Gus Johnson talks being on the call for A&M/UCLA on Sunday night

Key notes from Gus Johnson interview

• In the Cotton Bowl in January 1998, Dat Nguyen was the star for A&M and Cade McNown was the star for UCLA. It’s been a while. I think the last time I called an A&M game was that Cotton Bowl with Johnny Manziel. It was a great game. It’s going to be a fun game to watch this weekend.
  
  
• Josh Rosen said some things this year about universities not really help the student athletes get through school. It’s just football. He certainly does have a lot to prove especially with everyone saying he will be the number one pick in the NFL draft. He looks healthy and positive. The Bruins look sharp in practice.
  
  
• That’s what so interesting about college football, there is no preseason games or scrimmages. They start the season and go at it full throttle. This game could shape the season for both of these teams. You try to know as much as you can, but you just don’t know. What you want to do is just watch the game and see how it unfolds. UCLA wants to run it better this year. Sumlin has always had a high power offense. He’s trying to figure out who the quarterback will be and that could be a big issue. You want to try to be as present as possible.
  
  
• Coach Sumlin’s AD came out and basically said he has to win. He needs to compete for championships. I think Sumlin is a great coach and is taking on a legendary program. There are high expectations and I think he is determined to live up to those expectations. It’s the same for Coach Mora. Rosen got hurt last year and they didn’t have the kind of season he thought they could have. There’s a lot of pressure to win for both the teams and coaches.
  
  
• I definitely am excited about calling games like this. I have two games this week. I have a game tomorrow and then the game on Sunday. For me, I have a lot of anxiety on week one. There’s so many moving parts. You never know who could be thrown in there and you try to have all the numbers and players' names. When the ball is kicked, I can settle into the groove. I have a great partner I can rely on. These athletes are prepared and you want to see them do well. Having the chance to do a game like this on Sunday, it’s a wonderful opportunity and a blessing.
  
  
• That would be really cool if Christian Kirk returned a punt for a touchdown. I think I am prepared to lose my stuff if that happens. It’s time to go watch these boys plays some football. They’ve worked hard, they are positive, and I think our country is in good hands when you watch these college football kids out there because they work so hard. I’m looking forward to being a part of college football again this year. I want to make sure that I get out there and delight in the excellence of the young men that are on the field competing for their schools. These schools have great traditions and incredible fan support.
  
  
• You want to learn the technique of the craft, which is the most important thing at first. After a while, once you get comfortable, then you can start allowing your personality to come out a bit. Over time, that’s happened. I like to be around positive people and I try to see things for the first time every time. I’m excited about life and being around positivity. When you are around college kids, they are just positive and in good moods. This isn’t the NFL or NBA, it’s college. They are kids. They are learning, growing, maturing, and it’s great to see them from start to finish.