EUGENE, Ore. — As the Oregon Ducks enter a pivotal point in their season, defensive standout Teitum Tuioti is focused on preparation and execution. With two of the next three games in Friday night prime-time slots and the other a crucial matchup against Ohio State, Tuioti and his teammates are ready for the national spotlight to shift onto them.

“We’re prepping this week the same as we did week one, the same we did in fall camp,” Tuioti said. “Nothing really changes. Obviously, our game plan changes a little bit depending on the team, but for the most part, it's all the same.”

Tuioti's confidence stems from a successful season so far. It’s been a year of firsts for the Oregon linebacker, including his first interception and career highs in tackles.

“Yeah, it’s been super fun and super rewarding,” he said. “It’s just a step in the right direction. It’s not the final step. We’ve got bigger goals down the road as a team and individually, so I’m excited for the future.”

Tuioti has exceeded many expectations this season, though he maintains that his success isn’t surprising to him.

“I have confidence in myself and what I’m capable of,” Tuioti said. “I wouldn’t say it was out of my idea of what was going to happen. It’s not like I sat in my bed and planned on UCLA that I’d get an interception and be leading the team in tackles. I just take every day for what it is and work my butt off every single day. I think when I have that mindset and live in the present, good things like this happen.”

Oregon’s performance in recent games, including wins over Oregon State and UCLA, has positioned the team to push for even greater success in the Big Ten.

“These games down the stretch are huge,” Tuioti acknowledged. “This weekend’s game is the biggest because it’s the next one. The team’s all excited for this one. Building off that momentum from the first couple games is really important.”

Tuioti also noted that their preparation for Oregon State hasn’t changed much from previous years. “It’s pretty similar,” he said of Jonathan Smith’s offense. “We’ve been watching a good amount of Oregon State clips to prepare for this game. Their game film from previous games is the most recent and the most reliable. But it is very similar to their past teams.”

One of the highlights of the Ducks' defense this season has been the cohesiveness of the linebacker group, with Tuioti standing out among a deep and talented unit.

“Power of the unit,” Tuioti explained. “We’ve got a really deep room and a lot of really good guys in that room, talented. At the end of the day, it’s easy to be selfish and be like, ‘Man, I’m not starting all the time’ or, ‘Hey, this guy’s playing over me.’ But we’ve all kind of realized that we’re all really, really talented. Once we start buying into each other’s successes and everyone else doing good, I think that kind of pushes everyone to do better.”

A key focus for the defense this season has been increasing their havoc rate, creating more disruptions for opposing offenses.

“I’d say just like the coaching of ball excellence,” Tuioti said. “In the past years, it’s obviously been a pillar of our defense, but this year, Coach Tosh, Coach B. Mike, and all the coaching staff have really emphasized getting the ball out. That’s really our lifeline.”

With Michigan State visiting Eugene, Tuioti also reflected on the significance of being a local product excelling at Oregon. “It’s incredible. It’s obviously a dream turned into reality,” he said. “There were a lot of early mornings and a lot of late nights that go unrecognized. Now to see all my hard work starting to pay off and getting that recognition, it’s pretty cool.”

Oregon will also debut special uniforms with a deep personal connection to head coach Dan Lanning’s family, and Tuioti appreciates the deeper meaning behind them.

“You always hear about the Ducks and flashy uniforms, but I think this is a little more than flashy,” he said. “It has a bigger meaning behind it, which I think is really, really cool. The story behind Coach Lanning’s wife and their kids being able to help design that is really, really special.”

The Ducks hope to continue building on their success with Tuioti’s leadership and determination playing a crucial role in the team’s push for a strong finish to the season.