Cornelius Johnson talked about a wide range of topics when he met with the media this week, from the development and bond of the receivers this season to his memories of the postgame celebrations against Ohio State and Iowa to punt blocking to the different phases of a season. For everything Johnson said, read on.
On the development of the wide receivers and Cade McNamara this season
It’s just something we work on every day. Even on days where we’re not at the stadium or on gamedays, coming in to practice. We take that very seriously because it’s something that translates to gamedays. So whether it’s the first play of the game or the last play of the game, if they call your number it’s one of those situations where you never know when the ball’s coming to you so you’ve just got to be ready at all times, so that’s something we’re focusing on for sure.
On the depth and talent of the wide receivers
I think we’re a really good group. We pride ourselves on being like a crew, like always close together. We even got a group chat and everything. We’re always staying close to each other and helping each other out on and off the field, so keeping that bond together is something we want to keep going throughout the rest of the season, especially going into Miami. Just making sure we’re all locked in and helping each other out and playing for each other. That’s what we focus on.
How active is that group chat?
That group chat’s always going off. It could be first thing in the morning or like at random times, just people sending just random stuff in the chat and always getting us laughing and stuff. It’s just really funny.
On his recollections of the post-OSU win chaos and post-Big Ten championship game
I mean, immediately after the game, just like from that standpoint I remember just looking down for like two seconds and looking up and I was just like–got lost in the pile. I was trying to figure out–I couldn’t find any of my teammates. I was like, ‘Oh dang, I’ve got to figure out what’s going on.’ Eventually I was around just a bunch of random students. Eventually I found my way back to the locker room and we were celebrating. People in the locker room were jumping around, high-fiving each other.
You could just tell it was one of those wins that like you only experience a couple times and for us to be in that moment, and we were able to come back the next week, seven days later, and put together–put something on tape that was able to get us the Big Ten championship. It’s something that is important not to get too high, not to get too low after games because there’s always next and always ways to improve.
On why players are saying they aren’t surprised to be in the playoff
The reason why some people may have said we’re not surprised is sort of what we were talking about earlier, just taking it day by day. So if you just take care of each day, you’re not really surprised by the work that you put in. All the work that we’ve done in the summer, all the work we’ve done throughout the season, it eventually finds its way to shine and it’s no surprise some of the awards and some of the victories and the place we’re in right now as a result of all the effort and all the whole process that’s been going on.
On not changing what’s gotten them to this place while keeping things even-keeled
Like we were saying earlier, just keeping a level head, not trying to change or do anything different necessarily. Just play our brand of football and just because we won a few games, that’s good, but we’ve got another opponent on the line so we’ve just got to focus on that opponent, which is the Georgia Bulldogs.
How does one become an effective punt blocker?
It's one of the those things where you only get one shot, so you may only get one shot throughout the game so all I'm thinking in my head is like it may be the first play, your first rep, but if you don't get it on that first rep, you always come back and spin the ball again. It's just like something funny. I'll just be thinking in m head just anything to get myself excited for that moment because you can only get one shot sometimes so you've got to be ready when that shot is called to block the kick or block the punt.
How much of that is film study?
It's a lot of film study. I give a lot of credit to coach Harbaugh and the special teams staff and all the other assistant coaches because it's something where you go through all the tape throughout the year and you try to find those little weaknesses they have in their defenses and line it up and then also shout out to our scout punt team because during practice during the week they give us a good look so we're able to go out on Saturdays and perform. It's really everyone combined. It's never just one guy who deserves any of the credit. It's really the whole team because you can't do it without everyone else.
On what has made the offense more explosive this year
It's just execution. Like you just said, compared to other years where there hasn't been as many explosive plays, it just boils down to practice and it's not necessarily anything that's vastly different rather than just keep on pushing and eventually something's going to give.
On how much things change week to week in what he sees on punt coverage and whether he felt there was something that would lead to him getting blocks when he did
Week to week, you see all the film, it's always different. It's always like a different look from week to week, so being able to keep it consistent on our end, it takes a lot of discipline because we've got to follow our rules and adjust to what we see on film. So for me personally going into each week, I see it as like anything happens so from the first play to the last, I just gotta rehearse that in my head. Like the night before, I put myself in a dark place and just go through all the possible scenarios in my head before the game while I'm in that dark spot.
On Georgia's secondary and what he has seen on film
I've seen a very disciplined football team and a team that deserves to be where they are, and we're excited for the opportunity.
On whether he views the season in phases based on certain games, such as Wisconsin and Michigan State and Ohio State
That's an interesting point because you could look at it as phases. For example, say you take like--take it month by month, break it up between September and then you've got October, you got November. That ball in November is different than that ball you see in September and October, you know what I mean? Like you were saying, the phases. Then especially once you get to December, once December rolls around, you know how it gets in December, so you've got to be ready for that mentally. It gets cold. Not just literally, but it gets cold in the sense of like you just got to dig deep because you know it's toward the end of the season. Different phases, like if you break it down, halfway through the season, the bye week...I'm just trying to think in my head different phases of the season, because it's a good point.
On being at the point in the season where you can't make up for mistakes
Exactly. It got to the point where you've got to put yourself in that dark place and it's almost in a sense where your future, you can't be thinking about the future because it's all just on one--it all comes down to one day and you got one shot, one opportunity...to seize everything you ever wanted. (laughs)
On whether that weighs on everyone mentally
Yeah, I mean, it does wear on you because you know it's not just any other regular game, it's a bowl game and it's in a stadium where--like a legendary stadium, legendary everything around you and it's important not to get too caught up in that hype because at the end of the day you're just on the football field. It could be any field, like in Glick or out on a high school field. It's still just 100 yards long and that's how I try to think about it in my head just to calm things down for me. Not to just overthink it.
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