Up next in 10
#UNC baseball coach Scott Forbes fall ball press conference
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0:00
you doing?
0:01
>> Great to see everybody. Um, I guess
0:03
obviously I'll start by thanking you for
0:06
being here. Thank you for the interest.
0:07
College baseball is booming. It's
0:08
awesome to see, especially Carolina
0:10
baseball. The support has been
0:12
tremendous. Um, we're so excited about
0:15
that for our players. It's what they
0:17
deserve. Uh, people are so excited about
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it. Uh, obviously last season was great.
0:22
Our guys took us on a great ride. That
0:24
season's over. Uh, so now we're starting
0:26
new and, uh, we've been getting after it
0:28
in the fall. started class I think
0:30
August 17th I think was the date. Uh we
0:33
did three weeks of small group and now
0:35
we're in our team. We've already
0:36
scrimmaged twice this week. We're going
0:37
to scrimmage tomorrow and then play
0:40
Charlotte uh Friday and Charlotte on
0:43
Saturday. Uh great group. Uh they've
0:45
been getting after it. It's been really
0:46
hot. Uh but that's okay. Our guys have
0:49
uh made strides already. An exciting
0:52
group that our staff did a great job
0:54
recruiting uh and getting here on
0:57
campus. Uh, so I'm excited to keep
0:59
working with him.
1:01
>> You last season pretty much the the
1:03
staff was pitchers that you brought in
1:06
from high school with a couple of
1:08
exceptions, chewy game, but in the
1:10
transfer portal, you brought in a lot of
1:12
pitchers. Can you talk about that shift?
1:15
>> Yeah, you know, I don't know if I would
1:16
call it a shift. We tried to bring in
1:18
some last year. Um, unfortunately, we
1:21
didn't win those battles in the
1:22
recruiting. Uh, I think they could have
1:24
helped us. I know that may sound crazy
1:26
because we played in the national
1:27
championship, but you're always looking
1:28
for ways to get better and deeper. Um, I
1:32
don't care where the players come from.
1:33
I just want the best players to give us
1:35
a chance to have the best team. The
1:37
transfer portal is a re real thing now
1:39
and you can't ignore it. Uh, we still
1:42
want to get the best high school
1:43
players, pitchers, and position players,
1:45
but we're more high schoolheavy probably
1:48
in pitchers if at all possible. Um, but
1:50
again, uh, Vance Honeyut was a high
1:52
school player and I'd love to have nine
1:54
Vance Honeyuts roaming around there. Um,
1:57
but this year we just felt like with
1:58
what we lost, we needed to get some guys
2:01
off the portal. We also brought in some
2:03
really talented high school pitchers as
2:05
well, but uh, you know, we just thought
2:08
that would be important and we feel like
2:10
we landed some big ones uh, and we're
2:12
excited about them.
2:13
>> Scott, how much harder is it now in
2:14
recruiting? I mean, you know, 10 years
2:16
ago, you're recruiting a high school
2:18
shortstop in Texas and now you're
2:20
recruiting, you know, shortstop in plays
2:22
at a community college in Iowa. I mean,
2:24
how how different has everything changed
2:25
the landscape?
2:26
>> Yeah, it's definitely changed. I was
2:27
actually at the Carolina Leadership
2:29
Academy, which was awesome. And uh I was
2:31
extremely humbled to be their guest
2:33
speaker, but I didn't really speak. I
2:35
more answered questions, and that was a
2:36
lot of the questions. You know, how you
2:38
managing this new world of the transfer
2:40
portal, NIL. Um, you know, you have to
2:43
really work hard with your staff when it
2:45
comes to recruiting and trying to put
2:46
the best team together of managing both.
2:50
Uh, but it is difficult. You know, they
2:53
need to change the windows. You're in
2:54
Omaha. I'm on the phone the whole time
2:56
walking. I put my headphones in and
2:58
usually talk to a kid off the transfer
3:00
portal. But I'm also thankful that I did
3:03
because Joey Ruer and Jimmy Vorhees and
3:05
all these other guys that transferred in
3:07
here are dang good. Um
3:09
but you know you have to shrink some
3:12
classes and the number is going to be a
3:14
hard 34 in time for all of us. The DSAs
3:17
eventually uh will go away. Uh so you
3:21
know it's just a balancing act and it's
3:22
much more difficult but it's also you
3:25
have to be positive with it and
3:26
understand that uh on the reverse side
3:28
of that you are getting at times if you
3:30
can balance them together the ultra
3:32
talented high school player with the
3:35
transfer that's played a lot maybe a
3:37
little bit more physical and stronger uh
3:39
you can have a really good team. Scott
3:41
in 2025, you had to mentally transition
3:44
out of that season pretty quickly
3:45
because you were hosting Jake Schaffer
3:46
for that official visit the day after
3:49
with this year. When did when did you
3:50
sort of mentally turn the page from 2026
3:53
into 2027?
