Hurricanes
on Oct. 21.
■ His fumble recovery sealed UM’s win at North Carolina the next week.
■ He followed that with a one-handed interception against Virginia Tech.
■ He started the Canes’ turnover party against Notre Dame by catching a deflected pass (and was later named Walter Camp national defensive player of the week).
■ His critical pick-six last week against Virginia led ABC/ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler to call him “one of my favorite players to watch” this season.
Johnson’s play has been vital for a defensive backfield that lost four players to the NFL, and, entering the season, was considered a major question mark.
“The guy is unbelievable,” defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. “He’s the heart and soul of our secondary. When you need a guy to make a play, that’s the guy.”
At Miami-Kill ian High, Johnson was a four-time AllDade selection by the Miami Herald. As a senior, he carried 16 times for 150 yards and one touchdown, caught eight passes for 86 yards and on defense, recorded 41 tackles, three interceptions and scored touchdowns by fumble return (two), punt return and interception return.
Recruiting analysts spoke highly of his playmaking abilit y, but hi s size kept him down in the rankings. He was the No. 9 safety in the nation according to 247Sports, the No. 16 athlete per ESPN and the No. 33 athlete per Rivals.
“He was a dog when he got to us,” former Killian coach Cory Johnson said. “We had to teach him how to play under control, with a controlled rage. You can’t be in ‘kill mode’ the whole time. You have to be a thinker, to make plays before the play, set things up and know what’s coming.”
The coach’s blueprint was a small defensive back he coached at another school, Southwest Miami High: Lamarcus Joyner, a star at Florida State who now starts
for the Los Angeles Rams. The coach soon realized the freshman could handle anything he taught him during their one-on-one sessions in his office. “Honors football,” he called it.
Soon, he saw his student making Advanced Placement plays.
In 2012, Johnson’s sophomore year, Killian faced Columbus High in the Class 8A regional final. Johnson saved a kickoff return touchdown by running down future FSU standout Jesus “Bobo” Wilson, and later scored a rushing touchdown. But the play that gets his coach fired up: Johnson, playing one half of the field in a Cover-2 scheme, had the responsibility of handling a pair of receivers running vertical routes on his side. He charged toward the sideline, baiting the quarterback into throwing down the seam. Once the quarterback bit, Johnson pivoted, sprinted to the middle of the field, and made a leaping interception in the end zone.
“I said to myself, ‘Man, that’s Ed Reed right there,’” his coach recalled.
The real deal, the future Pro Football Hall of Famer, was on the sideline for the Notre Dame game. After the game, Johnson said, “he told
me he was proud of us.” Reed, who sat in on meetings that week and spent time with Johnson, was no doubt pleased last Saturday.
Virginia led Miami 28-21 in the third quarter. Quarterback Kurt Benkert was having the game of his life, completing 18 of his first 19 passes for 288 yards and four touchdowns. Miami’s unbeaten streak — and potentially, its College Football Playoff hopes — were in danger.
“The qu ar terback was doing a great job moving out of the pocket, and keeping his eyes down the field and delivering a perfect ball on the run,” Johnson said. “The defense that was called, we were able to corral him and keep him in the pocket and disguise to make it seem like something was open, and that’s what we did. Once he threw it, I was able to break underneath the route.”
He took it 30 yards to the house, tying the score at 28 with 9:57 left in the third quarter. Virginia didn’t score again, and Miami won 44-28.
“It was beautiful,” Richt said. “Anytime you get an interception for a touchdown or a turnover, that ignites everybody.”