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00:00 JJ, I guess we're ready.
00:01 Oh, you guys good?
00:03 Well, I mean, another year, but is this one different?
00:07 I mean, Coach was just talking about all the hype
00:09 you've been getting.
00:11 Is this offseason been different?
00:13 Is this season different for you?
00:15 I mean, the offseason definitely looked a little bit different.
00:18 Just kind of trying to focus on ways
00:19 to honestly drown out some of the hype, noise,
00:23 whatever you want to call it.
00:24 So that was a little bit different.
00:26 And then obviously, just trying to come back
00:29 healthy from the hamstring injury
00:30 that I had in the summer.
00:31 So that was a lot of rehab and stuff like that.
00:34 And then honestly, just trying to find some ways
00:36 to improve physically, mentally, working,
00:41 got like a sleep studies, trying to get the sleep figured out.
00:44 Just trying to find ways to get better.
00:45 The season, I don't think it's honestly
00:47 too different besides the fact that for me,
00:48 it's Coach Mazey's last year.
00:49 So I know the guys really want to give him a good send off.
00:54 We know it's an important year.
00:55 We have the squad to do something cool.
00:57 So we've been working really hard to do that.
01:00 But for me, it looks pretty much the same.
01:01 We're just trying to compete and win some games.
01:03 What was the USA baseball experience like?
01:07 And did you play any other offseason baseball after that?
01:12 Yeah, so I started off at the Cape
01:14 playing for the Chatham Anglers, which was really fun.
01:17 And then I went to USA.
01:19 The USA was a pretty crazy experience,
01:20 just kind of with the level of competition that was there.
01:23 Obviously, playing with some teammates
01:27 that pretty much everybody knows,
01:28 like Jack Caglione from Florida.
01:30 Some of those guys, too, were just incredible to meet.
01:34 And then obviously, playing Team Japan in Chinese Taipei.
01:37 It's pretty cool.
01:38 The Chinese Taipei ranged anywhere from 18 to 35.
01:41 Some of them had wives and kids.
01:43 The Japanese were more our age.
01:45 So they were college kids that were kind of draft eligible.
01:48 So we got to face the number one prospect in Japan
01:50 who was going to get drafted that year, which
01:52 was really cool.
01:53 So it was just a really great experience on both ends.
01:56 From an eyeball standpoint, obviously a lot of scouts
01:59 and stuff there at the USA stuff.
02:00 How does that prepare you for this year
02:01 when you know every field you're going to go to this year,
02:04 there's going to be a lot of scouts there for you?
02:05 Yeah, for sure.
02:05 It was great preparation.
02:06 I think it was really cool.
02:08 I honestly didn't even realize how many were there
02:10 until I would see videos of highlights
02:11 that people would post later.
02:13 And you could look in the stands,
02:14 and there's just like hundreds.
02:16 And it's like, wow.
02:17 So yeah, it's great preparation.
02:18 Learning how to play in front of those guys,
02:21 it can be something.
02:21 I mean, at the end of the day, you kind of just
02:23 have to play like they're not there.
02:24 Because inherently, they don't really matter.
02:27 And you kind of just got to worry about winning games
02:28 for your team.
02:29 But it is good practice.
02:30 Because if you look into the stands,
02:32 and you see a bunch of cameras videoing you,
02:34 and people like that that you know
02:35 are judging and watching every move,
02:36 it can kind of get to you a little bit.
02:37 So having that practice was definitely good
02:39 and set me up well for the season.
02:41 How do you go into an off season after hitting 446
02:44 and say, I'm going to try to improve?
02:46 Yeah, so I think the biggest thing is, obviously,
02:50 the stats area could be hard to improve on.
02:52 But there's other areas that you can get better in.
02:53 So for me, it's obviously, like I said, physically, mentally,
02:57 just finding ways to get better.
02:58 So trying to stay healthier in all aspects,
03:00 working on a little bit better mechanics, things like that.
03:04 Just stuff that makes me feel like I am a better player.
03:06 And you never know.
03:07 Maybe the results don't replicate exactly how
03:09 it went last year.
03:09 But to me, I was kind of just having this conversation today.
