Sept. 13, 2004

Brady Quinn

On looking at the game tape of the Michigan game …

We try to be tough critics and looking at the tape there were a ton of things that obviously I missed out there and I could have played better. With our offense there were some things that we could have tightened up with the running game and passing game to put more yardage on the board.

On how the running game opens up the passing game …

It’s a great feeling of confidence. Anytime you know that you have the running game everything is going to be setup for the play-action. You’re going to have the majority of your drop-backs just based upon the fact that anytime you are under center the linebackers still aren’t sure whether or not you are going to run or pass and that obviously gives you a big help.

Carlyle Holiday

On if he volunteered to return punts …

As soon as I switched from quarterback I think it was in their (the coaching staff) mindset to try and get the ball into my hands some kind of way and special teams is a big part of it. Not only that, I did want to try and make some kind of contribution. Being on punt return is a big opportunity for me.

On if anyone has ever helped him on how to return punts …

No, not really because I think I was just kind of thrown into the role this fall camp. It took me some getting used to, just going and catching balls like that. I played center field in baseball but no one is coming after you then.

Brandon Hoyte

On Notre Dame’s past problems with Michigan State …

To be honest with you and to be blunt I could care less what happened in the past. It doesn’t matter what happened last week and it doesn’t matter what happened in the past with Michigan State. I think we just need to stay focused and focus on what we need to do as a team to build and get better every game.

Impressions of Michigan State’s team …

I think the one thing you have to keep in mind is that they are putting up great numbers right now offensively. I also think that they tend to play us very tough. That is something you respect but at the end of the day you just have to realize that it really doesn’t matter what the other team does. We understand that they are a great team and they play hard but it’s how we focus and how we get the job done.

Justin Tuck

On if the intensity and focus of the Michigan game will continue versus Michigan State …

I think so, considering that after the win against Michigan the first thing people were talking about after the game was Michigan State. The win against Michigan was great but it means nothing right now. We have to go up there and if we are not focused they can easily embarrass you. So that’s our focus right now. That’s what our leaders are preaching and that is what our coaches were preaching yesterday during our meetings. I don’t think we are going to let this one slip by mentally. We are going to be geared in and ready to go.

On being one-half sack short of the Notre Dame career record and what that means …

That’s a great feat, especially playing at a place like Notre Dame and knowing all of the great players that have played before you and to get it would be a great thing. In the same right, it doesn’t mean much in the whole scheme of things. This is a team-focused football team. If I don’t get it and we still win, then I’m still a happy person.

Ryan Grant

On if he was surprised by Darius Walker’s performance versus Michigan …

I’m not surprised. We knew what he could do and we knew he could run the ball. We knew that he could run outside and stretch the field. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do that. I knew Darius was going to play. I didn’t know he was going to play that much but he got the job done.

On how his hamstring felt during the Michigan game …

I couldn’t accelerate to the corner. I was a game-time decision whether or not I was going to play. I wanted to help the team but I knew I couldn’t run and that’s why I was in during pass-block protection.

Derek Curry

On the chain that he took out to the sidelines before the Michigan game …

The chain is about unity it’s about playing together and playing as a team and about playing unselfishly. That’s all that it was about, it’s not about me it’s not about the defense it’s not about the offense or special teams. It’s about everybody playing together because you are only as strong as your weakest link. It’s something that our defensive coaches came up with and I think it’s an excellent way to say what this season is about. It’s about the fact that all we have is us, nobody else gave us a chance but we knew what we had.

On the game plan versus Michigan …

One thing I can say from the defensive standpoint is that our coaches did an excellent job with the game plan. We couldn’t have asked for a better game plan going into Michigan. Basically they (the coaches) allowed us to play as hard as we can because the coaches prepared us beforehand so we basically knew what they were going to do before they did it. So it was just a matter about being more physical than them. We keyed in on their tendencies and really took advantage of knowing what they were going to do.

Dan Stevenson

On how Brady Quinn handles himself off the field …

I think he does a great job. Obviously he’s a young quarterback with a lot of success here and he’s keeping a real level head and he’s done an excellent job more than most people would with handling the off-the-field pressures.

On if Quinn is more in control of the huddle this year compared to last year …

Yeah definitely, you need somebody who can take charge of the huddle and typically that position is given to the quarterback just because he’s calling the plays and calling the shots. He comes in there with a lot more confidence. He knows what he’s doing and he’s not afraid to make the calls.

Kyle Budinscak

On the success of the run defense so far this season …

To have given up 70-some yards is something we’ve worked constantly at in the off-season to be able to do something like that. We’re proud of the way our front-seven has played so far but before we pat ourselves on the back we have 10 more (games) to go.

On what the team will focus on now with the Michigan game over with since it was such a huge motivating factor in the off-season …

We latch onto the fact that we realize what kind of team that we have. When everybody comes out and plays a game like that there’s no reason we shouldn’t be as motivated for every game this year as we were for that game. When we do that we are as good as anybody in the country.

Anthony Fasano

On what Darius Walker added to the offense versus Michigan …

He added a big spark. Our offense was already playing well and we had a lot of confidence behind us after the first half. He just added a difference maker, a person to really see the holes that we were creating and get there and get us positive yardage.

On the decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal versus Michigan and if that gave the offense confidence …

It does. I think we expected it and we were happy that they (the coaching staff) eventually made that call and we were disappointed that we didn’t get it on the goal line. We knew once we got to that point that we had a lot of good things going for us and some confidence behind us and we weren’t done right there.

Mike Goolsby

On the key to being so good against the run …

Pretty much just executing your assignments. The front-four just played tremendous for us and there were times where as a linebacker I’m trying to get into my gap and there was no gap because they had everything closed up. They clogged everything up for us. Those front-four rotating in and out did a great job for us.

On why Notre Dame has a tendency to struggle against Michigan State …

I don’t know. I think just talking about it yesterday it’s just one of those cases where they just play their hearts out against us and they give us everything they got year in and year out. It seems like the whole time I’ve been here they’ve been great games coming down to the wire. Hopefully that won’t be the case this year but we’re preparing for another tough game.