What several Utes said about the Pac-12 Championship vs USC

Notable quotes from several Utah Utes ahead of the Pac-12 Championship.

Ja'Quinden Jackson

Utah Utes running back Ja'Quinden Jackson (3) carries the ball for a touchdown the third quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Question: What do you expect facing USC a second time?

Ja'Quinden Jackson: "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."

Question: Are you guys any different from the last time you played USC?

Ja'Quinden Jackson: "Most definitely. We're way more physical than we were a month ago."

Question: How excited are you to play in the Pac-12 Championship?

 Ja'Quinden Jackson: "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."

Question: How have you grown since USC?

Ja'Quinden Jackson: "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."

Gabe Reid

Utah Utes defensive end Gabe Reid (91) celebrates his sack against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half at Sun Devil Stadium / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Question: What does it mean to to play in the Pac-12 Championship?

Gabe Reid: "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."

Question: Is this what you were hoping for when you came to Utah this past season?

Gabe Reid: "It's exactly what I was hoping for. Play competitive football, great defense and go to the 'ship."

Question: Why was the second half against USC a turning point for the defense?

Gabe Reid: "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."

Question: What makes Caleb Williams so good?

Gabe Reid: "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."

Question: How has the defensive line improved since USC?

Gabe Reid: "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."

Karene Reid

Utah Utes linebacker Karene Reid (21) and Utah Utes wide receiver Devaughn Vele (17) light the block U after a victory against the San Diego State Aztecs at Rice-Eccles Stadium / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Question: What do you need to do to slow down USC?

Karene Reid: "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."

Question: What changed in the regular season against USC and how has the defense improved?

Karene Reid: "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."

Question: What changes have you seen in USC since you played them?

Karene Reid: "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."

Question: What does it take to create turnovers against USC?

Karene Reid: "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."

Cameron Rising

Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) is defended by Oregon Ducks linebacker Noah Sewell (1) in the first half during the 2021 Pac-12 Championship Game at Allegiant Stadium / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Question: How is USC different from the regular season game?

Cameron Rising: "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."

Question: How is Utah different from the regular season game?

Cameron Rising: "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."

Question: Does playing in the Pac-12 Championship before help this team?

Cameron Rising: "Absolutely. You know what to expect. You know what it's going to look like. Just got to go there and have some fun."

Question: How has "unwavering belief" helped this team this year?

Cameron Rising: "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." #GoUtes #pac12championship

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) November 29, 2022

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