With a record of 3-7, Oregon is now ineligible for a bowl game for the first time since 2004.

Head coach Mark Helfrich’s job appears in jeopardy, and with major Oregon booster Pat Kilkenny set to appear on John Canzano’s radio show Monday afternoon, fans may soon get some answers about the future of this program.

But in his weekly press conference, Helfrich tried to reassure the fans saying that the team will “continue to fight,” adding that the season and outcomes “will turn.”

Helfrich also addressed the recent dismissal of defensive lineman Austin Maloata, calling his decisions and actions poor. Maloata was dismissed from the team Sunday after being arrested Sunday morning for DUII, reckless driving and possession of methamphetamine.

Here are some other questions from Sunday’s press conference:

Not being bowl eligible anymore, how do you balance playing the seniors and getting younger guys more experience for next season?

We’ll play the best guys to win this game, and we’re going to have a bunch of challenging moments as far getting guys ready to go to Utah to win that game against a great coach, great team. Whoever are the best guys are going to play.

Is it tough to keep guys motivated when you’re 3-7 and no longer bowl eligible?

I mean, yeah, the frustrations are different. There’s always a segment of the team that’s frustrated, whether that’s a roll or positioning — there’s always something. This is different. It’s not any fun and we’re not having a ton of fun, which is something you have to try and squeeze out of it at this point and play to their competitiveness, play to all those aspects of why they’re here and, again, get the right guys on board to compete.

What can be done by Brady Hoke and Ron Aiken to get the defense better over the next two games?

Part of that is who’s available and that’s a reality-slash-excuse. So you’re doing a few things differently from a front standpoint and moving guys around a little bit more. You’re blitzing a little bit more rather than playing base. But trying to change it up — the biggest thing in regards to Stanford versus some of these other teams is that they create issues with safeties on the edge with six, seven, eight offensive linemen in there, so we can’t just put in eight D-lineman that we don’t have.  So that creates a challenge but challenges are opportunity as well.

Do you feel that you are operating with the confidence of Athletic Director Rob Mullens?

Obviously he’s the only one who can answer that. I have total confidence in what we’re doing. Obviously the results have not been what anybody wants and I’m responsible for that — period. We didn’t play well enough in any phase yesterday and that’s my responsibility. But I believe 100 percent in what we’re doing. Our guys have continued to fight regardless of the situation. We had a great weekend from a recruiting standpoint. That’s always one of those weird situations where you think the world is coming to an end and there are six guys that are fired up about their opportunity. So we will continue to fight, we will continue to do the right things and it will turn.

What are your thoughts on Pat Kilkenny going on the radio with Oregonian columnist John Canzano on Monday?

I think there’s two people — really four people with Penny and Stephanie — but four people that I care so much about, obviously for what they’ve done for this state, this program, this world in a lot of ways. And how we’re performing, that hits to my core and I have complete respect and admiration for all of them. Pat is an incredible man. I have no idea what he is going to say; I haven’t had a conversation with him about anything in that regard, but we’re constantly in communication weekly.

Follow Gus Morris on Twitter @JustGusMorris

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