BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — For most of the last football season, Roman Harper was alone in his studio, away from the games he was covering.

Now, the former Alabama safety and SEC Network analyst is ready for a return to normalcy this season.

“I’m really looking forward to getting on site, getting to some of these campuses,” Harper told CBS 42’s Drew Carter during SEC Media Days Monday. “I haven’t been to 80% of the universities in all of the SEC.”

Harper is one of the many analysts, coaches and players taking part in this year’s SEC Media Days in Hoover. For the former UA standout, this is his first trip back to SEC Media Days since before his senior year in 2005.

“I’m really excited to just continue to hear from the players, the coaches and hearing different perspectives because you learn so much by the words from which people speak and it really gives you an outlook of what’s going on in that locker room, what’s going on with that team and that’s where you really figure out who really has a chance this year going into the season,” he said.

Harper had one bit of advice for players featured during the week-long media event.

“Show your personality. We love it,” he said. “We eat it up on the other side of it and people always remember your personality and the things that you say today carries on for you the rest of the season and then, lo and behold, you’re working on the other side.”

More than just football, Harper said he is ready to experience how great the SEC is up close.

“What really drives the SEC and college football and what separates it from the NFL is the fans, so them having that fan engagement is what I’m really looking forward to this year,” he said.