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UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 14, 2016

DeShone Kizer

South Bend, Indiana

Q. DeShone, how do you feel like the younger receivers that you've had kind of came out of the Nevada game?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, when we figured out that Torii was going to be down for that game that we were going to have to put a new frontside receiver out there, and K.J. came out and played very well. Corey Holmes as well, not being a young guy, but young being on the field came out and really played a good game. I really had to challenge myself to trust the second guy who was going to come in behind Torii, and obviously that trust didn't come out too well on the one go-pattern. But other than that, we didn't skip a beat.

I think that's the best part about these young receivers right now is they're playing at a high level where we don't have to change much of what we're doing and I can go out and play ball as if I was out there with Chris Brown or Amir Carlisle or Will Fuller.

Q. The trust factor you mentioned, you worked with these guys in practice, obviously flipping between the one and twos in August. You probably got some more work with K.J. and some of those guys. But do you need a game to get trust behind these guys necessarily?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, when you're in a game, it's a completely different situation. You never know how fast you're going to run. You never know when the bullets are flying the way they're going to react to press coverage or off coverage and all that. But to see it on film after two games, I really know who our guys are. I've spent a lot of time watching the routes and seeing it from an outside point of view. So when we go back in practice, I can focus on the adjustments I need to make to make sure we can get the ball in those guys' hands as if they are the veteran style receiver they're playing like.

Q. Seemed like Coach Kelly said after the game Saturday you're maybe looking for Equanimeous in certain situations. Has that trust and confidence in him developed maybe a little bit quicker necessarily?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, the way our offense is kind of set up is we're going to rely on that big-time receiver, that big-sized receiver on the back side to make big plays for us. Last year you saw it with Chris Brown, with backside routes all day long. Anytime they want to borrow a safety and take him to the field, we're going to exploit the backside as much as we can with the size of receiver that we have back there. So naturally that was kind of the way I went.

At the same time, there are open throws to the field all day long. Nevada came out with a great game plan to double up on Equanimeous and a couple of big third-down times and I had to scramble on one and overthrow on another. So I have to be able to make that adjustment to find the front-side receiver in those situations and not always rely on going to a guy with size.

Q. (Mo Microphone) mentioned he felt like the wind was a little different with the construction. Did you notice anything out there on Saturday?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, it was a windy game. It was kind of swirling down there. You had to really feel it out. My ball, I didn't necessarily have that in my mind when I threw the short pass. But at the same time, I think that was a situation where me not just trusting a guy. It's easy in that situation where maybe the wind gets going and not necessarily trusting myself to put the ball out there to try to just go back shoulder and that's what I did. And K.J. as instructed, ran right past him and I missed him. That's simply me misgauging the coverage and looking to a back shoulder ball in a situation where we have a guy who is five yards down the field past the defender.

Q. Last year one of the parts of this offense's identity was pushing the ball because you had Will Fuller. Is this offense different with the vertical passing game maybe not be so instrumental to what you want to do this year because your personnel is different?
DeSHONE KIZER: Not at all. We are who we are. We do want to push the ball vertically down the field. In these first two games some of the coverages are going to be cloud safeties where they're going to be playing high and over the top. So we haven't had an opportunity to truly throw it down as much as we did early last year. But as opportunities are presented to us, we trust that we're going to let it fly. We have the talent and we have the speed and the size to be able to do so, so why not?

Q. One thing Coach Kelly said was just about in your development doing a better job of sort of taking what's available, taking what the defense gives you. It seems like that would be pretty simple and you would start with that premise. Why do quarterbacks have to work up to that to take the easy stuff? Why is that a lesson a quarterback has to learn?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, in the beginning of the season you spend the whole off-season talking the ins and outs of every play, and in doing so you try to figure out what are the best defenses to throw certain routes against, and sometimes those defenses don't look exactly the same when you get into a game. You miss out on opportunities to throw five yard hit routes and end up getting ten yards if the corners back off 12 yards. You miss inside plant routes against blitzes. You miss some of the small things you don't put emphasis on during the off-season because you're so focused on running perfect play against the perfect defense at that time.

That's something that I really have to focus up on moving forward. If I don't know that the backside route or the frontside concept isn't perfect, to be able to just take the 5-yard check down and move forward.

