Trace Johnson

And then we go, you know what? Time for a true freshman to start a quarterback.

And there's Trace Johnson.

to now take the ball here for you as QB1.

The week lead up for him, what were you doing to make sure that he was comfortable and knowledgeable and ready to go for a game that had a lot swirling around

Kevin Adams is another one that was in the same boat, and it's been fun to watch them grow in our program and become team leaders and really good football players.

There was one moment in that game, and I think we might actually see it pop up on the TV screen behind us in the not too distant future here.

And the mistake that you mentioned that Trace Johnson made and he throws the pick But then here comes T.J. Smith with a half-ending pick six.

And that was just to encapsulate that second quarter surge for your team.

That's the narrative that Hall was trying to throw out there on Saturday night, on Friday night as well, after the game.

That, you know, Trace Johnson's been our quarterback all along.

He was the guy.

We were waiting on the right opportunity.

Look, let me tell you something right now.

If Trace Johnson's the right guy all along, he should have been playing game one.

Okay? Waiting for the team to gel in front of him before, again, we put him on the field.

He came in against Southern Miss and won the game for you.

One touchdown, two turnovers on downs, two interceptions.

Kneel down from Trace Johnson, who's going to get his first career win and his first career start.

And Will Hall will jog out to midfield and will shake hands with Charles Huff.

And boy, do you feel great for the head ball coach tonight.

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

And, yeah, that image of Johnny Daniels running down with his jersey just being dragged behind him, that was a great one to see.

And, yeah, you've got to give credit to Trace Johnson.

This was as stressful of a situation as you could put a true freshman into, and the lights never just seemed like they were too bright for him, Steve.

It was gonna be that type of game.

Tulane needed to win it and they didn't, and that's why you're gonna see almost certainly, although they haven't made it official, Trace Johnson as the starting quarterback [laughs] tonight against Memphis.

A- I would say as expected, right? I mean, we talked about it most of the week.

Yeah.

He had, again, two chances to make that winning play after, in, in a not particularly well-played game against Army, and he couldn't, he, he couldn't get it done.

I don't think the confidence...

He, he'll be ready and available if j- if Trace Johnson shows that he's not ready.

But when you have a quarterback make m- me- monumental misses like that in a crucial time, it, it, it do- the confidence of the team erodes a little bit if you keep him in there.