2021 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

June 18, 2021

Will Bednar

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Press Conference

Q. Will, you're getting the ball on Sunday in Game 1. And I know that's always an important -- all the games are important but especially that first one. How excited are you to get that opportunity to pitch against a team that's been consistently in the top 5? And not only that, just get to pitch on this stage?

WILL BEDNAR: I'm really excited. This is a really cool opportunity to be here, and to be able to start Game 1 is incredible. So I'm going to go into this start, attack it to the best of my ability.

Q. With Tanner, definitely want to end that trend of recent years, coming to Omaha and not coming away with hardware. I guess as a young guy, what are some of the things that him and some of the upperclassmen tell you guys about these two weeks? And of course want to come out on top. How do you process everything and just taking everything in given the task at hand?

WILL BEDNAR: It's great to have guys like TA and Rowdey and Riley and Spencer around who have been here and have some experience here. So those guys have just been telling us to soak it in but also it's kind of the same -- what TA was saying, it's the same game we've been playing. So we're good. But everyone's good. So we'll just go in and play Bulldog baseball.

Q. You come from a really talented baseball family. But I'm wondering how you've tried to create your own identity as a player and be Will Bednar as opposed to David's brother or something like that?

WILL BEDNAR: Actually for a little bit it was kind of like David's my brother. But it's good. We're super competitive with everything. But it's great to have him. And we're two different pitchers. Obviously he's really talented. He's a great asset to have. But I feel like we're both two totally different pitchers.

Q. Could you talk a little bit about how you felt like David was your brother a little bit there? Can you talk a little bit about that?

WILL BEDNAR: For a little bit I was kind of throwing it a little bit harder than he was. I just bust his chops all the time, and he told me he could still kick my butt.

But it's really competitive, me and him. He's got me beat in Vila (phonetic) right now but I'll definitely catch up to him sooner rather than later. It's really good to have him pushing me and me pushing him.

Q. Last start against Notre Dame you played an unbelievable lineup. I'm sure you'd be the first one to say it wasn't your best stuff of the year. What have you worked on this week to fine tune heading into tomorrow, because clearly you've earned the right to be here and start in the College World Series. But what have you worked on this week following that last start?

WILL BEDNAR: Obviously that start wasn't great. But I kind of used this week to work on what I need to work on. I felt like -- fastball command was a big thing I worked on this week, as well as slider command.

I didn't really throw a whole lot of change-ups but I've really focused on fastball and slider command this week.

Q. Have you gotten any other postseason advice from other vets on the team?

WILL BEDNAR: It's pretty much the same stuff, to soak it in but treat it like we've always been playing. It's a big stage but it's the same game. Everyone's good but we've been playing a lot of good teams all year.

Q. I was interested in what you've seen from Texas' lineup that's going to be challenging for you tomorrow? Obviously I know you were disappointed to not be able to play in that first weekend, but you were able to see them a little bit as well. What have you seen from them that you feel like is going to be the biggest challenge?

WILL BEDNAR: Obviously they're a good lineup. But everyone's a good lineup this time of year. Just go in and attack pretty much the same way I've been attacking and do the best I can.

Q. I've got a question that everybody wants to know. What this picture is of yourself pointing to your arm? And how excited were you that Chris Lemonis was able to follow up and have one of his own?

WILL BEDNAR: That's the ice in my veins kind of joke. It was pretty electric which Coach Lem did that in the media thing. So that's been a big thing on Twitter, especially with my Hill State account. They really love that. He was really excited when Coach Lem did it. It's a lot of fun. My mom doesn't like it for some reason. But it's fun.

Q. One of the reasons you chose this program is because of the reputation, being able to get to the College World Series and you played a role in that. But have you had a chance to really appreciate everything about your career here? And I guess now with -- the question I guess about your brother David being drafted, have you thought about the draft at all?

WILL BEDNAR: Obviously the draft's there. But it's not something I'm focused on right now. We're here in Omaha. And winning a national championship is what I'm focused on now. And playing my best for my teammates. We're really excited to be here. And this is an incredible opportunity.

Q. My question is more about the ice-in-the-veins thing. You guys have a white hard hat for the home runs you guys wear in the dugout during the Super Regional. What's the story behind that, and more importantly is it important to stay loose and have fun on the big stage where there can be nerves and stuff?

WILL BEDNAR: I'm not sure who found the hard hat. We started putting stickers on it. Usually in a three-up, three-down inning, Davis Meche and KC Hunt will do some dance and get the dugout rolling. And one of them will usually put it on. We'll do that for the one, two, three innings and for home runs. It kind of gets the dugout going.

Q. Is that important when there's a stressful situation just to be able to relax have fun with your teammates?

WILL BEDNAR: Absolutely. It's good to kind of loosen up a little bit when you're a little bit nervous, I guess.

Q. Obviously we in the media like to ask about all the previous trips and what's it going to take to break the stretch. Do you guys as a team talk about that at all or do you just consider this a completely new experience that the past has no bearing on it?

WILL BEDNAR: Obviously we like the experience, the past experience that a lot of the guys have. But we're kind of treating it as a whole new thing. And we're coming here to win it.