HOOVER | Auburn coach Gus Malzahn met with the media Thursday morning before his appearance at SEC Media Days. Here are some notes from that session...

** Ended season with good bowl win, gained momentum. Feel like team has something to prove.

** No date on choosing quarterback. Have good plan to put them in many situations. The whole team usually knows it and whenever it happens, it happens. Not going to push it. Have two good options.

** No doubt Joey Gatewood is an imposing runner. Bo Nix can run too. Both are run threats. When we’ve had a running threat at quarterback, that’s been a game changer.

** I’ve got a job that expects to win championships. I love that. Being on hot seat is just part of this job. Not happy only winning eight games last year.

** Not sure if quarterbacks will go live this fall (they won’t).

** Kamaar Bell is here. Reported up this week. All signees are enrolled.

** Jay Jay Wilson has experience and could play H. A physical guy that has played that position and defense. The grad transfer from Arizona State has been here this summer.

** Competition at X receiver will include Zach Farrar, who will report today. He is a grad transfer from Youngstown State.

** Anytime you take a grad transfer, you’re expecting them to play. Freshmen will have opportunity to play this fall. More and more freshmen playing each year.

** Harold Joiner will be a big part of our plans on offense. Will have specific plan for him. Very versatile.

** Just about every team in SEC is doing some sort of pace now. We were only team doing it in 2009. Have to have wrinkles, new things.

** Committed to going fast this season. Trying to get 11 guys on the field and not having to substitute.

** Missing Eli Stove and Will Hastings was a big blow to offense last year. To have those guys back is a big shot in the arm. Hasting should be ready to go this fall.

** Bringing back good personnel around your quarterbacks is important. Doing that at Auburn this fall.

** Want to have a roll your sleeves up and fight attitude this season. “That’s our mentality.”

** Kenny Dillingham has a lot of energy. Doesn’t have bad days. Will be in booth during games. “His hair’s on fire.”

** Would like to have one quarterback as the starter.

** When Derrick Brown chose to come back, it helped the other guys decide.

** Young running backs can help. Shivers dynamic, DJ Williams had a great spring, excited about Richard. Then you’ve for the Harold Joiner factor.

** Oregon has everybody coming back. One of top teams in the country. It will be a really good test.

** Lost four senior linebacker. Britt and Wooten took leadership role in spring, didn’t look like we dropped off at all.

** Injured players looking pretty good for fall camp right now.

** Think we’ve got a chance to have best defense since we’ve been here.

** Having so many veterans is a comfort. Had 10 guys that considered leaving, eight returned. The team starts with those eight and their leadership. “My experience is when you have leadership like that, the other things fall in line.”

** We have a chance to compete for a championship. Not every team in this league can say that.

** Freshmen quarterbacks that are really successful have a good team around them.

** Anders Carlson is very talented. Going to be a better player. Arryn Siposs has a chance to be elite. He’s starting to get spirals now. Noah Igbinoghene is a dynamic returner. He’s been catching punts too.

** You were a transfer back in your day: “Yea, but I wasn’t worth a crap.”

** Transfer portal is probably here to stay whether you like it or not. Roster management is the biggest challenge now. You have to predict things and have honest dialogue with players and their parents.

** Finding depth on offensive line is important this fall. Losing Austin Troxell to injury tough, was like a sixth starter.

** Tyrone Truesdell is improved, could be a starting defensive tackle. Hoping to have Coyniss Miller and DaQuan Newkirk back healthy for fall.

** Think we’re in a good spot with football facility. Going in right direction. Thought it was important to be at the BOT meeting earlier this summer.