How USC’s Fred Johnson showed ‘signs of greatness’ in win over Virginia Tech
This summer, The State posed the question: “Will Fred ‘JayR’ Johnson be the South Carolina Gamecocks’ next great linebacker?”
South Carolina has only played one game this season, but the early returns suggest Johnson already looks the part.
Johnson put on a show during his first start at linebacker during No. 10 South Carolina’s season-opening 24-11 win over Virginia Tech.
The sophomore totaled 10 tackles, an interception and two pass deflections. Those stats earned him an SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week nod.
“Fred’s a big-time player,” South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer said postgame. “… He was amped up and that’s what some of the players said when he was flying sideline to sideline. One of the guys on the side was like, ‘Man, he’s on a freaking mission today,’ And that’s the way that he played. So happy for him.”
Johnson played in all 13 games for South Carolina last season. Granted, the four-star prospect’s action mainly came in a special teams capacity. His 10 tackles against Virginia Tech were not only a career high, but were also nearly double the amount he recorded all last season.
“I pray a lot, I envision myself doing a lot of plays, making all the plays,” Johnson said postgame. “So it feels good to have a game like this.”
His highlight play came when he picked off Virginia Tech QB Kyron Drones in the end zone. Although he attempted to make a return and was eventually tackled at the 2-yard line, setting up a South Carolina safety a few plays later, it still kept the Hokies off the scoreboard. Virginia Tech didn’t score a touchdown Sunday.
“It was a plaster play,” Johnson said. “He rolled out, so I basically just found the closest receiver or tight end and I stuck to him, and he threw the ball to me and I caught it.”
USC defensive coordinator Clayton White said Johnson flew around against the Hokies, adding that it was good to see some “flash moments” in the win. Johnson was No. 2 on the team with a 78.7 defensive grade, per Pro Football Focus. His PFF tackle grade (84) was second only to veteran safety DQ Smith.
White said he’s been impressed with Johnson’s approach to the game and, while he may still have things to improve on, he has shown “signs of greatness.”
“Obviously he had a really good football game,” White said Wednesday. “That’s the SEC Defensive Player of the Week. Just proud of how he played and I love the fact how he approaches the game as a young player. I think that’s only signs of greatness. (If he) just continues staying humble and continues down that process path, I think he’ll be great.”
Next USC football game
Who: South Carolina (1-0) vs S.C. State (1-0)
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium
TV/stream: SEC Network Plus and ESPN+
Series history: South Carolina is 3-0 against S.C. State since the first matchup in 2007. The Gamecocks won 50-10 the last time they played the Bulldogs in 2022.
This story was originally published September 3, 2025 at 3:05 PM.