03:12 It was like, I feel like I got better throughout the summer
03:15 and the fall.
03:15 So I'm definitely excited, looking forward to it.
03:17 But yeah, just focusing on the process
03:19 of trying to find a little bit ways to get better,
03:20 whatever it may be.
03:21 When is your hitting philosophy when you go up there?
03:24 It kind of depends on the pitcher.
03:26 But for me, it's pretty simple.
03:27 I'm just trying to hit a line drive with a short stops head.
03:30 For me, it helps me keep inside of the ball,
03:31 not trying to do too much, and just keep my direction.
03:34 Did you try to pull for more power this offseason
03:37 and get there?
03:38 I mean, definitely dabbled with it
03:39 to try to work on it a little bit.
03:41 But still, for me, I want to stick to my main approach.
03:44 So kind of working on a skill of pulling the ball for power.
03:47 But my approach is still kind of consistent.
03:49 At some point, Coach Mazey comes up to you and says, hey, JJ,
03:53 we're going to need you to play shortstop this year.
03:57 Kind of take me-- what were your thoughts on it?
03:59 I know you played it some in high school,
04:01 but that was a few years ago.
04:04 How's that transition been working out for you?
04:06 Yeah, I think for me, I saw it as a challenge and opportunity.
04:10 Shortstops, people think it's one of the hardest positions
04:12 to play.
04:12 And so every team needs a good shortstop.
04:15 And for me, it's opportunity to help my team win.
04:17 So Coach Maze kind of explained it to me in our entry meeting.
04:19 Like, hey, we don't really know what
04:20 the team's going to look like, but need
04:22 you to get reps at short and be ready to play there.
04:24 And that's kind of all I needed to try to work on that
04:26 and try to better myself.
04:28 If that's a spot that we have open that needs filled,
04:30 I'm gladly going to do it.
04:31 And I try very hard to do my best.
04:32 So it's been something we've been working
04:34 with our new infield coach, Coach Racinger.
04:36 So that's been a lot of fun, is just transitioning.
04:38 And yeah, kind of thinking back to my high school days
04:41 when I played there.
04:41 You played third, second, short.
04:44 If Hussey gets injured, could you play first,
04:47 maybe catcher?
04:48 First might be a little bit sketchy.
04:50 I would say after those three infield positions,
04:52 probably somewhere in the outfield.
04:54 Still trying to pitch at some point?
04:56 I know you want to.
04:56 Yeah, they won't let me.
04:58 I mean, I think--
04:59 I don't know what I'd have to do to let me do that.
05:03 It'd be a lot.
05:04 So that's still a dream of mine, for sure.
05:06 During the offseason, was there ever
05:09 thought in your mind of possibly leaving and entering
05:11 the transfer portal?
05:12 No.
05:13 Why?
05:14 There's no reason.
05:15 I mean, I came here to play baseball
05:17 and to give myself an opportunity
05:18 to play close to home with people
05:20 who took a chance on me.
05:21 And I'm good to people who have been good to me.
05:24 And the coaching staff and people here
05:26 have been nothing but amazing to me.
05:27 And they gave me exactly what I wanted.
05:28 So there's no reason to leave.
05:30 I can't imagine that stopped other schools from calling.
05:34 Maybe calling mom, dad?
05:37 No, none of that, really, honestly.
05:39 It was pretty cool.
05:40 I think they probably knew that I wasn't going anywhere.
05:43 So it was good.
05:45 Difference from your freshman year to your sophomore year,
05:48 was that just maturity?
05:50 Or did something click?
05:53 What turned you into the best player in college baseball
05:57 from there?
05:57 Yeah, I mean, I think it's a lot.
05:59 I mean, maturity is a big one.
06:00 Experience, stuff like that.
06:01 Finding ways to get better, more confidence,
06:03 working on mechanics, whatever it is.
06:06 I'm obviously a very big faith-driven person.
06:08 So I got closer to God in my relationship with that,
06:10 which was huge for me.
06:11 And just let me kind of take pressure off of myself
06:15 and focus on playing for him instead of other people.
06:17 So that was a big area that I probably
06:19 don't talk about enough.
06:19 But I mean, there's a lot of different things.
