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Quoting The Notre Dame Assistants

Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford (left) and receivers coach Mike Denbrock (Bill Panzica)

Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Sanford on Notre Dame’s plan to use two quarterbacks against Texas in the opener:

“I’ll be drinking a lot of coffee for the next few weeks and through the season, but you definitely spend a little more time individually with each player. Not solely from a preparation and a football standpoint, but also working through the newness of this decision and how that’s going to play out.

“The thing that really holds true and we remind them on a daily basis is, ‘This is what’s best for Notre Dame football.’ We need to push forward in that, and it’s supported by the fact that when both players throughout camp have been at their best, it’s actually brought out the better version of the other guys, which has been fun. That’s not always the case.”

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Associate head coach and wide receivers coach Mike Denbrock, a former defensive coordinator at Grand Valley State and Buffalo, on how opposing defenses will scheme against Notre Dame’s two quarterbacks:

“They’ve got their hands full. The similarities make them maybe similar to game plan toward, but when you break it down to the differences, you’ve got someone [Zaire] who’s tremendous when things don’t go according to plan, when things are off schedule, getting into the open field and using his legs...

“Then you’ve got a guy [Kizer] who even if you blitz him he’s going to have really nice poise in the pocket and sit in there and let things develop. Those two different styles are enough to drive you crazy.”

Linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Mike Elston on how Notre Dame’s recruiting philosophy has changed in recent years:

“It took us a while to figure out who we were, who Notre Dame was. The moment we realized that, we stopped apologizing for who we were — we’re different. I’m not saying we’re better than you, we’re just different. Once we realized that and started to recruit that way and make decisions that way, obviously from Brian Kelly down, then that’s what you’ve seen as a change.”

Defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder on teaching players how to learn the game: 

“It’s difficult for the players to learn how to best study and learn the game, and on the flip side of it, all players learn different. Part of the coaching job is finding out what’s best for a player.”

Defensive line coach Keith Gilmore on freshman defensive end Daelin Hayes, a former Rivals five-star recruit:

“He’s more physical than I anticipated him being. We were concerned about him when he came in having a little bit of the shoulder injury and his surgeries, but he has not let it affect him at all.

“He’s been very physical at the point, and that’s surprised me a little bit more than I anticipated.”

Offensive line coach Harry Hiestand on freshman Tommy Kraemer:

“You can see so much potential in him. You just see him move and go. The thing that you can never anticipate is how he’ll learn to do all the things that we’re asking him to do.

“Right now he’s in information overload stage. He went from looking really good to struggling, just because he’s thinking too much.”

Tight ends coach Scott Booker on junior Tyler Luatua, who left Notre Dame in the spring but elected to return:

“Tyler is a really passionate and really conscientious kid. He loves Notre Dame, and he figured in the spring how much he loved it. I’m excited about the things he’s doing.”

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