Notre Dame Captains Transcripts: Nov. 1

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Four of Notre Dame's captains addressed the media today during their weekly Wednesday press conference.

Below are the full transcripts of running back Josh Adams, linebackers Greer Martini and Nyles Morgan, and rover Drue Tranquill.

Q: Were you watching the rankings last night? What were you doing? Do you remember your reaction?
JOSH ADAMS: “So I was not actually watching. I wasn't near a TV last night. I'm involved in the (indiscernible) class here, which basically allows us to mentor kids who are in the foster care system. I was hanging out with my friend David. We were just hanging out, playing a little cards. I wasn't actually at a TV.”

Q: What was your reaction when you saw and heard what the strength and conditioning program would be like? Is this good? Is it going to work? What is it going to do for me?
ADAMS: “I mean, I was excited because I was ready to go. I was ready to move forward in the journey that I was on. I was ready for this team. I believe the rest of the guys were ready to see where we could go preparing for the next season.

“We had already put the previous season behind us, and we were ready to move forward together. I was excited, just like a lot of the guys, to see what was coming next. Just prepare for what we're experiencing now.

“It was a lot of excitement. Of course, I couldn't wait to see how everything else would turn out. No, I was definitely ready.”

Q: When did you see that it worked, that it's going to help you out in the long run? ADAMS: “I mean, from the moment that Coach Kelly told us, the moment that we started to hear about all the different changes that we were going through. I mean, I think the guys on this team were more concerned about each other than anything else that was going on. They kind of took it upon themselves to say, Hey, we're going to pick this thing up together.

“Just from that standpoint, just having that mindset of we're going to change this thing around. Of course, Coach Kelly laid out the blueprint, kind of left it to us. It wasn't more so finding out about Coach Balis being here, although we love him here. We love seeing him every day. He brings that energy. It was more guys on the team changing the mindset of we're going to change this thing around.”

Q: How has that program made you a better player?
ADAMS: “I mean, it's done wonders. Obviously you see how it has affected us physically. We're holding up a lot better. From a physical standpoint, we're dominating our opponents. Mentally, you know, we're stronger. We did a lot of mental training throughout the off-season, not only getting our bodies right, but getting our minds right, preparing playing each opponent.

“It's been a long journey, and it's been a lot of fun. We have fun pushing our limits, testing where we were at competing. That's something we had a lot of fun with in the spring, the off-season, competing with each other, seeing who could lift the most weights, who could run the fastest. Bring a little fun back to playing football, competing with the guys around you, seeing how much better you can get, seeing how much you could push them. “But it did wonders for a lot of areas.”

Q: How much better do you feel physically this November compared to last November?
ADAMS: “I don't really remember how I was feeling last November. I couldn't tell you. But I do know I'm feeling pretty good right now. Of course, we just came off of a game. That's pretty much normal. You can't really change much about having a little bruise here and there. I'm cut up on my legs. That's nothing new. “No, from a physical standpoint, I feel pretty good.”

Q: Does it feel like you only have four games left? You're still getting stronger as November is here?
ADAMS: “I mean, the fact that we've been taking this season one game at a time, from a physical standpoint, it feels like I can go as long as I need to. Just the fact that we're only focusing on one game at that particular moment. I'm ready for that next game.

“If you're talking like that, I think I'm prepared for each game that we're going to play. From the beginning of the season, we set out for a journey like this, to go for a long season. Mentally and physically I feel like we're prepared to do that.

Q: (Similarities between Wake Forest’s defense to Notre Dame because of Elko). ADAMS: “They have a lot of similarities. Of course, they're going to bring a lot of things we haven't seen. Each team that we've played this year has brung something new to us. We've had to adjust to that. But they show a lot of similarities to when I was here freshman year. We know they're going to give us their best. We're just preparing for that.

