Indiana football quarterback Kurtis Rourke, running back Justice Ellison, wide receiver Elijah Sarrat, tight end Zach Horton, defensive lineman Mikail Kamara, linebackers Aiden Fisher and Jailin Walker and cornerback D'Angelo Ponds spoke with the media on Tuesday ahead of Indiana's College Football Playoff showdown with Notre Dame.
Below are their full Q&As, as well as a transcript for each conversation--once the become available.
Q. Is Coach Shanahan's play calling approach in the red zone different from offensive coordinators you've had in the past? Is he more aggressive?
KURTIS ROURKE: I think it depends on the strengths of the offense and, you know, what -- how we can attack him best that week.
I really like Coach Shanahan's mindset and the way he approaches different plays and, you know, one of the reasons why I wanted to come here in the first place, and so definitely the way that he calls plays and our red zone success is attributed to that. Coach has definitely played a big part in that.
Q. You guys have not been shy this year talking about the expectations that you have for yourselves, but were there any moments, whether it's spring, summer, preseason, during the season when you kind of looked around and it went from ambition to confidence, just sort of saying, We believed we can do this and now I know we can do this and now I know we're the kind of team that can reach that stage and play at that level?
KURTIS ROURKE: I would say kind of the first, second week of fall camp, honestly. We had a lot of new pieces in the spring, so trying to understand the offense and trying to understand the way everything works and understand the players around each other and stuff.
So it was tough in the spring a couple times with just getting time and chemistry and all of that, and then progressing through the summer and get to go fall camp, we hit stride and we're playing against one of the best defenses in the league, and we knew that, they were going to be really good this year.
And so when we started to move ball on them and make some plays, I think that built confidence in ourselves knowing that we can execute at such a high level against a really good defense.
And so that just continued on, and as the season went on we just really built confidence every week.
Q. Looks like it might snow in South Bend on Friday. What did you learn about facing Purdue, throwing in the snow, managing that during the game, and do you have much experience of that from when you were at Ohio?
KURTIS ROURKE: I actually never played in snow, like when it was actually snowing. I definitely played in some cold games in my college career. Played at Buffalo last year. That was not fun. I always try to keep the mindset of not letting the environment affect me and going out and execute and playing.
If I feel comfortable enough in what I'm wearing, there shouldn't be any issue in everything moving forward. I thought Purdue was a really awesome environment, having the snow fall down in the stadium. That was pretty cool. Snow games are pretty fun itself. Looking forward to it if that's the case.
Q. How do you balance looking forward to the game and being a sixth year game and soaking in the moment for what could be your final college football game?
KURTIS ROURKE: Answering your question, I really have cherished this year, cherished all my years in college. Just knowing this could be the last possible college game definitely comes to my mind but also I'm taking it as a positive and motivating, that it's one more chance to have a great opportunity to play with the guys and this team that's been so successful.
Just really using it to motivate me even more than I already have to go out there, have fun, enjoy it. We'll talk about my last college game in four games.
Q. It's been decades since Indiana and Notre Dame have played, whether it's in the building on on campus in the community, do you sense a buzz about renewing this rivalry on such a big stage?
KURTIS ROURKE: I think so. This game comes with a lot of things, in-state rival, and being the first game of the Playoff. Those things combined create a lot of buzz and excitement both inside the building and outside. I know we are excited to get ready and going.
Q. What do you like about this offense? What makes it effective? And how much freedom do you have to change plays a little bit, a lot? Can you totally go 180 degrees left if you think the defense is vulnerable to that?
KURTIS ROURKE: Yeah, I think this offense really excels because we have so many different options. We're very versatile. We've got a lot of different playmakers that we can just give the ball to in play and be able to rotate in for more playmakers.
One of the deepest offenses in the country and guys that are always fresh and always ready to go, and it's just my job to throw and give the ball.
And so I think that's one of the big reasons why this offense is so successful.
And then I know in Purdue, I had a couple opportunities to change the play, just kind of completely wipe it. But for the most part, pretty confident that we have answers against any coverage, any look, based on the play that's called.
Q. A few times you've been sacked this season, it's been unidentified blitzers or late blitzers. With a team like Notre Dame that's very blitz heavy, have you worked on pre-snap reads and call-outs?
KURTIS ROURKE: For sure. We've worked on a lot of ditch blitz looks, basically everything they have done this year, and we'll be very prepared to handle anything that they throw at us.
Q. What makes Zach an important part of the offense, and I guess what's his off-field locker room presence?
KURTIS ROURKE: Yeah, he's awesome. He's one of those guys that will give 110 percent every single game, every single play. He works harder than anybody I know. I remember watching him when I first got here when he was at JMU and just wanting to play with a guy like that because he's definitely some would say undersized for a tight end but he makes his presence known for sure and everyone on this team just really wants to play for him and be on same team. He's just a fun guy to be around outside, off the field, as well.
Q. One of the things Mike Shanahan said is that the Irish kind of resemble OSU. Obviously that was a showing you all want to have happen again. When you look back on that, what are the similarities there and how do you guys want to approach this?
KURTIS ROURKE: I think Notre Dame is a very talented team and Ohio State is also very talented and they do a lot of good things and have been able to make some plays on defense and turn the ball over, or turn other teams over. It's been tough for some offenses to move the ball and that's similar in what they do.
I think we left some things out there at Ohio State, and things that have been corrected, and so going into Notre Dame, we're really just looking forward to executing at our level and the way that we know how to.
Q. Kind of a two-part question, what does it mean to you to represent Canada on the football field? And also, as part of that, how did you -- how is football your path? And what did it mean to you the other day to finish in the Top-10 in the Heisman Trophy voting?
KURTIS ROURKE: Football in Canada is definitely rising but it's been hard to get exposure coming out of high school. So very lucky that my brother was excelling at Ohio already, so I had a foot in the door already and just an opportunity to show what I can do.
But obviously growing up in Canada, playing the Canadian football rules and all that stuff, so that was a lot of fun.
Just being able to be a Canadian player and knowing that I'm able to motivate and help the younger generation in showing that you can make it to different levels and that you can excel at different levels, I'm glad to be that part and hopefully I can be a good role model to a lot of aspiring Canadians, as well.
