Indiana University Athletics
Quoted: James Carpenter, Ty Son Lawton, Myles Price, CJ West
12/10/2024 7:30:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– As No. 10-seed Indiana Football prepares for its first round College Football Playoff matchup at No. 7-seed Notre Dame next Friday (December 20), seniors James Carpenter, Ty Son Lawton, Myles Price and CJ West addressed the media inside the Don Croftcheck Football Team Room on Tuesday (December 10).
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
James Carpenter | DL | R-Sr.+
On seeing Indiana see its name pop up on the screen during the selection show…
JC: It was a pretty cool moment. Definitely a goal we set out at the beginning of the year, so it was nice to see our name up there, but I think the whole time we knew we'd be in. It was really just who we were going to play and where we were at. Definitely a cool moment, it's going to be a really good experience for us. Really excited.
On Notre Dame's run game…
JC: It's a well-rounded group, running backs are really good, very talented. I think the quarterback is also very underrated for his run game, he can really run it, too. A young, but a good o-line. All those things combined kind of play into it, but all around they're just a good team.
On his experience at the Burlsworth Trophy Presentation…
JC: I went last year, it was a very good experience. Being able to go again this year was super cool. Marty and Vickie (Burlsworth) down there they do a very, very good job. It's a first-class production, a first-class event. It was cool to go down there and meet the guys, meet them and meet their families and put on for a really good cause and a really good event. It was a really good time.
Ty Son Lawton | RB | R-Sr.+
On his thoughts on Notre Dame…
TL: I think they're a very physical team. They do a lot of stunts with their d-line up front. So, the o-line has to prepare for that as well as us, too, during pass protection. So, they're a physical team. They've always been a physical team since I've been watching them. Excited to be at Notre Dame and the atmosphere.
On his journey…
TL: This is really special to me. It may not seem like it, I might not sound like it, but this is really special. I always dreamt about being at this level and I never thought I'd be at this level. Being in the College Football Playoff like this is a blessing. I'm very thankful for Cig (Cignetti) for believing in me and letting me be a part of this team.
On balancing taking it all in and staying locked in…
TL: Me, personally, it's always been easy to control my emotions. Growing up I've been keeping my emotions bottled in. I appreciate the opportunity but it's just another game for me at the end of the day. I wanted to be here, I wanted to play in front of all these big crowds, so to me, it's nothing.
Myles Price | WR | Sr.+
On playing in the cold at Notre Dame…
MP: It's going to be cold, got to stay in the cold. It comes with it. It's football weather, there's nothing you can do. Like Ke'Shawn (Williams) said, you have to give yourself to the cold.
On seeing Indiana get selected for the College Football Playoff…
MP: I was super excited. I was sitting there waiting, every time it goes to commercial, I was like "come back on, come back on." Me and my girlfriend were sitting there. When it came up, we started yelling, I called my mom "We're playing at Notre Dame!" My friends were calling me. It was a super cool and fun moment.
On what he has enjoyed the most this year…
MP: "Honestly, I would say being around the guys. When I first got here, we weren't close, I didn't know anybody. I knew Kobee (Minor), I knew Phil (Blidi), they ended up leaving. So, I was really just out here with my girlfriend. Getting to know everybody, especially in the receiver room, how close we got. They really are like my brothers and my family now.
CJ West | DL | R-Sr.
On preparing for a mobile quarterback…
CW: Our mindset is still stopping the run. There's nothing changing with that, just being very aggressive about it up front. Causing problems for the offensive line so the quarterback can't just run free so that's still our mindset with such a good running game, is just stopping the run.
On seeing Indiana get selected for the College Football Playoff…
CW: It was actually pretty cool. It was funny, I was actually just home alone in my apartment watching it. Sitting there, drinking a bottle of water and watching it. It was actually a pretty cool experience, I facetimed my mom when the selection show came on, I just told my mom this is a great spot. We're not putting this game on a pedestal, we're not making it any different than any other week that we've played in the last 12 games. It's the next game and it's the most important one because it is the next one.