Q: (Elko’s impact on the Irish offense this week).
ADAMS: “I mean, he always brings a challenge for us every time we go against a defense. I wouldn't say it's anything new. It's always a challenge trying to compete against our guys on defense. I think that has better prepared us for every game, not just this game.

“Of course, it helps having him come from the system over there, just kind of getting some tips and tales. However we can get an advantage, it always helps.”

Q. How did you get involved in the foster program?
ADAMS: “I always wanted to do something like that just to kind of connect with little kids. When I was a kid, I had people that I looked up to. Specifically there was a running back who was in my school, I looked up to him before I got to high school. But his path really didn't turn out the right way. I wanted to do better than that.

“It's basically a course that you can sign up for. I had to switch my schedule around to kind of make it work. It was something that I was really interested in. I was going to make it happen.

“It's just a course I signed up for. You're assigned randomly a kid to kind of hang out with and kind of mentor, be a positive influence in their life. I was given a great kid. His name is David. We have a lot of fun hanging out. I try to go out and hang with him whenever my schedule permits it. I don't have a lot of free time on my hands.

“But, no, it's great. He's coming to the game. I really want to show him a good time, really show him the good side of things. Obviously being involved in the foster care system isn't the best thing. Just making the best out of his situation, just trying to show him a good time, have fun, be a friend.”

Q: What is the name of the course? Where do you meet?
ADAMS: “It's practical (indiscernible) treatment. We meet in Haggar Hall, which is near the dining hall. We meet Friday. It's not much of a class as it is an opportunity to make a difference in a kid's life. Of course, we have to learn about child treatment, we have to learn about the system, what kids go through, a lot of different things, how they get into that situation in the first place. There is learning involved. But it's just about building that relationship and trying to positively impact your mentee's life.”

Q: Where do you get together with David?
ADAMS: “So I do whatever is convenient for him. Obviously I get out of practice pretty late, so I go over as soon as practice ends. He's in school, so I probably just go to his house. He's only 10 years old. His bedtime is probably like 9:00. I can only spend a few minutes with him. But however long I can make it happen, I make sure that I do that.

“But I just go over to his house, hang out with him. We'll talk for hours. He's very talkative. He has a lot of energy. But we'll just hang out. I would love to get him out of the house, but can't get him out of the house at 8:00 at night, so...”

Q: (Is David a fan).
ADAMS: “He's a fan now. Now he is. I ask him all the time if he saw me play. He's just getting to learn about football a little bit more. His foster mom, Theresa, knows football a little bit. She tries to help him out a little with the rules and all that stuff.

“He knows I'm doing pretty well. He knows I'm doing good. That's a good thing about it. I try to help him, teach him a little bit about the sport.”

Q: Just this semester is when it started, your first involvement?
ADAMS: “Yeah, it's my first time doing something like this. It's been a lot of fun. Not just me, but learning about the other kids in my class, learning about their mentees, their experiences with them. Just learning about another person's life, their story, their background. Of course, I have my own experiences, but learning about somebody else's experiences, how that impacted them, who they are today. It's just a lot of fun connecting with those stories, trying to do something greater for a bigger purpose.”

Q: Are you the only football player in the class?
ADAMS: “I'm the only boy in the class. Yeah, I'm the only boy in the class. That was a little shocker for me. But, I mean, it's an experience. I'm adjusting to it. I can't relate to a lot of the stories.

“Some of the other students, they have girl mentees. They'll talk about, like, boys and stuff like that. I don't know if I can help much there. But I try to help wherever I can. Obviously I'm not a talkative person. I just speak about my experiences with my mentee. It's a lot of fun. It's definitely an experience to remember.”

Q: (No microphone.)
ADAMS: "I mean, he's a good person. He's been through a lot. He has such a good heart. He loves to help others. He talks about how he helps kids in the daycare that he goes to. He's only 10 years old. He definitely has those qualities of being a leader. It's just amazing to see how optimistic he is even after everything that he's gone through. I can relate to it because I've been through a lot in my young age. Just looking at the good side of things, I just love a person who has a good heart, who wants to help others, wants to do better.

