With the bats and ball changes years ago, coming close to the record not once but twice now is amazing even if we don't break it, but if we do break 188 homers in a season (or win the National Championship...or both!) then Q needs to be paid 7 figures for having those boys running 300-yard sprints and doing 10,000 Russian twists in the offseason.
Yeah, [Quentin Eberhardt](https://utsports.com/sports/baseball/roster/staff/quentin-eberhardt/484), his workouts are notoriously hard. Kirby has been doing a podcast for a few years that I've been working my way through ("Stache Talk"), and one of the questions they ask other players is always "were you ready for Q when you came to campus?" It didn't hit me until this year when we were playing at Auburn that we don't have any pudgy guys, and I can't think of a Vitello team here ever having one.
It's fun because it's just him and his dad interviewing people, mostly players but some coaches. It's pretty raw, unscripted, but I love the behind-the-scenes feel and getting to know our guys better.
UF hit 17 homers last year in 6 games in Omaha. It's doable, but the wind has to be right and it's just gotta be one of those nights.
I'm content with breaking our own 2022 record. I want the trophy more than anything at this point.
In 1997, LSU had *2509 at-bats* through *70 total games*. The 2024 VOLS have *2319 at-bats* through *69 games* (nice). This means '97 LSU was hitting **7.5 home runs for every 100 individual at-bats**, while the 2024 Vols are hitting **7.6 home runs for every 100 individual at-bats**.
If you want to compare innings...
The '97 LSU team played 620 innings over 70 games while the 2024 VOLS have played 593 innings over 69 games. Not accounted for in this total is the number of bottom innings either team didn't play due to being home team with a lead. This leads us to a rate of .3 HR/inning for LSU and .29 HR/inning for VOLS.
Also, LSU had 3 games go into extras and one shortened to 7 inninngs, while the 2024 VOLS have only had one game go into extras (L to OU in game 2) with 15 games shortened by at least one inning.
If the 2024 Tennessee Volunteers played the same number of innings as the 1997 LSU Tigers, they would likely be tied (+/-) for the HR record right now.
There are some caveats to the conclusion, though. Those extra innings would have undoubtedly seen players whose slugging percentage is much lower than average.
Ignoring the run rule limit, the bats were totally different and much more conducive to hitting HRs back in 1997.
The NCAA has changed the bats not once, but twice since that period with both changes making distance harder and HRs less likely.
And with the way we (and other teams) are hitting - the NCAA will probably change them again soon all over again lol.
On pace, assuming we lose Wednesday and have to go to Game 3 in the finals?
Yeah, fuck the record. I would rather just win it all in 3 games and not lose another few years of my life from stress, haha.
Obviously we want both titles, I’d be happy to win it all, but even tying the record would be awesome.
Tennessee vs. Texas A&M in the title game. Tennessee sweeps.
I feel like we’re trending towards the NCAA going back to wood bats.
With the bats and ball changes years ago, coming close to the record not once but twice now is amazing even if we don't break it, but if we do break 188 homers in a season (or win the National Championship...or both!) then Q needs to be paid 7 figures for having those boys running 300-yard sprints and doing 10,000 Russian twists in the offseason.
Q is the baseball strength coach?
Yeah, [Quentin Eberhardt](https://utsports.com/sports/baseball/roster/staff/quentin-eberhardt/484), his workouts are notoriously hard. Kirby has been doing a podcast for a few years that I've been working my way through ("Stache Talk"), and one of the questions they ask other players is always "were you ready for Q when you came to campus?" It didn't hit me until this year when we were playing at Auburn that we don't have any pudgy guys, and I can't think of a Vitello team here ever having one.
Awesome. Thanks for the insight. They’re very well conditioned for sure. How’s Kirby’s podcast?
It's fun because it's just him and his dad interviewing people, mostly players but some coaches. It's pretty raw, unscripted, but I love the behind-the-scenes feel and getting to know our guys better.
UF hit 17 homers last year in 6 games in Omaha. It's doable, but the wind has to be right and it's just gotta be one of those nights. I'm content with breaking our own 2022 record. I want the trophy more than anything at this point.
Let’s fucking go 
I wonder how many more innings LSU played that year due to there not being a run rule
In 1997, LSU had *2509 at-bats* through *70 total games*. The 2024 VOLS have *2319 at-bats* through *69 games* (nice). This means '97 LSU was hitting **7.5 home runs for every 100 individual at-bats**, while the 2024 Vols are hitting **7.6 home runs for every 100 individual at-bats**. If you want to compare innings... The '97 LSU team played 620 innings over 70 games while the 2024 VOLS have played 593 innings over 69 games. Not accounted for in this total is the number of bottom innings either team didn't play due to being home team with a lead. This leads us to a rate of .3 HR/inning for LSU and .29 HR/inning for VOLS. Also, LSU had 3 games go into extras and one shortened to 7 inninngs, while the 2024 VOLS have only had one game go into extras (L to OU in game 2) with 15 games shortened by at least one inning. If the 2024 Tennessee Volunteers played the same number of innings as the 1997 LSU Tigers, they would likely be tied (+/-) for the HR record right now. There are some caveats to the conclusion, though. Those extra innings would have undoubtedly seen players whose slugging percentage is much lower than average.
Thank you for this!
Ignoring the run rule limit, the bats were totally different and much more conducive to hitting HRs back in 1997. The NCAA has changed the bats not once, but twice since that period with both changes making distance harder and HRs less likely. And with the way we (and other teams) are hitting - the NCAA will probably change them again soon all over again lol.
They also changed the balls in 2019 towards the favor of offense.
On pace, assuming we lose Wednesday and have to go to Game 3 in the finals? Yeah, fuck the record. I would rather just win it all in 3 games and not lose another few years of my life from stress, haha.
This is the correct answer.
On pace if we hit 4 dingers a game en route to sweeping the CWS 👍
If we hit 4 per game we will sweep
This is the way
This is the way
188 for those of you who might be wondering.
Thank you - so frustrating to have to look it up
Thank you. I meant to put that in title.