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The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Football Player Quotes: Pac-12 Championship vs. USC
11/29/2022 10:45 AM | Football
Redshirt Freshman Running Back Ja'Quinden Jackson
On facing USC a second time this season…
"They're really (strong) up front with their D-Line and O-Line. We've just got to come out there play hard. That's really it. Play physical and do what we got to do to win."
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Are the Utes any different than the regular season game with USC?
"Most definitely. We're way more physical than we were a month ago."
Â
On getting excited to play USC for the Pac-12 Championship…
"Like you said, it's a championship. Every game we've played this year, we've played like it's a championship. Our mindset is the same."
Â
On when he found out Utah was championship-bound after Washington's win in the Apple Cup…
"I was lit. I was ready to go then. I cut the film up right after the game. I was ready to go."
Â
On how he's grown since the regular season vs. USC transitioning to running back…
"I'm more comfortable. I was a little jittery at first, but I'm more comfortable back there as you can see. Getting more and more comfortable as time goes on."
Â
How has your family reacted to seeing you in a running back role?
"Like I said (after Colorado), it's a blessing doing this. I talked to my Mom about it…my people are happy about it. But like I said, there's still work to be done and I'm still trying to get better."
Â
On how his family drives him as a player…
"If it weren't for them, I don't know where I would be. They drive me to do this every day. I'm trying to get to a level to be able to take care of them. That's my mindset every day."
Â
On how gratifying this season has been amid his position change…
"I'm not going to lie, I've loved the transition. I'm having fun with it. Coach (Quinton Ganther) has made it fun."
Â
On learning to run as a running back, as opposed to running as a quarterback…
"It was natural to me. Like I said (at Colorado), I played running back before I played quarterback. It was very natural to me."
Â
Senior Defensive End Gabe Reid
On what it means to play in the Pac-12 Championship…
"It means the world. It's my last year. Couldn't write a better story for me to end up in the Pac-12 Championship."
Â
Is this what you were hoping for when you came to Utah?
"It's exactly what I was hoping for. Play competitive football, great defense and go to the 'ship."
Â
On the second half in the regular season vs. USC—why was that a turning point for the defense?
"Coach Whitt came over the D-Line after (USC's first drive) and said 'Hey, we've got to figure it out or it's going to be a long night.' It took us a little while to get going, but I really think that was a turning point for our defense where we rallied together and said 'hey, it's on us.' We have the guys to make the plays. We did that, and we've continued to do that week in and week out. I'm excited for us to prove the consistent, solid defense that we are this week."
Â
On what makes USC quarterback Caleb Williams so good…
"He's just a playmaker. At the end of the day, he can make a play with his legs. He's elusive, he's hard to bring down. Big, strong body. And he can throw the football. I think that combination of things put him at the top of that list."
Â
What drives you to be the player you are?
"The love for the game is a big part of it. It's definitely a combination of things. Love for my family and loved ones, my wife, just thinking about the people that I love. Just want to make them proud. And a love for football."
Â
On representing not just the U, but the State of Utah in this game (Reid is from American Fork)…
"I can't really put it into words. It's a dream come true. I never would have thought I'd be able to do what I did at Stanford, complete my education there, and be able to come back and be here at Utah. It's come full circle and we're going to the Pac-12 Championship. And, I'm with my little brother [linebacker Karene Reid]. That's amazing. I couldn't write a better story for myself."
Â
On how the defensive line has improved since the regular season game vs. USC…
"Just working together. Obviously getting to the quarterback, we've done a good job of putting some pressure on those quarterbacks in the backfield. Hopefully we can continue that pattern this week."
Â
Sophomore Linebacker Karene Reid
What do you need to do to slow down USC?
"It really needs to be a team effort. We can't [just] have the Clark Phillips III show or the Cole Bishop show. As much as I want to see them do well, everyone's got to have a good game. That's what it's going to take."
