Tebow among players at Media Days

HOOVER — It would have taken a set of shoulder pads and a helmet — not to mention a couple of pulling guards — for Florida quarterback Tim Tebow to pick up yardage in the lobby of the Wynfrey Hotel.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner emerged from the scrum unscathed and discussed the upcoming season at the opening of SEC Football Media Days on Wednesday.

His coach, the Gators’ Urban Meyer, said the event reminded him of a scene in New York last December when Tebow won the Heisman.

“I loved it when I was getting pushed in the back by security in Times Square,” Meyer recalled. “Physically, I was getting pushed in the back because they thought I was like hanging around Tim trying to get an autograph or something. I hate to say this, but I was. I wanted to get a Christmas present for my son.”

On Wednesday, the Heisman winner and the head coach of the national champions, LSU’s Les Miles, faced the gauntlet. The lobby will plenty jammed the rest of the week, too. Nick Saban and Alabama players Antoine Caldwell and Rashad Johnson take their turn this morning. On Friday, Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville and Tigers Sen’derrick Marks and Jason Bosley are up.

Media Days is the first sure sign of football season, which officially kicks off Aug. 30 for Alabama against Clemson in Atlanta and for Auburn at home against Louisiana-Monroe.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive said there are 750 credentialed media covering the three-day event, plus fans eager to catch a glimpse of a favorite coach or player.

LSU and Georgia finished 1-2 in the final AP poll last season. Five teams were ranked in the top 15. Six SEC players were selected in the 2007 NFL draft and 263 SEC players were on NFL opening day active rosters, the most of any conference.

“Our talent level in this conference is the best in the country. The quality of our coaches is the best in the country,” said Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom, who is one of 11 current SEC coaches who have won a bowl game.

“If you’re going to compete in this conference, you’ve got to prepare well and you’ve got to play well every week. Anybody in this conference can beat anybody at any given time.”

Slive noted several reasons why this three-day event draws so much attention.

“LSU’s 2007 national championship is the SEC’s third in six years and its fourth in 10 years,” Slive said. “We’re the first conference to win consecutive BCS titles and the only conference, as you know, to have five head football coaches who have won national championships.”