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UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 1, 2017

Nyles Morgan

South Bend, Indiana

Q. Did you watch the rankings last night? What is your approach on that?
NYLES MORGAN: Actually, I had flag football practice afterwards, then I had to study for a psych test. I kind of missed it. I heard about it, yeah.

Q. Did it excite you where Notre Dame is in the rankings? What do you think the team is going to take from it?
NYLES MORGAN: I mean, it's obviously exciting, things like that. But we're kind of just worried about beating Wake Forest.

Q. From a physical standpoint, what can you see from you guys that says you're stronger at this point in the season than you were last season?
NYLES MORGAN: Ask Coach Balis. He has all the results and stuff.

Q. How about you, how do you feel as opposed to this time last year?
NYLES MORGAN: Physically I feel stronger and faster. I feel like my body is holding up way better than it did last year just because we're training so hard. There isn't a day, a week -- we don't train every day, but there isn't a week where I don't feel like I haven't gotten better in some area.

Q. Where have you made the most improvement?
NYLES MORGAN: I would say it's hard because you don't know what this stuff is. It's like Balis stuff. I think vertical, squat, bench, stuff like that.

Q. The whole strength and conditioning program, were you skeptical at first coming in?
NYLES MORGAN: Actually, it's funny you said that. I remember that day, it was a Tuesday. I will never, ever, ever forget that Tuesday. To answer the question, I was not skeptical at all after the first day.

Q. Tuesday back in the springtime?
NYLES MORGAN: Yup.

Q. For a football player, what does your body feel like come November?
NYLES MORGAN: Kind of just, you know, I wouldn't say wore down, but you've been in pads since the summertime. It's been a while. It's kind of like you're adjusting yourself to things, really just focused on game-to-game. Guys have to focus on the everyday process, don't get caught up in too much of anything. Just day-to-day, moment-to-moment.

Q. Did you say you had flag football practice?
NYLES MORGAN: Yes. Coaching.

Q. How did you get involved in that?
NYLES MORGAN: Actually last year I coached then, as well. I coached defense. We did pretty good. They asked me to be head coach. I was like, Sure.

Q. What ages of kids?
NYLES MORGAN: College (indiscernible).

Q. How would you assess your coaching ability?
NYLES MORGAN: It's fun, man. It's pretty cool. I'm coaching (indiscernible). Putting in where do they go, why is this person across the field. It's pretty fun.

Q. What is your record at this point?
NYLES MORGAN: I think we're 3-1.

Q. Julian, whenever we talk to him, is always smiling.
NYLES MORGAN: He's always happy. Like, I don't know why he's always happy. We'll be lifting, dying, he's like this the whole way. I'm like, You're crazy.

But no, on a serious note, Julian is the one that brings, like, just the energy around to everybody. He walks in the building, he's happy. We need that, though. I personally love it because sometimes I might be in a grumpy mood. I'll talk to him about 10 seconds, I'm back to normal, I can talk to everybody else. Definitely need it.

Q. Is there ever a point where you're shaking your head, wanting him to stop smiling?
NYLES MORGAN: If I do, I kind of laugh afterwards. I never actually want him to stop smiling. It would be funny to actually see that one day.

Q. Where you guys are at, obviously there's a ton of hype now around the team being third versus obviously the beginning the year with so many questions. How do you continue to ensure you guys are doing the same thing every day the way you were?
NYLES MORGAN: Just keep doing the same things that you've been doing. You have to really recognize and realize that it's not about the hype, it's not about being ranked third in the country, fifth, whatever it is. It's just about beating your next opponent. That's all it's about. That's all it's been about. That's the only thing that Coach Elko, Coach Lee, all the other coaches have been harping on us, to make sure we're doing what we have to do to beat the next team.

Q. What do you see from Wake Forest? Their quarterback has a lot of experience. What does he do that can be dangerous?
NYLES MORGAN: I mean, my perspective, he's pretty dynamic. He knows where to put the football. He can make all the throws necessary. He can also run, as well. They have a pretty good tempo.

Q. Is there just a bubbling excitement for you guys as this season has continued to evolve the way it has? Is there an excitement, extra pep in everyone's step as you walk to the building every day because of where you're at?
NYLES MORGAN: I'm not sure about that question. Like I've been saying, I feel like guys feel kind of like how I feel. Outside looking in, it's all hype. Heisman, Playoffs, yada, yada, yada. I'm serious, we're really just focused on beating Wake Forest. Like, that stuff isn't really relevant right now. That will be relevant at the end of the year. Right now it's about us as a team. Just worried about just doing our jobs.

To answer that question, I would just say everything kind of feels like the same. It's an everyday process. Just have to work at it every single day.

Q. With the opposition breaking down Notre Dame's defense, what are they looking at, what are they saying about you?
NYLES MORGAN: Me? I'll answer the first part of that question. I think when they see our defense, they see guys who are really attacking the football. Like, I remember Coach Elko bringing up a few clips of the USC game where the receiver caught the ball, there were like 11 guys to the ball, literally 11 guys surrounded him to the ball. That's something that teams look at. They're really playing for each other.

As far as myself, I'm just doing my job. I'm just doing my job.

Q. (No microphone.)
NYLES MORGAN: I guess run away from me. I notice that a little bit myself. Ball seems to keep going away from me. Have to keep chasing it down, yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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