2011 Media Day Quotes

Feb.16, 2011

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Head Coach Sunny Golloway
Opening Comments:
"Were excited to get started, I think that's a general statement every year. I clearly understand the excitement and the buzz around the program right now, with the high preseason rankings and a lot of quality student-athletes returning to represent the University of Oklahoma. It's a luxury that we have with all the returning players and the experience we got last year, even though our hearts were broken, and even though we wanted more last year, I think it's left a taste in our players mouths and our program to get back to Omaha and accomplish our goal of winning a National Championship.

"So we've made great strides in a very short time, but it's not the goal were looking for, were looking for a national championship and were looking for winning a Big 12 Championship, which has eluded this program. So there are some lofty goals and I think a lot has been made with the interviews and the conversations that I've had about us being the hunted and I don't see that as being any different. To be honest, every year when we start in this clubhouse, there are awful high expectations of the student-athletes and of the coaching staff and I don't see that changing. We have honestly believed every year that we could win a Big 12 Championship, we could get to Omaha and we could compete for a national championship. We fully understand, and I think with our experience back in the 90's and the luxury of being an assistant coach here when we won a national championship, that you have to get lucky, you have to get breaks and get some calls to win a championship. But really what we control is giving ourselves the best opportunity to go out and get a bid and host a regional and super regional and make the road to Omaha through Norman, Oklahoma. That's what our goal will be this year, along with winning a Big 12 title and getting back to the new ballpark (in Omaha)."

On what Burch Smith brings to an experienced pitching rotation:
"Burch gives us a little bit of a different look I think. When you think about some of the quality starters on the mound we have coming back, you think of Michael Rocha and Bobby Shore, those guys are terrific and have gotten a lot of experience, especially Rocha. I can remember four years ago we started him the second weekend of the year in Minute Maid Park and he throws a shutout against the University of Tennessee in a big ball game. It seems like the time passed so quickly with him in our program. He's an experienced guy and he's going to go out and throw game one and start as our Friday night guy and I think Bobby's going to have something to say about that as the season goes. It's going to be a challenge between both of them I think, and between some of the other quality arms we have.

"When you think of Burch, he's different. He's taller, the ball comes out at a different angle, not that the first two guys don't have some velocity on their fast ball, but that's what Burch is going to live with, the fastball in and away. He's got a power breaking ball, it's just a little bit different look, although it's a right handed look. We've got some quality left handers that we can go to if one of those pushes through to make the rotation, but he's (Burch) still an awful good number three. We've got four games this weekend so were going to roll out four starters the first weekend."

On how this preseason has been different than those in the past:
"I think it's been different maybe even more so for the coaching staff than the players. They're going to be able to answer the question as you talk to them. But there's been a few times so far this year where we've had to push them a little bit harder, that we want there to be a sense of urgency in our program each and every year to get certain things done before we have opening day. As we go through the season, it's a work in progress. You don't want to be your best early on, everybody understands peaking at the right time and South Carolina proved that to win a national championship. They were playing the best baseball right at the end of the year and I thought we were right there with them, without a few breaks.

"This year we've had to push a little bit harder, to be honest with you. We've got veterans and we've tried to be very cautious about getting on to the club about certain things because you don't want to fall on deaf ears. You've got some guys that return that you have an awful lot of confidence in and you've got some guys that you feel like you need to push a little more. I think to be wise about it, you need to utilize practice and intrasquads. However, then there are times that you need to take a deep breath and understand that the game of baseball is going to do the rest of the teaching and even though there may be stumbles along the way, there are going to be learning opportunities. I told our players that we are going to be a club that has enough maturity that's still going to be able to secure a victory each and every day, but understand we're playing the best baseball that we can at this moment and I think we do."

