UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 19, 2004

Tyrone Willingham

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, I mean, everyone understands that the purest way is just to play, okay. That's is the purest way of competition and we are not at that point for a lot of reasons. So again, the system, I think we are continually trying to fine tune them to make them the best and we'll see how this latest fine-tuning works, and it's always premature to do that now.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I don't even know. I have not speculated on that.

COACH WILLINGHAM: It's quite simple. You allow them to haves as much free time as possible, and you hope that they understand the responsibility of the position they are in; and that they rest, hydrate and do all of the things they need to do and hopefully take some time to prepare themselves for their study and their not chasing that at the end, but are much better prepared for the final weeks of class that they have.

COACH WILLINGHAM: It has been one of relaxation and focus on that opponent.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think you always play better when you have fewer distractions.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Gosh, I would say that with the present state of Irish football, I would think that you almost have to look at every game on your schedule as a rivalry because I think that every team looks at Notre Dame in that special light. So in order for us to be mentally prepared for those opponents, you have to look at them, at their rivalry.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, I think that's one of the unique things about Notre Dame; that a player walks into this environment, it's understandable that this is one of the things that makes the Notre Dame experience special and makes the Notre Dame player special.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think it adds a great deal.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I've always said that you try to use everything that you can to motivate your team because different things affect different players differently. But if you are aware of the great history and tradition of Notre Dame, you know that when teams win or when teams lose, they are always trying to get a piece of the turf because it's something special.

COACH WILLINGHAM: When it happens, it happens. I just go with the flow, I guess is the best way to say it.

COACH WILLINGHAM: You would always like it to be sooner. I don't think there's anyone that sits around and says no, they want it to come later. You always want it to come sooner, but when it is most important.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think that will add a little bit more to the football game.

COACH WILLINGHAM: What I see is offensively a very big and physical group; that with past experience you will not play anything like they have played in any other game. I mean, that I know. I know that defensively they have a very physical front, but they also have one of the best pass rushers in the country and that he is a very talented young man. So if Coach was disappointed with their play, I'm surprised. But at the same time, I know it will not be the play that we'll see.

COACH WILLINGHAM: We've been, I guess inconsistent with our rush offense. It's something that you are continually trying to improve so that we can better, better every week, especially against those teams that are good run teams.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, we are still searching because Ryan Grant has been injured this year. So we are still trying to find that other back that we are looking for. I like what Darius Walker has given us, but I also think that if Ryan is not there we need to have another solid one, two punch. So we are looking to someone to step up and give us that. And I thought Marcus had a great play Saturday and has been giving us some good plays. But, I'm still looking for more in that area.

COACH WILLINGHAM: We have not given our No. 2 enough playing time yet, and that's something that you try to get when you think it's possible in the game. That would be something I would like to see more of, but at the same time, I think they have gotten good work during our practices, as much as we can afford to give them.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I don't think that was correct.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think it was about the same as it was a couple of weeks back.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Good practices.

COACH WILLINGHAM: A good practice?

COACH WILLINGHAM: A good practice. It's one of those, you know when you get there.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I'm not disappointing, I hope.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Thank you.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Please, don't -- (Laughter).

COACH WILLINGHAM: The year has gone just as I imagined it would, which is a real learning experience for him. The first thing is, I'm looking forward to Chauncey resculpturing his body and that changing over the year and the years, and looking forward to him really learning and understanding the nature of college football. And I have always said that the game is fastest played live, and sometimes it's the longest place that it takes to learn the game because of the speed and all that it's required. But I think he's spending the year just as I thought he would, learning and growing.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Grant has been, I would say, more of a slasher style of runner, which has added to the qualities of doing every area for us, which is inside as well as outside and also in the passing game. Darius has been, since Ryan's turn, somewhat of our No. 2 guy. And he's been, I kind of call it my vision guy, my kind of elusive guy that has the ability to make people miss a little bit more than maybe some of the other backs. And Marcus has been kind of a guy that we'd like to have in our receiving core that does some things well, but also has been a solid runner for us.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, Derek has been a sound leader for us off the field and in the community. He's a young man that values helping other people. That has really shown itself in school and in recreational programs throughout the communities that he has done an outstanding job there. When you have a man that does it on the field, and also shows himself well in the community, it provides the right role model four all of our other players and that is really important.

COACH WILLINGHAM: His quickness and explosiveness. When he can get an edge on you, he really takes advantage of it; and he's also not just quick, he's really fast. If you watch him on a lot of plays, he does a great job with his pursuit and running things down from behind. So he's a player that you always have to account for, and that's something that we're looking at in our preparation.

COACH WILLINGHAM: No, you don't.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Tough, physical, play very hard.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I noticed the change and it's amazing how the mic just seemed to glow with just that. (Laughter). It might be a smart thing to do.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I don't know if you call them strong or weak points. I think they are things that we recognize we have to do if we are going to be successful. One, we've got to be prepared to play our most physical football game. BC will come to the town and they will be physical, and we have to be prepared to that. I think the way that both teams are designed, the run game will be important. So, you have to run and you have to stop the run. And once you can do that, then you have a chance to be successful. If we can do those things, we've got a chance.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think they would look at us the very same way. If they can come in, harness our run game and make us one-dimensional and have to beat them with the pass, I think they will feel they have gained a leg up.

