Event: Valero Alamo Bowl Team Arrival – Oregon
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 25 2013
Location: Marriott Rivercenter
Persons Quoted:
Mark Helfrich, head coach
Hroniss Grasu, center
Brian Jackson, safety
Speaker: Mark Helfrich
On BCS expectations that Oregon carries & if motivation will be a problem for his players…
“It’s a chance to compete. Our guys are excited to play. I think if there would have been any evidence of a lack of motivation then it would have shown up on the tape and in our preparation. It’s a huge challenge. This is a great program”
On what Texas brings to the table…
“I think their sheer talent. We can’t match up with that in terms of just man for man talent. I think you know they are a very well coached team and like us have very high expectations. They want to finish right. There is the added motivation with Coach Brown retiring but our guys will be excited to play”.
On the offensive strategy against Texas…
“Well we want to be balanced. We want to be balanced with everything. Right, left, middle, deep, short, everything from an offensive perspective. Being balanced is the key”.
On if he has ever been to San Antonio before…
“I have. I’ve been recruiting here many times. I’ve been here for the coaches’ convention a couple years ago. This is a great city, a great area. I’ve actually got some relatives in the area as well. It’s going to be fun for everybody, but it will be a lot more fun if we win the game”.
Speaker: Hroniss Grasu
On if being in the Alamo Bowl feels different than coming to a BCS bowl game…
“It only felt different to me because I came early. I was at the hotel before everyone else. The Alamo Bowl is a great Bowl game and it’s an honor to be playing here against Texas.”
On if motivation will be an issue against Texas…
“No it’s not at all. We understand that it is their head coach’s last game and it will be very emotional. We are in their home state and it is going to be a home game for them. We all know that. It makes us all the more focused. We just need to go there and execute our own game plan and not worry about what is going on outside of our program. I think if we can take care of that we will take care of business.”
On being a veteran on this team & his advice for the younger players during bowl week…
“Just stay focused. When I was a young guy I had Jordan Holmes take me under his wing and I followed him everywhere. I tell the young guys to pick the guy they look up to and stick to him. Don’t walk around by yourself. Stick with older guys you look up to.”
Speaker: Brian Jackson
On if he has ever been to San Antonio…
“I haven’t actually. But my best friend lives out here so I’m sure he will show me around. We are going to check out the riverwalk and I really just can’t wait to hang out with my best friend. He just came back from Afghanistan this week so I just can’t wait to go see him. It’s been awhile. I think he is stationed here and he literally just got back this week. We grew up in elementary and middle school together and reconnected within the last couple years. We are definitely going to go kick it.”
On your first time not being in a BCS bowl game…
“I feel like they have treated us really well. This is a great place to stay. We are in a great city. I can’t wait to go check out all this stuff. They have a lot of things planned for us. I feel like everybody has just been treated so well. There is no reason to look down on something like this. We are going to play a great football team and have a great place to stay I don’t really think you can ask for anything else”.
On his impression of Texas thus far…
“They are a talented team. They struggled early on but they got everything together. You can tell when this team starts to click. They are a physical team and they play hard. These guys have a passion for the sport of football. I think that’s great because it matches well with us. We all love the sport of football. Oregon vs. Texas…it’s going to be a great college football game”.
On if motivation is an issue…
“Well you can nitpick reasons for motivation on anything. You can say that our motivation to win is that it is our coach’s first season. You can go that route if you want to talk coaches. I think it will come down to who comes in ready to play, who comes in more prepared and who really thinks more of this football game. This is a lot of people’s last football game. I think it boils down to what is going to happen between the lines. It’s all about the X’s and O’s”.
