Notre Dame Fighting Irish College Football Pregame Quote, 12/27/2018

What’s going through your head right now? Just getting closer to game time. I’m just excited. And every time we walk in here, we just are that much closer to this great opportunity that we have on the 29th. And we’re really just excited and confident for this game.

What’s it like being here and seeing how big it is? It was crazy, I remember the first time we all walked in here we took time to look around. And we all know what the stadium is, and a lot of us have kind of grown up wanting to play here. So it’s really surreal that we get to play here.

What do you guys want to show the world on Saturday? We want to show them that we deserve the title and show them we’re an elite team who belongs in the Playoffs. And we’ve still got two more games to go to our end goal, but that’s just what we want to show people.

Do you ever think about just how crazy is it how far you’ve come since January, you, specifically? Yeah. I step back sometimes and kind of just look back on the past a little bit and see how fast it’s gone by and just realize how fortunate I am to be in this spot and kind of just how crazy everything has gone and just, you know, where we are, how close we are to the end goal that we talk about every day.

No word yet on Dexter Lawrence being able to play on Saturday. But how good is that defense with or without him? Yeah, really good, with or without him.

They’ve shown what they can do. We’ve prepared every day. And they’re very talented and just a great opportunity for us to go out there and compete with a good defense like that.

Are you just super excited for the game? Can you wait any longer? I know it’s been a long time for you guys. It’s hard to wait. But it’s a good time to get some really good preparation in for our team. And we’re getting close, and everyone is really antsy to just play.

Do you give yourself any time to be a fan this week? Take a moment like, wow, we’re Notre Dame and I’m playing in a playoff game like this? Something you dreamed of, I’m assuming, for years. Do you allow yourself to take in a moment like that as a fan? Yeah. Like I was saying earlier, there’s been a couple times this year I’ve taken a step back and realized how far we’ve come.

Yeah, just, again, really fortunate. And I’m just excited and really happy to be part of this team and ready for the opportunity that we have ahead of us.

Are you happy you get a couple days to practice in this stadium so that way your first experience isn’t looking up and being, like, whoa, like this is a huge stadium. Is it nice having a couple days to get used to that? Definitely. Being able to practice in here and just take everything in so on game time it’s not the first time seeing everything, it will definitely help. And it’s just going to help our preparation as a whole.

Is your neck a little sore at all looking up at that video board for the first time? No. But it is crazy, just this whole entire stadium. It’s the biggest jumbotron I’ve ever seen. It will be pretty cool to look up there and watch some guys make some good plays.

I asked Trevor [Lawrence]. He said he hasn’t talked to you. But what are thoughts on you guys kind of being in a similar situation, taking over mid-season and now you’re going to face each other on Saturday? I think it’s really cool just being able to have similar situations. Both of us have the same dream of winning a national championship. I’m happy for him. And he’s a good player. And I think we’re both probably extremely excited and feel very fortunate to compete.

When did you find out that you were being started? Couple days – probably, like, first week before the Wake Forest game.

Were you surprised that the change was made? Because Brandon [Wimbush] started the first three. Were you thinking that you’d be the backup the whole way? I prepared every day like I was going to get my opportunity. You know, I wouldn’t say ‘surprised’ is the right word. Because I was always ready to go in. I wanted to make the most of my opportunity.

Had Coach hinted to it at all the first few weeks? No. Both of us, Brandon and myself, believe in the coaches. Whatever they do is the right choice. We both have the same goals. We both want to win. So we’re ready to react to whatever decisions they made throughout the season.

Did Coach Kelly tell you that you were going to start? Yeah. We had a meeting. They told me early in the week just to get ready and be ready and make the most of your opportunity. It’s something I’ve dreamed of, so it’s something I’d been preparing for.

It wasn’t a team setting, just you? No, just me.

When you see Trevor [Lawrence] play, what impresses you the most about what he does? Just the way he throws the football. The first thing I notice is how strong his arm is. And to be a true freshman and go out there and lead the offense, you know, it’s hard to find in a true freshman quarterback. So I think he’s doing a great job. And I think it’s going to be a really good game, and I know he’ll do well on offense.

He’s a freshman. You’ve get another year. What was the biggest thing you learned from the first year to second year you think looking back? Probably some leadership things. Just getting the guys to rally behind you as the quarterback. You’re the leader of the offense. And it’s something I really took pride in just wanted to lead these guys and go out there and have fun and lead the whole entire offense to victory on Saturday.

Do you think it’s difficult for a freshman to come in and be a starter? I mean, not on the field. But it’s like you said, the leadership stuff. You’ve got three- or four-year guys that are now relying on you? I think it’s hard. I think it’s just in some guys. You see that in a true freshman that has success. I think it’s difficult to go lead DI college football and be a true freshman and get to the Playoffs. It speaks for itself. So he’s obviously doing the right things. Same with the coaches.

You bided your time at Notre Dame. You started this year. We see more and more, if a guy doesn’t play right away, they’re looking for the exit. What was it that kind of kept you focused? Just being confident and knowing I could play. I just wanted to be able to showcase my talents every day and work hard. I knew I was going to get an opportunity sometime. Last thing I wanted to happen is not to be ready for that opportunity. So I prepared for that opportunity and got it. Just wanted to make the most of it.

Do you see that mentality out there? I know it’s not with everybody. Sometimes. Sometimes, like you said, you see some guys that start in high school and are the top-rated guys and they don’t get what they want when they get here and they might leave or something. It happens. I think it’s just the type of people, I guess. Just depends on if you can be patient for a little bit and know your skills and know you’ll get your shot eventually.

How well does the run pass options suit your game? It’s what I like to do. And Coach [Chip] Long and Coach [Tom] Rees have done a great job of being able to implement that into our offense and getting the ball out quickly and extending plays and just getting the ball to our playmakers as soon as possible and letting them make the plays because that’s they do best.

Was there a particular moment once you became the starter where the game slowed down, the light bulb went off, whatever analogy you want to use? I don’t know an exact moment. But I remember after the Wake Forest game and as the season went on, the chemistry with everybody just really started to click and started to feel even more confident. Timing is everything for an offense.

Throughout the year it just kept getting better.

Coach [Brian] Kelly just said that Clemson is going to be the best defense that you’ve played all year. How is that going to change your game? I don’t think we’re going to change anything. We know that we’re preparing for a really good defense. And we just got to do what we’ve been doing this whole entire season, preparing the way we have week in and week out. We don’t have to have any superhuman efforts or anything, just keep doing what we’ve been doing and take care of our business and control what we can control.