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00:00 >> New season, new start to the season.
00:02 Big conclusion that maybe didn't go your way last year.
00:05 So what are we doing?
00:06 What are we working on right now as we prepare for a new change here?
00:09 >> I mean, the reality is, if we don't win the national championship,
00:14 there's a party that's gonna think it didn't go your way.
00:17 And then you have to realize even if you did win the national championship,
00:21 you have to turn the page.
00:22 It's a new year, it's a new group.
00:24 It's a combination of returners, high talented recruits, and
00:28 guys with goals and visions and dreams.
00:30 So I mean, for me, nothing changes on that front.
00:33 Where the bar is set, what we're trying to accomplish as a program.
00:39 But you gotta take a big step back, and you gotta slow down and
00:43 stick to the process.
00:44 And first weekend of scrimmages, and let's see where we're at.
00:49 >> You have so many new faces.
00:50 Logan was talking about the competition really everywhere, and that's good.
00:55 That's good, you like that, don't you?
00:56 >> Yeah, I think it first starts with the returners.
00:59 There's a lot of older returners, which is exciting for, I think,
01:02 a lot of college coaches in today's world.
01:05 But especially a college baseball coach where you just 20 rounds and
01:09 we can lose them at the age of 21, and that's their junior year usually.
01:14 So for coaching staff to have the older players,
01:18 when you go around the field and you talk about Isaac Humphrey, JT Benson,
01:23 Logan Beard, Ryan McCoy, even Eddie King now in his third year here.
01:28 Evan Webster, Caleb Corbett, Riley Phillips, the older pitching staff.
01:35 That's a good feeling.
01:37 Add in, as you mentioned, the young talent,
01:40 the couple of transfer portal guys, and Logan's right.
01:44 We got a lot of competition, which is what they need.
01:47 I've always said as an amateur, you need somebody standing next to you,
01:52 knowing that they could take your job at any moment.
01:54 That helps you become your best.
01:55 It helps each other, and
01:56 I think competition's been at the forefront of this program.
01:59 >> In 22, the message you had for
02:01 that team was kind of reset the standard for you guys in this tournament last season.
02:05 Both Logan and Carson said that you've kind of implemented that same message this
02:08 year, but it's a lot more player driven.
02:11 What have you seen out of the players from this year, and
02:14 how has that kind of impacted the team culture with both players?
02:17 I've mentioned it's a lot different than in years past.
02:19 >> Yeah, I think you're right that the players are gonna drive a message that
02:23 they feel is important to them.
02:25 This is a different spot than we were coming off,
02:30 where we just didn't finish that one year.
02:34 Last year was just bizarre.
02:36 I think you saw us at our best the first half of the year, and
02:40 we were a top ten, top 20 program, and felt like we had a chance to make a run.
02:43 And then you obviously saw us at our worst, and
02:46 I don't ever wanna just blame it on injuries, cuz as coaches,
02:49 we're responsible no matter what the reason is.
02:52 So we do go back to the drawing board, but we feel like we're in a different spot
02:56 because coming off the Super Regionals halfway through the season last year, and
03:02 now, yes, we gotta stay healthy.
03:04 I mean, there's no way around it.
03:06 The great teams have star power, their stars are healthy, and
03:10 that is part of our responsibility as our coaching staff, our training staff,
03:14 our strength and conditioning staff, we have to keep these guys healthy.
03:17 So we did tweak some things, but again, it's just stick to the process, man.
03:24 Let's just throw strikes, let's make plays,
03:28 let's allow the competition to do its course, and
03:31 let's prepare to get off to a good start.
03:33 >> You mentioned throwing strikes, the pitchers,
03:35 how do you like what you've got in the bullpen and potentially on the mound?
03:38 >> Yeah, I know Coach Williams and
03:42 our staff feel really good about the talent and the depth.
03:45 It's what that rotation is gonna look like and who the closer is gonna be, and
03:51 sometimes it's good and bad.
03:52 I've always said it's nice to go into a season and say, yep, Reed Detmers,
03:56 Bobby Miller, and Nick Bennett is our weekend rotation.
03:59 I look forward to years like that, and we'll have some years like that.
04:02 But right now, it's a lot of talented arms.
04:06 And so you feel like you have plenty of candidates to start,
04:09 especially on the weekend, and you have a handful of candidates that can close and
04:14 get the last three outs.
04:15 But at least knowing today, in January, we've got depth, we've got talent.
04:21 And as we talk about competition, we've got guys competing.
