9/3/2002 - Football
Paul Johnson Press Conference Tuesday, September 3

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Q. Any more thoughts on N.C. State?

A. Yeah, they?re pretty good.

Q. What did they do last week against East Tennessee State that impressed you?

A. They can run. They are big and they are fast.

Q. How can you counter that if you?re not as fast or not as big.

A. We have to run our stuff. That?s what we do. We can?t reinvent the wheel.

Q. What about their quarterback?

A. He?s a good player. A real competitor. I think he makes it happen for them. He makes plays.

Q. You had a couple of sacks last week, will you be able to get pressure on Rivers.

A. You have to get some pressure on him, but you?ve got to pick your spots, because he?s been around the block. I mean he knows how to hit his hot receivers and dump offs. He?s a pretty smart guy. He?s seen a lot of stuff, so you can?t just line up and blitz him every time or he?ll kill you. You have to mix it in.

Q. Does it help you having Buddy as far as knowing their system and their players?

A. I imagine it helps to know their players, but you can look at the film and see their system. I would imagine they know his system too, they?ve played against it.

Q. Thomas was back today, are you concerned if he doesn?t take like a week off he might constantly have this injury. It didn?t take long for him to aggravate it in the SMU game.

A. Nah, that?s football. Guys get hurt. You just play. We go by what the trainers say and if they say he?s back out, then he?s back out. He can take a week off after Saturday.

Q. Is there a feeling that this could be a nagging thing for him?

A. I really haven?t thought about it.