“It's just fun to hang out with him. He's very fun. We played cards the other day. He was guessing the cards right. Thought he was doing a magic trick. There was a mirror behind me. He was just holding it up. Took me a while to figure it out. Having moments like that, you can't script that kind of stuff. I mean, it's just fun hanging out with him.”

Q: What would you like the people around the country to know about you?
ADAMS: “I mean, I just do what I can to get in the end zone. However it works, however I can pull it off, that's what I try to do. I wouldn't say that I'm any one specific type of runner. I mean, obviously I'm tall. Everybody knows that. I just try to make it work for me. I don't think there's any magic involved in that.

“However other people see me, it is what it is. I'm just focused on doing what I can, however I can do it, to help my team win games.”

Q: Has all the Heisman talk been uncomfortable for you, hearing so many things positive about you? Do you prefer not to be in that kind of limelight?
ADAMS: “I wouldn't say it's uncomfortable. It's just who I am. I don't look at things that way. Obviously I don't have a Twitter, so I don't really hear much about it unless you come up to me and tell me.

“But, no, it's definitely cool. It's humbling. Again, it's not me. It's all God's work. It's all the guys on my team who help me get there.

“Just to see their excitement, especially my teammates, I know it's because they're not only happy for me, but they're happy with how far this team has come. That's a result of what we've done as a team, how far we've come, the journey we've been on.

“I know they have good intentions. They know me. Sometimes you can't hide that excitement of wanting to tell somebody something. They're not blasting me with news of this or that. They know I'm not really paying attention to it anyway, so...

Q: (No microphone.)
ADAMS: “So I'm just now understanding the concept of it (laughter). When they first came to me, it took me a while. I was like, I don't understand any of it, but let's go with it.

“No, it's definitely team oriented. It's based on the team, of course, the 11 guys on special teams, offense and defense. I'm loving the concept now just of highlighting other guys on the team, highlighting the fact that those individual awards come from the result of the team. I think a lot of people miss that. You wouldn't know about those individuals unless their team was doing good.

“We're definitely doing something special here just being able to have everybody included in that and have everybody share that experience is something special. You definitely don't get that at a lot of places. I think it's pretty cool what they're doing.

“But, yeah, I'm just now grasping the whole idea of it.”

Q: Obviously there's been noise about that. You've done a good job blocking that out. There's the rankings, you guys doing well. How as a team do you try to put the bubble up to make sure it doesn't affect you?
ADAMS: “I don't think anybody is really concerned with that. I think we're so locked in on our goal, we're so focused in on what we want to accomplish, that other stuff just flies right by us. We're so determined on what we want to accomplish, we know that we can't take anybody we play lightly, we can't take any moment we have for granted. We're continuing to do the things that got us here from the very beginning of camp to now. We're doing the same thing. We're sticking to our traits, our process of trying to be excellent, trying to reach for perfection. I think that mindset has brought us a long way, and it's keeping us focused.

“We were never worried about any outside noise. We're not going to let that stop us now because the only people that can stop us is us. We're holding each other accountable to staying focused on our goal and holding each other accountable on all things that we do, so...”

Q: Might you share with us your thoughts about the college football rankings last night, where were you when you saw it, what it means for you and the team.
GREER MARTINI: “I was actually working on a group project at the time when it came out. Just the guy I was working with at the time kind of showed me his phone, said, You guys are the third team in the college football rankings, whatever. It was really exciting. “But I don't think it really means that much to us. It's not going to help us win on Saturday. But it was really definitely a cool thing to see.”

Q: Knee injury aside, from a physical standpoint, how much better do you feel this season than maybe seasons past with the whole strength and conditioning program?
MARTINI: “Yes, I think the biggest thing is that we're getting stronger as the season goes on, which hasn't been that way my first three years here. It kind of gives you a confidence in your body. As you're building throughout the season, you're getting stronger. You just have more confidence in what you do, whether that's cutting, being more physical at the point of attack, stuff like that.”