04:24 So we're gonna get their best here in the next month.
04:27 >> Dan, you've mentioned a couple times the talent and
04:29 the young talent that you have.
04:31 But with the veterans you have coming back, how difficult will it be for
04:35 that young talent to even get out there and make impact for
04:39 you because you do have so much veteran leadership?
04:42 >> Yeah, they'll get out there.
04:43 I mean, we're gonna need the freshmen, the new guys to help us.
04:48 It's our job as coaches to kinda tone down their expectation,
04:53 make sure they realize this is a process, make sure they realize this is a long
04:57 season, we'll have plenty of stories as to when Corey Ray emerged as a star,
05:03 or Nick Solak emerged as a star, or even the Reid Detmers and the Bobby Millers.
05:08 They just didn't step out day one.
05:11 Brendan McKay did something that most college baseball players don't do.
05:15 So, hey, if we got a Brendan McKay in the group,
05:18 I'll be more than happy to coach that guy.
05:21 But the reality is, again, it's a process and it takes some time.
05:25 So that's our job as coaches, but that's also the job of some of the older players
05:28 to manage the expectations of the younger guys.
05:32 And when the ball's flipped to you, run out there and get outs.
05:34 And when you get a chance to be in the lineup, compete to help this team win.
05:38 >> You also, it's kinda become a right of spring that you have a guy who redshirted
05:41 the year before, who comes out and does something that year.
05:45 Do you have a couple guys with that potential this year?
05:47 >> Well, I think it's a combination, and
05:51 we're not just talking about the year after the redshirt.
05:53 I still look at Eddie King, who even though he's a junior,
05:57 this is really his second year of playing.
05:59 Yeah, Ryan McCoy came from a junior college.
06:02 This is his second year at the Division I level in our system.
06:05 And when you study our program, it's been the second year,
06:08 has been the breakout year.
06:10 We've had our freshman All-Americans, and obviously we talk about a Brendan McKay.
06:15 But I think our program, those guys on the All-American wall,
06:19 it's been built on the jump they made from year one to year two.
06:22 And then hopefully they continue to make that jump.
06:24 So I think there's several guys that, even Isaac and Benson and
06:29 Beard, guys that redshirted that first year.
06:32 Now they're getting that third full year instead of just that second full year.
06:37 And so I think everybody's got a chance to raise their game and
06:41 take it to another level.
06:42 >> After- >> There's no secret with the ACC play
06:44 that this is gonna be a very tough conference, from top to bottom, really,
06:48 once again.
06:48 So what does it look like right now as you're prepping,
06:51 knowing that's still down the road, but in the back of these kids' minds,
06:54 that they will have to face some of the best teams in the country?
06:57 >> To me, it's exciting.
06:58 Playing at Virginia last year and looking out their outfield wall,
07:04 it dawned on me that we had the same amount of ACC championships as they had.
07:08 Great program.
07:10 I don't know how many years they've been in the league, and
07:11 I'm not here to knock them.
07:12 They're phenomenal.
07:13 But I smiled and thought, we have as many ACC championships as they have.
07:19 We've been in the league like eight years.
07:21 I have to realize, as much as we wanna win an ACC championship,
07:27 it's okay if you don't, because as you led to it, the league is loaded.
07:33 And so yes, we're gonna try to win an ACC championship, but
07:37 it doesn't mean you can't go to Omaha and
07:39 you still can't win a national championship.
07:41 As we've seen from our conference friends, it can be done.
07:46 So we just gotta not get too high, obviously, if we're rolling in the league.
07:51 But really, the key is don't get too low.
07:53 If you get beat up in this league from time to time, learn from it, grow,
07:57 bounce back, and we gotta stay out of that.
08:01 When it spiraled out of control last year, we just gotta be more consistent.
08:05 >> After the end of last season,
08:06 you utilized the transfer portal more so than you have in the past.
08:09 How has that kind of impacted this team's dynamic camaraderie culture and
08:13 all that?
08:14 >> We had to fill some holes.
08:18 And the reason it kind of spiraled out last year, right,
08:21 we just too many injuries behind the plate and to lose three catchers in a season.
08:26 It was hard to overcome that.
08:27 So I think when you talk about our transfer portal,
08:30 it starts with Luke Napleton.
08:32 We had to get an older catcher.
08:34 Love our young guys, Deerling and Klein and some of the new guys we brought in.
08:38 But you can't be in a situation where we just run out of catching.
08:42 I mean, it's just bizarre.
