Golloway Sits Down with SoonerSports.com

Feb. 4, 2011

NORMAN, Okla. -- The 2011 baseball season is two weeks away, and SoonerSports.com and head coach Sunny Golloway recently sat down to discuss some of the issues heading into the campaign. Golloway is in his sixth full season at the helm of the OU program and ranks No. 15 among active coaches with a .671 winning percentage (555-272-1).

Oklahoma enters the year ranked No. 5 in the preseason by Baseball America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association.

The Sooners open the 2011 campaign with a nine-game home stand, beginning on Friday, Feb. 18. OU will host William & Mary for the first time in program history and battle the Tribe in a four-game series (doubleheader Saturday).

Fans can purchase season tickets at the OU Athletics Ticket Office or by calling 800-456-GoOU.

Golloway and some of the OU coaches were recently interviewed by ESPN.com, as part of their "Inside the Program" feature on the Sooners. Each month throughout the 2011 season, ESPN.com will provide fans with an inside look on how an elite program functions on a daily basis.

Stay tuned to SoonerSports.com for a two-part season preview and coverage of media day.

What are some of this club's strengths?

"Depth and experience are the obvious ones and they have been discussed throughout the offseason. What maybe hasn't been talked about is the team chemistry. I have not been around a club with better chemistry in my 20 years of collegiate coaching. And I can say that, now, before we even play a game in the spring because it's not going to change. I've seen it during the fall, and I have saw it when they reported back in January and throughout all the team practices."

What are some of the team's weaknesses?

"I think it's the middle infield, which is something we discussed last year as well. When you have to replace your second baseman and shortstop in the same year, its going to be a question mark, and that was the case a year ago too. You build a team from the inside out and we have two talented players in Max White (2B) and Jack Mayfield (SS) in place to fill those roles. We just have to get that experience early on and build up their confidence. Once Caleb Bushyhead (ACL injury) returns, we will be pretty deep in those middle infield positions."

Who was the biggest surprise this fall?

"I am not sure that it's a shock to anyone inside the program, but it might surprise some outsiders how good of an infielder that Max White is. He is a tremendous athlete and we recruited him originally as an infielder from Durant. He gained a lot of experience last year in the outfield and was a Freshman All-American. He knows how to hit in one of the toughest conferences in the nation and already has experienced a deep postseason run. I think it will be fun for Sooner fans to really see how athletic Max can be. He is a guy that can play nearly any position and he could see some time on the mound."

Who do you expect out of this recruiting class to have the biggest impact?

"I think without a doubt it has to be Burch Smith and that is because he is one of the few newcomers that will start right off the bat. I think everyone, including the coaches, are excited to see him take the mound. He was impressive in the fall and is a guy with Friday-night stuff. He will start off the year in our No. 3 spot, but we expect him to push Bobby (Shore) and Michael (Rocha), as he has the ability to pitch anywhere in our rotation. He runs it up there about 93, 94 on a consistent basis. He has a high ceiling and has already been drafted twice in his career, so you know he is talented."

You made it back to the CWS, how does this program take the next step?

"Maintaining that excellence is the challenge. What I believe will benefit us the most this season is the fact that we no longer have to sell the idea of getting back to the College World Series. For the past six years, I have been talking to players, coaches and support staff about how special it is to make it to Omaha. Now that we have made it back, these returning players know that feeling. They have been there and done that, and now they are hungry for more. We've kicked the door down, now we have to take the next step and win the whole thing. We believe we had the talent last year to win it all. We defeated South Carolina, the National Champion, in game one and nearly eliminated them in our final game. This team has the experience, the depth, the leadership and the talent to win a championship. We just have to take care of our business and to get back to Omaha."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Golloway Sits Down with SoonerSports.com

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