Just going off of that, just really blessed and honored and thankful just to be in the conversation and be in the Top-10 in the Heisman. A year ago around this time, I committed to come here, and I never would have thought that I could be in the Top-10, and so that's just -- it means a ton. It's a tribute to everything, the coaches and the players around me to help me get to that point, get to this point, and just ready to continue this journey on.
Q. I know when you committed to Indiana, you said that you weren't even sure you were going to play college football. Have you had any moments along the way where you've stopped to think how close all of this came to never actually happening? And how does that perspective change the way you think about the opportunity that's before you this week?
KURTIS ROURKE: Yeah, you know, going back to a year ago and deciding to see what was out there in the transfer portal and then deciding if I wanted to do that or go to the draft and kind of just bet on myself in that way, you know, looking back, I'm glad I made the decision to come here.
But it just showed me and put into perspective how amazing God is and that His plan always turns out for good in the end, no matter what it is.
So just trusting Him no matter what, and that whatever happens this week, that, you know, I gave it my all and I play for His glory and all and just be grateful that I'm able to be playing a sixth year at Indiana against Notre Dame.
Yeah, just very grateful.
Q. I've asked a lot of the guys about this but you have all talked about kind of the belief you had, the ambition you had, all year long, believing you could be a team that could play at this level on this kind of stage. But was there a moment for you at any point in the process when something happened, whether it was a game, whether it's things you were seeing in practice, whatever, that almost kind of validated that in your mind that it kind of went from that's our ambition to I know now this team is capable of what we thought we were capable of?
JUSTICE ELLISON: Without a doubt. We had a scrimmage in the summertime, and the offense, we kind of like -- that was our second scrimmage going into the season and we didn't look too great.
And so we had an offensive meeting, just players, and you know, that was a moment that I knew that we were going to be a very talented team. I knew that we were going to be a team that had fought through a lot of adversity and be really resilient.
So we had a team meeting and we let everybody know, hey, I believe in you, you believe in me, and we can do it together. We don't need the media and everyone else to believe is us, but we believe in each other.
That moment right there, me and a few other guys, we led the meeting and we locked the doors. We had a heart to heart and we went around the room, explained to each other what do we want to get out of this season? Why are we here? Why come to Indiana?
So we had that in the back of our mind every time se step on that field.
Q. Where did you have that meeting?
JUSTICE ELLISON: It was in here actually. We cut off this part and this was this side, the offense side.
Q. You've been more willing to be reflective than a lot of players. What has the last couple weeks been like, and how have you framed it in the context of your career and your life just reaching this moment?
JUSTICE ELLISON: It's been amazing for me. I've been dreaming of this moment since a little boy and my mom and dad always told me take advantage of every opportunity, be thankful for everything you have and cherish the moment, whether it's an interview, whether it's a run, whether talking to the team or I'm in the film room or even getting treatment.
Just me accepting and taking it all in. You can't play football forever. I've just been enjoying it, and that's the reason why I came here. I came here for this. I came here to win. I came here for the playoffs. I came here to do it with guys that I haven't done a lot of football with.
I'm just thankful and that's the overall message.
Q. Just in terms of the opponent that you guys have on this stage, it has been decades since Indiana has played Notre Dame. What is the excitement either in the facility or on campus and in the community at-large about getting to play the Irish again?
JUSTICE ELLISON: It's amazing. Best of Indiana. When they made that selection, I was on the phone with my mom and Dad and they told me who we were playing. I was excited. I was so excited. It's an opportunity. Our best against their best. They are ranked; we're ranked. They have a great program and we have a great program.
Just to be able to duke it out at and compete a high level, that's something traditional and I'm excited. Hopefully we can make this a great rivalry and we play them every year.
Q. After the Ohio State game, a lot of the talk was about keeping Kurtis Rourke on his feet and keeping him protected. How in preparation for this Notre Dame game have the running backs been involved in protecting him and keeping the pocket clear?
JUSTICE ELLISON: It's just about technique and trusting your eyes, you know. You play on the road it's a little tough because a lot of times, one, they are able to jump the snap count. They are able to do different things that kind of throw the offense off.
We have been doing a really good job as just the running backs of just who do we have to block? What's our assignment? Communicating the with O-Line. Because at the end of the day we have to be on the same page as them.
When you are both on the same page, after that, it's about technique and your athletic ability to take over. For us bits being focused. You're going to have mistakes. I knew that was going to happen. We're going to hit some adversity down the road. I knew that was going to happen.
We're going to do everything that we can do and I know we're going to execute come Friday.
Q. A lot of guys we've talked to today have brought up faith and confidence, a lot of similar words. How easy does it make it for you as a leader that a lot of the guys share the same mentality and faith in God?
JUSTICE ELLISON: It's amazing. Being an older guy, I've always challenged myself, coming into this year, to make sure -- I'm going to let people know that, hey, man, you've got to believe in something that you cannot see. You know, when you're able to have that mindset it doesn't matter what anybody else telling you you can't do.
There's a lot of people who have a lot of careers and they have gone and done a lot of wonderful things in the world and that's because they believed in themselves first. I've been trying to harp on all the guys like maybe we haven't had a great play, maybe we haven't had a great series, but we have to stay in the middle, can't get too high, can't get too low, and continue to be playing.
That's been my motto and my mindset, and I'm going it continue encouraging the guys whether we up 74-4 or it's a tie game 13-13 at the half.
Q. The running back room has been key to this team's success all year but how have you seen it grow?
JUSTICE ELLISON: I would say attention to detail. Coach John Miller, he's been telling us it's great to look at the good things you do, but really think about the things that you could do better. There's always things you can critique in your game.
That's what makes us I would say professionals in a way. We are always trying to grow. Everybody has something to work on, no matter how great of a game you had the day before or maybe how bad of a game you had. It's attention to detail and guys are hungry to get better. You're seeing it week-in and week-out, you know what I mean. So that's why the running backs are able to show up every single week.
