Jacob House talks graduating, faith, Omaha & more

The Aggies' senior leader looks back, and forward

Jordan Kirkland: Jacob, first, congratulations on the series win against Texas Tech this past weekend. You had a great game on Saturday — you went 3-for-4, had six runs batted in, two huge home runs. Talk about your performance in that game.

Jacob House: "It just felt good to go out there and get a win. We were able to clinch the series on Saturday. I was able to provide a couple of home runs which was good. It's god to kind of get back on track after a little bit of a struggle this past week up in Sam Houston. We keep rolling and keep winning series which is important, and we're just looking forward to San Diego State this weekend."

JK: You guys have been playing a ton of games in a row. How nice is is to finally have an off week where you can just relax and focus and maybe focus a little more on the fundamentals?

House: "It's good. We're finishing up with school which is a lot of relief off of a lot of guys shoulders. We've been playing a lot, and not as many games at home as we had at the beginning of the year, and it's nice to have the week off. We looked at rescheduling the game against Houston, but when we found out we weren't, it was just kind of a sigh of relief, like "Alright, lets get refreshed, finish school and go into the last half and postseason and finish strong.""

JK: You are finishing school. You're graduating in communications. How great is it to not only be graduating right now, but to be graduating from Texas A&M University?

House: "It's pretty awesome. I bet looking back five years ago, if you would have told me that I would graduate from Texas A&M, I probably would have told you that you were crazy. It's been awesome and the experience has been good. Obviously, I wish I could have been here longer, but being at Arkansas and then sitting out a year and playing two years here has been unbelievable. I'm really excited to walk on Friday morning, it's a little bit early, but it'll be good and I'll be proud to walk across the stage and have my parents there. It's going to be a good experience."

JK: This is your senior season. I know it might be hard to pick one or two favorite memories you've had, but what are some of your favorite memories of your college career?

House: "The things that stand out the most are probably just going to Omaha and then, I guess, just developing relationships here with the guys in the clubhouse and the coaches. The relationship I've developed with Coach Childress and Coach Sawyers and Coach Clement, the way that Coach Seely is a great coach in the dugout for us, and being able to talk with those guys all the time, that's probably the stuff I'll remember the most. The person they've helped me become and motivated me and challenged me, that's what I'll take away from my time here."

JK: Going off the field, you're involved in a ton of other things outside of baseball, which is hard to believe. You're also the president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, what was it like being the president of that organization?

House: "It's challenging. It's fun to do, but it challenges you and my spiritual walk alone. Personally, because there are a lot of people looking at you, and to you for guidance, for help and just to talk. I really enjoyed just getting to know people and understanding where they are coming from and just being transparent with them and saying, 'Hey, I'm not perfect.'

"I have a relationship with the Lord, but these are the things I do on the side, baseball and school, but this is the most important thing. Having the opportunity to do that
was awesome. It helped me grow and realize that life happens and you kind of have to go with it, but when you have that stronghold and know your relationship with Christ is the most important thing, it will all pulled through those tough times."

JK: What do you think about your faith has helped you succeed so well in baseball?

House: "It's just given me a different perspective, and honestly, while I was at Arkansas, baseball was my life. It consumed me, it defined me, and when I made the decision to come here, I didn't pray about it as much as I probably wanted to and kind of took it in my own hands. God kind of used that time I sat out to comfort me and say, 'This isn't it. Baseball is not everything you do.'

"A loss or a win would affect the way I treated my parents and friends. It took so much out of me, and now I'm able to just relax and go play. Whether I'm 0-for-4 or 4-for-4, I have comfort that God still loves me and cares about the things in my life. I'm able to kind of use baseball as more of a ministry and develop relationships with people."

JK: It seems like the team this year is so close, so tight-knit, and you are by far the leader of this team, the coaches have been saying that. What have you done to help get this team so tight?

House: "I think it's spending time up here and being around people. The most important thing you can give to somebody is your time. You can do stuff for them, you can buy things and give them things, but I think when you spend time with guys, it's nice with the brand new facility, you get close and get to know each other. When it comes out on the field, you're comforted a little bit more when you spend that much time with people and have a feel for what they are going to do and who they are. You can communicate with them better and interact on and off the field so much easier."

JK: It seems like Coach Childress has installed great values in all of you, and not only that but, he's producing some of the greatest in Texas A&M history. What is one of the things you're going to take away from your two years in College Station with Coach Childress?

House: "The things that he tells everybody when he recruits them and when we get here in the fall is, 'I want your best effort and your best attitude. If you give us everything you've got with the best attitude, the rest will take care of itself.' I think that having a good attitude throughout whatever is going on is a choice we can make everyday, and given the opportunity with a tough situation, or something that's easy, having a good attitude is the most important thing. He does a great job, whether it's a pitching change or talking to guys in the dugout, he does everything to make you feel comfortable. Everything he does is extremely important for our program."

JK: Finally, the baseball draft is coming up this summer. You're one of the top 20-rated first basemen in the country, so hopefully you do have the opportunity to get drafted. Is there a player in the current MLB or the past that you want to mirror your career after?

House: "I grew up watching the Rangers, being so close to Arlington. I really like Will Clark and the way he played, the hard-nose attitude he had about the game. There are a couple of other players now, Todd Helton and James Loney with the Dodgers, good players and good defensive first basemen. I take pride in that, and being given the chance to play professionally is exciting to think about and hopefully we'll see in June."