3:54
>> Uh, you know, I I'm probably too guilty
3:57
of turning the page too quick no matter
4:00
what. Um, I've brainwashed myself. I
4:02
think some of the players Owen said last
4:04
year, "Coach, I feel like you brainwash
4:05
us. We're so processoriented." Um, but I
4:08
try to do the same thing either way. If
4:09
we'd have won it, which we wanted to do,
4:11
maybe I celebrate a little more because
4:14
the bell tower would have been lit. We
4:16
would have had maybe a parade and a
4:17
party. But the next morning, if you
4:20
celebrate too long, you're just not
4:21
going to have a good team the next year.
4:22
It is what it is. If anything, my brain
4:25
just just thinks about wanting to do it
4:27
again and get back and do it again. Even
4:29
if we'd have won a national championship
4:31
or even if we' have won three in a row,
4:33
I feel like you have to have the same
4:34
mindset. So, turned the page quickly. uh
4:37
went to work, had visits, uh exit
4:39
meetings, um figuring out how can we
4:41
have the same experience potentially
4:45
um in the 2027
4:48
season,
4:49
>> obviously losing all your your
4:50
production from behind the plate this
4:52
past year. What have you seen from the
4:53
two new faces in and Derek and and Devin
4:56
so far throughout the fall?
4:57
>> Yeah, that's such an important position
4:58
as we all know and we put such a big
5:00
emphasis on it. Um, you know, and we we
5:03
always want to have a Luke Stevenson,
5:06
um, that type of catcher. Uh, but
5:08
sometimes you can't land those guys out
5:09
of high school, and that's where the
5:10
port the portal can help. Uh, we start
5:13
with the defensive side of the ball
5:16
first, and the hitting is a bonus. And
5:18
we feel like both those guys, uh,
5:20
Russell and Houston, you know, they got
5:22
different backgrounds, but they're
5:23
managing each other well. Um, they're
5:25
working really hard. Uh, you know,
5:28
they've gotten better already. Having
5:30
Brandon Marano officially on the staff
5:32
and officially as our catching coach has
5:34
also been vital to for us. Uh Bla1
5:36
Johnson is our third catcher. He's
5:37
gotten a lot better already, but they
5:39
have big shoes to fill. Um but at the
5:41
end of the day, they know the value of
5:43
their top priority is being able to
5:45
handle these elite arms and work their
5:46
tails off defensively. Uh they're both
5:49
strong. They'll be to bring us some
5:50
offense, but so far it's it's it's going
5:52
well. They do have a long ways to go. Uh
5:55
but we don't play, you know, until
5:56
February. And I think uh with Bart and
5:59
the coaching, I think they'll be ready.
6:01
>> How do you blend getting guys work
6:04
versus keeping guys that you know what
6:08
they can do versus getting the new guys
6:10
as much work as possible, especially on
6:12
the mound.
6:13
>> Yeah. Um you know, it's all about the
6:16
development side and our goal is, you
6:17
know, we always are trying to play our
6:19
best at the end, but you also have to be
6:22
ready and you know the importance of
6:23
that first weekend series against
6:25
Xavier. That's who we open up with.
6:26
They're really good and we're gonna have
6:28
to have our guys our guys ready. But
6:30
there is things that are known. You
6:31
know, you know what Gavin can do. Uh but
6:34
there is a challenge. Hey Gavin, we got
6:35
to get better in this area. Paulson, we
6:37
got to get better in this area. Cooper,
6:38
we have to get better better in this
6:40
area. Uh but you also are hoping, Tommy,
6:42
that you brought in enough talented
6:43
players where they even feel a little
6:46
bit of heat. That's my goal. I don't
6:47
care what you've done. Uh Dustin Ackley
6:49
rolled in here and he got 115 hits or
6:51
whatever he got his freshman year. If we
6:52
can get one of those guys, I'm gonna put
6:54
them in the lineup. Uh but you know, you
6:57
do our coaches, they they we meet every
7:00
morning. We work really hard on on
7:02
strategically organizing practices just
7:05
to maximize these guys potential. Um and
7:08
you do have new players. We have four
7:09
new high school players and transfer
7:11
portal players. But these guys are
7:12
pretty advanced and sometimes it's
7:14
really good for them to be in a group
7:16
with Gavin. Uh but you want to try to
7:18
get them. A great example is in the
7:21
scrimmage tomorrow, I'll hit more of the
7:22
newer guys in the top five or six of the
7:24
order and Gavin the other day was
7:26
hitting in the nine hole. I don't think
7:28
Gavin's going to hit in the nine hole
7:30
when we open the season, but I have a
7:32
good idea of what I'm going to get from
7:33
Gavin and I want to see how much better
7:35
he can get defensively if he plays
7:38
shorts stop. Uh so that's kind of what
7:39
you know our approach.
