A few things overheard at SEC Media Days

TAMPA – It is the pinnacle event of the college football talking season. Four head coaches and some of their players were on full display on day one of SEC Media Days Monday at the J.W. Marriott. Here are a few excerpts of things said from Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri.

OKLAHOMA

Brent Venables, Oklahoma head coach

On the difference in this year’s team: “A year ago on offense, we had nine first-year starters. This year we've got several returning starters, give or take seven or eight guys coming back.”

On improving the offense: “Make no mistake, we've got a lot of improvement to do there offensively speaking in being able to run the football. We have to run it a heck of a lot better than we did a year ago. I believe in not only them but the other parts around them offensively.”

John Mateer, Oklahoma quarterback

On last year: "I cringe when I watch the film. I've got to be better. We're all working towards it, we've all done a great job. If the quarterback doesn't perform, then it's hard for everybody.”

On maturing: "I've got to be ready to go all the time. Being a year older, being more mature, that's all natural. Going through and learning to control your emotions, taking it on the chin like a man – learning how to be a man. It brought me more wisdom."

Taylor Wein, Oklahoma EDGE

On last year’s lack of turnovers: "We didn't have our first turnover, I think, until Week 5," Wein said. "That's not the standard that we have at Oklahoma. And we had a really elite defense last year. That's something we struggled with."

TENNESSEE

Josh Heupel, Tennessee HBC

On experience everywhere but quarterback: “You know, for us this year, we do have a lot of experience coming back. I think that’s a positive. You look at four returning starters on the offensive line, a couple wide receivers, your tight ends, played a bunch of football, running back position. So I think it’s important that the 10 other guys play extremely well around them. I think, you know, special teams defensively is important that you’re playing at a high level with a young guy to keep him out of adverse situations. You know, that quarterback’s got to play on the right side of the competitive fence and be a playmaker, but don’t put the ball in harm either.”

On Lane Kiffin (now LSU) returning to Knoxville: "I certainly hope that our fans haven't cooled off, whether it's the grocery stores stocked up on mustard, or the sports stores that they've got reinforcements on the golf balls, hopefully Knoxville is ready for his arrival."

Desean Bishop, Tennessee running back

On his running mindset: “I want to punish people when I run the ball, so I have the mindset of not getting tackled and just fighting for as much yards as I can every time I touch the ball, just utilizing every carry I get because it could be limited.”

KENTUCKY

Will Stein, Kentucky HBC

On why UK can win: “I think because of me, to be honest. I think ’cause of me.”

On what it takes to win: “I think I know what it takes. I've seen it at the highest levels. I know what it takes to recruit at this level, and you just got to believe, man. You just got to put the ball down and play. There's not really much else to be said. Is it going to happen overnight? I don't know. I really don't. If I had a crystal ball, everybody in this room would be really, really rich right now.”

Willie Rodriguez, Kentucky tight end

On HBC Will Stein: “Confidence and swagger. I would say the swagger piece is something you feel with somebody. I walked in the room with him. He sat me down, and I could just feel, he’s a dude.”

Kenny Minchey, Kentucky quarterback

On why UK: “I value coaching a lot. That’s what led me to Kentucky.”

MISSOURI

Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri HBC

On running back Ahmad Hardy, who suffered a gunshot wound earlier in the summer: “My anticipation of what I’ve seen, the way he’s attacked his rehab: He’s going to be a better Ahmad Hardy than he was before.”

On playoff expansion: "I think this elimination of conference championship games, while I understand it as a opportunity to help you win the national championship, doesn't make sense because it puts too much emphasis on a singular outcome. And we can talk all we want about the process, the process, the process, but don't focus on the outcome, and then everything we're doing in college football is about the outcome. One single champion, and again, that doesn't make sense to me. So again, conference championships are important, need to be preserved. They're highly entertaining. They're highly valuable from a monetary standpoint. They're highly valuable from a fan engagement standpoint. So throwing those away so you can get a bad matchup between 24 and 18 doesn't make a lot of sense to me.”