Al Golden press conference transcript heading into ND's matchup with Navy
Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden on Tuesday night after practice met with the media, per usual. Here is what he had to say heading into Saturday's matchup between No. 20 Notre Dame (6-3) and Navy (3-6) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
Q: On safety DJ Brown?
Golden: “Against an opponent like this it’s really important to have experience and guys that can play with poise. DJ fits that bill.”
Q: In a game like this how much do you look at guys who have played against Navy in the past?
Golden: “Experience is important here. Anything where they have a built-up blueprint of what they need to do versus certain blocks, versus certain schemes is definitely paramount going against these guys. So, I think the biggest thing for our guys is assignment football when you play a team like this, just to be disciplined. And the more guys that you can have that have experience and play with poise and can communicate, the better off you'll be.”
Q: From the first time you played them in 2006, all the way through the Georgia Tech games and everything, what did you kind of learn from the beginning that you were like, ‘Oh, we're not doing that again’?
Golden: “That was it. Luckily, we have a lot of experience, because I think we went 10 years in a row or nine years in a row playing either Army, Navy or Georgia Tech. So, Ken (Niumatalolo) and Paul (Johnson), unbelievable amount of respect for coach Johnson and then later Ken when he took over. So, it's a challenge. They do a phenomenal job, and we're going to have to be on it.”
Q: Is Chase Ketterer the guy giving you guys most of the looks on scout team (as Navy QB)?
Golden: “He is, yeah. He's doing a great job, phenomenal job, actually.”
Q: I know Justin Fisher also ran a similar offense at Mishawaka (High School). Is he a guy also in there?
Golden: “Yeah, I mean, we'll work as many guys that can do it. We don't want to wear anybody out. But there is a lot of looks that you have to give, so we'll definitely work in a couple of guys there.”
Q: How many how many guys do you funnel through that process?
Golden: “Those two for sure. And then we'll go from there. Hopefully, that's all we need. But again, it's a lot. It's a big load on those guys, and we appreciate the effort they've been giving.”
Q: It’s a unique approach that coach (Brian) Kelly started recruiting preferred walk-ons that run the triple option, a triple-option quarterback. Did you ever have anything like that at Temple or Miami?
Golden: “I did not know that (Kelly did that), but obviously this is an annual opponent and it's a rivalry game. And I think from that standpoint, that's pretty smart.”
Q: With the cut-block rule change, how does that change defending them?
Golden: “I don't think it changes defending them, because it's still about the math associated with the option. I think it has more to do with what kind of block destruction or what kind of blocks you're going to see. It's definitely different for them in certain instances, but they’ve still got tough guys. They’ve still got guys willing to block their tail off on the perimeter. They’ve still got guys that run the ball hard. So, it's just maybe a little bit different style than it used to be 10 years ago.”
Q: With Justin Ademilola, starting with Isaiah Foskey instead of behind him, and Rylie Mills playing more inside, it seems like your run defense has been so much better. I mean, do you see that? Is that just kind of circumstance or is there something to that?
Golden: “I don't know. I think like if you look at (Jordan) Botelho the other night when he was in, he played well. against the run. So, I just think there's more guys that are contributing versus the run. I thought Marist (Liufau) saw it better the other night. You can argue Jayson (Ademilola) played his best inside. He was really, really physical. Justin has been a welcome addition on the other side. JD (Bertrand) has been playing good. Rylie has really done a great job. So, I mean, there's a lot of guys contributing to it, including the safeties in terms of the run fit. So, it takes a lot to get into that. And especially against something as diverse as Clemson's offense was.”
Q: And when you play just the two linebackers, is Jack Kiser now kind of in a direct competition with Marist Liufau for playing time? How does that work?
Golden: “Yeah, we definitely have to play Jack more. I love Jack as a player. And we need to get him on the field more.”
Q: This week probably helps for that?
Golden: “For sure. Yep. There's no doubt.”
Q: We talked to coach Freeman about your performance against Clemson, the way the DBs rallied to the football, the way you guys did a really great job with their perimeter game. I mean, as you look back on this game, you put it all together as a group, did you not?
Golden: “Yeah, the only thing I can tell you is looking back on the game, you're trying to take the things that help you this week. Other than that, it's just, honestly, a waste of time to talk about it. But the perimeter, the physicality on the perimeter, being able to set the edge, tackling better on the perimeter — all of that applies to Navy.
“So again, our minds are like, when you're in Navy week, it's like you're in Navy week. And so, we're looking for that same comfort level, physicality, execution on the perimeter. It's going to be really, really crucial in this game.”
Q: Do you have the resources here for rest and recovery compared to what you've seen elsewhere?
Golden: “I think they're doing a great job. There's a commitment here to be the best. And, to me, wherever it goes in terms of sports science or nutrition, that's where we're going. We're growing and we're developing, and I don't know who coach (Marcus Freeman) is talking to a lot, but there's definitely a couple of people that he's talking to in terms of sports science.
“I don't know them personally. But about recovery and rest and how to practice and what to cut, how to take a team on the road, he's definitely getting a lot of support there.”
Q: How far has that aspect of the college game come?
“Golden: Crazy. Crazy. Crazy amount. Crazy amount. It's woven into it now. That's part of it.”
Q: Marcus said you guys have been putting in Navy stuff since the summer. When that happened, was it at the beginning of practice, or was it in the middle? Just how did that look?
Golden: “You just pick a couple of days, or a day here or day there. whenever it fits into your installation. And then we hit it again on the bye week. So, obviously, like we just talked about, we've had a 10-year background with it. So, there's a lot of things that when we've matched up against Georgia Tech or Navy in the past, that we're trying to utilize and trying to coach. So, there is some background there. And obviously, we're trying to execute that.”
Q: Is there anything specific you're emphasizing with Ben (Morrison) heading into this game and just being a true freshman seeing this offense?
Golden: “Again, just do your job. If there's anything he could take away from last week is that he did his job and the plays came. And when they came, he executed. So, that's the biggest thing, just do your job. That's how you have to play this thing.”
Q: Justin Ademilola next to Isaiah Foskey, is that something now that you guys feel like you've settled into? Might be status quo or still kind of a week-to-week thing?
Golden: “I think it’s good. I like where it is. And I like that that Botelho has kind of distinguished himself as the third, the next guy in at either spot. That's really helped us. Again, Justin's contribution to the game the other night was significant. I mean, really significant. So, I think about where we have been like the last couple of weeks with him and how hard he's working and how he's trying to prepare and execute. And it's showing up on game day. And he's definitely in a great place.”
Q: Given Rylie’s familiarity with playing inside, playing outside, I’d imagine it's been a pretty seamless thing for him?
Golden: “Rylie is excellent. He's really, really good with his hands. He's smart. He's really, really tough. And again, his greatest asset is his versatility and his intelligence, his ability to play multiple spots for us. And that's really bailed us out, to be honest with you, whether it's because of injuries — Howard (Cross) was down. We lost a player (Jacob Lacey), and then Howard was down, and then all of a sudden Rylie's playing in and out and doing a great job. So, he really helped us hold it together.”
Q: Ken Niumatalolo’s volume of plays over all these years …
Golden: “It's just crazy.”
Q: So, what do you guys do? You can't look at everything?
Golden: “I don't know. Coaches play certain schemes, certain ways. And so, we're looking at all of those schemes that apply that coach can — I mean, that's what we're looking at that Bingo board, if you will. So again, great deal respect for him and obviously the program itself.”
Q: Not the most fun prep week, every year?
Golden: “It is what it is, man. It's a great honor to play them, and there's so much history in the game. So that's what we're at.”
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