USD's quarterback might someday feel a draft

10-27-2005

By Tom Shanahan, San Diego Hall of Champions

Last year’s University of San Diego quarterback, Todd Mortensen, was a BYU transfer talented enough to be invited to an NFL training camp as a free agent and survive the first round of cuts with the Detroit Lions before he was later released.

This year’s USD quarterback, Josh Johnson, is a sophomore who saw limited playing time as a true freshman in a backup role last season and missed spring football drills with a knee injury.

But if you expected a drop off in play at quarterback this year for the Toreros – isn’t there a long learning curve to ride at quarterback? – that hasn't been the case.

Johnson has led USD to a 7-1 overall record, first place in the Pioneer Football League's North Division at 3-0 and the No. 1 national ranking for NCAA Division I-AA Mid-Major schools (non-scholarship).

The Toreros, who earlier this year beat Yale for their first win over an Ivy League school, can clinch their first outright PFL North Division title with a win Saturday by defeating Valparaiso University (2-6, 1-1) in Indiana. A win also allows USD to host the PFL title game on Nov. 19 against the PFL South champion.

“He’s playing better than Todd did last year,” USD coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I wouldn’t just say he might get in an NFL camp; this is a draft-able guy someday.”

Harbaugh, of course, knows something about playing quarterback in the NFL. The former first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears played 15 years in the NFL, including two with the Chargers, and spent two seasons as the Oakland Raiders’ quarterbacks coach before he took over at USD in 2004.

“He’s got athletic ability, he’s got arm strength, he’s got great location with the ball and his best attribute is his mind,” Harbaugh said. “He’s a quick thinker.”

Johnson has completed 69.3 percent of his passes (174-of-251) for 1,974 yards and 20 touchdowns with just six interceptions. His quarterback efficiency is 156.90.

“If there was an SAT for football, he would blow it away,” Harbaugh said.

So how did a 6-foot-4, 180-pound quarterback wise-beyond-his-years escape the attention of Division I-A recruiters? Easy. He was flying below the radar.

Johnson was a 5-11, 145-pounder when he attended recruiting combines the summer before his senior year at Oakland Tech and played his senior year at 6-0, 160.

“Everyone in my family is a late bloomer,” Johnson said. “My Dad didn’t grow until he was in college. But I’m glad I grew later. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here. Not everybody understands how good we have it here. We run a Division I-A-type program here and we have NFL coaches. It’s fun everyday here.”

As a high school senior, Johnson threw for 1,900 yards and 22 touchdowns with only two interceptions while leading Tech to the Oakland Athletic League title. But he was undersized and overshadowed by Marshawn Lynch, Cal’s sophomore running back touted as potential Heisman Trophy candidate.

“Marshawn and I talk all the time,” Johnson said. “We’ve known each other since second grade and consider ourselves cousins. I’m proud of what he’s doing and he’s proud of what I’m doing. I tell him we don’t play in front of 90,000 fans, but I’ve never regretted coming down here.”

In addition to Johnson's passing game, he's a threat to run the ball. He's the team's second-leading rusher with 293 net yards (347 before losses are substracted) and three touchdowns.

"If you watch Texas quarterback Vince Young, he runs similar to him," Harbaugh said. "I watched Vince Young on TV, and I thought, 'He runs like Josh Johnson to me,' "

Johnson said missing spring practice with his knee injury frustrated him, but he remained ticketed as the Toreros’ starting quarterback. As a freshman he arrived on campus as one of nine quarterbacks on the roster but was elevated to No. 2 behind Mortensen three days into fall camp.

In this year’s season opener against Azusa Pacific, Johnson completed 23-of-34 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns with one interception in a 30-6 win. He hasn’t slowed down since then, averaging 246.8 yards and 2.5 touchdowns a game.

“I didn’t put pressure on myself to live up to what Todd did last year,” Johnson said. “I knew our West Coast offense is quarterback friendly. I had talent around me, and I came into the season with the mindset to get these guys the ball and let them do the rest. This is a talented team and I was excited just to do my job and get the job done as a team.”

Redshirt freshman running back J.T. Rogan, a Coronado High alumnus, leads the team with 853 yards rushing and six touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Nick Garton has caught 39 balls for 466 yards and seven touchdowns and senior wide receiver Adam Hannula leads the team in receptions with 42 for 538 yards and three touchdowns.

Johnson said he never considered himself a quarterback with NFL potential until Harbaugh mentioned it. Just two years ago he feared his career was ending as a 6-0, 160-pound senior at Oakland Tech.

“A reality check set in that I might not be able to play football again,” Johnson said. “When I got here, I was so happy to have an opportunity. I’d love to make it to the NFL, because it would be a chance to help my family. But my mindset right now is to help my team. I’ll take it one year at a time, trying to keep improving, because you can always get better, and then I’ll think about the NFL.”

There might be a day when the head coach isn’t USD’s only NFL quarterback.

Tom Shanahan can be contacted at 619-699-2334 or toms@sdhoc.com.