Day 1 Recap: What SEC head coaches said at SEC spring meetings
Day 1 of the SEC’s spring meetings is officially in the books, and seven head coaches spoke to the media.
The agenda for the spring meetings revolves around the full cost of attendance scholarships, as well as satellite camps. Generally, it’s a time when coaches can kick back with their family, play some golf and reflect on the biggest topics on college football, some serious and some not so serious.
We look at some of the more interesting quotes from SEC coaches Tuesday:
Bret Bielema, Arkansas
On beating Texas 31-7 in the Texas Bowl:
Bielema on Texas: "To take a knee the last few seconds & they cannot do a thing about it was … a statement."
— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) May 26, 2015
On being a big human being:
Bret Bielema: "Being a big person myself, I have often noted when you come in a room when big people talk, little people listen."
— Josh Kendall (@JoshatTheState) May 26, 2015
Perhaps the best quote of the day came from Bielema on the Pac-12’s criticism of only playing eight games versus nine:
Bielema on folks pushing for nine conference games: “I invite you to play eight in the SEC”
— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) May 26, 2015
Jim McElwain, Florida
McElwain confirmed that Vanderbilt transfer Josh Grady will play quarterback, via 247Sports.com.
“Well, just the sheer numbers we have; we have two scholarship quarterbacks, so obviously he’s played the position,” McElwain said. “He was a pretty good high school player. Now I haven’t been able to see him play or obviously throw or anything like that, but that will be a natural for us at that spot.”
McElwain also confirmed that despite being left a bleak roster, Will Muschamp and his staff created a good culture with the Gators, via AL.com.
“Obviously through attrition in some areas, we were short just from a numbers standpoint to be able to practice the way we wanted to practice,” McElwain said Tuesday at the SEC’s spring meetings in Destin, Florida. “But Will and his staff did an outstanding job building the culture. They left some really good players, but just the sheer numbers is where we’re short. But that’s OK. You don’t ever know sometimes. They got snakebit.”
Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss
On Laquon Treadwell’s rehab:
Asked about Laquon Treadwell's rehab, #OleMiss coach Hugh Freeze responded with "It's time to turn him loose." #SECDestin
— Parrish Alford (@parrishalford) May 26, 2015
Freeze said he wanted to put a microphone in the quarterback’s helmet, much like the NFL:
Freeze says he wants earpieces in the helmets of quarterbacks. "Till 10 seconds on the play clock? Oh yeah, we can make that work."
— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) May 26, 2015
Nick Saban, Alabama
Saban apparently hauled in the biggest fish of the day, and everyone’s wondering just how long Saban fought that massive tarpon.
Nick Saban announced at SEC meetings that he caught a tarpon yesterday that was 6 feet and 180 pounds. No word on 40 time.
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) May 26, 2015
Saban went off on the full cost of attendance scholarships:
Nick Saban says that cost of attendance calculations can "almost create fraud" and "may affect the competitive balance."
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) May 26, 2015
Saban warns that the SEC is becoming a ‘farm system’ for all the other leagues, via CBS sports.com. Saban wants all the other conferences to play by the same rules.
“These things need to be global, otherwise we’re going to become a farm system for all the other leagues,” Saban said. “And then the first question we’re going to get asked is, we win seven national championships in a row and (reporters ask), ‘Well, what’s the state of the SEC? You haven’t been in the championship game the last two years.’”
Mark Richt, Georgia
On being the last program in the SEC to commit to an indoor practice facility:
UGA's Mark Richt on indoor practice facility: "Sometimes when you're the last one (in the SEC) to build it, you can make it the best."
— Marc Weiszer (@marcweiszer) May 26, 2015
Steve Spurrier, South Carolina
On losing to Hugh Freeze in golf Tuesday morning:
Steve Spurrier confirms Hugh Freeze's golf victory this morning. "Somebody had to win. Somebody had to lose."
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) May 26, 2015
On timeline of naming a starting quarterback:
Steve Spurrier said plans are to name starting QB week before season opener vs. UNC
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) May 26, 2015
Butch Jones, Tennessee
Was the ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ video scripted? No chance, Jones says.
JONES: (On 'Sweet Home Alabama') I hope it doesn't play again. That was fun but it was not scripted. We are UT & we are Rocky Top!
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) May 26, 2015