UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 31, 2004

Tyrone Willingham

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, if you're saying adding another home game is something detrimental, I would think that's a great advantage to have an additional home game. Now, what does that mean? I think what you're trying to imply what the thought process is, is that means weakening your schedule?

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, it's how you do that, that would be the key. If you do it in such a manner so that return visits are delayed down the road, it's a great positive for everyone and it doesn't have to be necessarily a weakening of the schedule.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I'm trying to convince people to get nine.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think the biggest difference is the word experience. I think once you've done it, okay, you seem to have a larger base of knowledge, a larger base of confidence, and I think that's where Brady is. I think most teams when you look at them, most teams which make their best runs at being a championship-caliber team, it does have an experienced quarterback.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think always in every job, the trials that you have to go through in order to have those around you have confidence in what you're about, what you can do. And I think Brady was no different as a first-year player for us, you have to do something to earn the respect of the players around you, and I think he's done that both on the field with his play last year and with his off-field presence.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I'm hopeful that at some point there will be some very favorable comparisons to John Sullivan and Jeff Fayne, so hopefully this we can research that point by the time John is a senior; that he will look very much like Jeff in terms of aggressive play that he brings to the game.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I would say the word confidence is probably the biggest thing. I think if we go out on the field and we have that, the popular term that people like to apply is that you have that swagger. But if you play with confidence and resolve, I think we have a chance to be an excellent football team.

COACH WILLINGHAM: We get it with experience. We get it with improved physical skills that comes through the winter conditioning, training. All of those things add to make you a better football player the next season.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I'm very familiar with that.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I'm aware of it.

COACH WILLINGHAM: It depends.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, we are still analyzing all of our information and that means we are still looking at both candidates day-to-day. But I would probably believe that right now our punter in this ballgame would probably be D.J. Fitzpatrick (ph).

COACH WILLINGHAM: No, it is not that we've had a lack of contact. Ryan has played a lot of football at Notre Dame and he will adjust pretty quickly. My biggest concern is if there is any, I guess, remaining issues with the injury that he had that might show themselves again. If not, it would be better advised to delay his progress than to accelerate.

COACH WILLINGHAM: We would view -- and I hate to say that this, but all of the above, okay. I think you have to look at the guy and his all-around skills that he brings to the table. We expect our half-back to be a receiver, we expect him to be a blocker, we expect him to be a ball carrier. When he carries the ball, we expect him to hold on to it. I mean all of those things go to assess the overall performance of the individual that will probably give us that next selection.

COACH WILLINGHAM: You lost me there. "He may not use"?

COACH WILLINGHAM: We don't know. I mean, that's the unknown when you're playing a first game, regardless of who, and maybe especially so with a guy that has that kind of reputation. You're not sure what you're going to see. We think we've got a pretty good idea, okay, but at the same time, we're not sure.

COACH WILLINGHAM: They don't have to board a plane. They don't have to worry about the food, whether it's cold or not. Basically, you're in your own environment, and most of them are much more comfortable and perform better when we're in an environment we are very familiar with.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I am.

COACH WILLINGHAM: The first thing is, we approach BYU and first thing is, we can't neglect it, is their running game. We cannot allow them to have what I call a two-way go, when they have got their running game and their passing game going full speed. We know and recognize that over the years that their preference has been to throw the football. But at the same time, if we let them have a run game, then they become that kind of double-edged sword; that you can't stop it no matter what you're doing. So have got to first make sure we pay attention to their running game. Then in terms of their passing game, we do have some inexperience I think in our secondary, and what we've got to do is count on our up-front seven to really be a force for us to help out our secondary get its feet on the ground. So if we can count on the Justins, the Victors, the Kyles, the Gregs to really apply some pressure to that quarterback and make it really uncomfortable for him, and they can do things that he's not willing or desiring to do, then we help our secondary out.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think right now we're leaning toward Preston Jackson and Dwight Ellick.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Strong safety, we're still looking.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Be careful there, okay. Be careful about who remembers what, okay. Because yes, we do know and have some thoughts about Syracuse, okay, but at the same time there are some other very good things that did occur during that final stretch of the season. And I would like to think that our football team is a group of very positive young men. I've always told them that it's amazing what can be accomplished when you're positive. So they could focus on all of the good things they did and not be concerned about the negative things.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I would hope that it's one I live by and that our players can see that. I've never seen very much, very many good things accomplished by a lot of negative thoughts. So I'd prefer to think positive and hopefully our guys have inherited that thought process.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think it is. I think it is. We felt last year when we were able to insert him into the lineup, it allowed us to move some people and make us a better football team but also got an excellent player on the field in terms of his athleticism, his footwork, his quickness and his tenacity. What we are hopeful for is that Ryan can really step even above his last year, obviously, and really be a force at the left tackle spot for us.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I have yet to see that show.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, I think when you think of that incident you're describing with MTV, if I'm correct that almost goes back to high school. And to me when you say high school, that separates him from a lot of guys that would have the mind set to even position themselves in that manner, and then to follow through with it. So I think when you see that and you place it in that category of him as in a high school setting, now you see that you've got hopefully an exceptional young man and has a drive that's a little bit different from a lot of guys.

COACH WILLINGHAM: They have a wonderful program there. If you are familiar, they have created a lot or had a lot of great players come through that program.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I thought it was a natural for him and I think he's adapted very well. As always, as you try to bring tackles along, if you had your preference, you'd probably start him right and then move him left if you thought he had the ability.

COACH WILLINGHAM: You have to forgive me, I smile, because he's kicked well, that's as simple as information as I can give you on that one.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Fall camp? I mean, even last year, Carl showed himself over the competition to be very consistent, maybe not as long range as some others but he showed himself to be very consistent.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I can't. I'm very comfortable with having Pat Dillingham be our backup quarterback.

COACH WILLINGHAM: One has progressed very well and the other has been injured. So it's slowed his progress down, the injured guy being Bragg.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I don't think I had very much comment. Does that have something to do with BYU?

COACH WILLINGHAM: I don't think it does.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think the fact that the success that BYU has had over the years, I think it was mentioned this morning that they have done an outstanding job in what they call their payback games, I think it is, if the stats are correct. So I think all of those things lead us to be focused on BYU and not anyone else. We understand that to have a great season, you have to win your first ballgame.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Absolutely. Corey has been, I think, a real delight in our program. I think he's evolved from just being a physical player to being one that now is gaining a great deal of understanding and expertise of the overall defensive scheme. I think that is the area that we've put the most focus on him or stressed to him that we need him to cover and have greater knowledge of that. I think he's willingly done that and put himself in position, where now if you looked at our linebacking core, we would probably think we have a rotation of four and not just three starters.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Undecided right now as to what his status will be for the weekend.

COACH WILLINGHAM: You have to break that down for me.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think about winning every ballgame I coach in.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think about winning every game I coach.

COACH WILLINGHAM: No, we haven't. Because our belief is that, one, there's not anything you really can do to acclimate yourself, unless you're there for a week or so, a week or two weeks, for training and preparation for that. And also, the fact that the altitude, if I'm correct, is about -- not quite, but 2000 feet lower than it was at Colorado springs, so to us, that's an advantage.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, I would believe that the experience of running track is a plus. Because there's only one way to get faster and that is to run fast, and every time you do that, you have a chance to be a faster player and a more explosive player. But at the same time, I think you see track performance, you cannot apply that speed to the game of football. The difference is, you have to have a mind that is track-fast at the game of football. And I think that's where Ryan's greatest improvement is that the confidence and knowledge and experience that he has as a player allows him now to take that speed that he has and run fast, and we as football coaches know there are players that run 4'3, but when they play the game of football, they run 4'7. The key thing is to be able to run your fastest at the game, and I think Ryan does that.

COACH WILLINGHAM: First of all I'm delighted to hear our defense say that. And second of all, the true test comes Saturday. That's when we know we have matured and the experience is really visible. But I would believe that, first of all, the ability to work together and start to become a team adds to that critical word of confidence; that you can trust the guy next to you, okay. The experience of knowing what you're supposed to do and how to do it adds a great deal to your ability to be tough. Because I tell our guys, if you don't know what to do, you don't hit anybody. So therefore, when you know what to do, you can be more aggressive, you can play the game the way it's designed to be played. So I think those are the things in my opinion that are making this hopefully a much better group, a much more cohesive group and much more physical than in the way they play the game.

COACH WILLINGHAM: First of all having Mark be able to make that move has allowed us to get better players on the field and position him now so that I think he is now a very worldly football player in terms of the entire offensive line. Now he understands the experience at guard, he understands how that relates to Dan Stevenson, who will be playing next to him. So, you have a better player based on having two positions under his belt, as compared to having just one.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, I'm very hopeful that he will have a spectacular season and I think he's prepared himself that way. I personally have liked his camp experience. I think he's been more confident, more assertive and just has that feel that he can be and do great things.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I think there's always a difference when you're coming off a winning season, you appear more attractive to the young men out here. The values are still very much same they have not changed. But just that one fact, you look a little different to young men.

COACH WILLINGHAM: No. At least I'm not. I think our guys understand that we've got a program that's on the verge of something very big. I think that's why we've had the early success we've had and I think we're doing very well with some of the marquis, as you might call them, players around the country.

COACH WILLINGHAM: One of the first prerequisites for me is a young man has to be tough, and what I saw in him coming out of Detroit was a young man that was tough and yet still met all of the requirements.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Yes. And it is still very early, so you don't want to put more on the table than what's there, but I would like Ronald Tally to emerge one day as one of those guys. I think already he's starting to be one of the favorites of this football team.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, I think it's already been stated. BYU is a far better team at home than they were on the road, especially that we saw last year. I don't think there's any question in our minds that this is a very dangerous and very explosive team when they are playing football the way they can play it. What we have to do is go in that stadium, be off to a quick start, get control of the game and then play our football.

COACH WILLINGHAM: That they got down a little bit?

COACH WILLINGHAM: I thought even at the beginning of our season it was a real learning and gaining process through the season. I don't think there was a point where we got down. I thought it was building all year because we had a lot of changes and adjustments in very critical areas to start the season, and I thought we continued to grow as we progressed throughout the season.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Do I wish I had an easier opener from the standpoint of bidding confidence? Who would you describe as being an easier opener?

COACH WILLINGHAM: Neither would I, thank you.

COACH WILLINGHAM: No, I mean, the thing that you find out in college football is that everybody has got players, and that's the thing that's changed over the years. I think if this were 20 years ago, there might be some programs that you could probably look at and say they don't have any players. But right now, with the way the balance is in college football, you've got to be ready to play every weekend, and if not, you'll get beat.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, I've been very impressed with Mike, and I think the term we used earlier in talking about him, describing where he had to go, we just had to get the rust off. But that rust also included some growth on his part because there was very much a need for us with court any Watson going to have some leadership to step up, and Mike needed to fill that void for us. I think he's done that both as a leader and in terms of his overall knowledge of the game. That's what's so important, when you have experience, you have to get better mentally, not just physically, and I'm pleased with what he's done.

COACH WILLINGHAM: No. I think this team for the most part, I think most of the guys have done at least a trip with us in some regards. Because we try often and in some cases to get some of the freshman, even though they don't play, we try to get them to travel with us, so they have some knowledge of the routine and how we do things. No but yes, I guess is the right way to say it. You are always concerned about the unknown, things that you can't control that will happen that could change your mindset, change your emotions, etc.. so those things, yes but no.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, because I think our young men have prepared. I think they all believe and stand for the right things in this program, and that, to me puts us on the verge of doing something big. One of the words you heard all preseason was the word consistency, and I think when you have consistency of person, it's much easier to get consistency of players in uniforms.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I'm like any other coach, I love talent, but talent can be detrimental if it's not focused and channeled the right way. What I'm interested in is a group that place well together as a team.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Those usually take care of themselves.

COACH WILLINGHAM: I don't think you really do and I don't know if the resources are there to really find out about that player. I think you're more concerned about the scheme that the player is in than just the actual player himself. So our preparation is to focus on their scheme. They have quite a few junior college players.

COACH WILLINGHAM: It's not just the performance on the field. He did an excellent job of stepping in for us last career and settling down, and I thought he performed admirably during that series games. But he's been a winner in our program off the field as well as on; and that is, in my mind, what's earned him the right to have the scholarship. He is doing all of the right things in all of the areas of our program.

COACH WILLINGHAM: No, but I understand he's pretty tough. I'm trying to get him on our golf team. I think he can maybe help them. It's not bad to have another guy.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Right now, I'd probably say zero. I'd probably say there's still some growth and learning to take place. I think some of them, although they are very close to positioning themselves, but I think to start this opening ballgame, I would probably say zero.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Well, it's amazing the similarity between that group in terms of what I would call character, personality. And BJ and probably Josh have been the two that have had some on-field performance that you would say, boy, they have done a great job. They all have been the model citizen in our program. They have done things that we've asked them that we expect of all of our players. It's my belief that their on-field performance will be good. Josh has caught passes for us in ballgames, he's made blocks in ballgames and had some runs in ballgames and he's continued to work, develop and be a team player, and to me that's important.

COACH WILLINGHAM: Not yet. Not yet. But probably our starter in the punt return will be Rhema (ph) starting there and our kickoff return we're still making that decision.