What they said Tuesday at SEC Media Days

On co-defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann’s growth

“First off, Glenn Schumann is an incredible man and person. He’s a graduate of Alabama. He came there on the Bear Bryant scholarship. His dad played football at Alabama. He is the son of a football coach. He is extremely bright, extremely passionate. I rely heavily on Glenn for input on practice schedules, defensive design, thinking outside the box.

There’s not a time when I think of who can I ask on my staff that understands what we want and what we need, Glenn Schumann is that guy. He’s very talented.

Glenn Schumann will be the first to admit he came to the University of Georgia without ever getting an on-the-field coaching position, and I was very confident in his role to do that. What has he done with that? He has produced one of the most productive inside linebacker (groups) in the country, and he’s one of the people that really believes in growth being a part of his process, and he continues to grow to this day.”

On what a threepeat would mean to him and the program

“It would be a lot of hard work that had been acknowledged. I think we’re a long way from that, so to make that assumption or that theory relevant, we would have to get to that point in time. But I can assure you if we get to that point, I’m going to be worrying about the next day’s work more than I am the achievement.”

Tight end Brock Bowers:

On the offensive-coordinator transition from Todd Monken to Mike Bobo, and his relationship with potential starting quarterback Carson Beck

“It was pretty seamless because (Bobo) was there last year and then the tight end (meeting) room actually helping out and just being the offense, quality control, assistant kind of role. So everyone was kind of used to him. I mean, everyone really likes him. So it’s been a pretty seamless transition. Then, our relationship with Carson Beck is actually really good. We’ve been locker buddies, I guess. We are right next to each other in the locker room every day. He’s been doing really good. So we’ve been around each other the last two years, so it’s been pretty easy.”

On the NFL tight ends he admires

“I think Travis Kelce and George Kittle both do a great job. I just try to take what I can from them, and just, they are awesome.”

On blocking outside noise when the games begin

“I think we have a very strong culture among players and coaches and everything. We’ve had numerous meetings about what we can do better on and off the field, and I think we have done a pretty good job of blocking out the outside noise and focusing on ourselves and focusing on the stuff that we can get better at personally.”

Center Sedrick Van Pran

On his leadership style

“So to be honest with you, I think leadership has always been important to me for the simple fact of – it’s going to sound weird, but I’ve always just cared about the guys that I put in time with.

So I’m a firm believer that if you’re a friend, you’re family. I think that’s how I’ve always been. I think that natural care makes you want to help people out when they may not be going in the right direction and I think that’s where it originated from is wanting to help out people that you love.

So leadership style I would say usually is very calm. So I would try to build as best of a relationship as I can with people, and I try to be very good about it and the reason why is because, I’m not going to lie, sometimes I have a tendency to snap when necessary.

I think when you build those relationships, guys can take that because they understand ... he’s just passionate about what we are doing.

So I think that’s my leadership style. I try to connect with everybody, and I try to have an understanding of who they are as people.”

Auburn:

Coach Hugh Freeze

On Auburn’s place in the evolving SEC

“I would see us in the upper echelon of this conference. There’s no reason – we have the facilities. We have the support. We have the administration. You’re in an area that football is important, and you’re in an area that you can recruit to.

I do think that the (2024) and ‘25 recruiting cycle will tell a large portion of the story of my tenure there. I believe that. Maybe ‘26 we might get three cycles, but we’ve got to start closing the gap on the elite programs in this conference. And when you add Texas and Oklahoma, that only increases the competition, also.

There’s a lot of good players. They all can’t go to the same school. Obviously the transfer-portal world adds another dynamic to it, how good you are at holding on to the ones you do have in your room and then attracting ones that can go in and fill some holes for you.

Hopefully we can be very good at that, at creating a culture where our kids want to be at Auburn and want to stay at Auburn. Obviously On to Victory is a big factor in that, also, and keeping our kids here that have produced and created value for themselves in the name, image, and likeness world, so all that’s going to play a role in it.

But I see no reason why Auburn shouldn’t be one of the upper half and competing every year. Look, if you’re in the upper half of this conference, you get a break here or there, you’re in the playoffs. Then you’ve got a real chance. That’s where I see Auburn.”