Â
On what changed in the regular season game vs. USC and how the defense has improved since then…
"We've just come tighter as a defense. We've watched more film. We've spent more time off the field together, and that's shown up on the field."
Â
On what changes he's seen in USC since the regular season game…
"It just looks like they've gotten better each week. The technique is better. The plays are run cleaner. But I'd like (it) to be about ourselves. It's the end of the season. We're going to get their best and they're going to get ours."
Â
On what it takes to get turnovers against USC…
"Like I said, it's got to be a team effort. As well as the (defensive backs) cover, there's got to be pressure on the quarterback as well. That quarterback is too good to get an interception purely off of good coverage. It's got to be a couple moving pieces."
Â
On how having played in the Pac-12 Championship before helps this team…
"I think it just brings more confidence because it's more familiar to us. We're not going to be deer-in-the-headlights. We've been there before."
Â
On being from Utah and representing the U…
"It means everything. We've got family and friends here. Everyone that's in the crowd is family. And it's been that way since I was growing up."
Â
Junior Quarterback Cameron Rising
On how USC is different from the regular season game…
"They've got a little personnel twist going on now. They're doing variations of their coverages, making it hard for (opposing) offenses. They're doing a good job."
Â
On how Utah is different than that same game against the Trojans…
"We just keep on building. Just got to keep on getting better. That's really what we're focused on, just taking it day by day. That's been the approach the whole way."
Â
On his family's reaction to Utah reaching the Pac-12 Championship Game…
"All the cards are falling into place. Everything that we needed to happen, happened. Just got to go see it through now and keep it going. Any time I have my family there, it's always special to look up and see them. Last year, I was able to score a two-point conversion and see my family right after that. It was awesome. Hopefully I get to do something like that again."
Â
Does having played in the Pac-12 Championship before help this team?
"Absolutely. You know what to expect. You know what it's going to look like. Just got to go there and have some fun."
Â
On how "unwavering belief" has helped this team this year…
"That belief hasn't wavered. We never stopped believing, even after a game went bad. It didn't matter. Just kept the course. That's why we're here. Just got to go execute and finish it out."
Â
On facing USC a second time this season…
"They're really (strong) up front with their D-Line and O-Line. We've just got to come out there play hard. That's really it. Play physical and do what we got to do to win."
Â
Are the Utes any different than the regular season game with USC?
"Most definitely. We're way more physical than we were a month ago."
Â
On getting excited to play USC for the Pac-12 Championship…
"Like you said, it's a championship. Every game we've played this year, we've played like it's a championship. Our mindset is the same."
Â
On when he found out Utah was championship-bound after Washington's win in the Apple Cup…
"I was lit. I was ready to go then. I cut the film up right after the game. I was ready to go."
Â
On how he's grown since the regular season vs. USC transitioning to running back…
"I'm more comfortable. I was a little jittery at first, but I'm more comfortable back there as you can see. Getting more and more comfortable as time goes on."
Â
How has your family reacted to seeing you in a running back role?
"Like I said (after Colorado), it's a blessing doing this. I talked to my Mom about it…my people are happy about it. But like I said, there's still work to be done and I'm still trying to get better."
Â
On how his family drives him as a player…
"If it weren't for them, I don't know where I would be. They drive me to do this every day. I'm trying to get to a level to be able to take care of them. That's my mindset every day."
Â
On how gratifying this season has been amid his position change…
"I'm not going to lie, I've loved the transition. I'm having fun with it. Coach (Quinton Ganther) has made it fun."
Â
On learning to run as a running back, as opposed to running as a quarterback…
"It was natural to me. Like I said (at Colorado), I played running back before I played quarterback. It was very natural to me."
Â
Senior Defensive End Gabe Reid
On what it means to play in the Pac-12 Championship…
"It means the world. It's my last year. Couldn't write a better story for me to end up in the Pac-12 Championship."
Â
Is this what you were hoping for when you came to Utah?
"It's exactly what I was hoping for. Play competitive football, great defense and go to the 'ship."
