Iapani 'Poncho' Laloulu Continues to Grow in Leadership Role

As the season nears, Oregon fans are hopeful that the offensive line as a unit gets off to a better start than seen in 2024. One key to making that happen is the play and leadership of Poncho Laloulu. Poncho met with the media on Tuesday following the 11th practice of fall camp.

Here are his thoughts on a number of topics.

Meshing with Dante Moore

Yeah, I mean first I just want to thank my Lord for this wonderful opportunity he’s (given) me for this interview. Speaking on Dante, he’s doing a great job. I mean, everybody in that room is doing a great job. Throughout fall camp, I was able to get touches with all the QBs. From whoever it is all the way to the bottom. Dante is doing a great job of being able to speak up more and being comfortable with sometimes checking us out of certain situations. Same as well for Austin (Novosad), (he) knows that. He’s doing a great job. So, our quarterbacks are doing a great job and I feel like coach Donnie is doing a great job of developing the quarterbacks. Whoever it is at the end of the day, you know, we got we got guys. 

Competition between offense and defense

I just love the competition that’s going on right now. Just seeing the competition going up and the level of confidence between both offense and defense, it’s amazing. Seeing the growth we have since spring and now going into fall camp, especially from the beginning of fall camp, we start a little bit rusty. We’ve been building off of that and building confidence and getting guys to be able to strain and fight through those times when it’s hard. 

On where they are compared to last season

Yeah, I mean that’s a great question. I feel like most of the time we feel like we are at where we are, but at the end of the day, I feel like there’s room for improvement every single day. One thing I like about coach Lanning (is) that (he does a) great job of saying, 1% better, getting better every single day. Not being comfortable, but being comfortable and uncomfortable, if you get what I’m saying. Being able to just fight through, just not being lackadaisical and stuff like that.

Where he has improved in the last year

I feel like I’ve gotten better at leadership, honestly. Box identification (and) being confident in the playbook. Being able to understand when we get in this type of certain situation, what are we going to check into, and just being able to have that conversation (about) some of the skills. What I’ve been doing is trying to learn formations and trying to learn the routes. Being able to understand what their job is, because at the end of the day, I want to make sure everybody’s doing their job and I want to know their job as well.

On Jackson Powers-Johnson (JPJ)

Yeah, I’ve talked to JPJ here and there, obviously he’s a busy man. Shout out to JPJ. I’m filling in big steps. The legacy he left, I got to fill in some big shoes, bringing that Rimmington back home. So that’s the main thing that’s on my mind. That’s the main goal, but at the end of the day, I’m more of a team player. So, as long as the team’s success (goes), I know my success will come too.

Evaluation after first scrimmage

We go to the doctor every day, every week, (and) after every game. So coming off that scrimmage, re-evaluating seeing where the guys at. I think the biggest thing as an offensive line unit, we’re confident. We know what we’re doing. We know our job. Just having that juice. Being able to have more guys be vocal, not just me on the line. Getting guys like Isaiah World, Emmanuel (Pregnon) and (Alex) Harkey and everybody else, getting them to be able to speak up. They’re coming in from a different school, still trying to smooth their way in. I tell everybody in the line sometimes that you guys can speak up. We’re the big boys at the end of the day and we’re the one that get the action going and they’re going to follow us. Whatever they see us doing, they’re going to feel that way.

On quarterback leadership and meshing

It’s been progressing good lately. Sometimes I sit by Austin Novasad or Dante in the meeting room, depending whatever they sit. I just talk to them. I even talk to like some of the skill (players) like Malik Benson. I’d ask him, “Oh, what is that route?” and he explained it to me and formations. Being able to just be with the younger guys too. Like Luke Moga, he does a great job. Akili Smith, all those younger guys, those younger QBs, they do a good job of just having confidence and stuff like that. I just have to remind them, when you go in there don’t have no nervousness, just let it all go. Just imagine yourself playing back at home, just another game of football, but now it’s just at a higher level.

What makes Emmanuel Pregnon special

One thing I do love about Eman is his physicality and tenacity that he brings every single day. When we’re in the play we are moving people. That’s what we’re taught to do and that’s what our positions do is to move people. Eman does a great job of being able to understand schemes. He’s very physical and he brings that tenacity every single day.