HOOVER, Ala. -- If the first day of SEC media days is any indication, the Texas A&M Aggies might tiptoe into their new conference, with a tip of their cowboy hats and with their boots fully shined.
Missouri's T.J. Moe was a breath of fresh air at SEC media days.
Missouri's entrance into the SEC, on the other hand, might not be as quiet.
As both teams prepare to play their first season in the SEC, which has produced college football's last six national champions, they seem to be taking different approaches. The Aggies followed first-year coach Kevin Sumlin's lead, praising the SEC for its speed, past success and rabid fan bases. But the Tigers, who won 47 games in their last five seasons in the Big 12, were more outspoken about how they think they'll do in the SEC, including coach Gary Pinkel.
"I've got a place down in Florida and go down there sometimes," Pinkel said. "People act like we've been playing a bunch of high school teams. We've played in a pretty good league."
Pinkel wasn't ready to make a prediction on how the Tigers will do in their first season in their new league, but insists SEC opponents won't intimidate his players. Missouri plays its first SEC game against Georgia at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 8.
"I'd be disappointed if we were intimidated," Pinkel said. "We played in a pretty good league ourselves. We understand the great league we're coming into. We all know how it works. It's in the process. How is Missouri and Texas A&M going to do in the SEC? That's going to be an analysis every single week. You have to go out and play and compete, and that's the way it should be. It's going to be decided on the football field."
Tigers receiver T.J. Moe, who caught 54 passes for 649 yards with four touchdowns last season, isn't worried about facing SEC defenses, either. Moe said he expects to be just as productive against SEC teams, many of which have been ranked among the country's best defenses during the SEC's six-year national title run.
"People talk about how good SEC defenses are, but they don't take into account how good Big 12 offenses are," said Moe, who received a standing ovation from media members for being so candid while answering their questions.
Meanwhile, the Aggies were very complimentary of their new league. Texas A&M receiver Ryan Swope said the Aggies, who went 7-6 under former coach Mike Sherman last season, will have to adjust to SEC teams' speed, especially on defense.
"The SEC is very fast football," Swope said. "I feel like it's the best conference in the country. After watching film of the national championship game, those guys are fast. The speed is just incomparable."
Added Aggies offensive tackle Luke Joeckel: "The speed of every single position is the difference. Every single guy on the defensive line is a pass-rushing threat. In the Big 12, there are some run stoppers. In the SEC, the defensive tackles can rush the passers and every defensive end can do it, too. The SEC has more of a mixture of speed and size."
The Aggies won't have long to adjust. They play their first SEC game against Florida at Kyle Field on Sept. 8.
"What's my assessment?" Sumlin said, when a reporter asked him to assess the SEC West. "It's a pretty damn hard league. How is that? That's my assessment. It's a damn hard league because of talent, but also because of coaching. You can argue all you want, but there are some of the best coaches in the country in the SEC. Combine that with big, fast guys, some of the best players in the country, it doesn't get any better than that."
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