4/24/2003 - Football
Paul Johnson Press Conference For Thursday, April 24
Q. Talk about the backup quarterbacks, I know they have been injured and haven?t been able to practice with full contact as much as you would have liked.
A. Lamar has actually been out here almost every day, I don?t think he?s missed but one practice. His injury has limited his ability and he probably hasn?t played as well as he can. I know he?s frustrated with it. One of his assets is that he has pretty good feet and he?s lost his ability to push off some with his injury, but he?s toughed it out pretty good. And Aaron, they thought he was going to be out the whole spring, but he?s a quick healer and he came back and got some work this week and they both are going to be able to play on Saturday. Olsen and Meraz have been pretty resilient, they haven?t missed a day all spring.
Q. Are you glad that, with Candeto not available, you will be able to use the two guys that, on the surface appear to be battling for the backup spot, in the game on Saturday so you can evaluate them in that situation or do you feel you?ve seen enough of them this spring to know what their abilities are and where they stand?
A. I haven?t seen anything that would change where the depth would change going into the fall. Aaron is still number two and Lamar is probably number three. We will continue to monitor that over the summer and in the fall when we come back to camp.
Q. Would it be accurate to say that one of the things Aaron needed to work on was his option running ability?
A. I think Aaron just needs to play. Aaron is a pretty good athlete. He can run. He?s a long strider at times, but as far as athletic ability, Aaron probably has as much as anybody has on the team. Aaron just needs experience.
Q. What about Lamar? What did you think Lamar needed to work on as he came through the spring?
A. I think Lamar has gotten better throwing the ball. Lamar is a heady kid. He?s a smart guy. He just has to get a little bigger and a little stronger, like most kids. There aren?t many kids that play as freshmen. He has to keep working. I know that he?s frustrated that he?s been hurt and I?m sure he feels like he hasn?t shown everything that he can do.
Q. I can tell that Lamar has gotten bigger and stronger just by looking at him has that shown on the field?
A. I think it might show some, but he?s been hurt so bad that his speed has been compromised. He can?t push off and that?s his game. Lamar isn?t going to throw ropes and he?s not going to outrun everybody, his game is quicks and when you can?t push off it hurts you some. He lost one of his biggest assets.
Q. Will Aaron and Lamar get hit on Saturday or will you have them in red jersey?s?
A. They will get hit. We have them on the same team.
Q. Why did you decide to put them on the same team?
A. So hopefully they don?t get killed.
Q. So they will work with the first unit.
A. Yes
Q. Has it strictly been the injury that has prevented Lamar from making a move on the depth chart or is Polanco just playing better at this point?
A. I haven?t seen anything out of either one to change the depth chart. For someone to move up or for someone to move down, something has to change. One has to go really bad or one has to go really great and we haven?t seen that. I don?t think Lamar has beaten Aaron out or Aaron hasn?t lost the job.
Q. Has Aaron made a move on Candeto at all? Has he closed the gap?
A. I don?t know, I don?t think so. We will see in the fall. He certainly didn?t beat him out in the spring.
Q. Beyond the quarterbacks, is there anyone that you would rate as a pleasant surprise?
A. Nick Wilson.
Q. Why would you say that?
A. Nick didn?t play a lot last year and he?s had a really good spring. He?s done some good things. Defensively, I think Bobby McClarin has really gotten better.
Q. What is it that the coaches like about him so much?
A. He plays hard, he?s a good kid and he works hard. He?s gotten better this spring. Those two guys have probably improved the most of anybody. As far as being solid, Josh Goodin and August Roitsch on the offensive line are pretty solid. I think Lionel Wesley has had a pretty good spring. He and Eric Roberts both. They have both grown up. They come to work with a better attitude and I think they understand what?s expected of them now.
Q. Would it be safe to say that the five guys you mentioned would be candidates for the Admiral Mack award, which is given to the most improved player in the spring?
A. I?d say they are candidates.
Q. I saw in your press conference yesterday that you are going to have the first team go against the second team on Saturday and mix everyone else in there?
A. Pretty much. Everybody will play some. We have the first unit together on both sides of the ball, which is what we did last year and it was a one-point game.
Q. Is that good or bad when the first team wins by one point?
A. Well it wasn?t good last year, I think we won two games.
Q. So you would like for the first unit to show a little dominance?
A. Oh I don?t know, I don?t care who wins. I would venture to guess that they would win, but it doesn?t always work that way. Last year, if you think back, the first unit was up 21-0 or something at the half and then it became the Aaron Polanco show in the second half. I knew we might be in trouble last year when the second offense got about 300 yards in one half against our number one defense. That might have been a precursor of things to come.
Q. Is there any position that is so close that you are looking at the spring game to see how they perform to determine who will be the starter heading to fall camp?
A. No. We still have some positions that are wide open going into the fall, but we wouldn?t base it on the spring game.
