Brandon Johnson, R-Sr., WR
On what it has been like to have a second consecutive year in the same offense…
“It’s been cool to have some normalcy. It’s my second year with Coach (Jim) Chaney and we’ve had quite a few offensive coordinators and different play-calling styles in this offense for a while now. It’s been nice to have the same offensive coordinator for a couple of years now. We know what he wants to call. We’re familiar with the game plan and the plays he likes to run. From a receiver’s standpoint, it allows us to play a little faster and get things going.”
On having two key receptions in the win over South Carolina on Saturday…
“It feels great knowing that I can help my team. That’s really what it’s all about. No more. No less. I just want to help my team win. That’s the reason I’m still here.”
On how big it was to be able to focus on learning the offense during his redshirt year last season and then performing well in his first game back…
“It felt great. It was kind of a sigh of relief knowing that I made the correct decision. It was a difficult decision to sit out and make my family go through it. I feel like it worked out for the best and I look forward to continuing to help my team.”
On if he envisioned having a big role this year…
“Yes, that’s always something to envision. As a football player in any circumstance, you’re always dreaming of making plays and being able to help your team. It’s a blessing. I thank God that I’m able to do so.”
On his one-handed catch on a third down play Saturday…
“It was cool. I lost the ball for a little bit in the lights. I lost it for a second. It finally came back down, I found it and I was able to get a hand on it.”
On how he believes the team performed as a group on Saturday…
“I feel like we did some good things. We put some good things on tape during that game, but we’re not satisfied at all. We know we can play a lot better than what we did, just breaking down the film and looking at it. We’re hungry now. We’re hungry to come back out and make a big improvement from Week 1 to Week 2.”
On if he ever questioned whether redshirting was the right decision…
“Yes, it was always a tough decision. From a football player’s perspective, it’s hard to just watch your brothers go out there and play every Saturday. That was always hard. I feel like I leaned on God with this decision, God and my family. I can’t have any regrets if I do that.”
On how far the program has come since 2017…
“I think the proof is in the game that you all just saw. We have come a long way from the point. I feel like we’re really close as a team and we really know how to play with one another. I think we look really, really good.”
On his connection with Jarrett Guarantano…
“It’s great. I love JG. I couldn’t have caught that ball if he hadn’t placed it where he placed it. That was a perfectly thrown ball. I’ve got all the faith in the world in JG. I’m so proud of him and how far he’s come from when we first got here. I can’t wait to see him keep going.”
On what he is expecting from the altered gameday atmosphere for the season’s home-opener this Saturday…
“It will definitely be different. It will be my first time ever playing in Neyland without all of the traditions, the things that we’re so accustomed to and the things we love. At the end of the day, it’s still about football and that’s what we’re focused on. We’re focused on getting our second win of the season and that’s the main goal.”
On how excited he is to play in Neyland Stadium on Saturday, even with limited fans…
“We’re super excited, there is nothing like playing in Neyland, it’ll definitely be different without all the fans, but there’s still nothing like playing in Neyland, and I am super excited for it.”
On how he thinks this program has learned how to win big games, especially in the second half…
“We just buy in to Coach Pruitt and what he is telling us, we put on more steam that is what we do. And if it is not going our way, Coach Pruitt always tells us to find a way to win, no matter what it is or what the score says you got to find a way to win. I think as a team we are really buying into that, and that is how we have come out on top.”
On if he thinks there was a moment when everything clicked, and they started buying in or if it is just maturity over time…
“I think it happens over time and (with) maturity. As you guys saw the last half of last season we started to pick things up, it takes time but as a whole once you start buying in you start to see success.”
On the biggest difference in a road game in a normal season vs. a year like this season in a pandemic…
“I would say all the health precautions we have to take, so everything around the complex with social distancing and wearing your mask and things of that nature it’s all the same thing on the road. It does kind of slow things down from an operating standpoint, and moving around from point A to point B, but it’s do-able, although it still kind of slows things down a bit.”
On what his thoughts are on the SEC transfer rule being discussed that would allow an in-conference transfer to play immediately especially with the Cade May situation…
“I didn’t really know too much about what was going on with that, but all I do know is we support Cade Mays 100 percent and we want him here with us playing as soon as possible, so I don’t know if we can get that done, but it needs to happen so we are behind Cade 100 percent.”
On what the buildup was like before the game Saturday and his emotions before and after the game and how he felt to be a big part of winning the game…
“There’s always those pregame jitters and ready to be out there on the field, but I was super excited because it has been a long time since I’ve played, and I couldn’t wait to get out there. For postgame, it was joy and happiness, just knowing I was able to contribute and help my team win, so it was awesome.”
On the potential he sees from the offensive line this season…
“The sky’s the limit for our offensive line group right now. I got 100-percent faith in them and they look good every day in practice and at game time and we have a line full of leaders. They know what they’re doing and the oldest guys can be looked up to and looked towards, and we try to match their energy.”
On who handled the pregame speech and what that was like for him…
“It was Coach Pruitt, he knows how to get everyone going. He’s really good at it, so that is why I want to hear him before every game; he gets me going.”
On how much Tee Martin has been an influence on him even when he redshirted last season…
“Tee is a great coach and he has been nothing but supportive of me through last year when I wasn’t playing and has never treated me different. He is a great coach and I love him and I just appreciate everything he has taught me from football, and even just regular life; he is a great coach.”
-UT Athletics