Q. Obviously you're at a different school this year, but how much can you take from playing Notre Dame last year at Wake Forest and apply to this matchup?
JUSTICE ELLISON: I would say when we played them last year, it was -- I soaked it all in. It was an historical game as well. Wake Forest was playing -- Sam Hartman was playing his old school, Wake Forest. Being in the atmosphere with a packed crowd, I think it was one of the largest crowds they had had in a really long time when we played them.
I took it all in. I was thankful. We went out there and was pretty much tied for are the majority of the game and they ended up stretching out the lead so it happened. I knew I was going to come back. I knew I was going to come back and get another shot at it. To see it all full circle I think is amazing.
Q. With Coach Cignetti leading the way this season, he's sweeping all the National Coach of the Year awards; just what's it been like playing for him as a head coach, and has he stuck out to you that he's having a National Coach of the Year-type season?
JUSTICE ELLISON: Definitely. I was telling somebody the other day, he's taught me how to be a man. You know, be the same guy every single day. A lot of people want to work with you. A lot of people want to have you in the head of their offense. A lot of people want to look up because you come off the evident single day the same guy, who wouldn't want be with that guy. Same guy, no matter positive or negative that you had the day before.
You know, accomplishing the great moments and also be being able to add on to the adversities. He's a guy that I watch all the time and I kind of see how he handles when we do well and we don't do well. Coach Cignetti has taught me so much in one year. I wanted him to be my coach back in high school but I ended up taking my time to Wake Forest. But now it's full circle. I'm thankful to be at a place with Coach Cignetti for sure.
Q. After Nebraska you mentioned the idea of elevating the brand. Have you elevated it and is there any extra motivation considering all you guys have ahead of you now?
JUSTICE ELLISON: Definitely. The history has been made already but we have much more to do. When I first got here I wanted to leave a legacy, you know, be a part of something bigger than me and we're doing it as a team. You know, it's not me but it's the team and I'm so excited and happy to do more. People kind of say, like, oh, don't you get warm fuzzies a little bit that you've done a little bit. But we are staying focused in the moment. I have plenty of time down the road to look back on what we've done. But right now, it's time to lock in and stay focused. Yeah, it's been great.
Q. Notre Dame is one of the better teams in the country at forcing turnovers and you guys have been good at avoiding turnovers. Is there anything you've done this week, working with the slip-skin footballs, anything like that, and how do you replicate when the weather conditions today are not the same as what you'll get on Friday?
JUSTICE ELLISON: It's pretty much your details, squeezing the football, protecting the quarterback. You keep up -- that's going to eliminate those turnovers. As a running back, you know, not even just the running back but the whole team, the whole program, you might have some issues here and there.
But you know, you've got to be able to squeeze the ball and be able to run hard at the same time and have low pads. All those details go into the play about protecting the football. They are a team that wins off turnovers. We go in there on Friday and take care of that, I know that we are not going to have any trouble down the road.
So I'm excited for the opportunity. I know the guys are, too. Focus on those details and we'll be able to come out on top.
Q. I think we talked to you during fall camp about your opportunity to go from playing in the FCS when you began your career to now Indiana. Now that you're approaching the College Football Playoff, how much has that made your journey special to the point where you're now competing for a National Championship?
ELIJAH SARRAT: Yeah, honestly, I haven't really -- I haven't thought about it much. But you saying that, it is pretty special to be here right now.
I came from a school with less than 5,000 kids to playing in the College Football Playoff. So can't do nothing but thank God for where I'm at here right now honestly.
Q. Elijah, what do you feel has made this season so successful for you individually and for the offense as a whole?
ELIJAH SARRAT: Just putting in the work every single day, off-season workouts, when we go out by ourselves, me working out, taking care of my body, all of that. Just putting a lot into this stuff every single day, clocking in and out. That's what I can attribute it to.
Q. Notre Dame's secondary is pretty stout. What have been your impressions of them on film and what do you feel like is your own key in terms of what approach you need to take to be successful in the game?
ELIJAH SARRAT: Yeah, they are a great defense from D-Line all the way to the back end. Coached well. They are ranked for a reason. They are in this College Football Playoffs for a reason. They run a lot of man, so keys for us is winning our one-on-ones when we get a chance, and whenever the quarterback throws the ball, just going up and making a play and going from there.
Q. Not sure how much good-on-good you get to do in the fall, but going up against D'Angelo Ponds, what separates him from other corners you've gone against? What are your impressions of his skill set and talent level?
ELIJAH SARRAT: I say to this day, he's the best corner I went against since I stepped foot in college. No disrespect to anyone else, but that's just how good of a player D-Lo is. He's twitchy and he knows the game, and I could see him playing on Sundays in a couple years for sure.
Q. We've seen you thrive in single coverage. It seems like Noter Dame, even with those younger guys, are not afraid to leave them on an island in man coverage. How do you attack that when you're expecting a lot of one-on-one and maybe a game like this for you is a little bit more about not worrying about zone reads but winning that battle across the line of scrimmage?
ELIJAH SARRAT: Yeah, they have younger corners but they play with a lot of confidence. They're coached well. They have great technique and changing up what I'm giving them each play, changing up my releases and just making plays, really.
I'm going to have my chances to make my plays and just got to do it when it happens, you know.
Q. Wanted to get your thoughts on Kurtis. Comes from smaller school, top rated football. What makes him that good?
ELIJAH SARRAT: Puts his time in. He's a vet. Played a lot of football. His brother is a quarterback in the league. From a football family and he really just puts his time in every single day. He has a great coach behind him telling him what to do. Loves the game. Tells me what I'm doing right. Tells me what I'm doing wrong. He's a good leader out there, and I wouldn't want anyone else being my quarterback.
Q. We've heard from Aiden and Kurtis say it was week 2 around fall camp where things felt clicked and the potential started to feel real. What was going on in the second week where you might have felt that way as well and around the team the vibes?
ELIJAH SARRAT: Things, the process of things were starting to get better. Little stuff that we were messing up in the beginning we were finally getting our timing down on routes, timing down on blocking and run game and everyone just started to gel, and it really took off from there.
