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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 16, 2016

Paul Johnson

Greensboro, North Carolina

PAUL JOHNSON: Good morning. I was proud of our football team last week when we had a lot of guys injured and banged up and hurt. We went into a very tough place to play against a very good football team and good program and was able to come out with a win. Hopefully we can carry some of that momentum into this week against the University of Virginia, who is certainly a better team than their record would indicate. We fully expect it's going to be a heck of a challenge here on Saturday.

Q. Coach, I'm curious with their announcement of the change at quarterback, going back to Matt Johns, you faced him last season. What is your scouting report on him, and how does that factor into this match-up?
PAUL JOHNSON: Well, I'm sure they're going to be excited. I think anytime you have a changeover, you get some new enthusiasm and that kind of thing, I don't see that they'll change the system a whole lot. I'm sure they're going to do what they do.

As you mentioned, we played against them last year, and they beat us up there with him playing quarterback. So certainly we've got respect for him and what he can do. We'll just kind of get ready for the system.

Q. They've had some trouble this season with their pass protection, obviously. What do you see there in terms of both their offensive line and what they're doing with some other guys to try to help?
PAUL JOHNSON: Well, I think when you throw it as often as they do, you're going to have some sacks, but I don't think there is anything schematically wrong with their protection or what they're trying to do. It just comes down to execution, and people being able to get to the quarterback. So certainly that's something that we've got to be able to do if we're going to have a chance to stop them. We've got to get some pressure on the quarterback.

Q. What did you learn about your team being able to overcome the adversity of missing some very key starters to be able to win that game last week?
PAUL JOHNSON: Well, I think that some of the younger guys, we feel like are going to be pretty good players. We started three freshmen on the offensive line. I think they're all going to be good players in time. They all played reasonably well at Virginia Tech. I was proud of Matthew Jordan who went in. I've got confidence in Matthew. I think he can be a good player.

I think just the resiliency. Our kids keep playing no matter what happens or anybody says or what's going on in the game, they just keep playing.

Q. Do you expect Justin Thomas and some of the other injured guys back this week?
PAUL JOHNSON: Yeah, we should have them all back. This might be the healthiest we've been.

Q. You mentioned this at the top. But how do you keep the momentum going after what happened last weekend?
PAUL JOHNSON: You just continue to play and try to execute at a high level and do what we do. It's our last home game, Senior Day. You try to put yourself in position for a better bowl game. You're trying to get even in the conference. I mean, there's a ton of things we have to play for.

Q. With knowing how you send in your plays each game, what do you think of all the espionage that's going on the sidelines with sending signals?
PAUL JOHNSON: I don't think a whole lot about it. We signal every so once in a while when we go no-huddle and one-minute situations and those kind of things. I think a lot of it is window dressing, most of it is. All the boards and different things it's just people having fun with some of it.

But we don't try to get too caught up in all that. As long as you've got a couple guys signaling, you change up who is live, that's really about all you have to do.

Q. You mentioned your senior class and obviously Senior Day. Just what you can say about what this class has meant to you, what these veterans have meant, and just what you can say from a coach's perspective what you've taken away from these young men?
PAUL JOHNSON: Well, we have a small senior class this year, but as I said early in the week, these guys have won a lot of football games. They've been in two ACC Championship games, they've been to the Orange Bowl, won the Orange Bowl. They've done a lot of things. But more importantly as a coach you watch them grow and you hope that they're successful after football, whenever that is.

So it's always emotional when you realize it's their last home game and it's the last time you'll see them in your locker room and that kind of thing. But you've got to put that behind you and go and play. No better way to honor the seniors than to try to win that last game for them at home.

Q. And on the other side just what you can say about what Bronco Mendenhall has been able to do this season, and just what you've taken away from his team on film so far?
PAUL JOHNSON: They've been in most every game they've played. Turnovers have hurt them certainly in the games that they've lost. I'm sure that he's building a foundation and building the program the way that he wants it to be. So they'll definitely be a challenge on Saturday. They come in, they play hard. They've got some really good players. We approach them just like we would Virginia Tech the week before. We try to approach every game the same.

Q. From a scouting standpoint, do you look at anything that Matt Johns did against you last year? Because that's really the only playing time he's had other than some time in the new offense this year.
PAUL JOHNSON: No, you always look at last year's tape just from personnel standpoint, but I don't imagine they'll be doing what they did a year ago. I think they're going to run their system, and he's very capable of doing that.

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