Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 14, 2016 31 Notre Dame junior quarterback DeShone Kizer … On if the team took a step back against Navy after beating Miami: "We have to evaluate it and talk about it. As of now we're disappointed, but very proud of the way that we fought and the way we battled. It's pretty consistent in who we are and how we go about our game-time situations. We're going to go out and fight you until the last second. "Obviously being in six games where it's down to the last drive, the offense wants the ball in their hands. In this situation, we didn't [have the ball], and we trust in our defense to go out and make a play. "Navy made a couple more plays than we did to- night." On having the ball with a chance to take the lead late: "I can't tell you it's an anxiety situation. With as many times we've been through it, we know exactly where we have to be. If the ball's going to be in our hands, we have to go down and score. That's the same mindset that we had all game. "When you're playing against a team like Navy, your possessions are going to be limited. Every time you touch the ball you're going to have to score. That was the mindset if we got the ball back." Notre Dame senior linebacker James Onwualu … On playing the triple option: "It's tough. Big plays matter. We made a couple big plays and that substitution error hurt us. … We're conditioned. I wasn't tired. "It's staying focused for a nine-minute drive that can be tough. Physically, we were good." Notre Dame senior defensive lineman Isaac Ro- chell … On his message to the team after the loss: "First off, our team's going to fight either way. That would be my initial message, to keep fighting. But that's not going to be an issue. "Now it's just the battle of, 'Let's win out, let's go to a bowl game and let's play Notre Dame football.' That's going to be my message, and it's not going to be an issue for us fighting. "I know guys are going to work hard. Just getting a bowl is something to look forward to." On fatigue against the triple option: "I personally felt good. The way it looked from the sideline when other guys were in, our guys were holding up and playing well. "As a D-line we played well. It's assignment football, and our assignment for the most part was tackle the dive, with the random exceptions. For the most part our guys held up." Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo … On his team's final drive: "I thought [senior quarter- back] Will [Worth] did a really good job managing the clock. We were trying to snap the ball within five sec- onds. We were trying to eat the clock, but I didn't want to slow down and lose momentum. "It wasn't a total kill the clock. I didn't want us to bog down because I knew we had to continue to move the ball and get first downs. "That's what it came down to: Think in terms of first downs, don't think of anything else." On beating Notre Dame: "We've only beaten them 13 times in 90 years. We beat them four in half a decade. "They're still Notre Dame. That's still a really good program. Kizer is probably going to be the first pick in the draft. He's as good as it gets. Kelly is a phenomenal coach. We beat them by one point. All their games, they lost really close games. They could have won a ton of other games. "It was a huge win for our program. We're super ex- cited. We're going to celebrate this one." FROM THE LOCKER ROOM Senior linebacker and captain James Onwualu was credited with eight tackles against Navy, including 1.5 for lost yardage, but the Midshipmen finished with 320 rushing yards in their victory. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA