“We’re the Fighting Irish and we’re always going to move forward." - Josh Adams

Josh Adams had a limited number of opportunities to help Notre Dame get a win on Saturday, but he made the most of them. The sophomore running back carried the rock 13 times for 100 yards and two scores on the day.

The 34-31 loss might have hurt a little more than normal, as it was Senior Day at Notre Dame Stadium.

“I can’t imagine just me not being a senior, I didn’t want that outcome to happen, especially for those guys,” Adams said after the loss. “You grow with them and you build relationships with them. You become closer with them. I didn’t want them to go out like that.

“Personally, I take it the hardest, because I know how much it meant to those guys. I know what it’d mean for me if I was a senior or when I get there. It’s definitely not what I wanted for them.”

Head coach Brian Kelly said he was at a loss of words when asked what he tells his team after a seventh loss by eight points or less.

Adams echoed his head coach, but knows they don’t have time to dwell on it, as the face one of the hottest teams in the country next weekend.

“It’s tough because you know deep in your heart you want it,” stated Adams. “It’s hard to explain why it happens. There is so much passion and so much of your time you put in it. It does make you at a loss of words.

“We’re the Fighting Irish and we’re always going to move forward. I know as a coach, he will be stay aggressive and fight for what he wants. We’re behind him 100% and focus on USC.”

Effort hasn’t been a problem for Notre Dame during the seven loss season. It’s mental mistakes or a lack of execution at crucial times that has cost the Irish. Adams feels his teammates are giving their all and believes they are close to turning it around despite just one game left.

“I think regardless of effort every loss is hard,” he explained. “I know how those guys feel in there and it’s something you don’t want. It’s something you take personally. No one in that locker from players to coaches wants to lose. It makes it hard when you don’t get the outcome that you want.

“I know everyone in there is playing with their heart or helping with their heart. They have everything into it. It’s tough having a loss, but we’re going to move forward and focus on the things we can control.”

In 2015, Notre Dame was a veteran team and did pull out close games when the going got tough. While young, the Irish haven’t doubted themselves this fall.

“I feel like this year every time we were put in this position we were confident,” said Adams. “We were aggressive and we know what we’re capable of. I don’t think we doubted ourselves for one minute.

“I felt we came out extremely confident, but just a play here or there and in those moments you have to make the play. You have to help you team win when you can.”
While it’s too late to have a winning season, Adams knows what the Irish need to do to get a win at USC on Saturday.

“I would say it’s just us sticking with it,” Adams said. “Earlier in the year we had a lot of mental mistakes and we cut down on those. It turned out better for us in the second half of the season, but we have to limit those to where it’s none and I am sure we will get the outcome we want.”