Of course, we were kind of slow in our first game but made some adjustments and we were on from there.
Q. The importance of chemistry between receiver and quarterback is huge. Was there a Eureka Moment where you clicked and you were on the same page?
ELIJAH SARRAT: It took a while to connect on some deep routes. Honestly, it was like the first deep route we connected on we were like, okay, this is how it's supposed to be, and it clicked from there.
Took a lot of reps after practice. We got work in after practice and those built in overtime and a lot of stuff starts to seed in, you know.
Q. Chance of snow on Friday. What did you learn from the Purdue game as a receiver, and how can you prepare for that in the practicing leading up to the game?
ELIJAH SARRAT: I mean, practice-wise, you can't really prepare for it. Cold is cold regardless. I have a couple tricks, Vasoline maybe, look a little shiny out there. But the heated benches, they help out a lot. You can't really do much. It's mind over matter at that point. Just got to go out there and play some football.
Q. It has been decades since Indiana and Notre Dame have played one another, whether in the building or out in the campus. In the community, do you sense excitement about renewing the rivalry?
ELIJAH SARRAT: Yeah, I see it every day. I have to get off Twitter. I see it a little too much. I see the importance to everyone who is involved with both programs and I'm as excited to be able to play in this game. Who knows next time we're going to be able to play? I just want to go out there and compete for the fans and do my best, you know.
Q. We spoke to Myles Price last week, and he said he had a vision for Indiana being this far back in January. Did the receiver room share that vision or just the team?
ELIJAH SARRAT: Definitely receiver-wise and team. I personally, I had 2024 goals, football goals, and that was one of my goals. It's like hanging up kind of on my locker so I see it damn near every single day -- sorry, excuse my language. I'm sorry.
That was a goal we set. You don't really think about it throughout the season because you go week-by-week trying to compete and win games, and you know, we're not really treating it any different. You know, treating this game just like any other game. Going to try to go out there and put the work in and do our thing, you know.
Q. This whole team has played with chip on their shoulder all year long proving they are worthy of any opponent, any place. Do you go to Notre Dame with that chip or do you have confidence?
ELIJAH SARRAT: We know we're supposed to be here. We know we belong. But we're always going to have that chip. We remember what everyone was saying during the season and remember what everyone is saying now.
We're all we need. We going to go down there, just focus on us and try to handle business, you know.
Q. Coach Cignetti and Mike Shanahan talked about the revamped red zone offense, and you were with them at JMU. This year's red zone plays, is it more aggressive?
ZACH HORTON: From last year, JMU compared to this year, I would say it's getting -- I think we're more aggressive. I just see ourselves going for it more on fourth downs compared to last year. Definitely see us being more physical this year compared to last year. That's really about it. Calling the same things. Seen everything since then.
Q. I've asked everybody this, but you guys have talked since the beginning of the season about just the standards you've held yourselves to, the ambitions you've had and the belief that this team could be basically on this stage, playing in the playoff, playing for a National Championship. Was there a moment for you, though, where it almost kind of went from ambition or the goal to something that you just looked around and because of what you were seeing, the way you were performing, the way your teammates were performing, whether it was in a game in, practice, whatever, you just said, this isn't just like an expectation, I know we can do this because I'm watching it happen in front of me?
ZACH HORTON: It was pretty early for me, because I have a full belief in Coach Cig and the staff and everything they do. So just following them from JMU to IU, I knew from the get-go that whatever we do is going to be special. I knew that we were not going to be far behind or there would be much catching up that we needed to do.
I know Cig is going to get the people that he wants and he's going to run a tight business and everybody is going to follow along. He's going to get everybody to buy in and do everything that a coach could do. I knew from the spring when I got here we were going to do something special and they were going to see something they have never seen before.
Q. Coach Cignetti described you as a blood and guts type of player earlier in the season. When do you think you acquired those traits in your game and where do you think that comes from?
ZACH HORTON: I've been playing the same way since I've been able to play. I would just say it came from, I guess, my family. I mean, how I was raised everything and I was taught. Just playing backyard football with my brother and the guys and always just taught to be tough. You know, you're representing a lot, not just you, but other people, so be careful what you do and just always play hard and smart.
Q. What's the season been -- how rewarding has this been for you personally with the journey that you've had on the field moving high schools and then transferring colleges, lightly recruited? How rewarding has this season been for you?
ZACH HORTON: It's been pretty fun and rewarding. Like you said, transferred high schools and transferred to college and was under-recruited from high school. For me to be able to be on this stage and my senior year to be playing for the College Football Playoffs, it's such a special thing to be a part of. It's truly been a blessing and I'll never take it for granted.
Q. I wanted to ask you a question on Kurtis Rourke, top rated guy and top in Heisman voting, and you've played with him and you're around him all the time. What are the things that we don't see that make him as consistently good as he is?
ZACH HORTON: I see him always being calm. He's always calm, and he's always learning from his mistakes, and he takes coaching really well. That's what I notice when he's on the field.
He's a great guy, too. He's just a good leader all around. He's always encouraging us. Always picking up the energy. Yeah, he makes a lot of plays for us but even when he's out on the field he does a lot for us and he's always keeping us confident and being a great leader.
Q. Assuming your family will be there; how special will it be to play in the College Football Playoff with your family in the stands?
ZACH HORTON: I mean, they have -- they haven't missed a game since this whole beginning of the season, and even when I was at JMU. I'm grateful for them. I'm glad that they are still healthy and be able to move like they are still be able to travel. For them to travel to Notre Dame and play at Touchdown Jesus, it's a special thing. For my parents to be there for the whole season means a lot to me.
Q. Both Justice and Jailin who were just in here mentioned you specifically both with the offense and defense helping them out in practice. What does it mean to you to have that effect on your fellow teammates in getting ready for this playoff game?
ZACH HORTON: That's what our whole team does. We just all make each other better. I mean, it's hard to block our defense, and I hope -- and I tell them, I hope I make you better by me trying to block them.
That's what we're all preaching since the beginning of season, trying to make each other better. Just go out there Friday and try to play to the best of our ability.