06:21 I think it's really just growth and maturity as a person.
06:24 And yeah, that's pretty much it.
06:26 Is it hard to accept what you've become?
06:28 I mean, not accept, but believe what you've become?
06:32 I mean, what I've become, I mean,
06:35 there's a lot I have to do.
06:36 I think I'm still just a college baseball player for me.
06:39 So I try not to really think about too much of what I've
06:42 done or who I am, because it's not really important.
06:44 I just got to find ways to get better and play the game.
06:46 And obviously, I have aspirations
06:48 to play professional baseball.
06:49 And I've wanted to do that as a kid.
06:50 So I'm a long way from that.
06:51 And I got a lot to get better at.
06:54 Do you think teams will--
06:56 can teams pitch around you when you're hitting leadoff?
07:00 I mean, I don't know if I'm hitting leadoff
07:02 or where I'm hitting.
07:03 So I don't know.
07:05 Can teams pitch around me?
07:06 Yeah, I guess they can try to.
07:09 But I mean, then again, they probably
07:11 don't want to walk me, because I'm a threat to steal bases.
07:14 I can end up on second, and it scores me.
07:16 They can obviously find ways to try to maybe point out
07:20 somewhere that I'm struggling with this pitch and stuff
07:22 like that, and try to really hammer that.
07:24 But I mean, it's college baseball.
07:26 So it's kind of hard for pitchers to be perfect
07:28 and stuff like that.
07:29 So I mean, at the end of the day,
07:30 they're going to have to throw me strikes,
07:31 and I'll be able to hit it.
07:32 Honestly, whether-- I'm sorry.
07:34 Go ahead.
07:35 What a team-- how they decide to approach you is up to them.
07:38 It's not up to you.
07:39 But is that a worry at all, that teams
07:41 aren't going to give you an opportunity to hit, to swing,
07:44 to swing at good pitches, to showcase your talents?
07:49 For me, it'll be a cool learning standpoint.
07:51 I think it's a big thing is if teams are kind of hesitant
07:54 to give me stuff to hit, I just got to be patient
07:56 and take the walks.
07:57 And I mean, obviously, I'm up there to do damage and hit.
07:59 And that's growth for me as a hitter,
08:01 to be able to be more patient and take a walk,
08:03 because that's going to help the team at the end of the day.
08:05 And if they're not throwing me strikes,
08:06 and they're walking me, I'll get on base.
08:08 They're going to have to throw the next guy strikes.
08:09 And I think we have the lineup to do some serious damage
08:11 if it turns into that.
08:12 If you were a pitcher, would you pitch yourself
08:15 if you didn't have to?
08:16 Yeah, for sure.
08:16 I mean, it's still baseball.
08:18 So I mean, it's hard.
08:19 We got to hit stuff that's moving fast and moving a bunch.
08:22 And you don't know what's coming.
08:23 And so it's hard.
08:25 I mean, I'm confident in my hitting abilities.
08:27 But at the end of the day, I mean,
08:28 the best way to get me out is probably
08:30 to just attack me with confidence.
08:31 I mean, I'm in there with confidence.
08:33 And you got to pitch to me with confidence
08:35 and let the better man win.
08:37 How's the team like around you?
08:38 Some new faces, some returning faces.
08:40 So what's this team going to be like?
08:43 Really good chemistry.
08:44 I think it's cool.
08:45 It's a balance.
08:45 We have more new guys than returners, which is kind
08:48 of starting to become the trend.
08:49 But we've done a really good job of finding ways
08:52 to connect outside of the field together,
08:54 building really good bonds.
08:56 I mean, this is probably one of the most selfless teams
08:58 I've been on in my career.
09:00 Everybody's rooting for each other.
09:01 There's nobody who's a bad apple.
09:03 It's just a bunch of guys coming together
09:04 to find ways to get better.
09:05 And I think the coolest thing, too,
09:07 is just having a conversation with some of the guys.
09:10 People may know that they might not have a huge role this year,
09:13 but they're super excited for the two innings
09:15 that they might get to pitch or the couple of at-bats
09:17 they might get to have.
09:18 And there's not a lot of, man, I hope my teammate does bad
09:21 so I get the chance.
