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✦ QUOTING KELLY "In particular they were smart. They were disciplined, and I think those two things really showed themselves. We were smart in the way we took care of the football. You take the top teams last week that lost in the top 25, they averaged four turnovers." learned from the 2002 team that was upset by Boston College after starting 8-0: "First, history will have no effect on how this team plays. What will affect how this team plays is how they prepare during the week and that is what I can control and that's what our players can con- trol. So our focus is on what we can control. If we don't prepare well and have a good week, that's going to spill into how we play Saturday. "Secondly, for us, more than anything else is that you On avoiding a letdown and if any lessons can be can prepare well, but if you're not going to play a tough brand of football mentally and physically, then you can lose every week that you play. "So I go back to the two things: One, let's take care of what we can control. And two, let's exhibit the habits that we've used all week and all year to be the guide for what happens on Saturday." year: "I think it's our strength and conditioning, our nutrition, the way we take care of ourselves, and our schedule has really kind of taken shape and form over the last couple years that our guys feel fresh. We're hitting peaks in the weight room right now. We're peaking out in November. We're stronger as a football team right now. "Certainly not turning the football over is a huge ele- On the Irish dominating the fourth quarter this ment in that, and finally, we know what our defense has done. I think running the football has allowed us to assert our will later in games." son: "You're developing a football program on a consis- tency that you want your team to have. I think it's pretty On winning eight games for the third straight sea- Freshman Rushel Shell (above) has combined with senior Ray Graham to give Pitt a formidable one-two punch at running back, carrying the ball 87 times for 441 yards (5.1 per attempt) and four touchdowns. PHOTO COURTESY PITT clear that we're developing that consistency. But the challenges each year are different because of the differ- ent players that you have. ✦ PAGE 12 "But it's still the same. It's still habits on a day-to-day basis. It's still preparation. It's still performing. That hasn't changed. But now you have a group of players that know what you expect from them going into where we are right now." over the past couple of years in my time here. They have clearly found themselves, with a new coach. "What they've been able to overcome with three On Pitt: "Pittsburgh has played us extremely well coaches in a very short period of time tells you a lot about their players, and it's going to be a great challenge for us. They will play their very best here at Notre Dame Stadium, and we're prepared for that." matured as a quarterback. I am really impressed with his play this year. He's not turning the football over. Last year, he was similar to what we were going through with some untimely turnovers. He takes great care of the football. "He's a veteran. You can see that. And the offense fits On Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri: "He has really him very well, and he can make plays. He's a guy that, I think, is playing the best football that he's played his entire career at Pittsburgh." plan. They're in the first year, and I think Coach [Paul] Chryst has done a great job of really forming their iden- tity as a football team. [Ray] Graham is healthy. [Rushel] Shell is playing more; they've got a on- two punch there [at running back]. "You've got veteran receivers back. [Fifth-year senior On what Pitt does well: "I just think they know the Mike] Shanahan has been around for a long time, [red- shirt junior Devin] Street. They've got an identity as to where they want to go. And they'll be a formidable op- ponent for us on Saturday." respect for Graham and coming back from a knee injury. He's really starting to round into form. He was difficult to defend last year. Having Shell in there obviously gives him an opportunity now that he doesn't have to carry the load, which keeps him fresh. They're two really good running backs, and we'll be challenged to slow them down." ✦ On the Pitt running game: "We have a great deal of