Q: Did it help you recover any quicker, could you tell it would have taken a couple more weeks had you not been in this program in seasons past?
MARTINI: “Yeah, I think definitely. The strength going in before surgery, the stronger you are, the quicker your recovery is. I think that definitely has an impact on it. I think it was also the surgeon, rehab, all those components go into it.”

Q: Prior to this year, what were Novembers like for you?
MARTINI: “Yeah, it was kind of like hanging on. Every week it was like a race to Friday just so that you could get to Friday and try to recover as much as you could before the game. I think now we're going in fresh, going into Saturday feeling better than ever, which is a big difference.”

Q: Talk about some of the work you do in the weight room on Mondays.
MARTINI: “We're squatting heavy. We're doing various lifts with our legs. Monday is kind of your leg day, going through various workouts, making our legs stronger. We never really did that before during the season. We kind of stayed away from putting a bar on our back, lifting heavy weight.

“I think it goes to prove that we can get stronger throughout the season, makes us feel better even though you'd think we'd be even more sore.”

Q: How did everything feel in the game?
MARTINI: “It felt fine. Definitely I was only two weeks out of the surgery. It was more of a confidence thing getting in there, running around, making sure it felt all right. It did.

“I think the only scary part of the game was me and Nyles collided on the sidelines. I didn't have any pain after that, so that was a good sign.”

Q: Was there pain or just a scare?
MARTINI: “I think it was just more of a scare, kind of the first real hit I took after the surgery. I'm just glad my legs kind of came out from under me. It startled me more than anything.”

Q: Were you wearing any kind of brace or support?
MARTINI: “Yeah, I was wearing kind of like a skin-tight brace underneath my leggings.”

Q: How have the principles on the wall up there helped you academically?
MARTINI: “I think it's a combination, not only like all those traits and stuff that help us with winning football games, but I think it goes along with everyday life, carrying those throughout everything. If you don't have those, not am I only not going to see it on the football field, I won't see it in the classroom, as well.”

Q: Have you noticed any extra excitement from Coach Elko this week, players playing for him, a little more excitement among you, as well?
MARTINI: “Yeah, I think there's obviously more excitement along with it. But I think the goal here has been, like, prepare for this team like we prepared for every other team. Obviously he has relationships with those coaching staffs and those players that are important to him. That must be a dynamic for him. As a coach, we haven't really seen any difference from him. It's going to be the same Elko we get week in and week out.”

Q: I think there have been a couple of games in the season where the opposing offense threw something at you, it's almost like a recall from what you practiced on Tuesday or Wednesday. Is that something you got a lot last year? How does that feel when an offense runs something you know exactly what to do?
MARTINI: “I mean, it's a great feeling just because you feel prepared, you're ready to execute. You know exactly what you're doing. Obviously there's tons of plays throughout a game you see that you're not prepared for, you didn't get the look during the week. For the most part, our coaching staff does an amazing job, getting those tricky looks before the game so when we do get them...”

Q: Is there a good example, your pick maybe against Miami of Ohio, something that happened last week that really captures that?
MARTINI: “I think so. Our focus on Thursday is Coach Elko will throw together a couple trick plays we might see. Last week we saw a flea flicker by NC State. We handled it perfectly coverage-wise. That might be an example of something we saw. Might not be the same exact thing, but we have prepared for it.”

Q: Coach Elko call down and say this might be an instance where they might run this or something practiced on Thursday and it's on the guys?
MARTINI: “I think it's more on guys. They can't predict everything. For the most part, there are certain down and distance and tendencies they give us before games. If they get under center, they have more trick plays, something along those lines.

Q: Coach Kelly mentioned last night on the selection ranking show, a blueprint for this team's success changed in 2015. When you look at it, how have you seen kind of the blueprint of this team change?
MARTINI: “When you're talking about blueprint?”