09:22 It's like, we want everyone to do good.
09:23 And if that opportunity comes, they're ready to go about it.
09:26 How's the new turf?
09:27 How does it play?
09:28 Is it different from the old stuff?
09:30 Yeah, it's a lot different.
09:31 It's slower.
09:33 It's honestly been-- it's been pretty bouncy.
09:35 It's like, they say that the time frame for it
09:38 to be in its best spot is like in a year and a half
09:40 or so like that.
09:41 So I won't get to experience it, unfortunately.
09:44 But it's in a phase where it almost gets better every day
09:47 just because it's kind of settling in and breaking in.
09:51 And so it's been a little bit of a tough adjustment,
09:53 I won't lie, obviously, just because of how kind of fast
09:57 our turf used to play.
09:58 So it's a little bit slower.
10:00 The ball bounces a little bit higher.
10:01 Our last turf was kind of skippier.
10:04 But we've been trying to hammer away ground balls
10:06 and try to replicate some in-game hops
10:07 and see what will happen.
10:09 It's been a little bit of a learning curve,
10:10 but I think we should be all right.
10:12 You guys last year as a program got a pretty good taste
10:16 of success with the conference championship,
10:19 getting to the NCAAs.
10:21 But obviously, there was still some disappointment
10:24 with how the year finished.
10:25 So what's the next step, I guess?
10:28 And can this team take that next step?
10:31 For sure, yeah.
10:32 I mean, the next step is just getting to a Super, I guess.
10:35 I mean, obviously, we're a full force ahead on stats,
10:38 and that's really the only thing we're concerned about.
10:40 Because I think that's what hurt us last year,
10:42 is we were looking forward too much,
10:43 and we didn't see the Longhorns in front of us
10:45 who would kind of sweep us and take us down a bad path.
10:50 So that's the biggest thing, is kind of just staying consistent
10:53 with the theme of we have to focus on the game
10:55 that we're about to play.
10:56 We have to focus on the team that we're about to play,
10:58 and we can't look too far ahead or get too satisfied.
11:00 I think last year, it was a big thing, is winning
11:02 became a habit.
11:03 We obviously expected to win every game just by the way
11:06 that we were playing.
11:07 And we kind of took it for granted.
11:09 Like I said, we went down to Texas.
11:10 It was like, oh, we just win one game.
11:12 We're conference champions.
11:13 We're hosting a regional.
11:15 We can go to a Super.
11:16 Let's go to Omaha, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
11:18 Just thinking way too far ahead, and it got too much for us.
11:21 So that's a big area where the guys that are returners
11:23 know what that feels like.
11:24 I know what that feels like, so I can kind of help
11:26 some of the guys if we get into that situation again,
11:28 where it's like, hey, man, don't matter who we play.
11:31 We could be playing the last team in conference
11:33 in the last week.
11:34 They can beat us, so we've got to focus on them.
11:36 And that's the next step for us, is just
11:38 to finish strong, which we have the capability to do so.
11:41 So I'm definitely excited for that.
11:43 The way it all ended, did it become a motivating factor
11:45 at all in the offseason heading into this year?
11:48 For sure, yeah.
11:49 I mean, nobody wants to end the year 1 and 7,
11:50 especially after winning so many games, how we did.
11:54 So it's tough.
11:55 We don't want to experience that again.
11:57 So like I said, we've been trying
11:58 to make sure we focus on just not looking too far ahead.
12:02 And so, yeah, it's a big motivator
12:03 to kind of go out that way.
12:05 And we want to make sure it doesn't happen again.
12:07 One more about the shortstop.
12:08 I mean, for years, you had Tuck over there,
12:11 and then obviously the contributions he made.
12:13 So you're kind of taking that spot now.
12:16 So how do you break in a new second baseman
12:18 and develop a kind of relationship
12:20 that you and Tuck--
12:21 Yeah, I mean, it's tough.
12:23 I mean, Tuck was my man.
12:25 He's taught me everything, the ropes of the program,
12:27 how to play, how to be a better person,
12:29 how to be a better leader, just everything.
12:32 I learned so much from him, and I give so much credit to him.
