What’s Your Name Again?

Published July 12, 2012

Usual star-studded lineup for SEC media days will leave much to be desired this year The summer event that officially kicks off the yearlong hysteria that is college football in the south feels more like a badly muffed punt this year. Now, to be fair, there are numerous reasons for star players not being in Hoover, Alabama, this week, but the fact of the matter is that they aren’t there, and that’s all the fans care about. Some guys take that last mini-vacation before they get locked on the practice fields and film rooms for half the year, some just want to stay out of the spotlight for as long as they can, and some are even left at home by their coaches so their egos don’t swell before the season even starts.

As ESPN’s SEC blogger Chris Low reported, among those not scheduled to attend: South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, Tennessee receiver Da’Rick Rogers, LSU defensive end Sam Montgomery, Missouri quarterback James Franklin, South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, Florida safety Matt Elam and Texas A&M running back Christine Michael. That’s many of the leagues brightest stars, and also some of the players that fans and media alike want to hear most from. Feedback stemming from players coming off injuries, incredible seasons from last year or, in the case of Texas A&M and Missouri, a chance to get acquainted with some of their better players and ask what they expect coming into the year in a different conference. For Marcus Lattimore, we want to know how the knee is feeling, and what sort of mileage he expects to put on his legs through the course of this season. Does he expect his carries to drop or stay the same with playmakers like Alshon Jeffery gone? For Tyrann Mathieu, does he expect to be able to impact games like he did last year? With Morris Claiborne gone from the other corner position, does he expect coaches to let him roam and freelance like last year, or will he have to play a more buttoned-up approach to the position? Will they move him throughout the year and let him play some safety, or does the depth chart not show that option this year? For Mizzou QB James Franklin, does he think UGA will have enough players to play against them in Columbia for the SEC opener? Do he think their offense will hold up against SEC defenses for the

entire year, or have their coaches already planned for the worst and planned to change some things up a bit? Is Booches the best local place to go eat after the game? For Jadeveon Clowney, has he adjusted his stance so that it doesn’t look like he’s in Downward Facing Dog before every play? What’s it like being the best pure athlete on the field at all times? Has Frank Martin tried to get him to come out for basketball yet? See, this is the kind of stuff we’ll be missing out on this week. So instead, we will be forced to listen to corporate speak from some of the nation’s best, and hope Les Miles and Steve Spurrier say something somewhat controversial. Maybe Vandy’s James Franklin can meet Todd Grantham in the middle of the hotel conference room for a battle royale. We can only hope. Here is the entire list of players who will be attending: ALABAMA Barrett Jones Damion Square Michael Williams ARKANSAS Knile Davis Tyler Wilson Tenarius Wright AUBURN Emory Blake Corey Lemonier Philip Lutzenkirchen FLORIDA Jonathan Bostic Mike Gillislee Lerentee McCray GEORGIA Abry Jones Jarvis Jones Tavarres King KENTUCKY Matt Smith Collins Ukwu Larry Warford LSU Odell Beckham Zach Mettenberger Eric Reid OLE MISS Mike Marry Donte Moncrief Charles Sawyer MISSISSIPPI STATE Johnthan Banks Gabe Jackson Tyler Russell MISSOURI Elvis Fisher E.J. Gaines T.J. Moe SOUTH CAROLINA Ace Sanders Connor Shaw D.J. Swearinger TENNESSEE Tyler Bray Ja’Wuan James Herman Lathers TEXAS A&M Luke Joeckel Sean Porter Ryan Swope VANDERBILT Jordan Rodgers Zac Stacy Trey Wilson SEC Media Days July 17-19 Hoover, Alabama Full coverage can be found on secdigitalnetwork.com.