CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL: OREGON VS INDIANA

January 6, 2026

Kenyon Sadiq

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Oregon Ducks

Press Conference

Q. Can you take us back to the first meeting in October and kind of what you remembered there and maybe how that was beneficial for this team in terms of learning from a loss?

KENYON SADIQ: Yeah, there's one or two ways you can look at it. I think this year a lot of teams -- you can look at Penn State, for instance, kind of how they handled the loss. And then even teams like us, for instance, how we bounced back against Rutgers. I think that game kind of just really says a lot about our team and the maturity and the mindset we had after that game. I think it was good for us in a lot of ways, offensively, defensively. And I think we handled it in a very mature way.

Q. Nearly three months ago from that game. A couple guys mentioned after that you were really limited in practice that week leading up to it. How much or how little did you even do before that game, and how different are you today physically than you were at that point three months ago?

KENYON SADIQ: Yeah, right. I was very limited in what I did, and I think that had an impact on my play and the feel for the offense as a whole.

So this week I think it's important that I just keep getting those reps in. So we've got a completely different offense from that game. It's important to come out there, start fast, play with good chemistry.

Q. Last time you guys played them, you were still working out of 11 as your base personnel, but since then you've had to adapt. It's been you and Jamari as kind of the physical, being able to find that 12 personnel with the two tight ends. How do you think that that plays out, just bringing that more physicality with those tight ends out there?

KENYON SADIQ: I think it allows us to do a lot of things. We don't always have to be in a physical 12 personnel set. We can get in 10, 11 sets as well. I think it makes it difficult for defenses to figure out what they want to do, whether they want to play in nickel sets or base sets. So it gives us a bit of flexibility in a lot of areas.

Q. The offense kind of struggled in the first half to finish against Texas Tech. You guys were able to come back and have a better second-half performance. Now, after looking at the film, what are some ways that you're kind of focused on preparing for this next match-up and getting a little bit faster start and being able to finish in the red zone to put some more points on the board?

KENYON SADIQ: Yeah, I mean, it really comes down to little things. If you watch the film, it's like one missed block that ends up stopping the play. So, I mean, it's really just focusing on the real technique. Texas Tech has really good players, and it's the same thing for Indiana. When it comes down to good-on-good, it's the little things with the technique. So honing in on those little details will be the separator.

Q. Early thoughts on Kendre. Just to see him moving around in practice, what did you see from him?

KENYON SADIQ: Yeah. He's done a good job. It's always nice to come in early and get a little head start. I know he's done a great job. It's nice getting to know him.

Q. I think you mentioned with 12 personnel you can operate in different sets. We saw in this past game a little bit of 13, but I don't know how true a 13 it is because Roger is built the way he is and you're built the way you are. What does he provide, not only as a potential receiver, as a tight end, but as a perimeter blocker when you guys lose a guy like Justice who was doing that role?

KENYON SADIQ: Yeah. Like you said, able to do a lot of things in those sets. I think it makes us very flexible as an offense. When we get in those big sets, we're able to still run the ball. But you saw like Minnesota, for example, didn't really get in those 13 personnel sets and still throw routes and stuff like that. Like I said, it makes it more difficult to guard down the road.

Q. The defensive throws as many different looks as they do in terms of their pressure. How have you seen Dante grow as a leader for the offensive lines in terms of everybody setting protections and being the kind of guy making sure everyone is set as blockers?

KENYON SADIQ: Yeah, I think it's night and day, if you go watch my first Indiana game and go back to JMU, which ran similar schemes, with pressures coming from just about everywhere. Dante has a really mature mindset about it. Every week he comes in and attacks it, and everyone can see in the building. So we all trust him. We know he's going to get us the right play, the right check, whatever it is.

Q. This whole program really preaches that next-man-up mentality. How much more important does that become when it's the end of the season, guys might be hurting, and on top of that, you're dealing with the transfer portal?

KENYON SADIQ: Yeah, all those things play a role, whether you like it or not. It's just really about focusing on what we have there. Lanning says that about every day in practice. There's going to be someone that shows up that hasn't all season. And that's so true. There will be someone in this game that has a great game.

But that shows, once again, the depth of our roster, I think. Those guys that have left in the portal, guys that are down for injury, and there's still going to be guys stepping up just about everywhere.

Like I said, it really shows the character of this team and the roster depth.

Q. They generate about as many TFLs as anybody in the country. I think they had the most of any opponent against you guys. What is it they do so effectively to be able to generate that pressure, not just in sacks, but, yes, also in sacks?

KENYON SADIQ: Yeah. Obviously they have great players. Second to that, they have great schemes. So, I mean, when you look at the stints they do, same pressures, all those things, just even players winning their one-on-ones on the edges. The edges do a great job.

So I think Tech was a good game for us. I think they're the best front in the country. So, again, they'll look at those guys and heading up to these guys, which is another great unit. I think it will be good for us.

Q. You mentioned Tech being a good game for you, especially with their linebackers being two of the best in the country. Indiana is another team with really good linebackers. They're out there in a base personnel a lot. Just how do you think that Tech game is going to prepare you for facing those linebackers again, especially when it's you and Jamari now?

KENYON SADIQ: Yeah. Like I said, really similar match-up for us. Tech's linebackers are amazing, and these linebackers are amazing as well. So I think it's just going back to the technique thing. When it comes down to good-on-good, it's really who has better technique and who wants it more.

Q. Someone had mentioned that Dan had said something about teams in March Madness and how they peak at the right time. Can you convey a little bit more about what that message was and what you took from that?

KENYON SADIQ: Yeah. Comes down to who plays their best ball in November and December, and leading into January now, that's how long the season is.

No, it's really you need to peak at the right time. You see a lot of teams peak in the middle of the season or stuff like that and then kind of trend downhill. It's about staying on the steady climb up the mountain. So I think it's preached on, and I think we're doing a really good job of it.