Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle met with the media following the Aggies’ 6-5 loss to Tennessee in the National Championship game in Omaha Monday night.
Schlossnagle discussed a wide-range of topics, including what made Tennessee so successful during the game and throughout the season, rumors of him leaving Texas A&M, seeing his former assistant in Tony Vitello win a national championship and more.
More From RTI: Everything Tony Vitello Said After Tennessee Baseball Won First National Championship
See everything Schlossnagle said below.
OPENING STATEMENT:
“First of all, congratulations to the University of Tennessee. What an awesome, awesome team. Great series. 60 wins, wow. Congratulations to Danny White, Tony [Vitello] and his staff, Josh [Elander] , one of my players, excited for him. Great series. Same number of hits. Same number of errors. Probably the difference in the ball game was timely hits and some of their hits were homers and ours weren’t. But we got the tying run to the plate in the ninth, which I knew we would regardless of the score. It’s a tough to swallow. Even when you make it this far. Everybody wants to win their last game. Couldn’t be more proud of our team. Honored to be at Texas A&M and honored to be part of the 12th Man. Special, special experience every year.”
On what to remember about this team:
“Again, you’re asking some of the questions — I understand your question. It’s just tough to think big picture when literally 20 minutes ago, 30 minutes ago we were battling. But it’s been a special team. There’s never been an A&M team play this far. We know the 1989 team wasn’t one of the best teams ever in the history in college baseball, especially one not to make the NCAA Tournament, or the College World Series, excuse me. But this is an incredible team. And it’s not just because of its record, but because of their character, how fun they are to be around. I think the interaction between our team and the 12th Man was just unique. We had great crowds all year. Tuesday night, non-conference games to weekend SEC games. It was awesome. 12th Man was well represented here. This is my eighth trip to the College World Series. 2001 at Tulane, we played and Nebraska was in it. That felt like a road game. But tonight felt like a bowl game, where the stadium was literally split. So I think that’s really great for our sport because a lot of times the College World Series is a neutral crowd.
“I know I’m getting off tangent a bit but I think it’s awesome for our sport that we now have — I think maybe because of the structure, because of the way we set it up with the championship series is on I a weekend now, the championship can be like a football game. I thought it was great. Our fans were locked in, but I just think the entire experience, everything, from the road trips, you know, if I was to go ask these guys who won the national title in 2004, they wouldn’t know it was Fresno State. So I’m not discounting Tennessee’s championship, but at the end of the day, in 20 years, these guys will remember their relationships and experiences way more than they will winning and losing this game.”
On seeing Tony Vitello win a National Championship:
“It’s sour for a minute because I want to win. I’m selfish. We want to win. But, yeah, Tony he’s worked hard. The thing I love about Tony is, kind of like me, I’m not quite sure he was a frontline player. And so he’s always been groomed to be a coach because of his father. And it’s a lifestyle for him like it is for me, not an occupation. And he puts everything into his program. And I know Frank Anderson it’s a lot for Frank he’s been around a long time and had a lot of success. I think this his first championship — Kendall? Frank? Oh, he had one with Texas. But he’s just deserving. And I have former player there who I love and was at his wedding. He was on a College World Series team me in 2010 and a Super Regional team in ’12. Excited for Josh. And congratulations to their team. They earned it — 60-13. They proved themselves to be the best team.”
On thinking about the hurdles this team had to overcome:
“Everybody could say if, if, and this — if we would have done this or if we would have done that. Tennessee was without AJ Russell who is a great pitcher. But they still won a national title. I think everybody has to fight through something. It’s unfortunate, but it’s just another example of that I can use as a coach and players can remember that your time can come and it can change in an instant. It changed in an instant for Braden. It changed in an instant for Shane. I thought [Justin] Lamkin did a nice job and Stewart. Those guys gave us a lot of great outings this week. It was a full team effort the whole season.”
On if he can believe A&M has accomplished so much in such a short amount of time during his tenure:
“Yeah, I can believe that because I think A&M is an awesome place. It has been great. I think Coach Childress had awesome teams. And the difference between winning — this is tournament baseball. I’m not taking — again, not taking anything away from Tennessee, but Florida State maybe gets one more out in the first game, who knows, it could be a completely different deal. Same thing for us. So but, yeah, I think Texas A&M is a place that should be competing in the SEC. Should be competing to host Regionals. And everybody thinks that Omaha is a right. It’s not. You have to earn your way there and have you to play well in the NCAA Tournament.
“The thing that we have going for us is we have the most incredible fan base. The 12th Man just makes it so hard to win there. And so if you can just get in the Regional and find a way to host one, it’s really hard to go to Olsen Field and win as a road team. I’ve been part of that. So, yes, to answer your question, I definitely thought it could happen. But it took a lot of hard work, and we still have a lot of work to go. We have guys coming on visits this week and gotta hold some kids in the draft. Gotta put together another good team. We’re losing a lot of good players.”
On rumors of him taking another head coaching job (Texas):
“I think it’s pretty selfish of you you to ask me that question, to be honest with you. But I left my family to be the coach at Texas A&M. I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again. And that hasn’t changed in my mind. That’s unfair to talk about something like that. That would be like you asking Montgomery if he’s going to sign in the draft. But I understand you’ve got to ask the question. But I gave up a big part of my life to come take this job. And I poured every ounce of my soul in this job and I gave this job every ounce I could possibly give it.
“Write that.”
