What Stanford coach David Shaw said about beating Notre Dame football

Stanford head coach David Shaw had become a bit of a stranger of late to beating Notre Dame. Saturday, Shaw took down the Fighting Irish for the first time since 2017 and the sixth time since he took over for the Cardinal in 2011.

Here’s what he said about Stanford’s 16-14 victory over Notre Dame.

Opening statement

“Early in the week, I anticipated it being really tough to get our guys going again. I said that in the postgame press conference [after the Oregon State loss]. I told the guys after the game I intended on being positive. I intended on focusing things we did well, on the turns we’ve made and the growth we’ve had this year.

“A lot of credit to our older guys; our seniors, our leaders, our captains. Practice was great this week. As difficult as last week’s was in the first quarter, we didn’t need to change everything. We just needed to play that much better.

“We came out with another fast start. We got down there and got the score. Defense got huge stops. I know our pass rush was coming. This week we got home a couple times. We got a strip sack. We made the [Notre Dame quarterback Drew Pyne] pull the ball down a couple times, and we batted the ball down. I’m proud of Coach [Diron] Reynolds and the work he’s doing with that group to keep those guys fighting and scrapping.

“For our seniors, they’ve worked so hard and led us so well. They needed this victory. To come out here, win this game, get the Legends Trophy and bring that back to Stanford, Calif., is outstanding. But more importantly, our guys got that taste in their mouth now. How to play well, how to get in a tight game in the fourth quarter and find a way to finish.”

On kicker Joshua Karty

“I’ve been asked multiple times what Josh Karty‘s range is, and his in-game range is probably 51, 52, pretty comfortable. We had him kick 53 not too long ago in favorable conditions. But I’ve seen him hit from 63. So a 45-yard field goal or a 47-yard field goal is a chip shot to him.

“He gives our team so much confidence. It’s hard to get a good kick return against him because of the height and length of his kickoffs. Anytime we cross the 35 yard line, we feel great about those field goals. He knows this now, we call him a weapon. He’s not just a kicker. He’s a weapon. We get close in a tight game, we feel good with him in there.”

On winning the time of possession battle vs. Notre Dame

“I have to start with the defense. First half, the defense played so well. Best half we’ve played all year. Not just keeping them out of the end zone and pitching a shutout, getting off the field. Running game, [Notre Dame] is big up front. They’re larger than we are up front. Just have to give it to a great scheme by [defensive coordinator Lance Anderson]. When it looked like it would be a long run, our guys got back and rallied. We’ve been harping on playing good defense. Know where the help is and turn the ball back to your help.”

On Stanford’s make-shift offensive line

“This has been our charge all year. Losing [indiscernible] pretty much before the season ever started and having to put Levi [Rogers] in and replace guys here and there, we’ve just done a really good job. Coach [Terry Heffernan] deserves a lot of credit for preparing our young guys to play. If you are in the top seven or eight, you’ve got to be ready to play. Those guys have gotten a lot of reps. That’s all we can ask, go out there and fight. Know what to do and do your best job.”

On the Stanford defense closing out Notre Dame

“It’s funny how football is. You don’t do something right? Well guess what, the next game you’re going to be put in that same position and now you’ve got a chance to come out here and finish it. Offensively last week, we had the chance to put the game away and we did not. This week on offense, we needed a drive to go down and get a field goal and we did that. Defensively last week we didn’t get a stop. This week with a lead in the fourth quarter, we got the stop that we needed to. We got pass deflections on their best players and the focus of their offense. [Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer] is a heck of a player. We probably had four or five pass defenses against him. This guy has been running free all over this season against everybody. We did a good job on him.”

On not kicking a field goal with 2:35 left

“A little bit deep. A little bit deep. With how much we work on our sting punt and how backed up our guys are, not just our punter but our gunners, running the ball like we did those last couple plays, forcing [Notre Dame] to take the last three timeouts, it’s not popular, it’s not sexy, but dog gone it, it works. Make them take their timeouts and pin them back on the 10 yard line. That’s a long way to go with less than two minutes to go and no timeouts. Our defense played well all night, and we put them on their to go win the game.”

On ranking this win against Notre Dame in South Bend

“Doesn’t matter to me. Doesn’t matter. They’re all big. Every victory is big. This one is big not just because of where we are and who we’re playing. It’s big because it guys have been working so hard, and they needed it. They needed it, and they had to earn it. I’m glad they did. Now we get a nice long flight home with a lot of smiling faces.”