COACH WILLINGHAM: It depends. There are a lot of other things I'd like at. I might even talk to the individual and see where he is at on it. So there are a lot of things you would consider, not just the fact that he's three yards short.

COACH WILLINGHAM: No. Most cases I don't because my focus is usually the team. But if they are someone that's having a big game, then probably what I might do is call up and ask John or Doug or somebody in our sports information department and say, what is going on with him. And if there's a lead at that point and it's something that is really important, I would let him go.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I honestly don't know.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Very seldom.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I don't know. No, my mail is about what it normally is, okay, in terms of volume and flow. It's sprinkled with a variety of things.

COACH WILLINGHAM: It depends on the day. Somewhere between 8:00 and 8:15 most likely. Conclude the day probably around 11:30.

COACH WILLINGHAM: You do all of the above. Gosh, I didn't know this would be of interest to anyone, and I'm not sure it still is to be honest. But you start your day, there's organizational tasks that you have to do to make sure that all of the components of your football team are okay, from your trainers to your managers to your travel to luncheons to pep rallies to different things you review in the course of a day.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I very seldom because of my work schedule get out.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I very seldom in the off-season get out. The off-season is not exactly what you think it is. There's road travel with recruiting, speaking engagements, and then I personally like to play golf, so that usually occupies my time.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Whatever my wife desires to do.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Whatever she likes to do, okay. She sets the schedule; I just follow. That's going to be hard to follow.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I've said that we continue to grow, week-to-week. And we're not as consistent as I would like us to be, but I think they are continually getting better. We see at times the run game that would make us happy, at times we see the pass game, pass protection make us happy. At other teams we seem to slip back, move forward, slip back. It's just the inconsistency, but I think I like their effort, I like their focus and trying to make our team better.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Gosh, that's a difficult question, because as much as anything else that also depends on who you play. If the guy across from you is your equal, sometimes it's tough to be consistent; and maybe he wins 49 percent that week or maybe next week he wins 51 percent of the battles. So it's a tough task. It's not easy.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, you know, again, I said all of our games have become rivalry games. I don't think there's one that you look at that is not truly a rivalry game, but I think when you have the dynamics of the two largest Catholic schools in the country, you've played a few times now, I think that adds to make it a rival. So that you have a relationship and if you only play someone once that's kind of tough to call that a rivalry. Yet at the same time because you're Notre Dame it's looked at different. People come into the stadium saying, "Boy, this is our Super Bowl." And it's not just the fact that Navy said that last week but I think a lot of teams view it that way.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I don't know if I could jump on that bandwagon.

COACH WILLINGHAM: It's an important element of football; the farther you can push that guy down in the hole, the more difficult it is to climb out. And when you can force teams to start from their 20 or even inside their 20, if he gets the right hang time on one of those, it could be caught right at the goal line; or you're in that position where you have to move it forward and you have great coverage you stop inside the 20. The percentages say you just don't score touchdowns when you're doing that. So that makes our defense a better defense, but it also excites the guys that are on the kickoff coverage team because they know they are getting a great kick, a deep kick and an extra coverage.

COACH WILLINGHAM: You know what, in Pete's defense this time, I have not given him the corrected depth chart.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, I think I could agree with that statement. I think Jeff does have tremendously strong legs, but the thing that's happening right now is D.C. is executing, he has great confidence and it seems like he gets better each game because of that confidence; and therefore, he's at liberty to take more risk. I don't necessarily call it a risk, but he understands more; and therefore, he can be more directional with his kicking. So I think once you establish a confidence, then a guy can expand to do it more and I think that's where DJ is right now.

COACH WILLINGHAM: It is critically important because Blackman I think is leading the country or pretty close to it; and it's not just kickoffs but in every phase and also in punt return. So we have to do a great job with distance, with hang time, with direction in all of our kicking this week.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Obviously, I think the first real positive for us was Bobby. I think his ability to kick the ball and force the return to be a deeper return by getting it in the goal line, I think he had either two, one, three last week, if I'm correct, that were unreturnable and that makes a huge difference. Just the spirit of that group, though, it makes them feel like they can hustle down; and therefore, they can be more confident.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I would say it is an excellent year. I thought not only was his play excellent last week, but I thought the entire front did a great job against a very difficult scheme. But Greg has made some plays and provided great leadership for our guys.

COACH WILLINGHAM: We anticipated that that group -- and still we are rotating that group, they are not just going in to play 80 plays. So we felt like they would be more active and that's what they have given.

