Everything Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said before Irish vs. USC

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock spoke to the media Monday night before the Fighting Irish head to California to take on Southern Cal. Here’s everything Denbrock said, with extra emphasis on evaluating Notre Dame’s offensive performance against Army.

On Notre Dame’s red zone inefficiencies vs. Army

“You can look at it one of two ways. You can look at it and go, ‘We’re nitpicking.’ But those are crucial. I got to do a better job. I got to quit being so stubborn. And there were some opportunities to maybe throw in a play-action pass or something like that, which we should have probably gotten to. That’s more on me than it is the players.”

On trusting the offensive line to keep running it in the red zone

“I don’t know. I mean, it’s kind of the flow of the game. We were running the ball really well. We were moving them around and I felt like we could finish the drive that way and wanted to give the offensive line an opportunity to do that. But sometimes the defense scheme wise just won’t allow you to do that. I should have recognized that and did a better job of putting them in a better spot.”

On Army pinching off the edge more than usual

“They did. They were a lot more aggressive off the edge. We’ve got counters to that and I should have went to them.”

On the physicality of the Notre Dame offensive line vs. Army and if it was the most physical yet

“I think so. I think the challenge last week after the Virginia game for them was really, listen, everything else, yeah, they stunt a lot, yeah, they move a lot. Everything else aside, we got to play with our feet on their side of the line of scrimmage and if we do that, we got some really talented young men who touch it who are going to do some really good things. So I thought they did a great job of that in particular. And then, being aggressive while also recognizing and passing off their movements and things, I thought that they played as well as they have all year.”

On the phycological effect of finishing a drive on the ground that was started on the ground

“Yeah. Obviously I think it’s a boost to everybody, you know what I mean? I mean, that’s the game of football is about imposing your will on another man, moving where he doesn’t want to go. Right? And so that’s part of it. But I mean, we’ve got to be able to be a little diverse down there as well. And that that’s something I got to do a better job with.”

On Jeremiyah Love’s pass blocking on Jordan Faison’s touchdown

“That was one of the highlighted plays that I really pointed out to the offensive unit today. None of that’s possible without him sticking his nose on the linebacker who decided to try to run through the B gap and if that doesn’t happen, the throw doesn’t happen, the catch doesn’t happen. The touchdown doesn’t happen. So critical and his willingness to get after people physically with the way he blocks ’em has been a really, really welcome thing to our offense. It’s made us better.” 

On Notre Dame ‘playing with its feet on the other side of the line of scrimmage’

“Yeah, I mean, I hope two things. I hope that we’re giving them the right schemes where they feel like they can cut it loose. Right, number one. And number two, having talented players that are doing it. And we’ve got hopefully a good mix of both of those things. And the schemes not always perfect, but I know for a fact that the kids really believe in what we do in the run game and how we do it. They know we’re going to work really hard to make sure we don’t get outnumbered and we put ’em in really as much of an advantageous position as we can so that they can tear off and get after people.”

On going against the Notre Dame defense taking a toll down after down

“Yeah, I mean, it’s difficult. You know what I mean? They can attack you from a lot of different ways in a lot of different forms, whether that’s three down, whether that’s overload front, whether that’s four down, corner blitz, safety blitz, what I’d call main, or crossing the inside linebackers. I mean, it’s just it’s very multiple and they understand it so well that it really gives them an opportunity, even as the game’s going along, to really make some really valuable adjustments. 

On Anthonie Knapp not getting much publicity lately

“He’s in the witness protection program … and that’s a good thing for an offensive lineman by the way.”

On Knapp’s improvement

“He’s just a rock. H’s just a rock of consistency. And every week he’s on his business. He has done an amazing job for someone so young of keeping up his body, being as healthy as he’s been all year. I mean, he’s like everybody, he’s got this, that and the other thing going on, but he’s really fought through that really well. Shows no signs of the freshman wall that some guys run into here and there and just continues to get better and better at what he’s doing.”

On why Knapp is different

“I think it was just during fall camp and everything, every situation that we put him in, nothing shook his confidence and nothing shook his ability to line up and compete. And he just always kept going. And obviously, that’s a that’s a pretty good trait to have, no matter whether you’re playing football or living your life.”

On what it’s been like coaching Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard

“It’s been fantastic. I love how our relationship has continued to evolve. We have our own little meeting time where we get together every week and spend time together. And I think I’ve said this before, but sometimes it’s about football and about the game plan. And sometimes it’s just about what’s going on in your life and how are things back at home with your family and all that kind of stuff. So I think it’s allowed me to understand him better and maybe him to understand me a little bit better and not take it so hard when I’m gnawing on him.”

On the wildcat shift Notre Dame implemented twice in a row vs. Army

“I was paying respect to the Four Horsemen and that’s what I was trying to create, right? And, and then my quarterback decides to try to dive over the pile. That was the last time you’ll probably see that. But because of Yankee Stadium, the historic match up and all of it, I wanted to have something down there that was a little bit different. And that’s why we we tried. That was our version of the Notre Dame box. So we shifted over.”

On if he was being serious about paying respect to the Four Horsemen

“Oh, absolutely. That that was where it came from. We didn’t block it, right, first of all, otherwise, it probably would have walked in the end zone. We’ll see what we come up with this week.”

On Leonard going airborne

“Ugh. Don’t. Just stop. The one he took in the game, if he doesn’t learn this lesson from that, I don’t know that he ever will. But, I mean, he’s just an aggressive guy. I mean, he wants to be the guy scoring touchdowns, right? I love that part about him. But please just stay on your feet. And when he got whirly birded, ass end over apple cart, I’m sure that hopefully struck a chord. Sorry. I didn’t mean to swear into you microphone.”