-
1 of 10
-
2 of 10
-
3 of 10
-
4 of 10
-
5 of 10
-
6 of 10
-
7 of 10
-
8 of 10
-
9 of 10
-
10 of 10
Johnson gelling for next season
Kirk Bell, Editor
Comments
Story
Malcolm Johnson showed improvement throughout fall camp and promise during the two public scrimmages. The Broncos are deep enough at the running back position that it wouldn’t make sense for them to make him active without some more development just a few months out of high school.
“I think that I feel really comfortable every practice,” Johnson said. “But I’m glad I’m taking the redshirt year. Almost like taking a year off from playing and participating, which is good, because I really think I need that year off just to get used to it all.”
And getting used to it is never an easy task. A little load is lightened somewhat by junior running backs D.J. Harper and Jeremy Avery who have been showing Johnson the ropes and working as a tandem in their newly acquired leadership roles. Their ability to execute plays precisely are some of the best lessons Johnson has taken from fall camp. Observing on the sidelines as the juniors take over the rushing attack for the first time in three seasons.
“The way that they execute plays is really crisp,” Johnson said. “It’s really just clean looking. It makes it look really easy. For me it’s all about trying to soak it all in. Almost like trying to imitate them and try to look like them when they do things because when they do things it just looks so easy.”
When the Broncos take the field against Oregon Sept. 3 it brings a little bit of home for Johnson. At least the chatter he was used to. He said that he wasn’t ever a big fan of the Oregon programs despite his father being a former Oregon State Beaver.
“When I was younger I was kind of a Beaver [fan],” Johnson said. “In high school I started to realize that I might be playing [college football]. But I never really was a fan of the Oregon teams.”
With a history in Oregon it is clear talking point for his friends and himself. Friendly banter is served one way and volleyed back regarding what is being regarded as the Broncos biggest football game in history.
“A lot of friendly trash talking. Right now they are just trying to get at me,” Johnson said. “A lot of them are big Oregon fans…I’m excited about it.”
His transition is still in progress from an Oregonian to a Boise local. Football is all he has really known since stepping into Idaho’s capital city. Like many locals, he has come to see the atmosphere offered by the BSU coaching philosophy.
“I didn’t know what to expect when I came here,” Johnson said. “I knew it was going to be more like a family mentality. But it was really so much more than I thought it would be. It is different. A good different.”
So those who miss seeing the name Johnson running down the field, busting for over 1,700 yards rushing and setting scoring records, you will have to wait one more season. But until then Malcolm is waiting in the wing and preparing for what he hopes to be a promising stretch at BSU.