Q. What does this rivalry mean to you? What have you learned about this rivalry since you've been here?
DeSHONE KIZER: Not being able to play in it and being removed from it as a player, didn't really know much about it. But the perception I have being a mid-west guy is these are two powerhouse teams in the midwest who are going to play inside the tackles and play you tough.

Michigan State is a team that's an hour and a half away from me that was on TV every week, just like Notre Dame was. I was able to learn that they're a team who is going to be who they are and be that well. I've been watching their corners play man coverage since I think I've watched football. I've been watching their front line be big, strong guys since I've watched football, And that's exactly who they are today.

For a rivalry game against a team like that, we know that we're going to have to match their physicality and challenge those corners. If we can have our receivers go out and have the same mentality that they're just as fast and just as strong as the guy across from them. We're going to be able to maintain our integrity and our identity on offense and continue to do the things we've done against every defense we've played against.

Q. As a quarterback, when you go up against a physical defense, do you get excited? Challenge-wise, how do you go approach a defense like this?
DeSHONE KIZER: You approach it the same way. This is a physical sport. They just have an identity where they're going to get in your face and make it look a little more intimidating after the fact. They're still playing the same structure of defense that we play against from week to week.

What we do understand though is that when it does come time to make some sort of contact on a tackle that you're going to have to run your feet and get through it. They're going to come up, gain tackle, and stop you right at point of contact. We can come out and match that physicality and make some of those piles fall forward and grab that extra yard or two. That's going to eventually lead to us having a little longer drives, couple more first downs and hopefully a couple more points on the board.

Q. DeShone, C.J. got the game ball Saturday and he came in and said he's looked to you a lot for leadership. I'm just curious obviously a young receiver corps. You're not that old yourself, but how have you kind of helped these guys grow up quickly?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, I was in their situation only a year ago. Some of the things I experienced I'm kind of able to share with them in the sense of the mentality you have to have going into big game and live situations. When you're playing against the opponents we play against in the environment we play at here at Notre Dame, every game feels like a big game. If you can just focus in on what you do and not try to leave that and know what your strengths are and play to your strengths, you're going to do well.

That's a message I've continued to push towards the guys each game. As long as you buy into the game plan and execute what you're asked to do at practice all week, you're all elite athletes. You're going to make the plays. You know once the ball is in your hand, it's instinctual to make that play. That is a message that I pass on to the guys.

Other than that, I think a lot of my leadership style is going to be non-verbal for the younger guys. Just to exhibit the confidence to go out each drive and score points is something that they look up to.

Q. I'm curious, do you know Tyler O'Connor at all? Have you ever crossed paths?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, so I played my AAU Basketball when I was younger was out of Lima, so I heard all about him and I had a couple buddies that went to his high school. We've never really crossed paths or never really met. But other than that I knew he played good ball down in Lima and he's a stud. He's a guy who has played very well against the first opponent and is ready to take over the reigns.

Q. I think when we talk about press coverage, we focus on the receiver and the corner. But how does it impact or alter your job in getting the football to the wideout when you're dealing with him in press coverage?
DeSHONE KIZER: When you play against press coverage there is an intimidation factor that quarterbacks don't like to go towards them. But those guys are out on the island. We have an opportunity with receivers that we recruit to kind of expose that island. They're not getting a lot of inside help from linebackers who are box folding guys and safeties who want to play low. It's all about hitting the guy in front of them.

I believe we have the talent all the way across the board to attack that one-on-one coverage when we need to. It's also a time and a place for the ball that you want to throw out there. We have an opportunity to throw the ball to the slide receivers who are getting zoned off all day long. But if you can just attack the outside at the right times, you're going to be able to make the plays that you need to make and move the ball down the field.

Once again, we have the receivers who are playing at a high level right now who have seen press coverage all off-season and in camp against some of our guys who have been successful against press coverage. We've got to make sure we get the ball out there when the time comes.

Q. So you look at it as more of an opportunity as opposed to a difficult thing to overcome? Of course it's difficult to overcome, but it's an opportunity for you to make big plays.
DeSHONE KIZER: Absolutely. We play press coverage. I mean, we play against press coverage every game. We've been playing against press coverage all the time. They're just a team that's known for it. They like to play more than others, but it's not anything we've ever seen before.

