Morrison feels his Aggies are hitting their stride as SEC slate begins

Following a three-match road swing, Jamie Morrison's 9-1 Fightin' Texas Aggies are back at Reed Arena on Friday night for the Lone Star Showdown vs. No. 8 Texas. During Tuesday's edition of TexAgs Live, Morrison joined to discuss the latest regarding his program.

Key notes from Jamie Morrison interview

• We went through four states during our five-day road trip. It is good to be home. We had three matches over those five days. We went to Northern Iowa. For people that don't know, they have built a powerhouse there. They have won seven of the last eight conference championships. They are a well-rounded volleyball team. That was the first time they played in front of their home crowd. We found different ways to get ourselves out of a hole. I was proud of our team for that.
   
• We then played a Wisconsin team that has one of the best volleyball environments in the country, maybe even the world. They packed it out. It was rowdy and loud. I thought it took us about 15 points to get our footing. We should have won the second set. We played good volleyball. I think it will help us grow.
   
• We went to bed at 11 p.m., had to wake up the next morning and played at 1 p.m. the next day in the same arena, but it was empty. We came out a little flat in the first set against Troy. I think we learned some things there that we can change warm-up-wise. We turned around and beat a good Troy team. We lost the first set and then played well for the next three.
   
• There were a lot of learning experiences, stretching and growing. There was a lot of bonding being on the road for five days together. We are in a good spot heading into the SEC. Winning in tough situations is a piece of your identity. I think it is a huge testament to our team and the growth that is happening.
   
• I feel like we are in a great spot. When I talk to other teams, they are beat up in spots. We are hitting our stride — hats off to our performance team. I'll give Scott Battley, our sports scientist, credit for making sure we are managing our load. I'll give Tom Bjugstad, our strength coach, credit. Our athletes are well-rounded and robust. Then, Taylor, our athletic trainer, is doing a great job keeping us healthy. I think we are ready to take on the SEC.
   
• A lot of people have had Sept. 27 circled on the calendar. The rivalry is big. For me, it is a chance to bring fans of the rivalry to become fans of volleyball. It is a volleyball match. They are human beings. We have to go after them. We must figure out how to pick them apart and win a volleyball game.
   
• I'll echo to people: We need support. We have a match on Sunday against Missouri that is equally important. We have to make sure it's not just about the rivalry and Texas. We have to be good for three days this weekend. We need to be good on Friday, recover on Saturday and then be good again on Sunday.
   
• Texas is the two-time defending national champions, but they are human beings. They have weaknesses. We have to find the things that we can pick on and stay dialed in. They are good. I have a lot of respect for their team and staff.
   
• I was a volunteer assistant at Texas. People thought I was crazy for it then, but I love this game. I wanted to know what was going on behind the curtain. I wanted to know how they had been to so many Final Fours but had not gotten over the hump at that time. They opened up all doors for me to ask questions. While I was there, I was also coaching for Athletes Unlimited. I would game plan and then watch the matches at home. I still watched the Texas games as a fan. They played Texas A&M when they were ranked No. 1. A&M was not ranked. If I remember correctly, 8,236 fans were at Reed Arena. It was not a normal 8,236 fans. They were rowdy and getting after the other school.
   
• I had a checklist of things when I was coming back into coaching. One of them was being in a place where people care. I wanted to be in a place where I could help volleyball grow. I saw something special here when I was watching that match. I could feel that it was different. The seed was planted in my head. When the job opened up, I knew that box was checked. I knew I could get people to care about this game here.
   
• There are pieces of it and microcycles to prepare for the season. At the beginning of the year, we take a wide-angle lens of this year. Right now, the microcycle is this week. How do I make today the best day and Wednesday the best Wednesday we have ever had? It's one day at a time.
   
• The flip side of getting a little bit better every day is trying to get 10 percent better every day. That is daunting. Imagine being in the weight room and trying to go from 300 to 330 on squat. You are going to crumble. If you put 301 on the bar, though, you can probably get that done tomorrow. Getting one percent better is cliche, but it is really important.
   
• We need folks to come out and pack Reed Arena. If you like volleyball, pack Reed. If you don't like Texas, pack Reed. If you think I sound interesting, pack Reed. This is the match to come out and get a taste of it. Come see what we are about and fall in love with it.