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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Johnson's switch has helped SaberCats' run

June 26, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


PHOENIX, Ariz. (June 26, 2004) - It was probably the best investment Brian Johnson ever made. That $300 air fare to come to San Jose for a tryout has more than paid for itself. To some of the SaberCats' coaches, it was like the guy "dropped out of the sky on us."

Johnson, a four-year letterman and three-year starter at defensive end at the University of New Mexico, came on his own to San Jose at the end of the 2002 season. After a call to the SaberCats office, and unbeknownst to head coach Darren Arbet, he was coming up from Albuquerque. Following a tryout, he was signed in November.

At the time, he called it: "An opportunity and a great investment." Besides playing on defense, he did play tight end in college. His versatility was recognized early for the SaberCats coaches and has spurned him to some important minutes in Sunday's ArenaBowl XVIII against the Arizona Rattlers at 1 p.m.

His adaptability has come in handy for the coaches who moved him to the fullback-linebacker position from the line at the end of February. With injuries taking its toll on the position with Matt Kinsinger and Keala Keanaania on the shelf, Johnson has been moved to one fo the most crucial components of the Arena Football game.

Johnson said he enjoys the new position and it is just a matter of getting used to it. In his senior year at Highlands Ranch (Colo.) High School, he played fullback, so carrying the ball is nothing new to the 6-foot-3 off-season resident of Las Vegas.

"I'm very comfortable at either position," Johnson said of playing on both sides of the ball (fullback and linebacker). "My reps at the position have been limited, but I need to get better. I definitely see the positions well on the field. I just felt this was an opportunity to help the team."

He attributes a lot of his success to the weight room and learning the game. His workouts got him up to over 300 pounds to play the line. Now it's a different approach from the offensive backfield position. "Last year, I was up to 310 and I wanted to get down, so the workouts got me down to 275," he said. "I feel much better and move well."

In 2003, his first full season, Johnson saw action in nine games and was the 7th lineman on the rotation for the SaberCats. He was credited with 7.5 tackles and a tackle for loss and a pass breakup.

Finishing up the regular season, he had seven tackles and one pass break up. In 10 games, he carried the ball 16 times for 33 yards and scored four touchdowns. He had a long run of 13 yards. Two of his rushing scores came against Philadlephia and the two-yard burst sealed the win for the SaberCats.

Besides the SaberCats, Brian and his girlfriend, Cheree, have a pair of domestic cats that keep them company in San Jose. He's kidded by his teammates with 'meow' sounds in the locker room for his fondness to the felines. "Sometimes the guys give me a bad time," he says. "Cats are easy to care for; much more than dogs and we can have them inside all the time."

Whether it's a new position in football or coming home to the cats, Johnson has enjoyed the opportunity. "I'm glad I showed up; I would have done anything at the time for a chance to play. I appreciate coach (Darren) Arbet and coach (Terry) Malley, who saw the potential in me and decided to keep me around." So, Johnson, who was called a "walk on" of sorts continues to ply the trade he enjoys at the age of 25.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 26, 2004


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