UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 16, 2023

Audric Estime

Press Conference

Q. So are you going to be on the track team in the spring?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: I don't know. That's the goal. If they allow me to join, why not?

Q. What seemed to just work for you again today? Another big game. Obviously, the hurdles are the ones that people like talking about. What were you seeing out there to make it work so well for you today?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: I saw the offensive linemen playing a great game. I saw Coach Parker giving great calls and everyone executing, doing their 111. And giving 110 effort and that's all you can ask for.

Q. I asked you last week about your goals that you wrote down. I didn't hear it on the TV broadcast, so I'm asking you face-to-face. What were your goals this week?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: Oh, I'm not going to lie to you, my goal was to have another 80-yard run. Which I kind of did, but it got brought back. But that's all right. My goal is honestly to do my job, execute my job, have no MAs. And I think I did live up to that goal. And I'm going to have the same goal for the next week.

Q. Audric, I'm curious if you knew you hit your career -- you set a new career high in rushing yards today? And what does that mean to you?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: Yeah, it feels great, honestly. But that's not the -- that's what I look forward to at the end of the day. At the end of the day, I'm happy we got the win and I'm happy we're still four and zero and we keep going. That feels great to have my career high, but hopefully let's break it again.

Q. Two weeks in a row, this game was kind of in doubt. Early third quarter, you broke away -- early third, late fourth. But how have you guys been able to catch that win in the second half and what does that say about this team?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: Yeah, we're just a team that will fight for all four quarters, no matter what. Coach Freeman always prides, One day, one life. One play, one life. And if we're playing 100 plays, each individual play is going to be its own play and its own. And we just got to give 110 percent that play.

Q. We got a time travel answer from Rylie Mills, so I'll ask you. How difficult was it to keep Ohio State out of your mind even though Coach Freeman kind of had a methodology for that?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: Yeah, like I said, we always take it one week at a time, one play at a time. We knew our opponent was Central Michigan. We knew they were a good team, so we couldn't look past them or else we wouldn't know what would happen. So our main focus was Central Michigan. We didn't even look at Ohio State.

And we just -- every week, we're just staying tunnel-visioned. And whoever our opponent is, we're going to give that opponent 110 percent. Central Michigan was our opponent this week, but now it's Ohio State, all Ohio State.

Q. Okay. And I would be remised if I didn't ask you what you had to eat today.

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: I didn't have a hot dog. I had some lasagne, some chicken, and shrimp. No hot dogs this week.

Q. Audric, what was the concern level immediately when Sam got that low hit and came up a little gimpy? And what was the interaction like between you two after that?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: Yeah, Sam's just a battler, no matter what. He's going to get up and he's going to -- even if he's feeling it, you're not going to know. That's just the type of guy he is. That is something hard to see. You don't want to see that. But I'm happy he is okay, though.

Q. And then the idea that the penalties overall, on both sides of the ball have been piling up, when that happens, can you call this a disciplined team or is it a disciplined team still learning to play that way?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: Yeah, we're just thriving every day. We're just thriving to reach our full potential like Coach Freeman always preaches. Penalties are a part of the game, but you just got to put that in the past and play the next play. That's something we got to keep improving on week after week.

Q. Audric, I think the cliché analysis is you run to set up the pass. But with Sam back there and his ability to hit deep shots giving this offense sort of a deep pass to set up the run, you know, take advantage of that early and then come back to you late?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: Yeah, I'd say we're a dynamic offense. We're an offense that can do it all. We can run the ball and pass the ball. And having Sam Hartman, I feel, the best quarterback in the nation on my team and right next to me literally is a very big help for me. And I'm very blessed and honored for that.

Q. You were here last November when you guys beat Clemson and what that moment was like, you know, what that opportunity was. What is next Saturday going to be like when you've played in games like it? What kind of opportunity does it present for this program?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: Yeah, it's a big opportunity ahead of us. They're a really good team. They're a really good defense. And they're undefeated right now. They're ranked top five or something like that. But we're going to take -- we're coming into this game like any other game. It's another game, another game that we got to reach our full potential. We know it's going to be a little tougher one. But we're ready for that challenge and it's just a very great opportunity for us.

Q. How would you describe the versatility of the offense at this moment?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: Can you repeat that? Sorry.

Q. Versatility.

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: Yeah, like I said, we're a very dynamic offense. We can pass, run the ball. We have a bunch of playmakers. We have four or five other running backs that can do the same exact. So that's what we always pride ourselves. No matter who's in the game, you got to execute the job. And we practice hard Monday through Friday from that.

Q. On the last drive touchdown, there was a particular fan that was, like, stealing the applause from you when you were, like, doing such great runs. Do you have a message for this fellow?

AUDRIC ESTIMÉ: No, I don't have a message to him. (Laughing) Thank you, though.