	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 1, 2018

Brandon Wimbush

South Bend, Indiana

Notre Dame - 24, Michigan - 17

Q. Good win?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: Yeah, I loved it. That was some fun. Enjoyed that.

Q. You guys scored in the first 90 seconds of the game. What was working for you on the first drive?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: I think just repetition of those plays. You practice your first nine, at least three or four times a week, and you know, Coach Long makes us you know, pay attention to the details of each -- you know, each one of those plays and I think we were able to run those and execute them to, you know, a good point where we were able to score pretty quickly.

Q. Strategically, could you sort of give us a sense of what Chip's game plan was in the first half, where he wanted to attack, what you felt like you guys could take advantage of?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: Yeah, I think they were a real bear in terms of what coverages they were playing. I think we had a good idea of where we wanted to attack and they would go man sometimes and it was match up and leverage there, and Cover 2, middle of the field was real vacant, so we kind of attacked there a little bit. Then, you know, obviously the guys on the outside did a great job of getting open and making plays.

Q. After your off-season, do you feel any different? Do you see the game differently?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: Feels like we're playing football again. I just had so much fun out there, like I said, just playing ball and not worrying about anything else. We put in so much time. I feel like it's been a long time coming since we've been out there playing a full football game. I think everybody, all the guys were excited to get out there.

Q. You touched on --
BRANDON WIMBUSH: Cover 2, attack again, they played too high. I think the back side safety got into the play with Finke. Wasn't as clean as we thought it would be, but No. 10 went out there and made a great play. Couldn't be more happy for him. But you know, that was one of the things that we wanted to attack and that was one of our first nine plays we wanted to hit and obviously we executed it.

Q. Did Michigan change anything in the second half?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: No, I didn't think we had enough energy coming out of the -- out of half-time. Somebody needed to change that, and I think the offensive line did a great job of putting their heads down and driving the guys off the ball to promote that energy we needed in the second half, and I think we ran the ball more in the second half.

Q. One drive where it did change, you got sacked for a ten-yard loss and immediately ripped off a 22-yard run -- sack for 19 a couple of plays later --
BRANDON WIMBUSH: I just thought we were backed up a little too often today. That was on my mind but every time you get in a third-and-long situation, you have to be smart and obviously you want to make a great play and the offensive line -- did a great job of opening it up and I went and got the first down.

Q. Talk about the offensive line today.
BRANDON WIMBUSH: Hopefully we can move on from those two guys after this one. Those guys did a great job up front. You're able to see that. I think the defensive line for Michigan has been highly touted and highly regarded this off-season. I think the I think our offensive line did an excellent job of holding their own and giving me time back there to do what I needed to do to get things done. Big shout-out to those guys.

Q. There was an issue -- did it look like a factor early that you had receivers -- can you sort of look at that, to what that will do for you, that weapon?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: Yeah, you can probably imagine it's a match up nightmare for a lot of the DBs. These guys were 5-9, 5-10, 170 pounds and I have three guys out there at 6-5, 220 and up. Just right off the bat, you're like, all right, how are we going to attack these guys and use our size to our advantage. I think we did a good job of that today and I think we can continue to use that as a great weapon for us.

Q. Just obviously so much hype coming into this game, to come away with a victory to get to 1-0 and to beat a rival like Michigan? What does it mean to start the season like this?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: Some of the greatest feelings are coming back into the locker room and seeing people that mean so much to you, from the top of the university to Tommy Rees, just smiling. Everybody is smiling and feeling great. Like I said, it's one heck of a feeling and I hope this boat continues to roll. We'll do whatever we have to do.

Q. For you personally, there's been so many questions since the Citrus Bowl, to come out here, do you feel like you made a statement here tonight to the nation of what Brandon Wimbush is capable of?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: I think I made a statement but I don't think it was a necessary -- that's not what I was trying to go out here and do. I told Book, whoever, whenever, whatever it takes, we're going to get this W. Him and I are on the same team and that's one of my best friends on the team.

Like I said, it was whoever needed to go out there and win this game. We had packages in for him and we had packages in for me, and I think I did what I had to do to keep myself on the field and that's all I really wanted to do, and to make plays that were there and I think I did.

Q. You came off the field for a few plays. What are the mechanics of that?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: Yeah, that's one of the packages, one of those formations where he's able to make those throws and obviously he handed them off. Doesn't give away the tell. And then the other time I think was the injury or my eye got gouged out. That was the only time.

Q. Did you ask him the secret to handing off the touchdowns?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: He did a great job. He was excited. I just wanted his shoulder to feel better. I was a little banged up coming into the game and obviously great relationship that we've had, and spoke to him throughout the game, went back and forth a little bit, so that was fun.

Q. DeShawn jumped on your back after the game. Did you tell him to take it easy?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: Yeah, I told him to take it easy, 260, big boy. He's good.

Q. The second half, the defense really dug in and helped you guys out. What words do you have to say for your defense?
BRANDON WIMBUSH: I thought they played outstanding. They let up three points till the last couple drivers there, and I think the D-Line, you could say, we have one of the better d lines in the country, even from this first game, so I'm excited to see them grow. As a whole, I think they did a great job, and like I said, they will continue to grow and to get better as the year goes on.

Q. Sorry if you already addressed this, but how does this game reflect well on Coach Kelly, his development with you? That was a huge improvement from last year to this it looked like.
BRANDON WIMBUSH: What was a huge improvement?

Q. Your play.
BRANDON WIMBUSH: (Laughter). Uh-huh. I think from Coach Kelly to Tommy to the five other quarterbacks in the room, they have all taken a part in my development, and I think that's the best thing as the quarterback here is to have that support. Those guys want me to get better and we want everyone in that room to get better. I think that's the biggest thing for me, and as we go on and continue this year, I think we'll make improvements where necessary. I think we all have each other's back and Coach Kelly has done a great job of putting me in position and helping me where I need help to make those necessary improvements.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297