He proved to USC staff he could play as a freshman. Now this pass rusher wants more

The situation set up as well as Brad Johnson could’ve hoped.

The true freshman Buck had just been given a shot on the South Carolina football team’s third-down package, only a few games into his college career. He was on a big stage, against an SEC opponent.

“That was, like, my first real game,” Johnson said. “It was, like, the first play, so I’m playing in Texas A&M’s stadium, 80,000, 85,000 people screaming, it’s, like, third and five. He called the blitz and I knew the play.”

Third and 8 with closer to 96,000 fans in the building, actually.

The play went about to plan. The left guard and center went different directions, opening a gap he launched right through. He had Aggies quarterback Kellen Mond dead to rights. But ...

“I just overshot it,” Johnson said. “Came in too happy, came in too fast, missed my assignment. I caught grief for it. They played it in the team meeting room. T-Rob went at it.”

But the grief he caught was part of learning the ropes. By season’s end, Johnson had ascended to the role of the team’s No. 2 Buck behind top pass rusher D.J. Wonnum.

He flashed some ability late, saying his game against Clemson was probably his best, and now enters Year 2 not as a skinny freshman, but a player with some experience on his side.

That experience was hard-earned, according to the man who coached him most closely.

“I’m really proud of that kid,” South Carolina defensive ends/outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson said. “Last year, I kind of rode him. I was on him a lot early on in the season. He didn’t play early. I told him why. He wasn’t ready to play early, in my opinion.”

Johnson said Peterson told him early he wasn’t just there to play a role, just learning behind someone else.

He was a borderline four-star recruit when he showed up, 230 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame. Toward the end of the season he was at 240, up to maybe 245 of good weight in the spring, with a goal of 250 while not losing any speed.

“A year really makes a big difference,” Johnson said in the spring. “Like I was telling some of the guys that just got here: Just having that year of experience, going through practices, going on the field, even if it’s just special teams, it makes a big difference.”

He put up five tackles and one sack last season, with a pair of quarterback hurries.

His biggest jump came in learning the finer points of the Buck spot, a multifaceted pass-rusher who often functions as an outside linebacker. In high school he was a defensive end who got after passers and stuffed the run. (He had 43 tackles and 13 sacks at Pendleton as a senior.) Now coaches were asking him to cover tight ends and receivers in the flat.

“It was complicated, I ain’t going to lie,” Johnson said. “Just trying to learn the schemes and applying the schemes. Learning what to do and transitioning from high school ball to college ball, balancing school.”

Next year, he’ll likely continue working behind Wonnum, who defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson described as a "perfect model" for Johnson. Wonnum came to USC as a not-all-that-heralded prospect, but was that No. 2 Buck early and blossomed into a strong defender against the run and pass.

The pair even roomed together on road trips.

Going into 2018, he should have his opportunities. He’s bigger, less green and came to understand a reality that could help him take advantage of his talents.

“He’s a guy who‘s got all the tangibles,” Peterson said. “Can run, hit, strong, explosive. But on this level, the techniques and all those little things that you tend to take for granted, they show up in a game. And he’s been working hard at it. Worked hard in the offseason.”

This story was originally published May 21, 2018 at 8:17 AM with the headline "He proved to USC staff he could play as a freshman. Now this pass rusher wants more."