Javon Bullard Talks Marvin Harrison Hit and Georgia Football
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00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:04 >> Javon, Coach Smart talked yesterday about figuring out where you fit best in
00:08 the secondary and trying to size up your camp.
00:10 When you look at safety, how much more comfortable do you feel there now
00:14 compared to start of spring, trying to learn the ropes?
00:18 How far do you feel like you've come?
00:19 >> I feel like I've come pretty far, actually.
00:23 Like I said, I'm under great leadership from Coach Smart and Coach Murchamp.
00:26 Those guys do a great job of helping you, we call them nuggets across the field,
00:31 helping you really just kind of not cheat the system, but
00:35 play within the system to the best of your ability.
00:37 Those guys do a great job of helping me learn, come in, day in and day out,
00:42 learning, learning more about football, learning more about the game,
00:45 and how to make plays that are supposed to be made.
00:47 And how to make plays, honestly, that aren't even really supposed to be made,
00:49 but how to really just be a high caliber player at that position.
00:52 I feel very comfortable.
00:53 It's still a defensive back, it's not like I moved a D-line or anything like that.
00:57 So like I said, I feel pretty comfortable.
00:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]
01:05 >> I know you've moved forward from last year, but the Big Ten at large and
01:09 Ohio State can't seem to get over the play that you made in the semifinal game.
01:15 How many times have you watched the replay yourself?
01:19 And I guess if you can tell us what, reflecting back on that moment,
01:24 what did that play mean to you?
01:26 Cuz I think that's kind of a play that's probably gonna stand the test of history.
01:30 >> I'm gonna be honest, that play happened in December.
01:35 You're still talking about it, it's not my fault.
01:38 >> [LAUGH] >> We moved on from that.
01:43 We played a game after that.
01:45 We're going into another season.
01:47 The play's over, man.
01:49 To be honest, I don't really have too much to say about that.
01:52 It's over, it's done, we're looking on and preparing ourselves to count.
01:55 [BLANK_AUDIO]
01:58 >> Hey, Javon, Javon Dumas Johnson was obviously a vocal leader for
02:01 you guys last year.
02:02 How have you seen him grow and
02:04 potentially even take on a bigger role for this team going into 2030?
02:07 >> This defense is not the same without Javon, call him Pop.
02:11 This defense is not the same without him.
02:13 He's the voice.
02:16 As a middle linebacker, you have to take on that role.
02:18 It's something that we don't take lightly.
02:20 And he's been under great leadership years prior to him getting here.
02:24 So like I said, big shoes.
02:26 But he's taking on that role and he embraces it.
02:30 He comes in to work day in and day out.
02:32 A close friend of mine, a guy that I look up to on the defense,
02:35 that we have to be on the same page.
02:38 Like I said, I'm excited for his future and
02:39 the things that he's gonna help us do this season.
02:41 >> Javon, when we were talking to Chris Smith at the Pro Day,
02:50 he brought up your name and brought up a guy that I was a little surprised by.
02:54 But Janelle, despite being a freshman,
02:56 is someone that can step up as a big leader.
02:58 I mean, what have you seen from Janelle, both as an athlete, but
03:01 then also stepping up as a leader, despite just being so young?
03:05 >> As far as leadership roles, I feel like you gotta kinda come in and
03:10 kinda follow a little bit to be a leader.
03:12 But as far as his capabilities, Janelle's a freak after me, man.
03:16 And you see it on a day-to-day basis.
03:18 A guy shows flashes on a day-to-day basis and in practice.
03:22 Really just a playmaker.
03:24 And I feel like you're gonna see it throughout this fall.
03:27 She really still has a lot to learn, but this is what the defense do so.
03:33 This defense teaches you a lot about football.
03:35 And Janelle's gonna be a great player here, so I'm excited for his future as well.
03:39 >> You've been known as a playmaker yourself.
03:42 You talked about making plays on the ball.
03:44 Moving a little bit further back from the origination,
03:46 starting point of the ball, to safety, from starting safety.
03:49 Have you noticed any differences in your ability to get to spots on the field where
03:52 we might be able to impact the football?
03:55 >> Really for me, I like to study the game a lot.
03:57 The angles, you move back deeper in the defense, the angles start to change.
04:01 You have to slow yourself down sometimes.
04:03 And it's crazy, you talk about slowing down on the football field.
04:05 But those are the things that make great players great players.
04:08 You look at the A.
04:10 Reeves, the Troy Pazamales, those guys took the time out to actually study the game
04:14 from the safety position.
04:15 And that's why they're one of the great players.
