Redshirt junior DT Austin Johnson kicks off game week with the first teleconference of the lineup. Johnson met over the phone with a couple dozen reporters this morning for about 20 minutes.
Here are some of the highlights from what he had to say:
Flying under the radar, compared to Anthony Zettel…
“That really doesn’t matter to me as long as we win games and (play) our defense. I’m fine with doing my job and doing what we have to do to win. That doesn’t really bother me at all."
On the growth of him and Zettel as a tandem…
“Probably I’d say more communication between us since we have a little more chemistry. We have that whole season under our belts, playing next next each other, so we know what we like to do so there’s probably a little more chemistry between us.”
…
“We were pretty much competitive in everything when we were lifting. We were in the same lift groups, we would push each other, so it was just a very good thing to do, to have both of us in the same lift group. Sometimes we weren’t in the same group but when we weren’t there were other guys I was trying to push and be competitive with. Everybody is competitive. It’s not just me and Zettel; it’s everybody on the team who is trying to compete for spots.”
On Jordan Lucas…
“He’s my roommate, so he’s very funny. He’s an outgoing person and he says what’s on his mind here and there. He’s just a very good guy. He’s a very good friend. He and Nyeem are very similar. I room with Nyeem as well, so they have similar characteristics, so it’s a very fun house that I live in.”
On defensive ends…
“Garrett is definitely going to be really good D-end for us this year. He’s going to make a lot of plays. Same with Carl and Curtis. Curtis is just a freak athlete and his speed is ridiculous. Same with Evan Scwhan, just a freaky athlete, and Torrence is great with everything. He uses his hands well. They definitely impressed everybody – everybody who is on the team and everybody on the outside looking in as well, so it’s going to be a very good season for us.”
On the offensive line’s improvement…
“The offensive line has gotten a lot better as a group as a whole. That’s really all I can say. I’m not on the offense. I can’t speak for the offense. I mean, to me it seems like they’ve gotten a lot better. It’s going to be a really big year for them, too. I can see that happening as well.”
On his personal improvement this off-season…
“Reading people, reading formations and stuff like that. Just looking at the backfield and going through my head what plays they might possibly do. Where the back is, where the tight end is and stuff like that.”
On Nyeem Wartman-White at MLB...
“He’s definitely adjusting to that new role real well. He’s going to do whatever it has to take to make the calls for the defense. He’s going to be really good for us back there. He hasn’t missed a beat.”
On how many friends and family will attend Saturday’s game…
“Probably about eight or nine. A lot of people on our team live in that area, so a lot of people are using the tickets, so probably around 8-10. It’s going to be a big game for us. I don’t live that far away from the stadium, so hopefully it’s like a home game for us. We already played in MetLife and this year we’re going to be playing in the Ravens’ stadium, so that’s going to be fun.
On preparing for a team without recent game film...
“They’re a very good team, so it’s going to be hard for them to move away from what they were doing last year. What they were doing last year was pretty good. So we just have to watch film on what they did last year and hopefully they do the same thing, I guess. Their offense is very good, so we’re going to have our hands full and stuff like that, but the personnel really hasn’t really changed. It’s a good offensive line and the guys up front are really the same, so it’s going to be interesting.”
On Jason Cabinda…
“He reacts to the ball very well. He’s just very intense and has a high motor. He’s going to be really good for us. He just has a high motor and he’s always near the ball, so it’s going to be a really good season for him, too.”
On his backup DTs…
“They’e very good and they’re playing at a high level, just like us, and they’re going to be really good as well. So when we rotate, we’re not going to miss a beat at all. So it’s going to be hard for teams to say, ‘Oh their second guys are in, so we can run the ball.’ Like, that’s not going to happen, because they’re just as good as us. They’re very similar to me and Anthony.”
…
“I don’t ever worry about (Parker Cothren and Tarow Barney) going in because I trust them and they’re very good players. … I think it’s going to be a good season for the D-line.”
What it's like taking on double-team blocks…
“Depending on the team, it changes throughout the course of the game. A lot of the double teams come to me, but there’s also some double teams that come to Anthony. But mainly the double teams come to the nose, which is what I play. So it’s something I have to do. I’ve been taking on double teams for a long time, so it’s time to start getting out of them and making plays.”
On freshman CB Jon Reid…
“He is very good at that corner spot. It doesn’t matter if he’s out there, he (tells) everybody what he sees. He is a very good communicator as well. He’s going to be really good for us. People might think he’s a little small, but they’re not going to say that once the ball is snapped.”
