QUESTION: We hear USC quarterback Mark Sanchez often refer to you and your dad as his long time quarterback coaches. What is your relationship to Mark?

Bret Johnson: I started working with Mark Sanchez when he was in the 8th grade and came to me for private quarterback coaching. My Dad and I run a camp called Johnson’s Camp Quarterback and Mark has been a camper for years. Once he was playing at USC, he came back to our quarterback camps to help young quarterbacks as a volunteer “camp counselor”. Over the years we’ve become great friends. He’s one of those quality people you want to keep around. He comes from a great family.

QUESTION: I hear you’ve had quite a laundry list of amazing young quarterback start with Johnsons Camp Quarterback. Can you do a little name-dropping for us?

Bret Johnson: I’m really proud of the kids we’ve coached over the years. I believe in what I do and I’m a big believer in being honest with parents and letting them if they’re kid has potential. I think because of that we weed out the riff-raff and work with the best kids from supportive families. We’ve been lucky enough to have worked one on one with Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer, his younger Jordan Palmer, Mark Sanchez, Blaine Gabbert (the projected starting quarterback for Missouri next year), Colt Brennan, currently with the Redskins, Matt Cassel with the New England Patriots, Cody Hawkins of University of Colorado and Gregg McElroy of Alabama. Gosh, I’m missing a bunch, but those are the ones that pop into my head.

QUESTION: You say you’re still in touch with Mark. Have you talked to him about his decision to come out early, forgo his last year at USC and enter the NFL draft?

Bret Johnson: Yes. Actually, we’ve been on the phone everyday since the Rose Bowl. The poor kid was really torn. I mean he was getting advice all over the board, so he really struggled with this decision. I really think Mark liked bouncing his thoughts off of me because he knows he can trust me and I just want what’s best for him. I have no vested interest in whether he stayed or came out early. I love Mark. He’s the best kid you’ll ever meet. He has a huge heart. He’s humble. He’s kind. He’s polite. He worries about everyone else first. He’s just top notch all the way around. I only wanted him to do what was best for him.

QUESTION: So, does that mean you suggested he come out early?

Bret Johnson: No. I told Mark, “listen to your gut.” I told him only one person knows where your heart and your head are and that’s you. There are no guarantees either way. He could have a terrible year next year or a career ending injury in his first game back at USC. He could also come out now for the NFL draft and the NFL scouts may have him projected lower than most speculate. No one has a crystal ball, but most people suggest he’s a top ten draft pick in this years NFL. It’s a gamble, but it’s not a coin flip. He needs to follow his heart. I think Mark’s made the right decision for his future.

QUESTION: So Mark Sanchez has been a part of Johnson’s Camp Quarterback since he was a little guy. I’m trying to picture an 8th grade Mark Sanchez. Tell me about what you were working with. Did you know you had a Division 1 quarterback in the making.

Bret Johnson: That’s funny. Mark Sanchez, even as an 8th grader was a great athlete, a big kid who really listened and wanted to be coached. Actually, Mark and Carson Palmer were a lot a like in that regard. Even when kids are that young, you can tell immediately if they have athletic ability and most importantly that they are coachable. To be coachable a kid has to be eager to learn and have a built in respect for authority. Its no surprise that the best quarterbacks come from strong families.

But like most aspiring quarterbacks, they both needed a lot of work on footwork and the drills that give them the confidence and presence they need under pressure. I think the one thing that separate good quarterbacks from those who are great is having coaching on how to read and really understand coverages. We always say the best quarterbacks are the ones who know more about the game than any other player on the field. We spend a lot of time with our quarterbacks in the classroom.

I can’t begin to tell you how many hours my Dad and I spent with Mark Sanchez or Carson Palmer, in the class room teaching him how to read coverages and make split decision on defenses and what he was seeing.

QUESTION: It seems the trend today in most sports is “private coaching” and specialized camps, regardless of the sport. Is this necessary to give young athletes the competitive edge. Do you think that made a big difference for kids like Carson Palmer and Mark Sanchez, both kids who started coming to you and your dad as early as the 8th grade or do you think parents go overboard?

Bret Johnson: Well, as a general question, I think it depends on the sport. I think if you start with the private coaching and the special camps to young you can burn a kid out. I didn’t even talk to my son about football until he brought it up. Now he’s 11 and it’s time to get serious about his coaching. But some parents call me with 8 years olds and I tell them, “Let you kid be a kid!” With Mark Sanchez and Carson Palmer, they both started with us around 8th grade. I like to believe the extra coaching made all the difference. My Dad and I devote ourselves not to this business, but to the kids that come to us. The business has grown from our love of what we do and who we work with. I won’t let a parent spend money with me who has a kid with no chance. It’s a waste of my time and their money Kids who have raw talent and mediocre coaching might have a decent outcome. But things in sports have changed so much from when I was playing quarterback. The competition is so steep. Parents from all over the country fly their kids in to come to our camps. They buy our videos. They study the videos like they would for a test. It’s crazy! But if you’re going to play Division 1 football and if you think someday your kid is going to have what it takes to be an NFL quarterback you have to find the best

QUESTION: Does that mean you think Johnson’s Camp Quarterback is the best for young quarterbacks?