Q: He was just talking about the way the program has operated is different even from 2015. He mentioned 2012, sustained success throughout the year.
MARTINI: “Yeah, I think the biggest thing for this team is, like, when we started in the spring with this new scheme, everything, it was always like this very attention to detail that was lacking in previous years. So everything we did, whether that was a questionnaire, it was turning in your travel suit on Sundays before a certain time, we were all held accountable. I think that accountability was huge for us in creating the blueprint you're talking about. So I think that accountability kind of fostered everything else.”

Q: We've talked the last several weeks about how you guys keep this going. Obviously you've had two huge wins in a row against teams that were ranked in the top 15. How do you avoid dropping against Wake Forest?
MARTINI: “They always talk about avoid the noise. Almost seems better if we had kind of a big bubble around us, didn't listen to what anyone else said. The biggest thing for us is to prepare like we've prepared for every single game this year. We'll go out and it will be a good victory on Saturday if we do that. It's just about kind of focusing on us, doing all the little things.”

Q: How hard is that? Obviously you may try to put the bubble up. That's not easy, especially when you're going to class.
MARTINI: “Yeah, I mean, it's definitely a hard task to do. But this team this whole year, everyone we've gotten since Georgia, we've always kind of put our heads down and gone to work. I don't see that changing.”

Q: How have things changed in terms of when you're going to class, people talking to you, around campus, versus maybe the beginning of the year?
MARTINI: “Yeah, I think there's a different buzz around campus. You go to class, guys are always saying, Congratulations. That wasn't being said before Temple. It's like a different environment. You're going to class, people are saying, You're No. 3. It's one of those things where you got to kind of say, Thank you. But you can't go that far with it. You got to, like I said, put your head down and keep going.”

Q: Wake Forest's quarterback has a lot of experience. What makes him a challenge? MARTINI: “Yeah, I think he runs that offense. He can make all the throws. He's good on his feet. He's kind of like a dual threat. He kind of controls the game. He's been a starter for four years. He knows what he's doing. I think that is kind of what his thing is. He understands where he needs to be effective and he does it.

Q: What does this whole campaign mean, have the hat in front of you, revolves around Josh, but team thing as well?
MARTINI: “Yeah, this campaign is for Josh, but it also includes the whole team. That just goes into his character. Like Josh wouldn't want this to be just about him. He wanted it to be about the whole team. This is how it kind of all ties together. It just goes to show how humble the kid is. He earns everything he gets.

“For us, it's just we're willing to support him because he's a great kid, great athlete, and he deserves the award.”

Q: Julian Love, one of the more I guess bubbly personalities on your team. What is it like playing with him?
MARTINI: “Yeah, I mean, he's an amazing player. He's kind of got that energy around him. He kind of just brings it to practice every single day. It's contagious. Guys look at him flying around the field, having a good time. It brings a good environment to want to play and get better. He's a great guy.”

Q: Did you watch the rankings last night? What is your approach on that?
NYLES MORGAN: “Actually, I had flag football practice afterwards, then I had to study for a psych test. I kind of missed it. I heard about it, yeah.”

Q. Did it excite you where Notre Dame is in the rankings? What do you think the team is going to take from it?
MORGAN: “I mean, it's obviously exciting, things like that. But we're kind of just worried about beating Wake Forest.”

Q: From a physical standpoint, what can you see from you guys that says you're stronger at this point in the season than you were last season?
MORGAN: “Ask Coach Balis. He has all the results and stuff.”

Q: How about you, how do you feel as opposed to this time last year?
MORGAN: “Physically I feel stronger and faster. I feel like my body is holding up way better than it did last year just because we're training so hard. There isn't a day, a week -- we don't train every day, but there isn't a week where I don't feel like I haven't gotten better in some area.”

