Offensive Notebook | QB Drew Pyne & TE Michael Mayer
Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer spoke following the loss to Cincinnati.
On QB Drew Pyne:
"I think he handled the moment great. Coming in, we didn't really know which three quarterbacks would be playing for the entire game. We put all three in this game and I think Drew came in and gave us a little spark that we needed."
On what Pyne gives the offense:
"He has confidence. You guys can see that when you watch him play. I tihnk he knows what he's doing and I think he knows the offense very well. I think he's just confident in his throws."
On team having confidence when Pyne is on the field:
"Coan is confident too. All of our quarterbacks are confident. I think for me personally, I can't speak for the rest of the team, no matter what quarterback is out there, I'm going to have the same amount of confidence. That's what I do and I have the same amount of confidence in all three quarterbacks. I know all three can give me the ball."
On searching for offensive identity:
"We are. We're still searching for it."
On getting closer to finding an identity:
"We're working towards it every day."
On groin injury:
"I kind of hurt it a little bit in camp - on and off the first four games. I tweaked it pretty bad today, but I should be good to go for V-Tech. I'll get in with the trainers, get healthy and I should be good to go."
On Cincinnati's coverages:
"They were switching it up a lot. We knew coming they were going to play a lot of man, but they also played a decent amount of zone too. I think sometimes we - maybe they tricked us a little bit. I don't know.
"When those plays are there to make, you have to make them."
On the importance of washing the loss away quickly:
"We have to refocus. I'm a little beat up and I'm going to figure out what's wrong with me and then into V-Tech. That's part of college football and sports and life. You gotta move on and now we're on to V-Tech."
On what he and the team are doing to get the offense to where it needs to be:
"It's about stacking good practices together with good practices. Not saying we had a bad week of practice this week. We had a great week of practice.
"We had some good plays in scheme-wise. We really did. I think it's a matter of executing them and that's really what it comes down to."
QB Drew Pyne
On finding success in the second half vs. Cincinnati's defense:
"I knew I was going to come in the second half and play. It was going in there to execute and do whatever I could do when my number was called.
"It's like what the other guys said, it's all developed during the week of practice and Coach Rees getting us ready for game day. It's a credit to him for me being able to go out there and be confident in my play and the offense."
On when he knew he was going in:
"After we ran on the field, Coach Kelly came up to me and told me I was going in."
On his practice week:
"For me, every week of practice is the same. Jack and Tyler - we all approach practice the same. We stay late and stay till 9:30-10:00 at night watching film. How hard we practice is our main priority throughout the entire week.
"It's Coach Kelly's main thing. Our preparation is going to make us perform. Practice is the most important thing and we have to keep getting better every single day."
On the last couple weeks for him:
"It's awesome to go through it with Coach Rees, Coach Kelly, Tyler and Jack. We're all really close and there's no controversy between us. There's never any sign of doubt between us. Whoever is on the field, we all have each other's backs. We're all trying to get better.
"The biggest thing for me is keeping a positive attitude. Notre Dame is such an incredible University. I've gone to church almost every other night for the past couple weeks. Just sitting in the Basilica by myself thinking about the day and the week and having a positive attitude at all times. Just preparing every single week with those guys and having confidence in ourselves is the most important thing."
On preparation as the backup:
"Jack is one of my best friends and he's an unbelievable person and quarterback. He prepares harder than anyone else. I just always have stayed ready and that's how I am.
"Ian (Book) led me that way last year and I'm so thankful for him. I'll always be grateful because he always dragged me along, staying until 10pm at night. Being in there with him and Coach Rees is something I'll always be thankful for and it led me in the right direction.
"I'm doing the same thing now and no matter the circumstance in my life, I'll always be ready."
On the touchdown to Braden Lenzy:
"Braden works really hard in practice. He's really fast and he does that every single day in practice. Sometimes we don't connect in practice, but he's always running his butt off. It's awesome to see him finally come down with one and I'm really happy for him."
On what he's learned from Book and Coan:
"Ian was unbelievable to me. I'm so thankful to be around such great guys who are great people, but also prepare the right way. Ian did that. Jack does that and Tyler does that. We all help each other.
"There's never a doubt. We're never missing a beat, no matter who is on the field. We always have each other's back and I'm thankful to be around such a great group of guys. It's a testament to Coach Rees and Coach Kelly for getting us all here together. I'm thankful to be a part of it."