Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/897211
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 13, 2017 29 NOTRE DAME HEAD COACH BRIAN KELLY … On his team's performance: "I think it comes at a great time with a win. Our guys have been able to get a win against an offense that played extremely well this evening. "[Wake Forest senior quarterback John] Wolford was outstanding and, again, I think we take a lot from it with the win, with a dominating offensive performance, too." NOTRE DAME JUNIOR QUARTERBACK BRANDON WIMBUSH … On the team's rushing success with multiple play- ers: "You could put a lot of running backs behind that offensive line and they will [excel]. The rest of the backs [behind injured junior Josh Adams] did a great job of preparing throughout the week, and when they got the opportunity they were able to take advantage of it. "It's a testament to up front continuing their domi- nance and opening up those holes for the guys." NOTRE DAME SOPHOMORE WIDE RECEIVER CHASE CLAYPOOL … On if there is a chip on the wide receivers' shoulders: "It's not we need more catches, more yards. It's we need to create opportunities for our team, whether that's blocking or catching the ball. "Today was catching more than blocking. As long as we're doing our job to make our team win, it's a win for the receivers." NOTRE DAME FIFTH-YEAR SENIOR LEFT TACKLE MIKE MCGLINCHEY … On the mood of the team after beating Wake Forest: "We won the game, so always happy, but like I've been saying, there are things we need to clean up. It's not anything major, and it's not anything that we need to go back to the drawing board on, but we have little things here and there that we need to clean up, and that'll be cleaned up with the coaching staff that we have and the players we have. "Nobody is going to sit there and just let the mistakes keep happening." On if the team answered the criticism of being one- dimensional: "I don't understand that. When you do something well in the flow of a game and you just keep doing it well, I don't understand what people's problem with that is. "We've got a quarterback that can sling the ball, we've got running backs that can make plays, we've got re- ceivers that can make plays and our tight ends had a huge day today, too. One dimensional or not, we put up points, and that's all that matters." NOTRE DAME SENIOR ROVER DRUE TRANQUILL … On the team bouncing back after adversity: "It hap- pened last week with the punt block for a touchdown and bouncing back. It's how we're built. It's how we've trained ourselves. It's a next-guy-in mentality. All these guys have trained and prepared. "When those situations strike we've trained for them and we're ready. … It's a next play mentality. It's not the last play, there's only the next play. That's what we try to focus on — the here and now, and taking each rep as they come." On if performance was more about Wake Forest or Notre Dame: "It's a combination of a lot of things. At the end of the day, players have to make plays and they have to go out there and execute. It's on the players, it's not on the coaches. "We have to go out there and execute the game plan they put in place for us. We didn't do that tonight. We didn't do that to the best of our abilities and that showed. We have to come back next week and do that." NOTRE DAME SOPHOMORE CORNERBACK JULIAN LOVE … On evaluating the defense's performance: "First half, we played well. We made good checks, and we were playing aggressive. Second half, we just didn't finish strong. That's what you have to do in college football. "You can't take any team for granted. Wake did a good job of exposing some things." On stopping Wake Forest's offense: "They're a high- tempo offense, run-pass option. There's a lot of ways that you get the ball out and a lot of different options for each play. "Some guys could be on their job and doing it very well, but say one guy wasn't on his stuff — then that could lead to a big play. It wasn't coming together fully for us in the second half." — Corey Bodden FROM THE LOCKER ROOM Fifth-year senior left tackle Mike McGlinchey and the Irish offensive line paved the way for 380 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA