Day 4 from Hoover: LSU's Leonard Fournette using his platform for change

HOOVER, Ala. — Just three coaches remained for the closing run of SEC Media Days: Will Muschamp, Les Miles and Hugh Freeze.

Muschamp began his opening comments by thanking the retired Steve Spurrier, who did some great things for South Carolina — not to mention the media. While Muschamp entertained, there is only one Head Ball Coach.

Next was Miles, who cracked the 20-minute barrier before finally taking a question. Somehow, he seamlessly bounced from serious topics to summer vacations and everything in between. From the unrest in Baton Rouge to breaking a few toes playing catch with his daughter, the Mad Hatter was mad indeed. Even while hatless.

The 14th and final coach to make his way to the podium over four days, Freeze offered little with regard to the notice of allegations in Oxford from the NCAA. He did say that he would take his medicine, though.

As for the players’ time at the mic, here are some observations that I found to be relatively interesting.

quiet gamecock

Very few of these student-athletes have ever been in a setting such as this. It can be quite intimidating.

If Kentucky running back Jojo Kemp was the most comfortable subject at Media Days this week, then South Carolina defensive end Marquavius Lewis might have been the most uncomfortable. He’s not an avid talker.

As a mattter of fact, Muschamp asked reporters if they had gotten anything good out of the subdued Lewis.

“We talk about it, but I’m not a big talker,” Lewis said. “Coach knows he doesn’t want to change that about me. He lets me lead by example.”

It seemed like a matter of time — fate, maybe — before Muschamp eventually got a chance to coach Lewis.

“I almost look at it as it was destined,” Lewis said. “When I was in junior college, I was in Florida and he was in Florida. I didn’t go to Florida. But he’s here now at South Carolina, so I see it as a destined thing.”

tender tiger

It’s difficult for a college football player to make a difference socially. After all, they’re just kids.

However, LSU running back Leonard Fournette is arguably the most recognizable face in the game today, and with that comes a responsibility unfamiliar to a run-of-the-mill offensive lineman. And he’s OK with that.

With the NCAA’s blessing, he lent help to South Carolina flood victims in 2015 by auctioning off a jersey.

“My thought process on that was basically what I went through with Hurricane Katrina,” said Fournette, who is from New Orleans. “We really didn’t receive any help, so I have the platform and the voice to help people. So I figured why not be that difference maker in the generation.”

A week ago, Fournette put on a t-shirt honoring Alton Sterling, who was gunned down by Baton Rouge police.

“That’s just me,” he said. “At the end of the day, God creates people different. He gives people certain attributes and things, but I think that’s just me overall.”

confident rebel

For the first time in the program’s long history, Ole Miss has defeated mighty Alabama two years in a row.

The defending-champion Crimson Tide, who are the only team to make the College Football Playoff both times so far, have lost a grand total of three games the last two seasons. Two of them have been to the Rebels.

Quarterback Chad Kelly had a hand in this past year’s win in Tuscaloosa, throwing for 341 yards and 3 TDs.

Chad Kelly Media Days Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

“I think our coaching staff does a good job of getting us prepared,” he said. “Starting with Coach Freeze and (QBs coach Dan) Werner, they do a good job of getting me prepared as a quarterback understanding situations and what we are looking to call for certain situations.”

Preparing is one thing, but few opponents can actually follow through on a game plan when facing the Tide.

“It comes down to execution during the game, and we just have better execution than they do,” Kelly said. “It starts with practice and what we do. It starts right now out in summer practices.”

pick six

They don’t call him “Coach Boom” for nothing. When Muschamp was defensive coordinator at Auburn in 2015, a rumor started that he broke a finger during a halftime tirade in the locker room. When questioned about it, he confirmed said rumor: “It’s just a finger.”
According to Miles, new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda has made the transition from the 4-3 to the 3-4. However, there will be 40-front looks for the Bayou Bengals this season in addition to 30-front looks. That’s Aranda’s influence from his time as DC at Wisconsin.
Freeze polled his assistant coaches about how he could provide a better work environment in Oxford. The common response was for him to be less sarcastic on the sideline during games. He has made a promise to himself to work on that character flaw going forward.
It’s time for a moratorium on watch lists. Alabama sophomore running backs Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris both made the preseason cut for the Doak Walker Award. They combined to rush for 261 yards in 2015. Basically, if you start in the SEC, you’re on a watch list.
The media’s predictions for the upcoming season were announced Thursday afternoon. Despite South Carolina being picked to finish dead last in the SEC East, one voter made the Gamecocks his selection to win the SEC outright. Shameless homerism knows no bounds.
Don’t ever use the phone in your hotel room. I called a radio station from mine to do a segment in Charlotte because land lines sound better on the air than cell phones. Then I got my checkout paperwork Thursday morning. I was charged $88 for the call. Thank you, Hyatt Place, for reversing the charge.

John Crist is the senior writer for Saturday Down South. You can send him an e-mail directly at jcrist@saturdaydownsouth.com or follow him on Twitter @SaturdayJC.