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11th Feb 2015 from TwitLonger
Kansas Baseball media day comments on opening at LSU: http://www.kuathletics.com/news/2015/2/11/BB_0211152934.aspx
On the expectations going down to No. 2 LSU this weekend:
"I am really excited to see how our players respond in that environment. It will be our third trip to LSU. I compare it to Allen Fieldhouse. Where Allen Fieldhouse is the Mecca of college basketball and the greatest environment to play in the country, that is what Alex Box Stadium is like at LSU. The games are completely sold out, 11,000 tickets. Their fans are unbelievable, they are right on top of you. They just bury your left fielder, your right fielder and your starting pitcher warming up in the bullpen. The passion of the fans is something that gives you goosebumps when you walk in there. If you are competitive, there isn't a better place in America to play than Alex Box Stadium. I am hopeful that our players rise to the challenge. The reason I put it on the schedule was so they had the opportunity to play in that great environment, but also for the growth that would take place for our club over the three days. Our goal is to play better each day of the weekend. One of the things they teach you in Division I baseball is when you go on the road and you play the No. 2 team in the country – don't get swept on the road. The benefit of the RPI the rest of the season is off the charts. At the same time, Division I baseball is about winning the series. We are going to approach it like we always do. We are going to go down there and try to play the same level they play at and find a way to grind through the thing and win a series. If we get to Sunday and we dropped the first two, lets find a way to salvage the weekend and win on Sunday. Its all about Sunday in Division I baseball."
On being successful against some really good LSU teams:
"It's been a lot of fun. I jokingly tell people I think I had a five-year ban after we went down there and won the series when they were No. 1 in the country in 2010. Its my favorite place I have ever played. I am excited to take these young men to Alex Box Stadium."
On LSU's weekend starting pitchers:
"It is going to be exciting, because like I said that crowd is going to be crazy. They could go both ways, their cheering could make their pitchers nervous since they are so young. They play in the SEC, it's a fastball conference, they are going to come at us with the fastball and we are a good fastball hitting team."
--Senior first baseman Blair Beck
On playing in front of LSU's crowd:
"I can't wait. It is going to be a really fun time. Especially being on the field with (LSU's Alex) Bregman and a few other guys I played summer ball with, it is going to be fun. I don't think I am nervous, I just want it to get here already."
On LSU's young pitchers:
"Those young guys are always fun to hit against. These guys haven't played in front of that big crowd either, so they are going to be really amped up, have a lot of live arms. It is going to be a lot of fun to face them, we just have to go in and keep our approach and I think we will be good."
--Junior second baseman Colby Wright
On finally getting the season started at LSU:
"I've been excited to go down to LSU since August when the schedule came out. It is a place every kid always dreamed of going to play. Like Coach said, it is the Allen Fieldhouse of college baseball. It is going to be fun to hear their fans talk smack and hear what they have to say to us, and it is going to be a lot of fun to go up against those guys and I can't wait to get started. It is going to be good for our RPI and it will be good to see what our freshmen have."
--Senior outfielder Dakota Smith
On playing in front of big crowds:
"It is a lot of fun to play in that kind of environment. You feel a little more excited and it is fun to play at a place where the fans get into the game like that. I think playing the regional game against Louisville was one of the bigger crowds I've played in front of, I'm not sure how many people were there but it was packed. I think LSU's crowd will be a lot bigger and a lot more rowdy than Louisville's was. I have had a lot of fun playing in front of big crowds like that."