It's one for all on B.C. defence
Team-first attitude scores big with DE Brent Johnson
By Gordon McIntyre, The Province
June 19, 2009
B.C. Lions' Brent Johnson chases Saskatchewan Roughriders' Marcus Crandell in 2008.
Photograph by: Steve Bosch, Vancouver Sun
If you thought Brent Johnson is relishing the spotlight as he returns to his end of the defensive line, now that headline-hogging Cam Wake is gone, you'd be off the mark.
For Johnson, as for pretty well all the veterans on defence, the sheen has worn off gaudy individual stats -- interceptions for the secondary, sacks for the D-line -- if the most important stat of all, Grey Cup championships, continues to be elusive.
"I think as a team we're getting away from that [individual recognition]," the 32-year-old Johnson said. "Stats are great, but I think we got carried away in the past with individual goals instead of a team atmosphere.
"We need to get away from the idea that if you get a sack or interception, that's the best thing in the world instead of winning the game. That gets you on the all-star teams -- I know, I've benefitted from that. But it's first and foremost a team concept."
Coach Wally Buono said he believes all the veterans on defence have bought into this team-first approach.
He also thinks Johnson might pick up four or five more sacks with Wake gone because there were occasions last season when Johnson got to the quarterback a half-second after Wake.
Wake had 39 sacks over his two seasons here. Johnson, in the two seasons prior to Wake's arrival, had 33 and has averaged 13 a season over the past five campaigns.
But the defensive end position, especially on the short side where Johnson lines up, is about a lot more than sacks, such as containment and forcing the 70 per cent of running plays that go to the weak side back toward the middle.
"With Brent, what people a lot of times don't understand is he's a complete football player," said Johnson's buddy Javy Glatt. "Not to mention that taking on a 300-pound lineman and pushing him back in the hole, not many people can do that.
"Brent's one of my best friends, so I'm obviously biased, but the guy's just an amazing player, a Hall of Fame player.
"As good as Cam was, Brent's got a few big awards, too."
All the awards he needs -- three-time CFL all-star, two-time outstanding Canadian, the 2006 outstanding defensive player -- save for a couple more Grey Cups.
He's led the CFL in forced fumbles and sacks, and is 13 sacks away from becoming the Lions'' all-time leader.
And in college, Johnson won the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl with his Ohio State Buckeyes, made all-Big Ten his senior year and, to boot, was named to Ohio State's dean's list for academic excellence.
