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Don't fret, real football news not far away

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema speaks to the media at the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media days, Wednesday, July 13, 2016, in Hoover, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema speaks to the media at the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media days, Wednesday, July 13, 2016, in Hoover, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Soon, but not soon enough for many, all types of football news will break daily.

In less than two weeks, the SEC football media days in Hoover, Ala., will start and the nation will be filled with SEC news.

The SEC has its football media days before anyone else, which pretty much guarantees having, by far, the most media members covering its event compared with other conferences in the country.

Plus, the SEC will credential people for these four days who wouldn't have a shot at getting a media pass for the SEC Championship Game. It is a numbers game.

Regardless, this is probably the final year the meetings will be in the suburb of Birmingham, as the league will give Alabama Coach Nick Saban a little relief and move media days to Atlanta.

No one draws a bigger crowd than Saban, and not just where the media assembles, but in the hotel lobby, parking lot and anywhere else a Crimson Tide fan can find the room to stand to catch a glimpse of the man, the myth, the legend.

Until July 10, the only thing we have is preseason football magazines, which means it is time to wrap up a few notes about Athlon Sports football preview.

Already discussed was the magazine's top 50 players since its inception in 1967.

The cover of the magazine, which is published regionally, claims there are 232 pages devoted to SEC football, and two of those pages were dedicated to the "Rawleigh Williams Unlikely Recovery."

Obviously, the magazine went to press before Williams retired from football after having no feeling in his arms and legs following a hit for the second time.

That headline is on the cover, and pages 184 and 185 are about a great kid who came back once but opted not to try it a second time a few days after spring practice ended.

The magazine also listed Williams as the No. 1 running back for the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville this fall. Williams has not returned to football.

That is not a criticism of the magazine, although it probably should be because most of the preseason publications try hard to be the best at knowing the world of college football.

On other matters, the magazine named Austin Allen as the 14th best quarterback in the country. It named Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield, an easily recognizable name in Fayetteville for more reasons than one, as the top quarterback in the nation.

Frank Ragnow was named first-team All-SEC at center, and Williams made second-team All-SEC at running back.

Allen and wide receiver Jared Cornelius made the third team.

No Razorback made first- or second-team All-SEC on defense. Defensive lineman McTelvin Agim and cornerback Ryan Pulley made the third team.

The magazine picked the Razorbacks to finish fourth in the West with a 7-5 overall record and 3-5 in conference play.

It picked Alabama to win the West and the SEC, and to play for the national championship against Ohio State (safe pick). Georgia was the selection to win the SEC East.

It had the Crimson Tide No. 1 in the preseason and five other SEC teams ranked in the top 25: Auburn No. 9, LSU No. 11, Georgia No. 15 (and most believe three teams from the West could win the East), Florida No. 16 and Tennessee No. 19.

Don't expect many at SEC football media days to not pick Alabama to win the West and the SEC.

On a final note, in the magazine's NCAA Football Championship Subdivision section it ranked the University of Central Arkansas No. 17 in the nation in the preseason and gave the Bears some high praise for their defense. It also noted UCA will play some of its toughest Southland Conference opponents in Conway.

Sports on 06/28/2017

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