Q: Where have you made the most improvement?
MORGAN: “I would say it's hard because you don't know what this stuff is. It's like Balis stuff. I think vertical, squat, bench, stuff like that.”

Q: The whole strength and conditioning program, were you skeptical at first coming in?
MORGAN: “Actually, it's funny you said that. I remember that day, it was a Tuesday. I will never, ever, ever forget that Tuesday. To answer the question, I was not skeptical at all after the first day.”

Q: Tuesday back in the springtime?
MORGAN: “Yup.”

Q: For a football player, what does your body feel like come November?
MORGAN: “Kind of just, you know, I wouldn't say wore down, but you've been in pads since the summertime. It's been a while. It's kind of like you're adjusting yourself to things, really just focused on game-to-game. Guys have to focus on the everyday process, don't get caught up in too much of anything. Just day-to-day, moment-to-moment.”

Q: Did you say you had flag football practice?
MORGAN: “Yes. Coaching.”

Q: How did you get involved in that?
MORGAN: “Actually last year I coached then, as well. I coached defense. We did pretty good. They asked me to be head coach. I was like, Sure.”

Q: What ages of kids?
MORGAN: “College (indiscernible).”

Q: How would you assess your coaching ability?
MORGAN: “It's fun, man. It's pretty cool. I'm coaching (indiscernible). Putting in where do they go, why is this person across the field. It's pretty fun.”

Q: What is your record at this point? MORGAN: “I think we're 3-1.”

Q: Julian, whenever we talk to him, is always smiling.
MORGAN: “He's always happy. Like, I don't know why he's always happy. We'll be lifting, dying, he's like this the whole way. I'm like, You're crazy.

“But no, on a serious note, Julian is the one that brings, like, just the energy around to everybody. He walks in the building, he's happy. We need that, though. I personally love it because sometimes I might be in a grumpy mood. I'll talk to him about 10 seconds, I'm back to normal, I can talk to everybody else. Definitely need it.”

Q: Is there ever a point where you're shaking your head, wanting him to stop smiling?
MORGAN: “If I do, I kind of laugh afterwards. I never actually want him to stop smiling. It would be funny to actually see that one day.”

Q: Where you guys are at, obviously there's a ton of hype now around the team being third versus obviously the beginning the year with so many questions. How do you continue to ensure you guys are doing the same thing every day the way you were? MORGAN: “Just keep doing the same things that you've been doing. You have to really recognize and realize that it's not about the hype, it's not about being ranked third in the country, fifth, whatever it is. It's just about beating your next opponent. That's all it's about. That's all it's been about. That's the only thing that Coach Elko, Coach Lee, all the other coaches have been harping on us, to make sure we're doing what we have to do to beat the next team.”

Q: What do you see from Wake Forest? Their quarterback has a lot of experience. What does he do that can be dangerous?
MORGAN: “I mean, my perspective, he's pretty dynamic. He knows where to put the football. He can make all the throws necessary. He can also run, as well. They have a pretty good tempo.”

Q: Is there just a bubbling excitement for you guys as this season has continued to evolve the way it has? Is there an excitement, extra pep in everyone's step as you walk to the building every day because of where you're at?

MORGAN: “I'm not sure about that question. Like I've been saying, I feel like guys feel kind of like how I feel. Outside looking in, it's all hype. Heisman, Playoffs, yada, yada, yada. I'm serious, we're really just focused on beating Wake Forest. Like, that stuff isn't really relevant right now. That will be relevant at the end of the year. Right now it's about us as a team. Just worried about just doing our jobs.

“To answer that question, I would just say everything kind of feels like the same. It's an everyday process. Just have to work at it every single day.”

Q: With the opposition breaking down Notre Dame's defense, what are they looking at, what are they saying about you?
MORGAN: “Me? I'll answer the first part of that question. I think when they see our defense, they see guys who are really attacking the football. Like, I remember Coach Elko bringing up a few clips of the USC game where the receiver caught the ball, there were like 11 guys to the ball, literally 11 guys surrounded him to the ball. That's something that teams look at. They're really playing for each other.

