UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 22, 2022

Logan Diggs

Press Conference

Notre Dame 44, UNLV 21

Q. Logan, talk about how did you transform yourself from a finesse running outside back to a power back?

LOGAN DIGGS: I wouldn't consider myself a power back yet because I'm not like 220 yet, but I would probably say just because attacking the weight room with Coach Bayliss, I put on 18 pounds this off-season. So I would probably say go to my strength.

Q. When was the last time you carried the ball 28 times in a game, and how are you going to feel tomorrow morning?

LOGAN DIGGS: As a running back, I'm going to feel it tomorrow. Last time I carried the ball 28 times? My last high school game I had like 36 carries.

Q. The offense has changed a lot this year, whether it be the quarterback or the offensive line getting in form or how the running backs are used. How do you feel like the offense is getting better now as you head into the second half of the season?

LOGAN DIGGS: We just have a lot of confidence going around. It's very contagious. The O-line, the tight ends, everybody is just feeding off of each other. One person has success, the whole team has success. If one person gets going, everybody feel it.

I feel like Coach Freeman has been instilling unit strength in us, and we've been taking advantage of the opportunity and getting to know each other and building an actual bond. So I feel like, when we're out there, we are literally one, like one unit.

Q. Mayer was in here, and he talked about Drew Pyne's confidence, and he's a guy that you've got to pick him up sometimes. It's wearing on him a little bit. I don't know how you factor into that or if you try to help Drew or how it is to have your quarterback feeling good if things maybe aren't going perfectly out there.

LOGAN DIGGS: Me and Drew always had a lot of one-on-ones even before the start of the season, like spring ball and everything. I just look him in his eyes and I tell him, you're quarterback one, and we need you, lead us. That's all I got to tell him. I say, lead us. He look me in the eye and say, I got you. I know once he say that, we're good to go.

Q. Logan, kind of back to the physical running, how much did your shoulder inhibit that early on, and how is it feeling now?

LOGAN DIGGS: I probably wouldn't say that it inhibited it, but I would say in the beginning of the season I definitely wasn't as confident as I am now with my shoulder. I was kind of stiff and scared to go out there.

As the season went on, I got to pick up some pass pro and got to run the ball between tackles and take on blocks and everything, take on hits, and I just be feeling good.

It was like once you forget about it, it's not there. If you think about it, it's going to be there. If you don't, then you good.

Q. With the carries you had today, did you kind of feel like you were getting stronger as it went on towards the end?

LOGAN DIGGS: Yes, sir. I believe that I'm a volume back. It takes -- not a while, but a few carries to get me going. Once I'm going, then I feel like I'm going.

And then with that offensive line and their confidence coming off the ball, the offense is unstoppable.

Q. That first question about transformation, and you said the word "yet" twice. What are you looking to improve on? Development doesn't stop in the season.

LOGAN DIGGS: We've been getting a lot of pounding, a lot of five-yard, three-yard runs. I want to work on getting to that second level and making that man miss and taking it the distance.

If it's 30-yards plus, 50-yard runs, we want those big runs as well. We're going to keep on going at it, and eventually it's going to pop.

Q. And you consider yourself a volume back. Obviously you recognize those other two guys, there's reasons they're on the field. How do you get yourself in the right headspace when there's weeks where it is only eight carries apiece?

LOGAN DIGGS: You've just got to go into every game knowing it's one job. Everybody got the same job when we get in. When Audric get in, standard remain the same. When Chris get in, standard remain the same. When I get in, standard remains the same.

It doesn't matter if I have eight carries, ten carries, 28, I'm going to keep growing and stay a humble and confident young man.

Q. Logan, how important was practice this past week to prepare you for the performance that you had today? Did you visualize having this type of game?

LOGAN DIGGS: As a running back you visualize every game to be a good game. We've been attacking practice this week, and the last two weeks, the O-line's been going after it.

As a running back, when you see that O-line, when they need you, I guess, it's time to go. So no matter what, if I'm at practice and I'm not feeling good, I know I've got to go because my brothers need me up there.

Q. You referenced earlier a little bit about pass pro. Last year you learned under Kyren Williams, who was pretty known for his blocking as well as his running. Where do you feel you've developed as a pass blocker, and how did that culminate today with no sacks and only two QB hits for UNLV?

LOGAN DIGGS: First, it starts with Coach Deland. We work pass pro every day, punching the mid ball, blitz pickup with linebackers. We work on it every day.

If you can't pass pro, then you can't play. Not at this level or any level. I feel like pass pro is more of a want to. Then once you develop the technique, then you'll be good.

Q. Logan, about crossing the midway point of the season here. New offensive line coach, new running backs coach. How has that all come together now that you guys have crossed this midway point? How do you think you're seeing the run game better, and how did that kind of all come together today?

LOGAN DIGGS: I would definitely say communication between Coach Deland and Coach Harry. I would say communication between the running backs and the O-line, just trusting your coaching. We have designed runs.

If he say that run going to hit the A gap, then you better trust that A gap, because when we look back and watch film on Sunday and you didn't trust the A gap, you're going to get it.

Q. And then kind of following up on Kyren Williams, he was here today. How much did him being here kind of inspire today's performance? Did you talk to him before the game, and did he share any kind of message with you?

LOGAN DIGGS: Yeah, I talked to him last night. He just was telling me about the league and what's different and things like that. But mostly, you know, he just told me good luck. He said, you play football, you're a football player. Go out there and do what you do. Do your job.

That gave me all the confidence I need just to go out there and just do what I've been doing my whole life.

Q. We didn't see Audric carry the ball again after he fumbled. I'm just curious how you take it upon yourself as his position mate to kind of keep his head up on the sideline and what those conversations with him are like?

LOGAN DIGGS: All I can do is continue to be my brother's keeper, you know. I tell him like, man, I feel that for you. And I told him, you know, I've been in that situation. The ball is the most important thing on the offense, and you can't let that go.

So last week I was kind of on the side of it's going to be all right. Just keep on doing your job. Keep being better. But today I was a real teammate and told him, for real, if you want to play, you've got to hold onto the ball.

It's as simple as that. We have that mutual respect and that love. I could tell him anything, and he could tell me anything.

Q. Coach Freeman told us there's a moment where Tom and Deland kind of told him, it's Logan's game. We want him on the field. What was going through your mind when you kind of got that directive? Then we see Audric be the guy in the fourth quarter where he's running, he's running. Today that was you. I don't know how many carries it was in the second half, but it was a lot. How do you kind of hold yourself up, and do you like when you're in the spot like that and you know the game's in your hands?

LOGAN DIGGS: I mean, you've just got to execute. You've got to get the job done. They told me, let's go. It's time. When it's time, then it's time to go.

There's no looking back. There's only looking forward. If this is what I want to do for a long time, then this is the time to do it. So I have to execute on my opportunity.