On how he feels about the new bats and timing rules:
"Well the clock's going to be interesting. We've kind of turned the coaches loose on that, letting them call ball one or strike on in an intrasquad based on how quick were getting up there and I'm going to let the games kind of figure it out. To be honest with you, if I'm going to the plate and I'm dragging a little bit and they say `Okay strike one' I'm going to say okay I was probably going to take the pitch anyway before the strike. I'm not going to let that bother me and I don't want our athletes to and then we'll adjust if we need to. We play at a pretty quick pace anyway, we like that and I like that part of it, it's going to speed the game up as far as sitting and watching the baseball game. But I don't like that fact that maybe our catcher makes the last out, so one of our catchers has got to rush around and hurry up and get out there, so we don't get ball one because our pitcher's not ready to go. That will be a little concern and we'll learn that as we go. I'm sure they're going to this year teach the student-athletes early on instead of hitting you very hard, we'll see how that goes.

As far as the bat, a lot has been made about the bat. We haven't talked about it much within our program and it's real simple, we want our athletes to go out and they'll figure out if the bat makes a difference for them. I haven't seen it in intrasquads, it seems like the guys that can hit home runs have been hitting home runs and the little guys that need to bunt or set the table are still able to do it. If it's protecting the pitcher, I'm in favor of it. If it's hurting the excitement of the game, then I won't be. Were going into this first year and it's across the board, and I know in the past there has been some concern if one bat is hotter than the other. Those concerns are gone and to me. We're all utilizing the same bat and know that it's an even playing field. I like that a lot better."

On the biggest thing he has seen change since returning from Omaha:
"Attitude, without question. You know, you used to have to go come into the clubhouse and pull out the rope (from 1994) and we'd talk about '94 and the '95 team. Garrett Buechele has been here for four years and I'm sure he's like `Okay enough, I don't want to disrespect the rope but that was '94.' And how old was he in '94? I don't have to come into the clubhouse anymore and talk about Omaha, they can all talk about Omaha. I probably went to bed a lot earlier than these guys, so they've got a lot more experience in Omaha and all of their stories. So we've been there and done that and they're able to tell the new student-athletes that come in. Burch Smith is able to talk to Bobby Shore and he's able to talk to Michael Rocha about what it's like to be able to be on the mound at Rosenblatt. Now it's going to be at Ameritrade Field, but still in Omaha and how you deal with the emotions and everything that goes on. I think that's really what you have to have and you see programs that continue to go back to Omaha because of that very factor. We've talked about it and preached about it and tried to make our student athletes understand it. Now we don't have to talk about it anymore, that's simply what has changed the most. Our players expect great things, they expect to get back to Omaha. We don't have to talk about it. They've got it all around them all the time and I think our attitude has changed, and that has taken a lot of quality people to get involved and worked really hard to get that changed."

On the returning lineup:
"We were going through our lineup the other day and I think it was Coach (Mike) Bell who said it best one side when we were running our No. 1's against our 2's. We had Max White hitting in the seven hole and then the next day we had him in the lead off. We're just trying to mess with our lineup a little bit, were talking about a returning freshman All-American who hit an awful lot of home runs last year and that speaks to the strength of our lineup. But again, you can roll out a lot of guys. You think about Cody Reine at the plate, then Tyler Ogle's at the plate and you've got Buechele and Max (White) and Cam Seitzer. We've got a lot of great hitters in our lineup, no question. We've got to have people that can get on base, we've to get people to do their job. We've got to have some that are at the eight or nine to help turn the lineup over and have guys that are at the one or two that can really run the bases and get on consistently. We were talking about great lead-off hitters in our program, Jamie Johnson ... outstanding, and you think about Chuckie Caufield. We want somebody to get in that leadoff spot and really take a hold of it, who says `that this is a pride factor and I really want people to remember me for years to come.' A guy who's just got a lot of grit, who's going to get dirty every day and find a way. It takes a special mentality to be that guy at the one and two. We have candidates, physically we've got great candidates. But from the mental aspect it's something that's got to happen and that lineups going to find a way to figure it out. I joked all the time last year, Cody Reine wasn't in the lineup for the first month and a half and I think a lot of people could have easily criticized his coach for not having him in the lineup, but it speaks volumes for our program to just continuing to develop. It's not about where you start, even though we have some lofty rankings right now it's really going to be about where we finish and it's the same thing for the student-athletes. It's how they start and where they finish and how good they can develop and play as a team as we go on our journey to Omaha."
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Junior 3B Garrett Buechele
On coming back for the 2011 season:
"I just decided, subconsciously right after Omaha, since we didn't win, I need to come back. Personally, I just had this empty feeling after we didn't win it (National Championship) last year. I know a bunch of guys on the team did too. After that happened, and unless the majors threw a crazy bunch of money at me, I was coming back to be a Sooner."

