SEC Media Days ends with Auburn, Texas A&M, UK & Arkansas:

GDW Analysis:
  DALLAS: Bringing the Southeastern Conference football media days to end on Thursday, the Auburn Tigers, Arkansas Razorbacks, Texas A&M Aggies and Kentucky Wildcats.
All are certainly hoping better results come to each program than they did a season ago.
Auburn was only 6 & 7 in Hugh Freeze's first season with Texas A&M and Kentucky 7 & 6 and a lackluster 4 & 8 campaign by Arkansas.
  Auburn Tigers:
  Season opener: Vs. Alabama A&M August 31
SEC opener: Vs. Arkansas September 21
SEC home games: Arkansas September 21, Oklahoma September 28, Vanderbilt November 2, Texas A&M November 23.
Comments by coach Hugh Freeze:
"I think I'll be ready to judge that after this season. I do believe we've been improved our culture, our chemistry, and our roster. Most places I think it takes you two full recruiting cycles to get your roster like you want it when you inherit a program that was down. It's been my experience. But I've also -- every place we have been, I think we've seen improvement in year two. So I know that we're on the right track. We're recruiting at a high level. So is everybody else. But we're recruiting at a high level. And the standard and accountability and culture is getting better and the chemistry is among the staff is better, which is breeding confidence into our players. So I think we're on the right track. But what does that mean in win-loss total this fall? I'm not sure yet.

 "Two straight years of sell out. We're thankful for our fans. They are faithful and loyal. They love their Auburn Tigers. And our student section is the best. We get there two hours before the game and it is packed already. Everybody wants the lottery to get the tickets to the games we want. Wish we had bigger space for all of them to come. But the feeling at Auburn to me is such -- and I'm not saying other places don't have it. But I think Auburn is unique in this family feel that they have. And whether or not you all go to the same church or you don't or you have different beliefs or not. Come Saturday, the love for a program and a school trumps all of that and you feel that at Auburn. And I think that's what makes it difficult. Now the five straight home games. It's not ideal. But at the same time maybe advantageous. If we can get on a run and get the season started really really well, that could be advantageous. It's not great for fans at all. We are asking them to be there and they are going to show up. That's not great for that. And not having a home game in October is certainly a challenge. It is what it is. And we have to deal it. And we need to get off to a fast start."
  Arkansas Razorbacks:
  Season opener: Vs. Arkansas Pine Bluff August 29
SEC opener: At Auburn September 21

 SEC home games: Tennessee October 5, LSU October 19, Ole Miss November 2, Texas November 16.
Comments by coach Sam Pittman:
" It's really about what the state of Arkansas is all about. We brought Taylen Green, Andrew Armstrong, and Landon Jackson here. All three of them have Texas ties. Taylen Green obviously is our quarterback; transferred in in January. Bobby Petrino went out and handpicked him. He's perfect for what Coach Petrino wants to do for our offense, and he has great, great leadership skills. He is a wonderful athlete and I'm excited for you guys to meet him today."
  Texas A&M Aggies:
  Season opener: Vs. Notre Dame August 31
SEC opener: At Florida September 14
SEC home games: Missouri October 5, LSU October 26, Texas November 30.
Comments by coach Mike Elko:
   "And we had to have some real honest conversations when I took over about where we were as a program. You know, we can't verbalize what we are. Facts tell us who we are. And we were a 12-13 football program the last two years. So the only way to change that is to work. You can't just say you want to be different and say you want to compete, you have to do it. And I think that has been from day one internal conversations that we had. And then you have a lot of great kids with great character with a lot of pride in themselves. And so that's not lost on them either. And so okay, here's a path that potentially can change the results that we've had. I'm in. So they start doing it and then it leads to success, their body starts looking different, they start feeling better, they are playing better in the spring. That brings more success. We have had a stronger summer in that regard. And hopefully that continues into fall camp and through the season. If you want to get different results you have to change what you are doing. And I think we have embraced that this off season."
  Kentucky Wildcats:
  Season opener: Vs. Southern Miss August 31
SEC opener: Vs. South Carolina September 7
SEC home games: South Carolina September 7, Georgia September 14, Vanderbilt October 12, Auburn October 26.
Comments by coach Mark Stoops:
"But it takes us individually, personally every day, everybody every day, to do the little things to help us get to the next point.

The other thing is we're stronger together. I've listened to some of the speakers, some of the coaches, but ultimately every coach that gets up here in some form or fashion talks about the culture of our program, what we want, what we're looking for, the unselfishness. We know the world that we're in. We all are getting used to it. We all are adapting to it. But we want to be extremely demanding, and we want selfless players, and we want to play better for each other.

Yeah, we want to enjoy going to work. I love this team. I love going to work. I love the challenge of this season. It's going to be fun."

Photo of Auburn Tigers coach Hugh Freeze getting off the school's plane for SEC Media Days in Dallas.
Photo courtesy of Auburn University media relations.