Bret Johnson: Of course I do. I’m committed to making it the best. This year my dad and I asked my brother Rob Johnson to join us. As a retired NFL quarterback, he obviously isn’t doing it for the money. He doesn’t need to work. He’s cut from the same cloth as me. We are obsessed with molding these kids. It’s really something we do as a family because we believe we have figured out how to devoted to it being the best. I have kids of my own now. I know the difference between a camp or coaching that’s all about the numbers and a program that is devoted to working with and developing the best. That’s what we do. . But not everyone can afford private training, and money shouldn’t separate a kids opportunity to learn, which is why we did the video series. The video series has helped a lot of kids go from back up to starter. I love those emails. It’s funny, I have all these dads across America saving stats and clippings of their kids progress after studying the videos. It’s actually pretty rewarding.

QUESTION: It sounds like if you think your kid has a chance to play college football they need to come to you.

Bret Johnson: Hey…only if they want the best! Actually, what I’m trying to say is that statistically speaking, even if your kids is the all-star super star at his high school, to get a scholarship or even to walk-on as a collegiate quarterback is a totally different game. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a Div 1 quarterback who hasn’t had their share of private coaching or specialized camps like Johnson’s Camp Quarterback. The earlier the better, but it’s never too late to be better. The thing I wanted to make clear, however, is that all the private and specialized coaching in the world is no guarantee that you’re kid is going to play college ball. Statistically speaking it’s a pretty small number who make it to that level and any competitive edge you can give your kid

QUESTION: Do you think Mark Sanchez made the right decision by leaving early for the draft?

Bret Johnson: I do. He’s the whole package and I don’t care if I’ve coached a kid or not, I call a spade a spade. He’s the real deal. The question is will the NFL scouts and NFL teams that are looking for a quarterback make the right decision? I can’t imagine him not being a top ten draft pick.

Interview by Dan Brandenburg of Speed Tech

A phone call to Matt Leinart was on Sanchez’s Tuesday night to-do list.

And between tapping the brains of Heisman Trophy winners, the USC quarterback met separately with new offensive coordinator John Morton and with Coach Pete Carroll.

It was only the start of what could be a tough stretch of days as Sanchez seriously contemplates the question Palmer and Leinart faced after their junior seasons: Should he return to USC for a final season of eligibility or turn pro?

“It’s emotionally difficult,” Sanchez said this week. “I’m being tugged both ways.”

Draft-eligible juniors and sophomores have until Jan. 15 to make themselves available for April’s NFL draft.

Sanchez emerged from a Tuesday meeting with Carroll carrying a thin binder of information that was heavy on numbers.

“Just the facts,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez received the draft projection he requested from the NFL but neither he nor Carroll would divulge the specifics.

“It’s good,” Sanchez said, adding, “It doesn’t take into account who’s coming out, so that could change.”

Carroll cautioned last week that Sanchez should not get caught up in the euphoria that surrounded his Rose Bowl performance against Penn State. The fourth-year junior accounted for all five USC touchdowns, completing 80% of his passes for 413 yards and four touchdowns and running for another score in a 38-24 victory.

But NFL team scouts, given anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the topic, said Sanchez enhanced his draft stock with his stellar play against the Nittany Lions.

“He was on the big stage and he performed,” one scout said. “Many of the general managers and coaches saw that game, and that will be the performance they remember.”

Even so, the scout said Sanchez would be better served to stay at USC for another season, estimating he would be a late first-round pick were he to leave school early.

“He needs more seasoning at the position, but the skill set is there,” said the evaluator, who would rank him as the third- or fourth-best quarterback if he were to come out now. “He’s not NFL-ready, but he has NFL tools.”

Another scout agreed, saying the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Sanchez would benefit from another year to grow stronger and a chance to show that the Rose Bowl was not a fluke.

“That was a breakout game for him, but now I’d like to see him do that repeatedly in the season,” he said.

Sanchez, 22, will monitor the decisions of Oklahoma sophomore Sam Bradford and Georgia junior Matthew Stafford. Both quarterbacks are regarded as potential high draft picks if they come out this year.

While acknowledging that, “all I’ve ever dreamed about was being a pro quarterback,” Sanchez also said, “I’m going to investigate as much as I can. If it’s not there, I’m coming back.”

That’s what Palmer and Leinart did.

“Carson said he didn’t have quite the opportunity that I do because his junior year wasn’t quite as successful as mine,” said Sanchez, who passed for 34 touchdowns with 10 interceptions and led the Trojans to a 12-1 record.

In 2001, Carroll’s first season, the Trojans completed a 6-6 season with a 10-6 loss to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Palmer, projected to be selected behind quarterbacks David Carr and Joey Harrington in the draft, opted to return.

“It was an easy decision for him,” said Bill Palmer, Carson’s father. “His attitude at the time was, ‘I haven’t done anything yet.’ ”

In 2002, Palmer caught fire in the second half of the season and won the Heisman Trophy. He was selected No. 1 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2003 draft.

