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DE Brent Johnson (official thread)

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osugrad21

osugrad21

Capo Regime
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Around the CFL: Johnson showing he can do more than rush QB

By Fred Williams, CFL Editor
Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) - Brent Johnson is proving he can do more than just rush the quarterback.
Last week against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the B.C. Lions defensive end recovered a fumble and had two interceptions. And, yes, he also had a sack, giving him a CFL-high nine so far this season.
Two weeks ago, Johnson also had a 16-yard touchdown catch after lining up as a tight end on offense.
Last year, Johnson, a native of Kingston, Ontario who played his college football at Ohio State University, was named the CFL's top Canadian-born player, an honor he's doing his best to successfully defend in 2006.
 
There's also a lot of talk of him being a leading candidate for the CFL Player of the Year. I would say he's probably the best defensive player in the CFL right now. I'm also a bit bias though, since Kingston his hometown is about 30 minutes south of me (I was actually born in Kingston but have lived all my life in a small town outside it) and our high schools play in the same football league. My oldest brother also played against him throughout his high school football career. He was a LT so he played directly against Johnson. So add the fact that he was a buckeye, I tend to be pretty biased. But lots of other people would argue he's the best defensive player in the league.
 
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Chatting With ... Lions defensive end Brent Johnson



Age: 29
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 265 pounds
Birthplace: Kingston, Ont.
Years in CFL: 6
Years with Lions: 6
College: Ohio State
Favourite TV show? House.
Favourite movie? Heat.
Favourite holiday destination? Mexico. Anywhere in Mexico.
Steak or seafood? Probably seafood.
Read a book or watch a movie? Both.
Leno or Letterman? Letterman.
With which three people, living or dead, would you want to have dinner? I guess my grandfather, because I never met him, Joe Strummer from The Clash and probably George W. Bush. I have some questions for him.
If you weren't playing pro football, what would you be doing? What would I be doing? I'd probably be doing some financial stuff.
Best personality trait? I'm calm.
Worst personality trait? I can be moody. I'm moody.
What's your perfect day off? My perfect day off during the season would be just relax and go to a movie. A good dinner and a movie.
Last song listened to on your iPod? It was the Tragically Hip. It wasn't the new one, but I've got them all on my iPod. I just sort of press play.
And you have to like them, right? Of course, they're from Kingston. They used to play at my sister's high school dances. They used to play at Queen Elizabeth Collegiate.
 
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The two sides of Lions' Brent Johnson
Johnson hits Joseph

Canadian Press
11/15/2006 8:51:09 PM

WINNIPEG (CP) - B.C. defensive co-ordinator Dave Ritchie describes Lions defensive end Brent Johnson as a complete gentleman.

Teammate Tyrone Williams says Johnson is a friendly guy who cracks jokes and always has time to give fans a smile and autograph.

But come game time, the pair said Johnson transforms into a competitive demon who relishes tossing quarterbacks to the turf.

Johnson led the CFL in sacks (16) this year for the second season in a row, and is the West Division nominee for the CFL's most outstanding defensive player and most outstanding Canadian awards.

"I love football because it's a violent game," Johnson said Wednesday after the Lions finished their first practice in preparation for Sunday's Grey Cup against Montreal.


"I love how brutal it is. I love fighting to get to the quarterback. I love fighting to get to the running back. I don't hold back."

Off the field, I'm the least violent person you'll probably ever meet.

Aside from his sack total, the 29-year-old native of Kingston, Ont., notched 22 defensive tackles, three fumble recoveries and two receiving touchdowns this season.

Thursday night, the six-year veteran will find out if he wins the defensive player award over Winnipeg linebacker Barrin Simpson and the Canadian award over Blue Bombers defensive tackle Doug Brown.

Johnson won the Canadian award last season with a league-high 17 sacks, only the fourth Lion to win it. But football wasn't the first sport he suited up for. Johnson played hockey as a centre until about age 15, but switched to football because he liked a different type of athleticism.

"I like the running, jumping, power, speed," Johnson said. "There's so many things to prepare for before you go on the field, whether it's your size, your speed, your strength, your mentality. All these factors can determine if you're going to play your position well and if you're going to win games.

And the Lions won plenty of games this season, topping the league with a 13-5 record. Johnson and his defensive teammates can take a bow for their part in that success.

B.C.'s defence was first or second in 18 of 25 CFL categories. It led the league in quarterback sacks (59), interceptions (36) and average yards allowed a game (299). Only the Toronto Argonauts (333) allowed fewer points than B.C.'s 341.