7:41
>> Same on the pitching round. Yeah, with
7:43
the transfers and the new guys coming
7:44
in, you know what Globe's going to give
7:46
you and Jackson and Ber maybe. How do
7:49
you get that work and balance that out
7:51
to make sure the new guys are up to
7:52
speed?
7:53
>> Yeah, there workload has a lot to do
7:55
with it. You know, we just I just had a
7:56
high school kid visit that's that
7:58
committed to us and I asked him how many
7:59
innings did you pitch last year and he
8:01
said 85. And I was like, holy Moses,
8:03
that's a lot of innings. We need to talk
8:05
about your innings. Uh but so we look at
8:07
the innings first, figure out who needs
8:09
to be shut down longer than others, even
8:11
if it's a someone coming in off the
8:13
portal. Coach Gains and Coach How do a
8:15
great job with that. Uh, but a great
8:17
example is Foldier Boaz, Walker McDuffy,
8:20
Jackson Rose, Kaden Glower. They're not
8:22
even going to pitch against Charlotte in
8:23
those two nine inning games. That's more
8:25
productive their first outing is going
8:27
to be tomorrow. Um, and we want to see
8:29
what these new guys are going to do uh
8:31
with another uniform.
8:33
um and see if they're able to carry over
8:36
potentially what they've done in a
8:37
scrimmage because no matter what it is
8:39
different when you see another uniform
8:41
and they need to get used to our system
8:42
cuz we do certain things here
8:44
controlling the running game uh
8:45
defending the bunt whatever it is. So,
8:48
you know, my goal is that the newer guys
8:50
have a little more workload, but it's
8:51
also important. The great thing is if
8:53
you have talented new players,
8:56
if you're a competitor, you know,
8:58
obviously Kaden Glowber's tremendous,
9:00
but that year's over, just like I told
9:02
him, you know, in your mind, if you
9:03
think you're just automatically the
9:05
Friday night starter, you better change
9:07
your mind because a guy like Jimmy
9:09
Bourhees who goes out there his first
9:10
outing and is 92 95 with three pitches,
9:13
he wants the same thing you want. So
9:14
competition ends up being the best
9:15
thing. coach,
9:16
>> how valuable when you go into the portal
9:18
is it that you've had Jake come in one
9:20
season and leave as a first round draft
9:23
choice
9:24
>> particularly with regard to Scowski I
9:26
mean feeling his position and can you
9:28
tell me more about him we've heard a lot
9:30
about his versatility
9:31
>> yeah definitely um it's you know the
9:33
proof's there all the way back to Kane
9:35
Keley you know Alex Madera played every
9:37
day this year in double A didn't even
9:40
get drafted free agent uh you know the
9:43
players we've brought in Shay Sprag
9:45
there's There's a pitcher that came in
9:47
and solidified our rotation, which has
9:49
really helped us in recruiting off the
9:51
portal. Uh we've had a lot of success
9:54
of, you know, we've had some success of
9:55
getting a big name like Parks Harbor,
9:57
but we've also had a lot of success of
9:58
getting guys from some mid- majors like
10:00
Shay Sprag and Owen Hull and Jake Shaner
10:02
and Alex Madera from Division 3, Tyson
10:04
Bass. You just roll them on and on. Also
10:07
the junior college player. Um so that
10:09
helps us for sure in recruiting. What
10:11
was your other question? I apologize.
10:13
>> But Lescowski, I guess.
10:14
>> Oh yeah. Jake's uh experience of going
10:18
first round probably got his attention.
10:20
>> It definitely got his attention. Um you
10:23
know the thing I liked about Jamie Jaime
10:25
called me and said hey coach is Gavin
10:27
coming back and I said yeah I think he
10:30
might. He was like that's awesome. And
10:31
you never know for sure where that
10:32
conversation is going to go in today's
10:34
world. Like is that him his agent
10:37
telling him to call me and he's worried
10:38
about playing a certain position? It
10:39
tells you all you need to know about
10:40
this kid. He's a winner. He's hardnosed.
10:43
Um he's been awesome. He's a heck of a
10:45
player, too. Uh where he's going to play
10:47
can play all over. We can play second,
10:48
play short, and play third. Heck, he
10:50
probably play center field if we needed
10:51
him to. Um a good friend of mine up in
10:54
the Cape was very impressed by him. A
10:57
guy that's been up there a long time.
10:58
And then I I realized quickly it wasn't
11:00
just the skill set that impressed him,
11:02
it's who he is and how hard knows he is.
11:04
So, he's going to be a big he's going to
11:06
help us tremendously. Uh big shoes to
11:08
fill though if he ends up playing
11:09
shortstop. Jake Shaner had some of the
11:11
most range we've had here and hard-nosed
11:14
tough player, but Jamie's very similar.
11:16
>> Coach, you mentioned Jimmy just how
11:17
electric it is the Arsenal. It's easy to
11:19
see that on video, but when you factor
11:21
in how new he still is to pitch and just
11:24
how enticing that opportunity to be able
11:26
to kind of mold in.
