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Bobby Johnson’s Press Quotes – Arkansas
9/11/2006
Head Coach Bobby Johnson Press Conference
Monday, Sept. 11, 2006
Vanderbilt-Arkansas Game, Sat., Sept. 16, 2006
Johnson’s Opening Remarks
“After two tough weeks on the road, we are anxious to be at home and play in our stadium. Hopefully, we can continue to improve as a football team and have a chance to have an excellent game against Arkansas. I know they are going to be ready to play and we expect to get their very best, but we are anxious to play at home.”
Your team appeared to improve from the Michigan game to Alabama. Talk about the improvement.
Johnson: “I think it was normal improvement from Game 1 to Game 2. We were just a little bit sharper and we tackled a little better. I thought (quarterback) Chris (Nickson) was more in command of the offense than he was in the first game. Those are things you hope and expect to happen between game one and two.”
What did you see on film regarding the Arkansas quarterback?
Johnson: “I was very impressed with (freshman quarterback Mitch) Mustain in the Utah State game. He did a very good job of running their offense. He gave the ball a lot to their running backs, guys that are very, very impressive. They ran the ball very effectively. I wouldn’t expect them to put a lot of pressure on him, we try not to do that with our younger quarterbacks.”
What was the feeling in the locker room after the game Saturday?
Johnson: “We were all disappointed, extremely disappointed. I felt like our team played as hard as they could and left it out on the field. Then, you come back to the dressing room and it’s a tough thing to face. They reacted the way I wanted them to react?there was a lot disappointment, but they want to get better. We had a good practice Sunday and I expect it to continue to carry over .”
Your team looks like they enjoy playing in front of large crowds on the road. Talk about taking a team into a stadium like the one at Alabama.
Johnson: “It’s about having confidence. Our players go into places and expect to compete and expect to win. That’s the mindset of our team right now. When we go out on the field, we expect to win. We know it’s going to be a tough battle, especially when you play teams like Michigan, Alabama and Arkansas. But we play to win.”
Coach, talk about the interception that led to Alabama’s field goal.
Johnson: “We just can’t turn the ball over. We had an opportunity, had the ball on Alabama’s side of the 50, in the fourth quarter, with the game tied. That’s when you have to make sure you don’t give the other team a chance to win. You have to take care of the football, drive it down the field and make sure that if you don’t score (a touchdown), you have an opportunity for a field goal. We didn’t do that Saturday. But it’s not one person’s fault. It’s about the whole team.”
Coach, talk about the play of your defensive line.
Johnson: “I am very pleased with Coach (Rick) Logo, and the way he teaches technique to the guys. He is doing a good job and the guys are working extremely hard. I think that’s maybe the best (the defensive line) has played since I got here.
Coach, talk about the play of your defensive backs.
Johnson: “D.J. (Moore), for a true freshman, played extremely well. He played 85 snaps because he’s on just about every special team. He’s in great shape, he’s reliable and he’s a great athlete. Joel Caldwell also played well, probably isn’t 100 percent, but still did some good things. We haven’t given up on the other guys either, and we still have confidence in them. We’ll get better at that position.”
Coach, how do you teach a team to win?
Johnson: “I’ve been asked that a million times, but I don’t think you do. You have to practice to win, and you work with them in the weight room to get stronger. Then, as they start to play better and we get better players to help those guys out, they start to gain confidence. Right now, we think we can compete against anybody and our guys think they have earned that. They have worked hard for it. You have to practice to win, prepare to win, and just work real, real hard.”
Talk about the excellent play of linebacker Jonathan Goff
Johnson: “Two years ago, we were taking Jonathan out in passing situations. I said, ‘We’re taking one of our best players out of the game’ so we quit doing that. He is very good (in pass coverage) and he is very good against the run. Jonathan also works extremely hard in special teams. He is really consistent in every area.”
Talk about the play last Saturday by sophomore quarterback Chris Nickson:
Johnson: “I just thought he was more calm under pressure. He didn’t rush any throws, he just threw behind one guy. He just ran the offense a whole lot better, more under control. That pass to Earl (Bennett) in the end zone, you couldn’t have thrown it any better, I don’t care who you are. Chris has a lot better arm that most people think and I think he’ll show that.”
Coach Johnson, talk about Darren McFadden and the Arkansas running backs?
Johnson: “It’s not only Darren McFadden. They also have Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis, they have a bunch of good ones. They’ll have two tailbacks, or maybe Hillis at fullback or in a one-back (set). He will even take the snap from the center and run the ball. Our defensive lineman will have to work hard to get off blocks and try to get after their backs.”
Coach, how important would a large crowd be to your players this Saturday?
Johnson: “It would be wonderful to get them in. We have many great and loyal fans, but we’d love to get more, have them in the stadium, and maybe give us an advantage that other teams have when they play at home. We can get a great atmosphere in our stadium, there’s no doubt about that. I have seen it before.”
Talk about the Arkansas offense and what they like to do offensively?
Johnson: “They’ve only played two games this year and they have run it a lot. I would too, if I had those running backs. But Mustain is a pretty smooth operator, he’s run that type of offense his whole high school career. It’s not new to him. He knows that offense a lot better than most freshmen do.”
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