Seven Lions players were named to the CFL all-star team, five from the defence.

"We believe in everybody who's out there," Johnson said of the defensive players' mentality. "Even the guys that come off the bench, they're great players. There's no second guessing anyone."

Williams said the defence has done something different this season, kind of bonding sessions.

The players regularly went out together to watch movies and hockey games and even headed to the bowling alley.

"We enjoyed being around each other more off the field than just on the field," said Williams, a fifth-year veteran and CFL all-star. "It just kind of brings you closer and makes you realize that it's not just on the field, you can care for them off the field as well."

Ritchie expects the defence will come out with a vengeance against the Alouettes (10-8), a team B.C. defeated 48-13 on Sept. 1 and 36-20 on Sept. 16.

And Johnson could lead the way.

"The only thing that stops him is a strangle hold," Ritchie said.
Click to expand...

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/news_story/?ID=184478&hubname=cfl

johnson_83547.jpg


Brent Johnson made CFL history and anchored a Western sweep at the league's awards banquet Thursday night.

The B.C. Lions defensive end was named the league's outstanding defensive player and top Canadian, the first time in CFL history a player won both honours in the same year. With Johnson leading the way, the West Division captured all six of the league's major individual awards, including Lions teammates Geroy Simon (outstanding player), Rob Murphy (top lineman) and Aaron Hunt (top rookie) as well as Calgary Stampeders kicker Sandro DeAngelis (special-teams player).
Click to expand...

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/news_story/?ID=184640&hubname=cfl
 
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Lions sackmaster credits Buono
Switch back to end turned Johnson's career around

Sat Nov 18 2006

"I don't know where my career would be if he didn't let me play end."
-- Brent Johnson

By Chris Cariou

THE CFL's most outstanding defensive player and its Canadian in 2006 doesn't know where he'd be today without B.C. Lions' head coach Wally Buono.

Brent Johnson was brought up on hockey in Kingston, Ont., and idolized Paul Coffey as a kid. But he eventually turned to football, became an standout defensive end at Ohio State and was signed as a free agent by the Lions in 2001, only to promptly be told he'd be switched to defensive tackle.

"That's what I've trained my whole football career to play, defensive end," Johnson said Thursday before he won both awards he was nominated for -- he won outstanding Canadian for the second consecutive year -- after leading the CFL for the second year running in quarterback sacks with 16, one off his total of 2005.
"And I thought I've finally come to a place, to a league that I always wanted to play in, that I aspired to play in my whole life. I dreamed of playing in Grey Cups and the first thing they said is you can't play the position you've practised your entire life of football doing."

But Buono, a Canadian himself who had a long career as a linebacker and punter with the Montreal Alouettes, signed on as head coach in 2003. It invigorated the Lions and turned around the career of Johnson, now 29.

"He said 'I don't really care whether you're Canadian or American, I'm going to see if you can play defensive end,' " Johnson said. "And he saw that yes, OK, this kid can play. And we've never looked back. Honestly, that was my big break. I had to provide that comfort level for him, obviously, he didn't just go for it out of the blue.

"I don't know where my career would be if he didn't let me play end."

Johnson had survived the drowning death of his mother and hooked up with a high school football program in Kingston that turned him into a player Ohio State wanted. He was named to the All-Big 10 Team in his senior year and helped the Buckeyes win both the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl.

He tried out the NFL but it wasn't a good fit, he said, so he returned to Canada, where his nationality in his own country was the biggest issue.

"I just couldn't believe it. Because when you come from a program like Ohio State, no one cares. The best players always play. Even in the NFL when I was with Jacksonville, the best players always play. At that time, I was not the best player so what happens when you're not the best is you've got to go home. They cut you.

"But here, before I even stepped on the field, it was 'No, you're Canadian, you can't play defensive end.'" He said if more Canadian quarterbacks were given an honest shot in the CFL, they'd be sticking in the league. "I think of guys that came before me, like a Nick Hebeler. He was a Canadian that opened up a door for me and played defensive end. But it was deemed an American position and that's a tough wall to hit."

Since Buono came on the scene in Vancouver, Johnson has gone from three sacks to 10 to 17 and now 16.

[email protected]
Click to expand...

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/sports/football/story/3781194p-4373190c.html
 
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Brent Johnson had a solid career at Ohio State. Led Ohio State in sacks one season and was a 3 year starter. I would have never thought he would be this successful even in the Canandian League. It great to see what he has become as a football player up there in Canada.
 
