UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 14, 2023

Jadarian Price

Press Conference

Notre Dame 48, USC 20

Q. Jadarian, at what point did you guys put in the three kick returners across, and what did you see break open? Obviously Devyn Ford started off well, but you had the best return of the night.

JADARIAN PRICE: So we went over that Monday and it was new for us as a team, but with knew we could execute it. Coach Biagi laid out a great plan for us to execute, and we executed today.

Devyn had a few early on that I wish we could have hit. He was so close if I would've just led the block a little bit more. But I was blessed for them to have an opportunity myself to take up it the middle and end up going right, cutting all the way back. Feel like I ran 140 yards, more than 90.

Yeah, it was great. Coach Biagi laid out a great plan and we executed it, and we finally got one on the season.

Q. Jadarian, have you ever returned a kick or touchdown before?

JADARIAN PRICE: In high school, yeah.

Q. Okay. How often? How many?

JADARIAN PRICE: I think it was twice in my high school career, so this is -- yeah, we're in college now and I mean, it's amazing. 99 yards is outstanding. Props to the people, to the players up front who did their job.

You know, Jeremiyah right next to me. D4 went out and Jeremiyah stepped up, and great communication with him. Couldn't have happened without the guys on our KOR team, so very proud of them.

Q. What did you sense about the spirit of your team this week as opposed to the week preparing for Louisville?

JADARIAN PRICE: As a special teams unit we knew we had been struggling weeks before and knew this was our week to come back and show we can be one of the most dominant special teams unit in the nation.

I think we showed that tonight, and we will continue to try to get better, and Coach Biagi will continue to try to give us new plans to execute.

Q. Considering having to come back from injury for you, what was tonight like overall? Just you get that big touchdown run, rivalry game, field storming afterwards. Put this evening in perspective.

JADARIAN PRICE: The best feeling is when you go in the end zone and all your team mates are screaming, running at you, jumping all over you. That's the best feeling. Touchdown is a touchdown, but the best feeling is when the whole team comes together and it's a win for the team.

I'm very blessed we had the opportunity to go out there and execute the plan.

Q. How much did this team need a win to not have two straight losses going into a bye week? How much momentum does this provide you guys?

JADARIAN PRICE: Oh, it's a lot of momentum. It will create a lot of good vibes in the locker room and around campus going into the bye week. People go home, hug their moms, dads, family, and come back the following week against Pitt.

Q. You touched on it a bit, but coming off eight straight games, what's it going to be like to get the off week?

JADARIAN PRICE: Man, feels like Ireland was a year ago, and so finally we have a break, and honestly I'm excited to come back in our stadium, Notre Dame Stadium, in two weeks.

Q. Given what happened last week and the fact that it's USC, what did the win mean to the team?

JADARIAN PRICE: It's a rivalry game. It's the largest intersectional rivalry in the country. I'm really proud of this team.

Q. Could you sense how big your touchdown was just given the circumstances of the moment? USC scores; it's a two-score game at that point; still ten minutes left; college football is crazy; anything can happen. When you crossed the goal line and the way you were received on the sideline, could you tell -- there were plenty of play of the game candidates, that is probably one of them for sure.

JADARIAN PRICE: I think it was the confidence we had as a kickoff return unit. Coach Biagi motivated us to go out there and really change the game as a special teams unit, and we did that. The timing was what it was. Yeah, so...

Q. Watching your defense do what it did from the sidelines, just Marcus Freeman was talking about how they stepped up in all the critical moments, what was that like to watch?

JADARIAN PRICE: Well, our defense has been doing a great job the past few weeks. All season actually. And they give us as an offense, special teams, all around, like when the defense is doing good everyone else feels good about the next play and feels more confidence.

And what about Xavier Watts? He is phenomenal player, so very proud of him.