Norm DeBriyn sees many of his ex-players regularly at a Friday morning Bible study.
Along with their weekly lessons, there is a regular debate: What is the wipe-out pitch Kevin Kopps is throwing?
“It’s Dave Jorn, Nick Schmidt, Charley Boyce, Clint Brannon and a bunch of others,” DeBriyn said. “No one is exactly sure what that is Kevin is throwing. But we all agree it is un-hittable.”
Jorn was the pitching coach under DeBriyn and current coach Dave Van Horn. Jorn recruited Kopps, along with Tony Vitello. Schmidt, Boyce and Brannon all pitched for the Razorbacks under Jorn.
“Charley was the first to really peg it,” DeBriyn said. “He said it was a cutter, but it can move like a slider at times. I think Kevin can change his hand grip a little and turn it into either one.
“When you really dial in a cutter, it’s devastating. There are some like Cliff Lee who have done really well with it at the big-league level. That saved Lee’s career after Tommy John surgery and he could really command it. But it’s hard to really get the kind of command that Kevin has now. He is amazing.”
DeBriyn still scouts some for the Colorado Rockies. He’s touted Kopps, who is this week's SEC co-pitcher of the week, along with Kumar Rocker of Vanderbilt. Collegiate Baseball Newspaper named Kopps one of its national players of the week after he retired all 15 batters he faced at South Carolina, including 12 by strikeout.
“I know he’s in his sixth year with the possibility of one more,” DeBriyn said. “And, that’s old to be drafting a player. You better think he can move through the minor leagues fairly fast. And, he’s had Tommy John surgery (following the 2017 season). So those two things make him a risk to draft.
“But I think you have to take him. That pitch is that good.”
Kopps is 6-0 with five saves for the top-ranked Razorbacks. The twice-redshirted junior has 66 strikeouts in his 18 appearances over 37 innings.
Jorn recalls the recruitment.
“He was part of a group that turned out could really pitch,” Jorn said. “We got Isaiah Campbell, Blaine Knight, Jake Reindl and Barrett Loseke and Kopps. Those last three were all walk-ons. Kopps was from South Texas, but out-of-state tuition was waived.
“Those three walk-ons turned out really well. They had good careers.”
Kopps isn’t close to being done.
“It’s hard to tell what happens as far as pro ball,” Jorn said. “It may happen, but he’s 23. That’s old to be drafted. But someone may see that pitch as too good to pass on. It’s a true swing-and-miss pitch and he can really locate it.
“I think it’s a slider. A cutter stays on the same plane as the fast ball at a higher speed, so I don’t think it’s a cutter. But maybe it is. I think it’s a really good slider.
“When he got here, he had a good curve and slider. We redshirted him that first year when we were really getting beat up with young pitchers so he could learn to locate the fastball a little better.
“What you have with Kevin is a really hard worker and so smart. He’s a special individual and that’s why I think an organization should take a chance on him. He’s going to encourage young players and be an asset as well as a good player. He will work his tail off.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with the draft though. It’s supposed to be just 20 rounds and there are a lot of players out there because of the short draft last year. They have pretty much eliminated rookie ball.
“What I’d tell Kevin, don’t worry about it. Just enjoy this season.”
DeBryin and Jorn said it’s enjoyable on their end.
“It sure is,” Jorn said. “I’ve been out to the park for a couple of series and try to watch on TV. I was at the A&M series and I saw most of the games in the South Carolina series last weekend.
“What Kevin did in those two games was pretty good to say the least. If you are a right-hand hitter, you better be up there with a plan and it better not be to pull it. He’s too consistent. He’s just having a super year.”
It could rank with some of the great all-time closers in Arkansas history. Whether or not he becomes only the sixth to get to double digits in saves in one year may be determined by how many chances he gets with the lead.
Matt Cronin leads the single-season save chart with 14 in 2018. He also had 12 in 2019. Colby Suggs had 13 in 2013. Barrett Astin had 11 in 2012. Those were all on SEC teams.
From the SWC era, Phillip Stidham had 12 in 1989, 11 in 1990 and 10 in 1991. Tim Deitz had 12 in 1985.
Stidham leads in career saves with 33. Cronin is next with 27.
“They were completely different,” DeBriyn said of Stidham and Cronin.
Cronin did it with a power fastball that rose in the zone. Stidham was a submarine specialist with a rubber arm. He appeared in 36, 33 and 36 games over his three seasons.
“Stidham and Deitz had the same arm action,” DeBriyn said. “Jorn got them to go to the side arm or down under delivery. They had some velocity, too.
“Deitz had hurt his arm and had that pitch that tailed away and down. He was very effective.
“Stidham was kind of like Kopps. We could use him for more than one inning without batting an eye. But usually it was just the last two with Stidham. We did get into an extra-inning game against A&M in ’89 and he went six innings.
“Deitz went with Jorn to summer ball in the Jayhawk League and learned that down under delivery. When he came back in the fall, he was throwing without pain at 89.”
That’s about what DeBriyn said Kopps is throwing, 88-89 mph, with his fastball.
“Don’t believe the guns on the scoreboard or what you see on TV,” DeBriyn said. “Those are 2 mph over what is real. When I sit with scouts, I’ll see all of the guns. If it shows 93 on the scoreboard, it’s 91 on every gun in the stands. Just subtract two and sometimes it’s more.”
That’s enough velocity to get to the big leagues.
“I think so,” DeBriyn said. “I’d sure want Kopps with what he’s doing now. I remember we had Tim Lollar go straight to Double-A and then to Triple-A in the same year. Kopps might can do that, too.
“That pitch he has is plus-plus. If it’s me, I gotta take him.
“I heard the quotes from the South Carolina hitters. They say they couldn’t pick it up and that’s why they had so many check swings. They recognized the spin too late.
“It’s fun to watch. This (Arkansas) team is pretty good and Kopps is the icing on the cake. It’s pretty unbelievable.”