Q&A with Merv Johnson

The name Merv Johnson is now a legendary name among college football coaches. That fact alone demonstrates the type of distinguished career Johnson has had because he was never a head coach during his career as he spent stints as an assistant at Missouri, Arkansas, Notre Dame and Oklahoma. During his 20 years as an assistant coach at Oklahoma, the Sooners had a record of 150-67-5, won one National Championship, five Big Eight Conference titles and seven bowl game victories.

He was the first recipient of the National Football Foundation Integrity Award in 2003, and the award was subsequently named in his honor. He was also inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2002.

Johnson is currently the Director of Football Operations on Bob Stoops' staff and the color voice on the Sooner Football Radio Network. Johnson recently appeared as a guest on my radio show on The Sports Animal, and as you might guess college football and the 2007 Sooners were the main topic of conversation.

JH: If the NCAA instituted an early signing period, how much would it help the college coaches?

MJ: “At the moment, it would probably help them quite a bit with the way that the recruiting process has become accelerated. I think there would be even more emphasis on probably trying to get those early commitments. Despite the difficulty in contacting the youngsters now that they can’t text message and those things I still think through the high school coaches, it would help them a great deal. It would probably honestly help the high school coaches a lot to, because they would know that their star players would not be spending all night and every night on the phone during practice during the fall.”

JH: Many times, when a proposal such as this that the majority of coaches want, it doesn't get passed by the NCAA for whatever reason. As a coach, do you get frustrated that the NCAA does not listen to what you want and feel is good for college football?

MJ: “I think they do to a degree, but I am not sure they pay enough attention. I feel the people out in the field like a lot of the new rules that are implemented. Most of the rules that are changed and added over the years have been certainly for the good. Often times, if you run it by the guy who is out there in the field day after day he may be better able to tell you why it won’t work or where it might now work, as well as you think a little quicker than the people who actually have to get out there and recruit them. I would like to see more of the people who are actually doing the recruiting have a little input into some of those rules that are passed.”

JH: The Sooners have been ranked anywhere form 3rd to 10th in most of the preseason polls. What are your thoughts on this football team in the upcoming season?

MJ: “I think there is a lot of potential there, but like I have always said all potential means is that you have never done it yet. I think that is going to be so important to what this team can go out and accomplish, and what it can do. I think the potential to do that is certainly there. You have to have a little good luck. Players have to mature and become what you see that they can be. The offensive line is a very good example. They are a group that certainly has more talent and a lot more depth than we have had here in a while, but as a group they haven’t really been to war yet. It is going to be important for them to really strive this summer and during two-a-days to make sure they can do that. If that happens, I think they can be awfully good. The polls are based, more than anything else, what you did as a team last year, but certainly secondary what they feel your potential is. The potential I think is pretty good for this group.”

JH: You do not have a quarterback who has taken a significant snap on the roster for this upcoming season as Sam Bradford, Joey Halzle and Keith Nichol are all in contention for the job. Are you concerned about the quarterback situation for next season?

MJ: “No, not really. I think you will always been concerned about your quarterback position. Even if you have a good player coming back, you would be concerned if you can keep him healthy. That position is so important to the team that you are always going to be concerned about it. All three of the guys who competed in the spring have an excellent upside, and all three of those guys have some significant things that they need to improve on and work at.

"I believe they are the kind of people that will do that, and I know all three of them are very intelligent. They are intelligent enough to learn what to do and learn their assignments and correct the mistakes they have made, and also take criticism and coaching constructively and not get their feelings hurt and start pouting. So the make-up in all ways for all three of them, I think, is pretty good.”

JH: Do we have three quarterbacks that are very similar? Or are their enough differences to really distinguish them??

MJ: “I see a lot of difference in all three of them. I think there are certain things, like the difference between Paul Thompson and Rhett Bomar. We can all reflect back and remember the difference and strength in one or the other and vice versa. I think that is what you will see with these three. If one of them clearly establishes himself as the guy it will be the same offense, but he will lean to certain areas, like when Paul Thompson’s strengths became the play-action pass.

"They featured the fakes to Adrian and everybody had to concentrate on him, and then coming off it with a throw seemed to work pretty well for him. That was a part of the offense, but had another quarterback been out there at the time you might not have seen it as much. I think that is the way it will be with these three guys.”

JH: I am always asked how come they don’t throw the ball to the tight end more? So Merv, ho come they don’t throw the ball to the tight end more? Or will they throw the ball to the tight end more?

MJ: “I am in that group that says that as well James.”

JH: So how do you get the ball to the tight end more? And will they throw to the tight end more this season?