11:28
>> Yeah. you know, you you try to when you
11:30
get in the portal for us, we're trying
11:31
to break down these kids the best we can
11:34
and figure out, can they handle,
11:35
especially a position player, this level
11:37
of the arms and the velocity
11:40
because the swing is the swing and we
11:42
felt like that was the case with him.
11:43
But the more you face it, the better
11:45
you're going to get and he's had to face
11:46
it every day. Uh we've thrown a lot at
11:49
him. We've played him at second, played
11:50
him at short, played him at third. Uh
11:52
but man, the upside is he's he's going
11:54
to continue to be a really good player,
11:56
extremely coachable, uh a good base
11:58
steeler, um has that speed. Uh the
12:02
biggest question is, you know, probably
12:04
for us is who's just going to play where
12:06
because we have a lot of options.
12:08
>> Scott, how do you recruit the players
12:09
you already have? The kid, the freshman
12:12
who didn't play much as freshman year or
12:14
maybe got hurt. How do you convince him
12:16
to stay and develop here in North
12:18
Carolina?
12:19
>> That's a great question. Um, I'm
12:21
definitely not going to convince anybody
12:23
to stay at the University of North
12:24
Carolina. I think it's an honor and
12:25
privilege to be here. Uh, if you don't
12:27
want to be here, leave. That's [snorts]
12:29
my first answer. But, you know, you do
12:31
have to have conversations like, "Hey,
12:33
you're a really talented guy. I know you
12:34
didn't get on the field as much as you
12:36
want to. You've got a ton of upside. Um,
12:39
everybody's going to be in your ear
12:40
about leaving, but then you're also
12:43
going to have to do the wherever you go.
12:45
It may be a little easier if you went
12:47
somewhere that's not as good as
12:48
University of North Carolina." But I
12:49
challenge these guys. I say sometimes,
12:51
is that really what you want or do you
12:53
want to work and find a way to get in
12:55
the lineup? And those guys that seem to
12:57
stick with it uh like an Angel Zate that
13:00
stay here and keep working, they usually
13:01
find a way to get in there.
13:03
>> Coach, adding a pair of games against
13:06
Charlotte, a quality opponent here in
13:07
the fall schedule. What does that do to
13:10
help kind of evaluate a team with a
13:11
bunch of new pieces? And what exactly
13:13
are you looking for as a coach from all
13:14
the guys out there on the field during
13:16
this schedule? Well, you know, obviously
13:18
Coach Woodard is the head coach there
13:19
and we're really close and I know that
13:21
they're going to be well coached. Uh,
13:23
you know, he has to re build his team
13:25
almost every year in that league because
13:27
he's going to lose some of his best
13:29
players. So, he can't be young and have
13:31
all high school players. So, he he has
13:32
to do a lot with the portal. Um, but you
13:35
want to play quality opponents and we
13:37
really thought early on that we would
13:38
only play two games. It'd be better for
13:40
our guys to get the at bats against our
13:41
own pitchers. Uh but the more we thought
13:44
about it and after we had seen our team
13:46
um we said, "Hey, you know, I feel like
13:48
seeing how some of these guys that have
13:50
shown that they're really talented, how
13:52
are they going to respond? Can they
13:53
control their breathing? All that stuff
13:54
against a a little bit bigger of a
13:56
moment. Um you know, so that's what the
14:00
decision we made and and it'll be good.
14:02
Anytime you can it gets I challenge our
14:04
guys. Baseball's baseball. It could be a
14:06
long game. It could be a long sport. I
14:07
mean, we don't play for another how many
14:09
days? 300 plus, whatever it is." Um, no.
14:12
We're not in Omaha till 300 days. That's
14:14
that's the that's what we always say.
14:16
Here's how long it is until you would
14:18
potentially play in the national
14:19
championship. Uh, so anything we can do
14:21
just to get them a little more excited.
14:23
They're excited every day, but it's as
14:26
high as it's been, the fall can get a
14:27
little bit redundant. So, I like the
14:28
fact that we can play these four teams.
14:30
It'll just be good.
14:31
>> Scott had to feel like a bonus getting
14:33
Gavin back. What was that conversation
14:35
like? Uh, that call with his
14:38
>> I mean, I I I'm still in shock. he's
14:41
that good of a player. Um, but I'm also
14:43
thankful that him and his family
14:45
believed in coming back. He got the
14:46
fifth year now. I think development was
14:48
a big part of it. He's gonna play
14:50
professional baseball. I think Gavin's
14:52
going to be a big leager. Um, he got
14:53
married in the offseason, so now he's
14:55
married. I told him he's still not
14:56
getting his own hotel room. Um,
14:58
[laughter]
14:59
there's how many home runs he hits, I
15:01
guess. But he uh you know when you have
15:03
guys like Gavin Galler come back to
15:05
school and not just Gavin Paulson uh
15:09
Boaz Nicholson guys that could have went
15:11
ahead and signed it helps our locker
15:14
room tremendously. They know what our
15:16
culture is like. They know what our
15:17
standards are like and it just makes it
15:19
easier on me where I can come down here
15:20
when I'm done with this and just walk on
15:22
the field and coach baseball. Uh and
15:25
that's Gavin. He's a heck of a player.
