Johnson leading on, off field
Senior linebacker to have key role after Hines’ call to sit out season
OMCOLLEGE STATION — At times, Texas A&M senior linebacker Buddy Johnson considered the task this summer like herding cats: Helping keep the newcomers’ helmets on straight, so to speak, as many moved from their respective homes for the first time during a global pandemic.
“The younger guys, they’re going to want to get out there,” Johnson explained of trying to keep the class of 2020 isolated from the masses. “They’re freshmen in college, and they want to seewhat it’s about.”
Johnson said he told the newbies if they want to play this season — and if the Aggies are to play this season during the COVID-19 pandemic — they must avoid crowds on campus and around town. He said they bought the persistent message.
“They understand and they know what’s important right now,” he said. “And they’re doing a great job at it.”
A&M third-year coach Jimbo Fisher is more thankful than ever for what he considers the great job Johnson is doing helping lead the Aggies following the surprising opt-out of fellow starting linebacker Anthony Hines III last week, and on the other side of the ball, the earlier exit of a fellow senior leader in receiver Jhamon Ausbon.
The No. 10 Aggies are scheduled to open their season at 6:30 p.m. Saturday against Vanderbilt at Kyle Field.
“The good thing about
football is it’s not a one-man sport,” Johnson said. “If I were to opt out (for instance), it’s a team sport, and the team is ready to go. Guys in that locker room have prepared to play.”
Johnson, who led the A&M defense in tackles last season with 77, has seen his responsibilities mushroom in the past week following Hines’ exit. The duo combined for 150 tackles last season, ranking first and second on the defense in that category. They also accounted for 20 tackles for lost yards, with Johnson collecting 9.5 of those.
“I know I’m ready to go,” Johnson said, “and I know I’ve got a bunch of guys behindmeready togoaswell.”
Johnson, who methodically worked his way into the starting lineup as an upperclassman after paying his dues as a freshman and sophomore, said it’s more important than ever to quarterback the defense from his middle linebacker slot, based on his leadership role. He semi-kidded that 325-pound defensive tackles lined up in front of him getmad if hemesses up a call on a given play.
“Would y’all want Bobby
Brown on one of y’all?” a smiling Johnson asked reporters.
Fisher said the shift of Johnson, a former Dallas Kimball standout, fromoutside linebacker to the inside before the 2019 season was solid but not surprising.
“I expect a lot out of Buddy because he demands a lot out of himself,” Fisher said. “He had a great offseason of training, and learning to play middle linebacker last year… going fromthe outside to the inside is a big change, in being able to distribute information and process information and make decisions and fit gaps and things, and he’s done a great job.
“He has a great influence on the players, a great leadership attitude and he sees the big picture of what’s going on. I’m just very pleased with his performance (in camp), and if we’re going to play well, he needs to play well.”
Johnson and Hines both played as true freshman in 2017 under then-coach Kevin Sumlin, but Hines redshirted in 2018 following an early-season injury. Senior Aaron Hansford, who already was pushing Hines in
camp for playing time, will step in as starter at weakside linebacker alongside Johnson.
“Hansford is very athletic and very fast,” Johnson said of the converted receiver and halfback. “And he makes so many plays in practice.”
Sophomore Andre White and freshmen Edgerrin Cooper and Antonio Doyle also should push for early playing time in defensive coordinator Mike Elko’s predominantly 4-2-5 scheme (four defensive linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs). Fisher didn’t sign any linebackers in his first class at A&M in February 2018 — he’d only been on the job two months — but has since stockpiled the position.
“It’s important for us to hit the ground running — and running fast,” Johnson said of facing Vanderbilt in the opener and playing at No. 2 Alabama on Oct. 3. “Guys are fired up and ready to play, and all that contagious energy is great to see.”