“As far as myself, I'm just doing my job. I'm just doing my job.”

Q: (No microphone.)
MORGAN: "I guess run away from me. I notice that a little bit myself. Ball seems to keep going away from me. Have to keep chasing it down, yeah."

Q: Where were you when you found about the rankings, what is your feeling about it?
DRUE TRANQUILL: “I had to grab some training table. I was over in the engineering library doing some homework with my roommate doing a senior design project.

Q: Did somebody text you about the ranking?
TRANQUILL: “I kind of heard through some of the guys, just some of the chatter going on, yeah.”

Q: What has the strength and conditioning program done for you this season? TRANQUILL: “I think it just continues to allow us to become stronger as the season goes on. I think a lot of programs are probably focused on maintenance throughout the year, just keeping their guys ready to play, whereas our staff has really focused on us getting stronger and growing as the season progresses.”

Q: How much stronger do you feel now than maybe this time last season? TRANQUILL: “Oh, definitely stronger. I've kept my weight this year, whereas in the past typically you lose five pounds. I haven't lost any weight this year. Strength numbers continue to go up. Everything seems to be on the up and up. I certainly feel that.”

Q: Coach Kelly talked about the speed squats on Monday. What are those sessions like? What are your speed squat numbers?
TRANQUILL: “Yeah, Monday lifts are brutal. I'm still sore from Monday lift. We really crush the lower half, do a lot of different mechanics in terms of squatting, explosiveness, doing the speed squats, measuring our power output. The weight we're lifting times the velocity we're moving it at, do a lot of different lifts that hit certain areas.

“Some single leg stuff, kind of isolate you in terms of how you move. You're never moving with two feet on the ground, it's kind of with one. A lot of different specialized lifts and stuff.”

Q: Are Mondays always tough in the weight room?
TRANQUILL: “Yeah, we do our lower body earlier in the week giving ourselves time to recover heading into Saturday.”

Q: Sunday off, you know Monday is coming, it's going to be a grind the rest of the week?
TRANQUILL: “Yeah, it's a grind. But it's what we want. We've seen I think the benefits from the challenge in the weight room, not necessarily just going in there to maintain, roll out, do the things that we have in the past. Guys see it as, yeah, it's tough. But we're so used to it now, our 11th month of doing it. It's kind of becoming second nature to us just to go in there and to attack it.”

Q: How long did it take for you to buy into the program, it will make me a better player in the long run?
TRANQUILL: “I think within the first few weeks. I think he gave a presentation in January when we came back. You could just hear the humility in his voice of how thankful he was to be here at Notre Dame, what it meant to him to be our strength coach. From that moment it made me slightly curious, wow, I really appreciate the way this guy presented himself. I'm going to see if his actions back up the way he spoke tonight. “I think he hasn't failed to back that up yet.”

Q: When the rankings come out, you see there are undefeated power teams, does that give you validation that what you have done to this point is exactly what your goals are?
TRANQUILL: “Yeah, I think it validates it a little bit. It's always exciting. You can't deny the emotions of it. The way I see it is if we lose to Wake on Saturday, we're out of that picture.

“Like Coach Kelly said, we've been in a one-game playoff since our one-point loss to Georgia. We continue to view it as that. It's exciting. But we have to be beat Wake. We have a lot of great opponents coming up, Miami, Navy, Stanford, then obviously Wake on Saturday. We got to continue to take care of business to achieve what we want.”

Q: (Question regarding Coach Elko and preparation.)
TRANQUILL: “Yeah, I think when you get into the complexities of offenses nowadays, there's so many gizmos and gadgets and ways they trade motion in line. I think the way Coach Elko has gone about it has really been allowing each position to specialize in what they need to know for the week.

