The ‘Wayne Train’ finally made a stop in Death Valley on Saturday, as running back Wayne Gallman registered 110 yards on 16 carries while also punching in a touchdown. Yards have been hard to come by for Gallman so far this year, but with the offensive line finally showing signs of clicking, they might start to pile up.
He has a tough test ahead of him on Friday night with the always-formidable rush defense that Boston College brings. The Eagles rank No. 7 nationally at stopping the run.
Gallman discusses the Louisville win, their confidence and much more.
Q: Well I guess that answers the questions about the running game?
Gallman: “I hope so. I hope there’s more to come.”
Q: Has the offensive line started to gel more?
Gallman: “Yeah, they have.”
Q: Boston College has been pretty tough against the run. Is that what you have seen so far in film?
Gallman: “Yeah. I know from last year and the year before that they are a very base good defense. They’re really good in the box, their defense line is good and their linebackers are good. They have good defensive players so you can’t doubt them.”
Q: It seemed like you were a little more patient waiting for blocks on Saturday. Is that something somebody talked to you about?
Gallman: “It was really myself just taking a step back and being calm. I wasn’t even tired. I just had a different mindset and just taking it all in; my blocks and my reads. I started off slow because sometimes I find myself already there.”
Q: Wayne, you guys have gone through the experience of having a big win and having to still play the rest of the season. How much does that experience of Notre Dame and some of the other big games help you now?
Gallman: “Really knowing that every day we can’t take a day off. Every practice means something and we have to get better at something, because it’s all going to apply. If we want to reach that goal of playing at the end of the season, we’re going to have to come out and play each and every week.”
Q: Do the young guys understand that too or is that something that you older guys have to tell them?
Gallman: “If they don’t understand that by now then something is wrong. Coach Swinney has been in our butts the past couple of weeks at meetings and stuff. He’s really just emphasizing the point of being ready and not taking any days off.”
Q: When you got down by eight, was there any panic on the sideline or did you guys know you could do it?
Gallman: “I wasn’t panicking. I thought we could go down the field and move on them. In the second half they did start bringing more pressure on the edge and tried to stop the run. That’s when we started to pass more. We work those things in practice, those two-minute and four-minute drills. We’re prepared.”
Q: When you were going out there for that last drive, what was Deshaun’s move and how did you guys play off of that?
Gallman: “Our whole mood was like ‘hey, we have to win the game’. We had to make plays; players have to make a play, that’s what we were recruited for. Deshaun is going to make the throw we just have to catch it. That was the whole mindset going into it.”
Q: Coaches hammered home ball security. Is ball security going to be a big focus this week?
Gallman: “Yeah, it is every week. That’s Coach Elliott’s biggest focus with us and it has really become a focus with everybody, not just the offense.”
Q: Last year BC had the No. 1 defense. What made them that good?
Gallman: “They knew what they were doing. Everyone was so good at doing what they did from the defensive line, to the linebackers to the safeties. They just played great defense and I can’t say much more than that. We just have to go out there and execute and we’ll do a good job.”