Sixth-year Kentucky coach Mark Stoops selected three of his better players to join him in Atlanta for the 2018 edition of SEC Media Days on Monday. The Wildcat contingent met with the media during the first day of the event.

Here are some highlights of the quotes provided by the players on Kentucky’s roster:

Senior linebacker Josh Allen

On playing other positions in high school…

“It taught me to be tough. Playing football in Alabama from New Jersey was different. Playing in Alabama made me learn a lot about different positions and made me learn that this is how it is really going to be. So, it made me tough. I found a difference between me and others. The game was more competitive. It taught me a lot before I graduated from New Jersey.”

On playing other positions in high school…

“I don’t go into a game day without watching Von Miller and Khalil Mack. I watch them every week and learn from them.”

On someone you watch in the NFL to help your game …

“I think that I became a better leader. I knew that I had to step up this year from last year. So, I feel that I became a better leader and a better person. I recently had a son, and he has made me become a better person for him, not just for myself. For him and my teammates, I have wanted to become a better person because my team needs me. I think about him (his son) every time I do anything and how it will reflect on him. I need to be someone that you can depend on every day.”

Junior running back Benny Snell

On the greatest impact of his career…

“Right now the top two are my mom and Coach [Eddie] Gran. My mom has been with me every step of the way. She is the love of my life, and there is a time I need to repay her for everything she has done for me. Coach Gran has helped me come into who I am as a running back. When I was coming right out of high school and coming into college, Coach Gran put me under his wing and formed me into what I am today. I am so happy for those two people in my life.”

On who the best running back is and thoughts on passing more…

“I do think I’m the best this year. I have a very close relationship with my running back coach on and off the field. Passing and catching the ball in the backfield is something that I will be picking up on as well as correcting my pass blocking. I think this will make my aspects other than running the ball much better.”

On how has Kavosiey Smoke has progressed so far…

“I have seen a lot from Little Smokey [Smoke]. He does a great job – he is a very quick learner. I’m trying to get into the film room with him to help pick some plays. I have seen him running the ball a little more, and he’s starting to get a hang of things. He is going to be a very valuable player to us.”

On the keys to navigating SEC Media Days…

“Being myself always. I always, ever since I’ve gotten here, have wanted to be here. It’s such an honor to be here for my team. I am just here having fun and learning.”

On what separates him from other running backs in the league…

“For me, my running game is very strong. I always try to make myself as good as I can off the field, whether its film, practice, or more reps. What separates myself from other running backs is that I am very durable. I can get 200+ carries and still be okay for the rest of season without any injury. In the beginning of the season, I broke my rib during a game. I came in at halftime and ended up going back in, scored and finished the game as well as the rest of the season. Whether it’s nagging injury, I’m in the training room and I’m going to get it fixed. Whether it’s something to do with pain tolerance, I’m going to play through it. I’m playing through everything. Running backs I look up to, I love Ezekiel Elliott. I think Adrian Peterson is the best running back of all time just because how explosive of a runner he was and his ability to pass protect on the line. Those are the great running backs I try to model my game after.”

Senior tight end C.J. Conrad

On what a healthy C.J. Conrad and a healthy Dorian Baker could mean for this Kentucky team …

“I think it means a lot. I think both of us do a lot, not just for this offense, but for this team. Guys that, we’re both seniors now, seeing the program from the beginning to where it’s at now, and guys who are going to fight for this team. I think Dorian, you haven’t seen him play in a really long time, but that’s a guy who caught 60 passes a little less than two years ago, so he’s an extremely talented guy that we’re excited to have back. Myself, personally, I’m just really trying to take a leadership role on this team right now. I’ve played all three years now. I’ve seen it from the beginning to now, just trying to build that winning culture. I’ve seen how close we’ve been in the past to winning more football games this year for us.”

On what is needed in order to win more…

“I think it’s about a winning culture. We’ve had games in the past we’ve won that we probably shouldn’t have won. We’ve had some games in the past that we’ve lost and probably should have won. Everyone’s looking for that perfect ingredient to do it, but I think ultimately right now what we’re doing in the summer is all we can do. It’s working extremely hard, finding leaders on this team that can step up in big moments, and we have to make the plays in order to do that. It’s just the small things that Coach [Mark] Stoops preaches all the time, just little things that add up in big moments. They may not be the headline of the game for why we lost, but there’s a lot of things that go into every single game. We have to take care of those things and give ourselves a chance.”

On the offensive line…

“I think when we put Drake [Jackson] in the lineup, he was just more consistent with his snaps. If you remember early in the season last year, we had some snapping issues, but that whole group came together really good last year. We have “Bunchy” Stallings back, Logan Stenberg, George Asafo-Adjei, Landon Young. Those guys are just big, mean, physical guys. I think just playing in the SEC the last two years the biggest thing I’ve learned is that it happens in the trenches. Everything inside is super important, and I think our coaching staff did a really good job of letting our offensive line know that, and our tight ends, and worked together as a cohesive group. It’s been awesome the last two years. We’re just trying to be as consistent as possible now that we have some guys returning. Just overall, with our communication, just being on the same page 24/7. Those guys are mean dudes, and they’re going to get some attention this year because they’re very talented.”