Most Texas Longhorn football observers would not have blinked if Roschon Johnson decided to put himself first.
The modern athlete is different than when we were growing up. Our coaches would be considered tyrants and fired on day one if they coached today. They screamed and cursed at you worse than Sam Kinison in his prime. Those coaches viewed water during practice as a reward, one they often withheld as punishment, instead of a necessity. They slapped, pushed, and sometimes kicked their players, and nobody complained. Why? Because players were willing to do whatever it took to be a part of their team.
To those who remember watching television until the national anthem was played, the modern athlete seems individualistic. They release their top 20 schools and slowly narrow down the list for attention. When players announce their decision on signing day, they say “for the next three to four years I’m taking my talents to …” We hear them reference “their brand” quite often. And the moment something does not go their way in college, they quit dancing for TikTok and transfer because life is too hard. The majority of us old folks just shake our heads, sip our Ovaltine, and try to accept this generation of athletes.
Johnson is a refreshing throwback to an era when we said “There is no ‘I’ in team” as opposed to “You cann't spell individual without an ‘I’.”
Simply put, Johnson is the epitome of one word.
Selfless.
“Roschon Johnson is the epitome of what a teammate should look like,” Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian said. “That he's willing to do anything for the team. That his discipline is a commitment. His accountability, his toughness, all exude team in everything that he does.”
As a high school quarterback at Port Neches-Groves, Johnson finished as the school’s all-time leading passer with 7,710 yards and second all-time leading rusher with 4,900 yards. He posted 85 touchdowns both passing and rushing.
Johnson was behind junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger and redshirt freshman Casey Thompson during training camp in 2019. Ehlinger was slated to start for the next two seasons, meaning Johnson would have been forced to sit for at least two years before having a chance to compete against Thompson for playing time.
Many players would have packed up their bags and left the program.
Instead, Johnson approached former Texas coach Tom Herman and asked if he could switch to running back because that was a position of need on the team.
Let me reemphasize.
Johnson put aside his lifelong dream to be a college quarterback to help his team.
“It wasn't an easy decision,” Johnson said. “It took a lot of thought, a lot of talking over with my parents, and really just a lot of praying on it. That's really kind of what went into it. From that point on, I just decided if I'm going to pursue something, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability.”
Photo via Big 12
Johnson rushed for 649 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. He rushed for 121 yards against West Virginia and 105 yards against Texas Tech.
In 2020, Johnson rushed for 418 yards and six touchdowns. Last season, Johnson had 569 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Overall, Johnson has 1,636 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, plus 341 receiving yards and two touchdowns in three seasons.
“Roschon Johnson is an alpha,” Sarkisian said. “That is just his personality, but it is not in a way that is negative. It's very positive. It's very uplifting, but it is demanding. To think of a guy who's a backup running back who gets two starts last season and rushes for over 100 yards in both games, who starts on four different special teams for us, that guy is going to be successful in life. Graduates from McCombs School of Business. He's just got a bright future ahead of him.
“We're extremely fortunate to have him on our team … But I think his leadership style has started to permeate through the other leaders on our team. I think you're starting to see some of it through DeMarvion (Overshown), through Ovie (Oghoufo), through a Jordan Whittington. It's starting to spread itself to a point where, oh, this is how you do it. He's got the natural instincts to do it and we're extremely fortunate to have him and looking forward to utilize he and Bijan (Robinson) and Keilan (Robinson) and all those guys.”
Johnson’s leadership ability is the main reason Sarkisian invited his backup running back to represent Texas at Big 12 Media Days this past week.
Bijan Robinson is viewed as the top running back in college football entering this season.
However, Johnson is viewed as one of this team’s most valuable leaders.
“He starts on four special teams,” Sarkisian said. “He's the first guy to stand up to talk to the team when we're in the middle of a crisis or in the middle of some adversity. He's earned and demanded the respect of his teammates. In turn, his peers in that locker room see the value that he has in our organization and guys want to be like him. Guys are starting to act like him. And that's how you start to get a team-first mentality in your locker room.
“It's not just about one guy anymore. I don't have to talk just about Roschon Johnson anymore. There's a reason Ovie is here (Big 12 Media Days). There’s a reason DeMarvion (Overshown) is here... So, it's now grown more than [just] Roschon, but Roschon was the start of it. There are more guys like him in our program that inevitably now it's a trickle-down effect into our younger players on our team.”
