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ROSE BOWL GAME: OREGON VS WISCONSIN

December 30, 2019

Penei Sewell

Pasadena, California

Q. I love the relationship between you and your O line coach. Describe what it's like working with him, how he's made you better.
PENEI SEWELL: Mirabal? He's a teacher. Just the way he speaks. He's repetitive about everything he says. So whatever he says, like, really sticks to you.

And just like you said, the relationship between us is second to none. He's like my third dad, with my actual dad and then Coach Cristobal. And he's really that third person I look up to. Just appreciate him and love him.

Q. Do you guys ever get in a back-and-forth (indiscernible)?
PENEI SEWELL: No, I just respect him too much. You know what I mean? That's how I was raised.

Q. What does he harp on you about -- hands, feet? Technically, what's he always on you about?
PENEI SEWELL: Everything. Just trying to get better. Everything he looks at, just like you say, hands, feet, everything. So he doesn't just focus on one thing. Everything.

Q. How has the week been for you?
PENEI SEWELL: It's been great, great. Two padded practices. Just felt like we hit the ground running. So just looking forward to walkthrough the day and finish off the week right.

Q. Playing in your last game with Justin and some of the seniors on the line. What are the emotions? What has the whole experience been like for you, playing with those guys?
PENEI SEWELL: It's been amazing, the whole year, being able to play next to all those guys, all the other dudes on the line, just all the experience, all their knowledge and stuff, just picking at them and trying to apply it to myself.

And just this last game, I'm going to make the most of it.

Q. How important do you think it will be for you as a leader -- kind of be the guy taking over being the leader of that offense next season? Has that hit you at all? Do you try to take whatever you can from these guys while they're still here?
PENEI SEWELL: Yeah, I'm still learning. We've got one more game. Just trying to pick up from Shane, Troy, what they bring to the table, and just try to win this game right now.

Q. How has the year been? You started with Auburn, lose that tough game. Just the maturity, how far you guys have come from then to now?
PENEI SEWELL: I don't know that I can explain it exactly, but it's just been surreal. It's been my dream. And every day coming out here, working out with all those guys, all these seniors, just making the most of the opportunity.

Q. Polynesian culture is such a tight-knit culture. How much did they reach out to you when you won the Outland?
PENEI SEWELL: So, right after I won that award, I actually got the news that I won the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year award. And that was crazy. That award means so much to me because it was from my people.

And I did get a lot of cousins hitting me up, a lot of uncles and stuff, but it's all love. And just to know that they all had my back, I'm going to try to give it back.

Q. What are your thoughts in playing in the Rose Bowl generally, not necessarily -- what it means to you and your family, but just this program to be here?
PENEI SEWELL: It's a dream. It comes down to that. Me growing up, everybody's been watching the game -- me, mom, dad, the whole family, growing up. To watch me on TV and to be able to be in this position and to be able to play in the game, I'm excited.

Q. You played Utah twice this season?
PENEI SEWELL: Yes.

Q. What did that game mean to you?
PENEI SEWELL: A lot. My brother plays for Utah. He plays safety over there. Being able to play against him and the Utah team, it was kind of like a little emotional. But at the end of the day, we had to do the job. But it was an emotional game.

Q. You kind of touched on it earlier, but the seniors that are leaving, Jake and Shane, the other guys on the O line, have you kind of been shadowing them and enjoying these last few days of practice?
PENEI SEWELL: You said it right on. Just there's a little shadow following them, doing everything they do, just because they do everything right.

And I look up to each and every one of them. I appreciate them. I still look forward to these last couple of days that's coming down to it. And I'll make the most of it coming down to it.

Q. Can you explain Wisconsin, not just you guys and the offensive line, but you guys are playing together and you know (indiscernible) what to do. How do you respond to that?
PENEI SEWELL: Just great people. You get to know them fast, you get to know them easy. Everything's not forced.

So these are my brothers. At the end of the day, like for life after football, I know I can hit these dudes up whenever. So just knowing that we have each other's back and knowing that we have that bond, it's easy to show it out on the field.

Q. How dominant does that make you guys (indiscernible)? You're not playing as five players; you're playing as one?
PENEI SEWELL: That goes back to Coach Cristobal and Coach Mirabal been saying, we're all one line. If we all play together, everything else will come into fruition. Just, again, everybody just knows who, like, the next person is and next to them. And it's kind of like -- it's just easy. It just comes. Like you don't have to say nothing, you already know what everybody else is thinking, and it's just love.

Q. One of the things (indiscernible) said is you don't necessarily -- it's not about the me. He's willing to block. He's willing to (indiscernible) his number. With that team mentality, how much harder -- to adjust Wisconsin?
PENEI SEWELL: That's the culture. Coach Cristobal put that into us. It's not all about us. Because at the end of the day, there's 11 people on the field at one time and everybody's got to be on the same page.

And like you said, it's kind of hard to make a team that's really like easy with each other and loving each other and just bouncing off each other.

Q. (Indiscernible) focus on Jonathan Taylor on the other side. And (indiscernible) CJ has been talking about the game, playing bigger than he is. Can you talk about him as a back and why he shouldn't be overlooked in this game?
PENEI SEWELL: CJ, you've seen him all year, what he can do. His game speaks for itself. And you're all just going to see what he's going to do.

