Former FSU QB Johnson signs on

Owls get player who was forced out by Seminoles

Florida Atlantic has landed its first recruit under new coach Lane Kiffin: former Florida State quarterback De’Andre Johnson.

Johnson signed with the Owls on Wednesday, the first day junior college prospects are allowed to sign with schools. Johnson — who was kicked out of FSU’s program in July 2015 after video surfaced of him striking a woman in a bar — spent the past two years at East Mississippi Community College.

He completed 61 percent of his passes and threw for 2,646 yards, 26 touchdowns and six interceptions at EMCC this season.

Though Johnson’s signing was announced a day after Kiffin was introduced, the previous FAU staff did most of the legwork recruiting him, including offensive coordinator and primary recruiter Travis Trickett. Trickett’s brother Clint is an assistant coach at EMCC, which is the subject of Netflix’s popular series “Last Chance U.” Travis Trickett resigned from FAU and reportedly took the offensive coordinator job at Georgia State on Wednesday.

Johnson met with FAU President John Kelly and Athletic Director Pat Chun during his official visit last week, the school said, which ended in a scholarship offer from the Owls. In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, FAU said it began researching Johnson’s history in early November to learn “everything possible about the young man.”

In surveillance video from Tallahassee bar Yiannis on June 24, 2015, Johnson and a

woman are shown near the bar before brushing against each other. They exchanged words before the woman raised her arm to Johnson’s chest. Johnson grabbed her arm, then she raised her knee to his midsection and attempted to punch him. Johnson struck her on the left side of her face.

Johnson later entered a plea deal for the misdemeanor battery charge that included six months of probation.

“The unfortunate incident that occurred in June 2015 that involved De’Andre has been adjudicated through the legal system,” FAU’s statement said. “De’Andre has shown he is committed to using his platform to be a positive advocate for violence prevention, self-control and decision-making. He will work directly with FAU Student Affairs to develop educational programming for our campus community.”

The university said Johnson will work with Eric Coleman, FAU’s director of the Student-Athlete Center for Academic Excellence and a certified facilitator of the Mentors for Violence Prevention program. The program “aims to give both men and women the skills to safely intervene and prevent violence,” according to the release.

“De’Andre will go through the program and will work directly with Coleman throughout his time at FAU to educate, inspire and empower others to prevent, interrupt and respond to violence and abuse,” the statement said. “De’Andre is committed to growing and helping others in our campus and local community.”

Johnson will have two years of eligibility at FAU. He is originally from Jacksonville and signed with the Seminoles in 2015 as a three-star recruit. He was named Mr. Football in 2014 while at First Coast High School, the same school attended by FAU cornerback Raekwon Williams.

Johnson becomes the third quarterback in FAU’s incoming class, joining Jack Walker from Madison Central High in Mississippi and Justice McCoy from St. Augustine High in New Orleans.

The trio will join a crowded quarterback room at FAU, which returns incumbent starter Jason Driskel and backup Daniel Parr. Driskel started 11 games this season and threw for 2,415 yards, while Parr started once and threw for 106 yards.

Steven Frank will also be an option for the Owls after he redshirted last season.

Johnson