From Radio Row, Day 3: The commissioner of the SEC Greg Sankey

Wednesday morning from Radio Row at SEC Media Days 2022 in Atlanta, GA, the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference Greg Sankey joined TexAgs Radio to discuss the current state of the conference.

Editor’s Note: Also included in the playlist is Nick Roush of KSR on the Kentucky Wildcats.

Key notes from Greg Sankey interview

• The 12th Man Champions Council event in San Antonio was good. It was healthy for me to watch A&M baseball team win over Texas. I was cheering for the conference member. I appreciated all the interaction, questions, enthusiasm and support. I did some video conferences on student athlete nutrition. What I thought was neat was from Ross Bjork and the athletics department's perspective as they are trying to educate supporters on all that happens to support outstanding competition.
   
• One of the unfortunate aspects of the Texas and Oklahoma story coming out the way it did is that we had a conference call scheduled the next day with an update on what had taken place within the previous six weeks. As it becomes more and more apparent, the story breaks, and you lose a bit of control. Bjork and Texas A&M University President Katherine Banks came to see me after the invitation was extended. We talked about what had happened, the importance of A&M’s conference membership and the sensitivity of some of the history with the University of Texas. Some A&M fans have appreciated it, and there are ones that are not too happy with me. I appreciate both perspectives.
   
• What happened a couple weeks ago is validation of our decision-making because there are scenarios I had plotted out that create chaotic situations if we just schools float and find their own way.
   
• We added rivalries by expanding. Depending on scheduling, we may see the same games be played every year, but they will be played every other year. We created opportunities of the same type of intensity and with a smile-on-my-face hatred that happens as a 14-member league.
   
• I didn’t get into this business to take other people’s members. I told the presidents of Texas and Oklahoma that one of the moments I regretted was the impact of my relationship with Bob Bowlsby. Now you try to make the right decision for the big picture. The world is revolving around us right now. Congratulations to the other conference moving to 16. I don't get as upset as others do because I've watched conference membership change. There’s an intensity about it where it disrupts your sleep which is no fun.
   
• With Arkansas, South Carolina, A&M, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, these are avid fan bases that care deeply, and the rivalries take off. I look at expansion philosophically and culturally because I think there’s danger in aggregating numbers.
   
• I think we could be exactly where we are in three to five years. Brent Zwerneman asked me for a comment a year ago today. On Thursday, we had a lot of questions. On Monday, Texas and Oklahoma let the Big 12 know they would not continue the current grant of rights. On Tuesday afternoon, they formally applied. The SEC can stop here. There aren't a lot of success stories of 16-team leagues. Going to 20 is not the right goal. The end game is to keep the healthy culture we have. A&M is exploding in a great way from enrollment, sport research and contributions to the committee and the state. The end game could be right here. There are circumstances around us that dictate our path forward. 
   
• I met with Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher for a half hour before the Destin meetings. That was there first time to be together since it happened. You are used to a little bit of commentary, but that was next level and shouldn't have happened. First I said to them, “It’s never going to be the way it was, gentlemen. We've had conference membership shifts, TV contracts and stadiums rebuilt in a couple of years. There’s a lot that's just different. What does not help is finger pointing and accusations.”
   
• Jimbo was our chair in Destin, and we had two days of great meetings with in-depth conversations. The next thing I said to them was, “You are responsible for what you say, your players, your program and your prospects. It’s not about anybody elses players, program or season.” I don't have to pound my fist.
   
• When I spoke with Nick the morning after he made the original comments, I was in New York, and it was 11 p.m. when my phone started to vibrate, trying to figure out what was going on. I never feel good about that because I didn't do anything. Nick understood right away. I listened to Jimbo, and we had a respectul convo between the two of us. There was unacceptablity from his perspective of what happened, which I fully understand. We’re turning the page, and October 8 will be a great competition, right?
   
• We have a lot of things as a conference, but we are not dull. We’re proud of Texas A&M and what’s happening on that campus.

Key notes from Nick Roush of KSR

• It sounds like Mark Stoops is here for a long haul. We’ve reached the big offseason hurdle where the coaching carousel spun around really fast. People were worried Stoops would leave for LSU before they hired Brian Kelly. If there’s ever a job that would keep Stoops from not being in Lexington, it’s Iowa. He’s an Iowa graduate. That job means a lot to him.
   
• Kentucky let Stoops be patient. A good quarterback is a fast-track program turnaround. He can change a program pretty quickly. Kentucky did it with linemen. It's not sexy, but they did it through the trenches.
   
• With Chris Rodriguez, the fumbling issue is why he couldn’t get drafted last year, and he came back for another season and put together another body of work.
   
• Will Levis’ first throw was an interception. He struggled against Florida, but LSU was a coming-out performance for him. At Georgia, they didn't win that game, but I think he had the best stats other than Bryce Young against them all year. It’s third-and-eight. He’s going to get the first down whether he’s throwing it, running over you or jumping over you.
   
• Kentucky has a deeper receiver room this year and has recruited well. They don’t have the one guy you can rely on. Offenisve coordinator Liam Coen a rockstar. You hope that the play calling moves this thing in the right direction. They’ve improved the speed, and that was a big hurdle.
   
• Stoops will say it today: They have been close and knocking on that door. To get to that next step, you have to have a difference maker at quarterback that makes those extraordinary plays to get over that hump.
   
• Their defensive line was talented when they signed this recruiting class right up there with Alabama and Clemson. They haven't had a lot of playing time. Kentucky's pass defense helped them get to where they needed to go, but they didn't create a ton of turnovers.
   
• You have a season win total of about 7.5 games. You feel good about all of the out-of-conference games, but the big rivalries are on the road. What’s preventing them from an 11-win season is road losses. It’s going to come down to those two games. You have to take care of business in Gainesville and in Knoxville. It’s fair to say Kentucky or Tennessee will finish second in the east.
   
• J.J. Weaver played with a hurt ACL. He was not at 100 percent and did a little bit of everything. He could be right there with Will Anderson. He has great potential as a pass rusher in this conference.