Several years ago, I was attending the SEC Football Media Days when one of the veteran sportswriters of the conference said that this event is like opening a box of chocolates. You never know what you will get. One thing is for sure: in this part of the country SEC Media Days signals the official kickoff of the college football season.
This year Media Days will be in a new venue for the first time since 1985. The conference will take their show to Atlanta after holding shop in the Birmingham area for so long.
Predicting the SEC champion is no easy task, for only six times in the past 25 seasons have the sportswriters attending Media Days predicted the overall champion at the week’s end.
The main story this week will be who will be the Crimson Tide quarterback. Sophomore Tua Tagovailoa and junior Jalen Hurts are in competition for the most important position in all of the state of Alabama. Of course, neither will be in Atlanta to be interviewed.
Lots of attention will be given to the new coaches in the SEC. Dan Mullen is new to Florida but understands the landscape of Media Days. Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher, Arkansas’ Chad Morris, and Tennessee’s Jeremy Pruitt will join Ole Miss’s Matt Luke and Mississippis State’s Joe Moorhead as first timers.
It should be a fun week!
Alcorn favorite again
The Alcorn State Braves are picked to win another Eastern Division title in the SWAC for the fifth straight year while Grambling is the top pick in the West. These two teams have played in the last three league championship football games. League coaches and sports information directors from the league met last Friday in Birmingham at SWAC Media Days. Alabama State, Jackson State, Alabama A&M and Mississippi Valley followed the Braves.
Odds & Ends
• Former USM alum Brian Dozier blasted a walk-off grand slam home run Sunday in leading the Minnesota Twins past the Tampa Bay Rays. Dozier now has hit 16 home runs, but rumors swirl that he may be traded to a contending team since the Twins are nine games back in the Central Division race.
The last weekend of the month the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame will have the 2018 induction of six new members in Billy Brewer, Archie Moore, Anna Jackson, Mike Jones, Lafayette Stribling and Joe Walker Jr. Sanderson Farms and the Sanderson Farms Championship sponsor the event. Former MSU football star Tyrone Keyes will be honored with the “Rube Award.” For ticket information, contact the HoF at 601-982-8264.
Dale has covered Mississippi sports for more than 45 years. You can contact Dale at ddmckee18@yahoo.com
