Former Clemson QB beats out former Gamecock as Northwestern starter
Former Clemson quarterback Hunter Johnson is the new starter at Northwestern.
The fifth-year senior won the position during fall camp over a QB group that included housemate Ryan Hilinski, who transferred in from the University of South Carolina in December.
The Wildcats confirmed the news on their Twitter page.
“I’ve seen a lot of football, which is good, so that’s, I think that’s always been an advantage for me that I’ve been through a lot of football system and terminology,” Johnson told reporters Aug. 9. “Year Two with (offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian) is great. ... I’m definitely feeling more confident coming around this year.”
Johnson left Clemson during the summer of 2018 following a freshman season where he threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns behind Kelly Bryant, who transferred a few games into 2018 after Trevor Lawrence took over the starting job.
Johnson, a former five-star recruit, sat out his sophomore season at Northwestern due to transfer rules. He appeared in six games with five starts during his junior campaign for the Wildcats. During that time, he recorded 432 yards and a score while rushing for 64 yards and a TD.
“I think today versus when I first got here, I think I’ve matured a lot,” Johnson said. “Gone through a lot and learned, learned a lot from personal experiences, football experiences and I think I’m mentally a lot stronger than I was as a sophomore coming in here. ... I think I’ve just had some experiences that have helped me grow a little bit.”
Hilinski, who transferred to Northwestern in January, started most of South Carolina’s games as a true freshman in 2019. He saw limited action in 2020 for the Gamecocks.
“The best thing about me and Hunter is that competition, you might think we’re at each other’s throats or we’re not talking to each other, but Hunter’s a great guy, a really good human being,” Hilinski said last week. “He’s been great. He’s helped me a lot. All the quarterbacks have, but having Hunter as a roommate has been really helpful for sure.”
This story was originally published August 17, 2021 at 1:38 PM.