12:35 And thankfully for me, the good part about that
12:37 is I know how he operates, and he operates the right way.
12:39 And he's taught me that, so I can teach others that.
12:42 That's the biggest thing is, honestly,
12:43 when I try to lead people, I just
12:44 try to think back to how he kind of coached me
12:46 and what he did for me.
12:47 So I don't know who's going to be up the middle with me,
12:50 but whoever it is, I know we're going
12:51 to have a great relationship, and we're
12:52 going to make a bunch of plays.
12:54 So it's tough to replace Tuck.
12:56 I don't really think you can replace Tuck, in my opinion.
12:59 But I'll do my best to kind of just transfer
13:01 on what he taught me, and hopefully that'll
13:03 just continue down the line.
13:05 We asked Randy who can make a jump kind of similar to what
13:07 you did last year from one year to the next.
13:10 He pointed out Logan Sauve.
13:11 Do you see that from him, or is there
13:12 someone else you see kind of making that jump?
13:14 Yeah, I think there's a couple people.
13:17 And Logan is definitely one of them.
13:18 I think he's had a ridiculous fall.
13:21 He was pretty much neck and neck with me
13:23 in every category hitting-wise during the fall,
13:25 which was amazing to see.
13:27 And yeah, it really did remind me of kind of what happened
13:30 to me last year in the fall.
13:31 So that was great to see.
13:32 He's gotten better offensively, defensively,
13:34 and just became calmer.
13:35 So I'm super excited to see how he does.
13:37 I think he's going to have a great year.
13:39 Igar Ellis Garcia, obviously same type
13:41 of guy who should have another great year.
13:43 I mean, he's just gotten better and better and better.
13:46 And he's trusting the process.
13:48 So he's one, too.
13:48 I think Sam White's gotten a ton better.
13:51 I mean, really just that entire sophomore class,
13:53 there's so many people who look really good.
13:55 Carson Estridge from the mound who looks really good.
13:57 Gavin Van Kempen's been working on a different arm slot, which
14:00 has been coming out really nice.
14:01 So I think there's a bunch of guys in that class who
14:04 have a chance to really improve.
14:05 We have Skylar King, who's been playing probably the best ball
14:08 with us that he's ever played.
14:10 So it's looking really good and really promising from them.
14:13 Really, just all of those guys have a chance
14:15 to kind of make a big jump.
14:16 And I'm looking forward to it.
14:18 You mentioned that Logan had a really good fall.
14:20 Obviously, you had a good fall heading into last year.
14:24 You experienced that firsthand.
14:25 So you kind of probably knew the moment it clicked for you
14:27 and things would change.
14:29 Did you see the moment or moments
14:31 where it really just changed over for Logan?
14:33 Yeah, I mean, he just started barreling up more balls.
14:37 There was more contact, less strikeouts.
14:39 And it was loud contact.
14:40 I think that was something for him last year.
14:42 I mean, he would barrel the ball every once in a while.
14:44 But I think he had some weak contact here and there.
14:45 And in the fall, it was just missile after missile.
14:48 And his exavelos were up.
14:49 His average exavelo was up.
14:50 Everything, he was just pounding the ball,
14:52 which was really great to see.
14:53 So I'm sure he noticed it.
14:55 And kind of honestly, when you're in that train,
14:58 it's like you're just playing well.
14:59 You've played well before.
15:00 So you probably don't think too much of it.
15:02 But all the guys around him were definitely like, wow,
15:04 he is smoking the ball.
15:05 So it was great.
15:08 Last year, Traxell and Ben pitched a lot of innings.
15:13 But they weren't 95, 96 kind of guys.
15:20 And the offense kind of carried, was the headlines last year.
15:23 How do you see that working out?
15:24 Because I'm thinking of guys like, you
15:26 said, Dan Kempen, Porco, Aiden.
15:29 These are guys who can bring it, 95.
15:33 So does this become more of a pitching team
15:37 this year than last year?
15:38 Or can it be as offensively driven as it was?
15:41 I mean, the aspects of the team, the breakdown of the team.
15:44 For sure, yeah.
15:45 I mean, I think it's similar.