15:26
He play anywhere on the field. He he's
15:28
back because he wants to win, but he
15:30
believes in coach Risbicki. He believes
15:31
in coach Jackson. He believes that he's
15:34
going to get better. And I don't think
15:35
he would come back if he didn't believe
15:36
on the development side either. Um but
15:39
man, it's we're lucky that he's back
15:41
here. I'm just very thankful he's back
15:43
here.
15:43
>> What's it say about that culture of
15:45
continuity that y'all created?
15:46
>> Yeah, you know, it's got to be real.
15:47
It's got to start with me from the top.
15:49
You know, you can't preach things and
15:51
not walk them. Doesn't mean we're
15:52
perfect by any means. We all have our
15:53
moments. Uh but that's one thing we're
15:56
proud of here. Um, our our players know
15:58
they're going to be cared about. They
15:59
know they're going to be loved. There's
16:00
going to be a lot of tough love.
16:02
Everybody can play. That is what it is.
16:04
Um, when the game starts, our my job is
16:06
to put the best nine out there. But I do
16:08
feel like everybody that walks in here
16:09
every single day feels like it's a good
16:11
place. Um, they have a lot of support.
16:14
Uh, everybody's here trying to maximize
16:16
their potential uh, as a coaching staff.
16:19
And those are promises we make them when
16:20
we recruit them. We say, "Hey, we're
16:21
going to care about you. We're going to
16:22
love you. Um, we're going to try to help
16:24
you maximize your potential, but we also
16:26
want you to leave this place better, you
16:30
know, because there is this thing called
16:31
life. Baseball ends eventually. Uh, for
16:34
all these guys,
16:35
>> Scott, seems like the Green Bull drive
16:36
learning about the ozone last couple
16:38
months. Uh, how much contact did you
16:40
have with him and Shaper and the other
16:41
drafties after they left? And how proud
16:44
are you of the work they did and guys
16:46
like Keley who had a really good uh
16:48
season with the Cubs? Vance had a really
16:49
good final month in DoubleA. Um, how how
16:52
proud does that make a a missed call
16:53
from Vance. Um I've been working with
16:55
him because of these new rules. We're
16:57
going to bring him back and he's going
16:58
to play center this year. He's got
17:01
another year. He's got two years
17:02
actually. I'm just kidding. Um I tell
17:05
you what means the most to me is that
17:06
they come back. I try not to bother him
17:08
too much when they're playing. Um I try
17:10
not to be superstitious, but you know, I
17:14
fans call fire and I I just didn't want
17:16
to I was going to even text them because
17:19
we're weird about that in the baseball
17:21
world. Uh, but constant communication as
17:23
much as possible. These guys know how
17:24
much we care about them. They even text
17:27
me. It's like, "Coach, is it okay if I
17:28
come back and train at the Bosch?" I'm
17:30
like, "Of course." You know, M's back in
17:32
town. Owen's been back in town. Jake's
17:34
back in town. Um, you know, Vance
17:38
probably call me to make sure because
17:41
that's how they are. Hey, you okay if I
17:42
train work on Traje from They work here
17:45
in the mornings usually till about noon.
17:47
And it's just awesome that they want to
17:49
come back because they we want this to
17:51
feel like home to them because they've
17:52
done so much for us. Um, you know, one
17:54
day if they can get arbitration and free
17:57
agency, I'll call them and ask them for
17:58
more.
18:00
You
18:00
>> talk about building teams up the middle
18:02
a lot, but what's the competition been
18:04
like in the corner outfield spots?
18:06
>> Man, I mean, there's a lot of bats. Uh,
18:09
I like our depth. The compet the answer
18:12
to your question, I think there's
18:14
competition everywhere on this team.
18:17
uh some of the the
18:19
probably the most competition we've had
18:21
in a while to figure out who's going to
18:23
play where and who's going to be in
18:25
which roles. Um even center field
18:27
there's a fierce competition. Uh you got
18:29
a transfer like CJ and then you got a
18:31
freshman like Mandela Broman that can
18:33
flat out go get it and can run power. A
18:36
corner outfield, you know, for us you
18:38
got to defend. Um but you you know, the
18:41
bats do come in trying to get even more
18:43
production. uh you like to have some
18:45
power in those spot spots. So, it's been
18:48
heavy is the word that I would say and
18:50
you better not take a day off because I
18:53
mean we could I mean somebody if you got
18:55
Cole Fenton who's one of the best shorts
18:58
stops I've seen um had to be the best
19:01
junior college short stop in the country
19:02
last year. I mean this kid can flat out
19:04
play shorts stop. You got Gavin that can
19:05
play short second, third, Cole could do
19:08
the same. Jamie, you got Cooper
19:10
Nicholson. You got a freshman Casey
19:11
Kadir who's ultra talented that can
19:13
play. Somebody's got to go to the
19:15
outfield, too. So, there's even probably
19:16
more competition when it's all said and
19:18
done uh in those corner spots. And for
19:21
us, it's just trying to figure out how
19:23
can we stay elite defensively and try to
19:24
get the best bats in. But I think we'll
19:26
have some some matchup
19:28
uh you know, depth too off the bench
19:31
like we've had here before, lefties and
19:33
righties, which will be good.
