SEC Media Days, or better known by some as “talkin’ season”, begins next week in Hoover, AL.
This marks the unofficial kickoff to the college football season for SEC fans, giving us just enough to curb our appetite before fall practice begins.
Who coaches decide to bring to the highly regarded event is always intriguing: do you bring your starting QB? Most flashy receiver? Veteran leader on defense? An under the radar player?
Each of the coaches have their own philosophies. While it seems obvious in most cases, some coaches throw their own curveballs as to who attends the event and faces the bright lights in Hoover.
Who will make the trip for South Carolina this year? Let’s first take a look at your thoughts:
#SECMD19 is quickly approaching.
— The Spurs Up Show (@TheSpursUpShow) July 8, 2019
Which three players do you think Will Muschamp brings along with him to Hoover?
If you click on the links above, you’ll see a lot of the names you would expect: Bentley, Edwards, Stanley, etc.
While I’m sure head coach Will Muschamp will stick with his tradition of bringing his veteran leaders from both sides of the ball, I’ve got my own thoughts on who could provide a flair for the dramatics in Hoover:
DL Javon Kinlaw
Watch the interview above and tell me this man wouldn’t be absolute GOLD at SEC Media Days.
I need to see Javon Kinlaw sitting at the interview table, eating a fruit roll-up and giving sarcastic answers to reporters more than I need air to breathe.
He’s a walking quote machine and his laid back approach makes him so good with the media.
To me, it’s his brutal honesty that makes him so entertaining to watch, like when he admitted he didn’t know the annual South Carolina-UGA game was a rivalry.
Oh yeah, it’s also just an added bonus he’s one of the best interior defensive lineman in college football and a likely first round pick in next year’s NFL Draft.
QB Jake Bentley
To the fans who scoff at this pick, let me make one thing clear: you absolutely CAN’T leave your fourth year starting quarterback at home for this event.
The way I see it, Bentley’s absence would be one of the more shocking no shows of this event in recent memory.
Although highly criticized, Bentley should leave USC after this season owning nearly every single passing record in the book. He could also leave Columbia as the school’s winningest quarterback of all time.
One fan even suggested the Gamecocks bring new talented freshman Ryan Hilinski to Hoover over Jake Bentley.
The message that would send would be detrimental to Jake Bentley’s confidence, the fan’s confidence in him and would only start a dumpster fire of hot takes on South Carolina’s quarterback situation heading into fall practice.
He’s great with the media, very well spoken and is the perfect talking piece that Will Muschamp and this coaching staff want him to be.
Simply put, you bring Jake to SEC Media Days. Period.
TE Kiel Pollard
“We need to do more talking with our shoulder pads and our helmets and stop the talking after the plays.”
Simply put, Kiel Pollard is a football guy.
His quote after South Carolina’s embarrassing loss to Kentucky sent a message to the rest of his teammates and his style of play made him a favorite amongst Gamecock fans.
A guy who shows his love for the game on every snap, Pollard could be a great talking piece at SEC Media Days in regards to breaking down the X’s and O’s and what USC needs to do as a team to be great this fall.
It’s an added plus that Pollard should finally get his opportunity this fall to be a major piece in South Carolina’s offense this season.
Well spoken, hard nosed football player and loves his school? Sign me up.
Honorable Mention: Shi Smith
Who’s going to replace the “drip” that Deebo Samuel provided us at last year’s SEC Media Days?
Look no further than Shi. He’s got to be the best dressed/most fresh on the team. Bring him to Hoover just to let his outfit shine.