Irish TE Mitchell Evans: 'We want this. This is Notre Dame'
It’s been a long week in South Bend as No. 21 Notre Dame (5-2) prepares to host No. 10 USC (6-0) on Saturday night.
The loss to Louisville has lingered on the message boards and Social Media all week, but in The Gug, Mitchell Evans and his teammates flipped the switch early in the week as they know the Trojans present a big test.
“Big opponent,” stated Evans. “Coming off a tough loss last week, but I feel like our team’s attitude has been good. We still have a good chunk of our season left, so we can’t just sit around and mope around. Guys spirits have been pretty good.”
Notre Dame rebounded with a big win over No. 17 Duke following the loss to Ohio State and now the Irish will have a chance to set a tone heading into a much-needed bye week.
How do the Irish get back in the win column against a top 10 program? It starts with playing Notre Dame football.
“We just didn't execute,” Evans said of the loss to Louisville. “We didn't play Notre Dame football, Notre Dame offense. Didn’t do what we wanted to do and what we can easily do. We just literally didn’t do it.”
The message boards might be uneasy as USC comes to town, but Evans and the Irish aren’t in a state of panic. Urgency, a word thrown around a lot in South Bend in recent years, is a more fitting word for Saturday.
“We don't really have an identity crisis,” explained Evans. “I just feel like that game was just a blip, to be honest, but I feel like our identity is when we want to run the ball, we can run the ball. Or when we want to pass the ball, we can pass. Whatever the situation needs, I feel like that's our identity.”
Evans leads Notre Dame with 22 receptions for 343 yards to go along with one touchdown and will be counted on to spark an Irish offense that has fallen into a lull the last three weeks.
What has allowed Evans to ascend in 2023? Well, it starts with opportunity, but also the work the Ohio native put in during the offseason.
“For me personally, my route running, second-level release or point of contact,” Evans said of the biggest areas of improvement in his game. “That’s something about safety level or linebacker depth, being able to get off and create separation a little bit. II feel like my ability to recognize the type of defense, like if it’s man or zone and having a strategy to attack it. Just that combination I’ve improved this season.”
Evans has averaged 93.3 receiving yards per game over the last three contests, but he’s not giving himself a perfect grade just yet.
“I feel like there’s areas I can certainly improve on,” stated Evans. “I’m not gonna sell A+. I don’t see myself like that and obviously, I feel personally I still have a lot of room for improvement. I’d say pretty good. I wouldn’t put a letter grade on it or a number grade, but I’d say alright.”
As it relates to USC, Notre Dame has always stressed the run game and it could become even more significant with weather conditions in South Bend on Saturday night.
Evans has faith in his tight ends and offensive line to bounce back in a big way following a disappointing effort against Louisville.
“I’m always gonna have faith in our line,” Evans explained. “We got two freaks of nature at the tackle position and really good guards and the center. Our starting five is elite and the guys who come in for them, one goes out, we can put somebody in, I won’t have a doubt in my mind they’re gonna get the job done.
“This week, they have a dawg mentality. We’re gonna improve and we’re gonna get our job done this week, and they’ve been on point in pretty much everything they do. That’s how they are as a unit, and that’s what they’ve been pretty much all season. But this week they’ve been better.”
And yes, Evans knows this game is also important as its the biggest rivalry game of the year.
“It’s a storied rivalry between two blue bloods in college football,” said Evans. “I feel like we’re gonna have an advantage because it’s home, night game. It’s gonna be 40 degrees, rainy. We’re all out here, we’re practicing outside now. We’re all like, ‘Thank god, this is amazing.’
“We want this. This is Notre Dame.”
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