Q. Notre Dame is good at forcing turnovers. How much have you guys emphasized ball security during practice this week and what do you do to -- it's always important, but how do you re-emphasize it game-to-game?
ZACH HORTON: Just got to keep in mind have a good tuck on the ball. We've been doing the same thing since the beginning of the season and since the whole season started, just really preaching it. Just making sure we have good ball security whenever we have the ball. Just be careful with the ball. Just basically doing the same thing, I would say.
Q. After Ohio State you mentioned that when you watched that film, it was hardly even you guys, right? When you kind of look back on that and the magnitude of what lies ahead, is it almost motivation for you to show people who you really are?
ZACH HORTON: Yeah, that we can play in these situations and that we can play in these type of games. Watching the Ohio State game that wasn't us. We felt like we have a lot to prove and that we are ready for these big-time games and that we can play no matter where we are at, and we can really stay confident.
Q. As you look at the season you've had this year, what has prepared you for this moment on Friday night, a moment as big as the playoffs?
ZACH HORTON: To keep everything the same. Just being, you know, fast, physical, relentless, and sticking to our brand of ball and just doing what we do best. Just sticking to the small things.
Q. Jailin Walker was in here talking about how much of a family and brotherhood this team has. How much has that helped you over the course of the season and how much will it help with Notre Dame?
ZACH HORTON: Just like any team if you're really tight with your teammates you're going to be there for each other. That's really what we've been this whole year. It's hard for teams that bring in a lot of transfers, but within minutes and moments in practices, we all connected as one. It's huge for games like this knowing we have each other's backs regardless and that we'll always be there for each other.
Q. You're about as bullish as anyone about this team through the course of this season. But I am just curious, from your perspective, you talked about watching it come together in spring camp and different things. Was there a moment for you or a handful of moments when you looked around and whatever it was that kind of triggered it, you just thought, all that ambition, all that belief, now I know we can do it, now I know we are a team at that level, whether it was something you saw behind the scenes or the way you guys played in the game, just a moment when all that kind of slid into place?
MIKAIL KAMARA: I think it was kind of like, the way we started like interacting with each other in the locker room, I think our team chemistry like got to a point where everyone was able to talk to everyone about different things.
I think noticing that from the beginning of the year to where it's the middle of the season, I started seeing things like that. And most importantly, was seeing the way we were all able to lock in during practice, lock in during games and be very communicative with each other. Especially seeing that from the JMU perspective my freshman year and seeing different levels of chemistry, different levels of team camaraderie, seeing the way that we started to come together in the middle of the season, I think that was the biggest turning point.
Q. It feels like you manifest this, almost. How much of a manifestation or minds over matter player are you?
MIKAIL KAMARA: I'm big into manifestation but more importantly big into religion. I feel like the more and more you talk about things, the more and more you talk to God about things, those things will start to itself. That's the way I've lived my life, especially when you come from a place where you don't really see a future, right. The only way for you to see that future is to manifest it and talk to God about it, right. That's kind of always been my thing.
Q. How special will it be for you guys specifically as a defensive line group to go through this College Football Playoff, however many games you play, how special will it be knowing you're going out with this group?
MIKAIL KAMARA: It's going to be great, especially with Coach Kuntz, him coming from Notre Dame. This is a big moment for him and then just going forward, it's big, especially us proving ourselves. Every single scout, every single beatwriter that said that our D-Line is not the best D-Line in the country.
Just continue to prove it and prove it against Notre Dame and then go out there and play against an SEC team and show it on every single level. That's something I'm excited about.
Q. Before the season, you said, look, you want to prove yourself this year. You get all this recognition. Lead the FBS in quarterback pressures. What's been the most meaningful part of that, outside of reaching the playoffs, for you personally?
MIKAIL KAMARA: Just to show all my production that I did at JMU wasn't a fluke. I think that's something important. And then especially just, really just me personally just all the work that I ever put in, really, to manifest and to show itself right in front of me, it's a blessing, and I'm forever grateful for it.
Q. When you look at Notre Dame and the way that they rough with the quarterback, what challenges does that create for you on the edge?
MIKAIL KAMARA: It definitely creates extra numbers, especially with having a laid back lead blocker with the running backs and having that extra man blocking.
But for me, I feel like their scheme is pretty simple. It's just for us to go out there and fit our gaps and do what we need to do. We've practiced it. We've seen it. It's something different but nothing that scares us at all.
Q. You've been confident from the beginning, even from the season started. Where does your own personal sense of confidence come from and where did you feel that was the right way to express yourself as-football player?
MIKAIL KAMARA: Just going back to the other question, the confidence kind of comes from God, and then the second piece of it is the work that I put in that no one really sees.
So once you know when you work your butt off every single day, you kind of understand that not everyone works the that I that I work and not everyone works the way that my teammates work. So that confidence kind of shows itself in games, show it is receive in practice, and then just continues to bubble and then once you see the results show, that confidence just skyrockets.
Q. Notre Dame very good rushing team and mobile quarterback. What are you trying to prove being one of the leaders on the defensive front?
MIKAIL KAMARA: That we are physical. That's the biggest thing. When you play against a team that wants to run their quarterback, that means they want to grind it out. This is going to be a physical ballgame to see who outlasts the other, and I know it's going to be us on top.
Q. Would you describe your play as playing with intensity, with rage, with joy? How do you approach it?
MIKAIL KAMARA: It's kind of all of the above. Depending on the situation it calls for different things, but I think it all starts for me, it's just playing this game with so much joy and passion, right. Once you start from there, you know, you run out of the tunnel, you're screaming and excited and get your team pumped up.
Those key plays, fourth and shorts, goal lines, that's when you're like, I have to must evident up and bring up whatever demons I need to attack these offensive linemen. But it starts with having fun and understanding that this game can be taken away from you at any moment. So you have to go out there and play every single play like it's your last.
Q. You got All-American honors. With guys that came from lower levels, what is the chip on their shoulder? Is it always there? Do you talk about it? What is it that drives you guys?
MIKAIL KAMARA: I think it's just something that's just there, right. I think it's something that we've all had because we've always been underdogs and now to come in this situation and still be looked at as an underdog that chip continues to grow to be honest with you.