04:16 So I try to take the little key things in my game and
04:21 try to enhance them, take them to the next level.
04:23 Like angles toward the ball, middle field breaks,
04:26 a lot of things that I have to get better at.
04:27 Just my level of conditioning, you're the last line of defense, really.
04:33 So you have to run to the ball every play.
04:35 And that's every position, but especially at safety.
04:38 But those are the things that I need to work on.
04:40 Those are the things that I try to enhance better in my game.
04:43 As far as making plays, I feel like the coaching staff does a great job of putting
04:47 us in the best position to be successful within the defense.
04:49 So along with, you know, some of my God-given ability and
04:53 their expertise in the game, I really feel like we can make a lot of plays and shit.
04:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]
05:02 >> This is kind of along the same lines, but it sounds like you've kind of stuck
05:06 in safety, I mean, do you anticipate that being an exclusive thing going forward and
05:11 into the season?
05:12 >> It's really all on the plans of the coaching staff.
05:16 I play whatever position they put me at.
05:19 That's just my love for the game, and I embrace it, man.
05:23 We pride ourselves on versatility.
05:24 You come in here, you don't think you're just playing one position.
05:27 The more versatile you are, the more value you add to yourself.
05:30 So I take pride in that, learning more positions.
05:34 I try to learn them alive, like if I could, but just really just embracing that and
05:39 taking on that role.
05:40 It's not about you, it's about the team.
05:42 So whatever the team needs at that moment, at that game,
05:45 I feel free to step in and fit wherever I'm sitting.
05:48 >> Well, Javon, you spoke a little bit about the guys like Henry, Troy, Paul,
05:51 Molly.
05:52 Who are some guys, current or former, in the NFL or
05:56 other aspects of the sport that you kind of try to model your game after?
06:01 >> My favorite player is Tyronn Mathew.
06:04 I love the mindset.
06:05 I was watching Buda Baker last night, great player.
06:08 I love guys that are similar to myself, not probably bigger guys in stature, but
06:12 great players.
06:14 All the time, probably Ed Reed.
06:17 They're just guys that have a knack and a love for the game.
06:21 I'm not gonna lie, if you don't love football, you really can't be here.
06:27 And you really can't be around me because I take a lot of pride in this game.
06:30 I think this game has done a lot for me.
06:32 I hope to God and pray that it continues to do a lot for me.
06:36 And I just take a lot of pride in this game.
06:38 I love this game.
06:38 It means a lot to me.
06:39 So just those guys, and of course, I had leaders that came through here,
06:44 like Chris Smith, Louis Scene.
06:45 Those are guys that I looked up to for a while.
06:48 So we're just trying to follow in those guys' footsteps and
06:53 build a great foundation and legacy for myself as well.
06:56 >> Javon, that pride certainly showed when you were playing that down position so
07:03 well, making plays, tackles.
07:07 Now you're looking to be going back.
07:09 Who are you looking forward to to sort of hold that
07:12 mantle that you established last year down there?
07:15 >> Whoever gets the job done, to be honest with you.
07:19 I don't point out single players.
07:21 It's not my job, and it's really not my position to do so.
07:26 But we have a lot of great players in the D.P.
07:28 room that can take that, you know what I'm saying, that can fill in that position.
07:31 Matthew Smith is a great player, all-American guy, stand-up guy.
07:34 Came with the silver ball a lot this year.
07:36 We have Joe Nair.
07:37 We have so many other guys that can step in and play great Georgia football.
07:42 And that's what we're looking for.
07:43 We're looking for the guys that are buy-in and step up and
07:45 play great football within our defense and within our standard.
07:50 Like we have a saying, if you want to feel you're a starter,
07:52 it doesn't matter who's in, you step on that field, we expect you to produce.
07:54 >> I spoke to one of your former high school teammates, Dexter Rich Jr., and
07:59 he just kinda talked about, he mentioned the term bold and tough.
08:02 So what does that mean to you, and just what did y'all both learn under Coach Hicks
08:05 while y'all were there, as y'all both played college football now?
08:08 >> Grit, man, just grit.
08:09 You gotta get it.
08:10 You don't have all the resources that maybe other schools might have, but
08:14 if you love this game, you'll do whatever it takes.
08:17 You'll do whatever it takes to get in the position that you wanna get in.
08:21 And I love DJ to death, man.
08:22 I just talked to him like five minutes ago, it's crazy.
08:25 But just being brought up like that, man, it helps mold you,
08:30 not only to a great football player, but as a great man in general.
08:34 Things are not gonna go your way all the time.