19:34
>> Scott, I apologize. I was a little late
19:36
coming in, but I I just wanted to ask
19:38
what's the recruiting momentum been like
19:39
in the NIL momentum
19:41
>> coming off making the national title and
19:43
does that give you the faith that you
19:46
could get back or win it the next time?
19:48
>> You know, being in Omaha is the best
19:50
recruiting tool you can have, but it
19:52
doesn't mean you're going to get
19:54
players. Uh you have to work the same
19:56
whether or not you went to Omaha or if
19:58
you didn't go to Omaha. when a kid that
20:00
was just here visiting a high school kid
20:03
and his next visit is Texas and his next
20:05
visit is Tennessee and his next visit is
20:07
Mississippi State. Um they're all great
20:10
schools. You know, they're great
20:11
environments. Uh but the momentum has
20:13
been good. You know, we have our
20:15
philosophy. Uh we believe in our
20:16
philosophy. We're looking for a certain
20:18
type player that checks the boxes in
20:20
certain areas. Um even the high school
20:22
player, even the high school pitcher.
20:24
Um, so I feel like we're going to be in
20:26
the mix in almost everybody that we talk
20:29
to and we just hope that we land the
20:30
right ones.
20:31
>> Have you had any conversations with Roy
20:33
Williams about getting to the final day?
20:35
Obviously, he got there a couple times
20:36
before he finally broke through. I just
20:38
sort of had any conversations with him
20:40
or anybody else about that. How
20:41
>> Yeah, I mean, I'm
20:44
I I want to learn from anybody I can. I
20:47
was talking to Jenny about it, you know,
20:49
and she said, "Look, you know, I got
20:50
there a bunch and eventually you just
20:51
knocked the door down." So, I'm going
20:53
with that. Hopefully we can keep getting
20:54
back and maybe eventually, you know,
20:57
we're sure going to, you know, we're all
20:59
going to give it everything we've got to
21:01
win a national championship. That's a
21:03
given. We don't really talk about it
21:04
here. It should be a given. Uh but, you
21:07
know, you ask like yourself first. Like
21:09
that's what I I do. I think it's very
21:11
important is the mirror check and is
21:13
there anything we could have done
21:14
different? I did feel like last year
21:15
from the top to the bottom, I just feel
21:17
like we all worked our tails off. We
21:19
were processoriented. We just didn't get
21:21
it done in that last game. Uh, I don't
21:23
think there's anything necessarily that
21:24
I or we would have done different. Um,
21:27
and we're going to try to do the same
21:28
thing this year, but I have talked to
21:29
coach Williams. I visited with him a
21:31
ton. He was at the football game. Uh,
21:33
and we talked a long time and you know,
21:35
he calls me Scotty Boy. He says, "Scotty
21:36
Boy, just keep doing what you're doing."
21:39
And, uh, it'll happen.
21:42
>> You talked a lot about the competition,
21:44
this lineup on Saturday. It kind of
21:45
looked like your team took a break from
21:46
that competition and joined, you know,
21:48
Shaq up on stage. You know, were you
21:50
there?
21:50
>> DJ Diesel.
21:51
>> DJ Diesel. Um, were you there for that?
21:53
What was the story of that? How did that
21:55
kind of happen? And then how important
21:56
is that for your group to kind of have
21:57
those moments like that and take a break
21:59
from the competition of playing against
22:02
each other?
22:02
>> Yeah, I think it's very important. I
22:04
mean, you have to have some balance um,
22:06
in every area. I tell the players, you
22:08
know, you are Eric Pson and you play
22:11
baseball. You're not Eric Pawson, the
22:13
baseball player. The game's not going to
22:14
define you. Who you are is going to
22:15
define you. And you got to have some
22:17
fun. You know, you can't be dumb and
22:19
make bad decisions, but um I mean, it's
22:21
DJ Diesel. I mean,
22:25
>> I wanted to see DJ Diesel. Shaq,
22:27
>> did you know who that is? If you didn't
22:28
know it was Shaq, would you know?
