12/2/2002 - Football
Paul Johnson Press Conference For Monday, Dec. 2
Q. Fullback, who is going to start? Eckel is going to be back apparently?
A. Apparently. I don?t know. Either he or Mike Brimage will probably start.
Q. Don?t you think Brimage deserves it after what he did against Wake Forest?
A. I don?t know. Are you going to base the starting fullback on one game or are you going to base it on 50 practices and all year. I don?t know. I think Mike did some good things and he?s certainly in the mix. I?m not going to say that Mike?s not going to start, he might, but I thought Kyle ran awfully hard against Notre Dame and he got hurt. You will just have to see, but I?m sure that both of them will probably play. Bryce McDonald will probably play.
Q. How many guys came in and got tape from you to watch on their own over the weekend?
A. None got any from me.
Q. From the assistants?
A. I don?t know about a number but a good deal of them got tape and watched it over the weekend.
Q. Can you take anything from the common opponent that you guys had with them? They beat Tulane and you lost to them.
A. Not that I know of unless you know something. We both played Air Force. We had more than one common opponent. I guess if you looked at that you would think they would have the advantage if you look at the two common opponents, but its been my experience that that doesn?t have a whole lot to do with anything.
Q. How do you prepare for their revolving door at quarterback?
A. I think you prepare for the offense, you don?t prepare for the quarterbacks. They have some talented players, whoever is in there we have to be ready.
Q. Seems like some people around here think that if you beat Army it is a successful season, I know you don?t think like that, but does that play on your mind?
A. No. We know that it?s a big game, it?s a big game for everybody concerned. It?s a great rivalry and certainly it would be a way to at least end on a positive note. If we could win the game it would be twice as many wins as they?ve had here the last two years, which is by no means a successful season. We have to do more than try and beat Army to be successful.
Q. What is going to be the key to beating Army?
A. It?s not going to be any different than any other game. The team that takes better care of the ball, both teams have turned the ball over a great deal, you have to be sound in the kicking game and we have to play good run defense, just like every week, and hopefully rush the ball on offense. That?s the same every week. That?s not any different than any other game. If you take care of the ball and are sound in the kicking game you usually give yourself a chance.
Q. Coach, how was the mood of the team staying here for the long weekend?
A. I think it was great. You can ask them, but I thought the attitude was great. I think it gave the guys a chance to be together as a team without all the other distractions that you have during the year and I think we got a lot done. You know, in talking to a lot of our guys who played here before when I was coaching, I?m not sure a lot of guys, some guys went home for Thanksgiving, but a lot of guys didn?t go home anyway because you have Christmas break coming in two weeks and guys that have to fly, that?s two separate plane tickets. I think a lot of times guys went home with other guys or went to their sponsors anyway. They were able to hang out with each other, and that was good. Once we had practice they were pretty much free the rest of the day and I think they got some good quality time with each other which I think is good.
Q. Do you think you got ahead in terms of practice, in years past they would take four days off.
A. Definitely. We should be ahead. I feel like we?re certainly ahead of where we would be if it were just a regular game.
Q. What are your recollections of the two games you were here as an assistant?
A. You know, I don?t remember much about it. I remember losing. I remember the ?95 game when they drove 99 yards to win the game and hit a fourth and 20 pass. In ?96 I just remember that it was a good game. Both teams had good teams. I think both teams won nine games that year. That game could have gone either way.
Q. So both games you coached in Navy lost?
A. Yep.
Q. People have said that the first time you coach in this game as the head coach it?s a lot different. Do you feel like you know this game?
A. I don?t know if you ever know any game, but I?ve been the head coach in some games. I played in three national championship games as a head coach and done some things. This is a big game. There is no question. I?m hoping that I will be fine.
Q. I just remember Charlie setting there his first year and saying this game is no different then Oklahoma-Oklahoma State or Florida-Florida State and then he admitted afterwards that he didn?t fully understand what the game is all about.
A. Charlie?s Charlie. I understand it?s a big game and I understand that everybody wants to win. I also understand that the sky?s not going to fall. What you want to do is you prepare to go play the best that you can play and that?s what we are going to do. I guarantee you that both teams will play with emotion. It?s a big game. Your job as a coach is not to get them up so high, but keep them even keeled I would think. The team that executes the best and can remember where to go and what to do is the team that is going to win. Not the team that goes out there and can?t remember their name.
