EUGENE, Ore.— As the Oregon Ducks prepare to face No. 2 Michigan, defensive lineman Teitum Tuioti shared insights on the team's preparation and the mindset needed to take on the Wolverines.

"Um, I mean, him being from Michigan State, obviously he's going to have some kind of feeling towards Michigan, but, you know, I think that he's ready to go. Him specifically, he's ready to go," Tuioti said, referring to his teammate Derek Harmon, who previously played for Michigan State.

Tuioti was quick to praise Harmon's impact on the defense. "Oh, man, he's just a monster," Tuioti said. "Like, he just, like, he, in his own way, like, he's been doing his own thing in his own way. Like, he plays within the scheme, and he just, like, creates havoc." Tuioti described Harmon as someone who is reserved off the field but vocal when it matters. "Very to himself, but when it comes to game day, he communicates. He gets everyone lined up, makes sure everyone's on the same page, and he just goes and does his own thing."

Despite Harmon's serious demeanor, Tuioti noted that he has a humorous side as well. "Oh, he got humor, man. The man, like, he loves, like, around his people, he loves to hang out, chill, and just make jokes," Tuioti said.

Tuioti also spoke about the challenges of facing Michigan's run game, emphasizing their physicality. "Run game, I mean, they love running the ball. That's one thing we figured out," he said. "And I think this week is a big week of trying to stop the run. That's the main thing. Once we stop the run, then I think we'll have success."

He recognized the strength of Michigan's running backs. "Um, they're, they're good size runners. They're big running backs. Uh, they run downhill. They're strong running backs and we respect that. Um, so, you know, we're gonna have to do our job tackling, making sure that we wrap up and run our feet through contact."

Facing a dual-quarterback system presents a unique challenge for Oregon, Tuioti noted. "Yeah, that's unique, something I don't think I've won against yet," he said. "But, you know, we know when they got their quarterback runs and we're going to be able to be in a good call for it and, you know, just have some common sense knowing who's in and trying to stop that run."

The Ducks are also preparing for the atmosphere at Michigan's iconic stadium. "Yeah, we're expecting the atmosphere to be, you know, bumping. We know that that atmosphere is one of a kind. So we're just, like, getting ready for it, playing, you know, loud, proud music. So we're just preparing for everything," Tuioti said.

Tuioti also touched on Michigan's quarterback play. "Yeah, he's a good quarterback. I think he just commands that offense and does, you know, what he does," he said. "I think that us as a defense, you know, we have some good calls going in and we'll be able to, as long as, you know, everyone do their job, we'll be successful."

Facing a Michigan team built on physicality and strong play in the trenches, Tuioti sees this as an opportunity. "Yeah, I think especially up front, we know that they have a good O-line and they always have a good O-line and players up front. So us in practice, we know that we're going to have to strike, we're going to have to defeat the run," he said. "And it's a big platform, you know, a big opportunity for us to showcase what we've got."

With the game approaching, the Ducks know they need to bring their best to Ann Arbor to compete against one of the top teams in the country. Tuioti's focus on discipline, preparation, and physicality will be key factors in determining whether Oregon can pull off the upset. "Once we stop the run, then I think we'll have success," he said.