Oregon Ducks College Football Pregame Quote, 12/30/2023

Q. What has this week been like with all the festivities all week?

JEFFREY BASSA: It was a good experience, just outside of the practice field. It’s been great, and the hospitality has been amazing.

Q. When you watched film of this Liberty team, what stands out to you?

JEFFREY BASSA: I think how much they utilize their quarterback and the run game. With him being such a great athlete, I think you also got to have respect for the run. They have good running backs and then you also have to account for the quarterback, too. I think how they use the quarterback in multiple ways.

Q. Does that excite you to get a guy that can run and throw the ball?

JEFFREY BASSA: Yes, it’s always exciting to go up against. He can look to run and look to throw. I think the defensive line is excited for it. The guys in the back are excited for it. And me as a linebacker, I get to be the best of both worlds, also dropping back and stopping the pass.

Q. How did you feel when you first heard you were going to play Liberty?

JEFFREY BASSA: I felt really excited. It’s not a team I knew a lot about. Throughout the weeks, they kept winning games. So looking more into the team, I was really excited to go up against an offense like this and a team like this, with me playing special teams as well. I was really excited, and I just got that dog mentality in me, and I was ready to see another team.

Q. What do you see in Liberty’s offense that you really needed to hone in on to prepare for the game?

JEFFREY BASSA: I think more of the triple option that they run from week to week. Like, facing a triple option team is not something that we see week-to-week, but them being a triple option team is something new I think that we have to prepare in, and dial in for.

Q. How are you preparing to contain the quarterback, knowing that he can go to both rush and pass?

JEFFREY BASSA: I think that’s something that we have seen in the Pac-12 with facing quarterbacks like Cam Ward. And then obviously, us as a defense team seeing Bo Nix in practice, being able to extend his legs in plays as well. I think that’s something that is not new to us. We face a lot of diverse quarterbacks. I think that’s what we will be prepared for.

Q. What do you see in Liberty’s offense that you really needed to hone in on to prepare for the game?

JEFFREY BASSA: I think more of the triple option that they run from week to week. Like, facing a triple option team is not something that we see week-to-week, but them being a triple option team is something new I think that we have to prepare in, and dial in for.