Q. You touched on it a little bit right at the beginning, but that emotional moment that you had with your brother. Can you take me back to that and what was going through your mind, what you guys were talking about?
PENEI SEWELL: Yeah, me and him, always through high school, we've just always been together for football. It was always just me and him against everybody, just try to take the world together. To be playing against him, it was kind of weird. I didn't know how to feel.

And it was my first time like us being on opposite ends. And I wish we were on the same end, but at the end of the day everybody has got their own story, their own path. So it's all love.

Q. What was going through your brain at that time? Was it happiness for yourself, sadness for him, just kind of a brotherly love? What was that emotion?
PENEI SEWELL: A mix. I want to say mix because obviously I won, but he lost, so it's sad, like you said. But then at the end of the day, brothers is brothers, so it's just that love I was just talking about. That's the emotion, just love.

Q. You have a New Year's resolution for 2020 that you can share with me?
PENEI SEWELL: New Year's resolution? I think it's got to be to be more dominant, try to be more dominant on the field. And just trying to work on myself and that's about it.

Q. How emotional is it for you knowing you're finally here? It's been weeks since the last time you get to play a football game.
PENEI SEWELL: It's been too long since we played a game. And to be able to play in the Rose Bowl, growing up, me and my family, we all watched it growing up, being on an island and stuff.

Being able to play in it, I can't even say it. There's no words to describe how I'm feeling right now. It's a dream come true.

Q. It's a big deal. What's it like for your family? What are they telling you about it?
PENEI SEWELL: You're here, make the most of it. You don't get this every day, and cherish the moment.

Q. Do you have any people that are coming through -- family, loved ones?
PENEI SEWELL: Yeah, got mom, dad, brother, his girlfriend and my cousin.

Q. Knowing that most of your teammates especially on the line are all going to be gone and this is their last game, is there even more of an incentive because of that you want to win make sure they go out on a high note?
PENEI SEWELL: Just trying to send these seniors out on a great note, and for this to be the last opportunity to play together, I'm going to make the most of it for each and every one of them, each and every one of these seniors. And I would do anything for them. They're my brothers for life, so being able to do it one more time with them. And it's going to be a good one.

Q. I know you guys have some awesome crowds out there at Autzen Stadium. But I can't imagine you played in a game that's going to be bigger than this crowd-wise, and the amount of noise that's going to be in the building. Does that excite you that you'll play in front of close to 100,000 people?
PENEI SEWELL: Did you say 100,000 people?

Q. Like 90,000.
PENEI SEWELL: 90? Yeah, that tops the list for sure for the biggest crowd. But, shoot, at the end of the day, come on, in between the lines, it's just us against Wisconsin. So, I guess they'll be loud. But I'll focus on Wisconsin, it will be fun.

Q. (Indiscernible) shouts, what kind of atmosphere?
PENEI SEWELL: You'll see 35 with his with the shout, and everybody will be hyped because it's the last one especially for these seniors. So it will be fun.

Q. When you came to Oregon, the guys that are now seniors, they were thrown into the deep end, played a lot of games. How did they help you take their experience and impart it to you so that you were able to jump in so quickly?
PENEI SEWELL: Man, it's just great people. They're great people. And just like you said, they've been through the worst part of Oregon. And to see now we're here in the Rose Bowl playing in this game, it just shows to them how, like, their character and who they are and how great of brothers they are.

And it's so easy to come in and just to fit in with these guys. They took me in with open arms. And I'm ready to play this last game with them.

Q. You have one of the most experienced lines in the country this year. When those guys leave, you're going to be the guy in charge. What's it going to be like taking that role next year?
PENEI SEWELL: I haven't really thought about that. Just kind of taking it a day at a time. Really that's how I live my life. Just living in the now. Still learning from the seniors. Exactly like I said in the past, like, just shadowing them, still learning exactly what to do and what to do well.

Q. We talked to Troy Dye a moment ago. He said the power you can generate with your hands, the way you can strike the opposing defensive linemen, how do you go about developing your hand attack?
PENEI SEWELL: I give credit to the (indiscernible) growing up. Dad's always been the head coach for the football team American Samoa. And I've always been around them, just watching the kids hit each other, be really physical with each other. I learned that from them, just picking it up to see how it's done. And again the culture, that blood in me.

Q. What has Justin meant to your development as a player?
PENEI SEWELL: Ooh, development as a player? I don't know, like, exactly how. But, like, as a person he's affected me completely -- off the field, on the field. We've just created that relationship with each other. And I'm thankful for him. And I'm always going to be -- he's my brother for life. I can call him whenever and just looking forward to this last game together.

Q. When you play with a guy for two years like that and you're blocking for him, you develop a bond. That sort of relationship, you know what each other will do. Have you thought about what it's going to be like with a new quarterback and things you'll have to learn?
PENEI SEWELL: I haven't really thought about that, next year. I'm just thinking about now, like this game. Creating that relationship with Herb just makes me want to block for him more. He's my brother and I'm not going to let nobody get to him.

Q. Do you guys talk about goals beyond Oregon goals? Do you talk about NFL and getting prepared for the next level?
PENEI SEWELL: No, just focusing on this game and my development as of right now and just day-by-day.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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