DALLAS — Texas, meet the SEC. SEC, meet Texas.

Texas will formally introduce itself to the Southeastern Conference on Wednesday as it participates in SEC media days for the first time. A longtime member of the Big 12, UT officially joined the SEC on July 1.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian will be joined at the Omni Hotel by quarterback Quinn Ewers, defensive back Jahdae Barron and left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. The Longhorns have media obligations all afternoon, but Sarkisian's primary press conference is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. The players will meet with those reporters at 3 p.m.

Check back with statesman.com for more updates.

Golden: History tells us we should lower Texas' first-year expectations in the SEC

Steve Sarkisian: Renewed rivalries positive part of realignment for Texas

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has been a part of plenty of rivalries during his two-decade career, including Alabama’s annual showdown with Auburn in the Iron Bowl and Washington’s in-state family feud against Washington State in the Apple Cup.

But the Longhorns’ updated set of rivals marks something different, Sarkisian said. Sure, Texas loses fierce and familiar foes such as Texas Tech and TCU in its move from the Big 12 to SEC. But the new conference means renewed acquaintances with Arkansas as well as the long-anticipated rekindling of the game against Texas A&M. Oh, and the Red River Rivalry with Oklahoma in Dallas' Cotton Bowl will remain unchanged in the SEC.

“Half the game is a home game and the other half is an away game, the way the crowd is split right down the middle,” Sarkisian saidof the Oklahoma game “It’s the most unique game I’ve been a part of.”

And what stands out about the Arkansas game?

“They hate Texas more than they like themselves,” he said. “That’s a rivalry.” - Thomas Jones

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian cites influence of Monte Kiffin, Nick Saban

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian opened his official question-and-answer session at the SEC Media Days with shoutouts to the late Monte Kiffin and former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Kiffin, a longtime defensive coach in both college football and the NFL, died earlier this week at the age of 84.  Sarkisian, who remains close friends with Monte Kiffin’s son and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, credited Monte Kiffin for serving as a mentor when Sarkisian began his coaching career two decades ago at USC. Sarkisian also pointed out Saban, who is working at the SEC Media Days as part of the media. Sarkisian served as an assistant for Alabama under Saban in 2016 and 2019-20, and he’s often credited Saban for helping get his career and personal life back on track. "I see you back there, Coach,” Sarkisian said. “Thank you. I would not be standing here without you."  - Thomas Jones

Sarkisian speaks on back-up quarterback Arch Manning

It didn't take long for Arch Manning to enter the conversation on Wednesday. In fact, the first question asked to Sarkisian during his main press conference was about college football's best-known backup quarterback. Specifically, why did Sarkisian believe that Manning had decided to stick around Austin for two seasons if he wasn't starting.

"Part of recruiting is your track record, and we've been fortunate to coach some pretty good quarterbacks. We've been fortunate to do it for some decades now. We've been fortunate to have some pretty good quarterback rooms, and I think the Manning family is pretty well aware of that," Sarkisian said. "I think they trained Arch to try to put himself in the best position to try to play in the best conference in America, and then ultimately put himself in the best position to further his career and play in the National Football League. With that, I think Arch's development has been important to the family and he's reaping the benefit of those things. It hasn't been very difficult at all. I think it's been pretty simple for him."

Mississippi State linebacker applauds Texas star Madison Booker

Mississippi State linebacker John Lewis probably won't find himself rooting for many Longhorns this upcoming school year. But there is one Texas athlete he has a soft spot for.

Lewis went to the same high school in Mississippi as Madison Booker, who is entering her second year with the UT women's basketball program. Lewis graduated from Germantown High two years before Booker, but he said on Wednesday that he was very familiar with her game.

"She's a hooper. She's cold. She's a dawg," Lewis said. "I had a game one week. They had a game on Monday, I think. After our meetings, I went home to watch her play. She's a great player."

As a freshman, Booker averaged 17.2 points and 5.1 assists per game. Booker was named an All-American by the Associated Press and she earned the Big 12 Player of the Year award.

Jahdae Barron: Look good and feel good

Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron was asked on Wednesday how things were looking for him physcially right now. Barron wittingly responded that "I look sharp right now, I look amazing."

No Jahdae, how is your health? The fifth-year defensive back was limited during the spring with an undisclosed injury.

"My health, I feel amazing. I feel amazing. I want to thank Sark and I want to thank Donald (Nguyen) our head trainer at Texas and our strength coaches and Sam (Contorno), just everybody that just helped me basically get healthy and get to feeling good. I dealt with a lot of adversity last year and challenges and things like that so just to be able to be here today and feel amazing is a wonderful feeling."

As for how Barron actually did look, he was dressed in a crisp gray suit that he bought yesterday and got quickly tailored. Barron was also wearing some eye-catching Marni leather mules that were decorated by crystals. Those will run you $1,195 if you shop online at the Saks Fifth Avenue store.

Mississippi State's Jeff Lebby is already familiar with SEC foe Texas

New Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby spent the past two seasons as Oklahoma's offensive coordinator. Last year, his Sooners put up 486 yards and 34 points in a last-second win over the Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl.

Lebby, who has also worked at Baylor, was asked on Wednesday if his previous experiences against Texas will help him at his new job. Mississippi State is set to visit Royal-Memorial Stadium on Sept. 28.

"Knowing the personnel and knowing a little bit about the system (will help)," Lebby said. "I think from my time before being able to be in Austin and knowing what that atmosphere is like, I think that'll be good for us, be good for our staff, be good for our guys is just knowing a little bit more of what to expect and there not being this incredible amount of newness."

Texas and Mississippi State have split the four games they have played in their histories. The Bulldogs last visited Austin in 1992.

Alabama shrugs off Nick Saban's Texas prediction

Earlier this week, ESPN analyst Nick Saban predicted that Texas and Georgia will end up facing off in the 2024 SEC championship game. That pick may have surprised some Alabama fans since Saban recently retired after a 17-year run with the Crimson Tide.

On Wednesday, Alabama players were asked about Saban's prediction. Quarterback Jalen Milroe danced around the question as if he were avoiding an opposing linebacker in the pocket. Veteran defensive back Malachi Moore was also diplomatic with his response.

"I think everybody has their right to their own opinion and may a best man win," Moore said.

Playoff coaches on the SEC scene

To open today's festivities, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey noted that three of the four coaches who led team to the College Football Playoff last season are in attendance at the Omni Hotel. Kalen DeBoer, who guided Washington into the national championship game, is now the head coach at Alabama. Steve Sarkisian is heading into his fourth season at Texas. Former Alabama coach Nick Saban is working in Dallas as an ESPN analyst.

Sankey joked that Jim Harbaugh didn't want to attend the SEC Media Days. After winning a national championship with Michigan last season, Harbaugh now coaches in the NFL.

Gators, Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide, oh my

Since SEC media days is a four-day event, the league's 16 teams have been evenly split up over the course of the week. So who is joining Texas at the Omni Hotel on Wednesday? Alabama, Florida and Mississippi State.

If Texas isn't today's headliner, then Alabama certainly is. Texas fans, though, may want to pay attention to what Florida and Mississippi State have to say. Texas is hosting Mississippi State on Sept. 28 for its SEC opener while Florida is coming to Austin in November. The Longhorns don't play Alabama this season.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas joins Alabama, Florida, Mississippi State at SEC Media Days