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UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 28, 2017

Josh Adams

South Bend, Indiana

NC State - 14, Notre Dame - 35

Q. Hey, Josh, pretty apparent that Brian Kelly's offense is going to be built on your legs. It's evolved that way for sure. How do you feel about knowing that the offense is going to ride or die with you?
JOSH ADAMS: I wouldn't say it's solely on me. I think it's built around that offensive line, and the confidence that we have in them as a team. Definitely in the running back room we kind of want to do whatever we can to help our team win. And if that's in the passing game or the running game, we take pride in that, pride in doing the little things.

But I would say the game and our offense is definitely built on those guys up front. I mean, from left to right we have amazing guys up there. They lead this team and they bring all the energy and do the best that we can to kind of feed off of them and really try to push the tempo. They bring the aggression and have the mindset to dominate, and it kind of spreads out throughout the entire offense.

Q. Josh, you talked about feeding off the offensive line. But what about your defense? The 2012 team was so defense oriented. The 2015 team that was really good was heavy on offense. This seems like you've got big plays on both sides. Can you speak to that?
JOSH ADAMS: The defense has been doing an amazing job this year. Just going back to camp and just fighting with those guys each and every day, competing with them, making each other better. I mean, it's no surprise what they're doing this year. Those guys have worked tremendously hard at their craft, and they work each and every day trying to get better. There is not a day we're not trying to get better.

When we get to game day, it's just exciting to see those guys going out there and making plays. We had a pick six which was amazing. That (Indiscernible) helped us out to see everything. I just love that we're so close as a team that we're able to feed off each other, bring each other up and play off each other. They pick us up, and we try to pick them up whenever we can.

Q. Earlier this week Coach Kelly had compared N.C. State's defense with Georgia in certain ways. Is there anything you guys learned from the Georgia game to be able to run it so well tonight?
JOSH ADAMS: I could see that. Just how they were from a physical standpoint. They definitely had that same similarity to Georgia. But we focus more on what we can do and what our job is rather than who our opponent is. Of course, we're well aware that they're going to bring everything they have. They're going to give us their best game. We're well aware of that. But we approach each and every week trying to do better on our side of things and trying to perfect our craft.

We approach each and every week preparing to dominate our next opponent, whoever that may be. They're going to bring the house, so we have to prepare likewise. I just think that each and every guy on the team did a great job of bringing that mindset on Monday and carrying it throughout, and of course to the game. So definitely a great team win. We just tried to play all four quarters and bring that mindset to dominate.

Q. How does it feel to have a Heisman campaign sort of built around you with the hats, and the website, logo, hashtag and all that? What's that feel like?
JOSH ADAMS: I know it has my number on it. But I don't think it's built around me. It's built around 11 guys on offense, defense, and on special teams. That hat really represents us as a team and how we've been able to approach each and every game. Wherever we're at in the season, we're not here by any one individual. We're here collectively as a team, and we're going to continue to strive for that goal that we have set for ourselves as a team. At the end of the season, if you know they want to give out those individual awards, then that's what it is. But we're staying focused on what we want to accomplish, and everything special that we've built here as a team, we're going to stay focused on that.

Q. Over the last several weeks it seems like every game is more important -- not more important, but more impressive, the performance you're putting up as a team. Could you just describe the confidence you have and the mindset you're taking into these games?
JOSH ADAMS: I think it's about each and every guy holding themselves to a high standard of wanting to do better, wanting to be better. We're not going to settle for less. I don't think any guy on our team has that mindset. We're going to hold each other accountable to everything that we do. We know that there's all areas that we can do better on, and we try to do better with that in practice. We approach each practice the same as if we were approaching the game. Just having that mindset of trying to get our job done and doing the little things right.

So a lot of that is just the mindset of us trying to dominate our opponent and try not to take any opponent lightly and playing each Game 1 game at a time. So a lot of that goes to our preparation and trying to do better, learning from our film, and getting better as a team.

Q. I'm just curious, when your O-line opens up a hole and there is green pastures in front of you, what goes through your mind? You have that knack now to turn it into a huge touchdown.
JOSH ADAMS: Finish it. Finish it. Just staying patient, and knowing that every guy on the offense are going to do their job. So if I see something like that, that's where my job kicks in. You know, it wouldn't be right if I didn't go finish it for those guys. We're playing for each other out there. When that happens, I've just got to do it for the guys next to me. It's really important that we just try to stay focused on our job and not try to worry about anything else. It's just amazing running behind those guys. I love those guys to death. We just try to have fun out there.

Q. My other question, I noticed at the end of your touchdown runs, you typically, I think it's one and five. But there might be a number before that. I was curious what that's in honor of?
JOSH ADAMS: So I first point to the sky. That's all glory to God. I wouldn't be here without him. Every touchdown, he gets all the credit, of course. It's 2-1-5, that's my area code from Warrington, Pennsylvania, West Oakland, Pennsylvania. So I kind of am from two parts of Pennsylvania. I'm from Philadelphia and I'm from Warrington. My family is a part of all that. It's just who I play for. I play for my family, play for my hometown, play for God, most importantly. Those guys get the credit. I'm not out here doing it for myself. Of course you want to celebrate with your teammates too, so I love when those guys come from behind me, hitting me on the head, stuff like that, you know, the little things. You can't ever take those things for granted. You have to just have love for the game.

Q. The ability to get through the line when there's an opening, has that always been part of your game or was that more so this year than previous years?
JOSH ADAMS: I just think it's a product of from freshman year trying to build on my game. Just trying to work on the little things. Just trying to be a better overall player. Of course it's the offensive line, opening up those holes. I think each running back does a great job of hitting the holes when they see it, just by the way that we've practiced and the way that we've approached each and every practice, finishing our runs through the end zone, bringing the aggression to the defense.

The scout team does a great job of giving us the looks for the games, and they really, you know, try to make it look like they would on Saturday, and they do a tremendous job of helping us out with that. But just staying with it, staying patient, just trusting in my teammates. When that hole opens and it's usually a big one, just got to go hit it.

Q. You've had so many long runs this year. Is there a theme on this, especially the long runs tonight and last week, very similar looking plays and long touchdowns?
JOSH ADAMS: Is there a theme?

Q. Yeah, does it look the same to you or does it look different?
JOSH ADAMS: No, I mean, I think each run is different on their own. But of course the end result is what's important, trying to get the touchdown. Whatever helps the offense out most, that's what we want. As you saw, Deon McIntosh was in there. He had a lot of opportunities to break one himself, and he almost got in there. So that's just what each guy in that running back room takes pride in is trying to help their team move the ball forward and just trying to do whatever they can to put points on the board.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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