The following is a sample of what each coach can expect from the media. Each coach is rated on how intense his appearance will be, with four microphones for the most promising, and descending to the least interesting subjects.

Today

Urban Meyer, Florida

• This is the only coach who will be less interesting than one of his players. Everyone will try to ask Tim Tebow a variation of these questions: Can you repeat as the Heisman Trophy winner, will you leave after this year for the NFL, and how cool is it to be you? When Meyer speaks, half of his time may be spent on Tebow. Otherwise, media members may yawn and ask Meyer about his team's national title chances, Percy Harvin's heel injury or Meyer's golf game.

• Microphones: 2

Sylvester Croom, Mississippi State

• Croom's job security has been put to rest, at least for this season, so more mundane subjects figure to be on tap. Maybe someone will ask about Barack Obama. (Don't laugh, it's probably a 50-50 shot). More likely, Croom will be asked about taking the next step at Mississippi State, the loss of Ellis Johnson, and how much time he spent in the offseason begging the football gods to give him a passing offense.

• Microphones: 2

Les Miles, LSU

• Miles had better come prepared not to be annoyed. He will be asked about trying to repeat as national champion. He will be asked several times about Ryan Perrilloux. And oh yes, he will be asked about not taking the Michigan job. Miles, not exactly Mr. Patience, will be tempted to point out how many times he has addressed these questions before the local media. But SEC and national college football writers have their shot today, and they don't tend to care about who's going to be the long snapper. Someone might also ask Miles to expound on his recent dig at Alabama. ("Lots of teams in Louisiana beat that team.") Oh, this should be pretty good.

• Microphones: 4

Bobby Johnson, Vanderbilt

• Typically, the biggest activity during Johnson's presentation is at the beginning, when media members scramble out of the room. That's too bad, because the Columbia native can be one of the most entertaining and humorous coaches in the league. You have to be to keep non-Vanderbilt folks interested, and even then, it's tough. Johnson should face the usual round of Vanderbilt questions: So, how close to getting to a bowl do you think you are? How tough is it to win at a school you need a 24,000 SAT score to get in? Why aren't you winning when your basketball and baseball programs are? Actually, that last one might work.

• Microphones: 1.5

Thursday

Nick Saban, Alabama

• It seems that each year, at least one SEC coach faces a series of questions about his players' off-field behavior. Nick Saban, step right up. Just last month, starting linebacker Jimmy Johns was kicked off the team after a cocaine arrest, but Saban was criticized for not booting him earlier. This also followed a series of arrests of other players. Saban also figures to get pleasant questions about why his team went 6-6 last year, whether he gave Bobby Petrino any advice on bailing early from an NFL job, and what he thinks of his "Nicktator" nickname.

• Microphones: 3

Mark Richt, Georgia

• Pretty much every question Richt will get will be a form of, "So, you're supposed to be one of the top teams in the country, can you live up to it?" Richt has been there before, in 2004 when his team was a consensus No. 3 pick. But this year the Bulldogs might be No. 1 and have a sophomore Heisman candidate (running back Knowshon Moreno). Richt, the offensive guru, will probably get asked a lot about quarterback Matt Stafford, and whether as a junior, Stafford is ready to take the next step and lead Georgia all the way.

• Microphones: 3

Houston Nutt, Ole Miss

• If Nutt opens his comments with "I'm glad to be here," he won't be lying (unlike the other 11 coaches.) Nutt spent most of last year answering questions about his job security at Arkansas, and Mitch Mustain. So this year, he will happily discuss his welcome at Ole Miss and whoever his quarterback will be, because it will not be Mustain. But Nutt should also be prepared to rehash his move from Arkansas, because rehashing is what the SEC media days are all about.

• Microphones: 2.5

Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee

• You would think that Fulmer's recent contract extension would forestall any job security questions. Not exactly. Fulmer should be ready to answer at least one question about whether he thinks he deserved the new contract. He's practically guaranteed to be asked about the near-constant criticism from Tennessee fans. As for the rest, the media will want to know what Fulmer thinks of his new quarterback, junior Jonathan Compton.

• Microphones: 2.5

Friday

Tommy Tuberville, Auburn

• Tuberville could be asked whether he feels like his Tigers are being overlooked, considering they return 16 starters from a team that went 9-4. He will doubtless be asked about his quarterback situation, and the fact he has new coordinators on both sides of the ball. But all that will be a warmup for the big one: "So Tommy, what do you think of being in the same division as Petrino, your former assistant who participated in an effort to oust you behind your back five years ago? And please, don't hold back."

• Microphones: 3.5

Rich Brooks, Kentucky

• Brooks ended any talk of being fired last season, although his successor has already been chosen (offensive coordinator Joker Phillips.) Brooks will be asked about that setup, and how soon he plans on stepping aside. He should also be asked about replacing Andre Woodson, or the many other starters his team has lost. Otherwise, this should be a good opportunity for the media to rest and sharpen their knives for Petrino.

• Microphones: 2

Bobby Petrino, Arkansas

• Petrino would be wise to ask Saban for some guidance. Last year it was Saban who got excoriated for leaving the NFL in what many perceived to be a dishonest manner. This time around it falls to Petrino to further explain why he abandoned the Atlanta Falcons with three games left in his first season after claiming he was in it for the long haul. The media could also deem relevant his 2003 clandestine meeting with Auburn, because it's the first time Petrino has been back in the SEC since he was interviewed about a job that was not open.

• Microphones: 4

Steve Spurrier, South Carolina

• This year, the SEC saved the best quote for last, and the media will surely be fishing for Spurrier's usual digs and witticisms. Spurrier would be wise to provide them, because he might be tired of the subjects the non-local media wants to ask: How much longer will the 63-year-old coach? Does he still think he can win an SEC title at South Carolina? What happened last year after that 6-1 start? What's the deal with the offensive play-calling? Oh, and when will Stephen Garcia be back? Fun, fun, fun.

• Microphones: 3