Auburn’s Johnson goes from versatile playmaker to go-to guy
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Kerryon Johnson was a versatile playmaker who returned kicks, ran the Wildcat and caught some passes out of the backfield as a freshman.
Now, his role is more defined: Auburn's featured tailback. The Tigers sophomore vaulted to the top of the depth chart entering next Saturday's opener with No. 2 Clemson following the dismissal of top returning runner Jovon Robinson during fall camp and two other departures .
Johnson insists his approach hasn't changed with the more prominent role.
"I prepared every day like this for the past 18 years of my life," he said. "I come in, I go to work, I leave. That's just what I do. I feel like we have a lot of people on the team that do that. That was an unfortunate event obviously, but it didn't change my mind-set at all. I just maybe got a couple of more carries. I've just got to do my job anyway."
Johnson ran for a modest 208 yards last season, often taking direct snaps in the Wildcat formation. His 14 catches led Auburn's tailbacks, and he averaged 27.6 yards returning kicks. The top three rushers all left for various reasons. Peyton Barber was an early entry into the NFL draft, Roc Thomas transferred to FCS Jacksonville State and Robinson was booted from the team for off-the-field issues.
That leaves Johnson as the only tailback who has logged a carry for the Tigers. Auburn brought in onetime Baylor signee Kam Martin, a 177-pound speedster who anchored a 4x200-meter relay team in Port Arthur, Texas that set a national record. The Tigers also signed Malik Miller, Johnson's high school teammate, and have worked H-back Kamryn Pettway at tailback.
But Johnson figures to be the workhorse. He missed most of spring practice after offseason shoulder surgery but packed on 16 pounds to report to preseason camp weighing a sturdier 211.
"I'm real confident in him," Tigers receiver Marcus Davis said. "He's very, very talented. He's a guy who's really intelligent as well. He does things that I never saw other people do and I'm real comfortable with him back there and confident in his abilities.
"He's just a real smooth, swift guy. I know he's going to make a lot of plays."
Johnson certainly did that at Madison Academy near Huntsville, Alabama. He was the state's Mr. Football after rushing for 1,659 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior and leading the Mustangs to three consecutive state titles.
Johnson also started as a safety his entire freshman season after making an impression in a 7 on 7 tournament over the summer, taking over the No. 1 tailback spot during the season.
"I'm not stupid. It took about two plays to realize he's special and he needs to be playing," Madison Academy defensive backs coach Mark Berryman said.
Johnson remains one of the players Berryman cites as an example to Madison seniors for the kind of attitude that led him to spend time on the scout team even as the team's star player.
Johnson displays a self-deprecating sense of humor on social media — posting on Twitter that he "started sophomore year off strong" by getting lost trying to find a class on the first day of fall semester. Berryman doesn't believe Johnson's personality will change as a starting tailback in the Southeastern Conference. He also points to Johnson's runs late in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic to earn MVP honors as evidence that he's a physical runner.
"He ran the ball between the tackles the last two drives by himself," Berryman said. "There's a lot more to Kerryon Johnson than what you saw last year."
VOLS TO HONOR LEGEND WITH HELMET STICKER
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee will wear a commemorative sticker on the back of its helmets this season to honor former Lady Volunteers basketball coach Pat Summitt.
Vols coach Butch Jones announced Saturday that the team would wear the stickers. Summitt died June 28 after battling early-onset dementia, Alzheimer's type. The sticker includes a capital "P'' inside a circle. The "P'' is based off the way Summitt wrote the letter in her actual signature.
Summitt led Tennessee to eight national titles in 38 seasons at Tennessee before stepping down in 2012, one year after she announced her diagnosis. Her 1,098 wins are the most of any Division I men's or women's basketball coach.
The ninth-ranked Vols open the season Thursday by hosting Appalachian State.
FSU STRENGTH COACH CHARGED WITH DUI
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State strength and conditioning coach Vic Viloria has been charged with driving under the influence and property damage.
According to the by Tallahassee Police report, Viloria was arrested Saturday morning after police found him asleep at the wheel at an off ramp near downtown. Officers tried to wake Viloria before be drove away. He traveled up an embankment and hit an electronic cross-walk sign. Viloria told police that he was coming back from work where he had multiple alcoholic drinks in his office on campus. The 37-year old Viloria was taken into custody and had blood alcohol content levels of 1.24 and 1.25. He was released from Leon County jail on Saturday afternoon.
This is Viloria's seventh year on Florida State's staff. He was been credited with using GPS technology to help in player training and conditioning.
Coach Jimbo Fisher declined to comment on Viloria's arrest after Saturdays practice. Director of Football Communications Zach Stipe said the school is aware of the incident and is in the process of gathering more information. Stipe added that since the issue falls under the university's human resources policies for employees, they could comment further.
Florida State is ranked fourth in The Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll and opens the season on Sept. 5 against No. 11 Mississippi in Orlando.