It didn’t take long for DJ McKinney to introduce himself to the Notre Dame world.
The Colorado transfer all but put the game away with a 55-yard pick-six with 8:52 remaining in the third quarter of Notre Dame’s 41-13 win over Wisconsin on Sunday night.
McKinney’s job was relatively easy as he caught an overthrown pass and sprinted to the end zone, so he was quick to give credit to the Irish pass rush.
“I see the play processing, building up, see the receiver coming towards me,” recalled McKinney. “I'm reading my keys, see the quarterback, I see Boubacar, he's pressuring the QB and in the QB's face. He let it go too early and I made him pay for it. Took it 55 yards for a touchdown.”
The Texas native has played just one game in the Notre Dame defense, but he already fully understands the expectations Chris Ash’s unit has each week.
And that’s exactly why he chose Notre Dame.
“Just believing in each other, playing for my brothers, it means a lot,” said McKinney. “When I wasn't able to practice during the spring, I was still in meetings, being around the guys. When summer came around, I was able to jump in. I took it all in. I didn't want to take it for granted because I knew it would pay off for sure and it did. It showed on Sunday.”
Under new defensive backs coach Aaron Henry, the focus has been on the small details. Now that McKinney has seen those details translate to the field, he isn’t changing a thing.
“Really just keying in on the small things, the details,” McKinney said of what he’s learned from Henry. “That’s really a lot I’ve learned. Those things, they really matter, you know? Something like that can come back and bite you if you're not really paying attention and not locked in.”
Staying locked in is the goal for Notre Dame this weekend as the Irish return home looking to win their first home opener in two years.
McKinney might not have been part of those teams, but he understands the importance of building on the Wisconsin performance.
“Learn what we can learn from it and always try to improve into the next week in any way possible,” McKinney explained. “We have an identity as a defense. We're going to keep it. Play fast, physical, and smart. That's what we're going to do every week, in and out.”
It’s hard to find a better cornerback than Leonard Moore, but McKinney has already played alongside one of the few who can make that claim.
McKinney and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter roamed the secondary together at Colorado, and that experience has prepared him for this season as he once again has the nation’s top cornerback on the opposite side.
And McKinney loves it, as he knows opposing offenses could be more willing to test his side of the field.
“I invite it,” stated McKinney. “I never duck from the competition, never duck from the smoke. I invite it and I'm ready.”
This weekend will present another challenge for McKinney and the Notre Dame defense.
Rice will bring a unique offense to Notre Dame Stadium, and while the Owls might be run-heavy, McKinney knows the Irish secondary has to remain locked in.
“They definitely have a different style of football that they play that some teams might not be used to,” explained McKinney. “I feel like what we're doing here at Notre Dame, they're preparing us to attack the Rice offense. They do a lot of triple option, motions and adjustments that we have to make sure we’re locked in on, or they can make you slip up. The way we're preparing it, we're going to be ready.”
Saturday afternoon will also mark the first time McKinney experiences a game inside Notre Dame Stadium.
It’s a moment he’s looking forward to after getting his first taste of the Notre Dame experience at Lambeau Field.
“Man, I noticed the fans,” McKinney said. “That was the main thing. I'm used to just practicing out here with the guys and not practicing in front of anybody, but the fans, it's different. You feel it. I felt the Notre Dame culture, Notre Dame tradition. Witnessing it on game day, it's totally different. It was amazing.”
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