From Hugh Freeze's return to Kirby Smart's words SEC Media Days winners, losers on Tuesday
The second day of the 2023 SEC Media Days event in Nashville was completed without much controversy, with Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Auburn and Georgia fulfilling their talking season obligations.
Here are the winners and losers from the day:
WINNERS
Hugh Freeze
This had the potential to be a really uncomfortable afternoon for new Auburn coach Hugh Freeze, who met the SEC media in full for the first time since he resigned in scandal as Ole Miss coach in 2017.
But it wasn't. Freeze spoke about his past with grace. He injected some humor. And he was probably the most insightful of the four coaches to take the dais.
There's a big difference between winning the news conference and winning the battle for moral high ground that he'll be fighting for the foreseeable future, but Freeze did well on Tuesday.
Vanderbilt's Jaylen Mahoney — and his girlfriend
When it came to style, Vanderbilt defensive back Jaylen Mahoney won the day.
He sported a shiny blue and black floral jacket that was a hit, and it required just about zero brainpower on his part to stick the landing.
Mahoney's girlfriend pulled the outfit off a Men's Wearhouse mannequin right after the pair walked into the shop. They left with it shortly afterward, with no tailoring necessary.
That's the dream.
Zach Arnett
At his first appearance at SEC Media Days, new Mississippi State coach Zach Arnett conveyed the passion and energy that has made him popular in Starkville before his head coaching debut.
Arnett also deserves props for unequivocally standing by Will Rogers as his starting quarterback when he was asked about Vanderbilt transfer Mike Wright.
He'd be crazy to do anything else, but it might have been tempting to generate some faux misdirection by manufacturing a competition, or insulting everyone's intelligence by claiming every position is up for grabs, as many coaches around the country do.
A bit of forthright honesty was refreshing.
Monday's SEC Media Days winners, losers: Brian Kelly's accent, Jimbo Fisher's inspiring swag
LOSERS
High school football players in central California
Stay with us on this one.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday morning, 6-foot-4 Georgia tight end Brock Bowers revealed that he played quarterback during his freshman season at Napa High School in California. The twist? It was a triple-option system.
Even if Bowers wasn't quite the physical freak that he is right now as a high school freshman, it's hard to think of a more terrifying sight in college football than Bowers powering into the offensive line over and over again in a triple-option system.
SEC officials
We're always wary of piling on the officials. They've got an impossible job for an audience that's impossible to please.
That said, it was a weak move on the part of conference decision-makers to send SEC coordinator of football officials John McDaid to the dais as the only speaker not to take questions all day.
Everybody else here has to be accountable, remember.
Kirby Smart's filibuster
Georgia coach Kirby Smart took a playful swipe at Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz for his lengthy opening statement on Monday, deeming it a filibuster.
Smart proceeded to follow it with a filibuster of his own on Tuesday, speaking for ages before taking a question. He answered one question at the main podium about the off-the-field controversies his program has been involved in lately.
He even set a 10-minute iPhone alarm to remind himself to wrap it up — an alarm that we never heard.
What alarm tone is he using? And how does he ever wake up in the morning?
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Hugh Freeze, Kirby Smart among Tuesday SEC Media Days winners, losers
