Best and Worst Dressed from 2016 SEC Media Days
SEC media days, which serve as the unofficial start to college football season, is all about getting the best of the best from the country's premier conference to talk about their upcoming campaigns.
It's also about looking good while they do it.
Over the years, the suits at SEC media days have been almost as memorable as the lengthy opening statements from head coaches and witty one-liners from players. Just like it is at the NFL draft, everyone's suit games are discussed on social media alongside the football. The SEC itself even released a style guide to media days this year and updated it each day.
Most of the representatives from the 14 SEC schools had looks as sharp as their play on the field in Hoover, Alabama, this week. However, there were a few fashion miscues.
Here are a dozen head coaches and players who make up this year's edition of the best and worst dressed of SEC media days. As I wrote last year, please keep in mind that I am nowhere near a serious fashion expert. I am just a college football writer trying to have some fun with a lighthearted offseason piece.
Now, here are the highlights and lowlights from the sights at the 2016 SEC media days.
Best: Texas A&M HC Kevin Sumlin
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Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin is as cool as they come in the SEC, and his suit for his appearance at media days was one of the sharpest looks in Hoover for the entire week.
Sumlin's pinstripe suit stood out—in a good way—and his dark red and black paisley tie was a hit. Even the pin on his jacket was a perfect match in his outfit, which received positive reviews from media members, such as Wes Rucker of 247Sports, who said "Kevin Sumlin’s suit game remains strong."
Now let's see if he can get his Aggies to look as good on the field this season after a couple of somewhat disappointing campaigns in College Station, Texas.
Worst: Florida HC Jim McElwain
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Monday was only his second-ever appearance at SEC media days, but Florida head coach Jim McElwain has already proved he's going to do things his way in terms of fashion. And in this case, he's going to do it without socks.
McElwain didn't wear socks at last year's media days appearance, and he didn't again in 2016. In fact, McElwain doubled-down on his no-sock stance, saying he wouldn't even wear them to his daughter's wedding, via Mark Schlabach of ESPN:
""#Gators coach Jim McElwain refuses to wear socks - even at his daughter's upcoming wedding pic.twitter.com/ho2dOYsjYe"
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Again, Jim, there's nothing wrong with wearing socks at events such as media days or much more important ones such as weddings of loved ones. It's just proper foot care, even in the boiling summer heat of the Swamp in Gainesville, Florida.
Best: Vanderbilt HC Derek Mason
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Vanderbilt rarely gets to be called one of the best in an SEC football capacity. However, head coach Derek Mason is well on his way to becoming the undisputed style king of SEC media days.
Last year, Mason went with a gold jacket with a white shirt and a simple black tie that screamed "Vanderbilt." This year, Mason did it again, tweaking the look slightly with a brighter jacket and some sharp black glasses. Best of all, Mason's custom-made jacket showcased a Vanderbilt football uniform design on the inside.
Better days could be ahead for the Vanderbilt football program, and Mason continues to get ahead of the curve by dressing like a champion in Hoover.
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Worst: Mississippi State HC Dan Mullen
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Last year in this column, Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen landed on a "best" section with Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema for his shoe selection—some special edition Yeezy Boosts. I awarded that honor to the Mississippi State head coach for going outside the box with his look.
This year, Mullen went back to the Yeezy look again, but it didn't have the same effect. The Yeezy 750s he wore in Hoover just weren't doing it this time around. Maybe it was the ridiculous front flap or the oddly colored sidewalls. Maybe it was the Jimmy Buffett socks that made them less cool.
If Mullen was that set on wearing Yeezys again, he could've done a lot better than the ones he chose to wear Tuesday. Newer doesn't necessarily mean better, Dan. Maybe Adidas and Kanye West will give you a better design for next year.
Best: Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs
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Last year, Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs landed on the "worst" side of this column for a gray suit and a white tie that clashed with what was a solid checkerboard-print shirt. Dobbs kept it simpler for his second trip to Hoover, and it turned out to be a fantastic look for the signal-caller.
The gray was kept to a vest under a sharp black suit for Dobbs, and his orange tie popped nicely with the rest of the outfit, which was pulled together by a Tennessee "Power T" pin. The famous Neyland Stadium checkerboard was still represented with a strong sock game selection by Dobbs.
Now maybe Dobbs can teach Jim McElwain how to pick out a quality pair of socks.
Best: Alabama TE O.J. Howard
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The last time O.J. Howard was in a competitive game for Alabama, he left as the MVP of the national championship showdown against Clemson. The Crimson Tide tight end kept that momentum going off the field with a strong outfit at SEC media days.
