Read the full transcript from RB Ollie Gordon II's media availability on October 11, 2026.
Ollie, how do you feel like you've taken advantage of this opportunity over the past three games to establish yourself as the team's lead back?
Ollie Gordon II: You know I really just look at it as opportunity. I feel like we move as one. It's not really just a set back that's going first. I feel like as y'all see, we rotate every series. Our coach is always right, we get through like that with stuff like that. I feel like we move as a unit, we move as one. Each running back gets in there, they do their own thing, and we follow our line. Our line plays great, we follow behind them the whole time, just how it goes.
I'm curious, I've seen Malik Washington at the tailback position as well. I'm curious, has he been involved in your meetings too?
Ollie Gordon II: We meet as a unit. We go over stuff like that. If it's that week, we'll go over that and in individual, he'll run with us some, but he's still in the receiver room.
Tell me about getting down to the 1-yard line and then thought you got across, they called you down at the 1. And then the plays that happened afterwards, to not end up not enough with a touchdown?
Ollie Gordon II: You know, that's just on us. We got to be better in that position of the field. I feel like this bye week, we can take at it, look at it, meet as a team, talk about it, and come back that next week after the bye week, scoring inside that area.
You were forced to leave the game, you were visibly frustrated. What did they tell you was the reason why you had to leave the game?
Ollie Gordon II: They said it was a head-to-head on one of those plays and that I had to get checked out. Since the ref told me I had to come out the game, I had to get checked out for that. So that's what that was.
Obviously, we see the effort of the team, even the last touchdown has not been on the clock, fighting through every opportunity, fighting through every breath. How would you describe what this team has been going through?
Ollie Gordon II: It just shows with our back against the wall, we're still going to fight together. We just got to continue to ignore the outside noise and not worry about what everybody has to say about us and just stay true to each other. I feel, as long as we stick together, we'll be fine moving forward.
Can you describe what it was like to hear that you were going to get the call to start, your second career start today? And what do you think you can improve on in your performance?
Ollie Gordon II: Honestly, you know, we really didn't talk about it much. You know, it was just one of those things where we came to the game and it's like, okay, you know, this is how we're going to do this. We're going to rotate it like this, and we just went with it. I feel like, I just got to keep my composure more. It's just one of those things where you can't be out there exerting energy like that.
How do you feel you're managing the workload though between you and Jalen Wright?
Ollie Gordon II: I feel like it's good. You know, we don't take too many hits on the body. We get down, we get down the field, we keep moving. And if it's time for us to rotate, we rotate. So I feel like, you know, that's a good thing that's going on in our room.
How encouraging is it for you guys to still be able to keep that running team identity, despite losing Devon Achane?
Ollie Gordon II: Like I said, I feel like it's huge just because we get behind those guys up front and they're moving people down the field. Y'all said this week we were going in and playing a great defense. It was true, we were. But like I said, our O-line, they're great. I like them for a hat up front every time. Not against them ever.