08:36 You're gonna have ups and downs, tries and tribulations, but
08:39 what are you gonna do about it?
08:40 You're gonna sit and mope, or you're gonna take it on the head and
08:42 keep pushing.
08:43 So I feel like that's what Baldwin taught me to me.
08:47 And Coach Hicks is a perfect example of that.
08:49 He had great leadership of us, and
08:51 as a guy that I still love and talk to to this day, so I'm thankful for him.
08:54 [BLANK_AUDIO]
08:57 >> Yeah, Javon, I know you don't like to talk too much about yourself, but
09:01 I mean, you've got the Buckeye Crunch cookie dough.
09:04 You've got Kirby Smart saying you're a stick of dynamite.
09:07 I mean, where did this hitting propensity come from?
09:10 How early?
09:11 And can you explain the mindset that separates your hitting ability maybe from
09:16 others that we've seen?
09:17 >> I don't really know what goes on in other people's heads when they play in
09:22 the sport, but this game is physical.
09:25 This place is physical.
09:27 We just had a practice in the Spotters.
09:28 It still was physical.
09:30 And it's always gonna be like that.
09:32 That's not because of the certain players that are here.
09:35 It's just the standard that we withhold within this organization.
09:38 This place is physical.
09:38 It was physical before I got here.
09:40 It's gonna be physical after I leave.
09:42 So just the physicality that we bring, and I pride myself on that.
09:48 This game is physical, it's never gonna change.
09:50 And you have to have that certain edge, that physicality.
09:53 Some guys aren't as big as others.
09:56 You gotta have that certain swagger and that certain ego about yourself,
10:00 not in a bad way, but of a sense that you step on the field.
10:04 This is the game that I love, and this is the game that I'm gonna continue to play.
10:09 So it's just passion, man.
10:12 It's passion and energy.
10:13 Like I said earlier, I love this game.
10:17 I love this game, and really just, that's what you see on the field
10:22 when I try to play at my best, just really just passion and energy.
10:27 >> I have two more questions.
10:30 >> Yeah, you mentioned instincts, making plays on the ball,
10:33 you can block the film and that stuff.
10:34 How much of that is just film study, that kind of thing?
10:37 And how much is something you're born with,
10:40 just natural instincts that let you make plays on the field?
10:42 >> I really don't know, you know what I'm saying, the precedence of that.
10:49 But I take pride in watching film.
10:51 To answer your question, I take pride in watching film.
10:53 I feel that football intelligence is one of the vital pieces that make
11:00 good players great players.
11:02 When you can anticipate things happening before they even happen,
11:05 that's the difference between a PBU and an interception.
11:07 And I take pride in things like that.
11:09 Like I said, this game is about inches.
11:11 Even though I don't see any players, teams lose games through inches and
11:17 win games through inches.
11:17 So just one false step can cause me an interception, or
11:22 one false step can cause a player to catch a ball on me.
11:24 So I take pride in that, and I don't take nothing away from the man upstairs.
11:30 Man, I'm blessed and fortunate to be able to make the plays that I make,
11:33 do the things that I do, and I show an immense amount of gratitude for that.
11:37 Because not everybody can, you know what I'm saying,
11:39 not everybody can play at this level.
11:41 And I'm so blessed and grateful to be able to do so.
11:43 >> Javon, you look at this year's defense,
11:47 several starts from last year going on the NFL.
11:50 Over these next few weeks in fall camp, what do you guys on defense need to do,
11:54 need to accomplish to be able to be successful once you get into the scene?
11:59 >> Me personally, I want, really just right now,
12:02 I just want us to play as a team, play together.
12:06 Simple things that make defenses, great defenses.
12:10 Get a call, give a call, run to the ball, be the best condition,
12:15 be in shape, be physically dominant.
12:18 Those are the things that help us win football games, and
12:20 those are the things that we need to do in order to get to the places that we wanna go.
12:24 So continue to just learn, keep learning.
12:26 We have to come in here with a learning attitude.
12:29 We're never too good to learn.
12:31 Our coach just said, our defense coordinator just said that he's gonna learn
12:35 something every day that he didn't know the day before.
12:37 So if a guy that's been coaching 29 years can still learn something,
12:40 I'm pretty sure that everybody on this defense can learn something as well.
12:43 So like I said, we have to take pride in that, we have to own up to it.
12:47 And we have to really just embrace it and pass it around.
12:52 Hopefully, it can be contained.
12:54 >> Thanks, Javon.
12:56 >> Appreciate y'all.
12:56 [BLANK_AUDIO]