On the rivalry with Alabama

“The Iron Bowl is what it is, and I don’t have to be educated on that. I’ve been a part of some big rivalries and understand that in most polls this would be No. 1 in the rivalry, so I know what it means to the people that support our university and our football program. I won’t need to be educated.

I’ve always taken great pride in walking into a new program and saying, listen, they currently are the gold standard and this is what we want to be. We welcome that opportunity and we welcome that challenge.

I have great respect for Nick (Saban). He’s actually a good friend, and what he’s done there. But there are so many good coaches in this league that do such a great job, and many of them do it with less than what others have.”

On if he felt he’d return to the SEC after his resignation at Ole Miss in 2017

“Truthfully when the ending at Ole Miss occurred it was hard to truthfully process would you ever get that opportunity again, so I would have to say at that point no.

But as time passes and things tend to settle back in and you work through -- I tell people all the time, I think that one of the greatest judges of people, and our players included and the people I come in contact with, are when you experience disappointment, failure, whether it was of your own doing or whether it was circumstances that come into your life, like (tight end) Luke Deal, who’s with us today. He lost his father while being at Auburn. Those are tough circumstances, but how a person responds to those and reacts to those probably tells you more about them than the successes do.

I would be less than truthful with you if after we started having success at Liberty, particularly with it just going FBS and us being able to beat the likes of Arkansas and BYU and Virginia Tech and Syracuse and playing close with every Power Five that we played, did the thought start creeping in your mind that certain opportunities might present themselves again? Yes, at that point. But not prior to that point did they enter my mind.”

Defensive lineman Elijah McAllister

On how Freeze sold him to transfer from Vanderbilt to Auburn

“I think it’s three simple things. The first thing is the foundation of our relationship is based off faith. That’s a unique thing that not a lot of people have. I think that allows us to have confidence in who we are as people and also confidence leading the program. It’s something that he stays strong with. He’s an amazing person of faith. I’m excited about that. The second is the opportunity to lead. And the third thing is the opportunity to play. Those three things have been amazing, and he’s held true to that.”

Tight end Luke Deal

On transfer quarterback Payton Thorne

“I think Payton is an incredible leader. He’s a really good guy. I’ve gotten to know him on a personal level. I really like his leadership qualities that he brings. He’s got that savvy quarterback demeanor that you look for in a quarterback. He’s somebody that I think will help us. One way or another, he’ll help us in our strides this year.”

Vanderbilt:

Coach Clark Lea

On looming SEC expansion

“I’m excited about the way the league is expanding. I think obviously to add Texas and Oklahoma is a statement, and as a competitor, no matter where you are, if you’re a real competitor, you’re looking to measure yourself against the very best.

That’s what our league allows us to do.

No matter who we play against this year or next year, the goal is that they play against a team that knows perfectly who they are, plays to an identity, and has weaponized that identity to puncture the shell of the opponent.

I want everyone we play against to leave the field having learned something about themselves because that Vanderbilt group is really tough and relentless and never stops and also has the weapons to be dangerous.

We’re a work in progress that way. A year ago we were inconsistent with how we showed up. This year we’ll be a little further along by the time Texas comes to town. Hopefully we’ll be ready to play Vanderbilt football from the first snap to the last.”

On building the Vanderbilt program

“A year ago we were hard at work on the foundational identity of our program, while also searching for on-field progress. This led to inconsistent play and plenty of challenging moments. The adversity we faced strengthened our resolve and helped to refine our process, giving way to an evolved team that was able to find flashes of success.

Though we can celebrate progress, we will never be satisfied with 5-7. Vanderbilt football pursues success at the highest level, and we will not back down from our mission to build the best college football program in the nation.

Just down the road for the past seven months, team 3 has been training with intention in an effort to form the most capable team to this point in my tenure. As we stand now in front of a clean sheet, our goal is postseason play. The margins remain razor thin for our program, and the difference between achieving our goal and being left in the wake of disappointment likely comes down to a handful of snaps this season.

We understand that progress is seldom linear and certainly never a guarantee, and it’s our shared responsibility now to capture these margins in our design and preparation. To accomplish this, each program member must be willing to go beyond our limits, ever-evolving the internal expectations for what it means to invest in our process and strengthen our culture. We simply cannot miss any opportunity to take ground on our mission.

