Bruce Johnson, 12.18.09

Q:  RE:  Starting on Monday night.

A:  I have been playing all year so I’m just ready whenever I’m called. So it’s not a sure thing if I will start or not.  But if I do, I will just be ready.  So I take every week like I’m going to start.

Q:  In a rookie season you are always going to have ups and downs. What are the things that you really need to clean up here down the stretch, especially with a bigger role?

A:  Pretty much I just have to clean up my focus. Like they say, you don’t want to hit that rookie wall at this time. And I talked to a couple of the older guys and they said that they know exactly where I’m coming from because they hit it, too. I wouldn’t necessarily say I hit a wall. So pretty much I just have to keep focused each week and each practice rep during practice and stay in the film room and don’t get tired of it.  I have to keep doing that more and more and want to learn more.

Q:  You talk about the wall.  Is that more of a mental thing or it is just the fact that the season is a lot longer than you are used to?

A:  You could say that it is a mental thing. But like I say, you have to just take it day by day. You are right, in college the season is shorter than what it is right now. So your body is used to just stopping right around this time. You just have to keep going and know that you have a couple more games to go. And try to fight it.

Q:  Did you take reps with the first team?

A:  No, not with the first team. When they called the nickel group I came in, like I have been doing all year. 

Q:  Was Kevin Dockery in there?

A:  Yeah, Kevin was taking reps, yeah.

Q:  Because all of you guys have played so much, do you feel the secondary is equipped to handle the loss of those two?

A:  I think so. We have been short of corners all year. We know what we have to do even with the shortage of the corners that we have already. So we have been going through this since the first game ……… and we have done pretty well. So everybody knows what we have to do and where we have to fill in. Everybody knows their role and what they have to do. So we are feeling pretty good.