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SEC Media Days 2023 updates: Brian Kelly, Jimbo Fisher scheduled to speak Monday

nick gray, nashville tennessean
·5 min read

SEC Media Days 2023 begins Monday at the Grand Hyatt in Nashville.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey will hold his annual press conference, where he’ll face questions about the state of college football and the conference. LSU coach Brian Kelly, Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher, Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz and those teams’ players will speak with the media following Sankey’s remarks.

Kelly and Fisher are at different points of their tenures in the SEC West. LSU may be the co-favorites in the division, while Texas A&M is coming off a disappointing season. 2023 will be Fisher’s six season, so the pressure will be on the Aggies.

Mizzou looks to stand out in the middle tier of the SEC East. The Tigers return quarterback Brady Cook and wide receiver Luther Burden but need some other skill players to step up and help an up-and-down offense from 2022.

Follow along with our live updates throughout the day:

Eli Drinkwitz talks about Brady Cook

Eli Drinkwitz briefly addressed the quarterback situation when he took the podium on Monday.

As Brady Cook looks to return from a shoulder injury he suffered in 2022, his place as Missouri's starting quarterback in 2023 is not guaranteed. Drinkwitz, however, believes Cook will embrace the competition.

"We gotta complete vertical balls down the field outside the numbers and push the ball vertically down the field." "and whether that was injuries or protection or whatever it was last year, it's gotta get fixed ... whoever is gonna give us the best opportunity to do that is going to be our quarterback."

Jimbo Fisher gives first impressions of Nashville's Marcel Reed

Jimbo Fisher is pleased with what he's seen from Marcel Reed so far.

Reed, a Nashville native the 2023 Mr. Football of Tennessee, received praise from Fisher during the coach's session at the podium at SEC Media Day. Fisher admitted that he hadn't seen much from the prized prospect since he committed, but was impressed with his recruits resume and was encouraged with the way he's trained and improved throughout the offseason.

Reed committed to Texas A&M in December 2022 as a 4-star recruit.

"He's happy to be there and we're happy he's there," Fisher said. "I think he's got great upside. I really do."

Jimbo Fisher talks about addition of Bobby Petrino to coaching staff

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher doesn't have worries of Bobby Petrino embracing a coordinator role.

When asked about how Fisher, a long-time head coach who hasn't served as a coordinator since 2002, would mesh on the staff, Fisher laughed and brushed off concerns.

"Bobby was hired for a reason," Fisher said. "He's a tremendous coach, tremendous football guy ... (coaching) is a more collective thing than people give it room for."

Petrino was hired in 2023 to serve as the Aggies offensive coordinator.

Brian Kelly updates us about his Southern accent

Brian Kelly said his faux Southern accent is becoming more authentic.

Kelly, who went viral in 2022 for the way he said "family" while addressing LSU fans, said his melting-pot accent is picking up more Southern twang entering his second season with the Tigers.

Kelly, a Boston native who spent decades in the Midwest, even joked that his accent shifts depending on where he's recruiting in Louisiana.

Mike Leach honored by Greg Sankey

Mike Leach, who died in December 2022, was honored by Greg Sankey in his opening statement. Sankey noted Leach's impact and eccentric personality in his brief recognition of the former Mississippi State head coach.

"He also observed the world from a perspective that made you think and often made you laugh and sometimes made you perplexed," Sankey said. "We're gonna miss Mike, but he's not going to be forgotten."

Greg Sankey honored Covenant shooting first responders

Detectives Ryan Cagle, Michael Collazo and Zachary Plese along with Officer Rex Engelbert and Sergeant Jeff Mathis were honored by and received an ovation.

The five men who were honored were members of the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department who were among the hundreds who responded to a shooting in March at The Covenant School in Nashville. Six people died, including three faculty member and three students.

The shooter, Audrey Hale, was killed by Metro police.

Monday’s SEC Media Days 2023 schedule

Starts at 11:30 a.m. in Nashville

What will SEC commissioner Greg Sankey talk about at SEC Media Days?

Sankey will be asked about a lot of big-picture topics. It could include:

  • Conference scheduling past 2024. The SEC announced in May the eight-game conference schedule would remain for 2024 as Oklahoma and Texas enter the league. We know the opponents for each SEC team in 2024, but is there new information regarding 2025 and beyond?

  • Tennessee football’s NCAA punishment. Given the recent announcement of the Vols’ punishment for 18 Level I violations, it’ll be on top of mind.

  • The expanding playoff in 2024. The new CFP format was finalized last December. What does Sankey think about the new playoff one year out?

  • More expansion. The additions of Texas and Oklahoma came out of nowhere, so it’s likely Sankey wouldn’t divulge much information if there was any. But he’s sure to be asked about adding more schools to the league, or at least the recent movement in college sports.

SEC Media Day Twitter List

A Twitter List by j_basena

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: SEC Media Days 2023 updates: Brian Kelly, Jimbo Fisher scheduled to speak