Welcome to talking season. SEC Media Days is underway in Tampa, where 16 head coaches, dozens of players and roughly 1,000 media members will spend the next four days discussing everything from championship expectations to quarterback battles and College Football Playoff expansion. We’ll update this tracker throughout the week with the biggest news, notable quotes and key takeaways from every coach who steps to the podium.
Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
Kalen DeBoer kicked off day three here in Tampa. And, it was electric.
To be clear, it was like an electric car more than anything. It was quiet, lacking power and there was nothing super sexy about it. DeBoer had an answer for everything and never felt flustered. The overwhelming amount of questions towards DeBoer were pretty business as usual. He was asked multiple times about the quarterback situation this season and expectations at Alabama every season.
“We always want to have that expectation,” said DeBoer.
The most awkward dynamic was, hands down, during the Alabama portion of the day. If there is a feeling that he’s looking over his shoulder, he is. Not metaphorically, either. Nick Saban sat quietly on the SEC Network set in the back of the room, arms folded, listening to every word. It felt like a dad watching his son in Little League, only no one knew whether the ride home ended with ice cream.
Still, DeBoer’s legacy at Alabama will have to be written by his own pen. Even if it was lent to him by Saban at the start. He was asked about whether or not that legacy is going to be defined by winning a national championship.
“I’m not focused on that,” said DeBoer.
Brother, you should be.
Jon Sumrall, Florida
Jon Sumrall rules. That’s probably my biggest takeaway of his time at the podium. He commanded the room better than almost anyone in Tampa this week. It was a funny injection of energy, and bodies, for that matter, into the main room.
He maintained that there were some really positive things that are happening, and have been happening, in the is program, even during a 4-8 season a year ago. But, 4-8 is not acceptable at Florida, and you kind of get the feeling that fans won’t have to experience it again anytime soon.
One of the biggest improvements he wants to see is the strength of the offensive line. It was “unacceptable and underwhelming” when he arrived at the start of the year, according to Sumrall.
Outside of that it was more of a “get to know you” about the man. And, there was plenty to learn. He spoke about Lane Kiffin and being up for the same jobs last offseason.
“Lane and I are friends, and we talked a lot in the months of October,” said Sumrall. He said that Kiffin kind of generalized the experience that they’d both be having being parallel. Sumrall laughed and said that wouldn’t even be remotely true because Kiffin would not be making the jump from G6 to P4 and was probably used to this by now. “Not me. I’ve never had a dietician for my team let alone my team,” said Sumrall.
Pete Golding, Ole Miss
You just had to know this was coming. Pete Golding absolutely nailed his first meeting with the media.
It feels like Pete Golding may be a better head coach than a coordinator. We don’t know that for sure, and the success he has during his time in Oxford will obviously be judged by what happens on the field. But, the CEO part of this whole deal? He’s got that down pat.
Golding took the podium knowing what was going to be the theme of most of the conversation and questions – Lane Kiffin. He was asked if the storyline would die down after the two finally play each other on Sept. 19.
“I think that’s up to y’all,” Golding joked.
There have been plenty of opportunities for this thing to be put to bed, and it has never felt like everyone on either side was willing to do it.
“I have no ill will towards Coach Kiffin. I tell a lot of these people. I probably shouldn’t say this but I don’t care. In 2021, If someone said you could look in 2025 and you’re about to be 11-1 and go to the playoffs, would you take it if your coach was leaving? They were like hell yeah. I was like, you would. Everybody won from it.”
You can make the argument that one of the reasons Golding came off so likable today was partially influenced by how polarizing his predecessor was. Regardless, Pete Golding may not have a ton of wins as a head coach on the field yet. He got another one off the field today in Tampa.