“There might be stuff that's going on on the backside for the safety and boundary corner that are a big issue for them that week, that I don't even know about it. So I think just each player's buy-in into their position, understanding how they have to play to help our defense win, has been the biggest key. Just being able to be successful, guys are doing their job on a day-to-day basis.”

Q: Are there a couple plays maybe last week or USC that jump out, exactly what you repped in practice?
TRANQUILL: “Yeah, so we've had a couple instances this year. It started at Boston College where I'll be aligned in the apex between number two and the line of scrimmage. Two will jet motion the boundary, I'll slide into the box. Boston College took that and flared their back out really fast. Necessarily as I'm sliding into the box, my eyes aren't necessarily on the back, they're on my gap and my run set. NC State did the exact same thing this past game. Samuels was in the backfield. They jetted the guy out and tried to bubble Samuels out. They ended up throwing the slant to the field. That's the exact look we've been repping since Boston College to prepare for that.”

Q: From a perspective of two years ago when you were in the College Football Playoffs, you came in fourth, Snapchat video went viral, the team celebrating. This year's team seems a little more reserved. Was it something you learned from '15 because the ultimate goal wasn't accomplished?
TRANQUILL: “Yeah, I think every moment is a learning opportunity. For those of us who were there, we remember that. We remember maybe our emotions getting the best of us there.

“But I think we've been trained this year to just realize in order for us to be where we want to be, we have to attack practice today. In order for us to be where we want to be, we have to beat Wake on Saturday. That's the only way we can get to where we want to get. I've been surprised with our football team this year. We've got a lot of young guys playing, a lot of young guys on our team. They have for the most part seemed to be able to quiet the noise. That's been very encouraging.”

Q: Back to the strength and conditioning, specifically how you got stronger. This year for you overall from what has happened in the previous two years, how much are you appreciating this process, that you're able to make the impact you are? TRANQUILL: “I think I really appreciate -- honestly it's a holistic thing for me. I really feel incredibly blessed to be a part of a team. A sport I've been part of since I was three years old. I've never been a part of what feels like a championship team. Everyone from the nutrition staff, to the strength staff, to the third string guys giving looks, everyone is so bought in, on their job, what it means for them to do their job. No one is looking for praise or glory. If you look at our defense, there's no one person making all the plays. Everybody is contributing and making big plays. Julian Love having the pick-six this past game, Shaun Crawford punching the ball at Michigan State, pivotal point in the game, recovering it, having two sacks two games ago. It's different guys every week. Each guy buying into their role, our coaches doing an incredible job of putting us in the position to be successful.”

Q: Julian, his personality sort of jumps off the page, always very energetic. What is he like as a teammate?
TRANQUILL: “He's a kid that carries himself with great humility, just always laughing, always smiling. Always a joy to be around. Guys really enjoy being around him. Never negative, always positive.

“I think what you see from him is what you get, what we get in the locker room.”

Q: The type of play-maker he is, too.
TRANQUILL: “Yeah, he's an athlete. He can make the plays diving with the ball in his hands. He continues to make plays for us, to be electric for us. I think obviously we look at the pick-sixes, those stand out. Just the plays he makes down the field seem simple, and they're not. On a play-to-play basis, it makes him a special player.

Q: As a guy on the other side of the ball, what are your thoughts of Quenton Nelson? TRANQUILL: “He's a beast. In my opinion, he's the best offensive lineman in college football in terms -- maybe I'm speaking from a guard (indiscernible). He's physical, so strong, sound in his technique. He is a guy that has bought into what Coach Hiestand says. In terms of who I've gone up against, there aren't many who punch as hard, drive as hard to play as hard on a day-to-day basis.

“You look at Kevin Stepherson scoring a touchdown in the end zone this past game, the refs ruling it incomplete. But not according to Quenton's book. He's sprinting down the field 30 yards with his hands in the air to give K.J. a hug, lift him up. To see how he flies around, how he plays, a special player.”

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