15:47 I think we do have a little bit more, like,
15:48 the power arms that are looking like they're
15:50 going to be starters.
15:52 We're going to have some more velo.
15:54 And you never know how that works.
15:55 I mean, obviously, Traxell and Ben
15:57 did an unbelievable job last year.
15:58 And they did everything we needed them to do.
16:00 And yeah, of course, they didn't have the velo.
16:02 So we have some of that this year,
16:03 which is-- it's a cool shift for sure.
16:06 You think it'll maybe be a more dominant performance
16:10 pitching staff starting-wise, more strikeouts,
16:13 stuff like that.
16:14 You don't know.
16:14 But I mean, yeah, looking back on those guys last year,
16:16 it was great what they did for us.
16:18 So I think this year we have a chance
16:19 to just be really well-balanced on both sides of the ball,
16:22 like literally everything.
16:23 I think we have a chance to hit for a lot of power,
16:26 good average.
16:27 We should be able to steal some bases.
16:29 And then the pitching, too.
16:30 The pitching's been looking really good.
16:32 We've got a lot of good arms.
16:34 And so yeah, I think overall it's just
16:36 going to be really well-balanced.
16:37 And we'll really see how it plays out.
16:38 We might be more offensive, more pitching.
16:40 Maybe our defense shines, whatever it may be.
16:42 But it's looking like we'll be pretty well-rounded.
16:44 Obviously, you and Grant came in here together as freshmen.
16:47 And his power numbers have always been there.
16:50 Randy was saying that he's kind of cutting down
16:52 on the strikeouts.
16:53 He's become a little bit different of a hitter
16:55 this year.
16:56 Do you see that?
16:57 And how different is he now?
17:01 You've been here three years with him now.
17:03 For sure.
17:03 No, this is the best he's ever looked.
17:05 And it's pretty evident.
17:08 Strikeouts are obviously something that's going to happen.
17:10 And you can't go to the plate hoping
17:12 that you don't strike out.
17:13 You kind of just have to--
17:14 want to get a hit and barrel the ball well.
17:16 But it's something that he's noticed.
17:18 He's like, yeah, I strike out too much.
17:19 And I've heard it too much.
17:21 I want to get rid of this.
17:22 And so he's definitely put more emphasis
17:24 on making sure he makes contact, developing a better two-strike
17:27 approach, kind of just cutting down
17:29 on the big swings with two strikes,
17:31 and still trying to do damage, but hoping
17:33 that he can put the barrel to the wall.
17:34 So his contact rate has gone up, which inherently
17:37 makes him a better hitter, because he hits the ball
17:39 hard when he hits it.
17:41 So if he's hitting the ball, it's probably going far.
17:44 And it's probably hit pretty hard.
17:45 So it's been great to see.
17:47 And he looks really, really good.
17:48 You mentioned how you guys have kind of had a sense that you
17:51 want to send Coach Mazee off well.
17:53 What's he meant to you as a coach?
17:54 And what kind of-- are you guys, I don't know, on the inside,
17:57 thinking about as trying to do something big for him
18:01 in his last season?
18:02 Yeah, I mean, Coach Mazee has just
18:03 been pretty much everything you could dream of.
18:06 At a head coach position, he's been like another father to me.
18:08 And taught me so much stuff.
18:10 He just recently dropped off two pounds
18:12 of venison meat in my locker that I was able to try,
18:15 which was great.
18:16 So yeah, he's like that.
18:18 You can have a funny conversation that has nothing
18:20 to do with baseball.
18:21 You can have a conversation that has everything
18:23 to do with baseball.
18:24 And it's just a great balance.
18:25 So he means a lot to me.
18:27 He's just been a great mentor.
18:29 And he was a big reason why I came here.
18:32 And it's been everything that I've hoped for.
18:35 And yeah, I mean, we just hope to have a good year.
18:37 Obviously, we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves.
18:39 But we want to come out swinging against Stetson,
18:42 play well, and hopefully carry that into more and more wins.
18:45 So we don't want, obviously, to get too big headed.
18:49 And oh, we're going to Omaha right off the bat,
18:51 send Coach Mazee home the right way.
18:53 Obviously, yeah, do we want that?