Â
On the second half in the regular season vs. USC—why was that a turning point for the defense?
"Coach Whitt came over the D-Line after (USC's first drive) and said 'Hey, we've got to figure it out or it's going to be a long night.' It took us a little while to get going, but I really think that was a turning point for our defense where we rallied together and said 'hey, it's on us.' We have the guys to make the plays. We did that, and we've continued to do that week in and week out. I'm excited for us to prove the consistent, solid defense that we are this week."
Â
On what makes USC quarterback Caleb Williams so good…
"He's just a playmaker. At the end of the day, he can make a play with his legs. He's elusive, he's hard to bring down. Big, strong body. And he can throw the football. I think that combination of things put him at the top of that list."
Â
What drives you to be the player you are?
"The love for the game is a big part of it. It's definitely a combination of things. Love for my family and loved ones, my wife, just thinking about the people that I love. Just want to make them proud. And a love for football."
Â
On representing not just the U, but the State of Utah in this game (Reid is from American Fork)…
"I can't really put it into words. It's a dream come true. I never would have thought I'd be able to do what I did at Stanford, complete my education there, and be able to come back and be here at Utah. It's come full circle and we're going to the Pac-12 Championship. And, I'm with my little brother [linebacker Karene Reid]. That's amazing. I couldn't write a better story for myself."
Â
On how the defensive line has improved since the regular season game vs. USC…
"Just working together. Obviously getting to the quarterback, we've done a good job of putting some pressure on those quarterbacks in the backfield. Hopefully we can continue that pattern this week."
Â
Sophomore Linebacker Karene Reid
What do you need to do to slow down USC?
"It really needs to be a team effort. We can't [just] have the Clark Phillips III show or the Cole Bishop show. As much as I want to see them do well, everyone's got to have a good game. That's what it's going to take."
Â
On what changed in the regular season game vs. USC and how the defense has improved since then…
"We've just come tighter as a defense. We've watched more film. We've spent more time off the field together, and that's shown up on the field."
Â
On what changes he's seen in USC since the regular season game…
"It just looks like they've gotten better each week. The technique is better. The plays are run cleaner. But I'd like (it) to be about ourselves. It's the end of the season. We're going to get their best and they're going to get ours."
Â
On what it takes to get turnovers against USC…
"Like I said, it's got to be a team effort. As well as the (defensive backs) cover, there's got to be pressure on the quarterback as well. That quarterback is too good to get an interception purely off of good coverage. It's got to be a couple moving pieces."
Â
On how having played in the Pac-12 Championship before helps this team…
"I think it just brings more confidence because it's more familiar to us. We're not going to be deer-in-the-headlights. We've been there before."
Â
On being from Utah and representing the U…
"It means everything. We've got family and friends here. Everyone that's in the crowd is family. And it's been that way since I was growing up."
Â
Junior Quarterback Cameron Rising
On how USC is different from the regular season game…
"They've got a little personnel twist going on now. They're doing variations of their coverages, making it hard for (opposing) offenses. They're doing a good job."
Â
On how Utah is different than that same game against the Trojans…
"We just keep on building. Just got to keep on getting better. That's really what we're focused on, just taking it day by day. That's been the approach the whole way."
Â
On his family's reaction to Utah reaching the Pac-12 Championship Game…
"All the cards are falling into place. Everything that we needed to happen, happened. Just got to go see it through now and keep it going. Any time I have my family there, it's always special to look up and see them. Last year, I was able to score a two-point conversion and see my family right after that. It was awesome. Hopefully I get to do something like that again."
Â
Does having played in the Pac-12 Championship before help this team?
"Absolutely. You know what to expect. You know what it's going to look like. Just got to go there and have some fun."
Â
On how "unwavering belief" has helped this team this year…
"That belief hasn't wavered. We never stopped believing, even after a game went bad. It didn't matter. Just kept the course. That's why we're here. Just got to go execute and finish it out."
Â
Players Mentioned
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