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✦ quoting kelly "We had some ups and we had some downs, but we're in a pretty good place right now. Our guys, their minds are clear and focused. We're feeling pretty good about ourselves and our preparation, and we're really focused on playing well Saturday against USC." On whether USC opened up its playbook against Arizona in the first game under interim coach Ed Orgeron: "No, they took shots down the field [because Arizona] had the safeties down. I don't know that I would characterize that the play calling changed that much. "I remember last year, they took shots down the field against us when our safeties started to creep down. They were certainly looking to get the ball down the field. The safeties were crowding the box. It was a formation where there are a lot of guys on the line of scrimmage, and it just made sense. "They were aggressive, but they didn't, obviously, go to a spread, no back, up tempo [offense]. They were within profile, and they're certainly going to go to their strengths." On which freshmen performed the best during the team's bye week: "We try to get guys who are not only just freshmen, but guys who are going to play significant minutes for us as we go through the next six weeks. "It wasn't just a [freshman safety] Max Redfield or a [freshman running back Tarean] Folston. It was [senior tight end] Alex Welch getting a lot of work. It was [freshman offensive lineman] Steve Elmer getting a lot of work. It was guys that are in our rotation: [sophomore defensive lineman] Jarron Jones, [junior linebacker] Ben Councell. "It wasn't just freshmen. It was guys who are getting 10, 15 plays that just needed some more work. That was really the emphasis more so than, 'Boy, let's get all these freshmen.' It wasn't a freshmen scrimmage, per se." To view this video you must log in at BlueGoldOnline.com with your print subscription username and password VIDEO: Head coach Brian Kelly spoke to the media Oct. 15 about Saturday's upcoming game against USC. On preparing to face USC's offense not knowing if junior wide receiver Marqise Lee will play: "We always approached it the same in these kinds of situations — we just assume they're going to play, and that be would the same situation with Marqise Lee. We're assuming that he's going to be in the ballgame. "Obviously, you have to pay special attention to that. There will be times where you've got to think about double coverage. You've got to think about special coverages for him. "All that has to be part of your thought process. We move forward thinking that he's going to be in the lineup." On junior running back Amir Carlisle's play this season and his motivation this week as he prepares to play his former school, USC: "The game has dictated his play and how the game has unfolded. And he's been ready every week. "If we look back early in the season, he started off really well, and then we just had some other guys that have played well. It's been more about multiple players playing well at ✦ Page 9 that position, more so than his play has not elevated itself. We really just have a situation where we're just trying to get all those guys playing. But having said that, he was at USC. I think you can see he's pretty focused this week. "My guess is he's going to be excited about the opportunity to play against USC. We'll be keenly aware of his want to play very well against USC." On whether it is more difficult to prepare for a night game at home than on the road: "I try not to get bogged down in the minutia of it because if I did everything, all the little things, would slow me down. "I think what we try to do is keep the routine the same as if we were on the road. We're going to go back to the hotel and back at the Doubletree. It's going to have the same room. It's going to have the same routine. We're just in South Bend, and we're not in Indianapolis or another location. "We try to keep the routine the same. Whether we're at home or on the road, the routine stays the same. That's what I try to do." ✦