2021 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

June 27, 2021

Tim Corbin

Vanderbilt Commodores

Press Conference

COACH TIM CORBIN: Start with North Carolina State first, we certainly sympathize with their team, their fan base too, understanding that we don't know the level of hurt that they are exposed to right now, but we certainly recognize it. None of us wish to be in this particular position. We're one of the six teams that were matched up with them. We certainly would want to play them on the field or have played them on the field, but we didn't. So we are in the situation where we move forward.

We've lost one time. We've handled our business appropriately. We've tried to stay in our lane as best we possibly can. We're grateful to be in the Championship Series against a team that we're familiar with and played during the course of the year.

So we'll move forward.

Q. Being a private university, are you able to require your guys to be vaccinated?

COACH TIM CORBIN: We are very comfortable with the situation we've gone through through the course of the year. I've spent a lot of time educating the group what this process could look like at the beginning of the year. We are certainly comfortable with where we are and what we've done.

Q. Tim, going back to Friday when you find out about NC State's situation, what were the discussions between you and the officials? What were you told and did you have any input at all?

COACH TIM CORBIN: Not much. They were handling the situation with North Carolina State. We were told the game was going to be delayed. Kumar was already in the bullpen. He was getting ready to pitch. We couldn't give him much information outside of the fact that this was going to be delayed. We did not have a hard start time, so we had no idea when that would be. We knew there was a health issue, but we didn't know what it was, nor, I guess, should we. We just knew the game was going to be delayed.

But our players didn't know much so we kept them back and in the locker room and waited until we got some type of word. Then I would say 45 minutes to an hour -- it was probably about 45 minutes -- we were told that the game would start in 45 minutes. So we let our pitcher know and let the team know, and they regrouped and took the field.

Q. Tim, we've talked before about how emotional this time of year is, and the ups and downs and the adversity you go through. Is there any way to describe or compare what Friday afternoon to Friday night, early Saturday morning -- were you guys even awake when the decision was made late Friday night into Saturday morning, and now trying to recenter from that craziness for the biggest series of the year?

COACH TIM CORBIN: Well, no, no one was awake. I woke up at about 1:30 and found a message from Candace regarding the NCAA's decision, and at that point right there, I rolled over and woke my wife up and we stayed up the rest of the night and just talked because we wanted to process it. I felt like when the boys woke up, I wanted to give them some type of information. And that's really all I cared about was them, as far as getting up and seeing that type of message. With the understanding that they were going to play, and then not playing, I just wanted to get to them as quickly as possible. So we did.

I'm sure it was a little bit confusing, but we used yesterday as a day to talk through it, and I told them that once we get to the ballpark today, we move forward. It's just like life. There's nothing you can do about it. Life circumstances happen. You deal with it; move forward.

Q. What have you seen out of Luke Murphy throughout this whole College World Series in coming in and shutting down so many times out of the bullpen?

COACH TIM CORBIN: The ability to contain his emotions. I think when you're put in that position. Very rarely do you come into a situation that is clean. Often you come into a situation that is very tight, and the temperature of the game is hot. He's done a good job of getting into those environments and throwing strikes and very committed strikes at that. He's not trying to feel his way around.

You get to this level, and you get to this part of the year -- and you can go through any bullpen, whether it's Mississippi State or Vanderbilt, or Texas for that matter, since I just got done watching that game last night and watching Quintanilla throw -- you've got kid that are marksmen. They come in and know what they are going to do. They know how to land their pitches and they do it, and they do it with commitment and that's what Luke does.

Q. What does it mean, especially being from Tennessee?

COACH TIM CORBIN: I love when any of our kids succeed. Doesn't matter who it is. I'm happy for Luke, but I'm happy for when every single one of our kids succeed.

Q. Just on the note of your players and these guys processing everything, and you said it time to move on, taking that next step. How have they processed it? It's been a little bit of an unconventional College World Series with the things they have gone through. So how are they doing as a group?

COACH TIM CORBIN: They are doing fine. It's all your perspective on things. The world didn't end. We're playing baseball. For us we get to move forward.

I understand the other side, I do. We're very empathetic and sympathetic to that. But we have no control over that, regardless when anyone insinuates or what anyone says. We're just playing baseball. That's all we can do. We stay in our lane. But the kids are fine. They are 18-, 19-, 20-year-old kids that are spending their last days with one another and they are enjoying their ability to be here. This isn't easy to do. This isn't easy to get out here and play in this environment and play well.