No matter how many sacks I get, no matter how many plays Pond makes, Rourke makes, Fish makes, the chip just gets bigger and bigger every single time because you know if you have one good game -- but one bad game they are going to trip you so every single game, you've got to trip it.
Q. Coach Haines talked yesterday, he wants you guys to get northbound every play. What's the rush that you and the other D-Linemen get from being able to go straight at somebody?
MIKAIL KAMARA: It's fun. Like all the things that we work at in the pads, all the smooth pass rushes and cute wins that you see on Instagram, right, you get to go hit those and hopefully you see the highlights on ESPN.
But it's go out there and wreak havoc and make plays, right. You have a one-on-one, every single time, just go in. Simple.
Q. Can you explain your process of watching film of an opposing offensive line? Do you try to key in on you specific matchups? Try to watch the group as a whole? Find tendencies? Talk about that.
MIKAIL KAMARA: I go based off of formations, formation, tendencies, what do they like to run. In this formation are they run heavy? Are they pass heavy? Do they like gap scheme? Are they a zone scheme type of team?
You go from there, and then once you start to understand the scheme, then that's when you start to analyze the player specifically. Are they high hands? Low hands? Does this guy come off with a lot of intensity? Is he kind of more finesse? So you kind of go based off that.
And once I understand all of those aspects, then I start to understand my strengths and weaknesses based off of what he does, and I start -- try to attack his weaknesses with my strengths.
Q. You guys have talked all year about how your expectations were always kind of this high, to be on this sort of stage playing in games like this. But were there any moments for you along the way, whether it was after a game, whether it was maybe sometime in the spring, when you sort of felt validated in that ambition when you looked around and you thought, we all believe in this, but now we know we can play at that level?
AIDEN FISHER: Yeah, I would just say fall camp was kind of the turning point. Everybody had that belief no matter what. It was a matter of fact of putting the pieces together and building the camaraderie we needed.
Yeah, spring ball a lot of faces weren't here. We went through the spring portal and some guys got back from injury. Once we got back in fall camp everybody was rolling together and I think we all had the sense that this could be a special team.
Q. You've used the 4-3 look a little bit more the last four weeks with Rolijah Hardy. What have you seen from him as the season's gone on, and what do you guys think the 4-3 look gives you as opposed to just you and Jailin on the field?
AIDEN FISHER: Definitely gives a lot of versatility to the defense. Some teams like to use different personnel groupings, and it helps us having different schematic things to put forth as we go on each game.
But I think the thing with Rolijah is he has just been a sponge. He's gotten in that room and he's wanted to learn every single thing, everything that me and Jai Walk say. He's always listening and he's really impressive. He's a really good player, really smart player, and he's impressed a lot of people, I know that, and he's just a great player and one that we're very fortunate to have in our room.
Q. As this week has gone along and this game is getting closer, how are you going about balancing it's just another game versus want to go actually take in some of those moments and appreciate the spot you're in?
AIDEN FISHER: The thing for me is, you know, I look back on this game and this season once it's all done. Right now I'm just trying to keep my focus on getting to the game first, and then just making sure that we come out on top.
I'll look back once the season in total is over, I'll look back but right now focusing on another game.
Q. Mikail Kamara with us has projected confidence from the beginning. He's embodied a lot of what this team has been all about and he's conveyed that very confidently from the start. What is he like as a teammate and how he talks with you guys and how does he embody what this team as accomplished this year?
AIDEN FISHER: First off with him, the numbers speak for themselves. He's a phenomenal player once he's on the field, but what he brings off the field is really special. He's a really good leader. He's a great teammate, and one that brings energy every day. He's always checking in on people and making sure everybody's good.
He's a great player, but I think he's an even better person and he's such a great teammate to have around.
Q. Yesterday Coach Haines was talking about how much he trusts you over the last two years and how helpful you are in practice to coach these guys almost as much as he has. What gives you the confidence to do that each and every single day?
AIDEN FISHER: I would say it starts at the top. Coach Cig believes in me a lot. That kind of falls down to Coach Haines and the guys in my room. As long as they believe in me, I'm going to have that confidence to help them out, and I not just the prep that I put many myself, but how hard I work and making sure that I things cleaned up and shored up for myself; that way I'm good to protect to other people and lead by example and show them the way and how I got to I'm at right now.
Q. Coach Haines yesterday mentioned how difficult it's really difficult to stop a running quarterback like Riley Leonard. What's the key to slowing him down?
AIDEN FISHER: First you want to make sure you keep everybody in front of you. They do a great job with the running attack, and our thing will be the same thing we've played with all year, great angles. You watch a lot of film on him; he's a great player.
A lot of people take really bad angles on him. Some people just think he's slower than he is just based off his position but he's a really good athlete. Just got to make sure we take good angles to him and once we get to him, make him pay the price for carrying the ball.
Q. Every unit has to perform for Indiana to win this game. What have you seen in watching film on Notre Dame from their offense in total that Indiana has to do from a defensive standpoint to win the game?
AIDEN FISHER: We've got to stop the run. Something that we're very prideful in here as a defense and something that they are really good on offense. It's going to be a really good matchup.
Our biggest thing is like I said, take the smart angles, attack when it's there and make sure we stop the run, first of all.
Q. You've been rated All-American and top rated QB among QBs. What's the sense of pride and accomplishment all you guys have made coming from different levels to the Big Ten, get it done?
AIDEN FISHER: First with team success comes individual success, so as long as the team is doing well, obviously your players are going to reap the benefits of that.
Definitely a sense of pride, especially where we came from and how hard I know how everybody here has worked to get to this point. It's a blessing and all glory to God for putting me in this position and it's just something that I think I've worked really hard at and I'm really prideful about.
Q. When we talk to the coaches, they mention how the Ohio State game was a learning point and a lot of lessons. What's the most important lesson you learned from that game?
AIDEN FISHER: There were a lot of distractions going into that game, a big game with a hostile crowd and it's just something that we have to learn to manage and handle. Going into this game it's no different than the Ohio State game. It's a big game, one with obvious, huge, implications but at the end of the day it's just another game we have to prep for like we did the past 12 games.
