On today’s episode of Longshore and McKnight, John and Barry are on Day 4 of SEC Media Days, and kick it off criticized the event’s scheduling, arguing it lost momentum by ending with lower-profile programs like Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Texas A&M. The hosts renewed calls for SEC Media Days to be shortened from four to three days, citing declining attendance and lack of energy. They moved on and predicted the final-day coaches, including Mark Stoops and Sam Pittman, may be nearing the end of their respective tenures due to performance declines. The segment also highlighted Kentucky’s drop-off since the departure of assistant coach Jon Sumrall and questioned the school’s quarterback situation, with Zach Calzada — a journeyman with a brief stint at Auburn — expected to start.
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Coverage then turned to broader issues in college athletics, beginning with Auburn wide receiver Malcolm Simmons’ arrest on charges of domestic violence, drawing comparisons to former teammate DJ Barber’s swift dismissal for drug offenses. Jason Caldwell of AuburnUndercover joined to explain Auburn’s No. 78 national recruiting ranking, attributing it to a smaller class size and a shift in strategy emphasizing roster retention and NIL flexibility. Caldwell also referenced SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey’s comments supporting structured NIL guardrails amid growing financial influence in college sports. The hosts agreed that entitlement and poor off-field decisions among athletes are becoming a serious issue, with NIL money and unstructured free time amplifying behavioral risks.
