SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 21, 2026

Junior Sherrill

Vanderbilt Commodores

Press Conference

Q. Obviously team goals are at the top of your list. But what individual goals do you aspire to attain this year to help the team be successful?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: I just really want to be the best player I can be, just being the best player I can be for the whole team. Most importantly, be the most dynamic person in the country with the ball in my hand.

Q. Over your last three years at Vanderbilt, you scored 15 touchdowns, specifically eight last season. Do you have a record of how many you want to get to by the time you graduate here at Vanderbilt?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: Not really. I'm just really taking it day-by-day and play-by-play, man. Not really too big on watching my stats. But I do want to be in the list of the top 10 in touchdowns in Vanderbilt history.

Q. How important is it to compartmentalize every season? You had a big season last year and now you're coming at a new thing. To compartmentalize from last year to this year, put last year to the past, this year is right now. Is it important to do this for a team coming off a big successful season?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: Oh, yeah, team (indiscernible) to set the path and set the foundation for what we gotta do. So now it's up the team (indiscernible) to go chase and go for more.

Q. You're standing in the tunnel on a Saturday and looking out over FirstBank Stadium -- (indiscernible)?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: (Indiscernible).

Q. What away and home games are you most excited for the season?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: It might sound cliché, but just the next one. It's a blessing just to be able to play the game of football each and every day and just do what I love.

Q. Everybody talks about Indiana turning it around in two years. You guys did a pretty good job of turning it around, too -- 2-10 to 10-2 in two years. How has that culture changed in your locker room?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: It's more of a player-led program now. We don't have coaches telling us we can do this, we need to do that. It's more so players getting on each other and holding each other accountable. So when we have a player-led program, the sky's the limit for the program.

Q. There are several SEC players from Nashville. I don't know if you happen to know how many of them you actually know or knew. Is Marcel Reed, the quarterback from Nashville, I don't know if you ever crossed paths with him?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: Yeah, that's my guy. Grew up around the same area. But, yeah, that's my guy.

Q. What have you seen from him just as a player and quarterback and how he's developed?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: Just how he's evolved as a quarterback. Just being an ultimate leader on his program. I know we keep up a little bit, keep in touch a little bit but just seeing from the outside perspective he's been an overall complete competitor.

Q. I asked Coach the same question but Mississippi State is finally back on your guys' schedule. How do you feel about heading to Starkville and playing with all of those cow bells?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: That is going to be a great environment. They're a great team. Got a great program. But ultimately just looking at it as the next game.

Q. Coach talked about when he was here how important that sixth win was to become bowl eligible. Was there a game last year where afterward you would say, hey, I think we've arrived?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: Yeah, just beating Missouri was a big step in this program, especially at home, having College GameDay. I feel like that was a big step in the program that we needed.

Q. I know you were just saying you look forward to the next game, no game specifically. But what defense in the SEC do you think is going to give you guys the biggest challenge this year?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: Just Georgia. They have a smart defense, and they have multiple stunts that you've got to look out for. It gets tricky just playing the defense with these exotic looks nowadays. So you gotta just double down on them.

Q. You lose a big piece of the puzzle with Pavia. How do you replace the intangibles that he brought?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: Me personally, I feel like I've just got to step up and play a bigger role in offense. We lost a lot of production last year. But it's going to be up to me and the coaches to get it back on track.

Q. Is there any place you've played in the conference on the road that you enjoy? Is there one you're looking forward to where you've never been?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: Really looking forward to Gainesville, The Swamp. That's really loud, the crowd gets really rowdy. And there's always Neyland. Neyland always a good place to play just because the environment. But never played in Athens, so I'm gonna be looking forward to that.

Q. How about the games you've made on Tennessee and the rivalry in-state. How special is that to you guys?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: Man, it's very special. Just showing like what's supposed to be happening, what's supposed to be going on. I really (indiscernible) Tennessee.

Q. You've been at Vanderbilt the last three years. Why did you pick Vanderbilt? And why did you choose to stay with the popularity of entering the transfer portal?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: Yeah, there's really three reasons. One, I'm from Nashville. I trust what Coach Lea has. Two, you get an SEC degree, you get a top 10 degree, top in the country. It's a good place to go to school. And it's the SEC. You wouldn't want to play nowhere else but the SEC.

Q. When you look at the SEC, there's not a lot of private schools in there. How does Vanderbilt fit in?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: Just like everybody else. We step out in academics and athletics. Once you put those two things together, it's just, like, unstoppable.

Q. Who is the best dressed at media days?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: I feel like me, to be honest with you. But I'll say, I haven't seen anybody else, but I think Sedi really put it on.

Q. Can you describe your clothes?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: I went tan with the black chrome hearts. My mom helped me pick it out. She did all that. She likes to dress me and stuff in all the fashion. Yes, she did all that, and I just put it on.

Q. Looking at your outfit and what you've got around your neck, how important is your faith to your football?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: It's very important. It's the first thing I do. Without Christ, I'm nothing. So that's the most important thing. We have to start with Him and put Him in the center of everything we do.

Q. What's the most important thing for coach to have brought you to media days to represent you and your team?

JUNIOR SHERRILL: He's challenged me to just step up in my role as a leader and just show, like, the work I put out and the time and dedication I put up in trying to be a leader is finally showing up, finally being recognized that he gave me a chance to speak for the team and represent the team in media days today.