Alabama, Anthony Richardson, Billy Napier discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
Automatic TRANSCRIPT
Here. Can not wait for SEC media days coming up on Monday. Big 12 media days get started. I think tomorrow. So talking season is here in full force. All the players that are going to be in Atlanta next week for fans have been announced. We'll get to that list momentarily. Talk a little Georgia bulldogs coming up in a little while as well. And maybe even hear from Nick Saban, his thoughts recently on the mega conferences that are taking over college football. So a lot of stuff still to do in this final hour. Now I was looking at the media projections in Atlanta or for media days in general over the last since 1992, basically. And the media has picked Alabama to win every championship since 2013 except for one. When auburn was picked in 2015 to win the SEC and they finished 7th in the west. In true auburn fashion. Auburn, of course, we picked 7th in the west this year probably and probably go undefeated or some crazy nonsense like that. Because that's what auburn does. So what makes him entertaining, frankly? But Alabama has been picked each of the last 6 seasons. And the media has been right about who's going to win the SEC championship. 5 out of the last 7 years. So the media has gotten it right now. Picking Alabama is not very hard. I understand. But the media has gotten it right. 5 of the last 5 of the last 7 years at SEC media day. So we'll see what happens next week. I imagine Alabama Georgia overwhelming favorites to win their divisions. Can you argue Georgia belongs as the defending champ? Are they getting slighted? Are we just Alabama's too good? The best offensive player in college football the best defensive player in college football. Nick Saban's teams always do well after a bad quote unquote bad season, a bad season for Bama, of course, losing in the national championship game. But you know what I mean? The motivating factor that they use normally to come back the next year and go full scorched earth on college football. He's been pretty good about that. Alabama on paper looks like the better team. Georgia loses a record 15 players to the NFL Draft. It will be interesting next week to see who, exactly, what the votes look like between Alabama and Georgia. And frankly, who else has even got a chance? Who else is even considered? As an opportunity to win their division, is it Tennessee, Kentucky in the east? It's clearly a and M as the top challenger, but then who's next? Arkansas, Mississippi state LSU, Ole miss. How good is Florida going to be so much to discuss next week in Atlanta going to be a ton of fun. And lots of great players, 7 different quarterbacks are going. Bryce young, of course, will be there for a while from Alabama KJ Jefferson will be there from Arkansas. We'll levis will be there from Kentucky, a guy who's grading out as a first round potential prospect in the NFL. I think it's very interesting that Mike Wright is going to be their quarterback at Vanderbilt, who is in the middle of a battle with Ken seals. I think that's an interesting development that he's going to be in Atlanta next week representing Vanderbilt. I think it's very interesting that Anthony Richardson has gotten the nod from Billy Napier to go be a representative for Florida media days. As a sophomore, only three sophomores are under only three underclassmen are going to be there next week talking to the media. For a lot of reasons, generally when you're a senior, you earn it, sometimes you're not as media savvy. There's a lot of reasons. You're not really a starter when you're a freshman very often, at least that we know of. So it's just very unusual for that to happen. But Anthony Richardson getting the call from Billy Napier to go. Not only it appears, solidifying himself as the starting quarterback and the leader of the Gators offense. But also mature enough to handle being the spokesperson for the entire university next week. I think that's a big, I think that's a big move by Billy Napier, to give Anthony Richardson that level of responsibility. And I for one am excited about it. I can't wait to hear from these guys. Because again, frankly, these are the best part. This is the best part of the media experience next week. Are the players getting to learn and know the players? Hinden hooker is going to be there as well for Tennessee at quarterback. So 7 quarterbacks going to be there. The one I have not mentioned, of course, if you're counting at home. Is the one that seems to drive the most conversation? And I think it even still drives conversation inside of his own fan base. And I do not understand that Georgia fan who still thinks that there is something left for steps in benet to prove. I do not understand. Stetson Bennett will be there next week with a hopefully in my God, I hope he does this. With a giant ring on his finger. To show to all of us in the media just exactly why he was the starting quarterback the entire season. It's one of those weird bizarre narratives and I will put my hand up and be accounted for and be guilty that I was just as bad as the next guy saying wait a second, this other guy's more talented way to second he does more with the offense wait a second. JT Daniels JT Daniels JT Daniels. Now stetson Bennett went out and averaged ten yards per attempt, one of the most efficient seasons in school history, the offensive evolved, they threw the ball more. They threw the ball almost a hundred times more last year than they did the year before at Georgia. So the offense under Todd monk can clearly evolved. The way everyone was asking Kirby smart to evolve. I mean, he didn't do anything stupid. He had the best defense in 40 years, but stetson Bennett got the job done. And I still I'm still shocked that stetson Bennett gets, I don't want to say disrespect. But the guy's not a game manager. This is a guy who runs around, makes plays with his legs, throws the big touchdown pass against Alabama when they needed it most. Was extremely efficient, made big plays for Georgia last season. Now, is he one of the best three or four quarterbacks in the SEC? No, he's not. I don't have him. I probably would have him at number 7, for example. But doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to be considered. Among the country's best players at that position on a team that is going to have as good a chance to win the national championship as anybody in college football. Two things can be true, folks, and it is important that we remember this. In all walks of life, two things can be true. Stetson Bennett is underrated, disrespected, and needs to be talked about more highly with people like me in the media and with fans. He's also not better than Bryce young or henin hooker or KJ Jefferson or Will Rogers. He might not even be better than Anthony Richardson or will levis. He might be the fourth best quarterback in his own division. That doesn't change the fact that he's very, very good. What it says to me is that the SEC has as good a quarterback situation as it's had in ten years minimum. 2013 is the last year I look at and I go, man, that collection of dudes under center in the SEC was awesome. It's dak Prescott, Aaron Murray, James Franklin, Zach mettenberger, Johnny manziel, I mean, the list of guys that