Johnson said watching former Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger taught him how to lead.
He witnessed Ehlinger carry this team on his back during a regular season victory against Oklahoma, led by future Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray. Ehlinger led Texas to its first Big 12 Championship Game appearance since 2009. In addition, Texas defeated Georgia in the Sugar Bowl and won 10 games, its first double-digit win season since 2009.
“I don't view myself as a backup on the bench,” Johnson said. “ I guess it's what the media can perceive it as, but ultimately, I play a lot of snaps, special teams, or when we're on offense, so I do contribute. It's not like not playing at all. So, from that aspect, there's a lot of things that people don't see behind closed doors. People don't see the work that I put in and the things I do off the field, and just behind closed doors that really go noticed throughout the team.”
NFL observers have noticed.
Johnson has emerged as an NFL draft prospect. Right now, Johnson is easily a day two pick (fourth to sixth round). However, his draft stock could improve with a strong senior season in 2022.
WalterFootball.com rates Robinson as the 13th best running in college football.
13. Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
Height: 6-2. Weight: 219.
Projected 40 Time: 4.55.
Projected Round (2023): 4-6
6/22/22: Johnson would be a starter at most schools, but with the Longhorns featuring perhaps the best back in the nation in Bijan Robinson, Johnson is the backup. Johnson put together solid production as a complementary back over the past three seasons. He is a big
running back who has more receiving ability than many large backs.
Most Texas Longhorn football observers would not have blinked if Johnson decided to put himself first.
Simply put, Johnson is the epitome of one word.
Selfless.
“He's very selfless,” Robinson said. “Having Ro teach me a lot of things about just being a man outside of here. Just being a good person to other people. God, He sets us up to have a plan in life. I believe that it was His plan for him to stay here to help other young men beside him every single day. It's just been a blessing to have him doing that for all of us and being there for me and me being there for him. Ro has been amazing. Everybody knows he switched positions. That's a hard switch, especially at Texas. It's been fun to have him there with me and to be there every day.”
Photo via Big 12
The modern athlete is different than when we were growing up. Our coaches would be considered tyrants and fired on day one if they coached today. They screamed and cursed at you worse than Sam Kinison in his prime. Those coaches viewed water during practice as a reward, one they often withheld as punishment, instead of a necessity. They slapped, pushed, and sometimes kicked their players, and nobody complained. Why? Because players were willing to do whatever it took to be a part of their team.
To those who remember watching television until the national anthem was played, the modern athlete seems individualistic. They release their top 20 schools and slowly narrow down the list for attention. When players announce their decision on signing day, they say “for the next three to four years I’m taking my talents to …” We hear them reference “their brand” quite often. And the moment something does not go their way in college, they quit dancing for TikTok and transfer because life is too hard. The majority of us old folks just shake our heads, sip our Ovaltine, and try to accept this generation of athletes.
Johnson is a refreshing throwback to an era when we said “There is no ‘I’ in team” as opposed to “You cann't spell individual without an ‘I’.”
Simply put, Johnson is the epitome of one word.
Selfless.
“Roschon Johnson is the epitome of what a teammate should look like,” Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian said. “That he's willing to do anything for the team. That his discipline is a commitment. His accountability, his toughness, all exude team in everything that he does.”
As a high school quarterback at Port Neches-Groves, Johnson finished as the school’s all-time leading passer with 7,710 yards and second all-time leading rusher with 4,900 yards. He posted 85 touchdowns both passing and rushing.
Johnson was behind junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger and redshirt freshman Casey Thompson during training camp in 2019. Ehlinger was slated to start for the next two seasons, meaning Johnson would have been forced to sit for at least two years before having a chance to compete against Thompson for playing time.
Many players would have packed up their bags and left the program.
Instead, Johnson approached former Texas coach Tom Herman and asked if he could switch to running back because that was a position of need on the team.
Let me reemphasize.
Johnson put aside his lifelong dream to be a college quarterback to help his team.
“It wasn't an easy decision,” Johnson said. “It took a lot of thought, a lot of talking over with my parents, and really just a lot of praying on it. That's really kind of what went into it. From that point on, I just decided if I'm going to pursue something, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability.”
