Still annoyed over a benching by Spurrier? Got something to prove this week against your old college coach? Have you guys patched things up?
``Everybody's going to get the same answer,'' a defiant Johnson said Wednesday, refusing to be dragged into a vendetta-within-a-game as his Atlanta Falcons prepare to face Spurrier's Washington Redskins.
``You can try to slide it in the back door. You can do whatever you want,'' Johnson said. ``There's nothing different about this game. We're trying to get better as a team.''
Spurrier and Johnson were on the same team at Florida from 1996-99 one, the preening mastermind behind the Fun 'n' Gun offense; the other, a cocky, strong-armed quarterback known as ``Slinger.''
Not surprisingly, these two strong personalities had their share of conflict. Spurrier banished Johnson to the bench several times, even though his talented passer went off for seven touchdowns in one game, 460 yards in another.
For Spurrier, it was all part of the coach-player relationship.
``Doug is not the only quarterback who ever got benched,'' Spurrier said in a teleconference. ``All I know is he started his first game as a sophomore and his last game as a senior. He was a starter on-and-off for three years. He had an excellent career.''
Not good enough to get drafted by the NFL, but Johnson managed to make the Falcons after signing as a free agent. Now, in his fourth season, he's viewed as one of the better backups in the league a role that took on even more importance when Michael Vick broke his right leg in the preseason.
Vick is expected to miss at least the first month of the season. Not to worry. Johnson guided the Falcons to a 27-13 victory over Dallas in Week 1.
Now, it's time to face the Redskins and Spurrier. Naturally, Sunday's matchup at the Georgia Dome sparked a reconstruction of the love-hate relationship between two ex-Gators.
``We probably had some disagreements in '97,'' Spurrier recalled. ``But he came back and played some exciting games for us. One of the best was when we beat Georgia 38-7. He even caught a touchdown pass in that game.''
As a college coach, Spurrier would relentlessly needle his players especially the quarterbacks as a form of motivation. He insists that he never had any personal animosity toward Johnson.
``Just about all of my quarterbacks got benched at some point, even (Heisman Trophy winner) Danny Wuerffel,'' Spurrier said. ``They were usually better when they came back.''
Noah Brindise, now the Redskins' quarterback coach, was at Florida for Johnson's first two seasons.
``Doug's a stubborn guy, there's no question,'' Brindise said. ``But Doug's a competitive guy. He's excelled in everything he's ever done. Great baseball player, great football player, a good golfer, too. He's usually pretty good at what he does.''
Johnson certainly appears to headed for a brighter future than most of Spurrier's ex-Florida quarterbacks. Shane Matthews and Jesse Palmer are backups for Cincinnati and the New York Giants, respectively. Wuerffel is out of football.
Looking back, Johnson is thankful he got a chance to work in Spurrier's passing game. He even sent a Falcons visor to his ex-coach after making the team in 2000.
``I had no idea how to throw a ball until I got there,'' Johnson said. ``I mean, I could throw the ball through a wall, but I didn't know anything as far as mechanics, timing, reading defenses, stepping up in the pocket, and everything else that goes into being a quarterback. I have the utmost respect for him.''
Still, Johnson's teammates know he's got a little extra incentive this week.
``No doubt about it,'' said linebacker Keith Brooking, one of Johnson's closest friends. ``I'm sure he's going to be very excited playing his old coach. Now Doug is a levelheaded guy. I know he won't let it distract him from the way he plays or runs the offense. But he's going to be excited for this game, that's for sure.''
Johnson isn't the only one. When receiver Terrence Edwards played at Georgia, he lost to Spurrier's Gators three years in a row.
``I want to beat him bad,'' Edwards said. ``I'd like to see that visor slammed down. I'd like to see him pull that visor over his face, all those things he does when he gets mad. I've never seen it before.''
Speaking of visors, whatever became of that one with the Falcons logo?
``I've still got it,'' Spurrier said with a chuckle. ``I'll wear it someday but not this week.''
http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/9/173104