Johnson Making The Most Of Every Drill
September 25, 2014 | Football
By Ann Drinkard
Last week senior defensive tackle Toby Johnson stood at the 50-yard line with three other teammates and took the field. This time it wasn't to clog the gap or rush the quarterback, but rather, to be a captain. Johnson had the opportunity to represent Georgia football in front of 92,000 of his closest friends.
"It was surreal. I never would have thought I would have been a captain, first of all," Johnson said. "I always knew in the back of my mind that I could play for this team, that I could be a starter on this team, but I never thought I would get the chance to represent the team. I was pretty excited."
A transfer from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, Johnson stepped from the familiar to the unknown. He went from being the go-to guy on the Blue Dragon defense to one of many. Johnson spent his first season with the Bulldogs in 2013. He appeared in 10 games and recorded seven tackles, but that may not be an accurate reflection of what he learned during that time span.
"It has been a good experience. Just coming in my first year, I really wasn't fully healthy, having some ups and downs, but I actually enjoyed last year," Johnson said. "It was a big learning experience and it humbled me a lot. It probably was the best thing that happened to me, it was like a wake-up call."
Johnson credits teammates like Garrison Smith for helping him settle into his new role and teaching him "The Georgia Way". Last season, Johnson would quickly tire after only a play or two because it was so easy to get caught up in the hype of the game. He still gets nervous, but now he is calm and collected, trying to help the younger guys be prepared.
The atmosphere on the defensive side of Georgia football is different this year with a new coaching staff. Johnson believes the changes that the new staff has brought are good for everyone. It put a system into place that urges the coaches to get the most out of every player by making them compete.
"I think that was a great thing about (Coach Jeremy Pruitt's) system when he came in - giving every body a fair chance. Everybody was starting over with a clean slate," Johnson said. "I think that brought the best out of our defense as a whole. It makes everybody really want to compete when you know that you have a chance to beat the next man out, no matter if he was a starter last week or yesterday. That gives good vibes around the team and makes people want to come to work."
The defensive philosophy, as said by defensive line coach Tracy Rocker, is to practice. It might sound cliché, but that's the key to their successes. Working hard in practice is what earns players their spot in the starting line-up come Saturday. For Johnson, this is especially true as he went from scout team to starter to captain in a matter of weeks.
"We saw two weeks of Toby putting forth effort in practice and getting better every day," Rocker said. "All of a sudden, it translated at South Carolina…as an individual. We didn't win the game, but we saw his effort. And I think he saw it and what led to it - practice. It's all about practicing. If you make plays in practice, you'll make plays on game day. That was the plus side for Toby. In the staff meeting it was unanimous as a defensive staff. We all picked him (to be a captain)."
Rocker may openly teach practice to his players, but quietly, without noticing he is instilling a confidence in Johnson. Johnson has the self-determination to make it to the next level, but the belief wouldn't be there without Rocker.
"I think that I can definitely play at the next level," Johnson said. "Having a coach like Coach Rocker has given me that confidence because he's been there. You've just got to believe him. Playing against some of the guys from other teams that are supposed to be draft eligible, that gives me confidence. I'm just going to keep playing hard and hopefully I get that call."
For now, Johnson stays laser focused on the task at hand. Week in and week out in college football is a battle, but Johnson trusts that as long as he and his teammates respect their opponent each week, they should be fine.
"I expect for us to get better every day," Johnson said. "We can only control what we can control. The talent we have at Georgia…I don't think anybody can really beat us. If we do our job, I really do believe that nobody can beat us. Like I said, we'll just get better and take it one game at a time."
In the coming weeks, Johnson will practice a little longer and play a little harder to help lead his team to its goals and try to earn that spot as a captain once again.
Ann Drinkard is a junior from Commerce, Ga., who is majoring broadcast journalism and also pursuing a sport media certificate from UGA's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. She is in her second year as a student assistant with the UGA Sports Communications office.
"Coming Attractions" is a weekly feature published on georgiadogs.com spotlighting a UGA student-athlete who will be competing in a key home event during the upcoming weekend. Previous stories include:
August 28 - David Andrews (football vs. Clemson)
September 4 - Carly Hamilton (cross country in Bulldog Invitational)
September 11 - Tirah Leau (volleyball in Benson Hospitality Invitational)
September 18 - Mariel Gutierrez (soccer vs. Vanderbilt)
