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SEC Football Media Days 2017: 5 notable quotes from Day 2

By Nathaniel Reeves

OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 24: Head Coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs talks with one of his players during a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels defeated the Bulldogs 45-14. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 24: Head Coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs talks with one of his players during a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels defeated the Bulldogs 45-14. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Recapping the five most important quotes from day two of SEC Media Days on Tuesday in Hoover, Alabama.

The annual mayhem of SEC Media Days brought more entertainment, as fans and reporters descended on the Hyatt Regency in Hoover, Alabama for the second straight afternoon.

Each offseason, SEC Media Days gives the press an opportunity to ask questions to both head coaches and players of every team in the nation’s most prominent conference. The event leads to countless memorable soundbites every year, and Tuesday’s session was no different.

Day two of the 2017 program featured representatives from the Georgia Bulldogs, Florida Gators, Vanderbilt Commodores and Mississippi State Bulldogs. Tuesday promised plenty of excitement, as Georgia and Florida are expected to compete for the SEC East crown, while Derek Mason and Dan Mullen are two of the more well-spoken coaches in the conference.

While soundbites like Mullen suggesting press conferences need walk-up music and Jim McElwain being rather unhappy at sharkgate, the interviews do offer some insight about each football team. Here are the most notable quotes from day two, with more to come over the rest of the week.

Sony Michel, Georgia running back

“The expectations he brought and the standard, just got higher and higher and bigger and bigger. We just have to live up to it. I’m excited, the challenges he brings to the team. It shows that coach has faith in us that we can possibly accomplish those goals.”

Much of the recent talk in Athens has surrounded perhaps unfairly high expectations for the Bulldogs, but Michel makes it clear that’s to be expected for the program under Kirby Smart.

Georgia caught some flak for firing Mark Richt after posting a 145-51 record across 15 seasons, including a 2012 campaign where he was just a few yards away from taking on a beatable Norte Dame team in the title game. Smart’s initial 8-5 campaign was viewed as a disappointment even with a flawed roster, and Georgia is expected to win the SEC East if not more in 2017.

That’s a lot for a second-year head coach to handle, but Michel indicates the team is buying into the standard Smart has set. Smart has not been shy in claiming last year was a letdown, which is a much different tone than other SEC coaches like Butch Jones took earlier in the week.

A big reason why the Bulldogs are expected to contend is the running back tandem of Michel and Nick Chubb, who combined for just shy of 2,000 yards a year ago. With those two, much more depth on the lines, and a talented young quarterback in Jacob Eason, the ingredients are there for Smart to put together a special run with the Bulldogs.

As welcoming as Smart seems to the sky-high expectations, another 8-5 campaign could have him already feeling some pressure in Athens.

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