SEC Media Day 2 roundup: Mike Leach steals the show, Nick Saban hates vacations
SEC Media Day 2 began with a visit from Thor by way of Tuscaloosa. With Nick Saban, Heisman winner Bryce Young and other members of the Tide scheduled to appear, some of the hardcore Bama faithful made their way to the College Football Hall of Fame to greet their heroes. Leach’s opening statement was just two words: “Any questions?”Why Nick Saban doesn’t like vacationNick Saban delved in depth into complex topics like NIL and recruitment. But he set the stage with the revelation that he's not a big fan of vacations … for a not-at-all-surprisinig reason. He offered up a few TV recommendations — “Operation: Odessa,” “Better Call Saul,” “Yellowstone,” "Stranger Things” — and solicited more from the assembled media.
wftv.comIt's rivalry week around the SEC, and they do just mean more
Winning rivalry games comes with bragging rights and other rewards, but Alabama coach Nick Saban knows what losing them brings. "And what comes after ‘but’ usually isn’t good.”Southeastern Conference teams have plenty at stake entering rivalry week, including No. Yes, it's time for the the Iron Bowl, the Egg Bowl and the assorted other rivalry games involving SEC teams. 8 Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin has a splash of reality for fans and media placing larger than life importance on rivalry games. His Rebels can't suddenly "practice more or try harder" just because it's Mississippi State week.
wftv.comAP Top 25 Podcast: College football's biggest underachievers
Nebraska’s search for an identity in a changing college football landscape. On the latest AP Top 25 College Football Podcast, Steven Godfrey of Banner Society joins the AP’s Ralph Russo to take on the task of finding each conference’s most egregious underachiever. And how USC being unable to maximize its potential hurts all of college football. Plus, new Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea joins the show and shares his vision for transforming the Commodores. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at https://westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/Ad___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
AP sources: Vandy negotiating to hire Clark Lea as coach
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt is negotiating a deal with Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea to make the former Commodores player its new head coach. The 38-year-old Lea is a Nashville native who played baseball at Birmingham-Southern and Belmont before walking on as a fullback at Vanderbilt, where he played from 2002-04. He started coaching at UCLA and also has coached at South Dakota State, Bowling Green, Syracuse and Wake Forest. The Fighting Irish made the College Football Playoff in 2018 behind a defense that ranked eighth in the nation in yards allowed per play (4.53). ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25