On the middle infielders:
"It really doesn't matter who we put out there. We have the athletes who can fill those roles everyday. That's what is great about our program. Anybody can go down. I mean our starting shortstop from Omaha last year went down and our team's not going to miss a beat. That's something that's really special about this baseball team."

On the progression of this team since he's been here:
"I think the major thing that's changed about this program, since I got here as a freshman four years ago, is the attitude ... the sense of winning. It's not a `are we going to win,' it's a `we're going to win this ballgame.' I wouldn't say it's a overconfidence, but it's a swagger we have over other teams. It's something we know what we're capable of and we know we're going to go out there and do it."

Sophomore 2B Max White
On the newcomers being prepared:
"I think the mindsets of the newcomers. It wasn't easy getting there [to Omaha]. They just need to know we need to work hard throughout the season to get to the postseason and get back."

On if he has a mental edge with the new bats after a strong batting season last year:
"There hasn't been so far. The main thing I've thought about is the average. Some balls are going to fall in the gaps that wouldn't really fall with the old bats. In some intersquads, I've seen some guys hit the ball really hard and fall just short of the fence, but got base hits. I think the averages will go up, and the home runs will stay the same, it's not really a factor."

Junior C Tyler Ogle
On who is emerging as the bridge-the-gap pitcher:
"Just from the bullpen, I really like what Tyson Seng has to offer. I don't know who's going to be the guy; I have no idea who is going to fill that gap come Big 12, but just from me being back there, I really like Tyson's stuff. It has a lot of movement and he can run it up to 88-90, a lot of stuff that Jeremy Erben had. So hopefully he's the guy."

On Michael Rocha and Bobby Shore:
"They're great. Rocha and I have been working on spotting up. Everyone talks about his blow-up innings, and we're trying to minimize those. And Bobby Shore is just lights out. Hopefully, he can keep his stuff where it's at the whole year."

Junior OF Cody Reine
On the new bats and time clock:
"With the bats, I don't see that much of a difference. We still hit the ball hard and we're still going to hit the ball out of the yard when the season comes around. Speeding up the game wise, I really don't like it as a player because it doesn't give you the same time to focus. There's no time to really settle in and watch the pitcher. It's always just rush, rush, rush."

On his late surge last season and bringing it to this season:
"You know, last season was last season. [We] try to move forward. It's great being able to come back this year knowing what I did last year. Being able to stay focus and not having to stress and worry about it as much as I did last year coming in as a new guy. This year I have a little more luxury being able to return from Omaha last year. It's not as much pressure."

Junior RHP Bobby Shore
On the pressure of the preseason ranking:
"It's what we want. We want the pressure. We want to be a top five team. We want to be up there because that's what this university is about. We want to be the big program, the one with the championships. We're going to keep working hard and stay hungry. This is a great group of guys that get along well. It's going to be a lot of fun."

On the new pitchers this season:
"I think the pitching staff is very talented. We have the returners, that you all know about, and the new guys who have good, live arms. The freshman class is really good and the junior college class is good and they're going to help contribute. Burch Smith has a great, live arm and he can go out and dominate a game. Even guys like Jordan John, who's a red-shirt freshman, can come in and do a good job. Dillon Overton (freshman) has a strong arm as a lefty. There is a lot of talent in the new pitchers."