Just learning from our mistakes from the Ohio State game, things we got to hit on. We've had three weeks to clean things up and shore up, so we'll learn that lesson and put it to use Friday.
Q. How much fun is it to play in this defense? What do you like about it? And I know this is not the offense with a quarterback, but do you have input not necessarily on the game plan but like make some suggestions? Hey, I would like to do it. Do you have any input at all?
AIDEN FISHER: First question, playing defense, I don't know if you can find a player in that locker room that doesn't have fun playing this defense. First, you're on a top a rated defense and you're making plays every Friday, Saturday, and you're having fun playing with guys that you care a lot about.
And just seeing the emotion that playing this defense brings, you're flying around, you're hitting people, you're making big plays, intersections, sacks.
Playing an explosive defense obviously is a lot more fun than just playing one that you're going to give up 2 to 3 yards a carry and you're off the feel. Like we want TFLs and sacks and explosives. I don't know how anybody would not want to play in this defense. It's a lot of fun.
And then to my input, me and Coach Haines talk a lot. We'll send each other text messages, show each other different things we see over the weekend from different teams. So we'll be able to kind of, I give my input there talks to Coach Haines and seeing things that he likes and just kind of going from there. So just a little bit of input making sure that me and him are communicating at a high level.
Q. How do you try to manage your emotions where obviously you're excited for the game but you don't want that to take over? How do you manage that personally?
AIDEN FISHER: Back to the Ohio State game, you feel a feeling of losing again. So I know a lot of the guys here, the JMU guys, I think we lost three times in the last two years. It's not a feeling that we like and not a feeling that we want to repeat. Managing your emotion comes from that. You know exactly what it takes to win a game and you know kind of the mistakes that you made to lose the Ohio State game.
Making sure that you're staying level the entire time. We're going to make good plays and sometimes we're going to give up bad plays. In the grand scheme of things you have to stay leveled and make sure that you're focused on the next play as soon as the whistle's blown.
Q. You guys have done a good job of forcing turnovers this season. What emphasis is that, especially with Notre Dame running the ball as much as they do and how much can you practice that? How does that work?
JAILIN WALKER: Turnovers is a big thing. When we create turnovers, it gives the offense and special teams energy, and when you create turnovers, their defense are tired and they have got to get right back on the field and play our offense. Turnovers is always a big thing when you want to win the game.
And like we know Notre Dame has a great run offense. Just attention to detail every day in practice, being secure in the offense and run fits and being able to critique and be able to do good in running.
Q. Jailin, wondering for you as an old player, a player who has seen so much, how special is it for you to end your career in a magnitude like this and also trying to eliminate the noise and just lock in?
JAILIN WALKER: It's amazing coming from being a G5 recruit, just seeing how this place can change, being able to see how a program like Indiana can change. Just amazing seeing how Coach Cignetti can build a program like this.
I just trust Cignetti and his word. He's a great Coach. Every day we just know we have to listen to his word and stick to the details and go out there and play the game and have fun as a family.
Q. From the times that you've done it, even back at JMU or here, what's it like going up against Horton in practice and what's it like being on the other end of that intensity we all see?
JAILIN WALKER: Since freshman year me and Zach been bumping heads. He's a true senior, too. So we came in together. That's my brother on and off the field. I know Zach is a great tight end, and he gets me better. So every day we get to go against each other iron sharpens iron, and it just show that he made me the player that I am today. I appreciate Zach for that one.
Q. When you guys have to be more mindful of Notre Dame's quarterback in terms of his running threat, how does that change things or does that add anything to kind of your responsibilities in terms of things you've got to be reading during or before the play, things like that?
JAILIN WALKER: Yeah, you know, we put in new end stops, like spying the quarterback or just running like past, past so just to navigate him -- have him have trouble escaping the pocket. We just know he a great quarterback so we have a lot of plays built to stop his effectiveness, and it's ready.
Q. How much do you enjoy playing for Coach Haines and his aggressive mindset and system?
JAILIN WALKER: I love playing with Coach Haines. Ever since I came here, at JMU as a freshman, he's a great man, you know what I mean. He just want us to be the best man that we can be on and off the field and it shows, man. He's a great Coach. I just love that man. He's a father figure because my father passed, so he's just another father figure for me and he just wants me to be the best man off and off the field.
He's hard on us and that's what we want, is a coach to be hard on us because he brings out the best version of us.
Q. I've asked basically everybody this question and you all have talked about the expectation that you had at the beginning to play on this level and this kind of stage, but was there a moment for you, whether it was a game or something behind the scenes or in practice or wherever when you kind of looked around and you thought -- it was basically validated; you didn't just believe this was the goal you should all sort of aim for but that that's what this team was capable of, essentially.
JAILIN WALKER: You know, since day one, he brought the image of like we're a team and we're here to win and be a family. In summer workouts and spring workouts I could tell the competitiveness. Everybody was working hard and trying to get better.
We had one goal, and the goal was to win and to be able to go into the College Football Playoffs. Like I said, summer workouts and spring workouts we knew we had this one goal and with the competitiveness, iron sharpens iron, and it just made us a better team.
Q. You and Aiden are involved with a good chunk of the defensive plays for this team. How important is it in a game like this, a playoff game, to be a goldfish, to flush the bad and build off the good?
JAILIN WALKER: It's amazing. Fish is my brother, too. We know they have a good run offense and just be able to be linebackers. We know the game is going to be put on us. Just being able to go out and lean on your brother and have fun when he's right besides you, it's amazing. When he's down I bring him up and when I'm down he brings me up. Having him beside you, it's great and it's an enjoyment to be able to be out there with your brother.
Q. You just brought it up, but I still want to ask you, you keep calling these guys your brother and you called Coach Haines a father figure. How much does it mean to you to have a team that has become an extension of your family in such a quick amount of time?
JAILIN WALKER: When they are down they able to pick you up because that's what family members do. Family members want you to be the best version of yourself and it's not just about -- it's about being the best version that we can be and like for us being family members, we'll be able to enjoy the game that we're playing.