Here are some of the highlights from what he had to say:
Flying under the radar, compared to Anthony Zettel…
“That really doesn’t matter to me as long as we win games and (play) our defense. I’m fine with doing my job and doing what we have to do to win. That doesn’t really bother me at all."
On the growth of him and Zettel as a tandem…
“Probably I’d say more communication between us since we have a little more chemistry. We have that whole season under our belts, playing next next each other, so we know what we like to do so there’s probably a little more chemistry between us.”
…
“We were pretty much competitive in everything when we were lifting. We were in the same lift groups, we would push each other, so it was just a very good thing to do, to have both of us in the same lift group. Sometimes we weren’t in the same group but when we weren’t there were other guys I was trying to push and be competitive with. Everybody is competitive. It’s not just me and Zettel; it’s everybody on the team who is trying to compete for spots.”
On Jordan Lucas…
“He’s my roommate, so he’s very funny. He’s an outgoing person and he says what’s on his mind here and there. He’s just a very good guy. He’s a very good friend. He and Nyeem are very similar. I room with Nyeem as well, so they have similar characteristics, so it’s a very fun house that I live in.”
On defensive ends…
“Garrett is definitely going to be really good D-end for us this year. He’s going to make a lot of plays. Same with Carl and Curtis. Curtis is just a freak athlete and his speed is ridiculous. Same with Evan Scwhan, just a freaky athlete, and Torrence is great with everything. He uses his hands well. They definitely impressed everybody – everybody who is on the team and everybody on the outside looking in as well, so it’s going to be a very good season for us.”
On the offensive line’s improvement…
“The offensive line has gotten a lot better as a group as a whole. That’s really all I can say. I’m not on the offense. I can’t speak for the offense. I mean, to me it seems like they’ve gotten a lot better. It’s going to be a really big year for them, too. I can see that happening as well.”
On his personal improvement this off-season…
“Reading people, reading formations and stuff like that. Just looking at the backfield and going through my head what plays they might possibly do. Where the back is, where the tight end is and stuff like that.”
On Nyeem Wartman-White at MLB...
“He’s definitely adjusting to that new role real well. He’s going to do whatever it has to take to make the calls for the defense. He’s going to be really good for us back there. He hasn’t missed a beat.”
On how many friends and family will attend Saturday’s game…
“Probably about eight or nine. A lot of people on our team live in that area, so a lot of people are using the tickets, so probably around 8-10. It’s going to be a big game for us. I don’t live that far away from the stadium, so hopefully it’s like a home game for us. We already played in MetLife and this year we’re going to be playing in the Ravens’ stadium, so that’s going to be fun.
On preparing for a team without recent game film...
“They’re a very good team, so it’s going to be hard for them to move away from what they were doing last year. What they were doing last year was pretty good. So we just have to watch film on what they did last year and hopefully they do the same thing, I guess. Their offense is very good, so we’re going to have our hands full and stuff like that, but the personnel really hasn’t really changed. It’s a good offensive line and the guys up front are really the same, so it’s going to be interesting.”
On Jason Cabinda…
“He reacts to the ball very well. He’s just very intense and has a high motor. He’s going to be really good for us. He just has a high motor and he’s always near the ball, so it’s going to be a really good season for him, too.”
On his backup DTs…
“They’e very good and they’re playing at a high level, just like us, and they’re going to be really good as well. So when we rotate, we’re not going to miss a beat at all. So it’s going to be hard for teams to say, ‘Oh their second guys are in, so we can run the ball.’ Like, that’s not going to happen, because they’re just as good as us. They’re very similar to me and Anthony.”
…
“I don’t ever worry about (Parker Cothren and Tarow Barney) going in because I trust them and they’re very good players. … I think it’s going to be a good season for the D-line.”
What it's like taking on double-team blocks…
“Depending on the team, it changes throughout the course of the game. A lot of the double teams come to me, but there’s also some double teams that come to Anthony. But mainly the double teams come to the nose, which is what I play. So it’s something I have to do. I’ve been taking on double teams for a long time, so it’s time to start getting out of them and making plays.”
On freshman CB Jon Reid…
“He is very good at that corner spot. It doesn’t matter if he’s out there, he (tells) everybody what he sees. He is a very good communicator as well. He’s going to be really good for us. People might think he’s a little small, but they’re not going to say that once the ball is snapped.”
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