MJ: “It is probably not that hard, but again the wide receivers and the things that they do are positive. They are a pretty solid group. You have a tendency to work the ball to them while the tight ends maybe block or tie down the underneath coverage to create opportunities for the wide receivers. With play-action or the conventional passing game, it is not hard to get the ball to the tight end, especially a guy who is 6-foot-5 or 6-foot-6. He makes a nice target when he goes out there.

"The tight ends, especially (Joe Jon) Finley and (Jermaine) Gresham, have the ability to really maneuver and run a route on a linebacker or strong safety. And when they shake them and get open along with their height, it is a target.”

JH: I have always thought that it comes down to the quarterbacks because, unless the tight ends stay in and block they are out in every route, aren’t they? Quarterbacks have the option to find them and throw to them if they want to, don’t they?

MJ: “Sure, they are part of the progression. Maybe the wide receivers are open a little bit more, but I think it varies from time to time. If you're are a defensive coach coaching the secondary and linebackers, you might be a little quicker to concede the tight end and figure if he does catch it then it is not going to be a long gain. It will be more of a possession down maneuver whereas one of those wide guys might turn it into a 40-yard gain if you can hit him. It is easy money in there and I think they are an important part of it. Maybe we will see more of them in the passing game this year.”

JH: You were a great offensive line coach at OU and I always notice that you pay a great deal of attention to the offensive line at practice. What do you think of the offensive line for this season?

MJ: “I am very optimistic, James. I think the nucleus of those guys certainly got their feet wet last year and performed, for the most part, pretty well. Now they have been joined by a new face or two that I think will add even more to that group. I am very impressed with what their potential is. I think they will realize their potential.

"They work hard and James Patton does a terrific job with them, and the players have a lot of respect and rapport with him. He is going to insist on nothing less. I see them having a chance to be good group that could be so good that I would have a hard time comparing another group to them in a while.”

JH: Then you have all those running backs who are all a little bit different, and who can bring some different talents to the offense. You no longer have Adrian Peterson, but you still have some very talented running backs, don’t you?

MJ: “I guess the worst thing about that is that it is just like having two quarterbacks, because the fans always have the wrong one out there.”

JH: The most popular position on the team is the back-up quarterback, right?

MJ: “That is correct. No, the running backs do have qualities that make each one of them a little different. That gives us an awfully solid cast in certain situations against certain defenses perhaps. Against certain defensive mentalities, we have enough diversity in our running backs to attack different types of defenses. Against somebody that is really concerned about the passing game, it may allow one of them to perform more effectively than the others. If somebody wants to gain up against the run, there may be certain situations where you have to go ahead and run it anyway and that may lean to favor another one. I think the running backs can be pretty exciting."

JH: What kind of defense do you think Oklahoma will have this season?

MJ: “Obviously, they are not going to change defensive philosophy. Coach (Brent) Venables and Coach (Bob) Stoops, in their eight years, we haven’t seen a wholesale change of any kind, and I certainly don’t expect any this year. It has been effective and they have been able to put a lot of pressure on an offense.

"I thought the secondary appeared to be much improved in the spring. They were more solid, more physical and moving D.J. Wolfe back into safety could be a big benefit to the team. I think having Nic Harris, a big physical safety back there, is a positive and the corners, (Marcus) Walker and (Lendy) Holmes, played well last year. And adding Reggie Smith to that mix improves that position. I just think it is a bigger, stronger and more physical group than perhaps we have had.

"At linebacker, injuries are going to be critical. Ryan Reynolds needs to be in the threesome that plays linebacker. He had an injury (knee) again this spring that kept him out of most of spring practice. It is going to be really important for that group for him to be back out there with a solid three-deep in the field.

"Up front, the ends are new but I think they'll bring some quickness and maybe some hunger to that position that maybe we didn’t quite have last year. We had three seniors that played most of it and while they played well, I don’t think they played maybe as well or they distinguished themselves as well as they did as juniors. I think we have four players in that group that have a chance to really get out there and be hungry, and maybe make us forget about some of our predocessors.

"The tackle group, I think will, be as strong that it has been since we had (Tommy) Harris and (Dusty) Dvoracek both on the field at the same time.”

JH: Coach Stoops always says that the wide receivers need to make more big plays. Are you optimistic that your wide receivers will step up and be better this year?

MJ: “In my opinion, they weren’t that bad last year. They did a lot of good things and a lot of exciting things. However, I think they were generally a sophomore group last year and I think with the advanced billing perhaps they had going into it, and the fact they played so much as freshmen, they might have taken their successes a little bit for granted. I would be critical of dropped balls more than anything else. I think the effort, block effort and knowledge of assignments were pretty good.

"I think the focus maybe could have been better. I would like to see them come back and show some maturity this year and be the kind of group that they really can be. Obviously, Malcolm Kelly has certainly distinguished himself as a standout player, but I think they all have just about as much capability as he does to do that. I would like to see every one of them to step it up this year.”