Marcus Freeman Opening Statement
“I'm proud of those guys. Rivalry game. I thought they played really well, especially in the first half, lights out. The best thing about the second half is they responded to a little adversity. Come out there, the defense does a good job getting the ball back…I think we punted in that series too.
“And so we had a little adversity, and it might have been the score, but it's the expectations that we have. It's good to see them respond the way they did on that third drive on offense and defense. They did a good job.
“Proud of those guys. Big rivalry win, and we're going to enjoy it and we'll get back to work tomorrow.”
On CJ Carr's competitiveness after taking a hit
“I hope that's the response for every person on my team when somebody pushes you. And not saying he's wrong, but I want all of our guys to be like that.
“I know where you're getting there. He's a big competitor. He is a competitive dude, and I'm sure he wanted to run the same play again the next play.
“But the thing I love about him is he channels that competitive spirit in the right direction. And that's what real competitors got to do. You can't be out of control. You can't lose control of yourself. You got to channel that competitive spirit to where it needs to be channeled, and that's what everybody knows.”
On what impressed him about the defense
“I knew we had to get pressure on the quarterback, and however many guys we had to send, we would do, but we got good four-man pressure.
“The one play which was huge is, I think Bryce (Young) sacks the quarterback, Boubacar (Traore) forces the fumble, Drayk (Bowen) scoops and scores. That was a huge moment for us. I think it put us up 28. I think so. And then the offense comes back in a two-minute situation and scored.
“But that play was huge. It was that pressure. It was the four-man pressure that we were able to get on the quarterback that really helped us defensively.”
On getting younger players game reps
“There was some good and I'm sure some teachable moments. I think Jonaz (Walton) popped a big run. It was good to get him in there.
“It's hard to evaluate right in the moment. You're only able to see the big plays, but it was good to get those guys in there because I've said it before, there's nothing like real game reps to evaluate.
“And that's the best thing about it. I know (Chris) Ash, he's greedy like all of us, and he didn't want to give up that last touchdown, but if we win the game 49-10 and you can get those valuable reps that we're going to be able to teach from on both sides of the ball, it was worth it.”
On what Notre Dame could improve despite the dominant first half
“I don't know about the execution. I didn't think we had the play style that we usually have early in the third.
“And listen, we've been in that position before and gone out there and done really well, but there were a couple times I saw a couple defenders not finishing the play, not physically running through the ball carrier and some uncharacteristic things.
“But that's the challenge. The score can't make you play a certain type of way. I mean, that's the challenge that we all have. It's human nature to go out there and say, ‘We're up 35-0. We're good. I don't want to get hurt.’ But it's free will to choose to play the way that we demand.
“And I think it's going to be a great teaching opportunity after we stop celebrating tomorrow and just get back and watch the film and say, ‘You tell me if it's the play style that we should play with,’ and those honest conversations happen tomorrow. They're all great opportunities.”
On Notre Dame's defensive line and pass rush
“They play hard. You're rolling three guys on the inside with Tionne (Gray), Armel (Mukam) and the group and keeping fresh, but you're starting to gain some trust in those next ends too.
“You're seeing LT, Loghan Thomas, you're seeing Keon (Keeley) get in there and really give us some valuable reps.
“And so, look, it's a deep group. They are well-coached and they play extremely hard. It's a reflection of understanding what's expected of them, and you see production from them.”
On whether this was Notre Dame's most complete game of the season
“Rice was pretty good. But this was a great win.
“And I'll tell you why. These guys work extremely hard. We pushed the heck out of them this week, and we have to every week, but this one means a little bit something because you get that physical reward.
“That's why I always say there's no better feeling than the team glory concept that we talk about, but now you've got that physical reward, the Shillelagh Trophy, that you get to celebrate that everybody in that room earned. And I'm proud of them. I'm proud of them.”
On Micah Gilbert's emergence in the passing game
“I think the trust has been earned over time. I think it's through the summer, it’s through fall camp. I think the previous years we had an injury or maybe had Beaux Collins, maybe, or Malachi Fields, but the trust has been earned between him and CJ.
“Then the game plan has called for it in the past couple of weeks and will continue to call for it, and they capitalize off it because there's repetition, repetition over and over in practice.
“So that trust has to be built, but I don't want it to be just a reflection of a big play. It takes time, and the game determines that opportunity to come.”
On Bryce Young's sack on Purdue's first play
“I don't remember, but I'm sure, I trust you that he got a sack first play of the game, and that's huge. It's huge.
“You all have the human element of nerves when you start, coaches, players, no matter who the opponent is. Everybody has those natural nerves in their body.
“And then you start the game off with a big play like that, and they chose to receive the ball, that's a huge momentum builder. Now we got to continue to build on that, but to win that play in that fashion is huge.”
On seeing Aneyas Williams have success
“At least through our conversations…he came to work every day. All of our guys do it, but it's always great to see him.
“I don't know what his yardage was, but it was good to see him running the ball and have success. I'm proud of him.
“I wanted his Mom to know that. I told him that. Told his mom that. I love him because it doesn’t phase him. You can't shake him. He goes to work, and he had some rewards today because of the way he worked.”
On Notre Dame getting ahead early and staying on Purdue
“It helps and it speaks to preparation and the mindset when they come out here. You have to have gratitude for the opportunity.
“And I try to remind them of that before the game. They work extremely hard for this, for an opportunity to go play an opponent, and you’ve got to have that gratitude to go out there and grasp this opportunity. And that's what they did.
“And so it's a respect for your opponent. I told them that. You have to respect your opponent. I don't care what you see on film. You respect your opponent. If you do that, you'll be prepared and you'll come out the right way.”
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