Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Texas A&M's Johnson hidden in QB-rich Big 12

By Paul Willis, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 30, 2008 at 6:33 p.m.

Text size  

Related Stories

More College Sports

More stories »

It would be forgivable if Jerrod Johnson was a bit miffed.

The Texas A&M sophomore quarterback is constructing one of the best seasons in Aggies annals - 15 touchdown passes with four interceptions attest to that - but few outside College Station, Texas, and the teams that scout Johnson seem to know much about him.

It's not that he's easy to miss. Anyone who is 6-foot-5 and 229 pounds seems to stand out in a crowd. It's just that Johnson plays in a quarterback-heavy Big 12 Conference, with players such as Chase Daniel, Colt McCoy, Graham Harrell and Sam Bradford grabbing most of the national attention.

Johnson, in his first full season as a starter after playing briefly as a redshirt freshman last season, isn't whining. He knows he's still under the radar but harbors a healthy perspective.

"I try not to think about that too much," Johnson said. "You can't control the exposure you get. I think a lot of that comes with winning. We start winning and some of the notice will come."

He has a point. The Aggies, who host the University of Colorado on Saturday (noon MDT, no TV), are 3-5 (1-3 Big 12) in the first season under coach Mike Sherman. And despite his lofty numbers, Johnson isn't even satisfied with his breakout season.

"Not so much," he said. "As good as I've been playing, we haven't been winning as much as I'd like."

If he doesn't have the nation's attention, he certainly has CU's.

"It's hard to be rated a top quarterback in the Big 12 Conference right now, and he's just another guy on the list of quarterbacks who are a challenge to us," CU safety D.J. Dykes said. "He's got talent. He's a big kid, he's unorthodox, but he throws the ball really well."

Dykes said Johnson is unorthodox in that his feet don't have to be set for him to display his rocket arm.

"He kind of throws off his back foot a little bit, so you'll have him wrapped up and he'll still fire the ball in there," Dykes said.

Johnson acknowledged that concept to be one of his strengths, crediting another sport for his ability to throw while on the run or while taking a hit.

"I've played a lot of baseball in my life, so I'm used to throwing at odd angles," Johnson said.

Johnson, a product of Humble, Texas, first appeared poised for the job last season, when he directed the Aggies to scores on six of eight drives.

He appeared to be more of a dual threat then, rushing for 111 yards on 13 carries. He has only rushed for 138 yards this season.

"I guess you could still say I'm a dual threat," Johnson said. "Last year, we ran a lot more option and quarterback runs, and we don't do that as much this season."

Comments

  • October 31, 2008

    10:12 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AG_Faithful writes:

    Good read but further proof Jerrod Johnson isn't getting the respect he might deserve. Johnson will have to wait until next year to be in his "first full season as a starter" at the position in question. He has in fact achieved these numbers with just five starts at quarterback this season. Nonetheless the Buffs always play us a good one. I went four years and never saw the Ags lose until a faithful October 7th meeting with CU, the first home loss of my college career. Good luck and stick with your coach!