UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 15, 2022

JD Bertrand

Press Conference

Notre Dame 14, Stanford 16

Q. JD, this is a pretty high powered offense that you faced tonight. Just your summation of what you guys were able to accomplish against them?

JD BERTRAND: Yeah. There's nothing that we didn't know was coming. I mean, the biggest thing is just missed opportunities. There's too many times where the ball is on the ground and we need to get that. There's too many times where we're doing really well, really well, really well and then we might let up a big shot or we're doing really, really well and then it's third and long and we're letting up those big runs and things like that. So it's those little details we need to focus on.

Q. It appeared that you had at least one turnover tonight. Just what level of frustration have you guys reached as a defense with just a couple turnovers caused halfway through the season?

JD BERTRAND: I mean, obviously, it's very frustrating. It goes back to -- I mean, there's too many opportunities there. The ball was on the ground probably three, four times this week -- or this game. And so it's that pursuit to the ball and making sure that everyone's getting to the ball so when it is on the ground we're able to cover it. It's just missed opportunities there.

Q. JD, when Marcus was up here, he talked about tonight was kind of a night where the defense had to play perfect. I was interested what kind of pressure that creates on a defense when you feel like you have to be perfect every snap?

JD BERTRAND: Yeah. I mean, it's just little details that we're missing out. So, I mean, just guys being out of their gaps and things like that. So it's obviously frustrating for us.

We just need to look at ourselves. There's spots where we can do better and where we can hold this team to not getting those extra field goals. Even just like those 10 yard runs or just them getting out of bounds, 10 yard pass out of bounds before the second half. It's those little plays that make a difference. So just being able to get TFLs or just being able to get negative yards or no yards right there and just making sure they stay in bounds.

Q. When a coach says you have to be perfect, that doesn't create any kind of tightness or pressure?

JD BERTRAND: No. I don't think the overall message to us is that we have to be perfect. I mean, we need to make sure we're executing. I mean, as long as everybody does their job, like, we will be perfect in some sense. And, obviously, like they're on scholarship too and they'll make some plays, but we will make more plays than they will as long as everyone does their job.

Q. JD, as a leader, what will you and the other captains need to do to help the coaches, help the team execute next week?

JD BERTRAND: I think the biggest thing is it needs to start with the off the field stuff. I mean, obviously, we don't have class next week, but it's the classroom stuff. It's the details in the locker room. It's making sure everything we do is cleaning up after ourselves, our meeting rooms are clean because we don't want the lack of detail in different parts of our lives going into football.

I think it's hard to say that you can slack off in one area of your life but then be perfect in football. I think as leaders that's going to be my main message, and I think the captains will agree with that.

Q. Can you talk about Prince Kollie filling in for Bo Bauer this week?

JD BERTRAND: Yeah. It's definitely exciting to see him out there, get some plays and obviously gain trust from the coaches. He's doing a really good job. And it's exciting to see him develop.

Q. They've had a hard time protecting that quarterback. Tonight I think just the one early sack and maybe three hurries. What was it like trying to get pressure on him? Why were they able to protect them better? They did have a couple guys come back, I realize that.

JD BERTRAND: We understand that. I mean, they didn't have the strongest O-line, and we thought our D-line was very dominating. They were smart about it by doing that slow RPO, by being able to hold us there and also being able to move the pocket and use a lot of quick game so that we can't actually get back there.

We just need to make sure we can bring the pressure. In some regards, it's the little details, like near hands and things like that so we get blocked balls at the line of scrimmage to create turnovers and opportunities where turnovers can exist.

Q. What was it like for you having been the guy who caused the turnover to watch that long replay? I don't know if you had a chance to see just where his knee was, you were knocking the ball out. But what was that wait like? And what was your shock level when it goes against you?

JD BERTRAND: I mean, obviously, it goes from like high to low. But I think we did a good job just knowing that like, hey, we're going to have to go again no matter. I think we did end up getting a stop on that drive. Just making sure that that's our next -- I mean, just forward looking. One play, one life. That play is over. We need to know what we can do to get off the field.

Q. JD, what's your personal frustration level like for this season? Obviously, here you guys are 3 and 3. You've had two games where you get knocked out because of targeting. How tough has this been for you individually?

JD BERTRAND: It's obviously tough, but there's things to learn from it. And, I mean, whether it's individually from my play, just style of tackling, all of that. There's obviously things to learn from. But it's just tough to start 3 and 3. And there's obviously details where we need to make sure that we clean up and just go forward from here and take UNLV as serious as possible because, I mean, every opponent is good at this point, and every win counts.

Q. JD, you mentioned cleaning up the details. Is that something you see during the practice week that you feel is lacking at times? Or is that just a byproduct of when you have four or five good plays and then they hit one for 38 yards, they hit one for 12 yards or 5 yards? Is it kind of in retrospect or is it something you see that creeps into practice weeks?

JD BERTRAND: I think we had an awesome practice week this week. Obviously, we do need to go back and look back and there's details, I mean, it just goes back to the details. And there's areas where we do need to perfect that. But I think it was a great game plan. And we had a great execution throughout practice. It's just looking at the game and finding those little areas to improve.