If a player is going to go away from his school colors at media days, he had better bring his A-game with his choices. Howard did just that, going with a nice, patterned blue suit with a plaid shirt and a sharp pink tie. The pocket square made the whole look come together well for the national champion.
From head coach Nick Saban to all three of the Tide's player representatives, Alabama had a strong fashion showing at SEC media days. Howard, though, was the best of them all.
Worst: Mississippi State WR Fred Ross
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For the most part at this year's SEC media days, the player outfits leaned on the good side of the spectrum. But they weren't all hits, and Mississippi State wide receiver Fred Ross unfortunately landed on the wrong side with this look.
The paisley shirt he wore under a gray jacket was an odd choice, and the Mississippi State pin didn't really mesh well with everything else. The lack of a tie made it one of the most peculiar styles I've seen in the last few events in Hoover.
However, as Greg Ostendorf of ESPN.com tweeted, no one had better hair than Ross at media days. That's a big win for the Bulldog wide receiver, even if his suit wasn't one:
""Best hair at SEC media days? Mississippi State WR Fred Ross (@Theboss_8) https://t.co/FSbONC7M5n pic.twitter.com/9xllYzObGr"
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Best: Georgia TE Jeb Blazevich
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Bow ties are always a big winner at SEC media days, and it's always good for players to show off their school colors or logos in their outfits. Georgia tight end Jeb Blazevich successfully combined the two trends, via CBS46 Sports:
""Jeb Blazevich is on the podium now and his bow-tie game is on point #SECMD16."
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Blazevich's gray suit went well with the red bow tie he decided to rock, which, if you look closely, had tiny Georgia "G" logos on them. From a distance, it was a slick pattern on a bright red bow tie. Up close, it was a great way to show off team pride without beating people in the head with it.
The Georgia tight end went with simple and stylish look for media days. That combination is usually a surefire winner in Hoover.
Best: Kentucky RB JoJo Kemp
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Jojo Kemp plays running back at Kentucky, a state known for combining sports and fashion every year at a little event called the Kentucky Derby. If Kemp would have worn what he had on at SEC media days to Churchill Downs this year, he would've easily been one of the sharpest in attendance, via Alex Scarborough of ESPN:
""Jojo Kemp said his suit has, "Kentucky Derby swag." https://t.co/6Xu4ya3Pwd pic.twitter.com/ZlXy58jhFL."
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Kemp continued the bow tie parade with a dark blue one that had a highly detailed pattern. That tie went perfectly with his dark blue suit, which popped with his pristine white shirt and pocket square. Best of all, he completely owned his look while talking to reporters, via Seth Emerson of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
""Kentucky's Jojo Kemp asked who he is off the field: 'A handsome young man.' pic.twitter.com/D1Moh8HhRK."
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The Kentucky running back has one of the best looks and one of the most infectious personalities at SEC media days this year. He deserves an MVP award from Hoover.
Worst: Kentucky LB Courtney Love and Ole Miss DT D.J. Jones
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However, Jojo Kemp's swag didn't necessarily spread to the rest of the party from Lexington this year. Kentucky linebacker Courtney Love—yes, that's his real name—went with a solid black look from top-to-bottom, save for one Wildcat blue pocket square.
On Thursday, Ole Miss defensive lineman D.J. Jones matched Love by going with an all-dark suit of his own. Unlike Love, though, he didn't have a colored pocket square.
Last year, former Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk received a "worst" from me at media days for wearing a similar all-black suit. Love's outfit was slightly better because he threw in a little bit of color, but it's still going to land on the wrong side of this countdown with Jones.
The monochromatic look just doesn't work well, in this humble college football writer's opinion. There's something to be said for well-done contrast.
Best: South Carolina WR Deebo Samuel
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South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel was a hit at media days, especially with his quote about how he got his name from the movie Friday. Samuel's outfit on Thursday, while bold, was also a winner at the podium.
Samuel went with an eye-catching blue for his jacket, which had a light plaid pattern that matched his white shirt. His multi-colored bow tie had a lot of South Carolina's garnet in it, and it looked great with the blue jacket and matching pocket square.
The South Carolina receiver also went with the rare choice of wearing light-colored khaki dress pants to the event. It worked in this case. Samuel's look was original and eye-catching, and it helped wrap up a mostly strong week of looks from the SEC's best.
Justin Ferguson is a national college football analyst at Bleacher Report, not a fashion critic. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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