Player Q&A: Indiana football players Mikail Kamara, Elijah Sarratt preview UCLA

Following two strong home wins to open up the season, Indiana football hits the road, opening up conference play at UCLA. The Hoosiers are looking to start off the 2024 season 3-0 on the year.

Indiana football players Mikail Kamara and Elijah Sarratt spoke with the media on Tuesday night to preview Indiana’s first Big Ten conference matchup of the season.

More: Two Indiana football receivers headline PFF highest graded receiver list

Below are full player Q&As and key notes of Indiana football players Mikail Kamara and Elijah Sarratt.

Elijah Sarratt | WR | Jr.

On playing in his first Big Ten game… 

ES: Definitely excited. I have been to California one time playing football before, back in high school. It was a great vibe over there. Rose Bowl Stadium, just excited to play and compete against my first Big Ten opponent.

On balancing the experience and the task at hand…

ES: We know what we are going there for. We are there to go handle business, but you always have to appreciate the moments that you are in. I try to do that every single day, because I don’t know the next time I am going to be in the Rose Bowl stadium, so I’m just trying to take in the moments and enjoy it while I can.

On if he learned anything from traveling out west last season…

ES: I think, if I remember correctly, we were up a lot in that game and we sort of just took our foot off [Utah State’s] necks and they started to come back. We just have to stay in the moment every play and just keep on going. Derek Owings is already sending us travel tips and the three-hour time difference takes a little to get used to.

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Mikail Kamara | DL | R-Jr.

On what he learned traveling to Utah State when at James Madison and how that will translate to UCLA…

MK: It’s a long trip. We kind of have to go to sleep at the east coast time versus the west coast time. Besides that, football is football.

On his excitement to play at UCLA and in a Big Ten game…

MK: Very excited. I think this is a game where we go out there and prove to everybody that this is real. I feel like we’ve had two warmup games and people still might be a little bit skeptical. I think going in here, doing what we need to do against UCLA can start this change that we’re looking for.

On buying into Coach Cignetti’s mindset of that it’s just another game…

MK: Oh yeah, we’re definitely buying into that. The whole we’re going to be in LA thing, the UCLA thing, play in the Rose Bowl, it is cool, it is a great experience, but at the end of the day football is football. Once the pads are once the ball is kicked, it’s football. It doesn’t matter what state we’re in.

SEE ALSO: Indiana football didn’t just win on Friday, It dominated — as it should. Now, it’s using it as a ‘confidence boost’ heading into first real test

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