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NAVY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 5, 2016

Navy 28 - Notre Dame 27

THE MODERATOR: We have Will Worth, Jamir Tillman and D.J. Palmore. Questions, please.

Q. Jamir, you talked this week about coming close against Notre Dame, not being able to get over the hump, how sweet it would feel to beat them. How does it feel?
JAMIR TILLMAN: There's no words for that. When I came in, that was the first thing I wanted, I wanted to beat Notre Dame. I have buddies on that team. Every year we get so close. 'So close' only matters in horseshoes. It feels crazy to beat them my senior year, to go out just like we did.
We displayed our culture by how we played today. Just no better feeling.

Q. For all three of you. What is it like playing for Coach Ken? During the off‑season he had the opportunity to leave, but stayed.
UNIDENTIFIEDSPEAKER: I think the biggest thing is the way he talks about the culture, he sets the tone with that, with the love he has for this entire team. We know it's genuine. He always says that love is the best motivator. The example he sets with that, the love that he has for the entire team.
UNIDENTIFIEDSPEAKER: I really enjoy his wife. I'm glad he didn't leave. She's a really nice lady. I always talk to her.
Again, it's the fact, like he said, Coach Niumatalolo is not just a head coach, he's family. We don't practice on Sundays because that's the day for God. That's our day to talk to our family, call our moms and dads. That's our day to practice our religious practices. That just goes to the type of person he is. That really goes through the team.
When you have a team that's that focused on developing mental character, you're going to have a good football team. I think that really shows.
I love Coach Niumatalolo. I love his wife even more.
UNIDENTIFIEDSPEAKER: Correct me if this quotation is wrong: Big holes don't sink ships, small holes do. I think he does a great job of keeping us focused and not letting us underestimate anyone.
Someone commented about us being bowl eligible. I didn't even know about our record coming into the game. He never lets us get complacent. He sees the small things we do.
Earlier in the year when we had all those meetings, like, Yeah, this is a little too much. I knew he cared too much. Sometimes he'll come talk to me, ask how my little brother is doing, how my parents are doing. I know he actually cares. He's way more than a coach to me. That's what keeps me motivated to play.

Q. Will, I have it on good authority that your a Jaguars fan.
WILL WORTH: Yes, sir.

Q. Been patient over the years.
WILL WORTH: Yes, sir, definitely.

Q. The last pass to Jamir, what was the evolution of that call? What was discussed? What did you think it might be? Did you come into this game with the idea that on a lot of those fourth down plays, you guys were going to take the chance every time?
WILL WORTH: Definitely, we talked about it before the game, if it was going to be third‑ or fourth‑and‑short, we were going to go for it. Take opportunities whenever we had an advantage to get points.
At that point we had six yards to win the game. Did something we did against Memphis, to be able to go for it. Go for a pass on fourth down. Didn't think they'd expect it. To be able to just execute that and get the first down, to be able to do that, that was awesome.

Q. Will, when Coach Ken and the entire staff puts as much trust in you as they did today, coach says the team is where it is because of you, describe that feeling.
WILL WORTH: It's definitely an honor to hear that. Crazy how things have played out. You know, heartbroken the first week of the season, Tago went down. To be able to keep this thing rolling.
I think one of the things that has been helping me, we always talk about the brotherhood, the love we have for each other. One of the things, to be able to play for Tago, everyone else that's been hurt, that's been a driving factor for myself and I think this entire offense, too.

Q. Off of what Coach Ken said about being ranked 80th, do you guys have that same sense of disrespect going into the season? Did you see those same things?
WILL WORTH: Definitely. We knew what we were ranked. We tried not to focus on it too much. The only thing we knew we could do is keep grinding. Coach always says that, Just keep grinding. Day by day, being able to get better each and every day, that's the only thing we could do.

Q. What does it take for Navy to be successful again, considering you guys have a lot of circumstances to deal with that other programs do not?
UNIDENTIFIEDSPEAKER: Just have to stay disciplined. That's a difference I see in a lot of teams we play. I have a lot of friends that play in the conference. We're a lot more disciplined than they were. It comes from school, the lifestyle we live. Every single day we all go through something.
If you look at our senior class, everyone has a story, like Will being third‑string quarterback for three years, Josiah almost being cut. Keep grinding. You gain discipline from that. That's how I think we're successful.

Q. Will, can you talk about the last drive in general. Seven and a half minutes left, whatever it was. You had to convert several third‑ or fourth‑down situations. Were you planning to throw Jamir on that?
WILL WORTH: I checked the front side real quick, but I knew Jamir would be there, so I went back to that.
Seven and a half minutes left, we knew if we could control the ball, we'd win the game. Tried to milk the clock a little bit, but tried to keep it moving, as coach said. To be able to convert those, that's a testament to the O‑line especially. Fire off the ball, execute their game plan, make holes.
We had a couple short‑yardage plays where it's one person's will versus another. We came out on top.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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