Alabama Crimson Tide

The Latest: Alabama trying to replace Collin Sexton

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:19 p.m. ET

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Latest on Southeastern Conference media day (all times Eastern):

7:10 p.m.

Tom Crean wanted what Nick Saban and Tom Izzo had: A strong relationship between the basketball and football coach.

Crean thinks he is building that with Georgia football coach Kirby Smart. He was a Michigan State assistant who arrived about the same time Saban, Alabama's current football coach, took over that program in 1995.

"You got a chance to see that connection that Tom and Nick had there and be a part of that and see what happens when you have that kind of synergy between your two coaches," Crean said Wednesday at SEC media day. "I always wanted something like that.

"Obviously that wasn't a choice we had at Marquette. Kirby Smart has been fantastic."

It's not like he didn't know Georgia was regarded as "a football school" before arriving. Crean is a football guy, too. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is his brother-in-law, after all.

"When you marry into the Harbaughs, you really have no choice," Crean said.