Photo via Big 12
Johnson rushed for 649 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. He rushed for 121 yards against West Virginia and 105 yards against Texas Tech.
In 2020, Johnson rushed for 418 yards and six touchdowns. Last season, Johnson had 569 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Overall, Johnson has 1,636 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, plus 341 receiving yards and two touchdowns in three seasons.
“Roschon Johnson is an alpha,” Sarkisian said. “That is just his personality, but it is not in a way that is negative. It's very positive. It's very uplifting, but it is demanding. To think of a guy who's a backup running back who gets two starts last season and rushes for over 100 yards in both games, who starts on four different special teams for us, that guy is going to be successful in life. Graduates from McCombs School of Business. He's just got a bright future ahead of him.
“We're extremely fortunate to have him on our team … But I think his leadership style has started to permeate through the other leaders on our team. I think you're starting to see some of it through DeMarvion (Overshown), through Ovie (Oghoufo), through a Jordan Whittington. It's starting to spread itself to a point where, oh, this is how you do it. He's got the natural instincts to do it and we're extremely fortunate to have him and looking forward to utilize he and Bijan (Robinson) and Keilan (Robinson) and all those guys.”
Johnson’s leadership ability is the main reason Sarkisian invited his backup running back to represent Texas at Big 12 Media Days this past week.
Bijan Robinson is viewed as the top running back in college football entering this season.
However, Johnson is viewed as one of this team’s most valuable leaders.
“He starts on four special teams,” Sarkisian said. “He's the first guy to stand up to talk to the team when we're in the middle of a crisis or in the middle of some adversity. He's earned and demanded the respect of his teammates. In turn, his peers in that locker room see the value that he has in our organization and guys want to be like him. Guys are starting to act like him. And that's how you start to get a team-first mentality in your locker room.
“It's not just about one guy anymore. I don't have to talk just about Roschon Johnson anymore. There's a reason Ovie is here (Big 12 Media Days). There’s a reason DeMarvion (Overshown) is here... So, it's now grown more than [just] Roschon, but Roschon was the start of it. There are more guys like him in our program that inevitably now it's a trickle-down effect into our younger players on our team.”
Johnson said watching former Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger taught him how to lead.
He witnessed Ehlinger carry this team on his back during a regular season victory against Oklahoma, led by future Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray. Ehlinger led Texas to its first Big 12 Championship Game appearance since 2009. In addition, Texas defeated Georgia in the Sugar Bowl and won 10 games, its first double-digit win season since 2009.
“I don't view myself as a backup on the bench,” Johnson said. “ I guess it's what the media can perceive it as, but ultimately, I play a lot of snaps, special teams, or when we're on offense, so I do contribute. It's not like not playing at all. So, from that aspect, there's a lot of things that people don't see behind closed doors. People don't see the work that I put in and the things I do off the field, and just behind closed doors that really go noticed throughout the team.”
NFL observers have noticed.
Johnson has emerged as an NFL draft prospect. Right now, Johnson is easily a day two pick (fourth to sixth round). However, his draft stock could improve with a strong senior season in 2022.
WalterFootball.com rates Robinson as the 13th best running in college football.
13. Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
Height: 6-2. Weight: 219.
Projected 40 Time: 4.55.
Projected Round (2023): 4-6
6/22/22: Johnson would be a starter at most schools, but with the Longhorns featuring perhaps the best back in the nation in Bijan Robinson, Johnson is the backup. Johnson put together solid production as a complementary back over the past three seasons. He is a big
running back who has more receiving ability than many large backs.
Most Texas Longhorn football observers would not have blinked if Johnson decided to put himself first.
Simply put, Johnson is the epitome of one word.
Selfless.
“He's very selfless,” Robinson said. “Having Ro teach me a lot of things about just being a man outside of here. Just being a good person to other people. God, He sets us up to have a plan in life. I believe that it was His plan for him to stay here to help other young men beside him every single day. It's just been a blessing to have him doing that for all of us and being there for me and me being there for him. Ro has been amazing. Everybody knows he switched positions. That's a hard switch, especially at Texas. It's been fun to have him there with me and to be there every day.”
Photo via Big 12