Junior 1B Cameron Seitzer
On starting the 2011 season:
"We don't want to have that feeling again, where we just fall short in Omaha, so everybody's been going hard. Practices have been great. Intersquads have been great. Everybody's just really aggressive and playing really hard."

On the buzz around Norman about OU baseball:
Last year, nobody before the season was like, `Oh, Oklahoma baseball is back,' and ever since we made a name for ourselves, making it to Omaha last year, everyone's excited. You go into a restaurant and everybody knows who you are because they saw you on ESPN and stuff. It's a great feeling knowing that we are going to have that support. So it's a lot of fun."

On the lineup:
"Our lineup this year, we brought back almost everybody starting wise. In the lineup you got Boosh (Buechele) hitting three hole and then four, five, six, seven, eight, are all guys that hit almost 10-plus bombs (homers) last year. We got a lot of thunder in the lineup. No pitcher should be at ease facing us."

Junior OF Chris Ellison
On backing down from expectations:
"We don't take last year for granted. We understand it was a blessing for us to make it to the College World Series. This year is really just a new year. There are over 300 Division I teams and we all start with a 0-0 record. We are just really looking forward to start, take one game at a time, and hopefully get back there and when a national title this year."

On being complacent after last season:
"We don't read too much about that kind of stuff. We are a hungry club and we are really humble about last season. This year everyone knows what they want. Everyone knows what Omaha is like. I think that's just going to push us harder. This past fall, we had a great fall. Guys were really working hard. We won't settle for anything less.

Senior OF Elliott Blair
On the newcomers:
"They come in and those freshmen and juco transfers, they're eager to get in and get going and they want to join an elite program like OU. So we just take them under the wing you know, show them the ropes. Kind of let them know what's expected of them, where to be, and what to do, and how to handle themselves as an OU baseball player. It comes pretty easy. It's all about team chemistry and I feel like we have really good chemistry this year and everybody's had a lot of fun together. We push each other every day. It makes it a lot of fun."

On stressing importance of academics to newcomers:
"The academic side of being a student athlete is extremely important. If you can't pass your classes you can't play and if you're not doing well it in one class, it can cause a distraction on the field. So yeah, we definitely have a great academic support staff that does a great job making sure we stay on track to graduate and get out grades. We have study hall hours and all that stuff, but it's a concern and we definitely talk about it and let them know how to study for this, how to study for that. Really, as long as you put forth effort, and they learn that, it just comes natural. It comes easy.

Junior RHP Michael Rocha
On the coaches keeping everyone motivated:
"Sometimes we need that push. We can't just rely on what have and what we've done in the past. It's a different year. That was last year. Now it's this year. We start right there at the beginning with every other team. We all have the same goals, so if we sit there and relax, we're never going to get there. The fact he [Coach Golloway] does push us, that keeps us hungry and keeps us going. It keeps us working very hard. I think it's a good thing."

On the high preseason ranking:
"It's definitely a good feeling when you see that number in front of Oklahoma, but you have to remember it's just a number and baseball is baseball, and anybody can do anything. The number one team can lose to the worst team in the country. That's the way this game is built and we have to remember that. It's just a number. We have to play baseball."

Junior SS Caleb Bushyhead:
On Sunny Golloway as a coach:
"First of all, it obviously starts with the players he brings in and the recruiting coordinator here in Tim Tadlock. He does as good of a job as anybody in the nation does by getting the right players in that can do it and then by pressing us to be a team together. We're like family here in this locker room. A bunch of us live together in the apartments. We really mesh together well. He just pushes us to be that family and be a team. We do everything as a team. We have the good, the bad, the mediocre; we have everything as a team. That keeps us right there and he's always making sure. He's always making sure we're together."

On the recovery of his ACL injury:

"The knee is feeling great. It's coming along as good as it possibly could. It's been tough at times but honestly, I have been really driven to work hard to come back for this season."

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