Quick-hitters: Marcus Freeman on running back rotation, defense, North Carolina

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman’s Monday mood was lighter than the last two weeks. He joked more. He smiled more.

Amazing what a difference winning can make.

Especially when it’s the first win of the season and the first of his head-coaching career.

“First time being up here after a win,” Freeman said, grinning as he stepped behind a lectern in Notre Dame Stadium’s media room for his weekly Monday press conference.

He stayed up there for 37 minutes. Here are some highlights from his media session and topics he addressed.

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On players of the game from beating California

“What we do after wins is we have players of the game. We don’t do that after losses. The offensive player of the game was [running back] Audric Estime. For defense, it was [defensive end] Isaiah Foskey. For special teams, it was [safety] Houston Griffith. We also grade winning performances. I won’t throw out names, but we had 20 guys who graded out as winners for the game. It’s good to see not just the overall outcome, but guys who are grading out with winning performances.”

On offensive changes from the Cal game

“We have to start faster. We just didn’t execute those routine plays early in the game. A lot of the fault will fall on the shoulders of [quarterback] Drew [Pyne], but it wasn’t all Drew. We had some drops. We had a couple penalties. Drew had some uncharacteristic throws. We just could not get it going early in the game.

“To look at how it flipped early in the second half, we’re able to establish the run game. That opens up areas in the pass game. That’s what it did. We continued to run the ball with efficiency, and now the pass game opened up. Drew I think finished 13-of-14 after starting 4-of-9. That’s what you want to see, the ability to establish that run game and commit to it.”

On defensive changes from the Cal game

“We started really well. It’s that one drive a half that ends up in points that we have to continue to find a way to eliminate. Our defense started one drive at the 33-yard line and got it to third-and-10. On third-and-10, you have to get off the field. They end up converting third-and-10, go tempo because it’s a close [catch or no catch] call, we didn’t get lined up and they get a touchdown.

“I look at myself on that one. Maybe I should have called a timeout. Maybe they review it. Even if they review it and didn’t get it overturned, maybe it’s a chance for us to calm down and regroup, because the very next play we don’t get lined up and they score a touchdown.”

On the running back rotation

“If [Logan] Diggs (illness) was healthy, he would have been in the game plan for Saturday. He was available if we needed him. If we didn’t need him, we tried to hold him out a little bit. He practiced yesterday, had a great practice.

“I just believe – I haven’t studied every offensive program in the country – but if you don’t have three legitimate running backs, you’re at a disadvantage. You need three guys who can do different things. All three of those guys bring a different element to our offense. All three have done things really well, and all three have areas of improvement. We’re going to have to utilize them all and find ways to put them in different positions.”

On North Carolina

“We know they’re an explosive offense. We don’t want to get into a shootout. I don’t think anyone in our program wants to do that, especially on the defensive side of the ball. We have to find ways to stop their offense, not just limit their opportunities.”

“Offensively, we have to control the ball, but we have to score some points. I don’t expect it to be a 10-7 game after three quarters like it was at Ohio State. This is going to be a game where we have to score some points and limit them defensively.”

RELATED: More Notre Dame football:

• Thoughts, observations from rewatching Notre Dame’s win over California

• Numbers, questions & prediction: It’s already time for a Notre Dame Hail Mary

On Notre Dame’s linebacker play

“Marist [Liufau], he’s coming back from an injury, we’re still trying to be smart with how much we rep him. You look at Kiser, who’s moving from rover to when we’re a nickel team, he’s at inside linebacker, so he’s still getting adjusted. JD Bertrand, he has been solid, but he’s out for the first half of this game [due to a targeting ejection].

“Overall, I’ve been pleased. But is there a lot to improve at? Absolutely. That goes from every level of defense.”

On missed sacks

“First, you have to get there. To talk about misses, you have to say we’re getting good pressure. Now, how do we finish it? How do you finish the play. That’s something that’s a lot easier said than done when you’re going 1,000 miles an hour.

“When you look at [cornerback Clarence Lewis’] play, there’s a technique to it. Bend to take away the cutback for a run, and if the quarterback goes past you, go to his upfield shoulder. All those different things we can work technically to improve that, but it’s hard when you’re running 20 miles per hour as fast as you can at somebody, he makes a move and you try to make the play. We have to continue to work at it.”

On Cal’s Hail Mary attempt

“It was a major talking point. I was ready at the end of the game to stop and say, ‘Let’s come here and regroup and talk about how we’re supposed to play that.’ That’s the coaching side of me.

“Two things could have happened. They could have thrown the Hail Mary and it was a jump ball. Or as they had shown on film, because [defensive coordinator Al Golden] knew their offensive coordinator, run everybody deep, take a guy underneath about 5 to 8 yards in front of the goal line, have him catch it and try to block and run.

“Coaches have to make sure we teach the players that we might call that defense for the situation not thinking they’re going to throw the Hail Mary. If it turns into a Hail Mary, we have to make sure there are certain people responsible for certain offensive players. Your job is to box out the offensive player. There a couple guys there for the jump ball and everyone is boxing out offensive threats. What happened is everyone was looking for the ball.”