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UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCESeptember 5, 2015Malik ZaireSouth Bend, Indiana Texas - 3 Q. Inaudible. MALIK ZAIRE: Felt amazing. We were all anxious out there but the leaders, the captains, we were trying to make sure we were humble and we were doing our job and making sure that we had our eyes open and things like that. Q. The Texas pedigree -- MALIK ZAIRE: Just an honor. Shows true detail into the defense and the way we communicate and just scrambled to the ball and things like that. I really wasn't born yet the last time they got held to that but it's a great accomplishment, two great teams with a lot of rich history and tradition. Q. Inaudible. MALIK ZAIRE: Just another year under the belt and a better understanding of the defense. Q. Inaudible. MALIK ZAIRE: Just an amazing feeling just to make sure that you're doing your job, making sure that I'm eliminating mental errors and things like that, and making plays. That's a part of the game. I've been playing the game since I was seven years old, so it's all about having fun. Q. Inaudible. MALIK ZAIRE: 25 is my man -- inaudible. Just got to do it for him. Got to do it for us. Got to do it for the Lord and family and things like that, and he's going to be with us. He's a big part of our team and he's going to keep encouraging and teaching the young guys. Q. You guys have such high expectations this year. How much is the way you played tonight not just about winning but playing to your potential? MALIK ZAIRE: It is, it's a matter of we didn't want to start off with the mentality of it being just the opener. We wanted to start off mid-season, with a mid-season mentality as far as the execution and things like that. We showed great confidence. You've always got to clean up some little stuff and things like that, but we're heading into the right direction. Q. In terms of movement -- improving next? MALIK ZAIRE: Making sure that the communication is solid for the entire game. We can't take a play off and miss a communication. We have to make sure the D-Line, and we have to make sure the secondary is in tune and in sync with each other and things like that. Q. You mentioned another year under the belt, do you feel more freer? Seems like you're right there. MALIK ZAIRE: Not really wrong, just a part of my job, having a better understanding of, you know, what the offense is looking for, the opponent, and a better understanding of the defense as far as where -- knowing where the defensive front line is going to be and kind of where I play. And then from there, it's just like I said, it's just playing football. Q. Were you ever -- MALIK ZAIRE: It was more a zone. I think -- in scramble, and I made the play. Q. Four sacks, high from last year, single-game total -- MALIK ZAIRE: Yeah, I think I had one of those. It was real nice to see the effort and the enthusiasm and the intensity. That's one thing that you need to have when you're rushing is speed and intensity. Q. Inaudible. MALIK ZAIRE: Oh, tremendously. Just coming off like a two-game losing streak at home, defending our turf, and that's something that Coach Kelly preaches. And we've just got to take it one day at a time and one game at a time. Q. Getting the early lead, and how you played in the second half -- MALIK ZAIRE: Not at all. Just having an early lead, and kind of a secure lead, we had a chance to get the younger guys in there. That was real fun. Q. Did you expect the young guys -- MALIK ZAIRE: I mean, I'm prepared for anything. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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