Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/890623
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com OCT. 30, 2017 29 NOTRE DAME HEAD COACH BRIAN KELLY … On win over USC and players who stepped up: "I'm proud of guys like [sophomore wide receiver] Kevin Step- herson, who has been in Siberia mostly this sea- son and comes out and really impacts the game. And [sophomore defen- sive end] Khalid Kareem, who has two sacks. "The young players who impacted the game, I'm really proud of them. They were part of the challenge that we had last year after the USC game. We challenged our players to come back and get our program back to where it needed to be." NOTRE DAME JUNIOR QUARTERBACK BRANDON WIMBUSH … O n b a l a n c i n g t h e big picture and week- to-week process: "We have all the opportuni- ties ahead of us that we started the season with, even after that one loss. We've done a great job of pre- paring since January to take things day-by-day and week-by-week. "And I think that's really important as we come down the stretch. We'll go back, celebrate this, and head back tomorrow and evaluate the film and get ready for an- other big-time game in NC State." NOTRE DAME JUNIOR RUNNING BACK JOSH ADAMS … On what he saw on his 84-yard touchdown run: "Just staying patient, trusting in the line. I know those guys are going to get their jobs done, so it's my job to be pa- tient and wait for it to open up like it did. "Those guys work their butts off to get me through that far, and it's my job to finish the run. Just doing whatever I can to contribute to the offense. We got the score on that drive, so that's a plus." NOTRE DAME FIFTH-YEAR SENIOR OFFENSIVE TACKLE MIKE MCGLINCHEY … On how high the standard is for the offensive line and if it's challenging to improve based on success: "I don't think it's challenging to improve at all. We just have to continue to be honest with ourselves, continue to listen to the coaching that Coach [Harry] Hiestand brings to us each and every day. "We know we have a ton to improve on. There's things that happened out there that we're not happy with." NOTRE DAME SENIOR CENTER SAM MUSTIPHER … On how different of a feeling it is this year against USC after last season: "It's awesome. It's truly a bless- ing. We definitely worked for this all offseason. This is not just an accumulation of a few weeks. "This is January when we stepped foot back on cam- pus and got to work. We knew what was in store for this team, and we definitely worked for this." NOTRE DAME SOPHOMORE DEFENSIVE END DAELIN HAYES … On if he sensed over past two weeks how hungry team was for a moment like this: "Not even the last two weeks. I think it's been since last year, coming off a bitter year and that bitter taste in our mouth. "This whole offseason we've really prepared with a chip on our shoulder. I think it's starting to come to frui- tion for our team." NOTRE DAME SOPHOMORE DEFENSIVE END KHALID KAREEM … On how fun it is to play well and the confidence level of the team: "It's the greatest feeling in the world. Just out there with your brothers, balling. Greatest feeling. "We're confident, and we're still staying focused on the goal of winning a national championship." — Corey Bodden FROM THE LOCKER ROOM Sophomore defensive end Khalid Kareem registered two sacks in Notre Dame's 49-14 win over USC. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA