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BATTLEFROG FIESTA BOWL: NOTRE DAME VS OHIO STATE

December 29, 2015

Michael Thomas

Glendale, Arizona

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Talk about Notre Dame's defense a little bit, how you're going to put up the points you need to to win the game.
MICHAEL THOMAS: Notre Dame's defense, we have a lot of respect coming from the receiver room. They have great coaches. They've had a couple injuries that took great players in their secondary.

I feel like their coaches have developed the young guys and have them ready to play for this game. They've had a lot of time to get ready for us.

We're preparing just like they're preparing.

Q. What is the key for J.T. and the whole offense to spread the ball out, get the ball to yourself and the other receivers to make the plan work?
MICHAEL THOMAS: Basically just play within ourselves, do what we do in practice, execute, trust our coaching, and don't get distracted by stuff. During the course of the game, there might be little bumps in the road, but play and do what we know we're capable of doing.

Q. Two storied programs. Some are saying this is as big as the playoff games are. What is your feeling about that?
MICHAEL THOMAS: We feel this is probably going to be the most watched game across the country. We're preparing like that and we want to put on the show.

Q. Some people also say since this isn't a playoff game, it's sort of a letdown. How pumped up is the team to play this game?
MICHAEL THOMAS: It's definitely like how we prepare and train here. I'll be honest, it is maybe a little bit of a letdown. Now we're in the Fiesta Bowl, that's what we have in front of us. That's the opportunity we have, that presented itself. We're going to play like it's our national championship and execute and make plays.

Q. Were you recruited by Notre Dame, as well?
MICHAEL THOMAS: Yeah, I was. A little bit. I think it was the other coaching staff.

Q. Storied program just like Ohio State. Thoughts on that, getting together in this bowl game?
MICHAEL THOMAS: Well, definitely two storied programs coming up, a lot of great tradition, great coaches, great players. It's going to be a fun battle. I'm excited to be a part of it.

Q. How anxious are you to play this game?
MICHAEL THOMAS: Really anxious. Seeing the College Football Playoff commercials, all that, not being able to be part of that is kind of humbling from where we were last year. To be in this opportunity is what we have. We want to prove something.

Q. Does it fire you up? Let's face it, three-point loss here, you could be in this thing. Does this give you an opportunity to go out and make a statement to keep the name in the conversation?
MICHAEL THOMAS: Yeah, definitely. For our whole program, the state of Ohio, Coach Meyer, our coaching staff, the players around me, I'm definitely going to be out there playing like I have something to prove.

Q. Urban likes a team with a chip on its shoulder. Does this team have a chip on its shoulder?
MICHAEL THOMAS: We recognize the difference between last year and now. I feel like you definitely have to have that chip on your shoulder. That's what I'm going into the game with. I can't wait to play here.

But we're going against a great program also. We have to prepare like we're going against a great program, have respect for them, preparing for the top bowl game in the country.

Q. Can you run on these guys?
MICHAEL THOMAS: I feel like with our linemen, the schemes we have, the great runningback and quarterback we have, I feel like we can do everything if we execute.

Q. Some people say you have to open it up a little bit more and the receivers will play a bigger role in this game. Do you welcome that?
MICHAEL THOMAS: If we have to play a bigger role, we'll definitely accept it and get the job done. If we have to run the ball, we have to come out of here with a victory on our shoulders.

Q. How much more comfortable do you think J.T. is right now in the fact he's had a month to prepare for these guys?
MICHAEL THOMAS: He's definitely a lot more comfortable because he knows he's going to be out there and he knows it's him at quarterback. We've had a lot of time to prepare, so we've been working on a lot of things as far as timing because it was going fast and we were kind of going back and forth with quarterbacks.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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