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UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 29, 2018

Ian Book

South Bend, Indiana

Notre Dame - 38, Stanford - 17

Q. Ian, looks like you had to adjust early. They were dropping some guys in coverage and it looked like you were looking down field and had to pull it, kind of prudent early on. How did you adjust to that, what you saw defensively?
IAN BOOK: So when they drop eight like that, we always talk about it, as the quarterback you gotta be able to go outside or use your feet. So it's something we worked on all week, and it's something I try to take pride in. And if they're going to drop eight, pick up some yards and move on to the next down.

Q. The last drive of the first half where you started connecting with Miles Boykin, he had about 65 yards of that drive, was it a concerted effort to get him involved or was it just the read?
IAN BOOK: It was just the read. But our chemistry is coming along. And he's such a good player, and I love throwing to him.

Q. We haven't really had a chance to talk with you since you started -- as far as this week. Just the preparation (inaudible)?
IAN BOOK: We knew -- I mean Stanford's -- we knew and we talked about it all week, Stanford is such a good team. With us it's always gone all four quarters. And hats off to them; they're such a good team. And we talked about it all week. We knew it was going to be a battle. And in terms of preparation, we worked so hard throughout the week.

And I can't be -- I'm so proud of the guys and we just knew it was going go to four quarters like it does every year, and it's something we prepared for in our process throughout the week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Q. You provided a spark last week. Dexter Williams seemed to add something to the offense as well this week. What was it like this week just knowing that you would get him back and was there an excitement --
IAN BOOK: He's such a great player, and to know he was coming back this week, I think our whole team rallied around him. And as you can see so explosive. His first catch was a touchdown.

It's great to have him back, and I know he's excited and I know we're ready to work for next week against Virginia Tech.

Q. Ian, four touchdowns passes, what was it like to be able to have a big game like this, especially against a quality opponent like Stanford?
IAN BOOK: It was an awesome feeling. I'll never forget this night. Our defense played so well and gave us so many opportunities, and ten other guys on offense made this possible.

It's a night I'll never forget and I know it's a night our team will never forget. We needed to beat Stanford. It's been a while.

Q. What made the offense click at such a high level with you at quarterback the last two weeks?
IAN BOOK: I don't know. I'm trying to bring the tempo, I know personally, to get these guys to rally behind me, work faster as an offense and just bring some juice and be a leader.

Q. What was Dexter like in the huddle tonight, especially before he got that first carry?
IAN BOOK: He was very juiced up. Dexter's such an explosive guy who brings a lot of emotion to the game, and he loves football. I just knew coming back, this couldn't be a better week for him to come back. And I'm just excited for him. That first touch was just great to see him go score.

Q. Last week after the game you said it took you about two plays to get over being nervous. Top eight matchup tonight against Stanford. How -- four plays, five plays?
IAN BOOK: I don't know. I had some nerves, but we say nerves are good. I think nerves are good. I think you should have nerves. But I'm also confident in our preparation. And I was nervous for the first couple of plays again.

It's good to go out there and get those first couple of plays under your belt and everything just kind of keeps going.

Q. At what point in the game were you starting to feel a little bit more of that rhythm, you know, with your receivers? Because it was kind of up and down here and there that first half, and then all of a sudden you said you were hitting with Boykin. Was there a moment where you started to see something?
IAN BOOK: I think at halftime we started talking. And we just said we've got to make plays; we know they're going to keep fighting until the end. We can't let off the gas.

And then we came out, got the ball. And then I think we just started getting in the rhythm after that halftime. And those guys did so well and those receivers, I love throwing to those receivers.

Q. Talk about your offensive line and the chemistry with you and Sam.
IAN BOOK: It's awesome to be able to work with Sam. Obviously a captain, knows what he's doing. Loves the game of football. And he helps me with reads and some protection stuff, and I can't thank them enough. I thought the line did great tonight. So I love working behind those guys.

Q. Coach a couple weeks ago talked about this team's identity was still being built. Last week you guys built on that with you starting as quarterback. Your second week in, what would you say that this team's identity is starting to be?
IAN BOOK: We just want to be an elite offense. I know that one thing we were talking about through the first couple of games was having such a great first half and then kind of letting go the second half. So week in, week out, in our preparation we just want to keep scoring points as an offense, don't let go.

There's going to be ups and downs, we know that, but we want to be able to focus on that one play. That's all we talk about. Don't think about the play that just happened or the next play. Just focus on that play and the rest will take care of itself.

Q. You guys talked or your teammates talked all week long about wanting to finish the game, play all four quarters. When you guys got that touchdown and Te'von gets the interception, what was kind of the feeling in that huddle before you guys got the ultimate kind of exclamation point there? What did you guys want to do there?
IAN BOOK: The juices were flowing for sure. And I think every guy on our team, we knew that it was a great point to keep going, keep attacking, keep scoring points and really make this game, shut this game out and don't let up. We didn't want to let up at all tonight. And that's something we talked about through the whole entire week.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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