Press Conference: Elko & Co. hit the road to face No. 8 Notre Dame

The following are live, paraphrased notes from the Monday afternoon media availability:

Mike Elko

• Recapping Utah State, I think you saw us moving in the right direction. There was progress from Week 1 to Week 2 on both sides of the ball. Defensively, we were efficient on 10 of 13 drives. We were good on 3rd down. That's an area we wanted to improve. I thought we took strides.
   
• OL Player of the Week was Mark Nabou Jr. DL Player of the Week was T.J. Searcy. Offensive Player of the Week was Marcel Reed. Defensive Player of the Week was Cashius Howell. Special teams Player of the Week was Terry Bussey.
   
• Reed will be fine.
   
• We have had a lot of guys embody the spirit of Rudy. I would be remiss if I started running off names. There have been a lot of guys like that during my time coaching.
   
• Notre Dame’s schemes are similar to last year's. They are well-entrenched in who they are and what they do. That's an exciting chess match. It was Mike Denbrock’s first game as an OC.
   
• It would be naive to think our kids don’t understand the magnitude of going to face a top-10 opponent on the road. This is a big stage, big opportunity.
   
• Mario Craver certainly trained at a more consistent level. Part of that is his maturity. He took a pounding in the SEC as a true freshman. He still has areas. He has put some good weight on.
   
• Leonard Moore is a kid we are familiar with. Christian Gray, we played against him last year. They play a lot of man coverage, and they play it well.
   
• For me, I have a ton of respect for the program, the history, the tradition that is Notre Dame. I had a great year when I was there, and it'll be exciting to go back. I don't know if there is any nostalgia in my return.
   
• KC Concepcion has a tremendous work ethic. There is a maturity about him. He wants to be great. He is a kid who rises to moments. We are excited to see him go out there on Saturday.
   
• Hopefully, some of the stages we were on last year will help. Those events last year were opportunities for us to learn and grow. It will feel different.
   
• We have a good run at DL. We have had more DL drafted than anyone in the SEC. We have a lot of guys who make a lot of plays. It's cool to see those guys put on for Texas A&M.
   
• CJ Carr is a really talented kid with a big arm. Making his first start on the road, those are always challenging situations for a young QB.
   
• Trey Zuhn III is good to go for Saturday.
   
• Notre Dame is different. You can feel the history and tradition. You can feel the program's impact on college football over the years.
   
• Our travel schedule is different than the years past. For us to take the next step, this is the next hurdle for us to clear.
   
• In terms of quality of football, maybe having a few games under our belt helps, but I thought last year was a high-quality football game.
   
• Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are as talented a duo as I've played against.
   
• Reed has matured as a passer. He has had a good first two games. I know he is excited for the challenge.
   
• I think the 10-day transfer portal window is a great idea. Hopefully, it goes through, and it will be best for everyone.
   
• There is a pizza place in Granger that was good near South Bend. I am not a foodie. We were more bars and burgers.