Vic Schaefer, seniors meet with media on Tuesday

Quick notes from Vic Schaefer exit press conference

Vic Schaefer
* Feel honored and humbled to have the opportunity at Mississippi State. Tremendous obligation. SEC West and facing the best.

* MSU is a great fit. Starkville is a perfect fit and university is a great fit and similar to Texas A&M. Just feels right.

* Calling our recruits was very hard and it was hard to tell the team. They have grown so much and this team is getting better.

* Blair has been great & he's excited for me. I appreciate that from him. He's allowed me to do what I do & has prepared me well!

* A&M is a special place but this is a new opportunity and sometimes you have to walk through doors like this. It's exciting.

* Sometimes you have to get uncomfortable to find out what you're made of and to develop. It will be hard to walk away from A&M.

* Going to MSU to win championships. That's why we came to A&M and that's what I'm going to do.

* Is MSU a destination job? It might be. I'm 51 and I can't take just any job but MSU is an opportunity to win.

* Won't rush through assembling a staff. Phone has been busy but can get fired hiring your friends. Have to hire the right people.

* Molding players is why we do what we do. These parents give us their kids and we have to prepare them for life and basketball.

* Very rewarding when players appreciate their experience. Going through it is hard but the kids come to appreciate it.

* Pretty special place and will be very grateful for what this place did for [my son] Logan during his critical injury.

* People in this community are what make this place great.

* Focus will be right here in College Station and getting us through game-by-game and week-by-week. Want to be playing in 3 weeks.

* Focus is with those kids. Love those kids and this team. Kids have been through a lot. Looking forward to a great weekend at home!


Sydney Carter
* Happy for Coach Schaefer. Great opportunity for him. Begged him to stay this year. Emotional to see him standing in front of us.

* It will be a "win one for Vic" motto in the NCAA Tournament. He's done so much for us and we have to put everything into this!

* Will be hard for A&M to find someone to teach defense like Vic. That guy IS A&M defense and brings so much to the table.

* Will always remember Vic stomping that foot and calling my name, "Carter!!!" He's so loud and I'll never forget that.

* MSU players should be very grateful because he's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet and he has changed my life.


Skylar Collins
* Heartbroken. Figured this day would come. Great coaching staff. I cried. I'm a senior but still hard to see part of family gone.

* Coach Schaefer will do amazing. He's so passionate and knowledgeable. He'll do a great job at MSU.

* Same fire and passion that Vic coaches you with off the court is the same fire and passion that he loves you with off the court.