James Johnson wanted to make one thing clear.

His decision to leave Georgia Tech's football team one week into spring practice wasn't about the new coaching staff, the new offense or even the old injuries. It was simply about realizing he no longer felt the passion he once felt for playing football.

"I didn't think it was fair for me to continue to go out and play when I didn't have the passion my friends and teammates had," Johnson said. "It would be almost like stealing Georgia Tech's money."

Johnson spoke Thursday, a day after his coaches confirmed he had left the team.

Johnson, who would have been a senior this fall, ranks among the top 20 players in school history in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He accomplished those things despite hamstring, knee, rib and neck injuries that forced him to miss a game last season and limited his effectiveness in several other games.

The knee bothered him again this spring, but he said that wasn't why he was ending his football career.

"The injuries bothered me, but I played through it," he said.

Tech coach Paul Johnson said Wednesday that he had talked James Johnson out of quitting football before spring practice and hadn't spoken with him this time. James Johnson said it was all one process and that, the way he saw it, he had spoken with both his head coach and his position coach before leaving the team. He also said he talked with teammates about his decision and that the receiver corps and the team will have no trouble going on without him.

"We have plenty of guys whose hearts are in it," he said.

Johnson, who is on scholarship this semester but won't be after that, plans to stay at Tech and earn a degree in management after the fall semester. He also plans to spend his Saturdays at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

"I'm for what the coaches are doing. I'm for what Georgia Tech is doing. I'll be there cheering them on," he said. "I wouldn't want to cheer for anyone else."