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He's been very successful in the CFL not just this year but for the past few years. I'm glad to see a Canadian from my neck of the woods and a Buckeye do so well in the pros. Hopefully his team the BC Lions can come away tomorrow with the Grey Cup Championship tomorrow. While I don't disagree with your opinion that its good to see him becoming a successful player in Canada, I would like to point out that besides his 5 to 6 years in the US playing football he has been a very good football player in Canada throught out high school and then in the pros.
 
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Grey Cup win caps impressive week for Lions defensive end Brent Johnson
DAN RALPH
WINNIPEG (CP) - The B.C. Lions' 25-14 Grey Cup win Sunday capped quite a week for defensive end Brent Johnson.

On Thursday, the six-foot-three, 265-pound Johnson was named the CFL's outstanding defensive player and Canadian after registering 16 sacks to lead the league in that category for the second straight year. Johnson became the first player in league history to win both honours in the same year.

The 29-year-old native of Kingston, Ont., anchored a Lions defence that finished first in fewest yards allowed (299 per game) and sacks (59). B.C. also forced a league-high 61 turnovers (including CFL-best 36 interceptions) as it had the best takeaway-giveaway figure of plus 33, 23 more than second-place Calgary.

Then on Saturday, his alma mater, Ohio State University, beat arch-rival Michigan to remain ranked No. 1 in U.S. college football.

"It's fantastic," Johnson said. "This week has really gone well.

"I think I'm going to go buy a lottery ticket."

Despite his season of dominance, the Alouettes managed to keep Johnson from registering a sack on quarterback Anthony Calvillo. But Johnson's teammate did get to Calvillo three times and repeatedly pressured him into either throwing before ready or force him from the pocket.

And late in the fourth with Montreal on B.C.'s one-yard line trailing 25-12 with four minutes remaining, the Lions forced Als running back Robert Edwards to fumble, with B.C. linebacker Otis Floyd recovering to, for all intent and purpose, cement the win.

But Johnson said the Lions want to do more than just force turnovers.

"Really, the goal of this defence is to score and it always has been," Johnson said. "We think of ourselves as an offensive defence.

"We either get the ball back to our offence as quick as possible or score a touchdown and we're not going to be happy unless that gets done."

Johnson is in his sixth season with the Lions after signing with the club as a free agent in 2001. He's hopeful now that the club is of championship calibre, the front office will do what it can to ensure all the key cogs remain so B.C. can make more title runs.

"I'm so lucky to do it with the guys we did it with," he said. "I just hope we can keep this team.

"I don't want it to end because we're such a good team. It's a pleasure to go on the field and play with these guys."
Click to expand...

http://www.metronews.ca/storyCP.aspx?pg=./f112009A.xml
 
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Sometimes stats fall short of the real story

Fewer sacks but the defensive end is still a big part of success


Ed Willes, The Province

Published: Friday, October 26, 2007
There are several explanations for Brent Johnson's diminished sack totals this season.
Opposing teams, for starters, have taken note of Johnson's 33 sacks over the previous two years and reasonably concluded the B.C. Lions defensive end warrants double-teaming. The craven cowards have also taken to rolling away from Johnson's side of the field.
And here's another thing.
84588-26914.jpg
B.C. Lions defensive end Brent Johnson says he will take wins over sacks any day.



Cont...
 
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B.C. Lions rally for Bob Ackles in 27-18 win over Winnipeg Bombers

VANCOUVER ? The B.C. Lions weren't the best that they could be Friday night but found a way to honour the memory of Bob Ackles with a comeback 27-18 CFL victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Lions fullback Lyle Greene and defensive end Brent Johnson are in their seventh season without missing a game.

The Canadian Press: B.C. Lions rally for Bob Ackles in 27-18 win over Winnipeg Bombers
 
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Brent Johnson (football player)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brent Johnson (born December 7, 1976 in Kingston, Ontario) is a Canadian football defensive lineman with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He is 6'3" and weighs 265 lbs. He went to Ohio State University. Brent Johnson started playing for the BC Lions in 2001. He got 2 sacks in 2001, 12 in 2002, 12 in 2003, 17 in 2004, 17 in 2005, 16 in 2006 and 12 in 2007. Brent Johnson was nominated for the best Canadian player in the Canadian Football League. Brent Johnson lives in Vancouver with his girlfriend Lara. He is number 97 and the 2006 CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award and the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award. He won the 2005 Most Outstanding Canadian.

Brent Johnson (football player - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
 
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