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Preparing for Media Days
By the time you're reading this article, I should be interviewing players from Arkansas and Florida at the SEC Football Media Days in Birmingham, Ala. on my "vacation."
You might ask, "Why is he working on vacation?" That's a good question. I would simply come back and say, "I would cover SEC athletes for free." Heck, I am right now. I wasn't assigned to cover this event, and I didn't need to be. There's simply no other place I'd rather be or anything that I'd rather be doing at this very moment.
It's not rocket science, and it's not a hidden mystery. When it comes to football, the SEC sets the standard and produces the most NFL talent year in and year out.
Each team in the SEC is bringing three players to represent their school to be interviewed by all the media that is attending. Of all the players coming, there are a few that stand out and that got me thinking about which athletes I was most excited about interviewing.
Or better yet, which of these athletes will we be seeing playing on Sunday over the next decade.
If I had to put my money on a few players, I'd definitely put my money on South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery and Marcus Lattimore, Kentucky's Danny Trevathan, Georgia's Aaron Murray and Alabama's Trent Richardson, Mark Baron and Dont'a Hightower.
Jeffrey is thought of to be one of the best receivers in the nation and probably will be the first SEC player taken in the 2012 NFL Draft. Entering his second year with the Gamecocks, Lattimore is one of the best running backs in the nation and is probably my favorite player to watch in all of college football right now.
A lot of people don't know Kentucky's linebacker Trevathan but he led the SEC in tackles last year with 144, and I expect him to do the same this year.
And when it comes to poster boys in the SEC, Murray is definitely one of them. The only position the SEC doesn't have a whole lot of talent at this year is at quarterback and Murray is by far the best in the league.
Alabama's trio that will attend will all be playing on Sundays next year. I can guarantee that. Baron is one of the best safeties in the nation and the same can be said for Hightower at linebacker. Alabama has an extremely scary defense this year and these two guys are the main reason why.
Some think Richardson is the best running back in the SEC, while others, like myself, believe Lattimore is. Even though I'm a Lattimore fan, I can't deny that Richardson is a freak and is poised for a Heisman-like season.
The three players that LSU will bring to Birmingham are linebacker Ryan Baker, receiver Russell Shepard and quarterback Jordan Jefferson. I figured these would be the three chosen simply because Baker and Jefferson get the most attention from the SEC when it comes to LSU, and Shepard is so well-spoken.
Ferriday head coach Richard Oliver has a few of his former high school players that will be attendance. Ole Miss' Brandon Bolden and Tennessee's Dallas Thomas played at Scotlandville High School where Oliver was the head coach. I'm excited about getting a chance to speak with them about their old coach.
I don't have the space to highlight every player that will be there, but it is a who's who from around the league. Not to mention, a couple of the greatest coaches the college game has ever seen in Steve Spurrier and Nick Saban.
I can already tell those two will be a delight to talk to (insert sarcasm here).
And there ain't no telling what Les Miles is going to say. At least this event will be held indoors where he won't have the urge pick a blade of grass and taste the mildew.
Jake Martin is an intern for the Concordia Sentinel. He is sports editor for the Nicholls Worth. |
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