Avery Johnson postgame Tennessee-Martin Press Conference | 08.31.24

what did you think how do you grade your performance and how do you think it it went overall it was just really slow I feel like offensively um we kind of came out flat and definitely could have did stuff a lot better and then I'm pretty hard on myself so I don't think I had the best game but I mean it wasn't the worst either still got a lot of improvement to make but I mean we're want to know at the end of the day the defense played really well um we just are going to have to get look at the tape and and find you know where we can get better and just get back after it next week what was the most frustrating aspect and then what did you feel like you did best as an individual um really I just like I didn't use my legs enough at times uh I feel like that's one of the best parts of my game being able to hurt the defense with my legs and I feel like I got complacent at times and kind of um maybe spit the ball out or maybe force some stuff in at times when I didn't need to um but feel like we showed flashes of of explosiveness um DJ ran the ball really well um Dylan looked really explosive when he got the ball and so did Joe Jack so just got to continue to up our game or passing game um but I I don't think we we should Panic Avery when you had the design run early in this second half that relax you it looked like you needed to get that out of your system yeah and I mean we'll continue to do stuff like that going throughout the year um but I mean it was just a lot of fun to be able to go out there and that was my first time other than getting maybe hit in the pocket a few times in the first half but that was my first time like actually getting tackled in the game so it it was it was just fun to get out there and get an open space and be able to you know um use my legs a little bit how important was it you guys were able to execute the passing game and go deep and connect on a couple I think it's really good because like you you go at practice and you go against Scouts in your defense but um when you get on the the game field you have all your adrenaline rushing and just being able to kind of feel it out and in game time kind of takes takes some time that a lot of people don't um really recognize so being able to connect on some deep stuff um be able to just hit hit easy layups tonight I think it'll definitely benefit us moving forward Avery the game just ended but is there any anything off the top of your head that you think can be taken away to learn from ahead of next week's game against two lane I think just me um being able to just place the ball in tight Windows um being aggressive pushing the ball down the field and just um us just dialing up some more explosives and and trying to really stretch the defense defense vertically um because I think our Run game looked really good tonight it was just I feel like we lacked the pass game at times and um I feel like it would just kind of come as the season goes along how how it feel watch Dylan get into the end zone a couple times it was a lot of fun because like a lot of people don't know how how many positions he's been thrown in um this this fall camp and just being able to see like all his hard work and effort um kind of come to fruition and being able to celebrate him in the end zone it was it was kind of like old times again so it was a lot of fun being able to see him be successful tonight has your phone blown up from your buddies and have you heard from will Howard for instance uh I talked to to will before the game I haven't talked to any of them after the game I haven't been on my phone really much I'm kind of celebrating in the locker room with my teammates and then got in the showers and then shot up here so I have a lot of family um and close friends in in town at night so it'll be fun to be able to see them after this what did you see on the interception what uh feedback did you get from the coaches really it was just me trying to to force some stuff in when I when it really didn't need to to happen um I was playing off that boundary safety and he he kind of got over top of it so I I didn't want to lob it over the linebacker um and he just kind of got undercut I should have just played the corner into the boundary but I just got kind of got too aggressive um and kind of was playing in the moment a little bit too much so I mean nothing to worry about but uh definitely one I wish I could have back it's obviously something that you never want to happen as a quarterback but it's something that does happen to every quarterback at every level is it nice to have the first one out of the way at least yeah I feel like when you get kind of deep into the season and you're week four or five you don't have any any interceptions um the word kind of lingers in the back of your head and it could maybe cause somebody to not be as aggressive and push the ball down the field so I mean like I never want to turn the ball over and I never want to uh put the ball In Harm's Way But at the end of the day like uh getting it getting the first one kind of out of the way I wouldn't say it's a good thing but um I wouldn't change I don't change my mindset or Preparation going into next week I'm going to continue to you know push the ball down the field talk about the old line a little bit Cooper's gone couple new faces how' you feel about the guys who were blocking ahead of you I mean I feel like they protected really well to I I I wouldn't say I was under duress um much and I feel like the only time I was under duress I held on the ball um for a little bit too long and was trying to pick up jayon angle down the field and kind of got hit as I threw but other than that I feel like they did a really good job um and I wouldn't say and and then running the ball wise I feel like they did a really good job in the Run game and credit to them credit to DJ and our other backs Dylan and and Joe um and Jimmy got in the end zone for his first time tonight too so youall don't know how hard Jimmy works and and how how much he take care of takes care of his body on a weekly basis so being able to to see him get his first one it was definitely exciting um from the sideline but I mean those those guys play their butt off for me week in and week out so I'm just excited to to be able to um you know be a be the quarterback for for those five Dylan had just mentioned that