Q. How do you balance when aggressiveness and competitiveness, like on that potential slide?
JAXSON DART: Yeah, I mean, first of all, just shouldn't have fumbled. Never been taken out of a game for getting the air knocked out of me, so that was the first.
But, I mean, I quite honestly felt like I could split them when I saw the open field. Honestly in this situation, I didn't feel like I was in too much of a threat to get a big hit on me.
But I think that quite honestly, like it's just situation based. If you're going to take a big hit, then you slide. I didn't feel like I was in a situation where I was going to take a really big hit, so I felt like I could extend the play and make something out of it.
Q. Took you out of the game and you wanted to finish the drive?
JAXSON DART: Yeah. That -- I don't know. I told him, I was like, I mean, you would feel uncomfortable if you got the air knocked out of you too. I'm fine. I'm just trying to get my breath. So that was all there was.
Obviously they have like they're -- a little different in college I guess, but, yeah.
Q. The hit was from behind.
JAXSON DART: There was two guys. There was the DB in front of me and I think it was the linebacker who kind of came from the side.
Q. Were you just like, hurry up, you wanted to get back out there?
JAXSON DART: Yeah, like I said, I didn't understand why I got took off the field. I was just wanting to get back out there and finish the drive, so I just -- everybody was walking over. I'm like, let's go. I want to get back out there.
Shoutout to Jameis for throwing a touchdown and finish that last drive.
Q. Make any jokes with you about stealing one away? Happened in practice a few weeks ago.
JAXSON DART: No, we're a team. Any time you put points on the board, thought it was good for Jalin to get that as well, so was just happy to put points up in that situation.
Q. Would you like to slide in that situation in the future, or just like, hey, I'm going to try to get extra yards when you can?
JAXSON DART: I think it's situation based. Like I said, I felt like I could make a better play on it and thought I could split them. Feel like if I just break a tackle then I'm gone.
But yeah, there are situations where things are super congested and you're going to take a big shot obviously you want to get down. I thought it was an open field and I could have made a play.
Q. What does it say about that quarterback room that you're off the field for one play and Jameis can float it into the end zone for a touchdown?
JAXSON DART: Yeah, we're all really good players. I think everybody has seen that throughout practices, throughout camp. Like we all operate at high levels and guys just continuing to get better each and every day. It's a really fun room to be a part of because it's super competitive that way. We have an amazing relationship between all of us.
It's definitely fun. We're all each other's biggest fans when we're on the field.
Q. Does that mean you have a smaller margin of error when you get an opportunity to play?
JAXSON DART: I mean, you got to go out there and compete and make your plays when you're called and you're on the field. We expect everybody to make those plays.
So I don't think we really look at it that way.
Q. You're accustomed to starting obviously.
JAXSON DART: Yeah.
Q. Did this feel normal to you, to start a game?
JAXSON DART: Yeah, absolutely. I've never been in my career coming off the bench, so just felt normal to go out there and play right off the bat.
Q. Off season is over, training camp is over, preseason is over. If you needed to play after everything you have done this offseason, do you feel like you're ready?
JAXSON DART: I feel like whenever my number is called I'm going to go out there and I am going to play my game and ball. That's my mindset any time I touch the field. Obviously Russ is the starter and he's going to be amazing. He's had such a great camp and has played an elite level.
So my job is just be the best teammate and be ready whenever it is, but I'm excited for Russ and what he's going to do this year.
Q. Dabs mentioned he likes to add other things to the routine, including going out for the coin toss. What was that like adding to preparation of the game?
JAXSON DART: Yeah, I haven't been out for a coin toss since high school because Ole Miss we always wanted the ball first. I had to get my arm warmed up and get ready to go, so I have other guys go and do it for me.
So when I was like go do it I was like, I can't even remember what to do. But good experience.
Q. After three games, what did you learn most from this experience?
JAXSON DART: I think I've learned a lot about like preparation going into games, especially at this level. I've just felt more and more comfortable each week. I think that attributes to just the time I put into trying to learn the system to the best of my ability.
I've also learned that every guy out there on the field is an elite player in what they do. You know, you can't let one mistake lead to another one and little things in your game will get exposed.
So I think through my time in camp I've been able to grow and learn from a lot of those things, and then when I come out on the field, I'm able to translate that to the game. The biggest thing is just preparation.
Q. Whether it was training camp, I know you're a very confident player, but was there something that like reaffirmed in your mind you can do this?
JAXSON DART: I think I just always had that thought in my head. Yeah, I've said this like when I step on the field I expect to play at a high level. To be honest, like I have the confidence that I feel like I'm going to be the best on the field every time I touch on it, so I think I just -- I kind of just expect to play good.
Like that's just the standard that I have for myself. So if you don't play to that standard it's really frustrating.
You just try to be consistent and play to your level.
Q. (Regarding Russell.) Been a starter your entire life so this could be it for you for a while. How tough will that be to sit on the bench?
JAXSON DART: I'm just shifting my perspective to be the best teammate that I can be. Russ has completely earned that role for him, and he's played amazing, played elite.
So for me, I just want to be the best teammate and I just want this team to win. Whatever my role is for that to happen, I'm going to do that to the best of my ability.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
JAXSON DART: Yeah.
Q. Always like watching him play there.
JAXSON DART: Yeah, I was so excited. You know, in the quarterback room we can make like who we think is going to be the player of the game, and I said I felt like it was going to be Tommy. Kaf said we can't pick a guy in the room. I knew he was going to go out there and ball.
Just the things I've seen and how much I've grown from learning from him, not only is he a great teammate, but he is one of my best friends on the team, too. Was really happy to see minimum play the level he did and really wasn't any surprise for any of us.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports