Liberty Flames College Football Pregame Quote, 12/29/2023

Q. Bo Nix is the headliner. But what else makes the Oregon offense so dangerous?

COACH MAGEE: The receivers corps is elite. The running back space is a problem for everybody. So it’s not just Bo. He has a good cast around him that makes them very, very challenging.

Q. You guys have had a knack for making the big play when you need it. Do you feel like there is a certain confidence that, hey, even if we’re giving up yardage, you made the big play time and time again.

COACH MAGEE: That’s been our message to the guys. They’re good. They’re going to make plays. But our guys have made plays all year long, so let’s continue that trend. Try to force some things to happen, you know, and go attack that ball. In the air, wherever it’s at, attack it.

Q. How exciting is it as a competitor to be able to test yourself against a team and athletes of this caliber?

COACH MAGEE: It’s fun. For a coach, you like it. But as the player, it’s what you want. You want to tee it up against the best. You want to try, you want to go against the best. That’s what it is. Our guys, I mean, trying to get to practice has been easy. They’ve really, really been into it and amped up a little bit more than normal. It’s been fun to watch.

Q. On this stage, getting the chance for Liberty, these guys, what do you hope people take away about this program? I’m sure lots of people will see you for the first time.

COACH MAGEE: The biggest thing is, you want people to see what we’re building and how special this place can be. You want them to see that we are unique as a staff, as a team, as a culture and those are things we want to put on display. Because I do think we’re trending in the right direction, and this is just the start to of it. So as much as we can show that and represent that, that’s what we’re trying to do.

Q. Coach, this team being as explosive as they are, do you defensively take on – maybe being a little bit more guarded, trying to keep things in front of you, get them on the ground, win in the red zone – what is your general philosophy in scoring points?

COACH MAGEE: There is ‚Äì you have to play a little bit of both. Because if you sit in zone, Bo’s [Nix] going to slice you up. So you have to challenge them and play some man at times. You have to pick your spots and you have to send pressure.

But the more zone you play, the more he’s going to be able to see it. Again, he doesn’t miss much. He just doesn’t. He’s very sharp, very smart. So you have to pick your spots and play a little bit of both on them.

Q. When you have bowl games like this and so much time to prepare, do you just stick with: Hey, here’s what got us here? Or it is also a combination of both: Hey, I think we can try things we never tried before?

COACH MAGEE: There is a combination of both. But the majority of it is we have to do what we’ve been doing. We can’t change up a whole lot of different things. Again, the intensity at practice has been on another level because of who we’re about to play, the challenge that’s in front of us.

It’s been fun. It really has been, to see the guys, how juiced up they are at practice. How they’re flying around. That’s been refreshing.

Q. Huge game coming up for you guys. How excited are you to step on to the field and play in the Fiesta Bowl?

BRYLAN GREEN: The history is crazy and I’m going to be part of that history. It’s amazing. To be with the guys and love on the guys, the whole trip, I think that’s something we’re doing, being able to learn with each other during this trip and go out there and prepare for Oregon. And have a good game.

Q. You had offers for Pac-12 schools and you decided to go to Liberty. Why was that?

BRYLAN GREEN: I felt like that was home. It gave me a different vibe. When I went on my visit, man, I think: That’s what I want. And playing football and baseball, that was something I harped on, trying to find a good spot for the football aspect and the baseball aspect. That’s something Liberty University gave me and they gave me a great opportunity.

Q. What position do you play in baseball?

BRYLAN GREEN: I play outfield. Center.

Q. So you got the speed, of course.

BRYLAN GREEN: Yes, ma’am.

Q. The Oregon offense, what pops out from the film?

BRYLAN GREEN: If I have to use one word, electric. They have guys all over the field. One of their best receivers is not playing, but that doesn’t matter. They still have other guys that will do the tasks and get the tasks done. They have a great backfield; No. 0 (Bucky Irving), No. 20 (Jordan James).

And obviously, Bo Nix. I really don’t have to say too much about that. The O-line, they’re great. They do everything you ask. And something that coaches dream of. Going against a team like this, it’s going to be good.

Q. What does it mean, you know, playing in one of the biggest games in your guys’ school history? How do you mentally prepare for that?

BRYLAN GREEN: It’s a surreal moment. It’s something as a kid, that’s something I dreamed of, being in this position. It’s crazy. Also going against a great opponent like Oregon, it’s something I could only dream of and we’ll try to get the task done.

Q. As a defensive back, I’m sure you have guys that you look up to: I want to play like that guy and take something from this guy’s game. Who are those players for you?

BRANDON BISHOP: Tyrann Mathieu. That was my favorite player, still my favorite player. I watched him growing up. He’s always been my favorite player, and I’ve always watched him and aspire to have my game like him.

Q. What makes him special to you?

BRANDON BISHOP: He’s just dynamic and he’s a ball hawk. He just makes a lot of plays. So I just like watching him.

Q. When you take a look at the offense that Oregon has, what are some things that stand out to you?

BRANDON BISHOP: They got a lot of tempo and they go fast, and so it can be hard for teams to get lined up fast and get the next call for the next play. We just have to do a good job of just going fast, adjusting to the tempo.

Q. Coming into this game, obviously, you’re going to be a big underdog. People think Oregon’s going to run the table, kind of thing. What makes you go: Pump the brakes. This is not going to be as easy as people think it is. What do you guys bring to the table?

BRANDON BISHOP: I love being the underdog. I’ve been the underdog my whole life. I love this position we’re in, and we’re going to handle our business because I feel like we’ve done it. We’ve done it 13 times and I feel like we can do it again.

Q. Who is the toughest team you’ve played this year and why?

BRANDON BISHOP: Probably New Mexico State in the championship because it was a championship game. They were playing hard, we were playing hard it was a championship game.

Q. Can you just kind of talk to me about what it means to play one of the biggest games in your guys’ school history?

BRANDON BISHOP: It’s very big that we’re playing in this game. We ve prepared the same way that we’ve prepared the other 13 times. Just watch film and practice hard and we’ll be just fine if we just do that.

Q. Take a look at Bo Nix. You look at the film. What makes him special? What makes him so dangerous?

BRANDON BISHOP: He gets the ball out quick and he has dynamic skill players and they make people miss. So we have to tackle well, and we’ll be just fine.

Q. What’s the key to slowing him down? Have you seen teams that had success against them?

BRANDON BISHOP: You just have to get pressure on him in the pocket and tackle well in space. If you get pressure on him in the pocket and force him to use his feet a really bit, we’ll be just fine. You always want to get pressure on quarterbacks.

Q. Is it hard to not make this too big? Big stage, playing in the NFL stadium, playing against a Heisman finalist, all that – is it hard to not make it bigger than it is?

BRANDON BISHOP: You can’t make it bigger than it is. When we were playing the Conference USA teams, you know, they have to put their jerseys on just like us. Just got to not make it bigger than what it is.

Q. Quinton, how validating is it to be here at this game, a game that I think some people nationally may have said, oh, Liberty doesn’t belong. Do you belong? How does it feel to be here?

QUINTON REESE: It feels good to get a little bit of respect that we deserve. But at the end of the day, we are not getting the respect that we deserve. We are staying in the mindset that we are the underdogs and taking it to heart.

Q. You started off red hot, tons of picks and shutdowns. And then you had to go through some wars and the midweek schedule shifted everything. You did what you had to do, but I don’t think it was as elegant as you would like. You had a month to heal.

QUINTON REESE: We’re still growing, and every day we continue to come to work. As long as you do that, everything will take care of itself in the long run, not focusing on the past, but be ready for the next game.

Q. Talk to me about Oregon and what you see on tape, as far as what is a challenge to stopping them.

QUINTON REESE: They have a talented quarterback and receivers and they are well-rounded as a whole. A good team, just a good team as a whole. There’s nothing we can’t go up against.

Q. It’s been a month since the Conference USA game. Where do you think you have been improved the most? Being healthy is one. Where would you say you made some strides in practice?

QUINTON REESE: I would say playing together and the continuous effort to the ball. That’s taken for granted sometimes when you take a couple of days or week off. Just continuing to have the same standard of defense through the whole ‚Äì we have two days off or a couple of days off, keeping the same story that we will lock into the work.

Q. The defense, you had a ton of picks and hard hitting throughout the year. What is the key to success as far as creating so much havoc?

QUINTON REESE: Practice. Coming to practice every day with the right mindset and doing the same thing every day so it becomes second nature. It’s not like you are doing something different. That’s what we do is get the ball off people and create turnovers.

Q. Who has said they will put on the Joker mask?

QUINTON REESE: I plan on me being first and hopefully the whole DB corps.

Q. Are you amping that up at all for the big stage?

QUINTON REESE: Not really. You don’t want to act brand new. It’s not like we are doing something different. It’s another week for us.

Q. How many people you got coming to the game?

QUINTON REESE: I have about 10 or 11. It’s all family. It will be good to be around them.

Q. There will be a lot of eyes on the game and Liberty’s program through the weekend and New Year’s Day. For those who are not familiar with Liberty, what would you say defines, you know, you guys as a Liberty football game, especially for 2023?

TYREN DUPREE: I just think the connection that we have with each other. Because other than football, obviously, like our school has a lot more to offer you, you know, spiritually. So I think connecting on that same level and knowing where each other want to be in their lives and being able to push each other on the field or off the field.

I think it engrains a whole other trust and stability and relationships, and I think that’s really what creates the chemistry on the field. I think that’s the X factor that we have.

Q. As you look at tape of Oregon, I’m sure there’s a lot of stuff that stands out. Just get your top three things, like, wow, this; wow, that. What are they?

TYREN DUPREE: I would say their offensive line is pretty athletic. A lot of credit to them. I think they run the ball pretty well, but I would say Bo Nix is a really good standout for them this year. Good receivers, touches, getting the ball out quick. It’s going to be a lot of fun. A nice challenge for us.

Q. First of all, talk to me about finally being here. You guys have been building up to this game for a month. How does it feel to be here on this stage?

TYREN DUPREE: I think it’s just overwhelming at first because we were just ‚Äì you start the year and you are winning games, you never really know how the votes are going to go, and this is our first year in the conference. So I think everyone was antsy to see the bowl that we got. So just the fact that our name even popped up on that screen. It was a testimony to everyone trusting in God and believing that there is something bigger than us.

Q. How many people have been calling you for tickets for this one or making the trip out?

TYREN DUPREE: Honestly, I was surprised. A lot of people wanted to come, but they learned it’s really expensive to come out here. I will have my grandparents and a few friends. So that will be nice.

Q. Talk to me about the defense. You were an interception machine and hard-hitting. You were doing what you had to do but there were some really close battles. A little closer than you want. How has this month helped you heal and refocus and get ready for this game?

TYREN DUPREE: I would say taking every week for what it is. So we never really tried to look too far ahead or never try to live in the past or anything. We just try to get better each day, try to chase our best each day. That’s the same it’s been with each game, whether it’s been a really big game. We try to throw it away or if we have a bad game, we try to put that in the past. I think it’s just putting your best foot forward and chasing that standard that’s unattainable, but we try to chase it.

Q. When you look at Oregon on tape, what strikes you as the biggest challenge, the biggest hurdle you have to overcome?

TYREN DUPREE: They are a very explosive team. I would say their speed is different on film. But a lot of things that I’ve seen, that we’ll have to be better than the other teams at is open field tackling. I believe a lot of their plays could have been different. It changed a lot in different situations when there were not tackles made in spaces. I think us executing that will help us stay in the game.

Q. So containing yards after a catch?

TYREN DUPREE: Yes, if you can get the guy down, that would be great.

Q. You have been here and done that a long time now. Can you talk to me about your journey a little bit? We talked about it in the past. I know we talked a little bit about the past, but could you have ever imagined it would have come to a game like this?

TYREN DUPREE: I don’t think I could have ever imagined this. Like I said, I was a 7-year-old kid and and seeing some of the historic games that go on in the Fiesta Bowl. I mean, like I said, it’s a blessing. I don’t know. I don’t even know what to say about it. I’m just so excited to play.

Q. So even though you are a sophomore, this is going to be the biggest game to this point in the history of this program, a New Year’s Six bowl game. What is it like to play in this?

BRYCE DIXON: Like I said, it’s always a blessing to be here. I feel like we get to showcase our talent and show them what we have been working for all year, because nothing that we got here was easy. So we got here from just hard work and dedication, just competing.

Q. And this is going to be a big sort of challenge for you guys. You haven’t taken on a top offense this season and I think that’s been a sort of underlying idea going into this program. What is that challenge going to be like?

BRYCE DIXON: So me honestly, I don’t feel it’s a challenge. It’s competing. How competitive do we want to be? I feel like we have been practicing ever since we found out we have been playing, we have been trying to be our best version of Liberty.

Q. Are you excited to play at State Farm Stadium?

BRYCE DIXON: Most definitely. It’s a dream come true. It’s breathtaking. It’s definitely a blessing to be here.

Q. Speaking of the field, it’s your first game on grass. How is your kind of approach to playing on that?

BRYCE DIXON: I never really had a problem with grass and turf because, you know, in high school you always played on – you might play on grass one week; you might play on turf the next week. But honestly, as long as my feet are sticking to that ground, I will be fine. We are good out there.

Q. Talk about being here. How are you preparing to play Oregon?

BRYCE DIXON: Like I said, there hasn’t been dropoff since we have got here. We have still been practicing hard and still competing and still preparing to play our best game against Oregon January 1st.

Q. What does it mean to play in the Fiesta Bowl?

BRYCE DIXON: It means a lot to me. It’s a dream come true. It’s a blessing just to be here. I can’t wait to showcase my talents.

Q. As you get ready for Monday and getting ready for Oregon, it’s a prolific offense. What do you think this Liberty team can do to kind of help slow down that talent?

BRYCE DIXON: I think we can get after them by competing and swarming to the ball and be hot-headed like we have been the last couple of weeks. We have been preparing for this and we are ready for it.

Q. For you, a defensive tackle, how important is your position to hold down the offensive linemen and let the linebackers run through? How do you help the team have success?

BRYCE DIXON: I plan on doing whatever I have to do, if I have to take a double team to get my linebacker through. This is what we got to do. Everybody got to do their job out there and compete at the highest level.

Q. On Monday, a lot of eyeballs on the game, Liberty and Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. Maybe nobody heard about Liberty. What do you think they should know about the Liberty Flames?

BRYCE DIXON: We are no slouches. We are coming.