08:43 It's like running out of quarterbacks.
08:45 You just, how are you gonna win if you lose at certain positions?
08:49 And so it started with Luke.
08:52 Then we wanted to get a middle infielder and we got Dylan Hoy.
08:56 And then of course, we got some star power on the mound,
08:58 two older pitchers that only add to our pitching depth.
09:02 And so I think we did a nice job in the transfer portal.
09:06 But again, where we're at, it's gonna come from the returners and
09:09 the development of the new guys.
09:11 >> And speaking of Hoy, what does it say about him knowing that he's a grad
09:14 transfer, but he's someone that was elected as a team captain?
09:17 >> That's impressive.
09:18 I've had a few sophomore captains over the years.
09:21 So they went through a tough freshman year.
09:23 They were voted, but that means they've been here like a year and a half.
09:26 This guy was voted a team captain.
09:28 He'd been here like four months.
09:30 It's impressive, cuz I hold a lot of clout as to how the players feel
09:35 about each other, like I always say, you can't fool your teammates.
09:39 They're with you, it seems like 24/7, roommates in the locker room,
09:43 in the weight room.
09:44 And so it's impressive how much respect he got.
09:48 And so I feel very fortunate and blessed that we picked up not only talented kids,
09:54 but obviously respected, good, hardworking kids.
09:58 >> How are you health-wise?
09:59 Now, you mentioned the two catchers,
10:00 you mentioned the young catchers that were injured last year.
10:02 How are you health-wise going into this official start of practice?
10:06 >> Yeah, we're heading in the right direction.
10:08 We don't have 100% healthy.
10:11 We might have a guy or two out for the year from lingering injuries from
10:15 the summer or whatever, but that was obvious.
10:18 Those two catchers are working their way back in Klein and Veerling.
10:23 They're not 100% yet, but they're getting there.
10:26 Noah Bush was a talented transfer arm that we're 50/50.
10:31 Will he be ready to go this spring or not?
10:33 We'll see.
10:34 But Carson Liggett is coming off the hip, and we feel like he'll be 100%.
10:39 Raleigh Phillips coming off some issues, we feel like he'll be 100%.
10:43 So guys that maybe haven't been 100% the past few years, they are today.
10:47 But I can tell you as a coach, I lose sleep or
10:52 I feel like it's my responsibility to prepare for the end.
10:55 That's what was so frustrating about last year.
10:57 I always feel like I have a backup shortstop.
11:00 I always feel like if this guy goes down, we can still win a national championship.
11:04 I have to be prepared.
11:06 That's what really frustrated me last year.
11:08 We had, and I was playing three catchers.
11:11 I don't just play one guy.
11:13 And hey, for schools that can do it, good for them.
11:16 But I always think if that guy goes down, your season's over.
11:19 I mean, we've always played multiple catchers.
11:21 Will Smith was here, when Henry Davis was here,
11:23 when Dalton Rushing caught 50% of the time.
11:26 When he was the first pick of the Dodgers that year.
11:28 So this year I have to be even more prepared that when guys go down,
11:34 let's make sure we got guys ready to step in.
11:36 >> You have so many guys, a couple transfer portal, the freshmen,
11:40 almost 50% of your roster is new.
11:41 How well are they meshing together off the field as well?
11:45 Obviously that's important as well.
11:46 >> And it's partly our job as coaches.
11:49 What we do as a program, we talk about culture, we talk about connection.
11:53 All the things we set up throughout the fall and the winter.
11:56 But that's also the responsibility of the players.
11:58 And we encourage them, we coach them.
12:01 You gotta grab these younger guys and connect to them.
12:04 Thankfully this year, our four year cycle was up and
12:07 we were able to take the team to the Dominican Republic.
12:09 So it couldn't happen at a better time in our program with guys coming out of
12:14 the transfer portal, coming off a tough year.
12:17 Perspective, maturity, growth, wisdom, there's a lot you can gain.
12:21 As I've learned from taking our team to the Dominican, I look at those old pictures
12:25 and all the current big leaguers that went to the Dominican over the years with us.
12:29 So I think that helped us a lot in a lot of fronts.
12:33 >> What do you think of Juan Soto to the Yankees?
12:35 >> [LAUGH] As a baseball guy, we need pitching, right?
12:41 So you gotta help Garrett Cole.
12:43 I like Juan Soto, but if you don't get pitching, it's gonna be hard to
12:47 succeed at the level the Yankees expect to be at.
12:51 >> [LAUGH]