Rare Noon Kickoff Has Mustipher's Attention

Notre Dame will hit the road for the first time this fall as the Irish travel to Wake Forest. Captain Sam Mustipher has been through it all, so the first road game the season isn’t overwhelming to him, but the 6-foot-2, 306-pounder will be focused on making sure Notre Dame’s youth is locked in. 

“It’s not a different mentality, but there is a different way you have to go about your routine for an away game versus a home game,” Mustipher stated. 

Each players routine will change for a road game as they aren’t staying in South Bend, but Mustipher is more concerned about another factor Notre Dame doesn’t deal with often. 

“The most important thing isn’t even the fact it’s a road game,” explained Mustipher. “Everyone has asked if the away games are different and it is different because your Friday routine is different, but the most important thing is that it’s a Noon game. There can’t be any room for errors or a slip-up.

"It’s about guys getting up early and understanding it's game time right now. Even 2:30 last week, it bumps it up a little bit, but Noon is whole other level. You’re getting up and getting ready to go to the stadium right away.

Most of Notre Dame’s road games kick at night, so the rare Noon game is something even Mustipher doesn’t have much experience with, but he knows its crucial to wake up and be ready to play. 

“It’s accelerating the process faster,” Mustipher said. “As soon as you wake up, you have to be ready to go. There can’t be any question marks or lackadaisical attitudes. You have to be ready to go right now.

“You’re waking up, putting your suit and tie on and going downstairs to go to the stadium. We still have meetings and a meal. It’s the same pregame, but it’s accelerated to when you get up versus later in the day.” 

When it comes to the game, Mustipher and the offensive line are focused on building off a solid performance against Vanderbilt, and it starts with continuing to see through one set of eyes. 

“It was an emphasis for us and every week to see through one set of eyes,” Mustipher stated. “If we do that and stick to our basics, we can give this offense a chance to make plays with the weapons we have.” 

Ball State confused the Irish offensive line at times, but Mustipher was pleased with how the offensive line picked up Vanderbilt’s complicated schemes up front, which allowed quarterback Brandon Wimbush to take fewer hits in the pocket.

“They threw a lot of stunts and twists at us, and we picked those up pretty well,” said Mustipher. “That was important because the week before Brandon got hit too much. We tried to limit that as much as we could.” 

Mustipher also knows the offense will need to execute at a higher level than last week as Wake Forest can put up points and quickly. 

“They are a physical and talented front seven,” said Mustipher. “ They do a lot of movement.  We can’t get behind the chains on first and second down. We have to convert third down. We have to play basic and simple football to keep them off the field.

“They’ll throw the house at us, but its a great defense and a great challenge. I’m looking forward to it.”