Q. I asked Torii about this, not thinking, I mean, when Pat Narduzzi came from Michigan State, he was at Pittsburgh. Was Pittsburgh the previous opponent that pressed more than any other maybe until this Saturday?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, Narduzzi kind of had those same principles that Michigan State is still very committed to now, and we were able to go out and have a very successful game passing the ball. So we're definitely going to evaluate that game and see what we did well against them and move forward to see what we can do against this team.

At the same time there are some principles that Pitt had within that defense that Michigan State does not have that we're going to have to make adjustments for and we'll see how they play as the game moves forward.

Q. You hear a lot of people make the comment like Michigan State ran vanilla defense against Furman, and they probably don't know whether that's accurate or not. When you look at that, were they vanilla? Did you expect them to do a little bit more? I know they have a history of bringing their linebackers on blitzes. I don't think they did a lot of that against Furman?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, Michigan State does a really good job of disguising their blitzes. They hold their show very well and as a quarterback it makes it difficult to predict where it's coming from. In that case you have to be able to use different techniques throughout the game to figure out hints. Those are things they're able to do well against Furman that it's hard to see on film. To see the body language of new guys out there and try to determine when they're coming and when they're not. That's something you're going to have to move forward throughout the game to understand.

When you go out there from drive to drive and see the blitzes, you have to be able to recall the looks you saw before that drive or before that specific play when they blitzed and hopefully predict when the next one's coming.

Q. Last thing, the expression, the game has slowed down. Specifically if you could provide a couple examples of how that applies to, I think you're about to make your 14th start?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, to say the game has slowed down would be completely wrong. It's more I've been required to speed up. For me, being more comfortable and being more confident in the pocket is what allowed me to slow down my thought process and truly trust in what I see. The more you understand the defense in front of you, the more you're going to trust what your receivers are going to do to become open. Just to recall the different experiences from the past and allow those to fuel your confidence going forward, it allows me to slow down whatever's getting thrown at me and make the throw needed to complete balls and get ourselves into the right play each play.

Q. Just the thought process slows down, not your actual body movement, right?
DeSHONE KIZER: Exactly.

Q. How nice will it be -- obviously, your younger receivers played well on Saturday -- but how nice will it be to have Torii back in a huge game like this?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, we've scored 35-plus points in both games without really using Torii the way we can. He's a veteran guy who is an absolute stud and probably going to be the fastest guy on the field, and you don't even know it. That's the cool thing about it. We've had success on the offense, and we still have a lot more that we can tap into.

One thing that we are going to make sure we do though is although he will be back and although he will be playing at the high level that he is, as long as you contribute the ball to the right guy at the right time, everyone's going to make plays. To see Torii get a couple more catches in this game and make the plays that a veteran's going to make though, it's going to be nice for the quarterback to know that you have a guy that's been through all these experiences, has a couple games under his belt, he's been able to make big plays in big games and be out there with you and rely on those when the time is needed.

Q. What do you expect the atmosphere to be like Saturday night?
DeSHONE KIZER: Notre Dame football. It's going to be the same way. We're going to walk out. There are going to be 100,000 people surrounding the walkways as we walk into the stadium. The stadium is going to be packed as it has been the last 20-plus seasons. It's going to be really loud. There are going to be some lights on and a lot of yelling, and we'll try to play the same football we play anytime we've played at home and defend our house.

Q. With the history of this series, are you aware of the '66 game with the 10-10 tie?
DeSHONE KIZER: Yeah, a little bit about it.

Q. Can you imagine playing in a game that basically decides the National Championship and the game ending in a tie?
DeSHONE KIZER: I don't even know how to go about that. You know, to play in any game that determines a National Championship, put everything on the line, sort of like maybe a State Championship and both teams are undefeated, that's a lot of pressure.

I've been in a State Championship, I've been in a couple big games and there is a lot of pressure on your back. But for it to end in something like a tie, it would be mind boggling. The only thing I can recall is a local high school team in north view playing against St. Ed's back in Ohio in hockey in which they played a State Championship went to a countless amount of overtimes and ended in a tie that way. And all my friends that played on that North View hockey team still talk about it today, how they wanted to go back and continue to play, and continue to play, and the state deemed that it wasn't safe for those guys to continue to be on the ice.