18:54 For sure.
18:55 But we've got to focus, obviously,
18:56 on Stetson and those games that are coming right up.
18:59 So that's our main focus right now,
19:00 and just trying to win those.
19:01 This is kind of a weird question.
19:03 I apologize.
19:04 I had a time for it.
19:04 But you've already talked about what
19:07 it's going to be like playing in front of the Scouts.
19:09 And that stuff's going to be there every game.
19:12 You know that.
19:13 The other day, the press release came out
19:15 about how there's a big increase in ticket sales, season ticket
19:19 sales for baseball.
19:21 How much credit do you take for that?
19:23 And do you even think about that kind of stuff?
19:27 I mean, the way this program has really kind of jumped
19:30 since you've been here.
19:31 I mean, some of that credit has to go to you.
19:34 And I wonder if that's something that you even--
19:36 it's on your radar.
19:37 Yeah, it's definitely not something I think about.
19:39 I think it's a direct reflection on the team as a whole.
19:42 Obviously, we won a bunch of games.
19:43 If I was having the success I have and we won 10 games,
19:46 I don't think a lot of people would be coming.
19:48 So I think it just has to do with the team as a whole.
19:51 It starts with the coaching staff.
19:53 And yeah, I mean, when the coaching staff prepares us
19:55 the right way, and we have multiple players who
19:57 are playing at a high level, and the team's doing well,
20:00 I think it's something the fans will get behind.
20:02 So that's where the credit goes for sure.
20:04 Will you cook the venison yourself?
20:06 I did, yeah.
20:06 I just threw it on the grill.
20:08 But Coach Mazey had it prepped.
20:10 He vacuum sealed it, already had his seasonings in there.
20:12 So all I had to do was cut it open and throw it on the stove
20:15 and then eat it.
20:16 And it was great.
20:17 Are you a good cook?
20:19 I mean, I can cook stuff when I need to.
20:22 Obviously, our schedules are so busy
20:24 that I don't really like to go home after a six-hour day
20:27 and cook up anything too crazy.
20:29 But if I need to, I could do it.
20:31 Have you had venison before?
20:33 I had jerky.
20:34 I'd never had-- he called it venison burger,
20:37 a venison burger.
20:37 So I'd never had it like that before.
20:40 It was great.
20:41 Yeah, I think I ate like a pound and a half of it, which is cool.
20:45 If you go back to this point last year,
20:48 like all Big 12 stuff came out, and your name wasn't on it.
20:52 And now you're the preseason unanimous player
20:55 and projected to go this, that in the draft.
20:59 Has it happened fast when you kind of take it in those terms?
21:03 I mean, yeah.
21:04 I mean, I guess you could say that.
21:05 I think, yes, that was something last year.
21:07 I had my lock screen as the preseason list last year
21:10 because I wasn't on it.
21:11 And that was kind of a motivator for me.
21:14 Now that I'm on it, nothing changes for me.
21:17 I think I've had this conversation before.
21:19 That's a big example.
21:20 It's like those guys didn't believe in me
21:22 until they had no choice but to believe in me.
21:24 So you can't let them kind of dictate how you feel.
21:26 It doesn't matter if they're putting me number one here
21:28 and there and there and there.
21:30 If I don't have a good year, I'm not going
21:31 to be on those lists anymore.
21:32 So to me, it doesn't matter.
21:34 I just want to play well for the team.
21:36 And if I do so and focus on that,
21:38 the other stuff should take care of it.
21:39 It's a motivator, right?
21:40 Yeah, for sure.
21:43 Pretzel necklace back this year?
21:46 I don't know.
21:47 That's kind of like a bench thing
21:49 where if we got pretzels that day and they can craft it up,
21:52 they'll do it.
21:53 I know we have something that we'll use,
21:56 but I don't know, maybe the pretzel necklace will be back.
21:59 You guys are still kind of confined.
22:01 Props have to stay in the dugout still, right?
22:03 Yeah, or else you get suspended.
22:04 It's crazy.
22:05 Like trash.
22:06 Exactly.
22:07 Cones and stuff.
22:08 [LAUGHTER]
22:10 Any other questions?
22:13 Thank you.