22:30
>> I don't know, honestly. The guys filled
22:32
me in, though. And I just thought it was
22:33
cool that Shaq was on our campus. Um,
22:36
and I wanted our guys, it's a 12:00 game
22:38
now. We still We just hired our own
22:40
strength coach, which has been
22:42
tremendous. Coach Gas retired. Uh, Coach
22:44
Gas was the director here, but he had
22:47
other teams and he was pulled away. You
22:48
know, he was a tremendous, tremendous
22:51
co-orker. I miss him terribly, but uh,
22:53
thankfully our administration, you know,
22:55
recognized it with our sport and the
22:56
demands that we needed a strength coach
22:58
here all the time. So, we came in early
23:00
that morning and moved around a little
23:01
bit and stretched them out and
23:03
recovered. And then, you know, you want
23:04
them to have a good time. You want them
23:06
to understand that I trust them and they
23:08
have to make good decisions. Uh, but,
23:11
you know, it's University of North
23:12
Carolina. You want to go to football
23:13
games. you want to go to basketball
23:14
games, you want to go to these other
23:15
sports, and we want to give them time to
23:17
do that and have some balance.
23:18
>> Scott, mention the administration and as
23:20
the kind of the attention around college
23:22
baseball continues to grow, uh, how have
23:24
you seen things kind of change around
23:25
here with within the university, the
23:27
administration and the fans and kind of
23:28
the attention that y'all are getting?
23:30
Well, you know, I have every meeting
23:33
that I've always had here since I've
23:34
been the head coach. In case y'all
23:35
didn't know, I really like Nick Sabin
23:37
and um it says success will continue as
23:41
long as the process to being successful
23:44
is there. And it's a choice every school
23:48
has to make now. Um, it is what it is
23:50
from the standpoint of we're in a crazy
23:52
world with the NIL space, the revshare
23:55
space and you know, baseball is a
23:59
booming sport and for us to continue to
24:01
have the success that we have had, you
24:05
have to be ultra committed to it and
24:07
that's what they've decided to do
24:08
thankfully. Uh, but then you also have
24:10
to give credit to the crowd. You know,
24:12
they don't have to show up. They've
24:14
chosen to show up and I give our players
24:16
credit for that. They play the right
24:17
way. I think they're a good product to
24:19
watch. They play like the game's
24:21
supposed to be played. They're going to
24:22
play hard. They're going to control
24:24
their their body language for the most
24:25
part. Um, and I just think it's so
24:29
great. You know, that somebody told me
24:30
that we've almost sold out already of
24:32
season tickets. I don't know if that's
24:33
right or not, but hopefully we'll add
24:35
more seating. Um, I've been staying on
24:38
our administration. I want the lights
24:39
that blink Carolina blue cuz we hit some
24:42
bombs and I want to you know uh but you
24:44
know and it takes the support from the
24:47
donors which has stepped up and uh made
24:49
it possible. You got to have you know a
24:52
staff that you can keep together because
24:54
the players want to play for the same
24:55
coaching staff and we've been able to do
24:57
that but you also want to add to the
24:59
facility. Um you know continue to have
25:01
the best technology and that stuff. It
25:04
is what it is. It's not cheap. You know,
25:05
you've got to invest in it and then you
25:08
have to be in the NIL space and the rev
25:10
share space to be to be competitive.
25:12
>> Scott, this is the second time you'll
25:13
have played NC State at the DVAP in a
25:15
fall scrimmage. Why did you think it was
25:17
important to to put on that game for the
25:19
fans and how different is it going to
25:20
feel without Coach A over there in the
25:22
other podium?
25:22
>> Last one then Pat after this.
25:24
>> Man, I'm going to miss Coach Avent. Uh
25:26
especially,
25:28
you know, on the ACC head coaches calls
25:30
because he would say anything and I
25:32
thought it was awesome. Um, it's just
25:35
great for everybody. Uh, obviously, you
25:38
know, someone said last year, "Well,
25:39
it's just a fall game." And I kind of
25:41
looked at them probably like, "No, it
25:42
ain't just a fall game when North
25:43
Carolina and NC State play." And it's
25:45
good to be in an environment for the
25:47
more our my goal as a head coach is to
25:49
make it as hard on our players every
25:51
single day at practice. Same thing in
25:53
these fall games so when the games the
25:56
bigger games come, they they can kind of
25:58
revert back to that. So, even that game
26:00
last year was big for a lot of our guys
26:02
to have to play in front of a big crowd,
26:04
play a really good quality opponent. Um,
26:07
you know, we did that way back. We
26:09
actually lost to Vanderbilt, I think, at
26:11
home in the fall of 21. Uh, that was
26:14
when Vance was a freshman and, um, but
26:17
we got better because of it and we we
26:20
ended up going farther than Vanderbilt.
26:22
So, I think it's important to push your
26:24
guys and challenge your guys and it's a
26:25
great way to end the fall. Uh these guys
26:27
have played a long time when we get to
26:29
that point. Um so you know and it's fun
26:32
for the crowd too.
26:33
>> Coach for just how enticing is it just
26:36
you know that he hasn't pitched that
26:38
much and there's still so much room.
