The Missouri contingent arrived to Hoover, Ala., Wednesday for their sessions with the media. Joining first-year head coach Barry Odom for the league’s Media Days event this year was tight end Sean Culkin, linebacker Michael Scherer and defensive end Charles Harris.

Here’s what the three players had to say during their media availability Wednesday:

Senior tight end Sean Culkin

On being at SEC Media Days:
“Today has been a great opportunity so far, definitely a lot of questions but it’s a cool platform to represent the University of Missouri here and a privilege to sit here and do that and I’m excited for the rest of the day.”

On being a tight end:
“For me, all you can do is right now in the off-season is prepare yourself physically and mentally to be the best player you can be … When you come to the game, you know obviously you just got to do your role, at a high level, a very high level. So you have a high level of focus … For me it’s just doing whatever coach is asking and at a high level.”

On losing Pinkel and last season:
“We definitely had a lot of adversity the last year. I think it does nothing but give you the opportunity to be a better team and to come closer. When last year was going on, obviously my teammates are brothers to me it’s a family so when they stand up for something like that we all have each other’s backs … At the end of the day, in our facilities, in the locker room, we are very close. Even what’s going on with the AD nothing is going to change, we’re going to stick together.”

On going to Missouri:
“Coming to Mizzou was the best decision I’ve honestly have ever made. I got my degree this past May and the experiences I’ve had outside of football and the friendships and the resources they have provided outside of football in order to be successful whether it’s the people you’re networking with, it’s all there. Then obviously you add in football with two SEC East Championships that’s been a high honor and a unique experience.”

Junior defensive end Charles Harris

On the news about the athletic director’s departure:
“I have been hearing about it the entire time I have been at Media Days. The team will address the things that happen at Mizzou when we get back. Right now I am here to focus on Media Days, the University of Missouri and my teammates.”

On Coach Pinkel leaving and transitioning to a new coach:
“Coach Pinkel was there since my freshman year and Coach Odom taking over was pretty smooth. There has not been that much of a difference. He has been coaching us as who we are, as individuals and as a team. Our identities are still there we just have some position changes.”

On the tradition of the Defensive Line at Mizzou:
“When we have freshman coming in we show them a clinic tape of Michael Sams and Marcus Golden. We show them guys who came before us and sowed the seed of who we are. If you watch the highlights you will get a feel of the tenacity that is required to be at Mizzou and be in the defensive line. Before everything went down last year we were looking to dominate and this year we are also looking for great numbers as well.”

Senior linebacker Michael Scherer

On the difference between Coach Odom and Coach Pinkel:
‘I think the main difference you see is Coach Pinkel kind of interacted with the coaches and coached them how to coach us. He was quiet when it came to practice and other things. Coach Odom is a very passionate guy. He’s been coaching on the field for a very long time and he can’t get over not still doing that. You’ll see him running around the practice field at different positions, different group coaching. He’s very involved when the time comes when it’s needed. He is just a very passionate guy and you can see it on the practice field every day.”

On what it is like to have a head coach who was his position coach in the pervious year:
“Obviously going through change there is a lot of comfort there for me. I knew him very well; we’ve developed a great relationship. I know what he expects of me, and I kind of know what he expects from this team this year, just from being in the same room with him so much and having so many conversations with him. It’s less of a change for me.”

On what Kentrell Brothers and what it is like to be the linebacker at Missouri:
“Kentrell and I had an awesome relationship. The way we were able to click on the field, that is something that we worked very, very hard at and developed over time. And that made us respect each other even more. We put in all those hours together and showed it on the field. Apart from everything, he’s obviously a great linebacker, a great player. He has upped the reputation of being a Missouri linebacker. All those older guys, we all kind of talked to each other and I have had many conversations with those guys over the years. I think it’s definitely a bigger deal now to be a Missouri linebacker. I am trying to keep on carrying that torch and taking it to the next level.”

On what he can do to prepare himself for the next level:
“I am pretty confident in my abilities. I think the thing for me is staying healthy. I don’t mean healthy in a big sense, I mean healthy in a small sense like the little things that happen every week. They can be tough and they can wear on your during a season. So I think in this off season-training, I’ve been doing a lot of things to help take on those burdens that you get in a 13-14 game season. I think if I am healthy and if I’m playing to the best of my ability this year, everything is going to take care of itself.”