Jumbo Package: SEC Media Days Kick Off in Atlanta

Happy Monday, everyone. We are inside of 50 days until kickoff, and the silliest week of the silly season is upon us. The Commish will kick off the festivities this morning, followed by Jimbo, Mark Stoops, and the Cookie Monster.

Monday, July 16

10:30 a.m. - 2:10 p.m. -- Commissioner Greg Sankey

Texas A&M -- Jimbo Fisher, Kingsley Keke, Erik McCoy, Trayveon Williams

1 - 5:50 p.m. -- Kentucky -- Mark Stoops, Josh Allen, C.J. Conrad, Benny Snell Jr.

LSU -- Ed Orgeron, Foster Moreau, Rashard Lawrence, Devin White

Saban is up on Wednesday.

Hey, any guesses as to the top question of the week?

1. Will Nick Saban deflect or address questions about his quarterback room? Everybody knows the story by now. Junior Jalen Hurts lost two games in two seasons for the Crimson Tide but was replaced by rising sophomore Tua Tagovailoa in the College Football Playoff National Championship to save an anemic offense. To compound issues, Tagovailoa injured his hand early in spring practice, giving Hurts the majority of the first-team snaps. How will Saban address the situation behind dozens of hot mics? Historically, he has deflected even marginally difficult questions and -- like a seasoned politician -- answered whatever question he wants to answer. The quarterback conundrum is the highest-profile subject he has faced at SEC Media Days since taking over in Tuscaloosa, and he will be pressed hard to give an actual answer to the lingering quarterback question.

Saban is going to be more than mildly annoyed by the end of this one.

WCS: Despite everyone with two eyes and a DVR of last year’s championship game concluding that Tua Tagovailoa is the team’s best quarterback, Saban stubbornly sticks with Jalen Hurts, who has only lost twice as a starter. Though Alabama enters the Iron Bowl 11-0, its underwhelming offense is dividing the locker room and the fan base. Down 17-0 at halftime, Saban finally makes the switch against Auburn, sparking an explosion that ultimately comes up short, 27-24. Despite losing the SEC West, Alabama gets in the College Football Playoff anyway as Bill Hancock stresses that they have to pick the “four best teams.”

Wolk presents a playoff berth as Alabama’s worst case scenario. It’s good to be king.

SEC WEST

Alabama 8-0

Texas A&M 7-1 (all Aggies needed to get over their late season slumps was a good head coach)

Auburn 5-3 (speaking of late season slumps, finishing with three straight SEC losses – to A&M, Georgia, and Alabama)

LSU 4-4

Mississippi State 4-4

Ole Miss 1-7 (beating Arkansas)

Arkansas 1-7 (beating Vanderbilt)

Let it be written.

Hey, Terrell Lewis is looking strong.

Still has a long way to go, but this is a great sign for him.

Last, Collin Sexton is still impressing.

Sexton has spent the summer league as primarily a volume scorer from the lead guard spot, averaging 17.8 points on 43.3 percent from the floor through six games. However, Sexton is doing most of his damage inside the arc, as he’s shooting 46.3 percent (37-of-80) on 2-point shots but only 20 percent (2-of-10) from downtown. The lack of a consistent 3-pointer could be a problem at the next level, as he’ll need that shot to be a consistently effective scorer at his size.

That’s going to be the challenge. He will likely be the top scoring threat on the team this season, meaning that he will draw the other team’s best perimeter defender. His three pointer has to be a respectable threat or there will be some tough sledding for him.

That’s about it for today. Have a great week.

Roll Tide.