CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL: OREGON VS INDIANA

January 6, 2026

Noah Whittington

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Oregon Ducks

Press Conference

Q. Wonder if you could reflect back to the first game and kind of what your lasting memories were from that and maybe how the defeat impacted this group psychologically?

NOAH WHITTINGTON: We just didn't play up to our standard. It's simple as that. We just gotta come out, play our brand of football, and we'll take care of business.

Q. You're one of the few guys who was here at the very beginning four years ago and starting with Dan and this team and this program in this building. And I realize it's a very different situation compared to today, but how different a feeling is it last season when you guys had the success this season and a playoff game going there to the way things started in Atlanta four years ago?

NOAH WHITTINGTON: I feel like, you know, each year we just continue to grow. That's been the theme of the team since I've been here. I feel like Coach Lanning has really extended that each and every game, year, just continue to grow and grow and grow.

So I feel like, yeah, that's just a result of all those days of just continuing to get better and just growing.

Q. You've had some history playing at Mercedes-Benz, whether it was when you were in high school or first transferred to Oregon. What does it mean to be not only back in your home state but back in that stadium for this match-up?

NOAH WHITTINGTON: It means a lot. Going back to where it all started. I played my first big, I guess you could say, football games that was televised in that stadium.

So, yeah, it'll bring back some good memories for sure.

Q. You missed some games in the start of the season, and the Indiana game originally was one where you were still kind of coming back from that injury. How have you felt like you're back to 100 percent and more ready for this game the second time around?

NOAH WHITTINGTON: Honestly, just continuing to do treatment, just routine. I feel like in the beginning of the season, I got hurt at practice. I wasn't wearing my girdle. So I wear my girdle now. So, yeah.

Q. They generate about as many TFLs as any team in the country defensively. What is it about what they do that is able to generate that much pressure, whether it's in pass rush or getting after you guys in the back field?

NOAH WHITTINGTON: They do a lot of exotic pressures, sim pressures. They're a really disciplined defense. They're real good at what they do.

And as far as like up front, they do a lot of games. They do a lot of movements, stunts, twist game. I feel like our O-line is going to handle that and it won't be a problem.

Q. I was going to ask about that. Your responsibility and the running backs, in general, in pass protection, because it can't just be the O-line, it has to be kind of everybody, how difficult is it when they are coming from different spots and sometimes it's unpredictable?

NOAH WHITTINGTON: I feel like just being slow and getting out in route, making sure it's like secure before you get out helps a lot. I mean, sometimes they do a good job of disguising it. So sometimes it's like you don't know where it's going to come from. But if you're slow, you'll see it.

Q. You talked in the spring about how different things are for you in life compared to your younger teammates. When your fiancée is traveling with your son amidst this whole deal and seeing her posting, I'm sure you're aware of it when it's happening, but like when you see the videos thereafter, it's different obviously for her to be doing that.

NOAH WHITTINGTON: Uh-huh.

Q. What is that like? Like you're traveling on the plane with the rest of the guys, but she's going through airports with an infant and doing all that deal. So what is that like to experience when it's the non-football stuff, the off-the-field stuff?

NOAH WHITTINGTON: It's a great experience. Like when I'm with them traveling or her traveling alone or just being a dad in general, I mean, it's a great experience, you know? Like I come here, I show up, I grind. And then I get to go home to my family, who I'm very thankful for.

It's not always easy. Like right now my son, he's kind of sick. So sleep is kind of nonexistent. But who needs sleep? You know what I mean? But to just have those loved ones you get to see after a long season.

Q. Noah, it was mentioned about you playing in Mercedes-Benz, and I know that there have been some difficult memories there in terms of how those state championship games went, in particular the first one. How motivated are you to kind of flip the script of games you've had in that stadium?

NOAH WHITTINGTON: I mean, every game is a new game. I don't really hold any past feelings going into the games from recent games, you know. Every game is a new game.

So it's like I just want to win. I don't really -- I don't really care about my record in the stadium or past games that's happened. As long as we win this game, I'm going to be happy.

Q. Noah, just what you can see about not only being in the back field and the success you've had, but with Davison, just the one-two punch, we saw it a lot in the last game against Texas Tech, just what it's like to be in the back field and feed off each other?

NOAH WHITTINGTON: Well, I mean, like I'm the vet. You know, I feed off of just seeing my younger guys just have success. And they feed off me, too. They always say, You get us started. You get us going. Like, we feed off you.

So we feed off each other. You know, like sometimes I'm in games where the run is not hitting or I miss a hole, and they're like, Hey, but you remember what you told me.

They'll tell me what I told them.

And I'm like, Y'all sound like me. You're coaching me up.

So it's unique, man. It's special, and I'm glad I got the opportunity to share this time with them because a lot of people don't get that. A lot of people don't get freshmen that get to come in and that's ready and that's as talented as these guys. And I'm just happy that I got the opportunity to share the back field with them.

Q. I just wanted to know how many ticket requests you've gotten this week.

NOAH WHITTINGTON: I got a lot. But, I mean, I'm not bad at saying no. My teammates were charging too much money for tickets this week. So I just chose to just be a bad guy. If you're not going to like me over me not getting you a ticket to the game, then the love not genuine. But I got 10 so far. That was my max.

Q. How important is the diversity that Coach Stein has in his run game when you're going into a rematch like this where they've seen your run game before?

NOAH WHITTINGTON: I feel like football is universal. So we are running the same stuff. It's about how you go out there and execute it.

And it's about physical dominance, honestly, in the run game. You gotta line up against the pressure you're going against. They move them. They create lanes. Like, I mean, they're going to know what we're going to run. We're going to know what they're going to run. It's about who is going to out-physical and stop the opponent.

Q. Got a chance to kind of reflect on the last game. What do you feel like was the difference between that first half, when the offense struggled to finish a little bit, and the second half, when you guys were able to get some stuff going?

NOAH WHITTINGTON: I feel like that juice we brought into the locker room at halftime, that helped a lot. And just going into that second half, we were just all positive vibes on the sideline. Like, I feel like that energy, that juice, that positive affirmation, like that's big. It's like real big for success, like for our offense, because you need so many things to go right. You need everybody to move on one accord as far as defense. You just need one person to make a play.

But when we do that and we're having fun, we're joking around and we're just being ourselves, being the unique human beings that we are, we go out there and we play to our standard, then yeah, we look different.