Boise State Broncos College Football Pregame Quote, 12/27/2024

Q. We were just talking with Brax (Braxton Fely). You hear about how physically imposing Penn State’s offensive line is going to be. What goes through your mind when you see this challenge?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: They’re a lot bigger guys than what we’re used to, especially the competition that we’ve been playing. A lot more physical, I would say. They’re probably the best O-line we’ve gone up against. It’s exciting. It’s exciting to go up against that kind of competition and really be able to show that we have the abilities and the skills to go up against whatever competition is in front of us.

Q. You’ve proven so much this year and grown so much this year, but what’s this opportunity mean for you as well?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: It’s great to be able to have the opportunity to prove everybody wrong. We’re, quote, unquote, the underdogs being in the Mountain West and we don’t play as good of competition as other teams, like Penn State. But I feel like being able to prove people wrong, prove that we can really play against whoever and be able to dominate whoever we play, no matter what conference they’re from.

Q. Is there a physical difference that you guys notice in the trenches against a Big Ten team versus a Mountain West team?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: I wouldn’t say that much really. The guys are a little bit bigger, just because it’s a bigger school and they’re able to recruit bigger guys. But in the trenches, the physicality is going to be on a 10 always, and it kind of depends on the team, not necessarily the conference.

Q. Braxton [Fely] said earlier, how much of the physical matchup is the mental side and just powering through it?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: Mental side, I would say it’s difficult. Penn State has a lot of different schemes when it comes to running the ball, passing the ball. Mentally, it’s just being able to hone in on what your job is and get your job done, no matter really what the play is that the offense is running. Just being able to get your job done.

Q. You have dudes between you on the defensive line, but how much confidence do you and Ahmed [Hassanein] have when you step on the field together?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: We have a ton of confidence. It’s amazing. To have that skilled of a guy on the other side of the field, it’s amazing. Just being able to know that we can play off of each other extremely well, it brings a lot of confidence to both of us, for sure.

Q. It seems like oftentimes, there’s the Batman when it comes to the defensive end, pass rushing position. But then somebody else has to come along. We kind of knew it was Ahmed [Hassanein], and then you came along. Then soon that’s going to be your role and somebody else is going to come along. How much do you live in the moment, realizing how special it is that you’ve got two pretty good dudes bookending this thing?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: Just being able to take a step back and look at the fact that I do have an opportunity to play with that type of a player on the other side. Then just living in the moment, being able to pick from his mind the experience that he’s had, because he’s had more experience than me. He’s played more. Just the kind of different moves he does.

Then being able to have a player that has experience and being able to talk to him during the game. For instance, what move worked on a certain offensive tackle earlier in the game and making in-game adjustments.

Q. What are your thoughts on the two Penn State running backs, [Nick] Singleton and [Kaytron] Allen, who bring a big range and stretch the D?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: They bring a lot. Being able to have a duo like that in the backfield, it’s definitely a big thing that we need to, and we are, practicing for. It’s exciting to be able to go against that type of competition in the backfield, and it should be fun.

Q. Talk about Herbert Gums.

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: I love Herb. He’s kind of the heart of the defense. You’ve got the linebackers for sure, but just the attitude, the personality, the vibe that Herb brings, it just brings everybody together. His work ethic, the way he comes to practice every day, whether that’s him battling back from bruises and bumps, whatever it is. He’s still working, no matter what, whether it’s on the field or off the field, in the training room, after practice, or on the field during games.

Q. How about Penn State’s QB, Drew [Allar]?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: He’s great. He’s a big guy. That’s one thing that we’ve been practicing for, for sure. He’s a bigger guy. We need to be able to target lower for him. He’s got height on him, and he’s got a lot of weight on him, for sure. He’s good. It’s going to be a good competition.

Q. We hear about the offensive line being physical, and obviously they have a really good tight end [Tyler Warren], but what are they capable of in the passing game with him at the trigger?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: They’re capable of a lot. Starting with offensive line, they’re able to protect really well. They only let up, I believe, around seven sacks this season. That says a lot. He’s mobile. He can move around the pocket, and he can get out of the pocket just to throw the ball to get to the receivers, because he’s such a hard target to tackle. He’s great at hitting his targets and reading the defense.

Q. The shifts and the motions and eye control and stuff, it’s easier said than done. What is the key there?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: It’s a lot. All the shifts and motions they have is a lot. But like you said, it is easier said than done. But that’s one thing for sure that we have been practicing and honing in on through the past couple weeks. Just knowing what the different motions, what the different shifts, whatever it is, and being able to know what our job is whenever that happens. Then being ready for it whenever it will happen.

Q. I know you’re different, but do you see similarities? Like when you go up against your offense during fall camp and things like that? You guys have a physical offensive line, and you guys run the football. You guys have shifts and motions on offense and things like that. Are there any similarities there?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: I would say there’s quite a few. I mean, some of our coaches keep hinting -not hinting, but saying a lot of the shifts and motions and physicality is really close to our offense. It’s probably one of the closest things we’ll- get to our offense, other than our offense, obviously.

But I feel like the shifts, the motions before basically every single play, and then just the physicality in the running game is pretty close to our offense, for sure.

Q. We talked about you and Ahmed [Hassanein] on the pass rush, but there’s a lot of depth there with Braxton [Fely]. I think Seyi [Oladipo] leads the country in defensive backs with sacks. How nice is it to have so many guys who can get to the quarterback, as opposed to Penn State, who they have a lot who have sacks, but outside of [Abdul] Carter, no one has more than five.

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: I think it’s great having multiple threats on defense that can rush the passer. Just like you said Seyi having the most sacks as a defensive back in the nation.

It’s just amazing that we have a defensive coordinator that loves pressure, and it helps us out a lot for both the edges, as well as the inside. Having the safeties rushing, the corners rushing, and then also the linebackers blitzing. Whatever it is, it just opens up a lot. Whether that’s one-on-one for me and Ahmed, or for any of the D tackles either.

Q. This is an opportunity that decades of Boise State teams could only dream about. How humbling is it to know that you guys have this opportunity and you have the shot to do something that has never been done at Boise State?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: It’s extremely great. The opportunity is amazing. We’re extremely blessed to have this opportunity, and just to be able to know the fact that ‚Äì like, we’ve played in the Fiesta Bowl a few times in the past. Knowing that we have the opportunity to win this game, as well as continue to win multiple games, and then go to the national championship. It’s extremely humbling and an extreme blessing for sure.

Q. In regards to Penn State’s quarterback’s [Drew Allar] mobility, how tough is it to try and pressure someone when you’re also trying to be disciplined and keep them in the pocket? What’s your approach there with someone who has that sort of athleticism?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: I would say the biggest thing is the pocket leverage. Pocket leverage for all four of the rushers, or however many people are blitzing and whatever pressure it is. Just knowing our pocket leverage and keeping that and making sure that we know to keep them in the pocket; as well as having the mobile quarterback, knowing that we need to get him down if he does break our leverage.

Q. How close are you and Ty Benefield?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: Pretty close. We’re actually locker buddies. We’re super close. We’ve grown a relationship the past two years. We’re super close.

Q. He’s a young kid, only a true sophomore. But what have you seen from him and his growth?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: I have seen him grow, obviously, on the field, but also off the field. He’s grown as a person in the facility; a lot more comfortable with the guys and being able to speak up. Because he is one of the leaders on the defense, because he does start and he does make a lot of plays. He’s a safety, so he has to communicate with the guys a lot.

I think just seeing him grow from last year to this year, speaking to the back end, as well as the front end off the field, about different adjustments that we need to make and different things like that.

Q. What does it mean for you when you turn around and you see 34 [Alexander Teubner] back in the lineup behind you?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: Pretty excited. I love playing along Tubes. It’s fun.

Q. What does he bring? Is it a calming presence? You guys always say, do your 1-11s. You probably know that that guy is going to do his 1-11s.

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: It’s great. Knowing he’s going to do his 1-11s, no matter what it is, whether he has to put his body on the line or not. And just the physicality, knowing he’s going to bring physicality no matter what it is, it’s great.

Q. Dude [Alexander Teubner] is like 195, maybe 2 bills. Do you ever watch his highlights and think, man, he really does throw it down the line at times?

JAYDEN VIRGIN-MORGAN: I watch his highlights, and I watch it in person, too. When you see it, it’s crazy seeing a smaller guy being able to just ‚Äì he has no care in the world and he’s going to hit whatever he needs to hit.