Two and a half years ago when I came home to Nashville, I wanted to prove to the world what I knew to be true about the potential of Vanderbilt football. As we’ve struggled through the challenges inherent in changing a culture and resuscitating a program, I realize I’m now motivated less by what I proved to those on the outside and more by what I share with those on the inside.

The chip on my shoulder is still there and it’s still important, but what’s more important to me is honor of collaborating with the first-class people that make up Vanderbilt football.

I love going to work every day with our players and staff, with our fans and our loyal alums, to build a prep program we can all be proud of.”

Mississippi State:

Coach Zach Arnett

Beginning his opening statement acknowledging the late Mike Leach

“Real quickly before I start out, I would like to acknowledge that I have seen the graphic listing the word count for every head coach’s opening statement last year at this event, and Coach Leach’s was seven. Seven words.

I’ve already said too much, and that combined with wearing a tie, I’m sure I’ve disappointed him a little bit here today.

In recognition of his tremendous impact and influence not only on the game of football but on myself, I’m going to do my best to keep this short and sweet.”

On hope that Mississippi State could qualify for a future expanded playoff

“I don’t particularly remember saying specifically putting a date on that or next year, but I simply say I look back at history. The College Football Playoff is going to expand to 12 teams moving forward, okay? You look back to the season, first College Football Playoff poll came out, Mississippi State was the No. 1 ranked team in the country in that poll.

You look back to some of the years they’ve had, without a doubt, when they had Dak Prescott, there’s four nine-win seasons in the last nine years. You can look back to that special season with Dak Prescott, I believe it was 2014. If that’s a 12-team playoff they’re in the playoff. I mean, the proof is in the pudding.

There is data to look back on and go, yeah, if you can recruit and put a team on the field at that high of a level and have that level of success in this league, you’re in the expanded playoff.”

On Mississippi State’s identity

“I hope it’s a continuation of the identity that Mississippi State has always had as a football program: Tough, hard-nosed, disciplined. It’s been acknowledged for a long time in this league. When you line up against Mississippi State, you’d better pack your lunchbox and hardhat, because it’s going to be a physical game. That’s what Mike Leach wanted.

When I first interviewed with him and talked to him about what he thinks are the important things about developing a winning football program, it’s not talking about scheme. It’s all about the effort with which you play, the physicality and the tenacity.

Simply put, being the most excited, passionate team who lines up on the field excited to play the game. That’s kind of been Mississippi State’s identity forever. That’s who we are at Mississippi State. I hope it’s a continuation of that identity, because if we can ensure those things as we get through training camp, if we can have a football team who lines up excited to play with a physicality and a determination and a disciplined football team, you’ve got a chance in every game. Regardless of scheme.

I’ve been asked a lot of questions about scheme. If you don’t have the characteristics of a winning football team, all those things I’ve mentioned, how you play the game, the effort level, the toughness, discipline. If you don’t have those things, it don’t matter what scheme you employ on either side of the ball, you ain’t got a chance.

If you have all those characteristics and you’ve got good players and you’re not sabotaging them as coaches with a bad game plan, it doesn’t matter what scheme you run, you’ve got a chance in every game. Those are the fundamental core principles to winning football. Scheme is just what it flows through.”

Quarterback Will Rogers

On his relationship with Leach

“We had a really special connection, obviously. Played three years for coach Leach, recruited me out of high school. Very, very sad when he ended up passing. I look forward to honoring him this year just by playing hard and hopefully throwing a couple touchdowns for him. Just doing as he would do.”

On why facing the Georgia defense was tough

“Jalen Carter is pretty good. I mean, everybody on their defense is a five-star or plays for the Eagles. So they’re pretty good.”

On keeping Mississippi recruits in state

“It just means everything. I think coach Arnett is doing a really great job of keeping the best players from Mississippi to go to Mississippi State. I think that should be the main point of emphasis when recruiting, recruit the instate kids first. You look at a lot of the guys on our team – myself, Walley, Tulu, Emmanuel Forbes was my class. We had a lot of guys that came through my class that are from Mississippi. I think that should be a big point of emphasis.”