Here’s some of the highlights from what the Vanderbilt Commodores had to say inside — and outside — the main ballroom Monday at the Wynfrey Hotel at SEC Media Days in Hoover, Alabama:

Derek Mason

Opening statement on this season:

“This football team has come a long way. It’s been a tumultuous and rough ride through my first season, but those difficulties are about conquering out fear. I look at this football team and say we can work hard and do better. We’re a year older, a year smarter and a year better. I think we’ve made the right changes for this football team. We made tremendous hires this offseason.”

What did you learn in your first season?

“Play one quarterback. You’re always searching for that guy, someone who can lead many. I believe consistency at the quarterback position makes us a better football team. Identifying who you are and being able to build confidence in your identity by how you play and what you do is at the forefront of what we need to be in 2015. This football team’s been fun to coach. I had to make some changes, not only staff, but had to let some players go. Sometimes when you’re shaping a team, you’re getting everybody’s attention.”

On determining the quarterback situation before the opener:

“We’re going to know in game week exactly what this is going to look like. Johnny McCrary played well over stretches last season. William Freebeck is a tremendously talented quarterback with big-time arm potential, but it’s about managing the game and making us better. It’s about decision-making. Both of those guys have shown they have the ability, but we need consistency. With consistency, you get confidence.”

On standout tailback Ralph Webb:

“Ralph Webb is a tremendous competitor. He stepped on the scene last spring and I said coming out of my first spring (practice), he had a 79-yard run, he’s talented and he’s competitive. In this day and age where everybody wants to point to themselves and fist bump and point to the number and name on the back of the jersey, he’s a throwback. Ralph needs to be better in pass pro and being a target out of the backfield. And that’s where he’s trying to take his game.”

Spencer Pulley, Sr., OL

On experiencing a transition year following two nine-win seasons:

“It was definitely frustrating. When you go through the season, you try to take it one game at a time … just going from one week to the next. but at the end of the season, it was hard to look back on it. It hurt to look back on what we had done.”

On Western Kentucky, this season’s opening opponent:

“I know Western Kentucky is a high powered team and can score a lot of points, but we’re excited about where we are as a team right now and where we will be come September 3 when we play them.”

Nigel Bowden, Soph., LB

On front seven’s strength defensively:

“Coming out of the spring, we were so much faster coming down hill and the defensive linemen were much more aggressive. It’s going to be a faster defense.”

On secondary and returning players:

“One guy that I’m proud of and love playing beside is Torren McGaster. He’s an aggressive corner, always has good energy. Even when you’re in pain in practice and you see his energy, he’s going to wake you up.”

On JUCO transfer Nehemiah Mitchell:

“I tell you, he’s a power guy. I actually didn’t think he was going to be a power guy, but on film he gets after it. Almost every offensive lineman that faces him says he’s a person you’ve got to account for.”

Ralph Webb, Soph., RB

On lack of respect after 900-yard freshman season:

“I think we’re going to do some great things offensively this year and coach (Andy) Ludwig has done a great job putting players in position to make plays. “We have the personnel to match the scheme now. This year is going to be a very much explosive offense.”

On summer trip to Australia (study abroad):

“It was a great experience. I went hunting in the mangrove swamps in the low tide. There’s a bunch of different things I got to do. I also did zip-line which was also a fun adrenaline rush.”