COACH WILLINGHAM: You know what, I've never talked to him about that. I think he has been very positive about his role in our program, and different things happen at different times. Maybe the time for him is right now. Maybe it wasn't two years ago. Maybe there were things going on that didn't allow him to get to this point but now they are here. So I'm pleased with what he's done, and I'd like the leadership and the play he's given our football team.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, the thing is, it's always a week-to-week proposition. You've got to go out every game and execute. All it takes is one penalty, okay, to throw you off track, a holding call, off-sides or something of that nature. Now you've got a down-and-distance that's more difficult to deal with that puts stress somewhere else. So, you've got to be perfect. You've got to have great execution, everybody's got to be on the same page; and in the game of football, as much as we'd like to think it happens all the time, there's probably a mistake on every play.

COACH WILLINGHAM: We do.

COACH WILLINGHAM: It depends. There are times that you may jump out after a couple of plays. So you go in and out with it. We're probably anywhere from a 12- to a 15-play script team.

COACH WILLINGHAM: And also because of that, we got some very timely passes in there just to keep things going and keep them off balance. But getting your run going and getting the ball to your, what you call playmaker, are the things that you like to do early in the ballgame.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Probably where you see more of that is late than early. When you see teams that have leads late in ballgames where they have become a little too conservative to change it. The only thing from a coaching standpoint if you probably worry about early are your players, sometimes when you score fast, you score early, the players have a tendency to think this will be easy or it will be that way all day; and therefore, you lose that edge. That's more of my concern to start; don't lose your edge and keep it going; and therefore, you can keep doing the things that you're scripted to do or that you believe you're capable of doing.

COACH WILLINGHAM: It's always which way you take it. If you're relaxed and comfortable and confident and still have the edge, that's a positive, okay. But if all of the sudden, you're overconfident you relax a little bit and you don't have the edge, then it's not an advantage.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, I think you have to first of all understand it, and understand that it's going to be there, and then be willing to accept that responsibility. Then, my attitude is that you try to coach very consistently, you try not to get yourself and your team on that up-and-down roller coaster that you try to understand that every game is critical, every game has a rivalry-type nature to you and try to prepare it that way.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think I was aware of that coming in and hopefully I've handled that responsibility respectfully to all of those that have gone before.

COACH WILLINGHAM: That would be one that I probably could not speak to because I think to some extent, it's never changed. To others, it's different. I think it would depend on, maybe you need to break it down to age-group wise or break it in other manners.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I thought we did the things that we needed to do, and we felt very good about our run game. Brady's assessment I don't think I quite agree with, but I love it when our young men are more demanding of themselves than even our coaches.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think it is a great thing, but I always tell our players that you have to be very careful that you don't, with that standard you place on yourself, that you don't beat yourself up. Because I tried to assure them that there are enough people out in the world that are trying to do that so you don't need to add to it.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, I think the thing that you're trying to translate is that attitude, that approach, that mind set that we have to; that we can do that, and therefore what will follow will be the execution and the finish that's necessary to get that done. And that's something that you are trying to build on each week so that it becomes something permanent.

COACH WILLINGHAM: It was not. I honestly, that's why I was surprised they when I heard that Coach O'Brien said it was their worst performance or something to that effect. I want to make sure I'm quoting the right thing, in case I turn around and see it tomorrow. I thought they shown themselves to be not only big, but physical, and what they are doing on the offense it seems amazingly productive to me because I think they are right around almost 400 yards per game. So to me that's pretty good.

COACH WILLINGHAM: You know what, I really believe that they do have that one singular guy. What has really happened is this year they have had injuries; so therefore, he has not had a chance to be the lineup. You had one guy start this week and then make go a week or two and something happens and the next guy comes back. So they have not had an opportunity to really get that one guy going. But I think I've seen three guys that are pretty good at carrying the football team.

COACH WILLINGHAM: As you mentioned, it's still not complete yet. There's still a lot of games for us to play, and I try to make sure that evaluation comes at the end of the season. But I've said all along that one of the major things that allows you to be successful is confidence. And when you have it, it's amazing how you play better you are. You run faster you can hit harder. You do all of those things a lot better and our team is no different. Our team is a much more confident team in many aspects than it was a year ago.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think it has. But in those down moments, that's when you really have a chance to see the confidence of this football team because they have not stopped, they have kept coming. And because of that, good things will happen.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think we started the season with that. That was one of our long-range goals was to see if we can be a major Bowl team. Now what we have to do is finish the season and see what happens.

COACH WILLINGHAM: He has rebounded well and he's been well on the field and he's been well off the field. Those are the areas that I asked Mike and all of our players just to give us 100%, and Mike has done that.

COACH WILLINGHAM: What do you mean, "stand-out strengths"?

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, I think really as much as anything else, I think the absence of last year helped him a great deal. Because sometimes when you stand back and you sit back and you watch things from afar, as he did not being able to play, it kind of gives you an even greater appreciation of what you do and what others do. And I think he's taken that and learned a great deal from it and gone to even raised his level of preparation, which has allowed him I think to be more knowledgeable about the game; and also, with the injuries has forced him to work very hard to be more physical about the game.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I hope it is.