Bill Palmer said he would advise Sanchez that he should “unequivocally, absolutely not,” turn pro before exhausting his eligibility.

“He would be a front-runner for the Heisman on a great team,” Bill Palmer said. “You can never recapture those years. I can’t even imagine why he would do it.”

Leinart had already won the Heisman and two national titles when he went through what turned into an agonizing decision-making process in January 2005.

Some have speculated that Leinart left millions of dollars on the table by not turning pro after winning the 2004 Heisman and starring in the 2005 Bowl Championship Series title game, theorizing that the San Francisco 49ers would have chosen him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft.

But Leinart’s left elbow required surgery, a factor that influenced his decision to come back to the Trojans. USC returned to the BCS title game, losing to Texas, and Leinart was taken 10th by the Arizona Cardinals.

Sanchez knew the history when he met with Morton on Monday.

“I just told him to look at all his options, talk to everybody, formulate your best opinion and do what’s right for you,” Morton said, chuckling. “Then I said, ‘But I want you to come back.’ ”

If Sanchez returns, he will lead an experienced USC offense that is expected to be the strong suit for a team that could make another run at a national title.

“This is a lot different than a game where you can go out and complete a pass and get settled into it,” he said. “This is way tougher.”

Sanchez recalled his high school days when he made what he described as the two toughest decisions of his football career.

After his sophomore year at Santa Margarita High, he decided to transfer to Mission Viejo. Two years later, he decided to sign with USC.

“I’m just glad I have a good support group,” he said. “I’ll get all the right information from Coach Carroll and talk to my family and go from there.”

The anxiety level around USC’s Heritage Hall ramped up this afternoon when Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford announced he would return to the Sooners for his junior season.

USC quarterback Mark Sanchez has said that he would monitor the decisions of other top draft-eligible quarterbacks as he pondered whether to return to USC for his final season of eligibility or make himself available for the NFL draft. ESPN.com reported this evening that Mark Sanchez would elect to turn pro, though that was not confirmed by the school or Sanchez.

Thursday is the deadline to declare for the April draft.

Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner, is the third high-profile quarterback to announce he was staying in school, possibly increasing the chances that Sanchez will opt to turn pro.

Texas’ Colt McCoy said during the season that he would back. Florida’s Tim Tebow and Bradford have since said they would remain in school.

If Mark Sanchez were to turn pro, he would probably be slotted behind Georgia’s Matthew Stafford, who announced this month that he would turn pro and is generally regarded as the top quarterback prospect in the draft.

According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Mark Sanchez will announce tomorrow his desire to leave USC early and enter the 2009 NFL Draft. He is projected to be a first round pick and depending on his workouts, he may even be a top ten pick.

Sanchez only started for one year at USC. He had a very good year for a first year starter and due to the fact that USC runs a pro-style offense, Mark Sanchez is going to get a lot of high praise from scouts. Many experts say he has a Carson Palmer type arm, which to all of you who are unfamiliar with Palmer…that is a huge arm!

My opinion as a USC fan is this…

I want him to succeed and think he should do what makes him happy and if he feels he is ready, he should go for it. However, I watched every game this season and although Sanchez improved each and every game, I still don’t think he is ready for the NFL.

He has all of the tools to be a great, great quarterback at the NFL level…my question with Mark Sanchez has always been his emotional roller-coasters. When things went well, he was unstoppable and when he struggled you could see it in his face.

I am not an NFL scout or an expert by any means but if this report is accurate and Sanchez does announce that he will leave for the NFL, I think it will be at least two seasons before you see Sanchez reach his possible potential.

I believe that the main reasons why he decided to turn pro (If it is indeed true) are these:

1. Sam Bradford is returning to Oklahoma…which means Sanchez may be the top QB taken.

2. Matt Leinart is his good friend and rumors have circulated that Leinart had told him to turn pro. Leinart, as some may remember, returned to USC for his senior season and even though he had another great season, his draft stock dropped. Sanchez probably doesn’t want to miss his opportunity and next year with Tebow, Bradford, maybe McCoy going pro, he feels like it is his time now.

Teams I think may take Sanchez in the draft?

Chiefs- Have a lot of talent but their qb’s have been awful.

Rams- Marc Bulger and Trent Green got old fast…Stephen Jackson is a great running back, Sanchez could be a good fit.
Lions- I doubt Mark Sanchez will go number one but with the Lions you never know. There is also a possibility that they will trade their pick and select Sanchez a few spots down.

Tampa Bay- Jeff Garcia has been decent but Tampa needs a good quarterback to help out that solid defense and nice rushing attack. They would need to trade up.

Bears- Not sure they are sold on Orton or Grossman…

Vikings- If they had a decent qb they would be a super bowl contender. They drafted John David Booty from USC last year, maybe he will get a shot? Sanchez is better though.

49ers- As a 49ers fan…I would love to get Matt Cassel but I would take Mark Sanchez too even though he isn’t ready yet. Anyone is better than Alex Smith and company.

What do others think? Big mistake? He is smart? I think he is smart because of this year’s draft class but he is making a mistake also because he isn’t ready.