SEC Media Days - Day 3 roundup

Mark Stoops doesn’t want to say the word “collapse.”

The Kentucky coach said his team was “tired of being close” as it looks for its first above-.500 season since 2009. Stoops’ teams have gone 5-7 in the last two seasons. Now, 7-5 — or better — is the goal.

However, when a reporter used the word “collapse” in a question referring to Kentucky’s close losses (the Wildcats lost to Auburn, Florida and Vanderbilt by a combined 12 points), Stoops said he didn’t want to use the word.

“I don’t think I would ever use that word because they weren’t. I just said they were very competitive games. Very good games that could have gone either way. Certainly we have to do a good job as coaching staff and with me to put them in a position make those plays, to do the things in the offseason, to do those things.”

“Again, to think you’re going take this program in three years and everything is going to be steady and pretty and nothing but a steady climb, it’s not going to happen. You’re going to go through some ups and downs. There’s a game or two and one in particular that jumps out at me that really bugs you because you felt like you outplayed the opponent and lost.”

Saban’s running back ‘conundrum’

Alabama enters the 2016 season without a proven contributor in the backfield. Poor Alabama.

Ha. Hardly. While Alabama coach Nick Saban said it was the “first time for many, many years that we have not had an experienced, talented running back who has proven his value” on the team, there’s hardly a lack of options.

Bo Scarbrough is a former 5-star recruit, though he’s battled injuries with the Tide. Damien Harris was a 5-star JuCo recruit in the class of 2015. There’s Derrick Gore and Xavian Marks too. Given the way Alabama has recruited and developed running backs, we have very little doubt running back will be a position of need for the Tide in 2016.

Odom: Charles Harris “one of the next great ones”

Missouri was 5-7 in 2015 despite lacking any semblance of a productive offense. The Tigers were a win away from a bowl game thanks to a defense that gave up just over 16 points per game.

The Tigers’ offense should improve in 2016 (can it get any worse?) and the defensive line should once again be one of the best in the country. Harold Brantley, who missed the 2015 season because of a car accident, should return. Terry Beckner, the highly-touted freshman who suffered a knee injury against BYU, should be back too.

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But the best member of Mizzou’s staunch defensive line may be Charles Harris. A possible first-round pick this spring, Harris opted to return for his redshirt junior season after posting 56 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2015.

“And Charles is one of the next great ones, in my opinion,” Mizzou coach Bary Odom said. “If you come and watch us practice on Tuesday afternoon, it looks like it’s game day and it’s fourth and one. I think that sets him apart. He’s got an inner drive and demeanor that he wants to be the best.

“He also realizes that, as all those guys do up front, they’ve got a tremendous responsibility on trying to carry that torch on the guys that were playing the position before him, and that means a lot to him. I’m excited about that group that we have on our team and, you know, it’s our job as coaches to make sure that they play better this year than they did last year.”

Brantley, by the way, is back up to 270 pounds after dipping below 200 following his accident.

Saban’s explanation of Media Days

Saban’s opening statement summed up media day sessions perfectly. And also expressed his disdain for them. Here’s part of what he said. It’s a perfect way to end this notes column.

“You know, I think that we all sort of stand up here and talk about, you know, our team,” Saban said.
“And if the truth really be known, anything that I’m going to say about our team, because you all have seen spring practice, you know who’s coming back, you know who graduated. You already have what the issues are relative to the challenges that we have to solve for our team.

“So, I’m going to sit up here and very seriously talk about our team, and everything I’m going to say about our team, you’ve already written about. You’ve already written a story about. Somebody in this room has already written a story about what I’m going to talk about. But you’re going to be serious and I’m going to be serious about talking about it again. That’s the way we do things.”

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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