5 observations from SEC media days

USA Today

6 days ago

SEC media days came to a close on Thursday with Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko finishing out the four-day event at the podium. It was a fun four days in Atlanta, where I was able to get a better feel for how SEC media feel about the Oklahoma Sooners, in addition to spending some time with the Sooners on Wednesday when they took the stage.
Media in attendance were treated to representatives from the Oklahoma contingent, including Brent Venables, John Mateer, R. Mason Thomas, and Robert Spears-Jennings. The group looked ready for the moment and were styling as they took their turn with the SEC media.
Here are five takeaways or observations from SEC media days.
1. QB1 cool, calm, collected
John Mateer had a notable crowd around him during SEC media days, and he wasn't phased by it in the least. It was his first conference media day appearance after coming from the Pac-12, which featured just Washington State and Oregon State last year. They didn't have a conference media day.
He presented a cool, calm, and collected demeanor, which isn't surprising given all of the things that former coaches and teammates said about him when he arrived at Oklahoma.
Having an even keel during SEC media days is one thing, but navigating the SEC shark-infested waters of the Gulf is another. But Mateer is no stranger to playing and performing under pressure. While a lot of his numbers came from the designed quarterback run game, a good bit of them also came when he was under pressure and forced to make a play on the fly.
2. Oklahoma Confident
You wouldn't expect anything else during talking season, but the Oklahoma contingent spoke confidently about the work they've put and aren't shying away from the expectations. Coming off of a 6-7 season, you'd think they might take a reserved approach, but the guys that were present at SEC media days know they have an opportunity to rewrite the narratives about OU Football this season.
3. Talk of the Town
There might not be a team that the general media believes will exceed expectations more than the Oklahoma Sooners. From Digital Drive (formerly Radio Row), a number of SEC media members could be overheard wanting to buy stock in the Oklahoma Sooners. Well, they may want to do it sooner rather than later.
4. Schedule
Yes, the schedule is tough. Exactly how tough, nobody knows. Based on the metrics, that take into account recent success on the field and on the recruiting trail, the Oklahoma Sooners may have a daunting slate. But what those numbers don't always take into account are the losses each team endured this offseason.
But it's the SEC. Every schedule is going to be tough. It's just some are tougher than others. And while Oklahoma will have a tough slate, especially that stretch of games that starts from the Red River Showdown and runs to the end of the season, the Sooners will also be a tough out every week.
This year, the SEC is going to see why Oklahoma ran the Big 12 for two decades.
5. Manning Mania
There wasn't a bigger crowd for any one player than the one Texas quarterback Arch Manning received. He's arguably the biggest name in college football ahead of the 2025 season. Some of the hype is deserved. He's a talented former five-star quarterback who has the tools to, at some point in his career, be among the best quarterbacks in college football.
However, there's hesitation from many SEC media outlets to crown him at this point. It's not that he can't be a Heisman contender, and he might even be this year, but analysts want to see him prove it on the field.
The good news for everyone. Talking season is behind us, and that means we're less than a month and a half away from the start of the 2025 college football season.
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