Q&A with Larry Johnson - "I don’t get hit, I give hits."

Hammock Parties · 11-01-2006, 05:54 PM

Q: Did you have the Herm Edwards Halloween costume planned out in advance?

JOHNSON: “It was just a spur of the moment thing. I was just hanging out in the Public Relations Department and I just thought the idea would be cool to dress up as Herm and kind of mimic him. That would be my little fun for the year.”

Q: What did Herm say about it?

JOHNSON: “When he came down he just wanted to look at me and see what I looked like and then he said, ‘go on in there, you’ve got me down pat. Go in there and see what you can do.’ Then he just sat in the back of the room and laughed.”

Q: Can you imitate Joe Paterno also?

JOHNSON: “I could do Joe, but that would be hard. I can definitely do Herm easily, though. He’s easy to do.”

Q: How does your body feel after getting 39 carries last Sunday?

JOHNSON: “My body feels fine. I don’t get hit, I give hits. That’s the difference that people don’t understand. This is what we do. This is what Big Ten backs and Penn State backs do. We are not quick and slashing-type guys that run out of bounds. That’s not how my body was conditioned. My body was conditioned to take blows. When people ask, ‘Are you sore?’ I’m not really sore. I practiced today and I had fun jumping around. My body wasn’t aching and I had fun.”

Q: Are you having input on how is the offense growing?

JOHNSON: “I’m having a little bit more input on what we do as far as the running plays and things I like and things I don’t like. I’m having more input now than I’ve have since I’ve been here, talking it over with the offensive lineman and finding out what they like and what they don’t like. I think that’s what’s making this thing work.”

Q: Has there been a transition for you with two new tackles?

JOHNSON: “Their job is to block and block their man. All I have to do is run and anticipate where the hole is going to be and if it’s not there then I have to have my second option trying to find out where the hole is going to be after the point of impact. I’m not going to gauge what one new guy does or what another new guy does. We all block the same scheme and we’re all running the same scheme. That’s how we get things done.”

Q: What do you think of the Rams defense?

JOHNSON: “Those guys run to the ball. They play well together and they remind me of the defense that we’ve played every year in the preseason. We’ve seen them before. They’re going to be the same team at home that they were out in San Diego. I anticipate a whole different mindset as far as their defense playing at home.”

Q: Has the transition to Herm Edwards been easier than some transitions of the past?

JOHNSON: “People just had to get used to what I’m about and what I’m trying to do as far as my career goes. If they’re not on the same page as me then I can’t be on the same page with them. That’s how that transition goes. Herm came in and was on the same page as me and is trying to get done the same things that I’m trying to get done. That’s how everything gelled together and worked. That’s how we can have little skits where I’m making fun of him or he’s making fun of me because we’re on the same page.”

Q: What do think of Damon Huard’s play thus far?

JOHNSON: “He’s done an awesome job. He’s hitting the guys that need to be getting the ball. He’s putting the ball in the hands of the playmakers. He’s going through his reads and he’s doing things a lot better than he did at the end of the Cincinnati game and the Denver game. He’s gotten 100 times better as each game goes on because he’s getting more comfortable.”

Q: Can you tell us about the upholstery in your truck?

JOHNSON: “I just have jerseys of different guys who are in the Hall of Fame or are about to be in the Hall of Fame stitched into the seats of my truck. I’ve got Walter Payton, Lenny Moore, D.J. Dozier, Ernie Ladd, Ed Sprinkle, Tony Dorsett, Eric Dickerson, Jim Brown… the list goes on and on.”

Q: Were all of those guys your childhood heroes?

JOHNSON: “They couldn’t be my childhood heroes because I wasn’t around when those guys were done playing. Basically, NFL Films made it possible for me to learn more about NFL history than I have in other aspect of the sport. There was so much that NFL Films did, like Steve Sabol putting those tapes out there. Without those tapes I don’t think I would have known Tony Dorsett or Dickie Post or anybody who played before me. I think a lot of players need to go back and take a look at that history.”

Q: Do you have a whole library of NFL Films highlight tapes?

JOHNSON: “I don’t have a whole library, but I have the things that I want to see and I watch them periodically. I can’t really watch a tape on defensive lineman or defensive backs because that’s not my position. I watch some of the best runners and stuff like that.”

Q: Who were the guys you liked watching when you were younger?

JOHNSON: “It was more Walter Payton and Jim Brown when I used to watch tape. Other than that I hadn’t really watched anybody else as far as football because I really didn’t watch football games since I was playing all the time. When my dad sat me down to watch tape it was of those two guys.”