To see the frustration of those guys, I could only imagine what it would be to be in a National Championship with an rival in Michigan State versus Notre Dame.

Q. Are you personally looking at these types of games knowing it's a night game, on national TV, and a lot of people are going to be watching top ranked teams in the country? Personally, do you look at it as a chance for you to shine and have your name out there with all the other top players around the country?
DeSHONE KIZER: No, no. Not at all. I look at it as an opportunity for this offense to take the things that we've learned in the last two games and put it into an environment like that. We are a team who has so much more in front of them. We are so young in the sense that we are leaving three touchdowns or four touchdowns out there in the last two games just based on execution errors.

If we can go out and execute the game plan and truly trust in the stuff these coaches are putting together, we're going to be able to put up a lot more points than we already have. And we're already scoring 35-plus points a game.

Q. Mentally, are you in a different place than where you were week one with what was going on with the quarterback situation?
DeSHONE KIZER: Not really. I'm trying to approach practice the same way I did when I wasn't in competition. I think it bettered me. To take things rep by rep and not know if I'm the guy that's going in for the next drive. It allowed me to focus in on executing that play and being rep focused, and being rep focused in night games against Michigan State is exactly what you have to be. Things may not be going well, but you'll be required to step out there and execute the next play. Things might be going great, and you'll still be required to step out there and make the next play.

My mentality against Texas is exactly my mentality now, and Malik Zaire is still out there playing great football in practice against me, and we're competing as much as we were competing before Texas.

Q. I'm curious, what have you seen as far as the growth of Corey Holmes from a couple years ago to the kind of receiver he is now?
DeSHONE KIZER: Corey and I came in on a recruiting visit at the same time and hit it off right away. He's everything I expected him to be as a player. He's faster than anyone can be, he runs magnificent routes, and now he's finally getting an opportunity to show it.

When you step in with guys like Torii Hunter and Will Fuller in front of you, it's hard to maintain the confidence needed to catch balls in big situations. But he's kept his eyes on the prize and is playing good ball. I've missed him on a couple free-access balls in the past game, and that kind of refers back to those opportunities where I could take the what the defense gave me to the front side rather than go back side and throw the perfect ball against maybe a slightly double-covered guy. And Corey was able to create the separation needed to throw those free access balls.

That goes to show how focused he was and how success-driven he is to be able to continue to develop himself behind two great front-side receivers.

Q. Coach Kelly was describing yesterday's defense as taking away the big play and forcing teams to take the little plays and not allowing sustained drives. Can you speak to how that challenges you as a quarterback and how it tries your patience and the challenge that will present?
DeSHONE KIZER: There's going to be opportunities for us to throw the ball down the field and we've got to take them when they come. At the same time, we're going to have to be able to put together 10 to 15-play drives against this defense. They're going to make sure that they keep everything in front of them. That's kind of their philosophy.

But with that, once again, it goes to being rep focused and to being play-by-play focused rather than looking for the big home run ball or looking for that one play that's going to give you the lead.

You've got to be able to focus in on understanding the play call and why it's being called in. Not every play is meant to go for 100 yards and a touchdown. But it is meant to go for six yards and get you in front of the 60 to make the next play that's supposed to go 94 yards for a touchdown. As long as you can focus in on that rep and executing what is in front of you in the play that's being called in and understanding why it's being called, it allows your patience to kind of settle down and not experience the anxiety that might come with playing against a team that wants to keep the ball in front of them.

Q. How long did it take you to develop that to where you weren't always looking for the deep ball or the biggest option?
DeSHONE KIZER: It's still -- I'm still developing it. When you're out there and you're a competitor, you want to throw touchdowns every time you touch the ball. When you have receivers like we have, every time is an opportunity to throw a touchdown in your mind. If I can go out and throw 20 go balls and posts and switch releases and throwing the ball down the field every play, hey, if that's a play call, I'm going to be excited to throw it every time.

But at the same time, what you have to do is just continue to trust in the play that's being called in, to trust in the coaches who spend hours on hours all week putting together a game plan that is meant for a specific defense. And when they get plays rolling and us understand that one play reacts off of another one and you trust in that and you see the success that we've seen in the last year and a half, it makes it easier as a player to go out there and just play the play that called.

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