On going from a 1-11 team a year ago at Kent State to this season at 11-1…
CW: Winning is a cure to a lot of things, especially for a team's culture, or a team's morale. Winning is a huge cure for that. We just have to take it one game at a time. Enjoy the win, then move on to the next opponent.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
James Carpenter | DL | R-Sr.+
On seeing Indiana see its name pop up on the screen during the selection show…
JC: It was a pretty cool moment. Definitely a goal we set out at the beginning of the year, so it was nice to see our name up there, but I think the whole time we knew we'd be in. It was really just who we were going to play and where we were at. Definitely a cool moment, it's going to be a really good experience for us. Really excited.
On Notre Dame's run game…
JC: It's a well-rounded group, running backs are really good, very talented. I think the quarterback is also very underrated for his run game, he can really run it, too. A young, but a good o-line. All those things combined kind of play into it, but all around they're just a good team.
On his experience at the Burlsworth Trophy Presentation…
JC: I went last year, it was a very good experience. Being able to go again this year was super cool. Marty and Vickie (Burlsworth) down there they do a very, very good job. It's a first-class production, a first-class event. It was cool to go down there and meet the guys, meet them and meet their families and put on for a really good cause and a really good event. It was a really good time.
Ty Son Lawton | RB | R-Sr.+
On his thoughts on Notre Dame…
TL: I think they're a very physical team. They do a lot of stunts with their d-line up front. So, the o-line has to prepare for that as well as us, too, during pass protection. So, they're a physical team. They've always been a physical team since I've been watching them. Excited to be at Notre Dame and the atmosphere.
On his journey…
TL: This is really special to me. It may not seem like it, I might not sound like it, but this is really special. I always dreamt about being at this level and I never thought I'd be at this level. Being in the College Football Playoff like this is a blessing. I'm very thankful for Cig (Cignetti) for believing in me and letting me be a part of this team.
On balancing taking it all in and staying locked in…
TL: Me, personally, it's always been easy to control my emotions. Growing up I've been keeping my emotions bottled in. I appreciate the opportunity but it's just another game for me at the end of the day. I wanted to be here, I wanted to play in front of all these big crowds, so to me, it's nothing.
Myles Price | WR | Sr.+
On playing in the cold at Notre Dame…
MP: It's going to be cold, got to stay in the cold. It comes with it. It's football weather, there's nothing you can do. Like Ke'Shawn (Williams) said, you have to give yourself to the cold.
On seeing Indiana get selected for the College Football Playoff…
MP: I was super excited. I was sitting there waiting, every time it goes to commercial, I was like "come back on, come back on." Me and my girlfriend were sitting there. When it came up, we started yelling, I called my mom "We're playing at Notre Dame!" My friends were calling me. It was a super cool and fun moment.
On what he has enjoyed the most this year…
MP: "Honestly, I would say being around the guys. When I first got here, we weren't close, I didn't know anybody. I knew Kobee (Minor), I knew Phil (Blidi), they ended up leaving. So, I was really just out here with my girlfriend. Getting to know everybody, especially in the receiver room, how close we got. They really are like my brothers and my family now.
CJ West | DL | R-Sr.
On preparing for a mobile quarterback…
CW: Our mindset is still stopping the run. There's nothing changing with that, just being very aggressive about it up front. Causing problems for the offensive line so the quarterback can't just run free so that's still our mindset with such a good running game, is just stopping the run.
On seeing Indiana get selected for the College Football Playoff…
CW: It was actually pretty cool. It was funny, I was actually just home alone in my apartment watching it. Sitting there, drinking a bottle of water and watching it. It was actually a pretty cool experience, I facetimed my mom when the selection show came on, I just told my mom this is a great spot. We're not putting this game on a pedestal, we're not making it any different than any other week that we've played in the last 12 games. It's the next game and it's the most important one because it is the next one.
On going from a 1-11 team a year ago at Kent State to this season at 11-1…
CW: Winning is a cure to a lot of things, especially for a team's culture, or a team's morale. Winning is a huge cure for that. We just have to take it one game at a time. Enjoy the win, then move on to the next opponent.
#NeverDaunted
Players Mentioned
DL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
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