You know, we're bringing it all. Like we're giving it all and we're leaving everything on the field and it shows, and I love this team as a family.
Q. I wanted to get your thoughts on how Bloomington has changed and how the campus has change, the reaction, what you see from when you guys first got here to what you see around town and campus? How has it changed?
JAILIN WALKER: It feels amazing. I came here in January and it was around basketball season, so football season wasn't up. It just showed we could change this place. There wasn't like a lot of involvement with football.
Since we been winning, you can see the fans and students, they will come talk to you on campus. It feels great to see that we can change a program like Indiana, and like I said, we're just getting started. We've got a long road for Indiana. Coach Cignetti is in good hands.
Q. You've talked a lot about just enjoying and having fun playing football this year. How important is it not just for you but for the entire team to go out there and have fun on Friday?
JAILIN WALKER: Playing a sport that you love and you know you got your brother beside you and be able to have fun, it feels amazing, you know what I mean. It doesn't feel like a job. Feels like a hobby or like something that you entertain or something that you love to do.
So although we're taking the game seriously we're having fun with it, too. It feels great.
Q. We've asked maybe linebackers, linemen about this, but when you face a team that runs the ball as well as Notre Dame does, what role does the secondary play, both in terms of obviously your keys and tackling and things, but especially when you are facing a defense where the quarterback is going to be as intentional about being part of that rushing attack and being basically that 11th man on the offense, even running the ball what is important for a secondary in helping get that under control?
D'ANGELO PONDS: Secondary basically just have to read their keys, stay disciplined, and don't fall asleep, basically. Just do their job.
Q. D'Angelo, I asked Elijah about his impressions of you and he said you're the best cornerback he's ever faced. What are your thoughts on his skill set?
D'ANGELO PONDS: Man, that's my guy. Man, he's the best receiver I've faced. He got me way better, especially starting from our freshman year. That's who I always wanted to go against in practice.
So he's definitely great competition. Every time I see him it's iron sharpens iron, so he definitely got me better to the point where I am now.
Q. One of the guys in here made a comment about your future and your progression going forward and having your brothers' backs and having them going forward.
D'ANGELO PONDS: My future? You said about my future?
Q. He gave you a compliment.
D'ANGELO PONDS: That's nice to know. But I had to put it on the field myself. I just continue to be my best version of myself each and every day and try to get better. I'm not really focused on the future. I'm focused on now.
Q. What have you seen as far as changes in the town, the student athletes, all the attention, people showing up? What was it like when you first got here and what's it like now? Give us a sense, the change in your eyes.
D'ANGELO PONDS: Everybody noticed the crowd changed since the first game, but even around campus things are a lot different. People walk up to me around campus and stuff like that. That wasn't happening in the first couple weeks. So that changed a lot.
And the support we just get around football changed as a whole. Yeah, it's definitely good.
Q. A lot of you guys have exuded confidence throughout the season, but one of your defensive teammates that I think has exuded it maybe most of all has been money Mikail Kamara. What's he like as a teammate and his confidence, the way he speaks so confidently about the team, kind of infectious for everybody?
D'ANGELO PONDS: He's a leader and he leads by example. And he doesn't speak that much, but you can tell he's a guy that leads by example. When I talk to him he's definitely a confident guy. He's always trying to get to the quarterback and he is just telling me to do my job. He tells me to cover for three seconds and he'll get there. So, yeah.
Q. A lot of people see Mikail as an edge rusher, imposing guy. Who is he and what is there off the field that we may not know about?
D'ANGELO PONDS: You may not know Mikail -- that's a good question. I don't know. I want to say you may not know Mikail is a family guy. He likes his family. I guess that.
Q. In a position like this, how are you balancing that it's just another game going into this versus allowing yourself to appreciate the position that you guys are in?
D'ANGELO PONDS: You have to take it like another game. You can't just do extra things. You can't be Superman. You've got to do your job. It's really another game. You've got to do your job. Don't make it too big of a game for you.
Q. You received some All-American recognition. What was your reaction to that and how do you reflect on your accomplishments this year?
D'ANGELO PONDS: It's a blessing to get noticed by everyone in the country, especially me coming out of high school. It's definitely a blessing for my talents to be noticed around the world.
Q. It's been decades since Indiana and Notre Dame have played. To have them as the opponent that's drawn, in addition to the stakes and the stage, do you sense extra excitement on campus and in the community that it's an in-state rivalry that you get to play for the first time since the early '90s?
D'ANGELO PONDS: Yeah, especially around Bloomington. You can tell people are excited and getting tickets. You can see by the ticket prices there's definitely a lot of support coming from Bloomington.
Q. You're not the only person to say iron sharpens iron with this team. How special is it to make to this point with this team?
D'ANGELO PONDS: We've been working hard since I came here in fall camp. We've been going at each other, so it's definitely time to go at other opponents and we were ready for it. I felt like we prepared well for that each and every day. Definitely we've got each other better and we were prepared well for the season.
Q. You play what's arguably one of the hardest physical positions in football. How are you able to practice every single day, getting better, and now you've become an All-American nationally?
D'ANGELO PONDS: I start with my Coach honestly. He's teaching me everything I need to know and preparing me well. Trusting my technique, that's what it is. Going out there, trusting your technique and winning your one-on-one. That's basically what I do.
Q. Guys today have talked about brotherhood and family and what this team means. What does this team mean to you specifically?
D'ANGELO PONDS: It means a lot to me. All the guys in here, even the transfers, everything, they took me in with open arms. It definitely means a lot to me, and I definitely want to bring a National Championship here to Bloomington.
Q. Having a chip on your shoulder has kind of been a theme of this team all season. Is that something that you've carried throughout the season? And if so, how has that affected you?
D'ANGELO PONDS: I definitely had a chip on my shoulder since the beginning of the season.
When I first transferred here there was a lot of naysayers or people saying whatever. But I definitely had a chip on my shoulder the whole season and felt like I had something to prove. I knew I could do it but a lot of people said I couldn't. I definitely have a chip on my shoulder and played with a chip on my shoulder all the time.
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