the SEC East has played second fiddle to the SEC West as they’ve lost nine straight SEC Title Games. Will a new venue (Mercedes-Benz Dome) offer a chance to break the streak?

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