SEC Media Days open from Dallas on Monday, with college football’s toughest conference welcoming two new teams – Oklahoma and Texas. The four-day event is eight hours each day Monday through Thursday. Here’s what to know about who’s taking the stage, topics expected to come up, and radio and TV schedules.
Views from Dallas for SEC Media Days, which begin Monday. College football is almost here 🏈 #SECMD24 pic.twitter.com/KY5z52wxxd
— SuperTalk News (@SuperTalkNews) July 14, 2024
Sankey opens Monday morning
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey will take the stage a few minutes after 9 a.m. CT to discuss the current state of the conference, the future of the conference, and more. In May, at the conference’s annual meeting in Destin, Fla., Sankey spoke about the conference expanding to 16 teams, the recent antitrust legal cases concerning the NCAA, plus his desire to create “a national system with national standards” as the SEC continues to set the standard for college football.
Portal and NIL conversations to heaten
There is no doubt the SEC has become the largest benefactor when it comes to the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness (NIL) money. Although other conferences and colleges barring some may want to stop this shaping monopoly, the SEC has made the best of the hand it’s been dealt. Even some coaches within the conference, such as Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, don’t approve of the current state of college football but have preached that they cannot let it go by them without capitalizing. In the end, that’s what the SEC does – wins, no matter what. Fans can expect a lot of questions this week about the portal and NIL.
When does Ole Miss, Mississippi State take the stage?
Following Sankey’s opening remarks, Ole Miss will be one of four teams to take the stage Monday, along with LSU, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt. The Rebels, who are serious College Football Playoff contenders for the first time in the modern era, will be available from 1:50-3 p.m. CT. Players speaking to the media are wide receiver Tre Harris, quarterback Jaxson Dart, and defensive end Jared Ivey. Kiffin will speak on the main stage beginning at 1:50 p.m. CT, available to watch on SEC Network.
Mississippi State, on the other hand, is scheduled for Wednesday from 10:35-11:35 a.m.. First-year head coach Jeff Lebby, who previously coached under Kiffin at Ole Miss before bouncing for Oklahoma, is one of the more interesting storylines of Media Days as he looks to get a program back on track that has been in disarray since the December 2022 passing of Mike Leach. Like Ole Miss, Mississippi State’s initiative has been pouring in money to help Lebby do just that. Players attending for Mississippi State are Baylor transfer quarterback Blake Shapen, linebacker John Lewis, and offensive lineman Albert Reese IV. Lebby will speak on the main stage at 10:35 a.m., available to watch on SEC Network.
SEC Media Days full schedule
All times below are central.
Monday, July 15
Commissioner Greg Sankey (9:05 a.m.)
LSU (10 a.m.) – HC Brian Kelly, QB Garrett Nussmeier, TE Mason Tyler, LB Harold Perkins
South Carolina (11:35 a.m.) – HC Shane Beamer, DT Alex Huntley, ATH Luke Doty, LB Debo Williams
Ole Miss (1:50 p.m.) – HC Lane Kiffin, QB Jaxson Dart, WR Tre Harris, DE Jared Ivey
Vanderbilt (3:30 p.m.) – HC Clark Lea, OL Gunnar Hansen, LB Langston Patterson, DB CJ Taylor
Tuesday, July 16
Georgia (9:05 a.m.) – HC Kirby Smart, QB Carson Beck, DL Mykel Williams, DB Malaki Starks
Tennessee (10:45 a.m.) – HC Josh Heupel, C Cooper Mays, LB Keenan Pili, DL Omari Thomas
Oklahoma (12:50 p.m.) – HC Brent Venables, QB Jackson Arnold, LB Danny Stutsman, DB Billy Bowman, Jr.
Missouri (2:20 p.m.) – HC Eli Drinkwitz, WR Luther Burden III, QB Brady Cook, DL Kristian Williams
Wednesday, July 17
Alabama (9:05 a.m.) – HC Kalen DeBoer, QB Jalen Milroe, OL Tyler Booker, DB Malachi Moore
Mississippi State (10:35 a.m.) – HC Jeff Lebby, QB Blake Shapen, OL Albert Reese IV, LB John Lewis
Florida (12:50 p.m.) – HC Billy Napier, QB Graham Mertz, LB Shemar James, RB Montrell Johnson, Jr.
Texas (2:20 p.m.) – HC Steve Sarkisian, QB Quinn Ewers, OL Kelvin Banks, Jr., DB Jahdae Barron
Thursday, July 18
Arkansas (9:35 a.m.) – HC Sam Pittman, WR Andrew Armstrong, QB Taylen Green, DE Landen Jackson
Texas A&M (11:05 a.m.) – HC Mike Elko, DL Shemar Turner, LB Taurean York, OL Trey Zuhn III
Auburn (1:05 p.m.) – HC Hugh Freeze, QB Payton Thorne, LB Eugene Asante, DE Keldric Faulk
Kentucky (2:25 p.m.) – HC Mark Stoops, OL Marques Cox, LB D’Eryk Jackson, DL Deone Walker
How to tune in to SEC Media Days
SEC Media Days will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network. Streaming options include the ESPN app and FUBO, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers. For radio listeners, SportsTalk Mississippi will be live from Dallas from 3-6 p.m. CT Monday through Wednesday. SuperTalk Mississippi News will be providing updates on 48 talk and music stations throughout the week.