26:40
>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean he's not the only one
26:41
obviously he's getting a lot of the
26:44
there there's a lot of competition is
26:46
all I'll say. But he has been awesome.
26:48
Um especially his personality, his work
26:51
ethic, his coachability
26:53
uh and the stuff is also awesome. So I
26:55
like that as well. Um, it's just going
26:57
to be a matter as he pro continues to
27:00
progress and improve. We're always going
27:02
to make the decision what's best for the
27:04
team. Um, but I could see him doing
27:06
either. I think he can be a starter or I
27:08
think he could be a big- time backend
27:11
reliever. Uh, but we're too early to
27:13
know for sure. I think that'll work
27:14
itself out as we move along.
27:16
>> Chattam County question here. You're
27:18
defined as the coach of the UNCC
27:20
baseball team, but in Chattam County at
27:22
Seorthth High School, you're defined as
27:23
Alli's dad. What's that like and what's
27:26
put the biggest smile on your face when
27:28
you see her playing volleyball?
27:30
>> Oh man, I mean
27:32
a lot of smiles. Uh I have to sit by
27:35
myself, you know, because if she does
27:36
something bad, I yell at her underneath
27:38
my breath. Don't want anybody to hear.
27:39
But just being together with family, you
27:41
know, that's I told man the other day,
27:43
that's what I'm going to miss. Alli's a
27:44
senior. She's going to play at Garner
27:45
Web. I'm just going to miss eight years
27:47
in a row of hustling out of here and
27:49
going to watch your kids do something
27:51
that they enjoy. Uh but I get another
27:54
four years. years. I did it for four
27:55
years for Hannah at UNCCW. I get to do
27:57
it uh for four more years with Ally at
27:59
at Gardener Web. Um so that's that's one
28:03
thing. Um but I'm not from Chattam
28:04
County as I tell everybody. I'm from Lee
28:06
County.
28:08
>> Tommy, go ahead. Last one.
28:11
>> When you talk about new strength and
28:12
conditioning guy.
28:13
>> Yeah.
28:14
>> And obviously that's a a big part of it
28:16
and technology and all, but it comes
28:18
down to to the boys to the young men you
28:20
coach when they come back from the
28:22
summer. How can you tell that they've
28:25
been dialed in?
28:27
>> Oh, yeah. Quickly.
28:28
>> It's 20. It's 365. But how can what do
28:31
you what do you look for to be able to
28:32
tell?
28:32
>> Um, you know, that's a great question
28:35
because in in reality, I tell our
28:38
players, you know, we have that saying,
28:41
everybody wants to be the beast, but
28:42
everybody don't want to do what the
28:43
beasts do. So, you're saying you want to
28:46
come back, you want to be more physical,
28:47
you want to be better. I don't care what
28:49
summer league you're playing in. I don't
28:50
care how many games you have, you're you
28:52
can get stronger, you can get more
28:54
physical, but it takes sacrifice. Um,
28:57
you got to get your sleep, you have to
28:58
eat better. So, I'm just looking for
29:00
number one, if it's a returner, has that
29:02
player improved? Like Kaden Glowber,
29:05
like, okay, Kaden, like you threw a lot,
29:07
but he should come in at least looking
29:11
the same physically, but probably
29:13
better. Um, you know, some kids, you
29:15
know, they're just wiry by nature, but
29:16
are they more athletic? Did they work?
29:18
are they in shape when we run our 300
29:20
shuttles when we get in the weight room
29:21
for the first time. Uh rarely now with
29:24
where our program is and the standards
29:26
and and we say meet the standard every
29:28
day does a guy come back and he just
29:30
hasn't done anything. If you come back
29:32
at this level and you haven't done
29:33
anything, you are in trouble. Um because
29:35
you got a guy like Harrison Ash that
29:38
comes in that's hitting balls off the
29:39
top of the batter's eye of scrimmage. So
29:41
he's ready to take your spot. Um but I
29:43
look for the physicality part. Are they
29:46
more mature? you know, those type of
29:47
things. And uh but you can definitely
29:50
tell and you can also tell from your
29:51
summer school guys who were here
29:53
training for five weeks, five and a half
29:55
weeks and they go back for two weeks,
29:57
you can even tell they got after it for
29:59
those two weeks or they just kind of
30:01
stay with what they were doing. But a
30:03
lot of our players now, Tommy, when they
30:05
when we do shut them down, their focus
30:07
is is on getting in better shape,
30:10
getting stronger to help their body be
30:12
able to handle more. Like hopefully
30:14
Kaden Glber if he pitches on Friday,
30:16
we'd like him to throw cuz he throws so
30:17
many strikes 110 120 innings. You're not
30:20
going to do that unless you work. So, uh
30:22
I can tell pretty quick and then we have
30:24
ways of making sure they're in shape or
30:26
being able to tell if they're in shape.
30:29
>> Thanks, coach. Thank y'all.
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