	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 26, 2017

Jah'Shawn Johnson

Lubbock, Texas

Q. How are you feeling, Jah'Shawn?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: I'm definitely feeling better now. Just kind of selfish on my part to not hydrate as well once we had the delay and things like that. But I'll be good this next week.

Q. You guys lost so many close games last year. What has it been like to have pulled one out in the end with so many plays with the defensive side and the offensive side?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: We've got a lot more confidence now than we had last year. In situations like that last year guys were worried and down on each other and things like that. On the sideline this week, he could see that everyone was encouraging each other, and knowing that we were going to win. We had no doubt in our minds that we were going to win that game. So, like I said, the confidence is really high right now, and I like that about this team.

Q. There is a lot more energy on the sidelines. Is that something you all talked about that you have to have more energy on the sidelines?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: Oh, yeah. Even with the guys that don't play, they're out there, pumping the crowd up and pumping us up as well. We're just cheering for each other. It's hard enough to play a game out there with no one out there and things. So, once you know that your teammates are going to have your back regardless of the outcome, so we just cheer for each other.

Q. Has that helped? Do you feel like that's helped make a difference in the two games as opposed to the past seasons?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: Definitely. It definitely helps.

Q. You mentioned that you guys knew you were going to be able to get a stop. But last year it didn't really happen on the field. How much has that helped the whole defense to see it actually happen on the field? How can you translate that into this weekend?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: It was a boost. But we know as a defense we shouldn't have even made that game close. I mean, we had them on the ropes and we kind of let off. Secondary, we started to slack off. We gave up a couple deep balls and fell down on a couple plays and left our receivers open. But we have been in the film room, we got it corrected, and just excited for this next opportunity.

Q. How are you specifically preparing for the wide receivers?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: Just like I prepare for any wide receivers. I mean, they're all crafty. Anybody can make plays and just about all of them are speed guys and can go up and get the ball and things like that. So just trying to figure out their tendencies and how they lineup and how they run their routes and things.

Q. On that one drive you all had so much success on defense, and then it resulted in a penalty. Did you all get a chance to communicate at all and say let's try to settle down? Take me through your mindset when that's happening?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: I mean, well, Coach Gibbs, Coach Scott, everyone emphasizes just respond, no matter if it's good or bad. That's all I was out there yelling to all the people, just respond. I mean, we can't control what the referees call and things like that. I know I kind of got down on myself for having two penalties and giving up 30 yards of that. But, yeah, we just have to respond and keep playing and things will go our way eventually.

Q. Do you feel like -- you had the interference call just like you were giving it (Indiscernible), was that frustration still with you when Tim had the call from the personal foul.
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: No, sir. I asked what I had done wrong. They said I was contacting the guy and things like that. But I got over it and I was just continuing to play fast. He actually said the hit was kind of clean except for the second part, I guess. I guess he was out of bounds then, but we were going full speed in. So it was okay.

We can't apologize for the way they compete out there. It happened. They got the first down, kept the drive going, but we'll be okay.

Q. Where do you think the defense has improved the most? As far as is it being in the right place where you're supposed to be and not overreacting? Or is it just better tackling?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: I think better tackling, the effort. You see a lot of guys around the ball, which we didn't have last year. You see guys selling out, diving for balls, loose balls on the ground. Even though we gave up a lot of passes, you see the DBs were tight to coverages and things. The receivers just made some great plays and the quarterback had a good ball. So I just think we're a lot more aggressive this year.

Q. Obviously the other night on both sides and both teams there were an awful lot of talented receivers who put up some big numbers. Coach Gibbs in the past has said that with the popularity of seven-on-seven with young players, there are still position players who want to be receivers and quarterbacks that don't want to (Indiscernible). Is there some truth to that?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: Yeah, it's hard being a DB. I mean, you can go through a lot of plays and someone on the front seven could mess up or bust a coverage or bust a play or things like that. But the DBs have to be the one to stop it. If you don't stop it, everyone notices that. So they don't really notice what's going on in the front. But if you miss that tackle or miss the pass break for threes like that and they go for a touchdown, they'll definitely remember that.

So it's kind of tough. Everyone wants to be the guy that catches the game-winning touchdown and things like that. No one wants the pressure on them to stop the game on the touchdown or stop the first down and get the offense back the ball and things.

Q. What was your personal experience? Did you play offense?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: I tried playing offense at a very young age. First time I got tackled, I cried. I stayed on the sideline the rest of the game, laid on my helmet the rest of the game. So the next game I actually tried defense. My dad wanted me to try defense, and I started playing safety then and kind of fell in love with it. But I did play offense throughout after I got used to tackling and things like that. But, yeah, defense was just for me.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: Yeah, it's because I got hit hard the first time. So I knew I wanted to be the one delivering the blows and not taking them again.

Q. Are you a Pedialyte guy or Powerade guy?
JAH'SHAWN JOHNSON: We're Powerade here, so I guess I'm kind of that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297