Highlights from our interviews with players moments after USC fell to Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.
Cody Kessler
On loss to Notre Dame
“It is tough. Those turnovers late were crucial, especially when you play a good football team like that. Our guys dealt with so much this week, everything you can possibly think of. I am so proud of them; they put everything they had in that game. When no one gave us a fighting chance, these guys came out here and showed up. They fought hard and were competitive. In the end it was too many mistakes. That was a very good football team, though, cannot take anything away from them.”
On emotions going through the week
“It was very difficult but it was our job to keep our team focused and keep our team into it. It was a combination of things. With (the coaching change) and injuries, it was tough. but, at the same time it is our job to go out and play football. That is what we tonight. Like I said, not taking anything away from them, our team played very hard and left everything on the field.”
On amassing 590 yards total offense and still losing
“It is disappointing. It is not like the effort was not there. It was just when it got down to the end of the game, during crucial points, we did not finish and execute. Whether it was me or anything going on with us making plays, we have to make those plays.”
On Notre Dame’s clutch plays
“They did a great job. Their offense is very efficient. They had a lot of great plays and they built a lot of momentum. Momentum is the biggest thing; you want to get the crowd out of it. But it seemed like whenever they went away for a little bit they would make a big play or something would happen to get the crowd right back into it. They are a very good football team and I do not want to take anything away from them. They played very well.”
On moving forward
“We have to go back to work. it is a long flight back home. These guys are awesome and I love this team. I would not want to be playing for anyone else in the country. With everything we have gone through these last four or five years and for them to fight as hard as they did tonight is amazing to see. This effort and everything was so cool to see. Obviously, it hurts but I could not be prouder of this team.”
On Clay Helton’s postgame message
“The effort was there. The guys played so hard and played so well. That is a very good football team. We have to regroup and get back to it. He is not going to stop coaching us and believing in us. It has not gone our way but that is no excuse for us. We go out to compete every time we play.”
Comparing Notre Dame to last year
“They are a lot healthier this year. They have a very good defense. Their offense played well but their defense was very physical and played very strong. They did a great job from their front seven to their defensive backs. It was a hard-fought game. Our guys, down 14, could have easily put their heads down and shut down but we fought back. We had a couple of big plays there and fought and clawed our way to the end. Like I said, i am so proud of them.”
Antwuan Woods
On Clay Helton’s message in the locker room
“He said that he loved us, that he liked the way that we fought and that there were some positives to take away from the game.”
On what motivated USC this week
“Just the type of coach that Clay Helton is. I’ve been with him for four or five years and we know he really cares about us as a team. He’s just a great man and we really love him so we’re just really motivated to play for him.”
On Notre Dame-USC Rivalry
“That’s big, when you come to USC, you come for games like this. unfortunately we didn’t win but you’ve got to know we’ve got games left this season. We’ll be all right.”
Tre Madden
On USC’s struggles in the fourth quarter
“We couldn’t convert on key third down. We didn’t make as many plays as they did.”
On Clay Helton
“He’s been awesome getting us focused on the game and avoiding distractions, like I said. Getting us keyed in on our assignments. We just didn’t pull it out. We definitely want to keep him here. We talk to the young guys and they love him. We all love him. We want to keep him here.”
On what to play for through the rest of the season
“We play for our season. We definitely still have a chance and the Pac-12 South is wide open. We’ll focus on the Utah game next week.”
Cody Kessler
On loss to Notre Dame
“It is tough. Those turnovers late were crucial, especially when you play a good football team like that. Our guys dealt with so much this week, everything you can possibly think of. I am so proud of them; they put everything they had in that game. When no one gave us a fighting chance, these guys came out here and showed up. They fought hard and were competitive. In the end it was too many mistakes. That was a very good football team, though, cannot take anything away from them.”
On emotions going through the week
“It was very difficult but it was our job to keep our team focused and keep our team into it. It was a combination of things. With (the coaching change) and injuries, it was tough. but, at the same time it is our job to go out and play football. That is what we tonight. Like I said, not taking anything away from them, our team played very hard and left everything on the field.”
On amassing 590 yards total offense and still losing
“It is disappointing. It is not like the effort was not there. It was just when it got down to the end of the game, during crucial points, we did not finish and execute. Whether it was me or anything going on with us making plays, we have to make those plays.”
On Notre Dame’s clutch plays
“They did a great job. Their offense is very efficient. They had a lot of great plays and they built a lot of momentum. Momentum is the biggest thing; you want to get the crowd out of it. But it seemed like whenever they went away for a little bit they would make a big play or something would happen to get the crowd right back into it. They are a very good football team and I do not want to take anything away from them. They played very well.”
On moving forward
“We have to go back to work. it is a long flight back home. These guys are awesome and I love this team. I would not want to be playing for anyone else in the country. With everything we have gone through these last four or five years and for them to fight as hard as they did tonight is amazing to see. This effort and everything was so cool to see. Obviously, it hurts but I could not be prouder of this team.”
On Clay Helton’s postgame message
“The effort was there. The guys played so hard and played so well. That is a very good football team. We have to regroup and get back to it. He is not going to stop coaching us and believing in us. It has not gone our way but that is no excuse for us. We go out to compete every time we play.”
Comparing Notre Dame to last year
“They are a lot healthier this year. They have a very good defense. Their offense played well but their defense was very physical and played very strong. They did a great job from their front seven to their defensive backs. It was a hard-fought game. Our guys, down 14, could have easily put their heads down and shut down but we fought back. We had a couple of big plays there and fought and clawed our way to the end. Like I said, i am so proud of them.”
Antwuan Woods
On Clay Helton’s message in the locker room
“He said that he loved us, that he liked the way that we fought and that there were some positives to take away from the game.”
On what motivated USC this week
“Just the type of coach that Clay Helton is. I’ve been with him for four or five years and we know he really cares about us as a team. He’s just a great man and we really love him so we’re just really motivated to play for him.”
On Notre Dame-USC Rivalry
“That’s big, when you come to USC, you come for games like this. unfortunately we didn’t win but you’ve got to know we’ve got games left this season. We’ll be all right.”
Tre Madden
On USC’s struggles in the fourth quarter
“We couldn’t convert on key third down. We didn’t make as many plays as they did.”
On Clay Helton
“He’s been awesome getting us focused on the game and avoiding distractions, like I said. Getting us keyed in on our assignments. We just didn’t pull it out. We definitely want to keep him here. We talk to the young guys and they love him. We all love him. We want to keep him here.”
On what to play for through the rest of the season
“We play for our season. We definitely still have a chance and the Pac-12 South is wide open. We’ll focus on the Utah game next week.”