11-01-2006, 05:54 PM	Topic Starter
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $4470478	Q&A with Larry Johnson - "I don’t get hit, I give hits." Q: Did you have the Herm Edwards Halloween costume planned out in advance? JOHNSON: “It was just a spur of the moment thing. I was just hanging out in the Public Relations Department and I just thought the idea would be cool to dress up as Herm and kind of mimic him. That would be my little fun for the year.” Q: What did Herm say about it? JOHNSON: “When he came down he just wanted to look at me and see what I looked like and then he said, ‘go on in there, you’ve got me down pat. Go in there and see what you can do.’ Then he just sat in the back of the room and laughed.” Q: Can you imitate Joe Paterno also? JOHNSON: “I could do Joe, but that would be hard. I can definitely do Herm easily, though. He’s easy to do.” Q: How does your body feel after getting 39 carries last Sunday? JOHNSON: “My body feels fine. I don’t get hit, I give hits. That’s the difference that people don’t understand. This is what we do. This is what Big Ten backs and Penn State backs do. We are not quick and slashing-type guys that run out of bounds. That’s not how my body was conditioned. My body was conditioned to take blows. When people ask, ‘Are you sore?’ I’m not really sore. I practiced today and I had fun jumping around. My body wasn’t aching and I had fun.” Q: Are you having input on how is the offense growing? JOHNSON: “I’m having a little bit more input on what we do as far as the running plays and things I like and things I don’t like. I’m having more input now than I’ve have since I’ve been here, talking it over with the offensive lineman and finding out what they like and what they don’t like. I think that’s what’s making this thing work.” Q: Has there been a transition for you with two new tackles? JOHNSON: “Their job is to block and block their man. All I have to do is run and anticipate where the hole is going to be and if it’s not there then I have to have my second option trying to find out where the hole is going to be after the point of impact. I’m not going to gauge what one new guy does or what another new guy does. We all block the same scheme and we’re all running the same scheme. That’s how we get things done.” Q: What do you think of the Rams defense? JOHNSON: “Those guys run to the ball. They play well together and they remind me of the defense that we’ve played every year in the preseason. We’ve seen them before. They’re going to be the same team at home that they were out in San Diego. I anticipate a whole different mindset as far as their defense playing at home.” Q: Has the transition to Herm Edwards been easier than some transitions of the past? JOHNSON: “People just had to get used to what I’m about and what I’m trying to do as far as my career goes. If they’re not on the same page as me then I can’t be on the same page with them. That’s how that transition goes. Herm came in and was on the same page as me and is trying to get done the same things that I’m trying to get done. That’s how everything gelled together and worked. That’s how we can have little skits where I’m making fun of him or he’s making fun of me because we’re on the same page.” Q: What do think of Damon Huard’s play thus far? JOHNSON: “He’s done an awesome job. He’s hitting the guys that need to be getting the ball. He’s putting the ball in the hands of the playmakers. He’s going through his reads and he’s doing things a lot better than he did at the end of the Cincinnati game and the Denver game. He’s gotten 100 times better as each game goes on because he’s getting more comfortable.” Q: Can you tell us about the upholstery in your truck? JOHNSON: “I just have jerseys of different guys who are in the Hall of Fame or are about to be in the Hall of Fame stitched into the seats of my truck. I’ve got Walter Payton, Lenny Moore, D.J. Dozier, Ernie Ladd, Ed Sprinkle, Tony Dorsett, Eric Dickerson, Jim Brown… the list goes on and on.” Q: Were all of those guys your childhood heroes? JOHNSON: “They couldn’t be my childhood heroes because I wasn’t around when those guys were done playing. Basically, NFL Films made it possible for me to learn more about NFL history than I have in other aspect of the sport. There was so much that NFL Films did, like Steve Sabol putting those tapes out there. Without those tapes I don’t think I would have known Tony Dorsett or Dickie Post or anybody who played before me. I think a lot of players need to go back and take a look at that history.” Q: Do you have a whole library of NFL Films highlight tapes? JOHNSON: “I don’t have a whole library, but I have the things that I want to see and I watch them periodically. I can’t really watch a tape on defensive lineman or defensive backs because that’s not my position. I watch some of the best runners and stuff like that.” Q: Who were the guys you liked watching when you were younger? JOHNSON: “It was more Walter Payton and Jim Brown when I used to watch tape. Other than that I hadn’t really watched anybody else as far as football because I really didn’t watch football games since I was playing all the time. When my dad sat me down to watch tape it was of those two guys.”
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