You can see the two teams that are matched up against one another. They have played good baseball, but both teams are hitting about .215 and that's because the pitching's so good out here, and you've got great hitters on either side.

We're fine. They just want to play again.

Q. How confident are you Kumar can come back on short rest and how does his off-season training set him up to be able to do this?

COACH TIM CORBIN: Confident.

Q. So Mississippi State has changed their route in entering their hotel to minimize interactions with fans and such. Are you guys making any adjustments to your personal COVID protocols to keep your players safe heading into the championship?

COACH TIM CORBIN: We're in the Doubletree. We're fine.

Q. Question about one of your players, Javier Vaz, he's moved up in the lineup. Can you talk about how he's turned it on, not just this postseason but specifically in the college world series as well?

COACH TIM CORBIN: He's a good player. He's earned the right to be out there. He's stayed very focused and diligent towards what he's doing. I think the unique part about kids like that that come on at the end of the season is they never lose their spirit and personality during it. I think oftentimes when you're a kid that doesn't see his name on the lineup card for March and April, your spirit can dampen. That's never been the case with this kid. He's very well respected. He's very well liked on our team. He's got a very positive spirit around him. And he has fun when he plays and you like that.

I'm not going to compare the two kids, because I don't like to compare, but I want to compare them because there's a complement to both kids. There's a Tony Kemp element to him and theres a Javy Vaz element to Tony. They are very positive people and they play with a lot of bounce and enjoy the game. And any time you get kids that love to play the game, they model those behaviors to 8-, 9-, 10-year-olds, which there's a pile of those kids here right now that get to see those kids play. And that's really how you should play the game of baseball, with that sense of love.

Q. You mentioned being familiar with Mississippi State, played them three times this year. Can you tell us this since then, what you have seen and maybe in this run about what has made them so dangerous and led them on this path?

COACH TIM CORBIN: I don't think they have changed much. I think they are just a very consistent ballclub. That's a seasoned team. They have offensive players that have played a long time. Rowdey and Tanner are very, very good players. I just mentioned those two because we played against them in 2018 in that Super at Nashville.

But you go through their lineup, they are like us. They have just got some really good players who compete really well. Their pitching staff is like ours. They have got quality starters. They have got quality arms out of the bullpen. They take care of the baseball. And they have been there. Like Vanderbilt, they have been there. They may have a few more pieces that have been playing on the field than Vanderbilt, but at the same time, they have been to the College World Series before. They have experienced it and know what it feels like and know how to operate. Very good team.

Q. Your thoughts on an all-SEC College World Series final, probably exciting for the conference and for you guys, too.

COACH TIM CORBIN: It is exciting that way and as far as the SEC is concerned, we are very proud to be in the conference, but we don't stand here and beat ourselves on the chest and say this is the best conference in the country. What you do is what you do. We're very proud to be part of something that is celebrated for the kids and on a network and how we play the game of baseball. At the same time, it's joyous for both communities to be here together. I certainly respect Mississippi State a great deal. I enjoy their fan base. We have many friends from Mississippi State, and we'll stay that way.

But we're just proud. We're proud to represent our bracket, No. 1, and I think moving forward from the great teams that were here in our bracket and then to play here at the end, so happy to be lined up against a very good opponent, we're grateful and fortunate.

Q. How does your starting pitching set up this week, and is Christian Little a factor in the rotation?

COACH TIM CORBIN: Starting pitching sets up fine, and everyone's a factor.

Q. You guys have played some significant games, even in the postseason against Mississippi State in recent years. I know you've got a young team, but a lot of them have only really played that series back a couple months ago. Is this developing into a pretty good rivalry given all the stakes that you've played against them?

COACH TIM CORBIN: I mean, they are just a good opponent. What a rivalry is, I have no idea. I like the fact that we play very good baseball in a good conference, and the fact that we potentially could play them five times, six times, what-have-you, is fine. It's a good thing for our conference. But we enjoy playing good opponents and Mississippi State is more than a good opponent. Tremendous competitors.

Q. To clarify, is Jack your guy tomorrow?

COACH TIM CORBIN: I have not clarified that and I never said that. We'll see how he feels today and then we'll determine who is going to pitch. But we need time today. These kids have thrown as of late, and we'll just take care of the health of the kids first before we determine who is going to start.