Tranquill Looking for Redemption on Saturday Night
Notre Dame passed its first road test and got the programs first true road win since Pittsburgh in 2015. Captain Drue Tranquill was pleased to get over the hump, but also knows they have much to improve on heading into this weekend’s showdown at Michigan State.
“We just need to play from start to finish,” Tranquill said on Wednesday. “We showed flashes of brilliance, and we showed flashes where we're up 35-13, and we let their offense march right down the field and score, and that's not acceptable as a defense. So just playing with a laser focus throughout the entirety of the game I think is definitely an area we've been focusing on this week.”
While Boston College might not be the intimidating atmosphere of Michigan State, Tranquill felt it was great to get back into his road routine and to let the first-time travelers find their routine.
“I don't change up too much from road to home,” explained Tranquill. “I think we do a good job of we go to the Doubletree downtown and stay in a hotel, so it feels similar. Obviously, you have the plane and the travel, but in terms of my routine, I don't really change much up. I like my Epsom salt bath the night before, and I like taking my cold shower before the game. It just kind of stays consistent.
“My Epsom salt bath is going to be Friday night like usual, but I think we've already had a night game this year. We kind of stick to our routine of having a walk-through and meetings, and so the schedule of the day stays pretty consistent from week to week. We like to develop that as a team, have a routine game in and game out.”
The 6-foot-2, 231-pounder didn’t say it, but the Michigan State game has probably been circled on his calendar since last year.
Last year, Michigan State faced a 3rd and 3 with just over a minute left in the game. Receiver RJ Shelton took a jet sweep around the corner, and Tranquill missed a tackle, which would have given Notre Dame a stop and likely the ball back.
“I missed the tackle,” Tranquill said. “It was one of my worst games in my career, I think, and so I have a bigger, I think, chip and mentality going into this game. I was very disappointed with the way I played against them last year and disappointed at the way we played against them as a team. But we can't control that. We can control what happens this Saturday, though. We can control our preparation heading in. So our focus isn't so much on the outcome of last year's game as it is controlling what we can control heading into this game.”
The senior rover will look to make up for that play this weekend, but he knows his defense will also need to bring it on Saturday night.
“They're just a tough, physical football team,” stated Tranquill. “It's what you come here to do. They're a perennial big Power Five school, and to have the opportunity to play them, just a great coach, a great program, it's always a great game, and so we always look forward to playing teams of that caliber, and we'll look forward to the rest of the season the rest of our career.”
A major key to Notre Dame’s defensive success this fall has been the ability to put teams into third and long. Notre Dame’s nickel package has been very successful in getting teams off the field when their number is called, and Tranquill says it starts up front.
“They're able to get after the passer, which makes it easier on the back end to cover guys,” Tranquill explained. “I think adding Shaun (Crawford) to the mix has been very effective for us, and his ability to shut down the slot receiver, which is huge for quarterbacks in college who can't necessarily throw it outside as well as NFL passers could. But a lot of teams like to work the slot. They get to like on the Mike linebacker with three, and so we've just been able to vary our looks. Coach Elko has an incredible scheme, and we can throw different looks. We've got guys that can get after the passer and guys that can cover, so when you put those together, it tends to give good results.”
Speaking of Crawford, the junior defensive back recorded two interceptions and a fumble recovery last weekend against Boston College. There were many people around the program happy for Crawford, but Tranquill might have been the happiest.
“This is his fifth game, and he's got three interceptions,” stated Tranquill. “The kid is a baller. He's a great friend of mine. I love Shaun. I really respect him and the work that he does, the preparation that he puts in, and it's exciting for people to finally see his hard work paying off because, I mean, the two and a half, three years he's been here, people necessarily haven't seen all the work he's been putting in because he hasn't been on the field much, but it's cool to kind of see that come to fruition.
As much as this game means for Tranquill, he also knows the Irish will win or lose the game during this week’s preparation. Tranquill admitted the 2017 team has embraced the facets of preparing for an opponent and it’s allowed guys to make plays at crucial moments.
“I think back to this past game, and it just seems like I like guys' preparation a lot more,” said Tranquill. “I think when big moments arise in the games, we're able to execute, and we haven't allowed the moment to get the best of us. I think back to sudden changes when we come out in the second half against Boston College, and our offense fumbles the football, and we're faced with we have to bow our necks and we were able to make them kick the field goal; I think the 4th down stops with Te'von (Coney) and Myron (Tagovailoa-Amosa) getting incredible penetration there and coming up with the 4th down stop. So I think just our execution in big moments and our ability to get off the field and sudden change and not allow the other team to get momentum I think has been huge. But it's a consistent message.
“We just want to execute within our role, execute within the defense on a week-to-week basis.”