Eugene (OR) Sheldon 4-star QB Michael Johnson Jr. is one of the best QB prospects in the country for the class of 2019 and has reeled in 25+ FBS offers from mostly top Power 5 programs, including one from the Miami Hurricanes. At the time, he thought it was a nice gesture, but Johnson Jr. never realized just how much the mutual interest between himself and the UM program would grow.
“I got (the Miami offer) in early August,” Johnson Jr. said. “I was excited, really excited. I never expected it to be how it is now, just my relationship with Miami. For coach (Jon) Richt to be flying from Miami, Florida to Eugene, Oregon to see me, it’s crazy.”
It’s not that crazy, though. Head coach Mark Richt has proven and made no secret of the fact that he will be relentless in going after whoever he believes is the best signal-caller in the nation. An electrifying, dual-threat playmaker in his own right, Johnson Jr. appears to be that guy for Miami in this recruiting cycle.
“The coaches are telling me I’m their top target at QB,” Johnson Jr. “That means a lot, honestly.”
So, just what is it about the Canes that is drawing Johnson Jr. to the program Richt is building at “The U”?
“Definitely just the relationships with coach Jon Richt and coach Mark Richt,” Johnson Jr said. “I know if I go there, I won’t just become a better player, I’ll become a better person as well. Their offense I think really, really fits me and I like the fact of all the tradition that’s been there, the 30-for-30 episodes, you know. I’m really interested in being a part of that.”
While Johnson Jr. has yet to make it over to Coral Gables for a campus visit, he’s planning on making a trip to see the Canes very soon: this month in March to be exact.
“No I haven’t (visited yet), but I’m visiting them this month actually,” Johnson Jr. said. “I’m coming down on the 28th and 29th, I believe.”
Other schools around the nation won’t make this easy for the Canes, though. The 6’4” 190 pounder is also in the process of planning other visits as well.
“During the weeks before (my Miami visit), I’m visiting Alabama, Ole Miss, and then (Miami).”
While a top group or leaders are out of the question at this stage of the recruiting game for Johnson Jr., has a list of seven schools that he’s hearing from the most, beginning with UM.
“The teams that I’d say are coming hard after me now are definitely Miami, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Alabama, Nebraska, and LSU,” Johnson Jr. “Those schools would be the main ones.”
As a coach’s son (his father Michael Johnson Sr. is the WR coach at Oregon) Johnson Jr. has moved around a lot and has lived in many parts of the country, including spending time on the east coast in Maryland. That’s why he says living far from his current west coast home in Oregon isn’t a factor in his recruitment.
“No, the distance wouldn’t be a problem,” Johnson Jr. said.
He has no timetable for a decision at this point, but Johnson Jr. is certain that it will be a program’s environment that draws him in when he is ready to decide.
“I’m looking for a place where I can go and be able to compete, somewhere I can feel comfortable, and somewhere I can pretty much have a home away from home,” said Johnson Jr. “A place that I know I’ll have the tools to be successful there.”
With his dad being both a college and NFL coach since Johnson Jr. was born, the younger Johnson has spent his entire life growing up around the game being played and coached at the highest level. What has he taken away from that unique life experience?
“I learned a lot of knowledge, a lot of knowledge mainly about the quarterback position. My dad has been a QB coach also,” Johnson Jr. said. “The way I look at it, the position has kind of been a way of life for me, I’ve been growing up around it my whole life. It’s taught me a lot of different things.”
Johnson Jr. has applied that knowledge on the field to his Sheldon HS team, throwing for 21 TD’s while rushing for 12 more in his junior season.
“I think I performed well,” he said on his junior year. “Like anything else, there’s things I can do better with. Our team did pretty well, I got hurt in the first round of the playoffs, though.”
Johnson Jr. injured his shoulder in that game, but is now fully healed up, throwing, and ready to go for his senior season at Sheldon.
“Just exited to go out and compete,” Johnson Jr. said of his last year in high school. “To go out and play with my brothers, my best friends, one final time before we go our separate ways.”
“I got (the Miami offer) in early August,” Johnson Jr. said. “I was excited, really excited. I never expected it to be how it is now, just my relationship with Miami. For coach (Jon) Richt to be flying from Miami, Florida to Eugene, Oregon to see me, it’s crazy.”
It’s not that crazy, though. Head coach Mark Richt has proven and made no secret of the fact that he will be relentless in going after whoever he believes is the best signal-caller in the nation. An electrifying, dual-threat playmaker in his own right, Johnson Jr. appears to be that guy for Miami in this recruiting cycle.
“The coaches are telling me I’m their top target at QB,” Johnson Jr. “That means a lot, honestly.”
So, just what is it about the Canes that is drawing Johnson Jr. to the program Richt is building at “The U”?
“Definitely just the relationships with coach Jon Richt and coach Mark Richt,” Johnson Jr said. “I know if I go there, I won’t just become a better player, I’ll become a better person as well. Their offense I think really, really fits me and I like the fact of all the tradition that’s been there, the 30-for-30 episodes, you know. I’m really interested in being a part of that.”
While Johnson Jr. has yet to make it over to Coral Gables for a campus visit, he’s planning on making a trip to see the Canes very soon: this month in March to be exact.
“No I haven’t (visited yet), but I’m visiting them this month actually,” Johnson Jr. said. “I’m coming down on the 28th and 29th, I believe.”
Other schools around the nation won’t make this easy for the Canes, though. The 6’4” 190 pounder is also in the process of planning other visits as well.
“During the weeks before (my Miami visit), I’m visiting Alabama, Ole Miss, and then (Miami).”
While a top group or leaders are out of the question at this stage of the recruiting game for Johnson Jr., has a list of seven schools that he’s hearing from the most, beginning with UM.
“The teams that I’d say are coming hard after me now are definitely Miami, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Alabama, Nebraska, and LSU,” Johnson Jr. “Those schools would be the main ones.”
As a coach’s son (his father Michael Johnson Sr. is the WR coach at Oregon) Johnson Jr. has moved around a lot and has lived in many parts of the country, including spending time on the east coast in Maryland. That’s why he says living far from his current west coast home in Oregon isn’t a factor in his recruitment.
“No, the distance wouldn’t be a problem,” Johnson Jr. said.
He has no timetable for a decision at this point, but Johnson Jr. is certain that it will be a program’s environment that draws him in when he is ready to decide.
“I’m looking for a place where I can go and be able to compete, somewhere I can feel comfortable, and somewhere I can pretty much have a home away from home,” said Johnson Jr. “A place that I know I’ll have the tools to be successful there.”
With his dad being both a college and NFL coach since Johnson Jr. was born, the younger Johnson has spent his entire life growing up around the game being played and coached at the highest level. What has he taken away from that unique life experience?
“I learned a lot of knowledge, a lot of knowledge mainly about the quarterback position. My dad has been a QB coach also,” Johnson Jr. said. “The way I look at it, the position has kind of been a way of life for me, I’ve been growing up around it my whole life. It’s taught me a lot of different things.”
Johnson Jr. has applied that knowledge on the field to his Sheldon HS team, throwing for 21 TD’s while rushing for 12 more in his junior season.
“I think I performed well,” he said on his junior year. “Like anything else, there’s things I can do better with. Our team did pretty well, I got hurt in the first round of the playoffs, though.”
Johnson Jr. injured his shoulder in that game, but is now fully healed up, throwing, and ready to go for his senior season at Sheldon.
“Just exited to go out and compete,” Johnson Jr. said of his last year in high school. “To go out and play with my brothers, my best friends, one final time before we go our separate ways.”
