Fw*telegram On Roderick Johnson From Walk-on To

[OldTimer]

Dogged determination results in walk-on making team as wide receiver

By TROY PHILLIPS

Star-Telegram staff writer

DENTON -- Maybe Roderick Johnson should have quit a long time ago, but he didn't.

On Saturday, when North Texas opens the season at Oklahoma, Johnson will back up starting inside receiver Brock Stickler. Now a junior, Johnson will do so after using up his redshirt season and two years of eligibility before ever putting on a UNT uniform.

He enrolled in 2004 as a non-preferred walk-on, basically a glorified intramural player. Former UNT coach Darrell Dickey made Johnson complete 24 academic hours before giving him a practice jersey.

In 2005, Johnson went through in-season conditioning drills and made the spring roster in 2006. Before last season, Dickey cut Johnson when his grade-point average fell below the walk-on minimum of 2.25.

"That was my fault," Johnson said of that setback, which cost him his second season of eligibility. "I didn't do what I was supposed to do, but I never thought once about quitting."

Needing receivers, new coach Todd Dodge added Johnson to the spring roster. It wasn't a spectacular audition; Johnson started fall drills on the scout team.

Within three weeks, Johnson (6-foot-2, 190 pounds) fought his way to an adjacent practice field where the first and second teams work, and hasn't gone back. Dodge calls him "a bulldog."

"I stuck it out and kept fighting," said Johnson, who is from Garland. "I don't have much time left, but I'm about to make a lot of what's there."

A heavy load

OU's offensive line is the largest of the Bob Stoops era, averaging 6 feet, 5 inches and 316 pounds.

The beast of the group is 6-foot-8, 350-pound left tackle Phil Loadholt, who will go against right defensive end Jeremiah Chapman, who is listed at 6-4, 243 pounds. UNT's defensive line averages 274 pounds.

Briefly

Robert Peachey (hamstring) is listed to start at right tackle but is questionable for Saturday's game. Adam Venegas would replace him.

True freshman Micah Mosley of Nederland will begin the season as the backup to Jamario Thomas at running back. Mosley appears to not be a redshirt candidate.

UNT looks to start reversing a bad trend this week after passing for 200 yards only once in its past 30 games. Matt Phillips (217) was the last to do so against Louisiana-Monroe in 2005.

Despite having three field-goal attempts blocked in practice Thursday, kicker Thomas Moreland charted the highest among UNT's three true freshman walk-ons and will start Saturday.

Oklahoma had no shortage of video to scout UNT, but it's all from Southlake Carroll games. Dodge said the Sooners probably have plenty of their own Carroll tapes after recruiting several Dragons the past three years.

North Texas at No. 8 Oklahoma

6 p.m. Saturday

TV: Fox Sports SW

Radio: KKGM/1630 AM; KWRD/100.7 FM; KNTU/88.1 FM

tphillips@star-telegram.com

Troy Phillips, 817-390-7760

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---We can always hope that REALLY LARGE means rather slow. If our QB can get off a lot of rather quick passes then this could work to our benefit. As the game goes on, Bubbas tend to wear out if they have to run quite as bit. Bubbas work pretty well against running teams but not so well against passing ones and teams with very diverse offenses.

---The advantage with the college game over the NFL (on defense) is the number of players on the sideline so that defense can rest the on starters more also they can change up the players on the field to better suit what is being played by the opposition on offense. Comparing the size of their defense vs. our defensive players mean very little.. comparing them to the offensive line does since they actually "hit" each other.

Edited August 29, 2007 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[greenminer]

Chapman is lining across from a player who is 107 lbs heavier. Fantastic. Why doesn't he serve himself on a plate so the guy can just eat him? ridiculous, I say. Ridiculous!

[untbowler]

Chapman is lining across from a player who is 107 lbs heavier. Fantastic. Why doesn't he serve himself on a plate so the guy can just eat him? ridiculous, I say. Ridiculous!

Chapman should be much faster than this big oaf so that should help out some

[greenminer]

Chapman should be much faster than this big oaf so that should help out some

Right. Because OU recruits loafs.

Nothing like a UNT stud to zip around those slow farts in Norman. No shot against Chapman intended, but we would need to go 3 - 4 deep and rotate a LOT to keep fresh against this mountain that will wear you down during the game, as he sizes you up for his post-game barbecue.

[Travis]

Right. Because OU recruits loafs.

Nothing like a UNT stud to zip around those slow farts in Norman. No shot against Chapman intended, but we would need to go 3 - 4 deep and rotate a LOT to keep fresh against this mountain that will wear you down during the game, as he sizes you up for his post-game barbecue.

the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

[UNTLifer]

Dwight Freeney of the Colts is listed as 6'1" and 268lbs. He goes against much larger OL on a weekly basis in the NFL and led the league in sacks. Leverage and speed can bring a man down to size.

Now thinking this young men from OU are slow is misguided. OU doesn't recruit big, slow lineman. They basically pick and choose who they want to sign every single year from the best of the nation's high school players.

It will be a monumental task for our DL, but I have confidence they will be well prepared and ready.

[untbowler]

What type of 40 does a 6'8" 350lb guy run, should be no reason Chapman could not get up under him or around, plus curious to see what kind of condition these guy is in as that is a ton of bending for that size and frame. Just being optimistic amongst the pessimism.

[emmitt01]

What type of 40 does a 6'8" 350lb guy run, should be no reason Chapman could not get up under him or around, plus curious to see what kind of condition these guy is in as that is a ton of bending for that size and frame. Just being optimistic amongst the pessimism.

I appreciate the optimism people but let's be honest. Their o-line is gonna look to lock up and pancake our d-line on every play. If they're successful even 20% of the time they will wear us out just by laying on us while the RB breaks into our linebacking corps. This is not the 300+ pound NMSU line we used to face in the Dickey era, this is a line of 300+ monsters who are playing for a national title contender for a reason.

[pollock]

That's about the same size as Leonard Davis, and he doesn't look fat.

At least it's our best D-lineman against their biggest O-lineman. Chapman moves around pretty well.

[SilverEagle]

I appreciate the optimism people but let's be honest. Their o-line is gonna look to lock up and pancake our d-line on every play. If they're successful even 20% of the time they will wear us out just by laying on us while the RB breaks into our linebacking corps. This is not the 300+ pound NMSU line we used to face in the Dickey era, this is a line of 300+ monsters who are playing for a national title contender for a reason.

Well, this behemoth that everyone is talking about is clearly big and talented (otherwise he wouldn't be starting) but he is a Juco transfer with no D-1 game experience. And Chapman has three years of experience in going up against "big-time" lineman.

Our defense is not a bunch of wide-eyed freshmen. They've played at many big venues and they've faced many freaks of nature.

Geezz folks! Quit being so awed.

[NT80]

Despite having three field-goal attempts blocked in practice Thursday, kicker Thomas Moreland charted the highest among UNT's three true freshman walk-ons and will start Saturday.

humm....that's either good work by the kick rush defense or bad work by the kicking team.

[Got5onIt]

What type of 40 does a 6'8" 350lb guy run, should be no reason Chapman could not get up under him or around, plus curious to see what kind of condition these guy is in as that is a ton of bending for that size and frame. Just being optimistic amongst the pessimism.

First of all. 40 times mean squat in this situation. Lineman, expecially tackles, need soft feet, great balance, quickness, & upper body strength. Chapman wil either have to go through the guy or use his quickness to get to the outside of him and go around him. The Tackle always has the advantage to his inside. Also, as big as the Oline is, the DE's will be spread further from the QB, cutting down on their pursuit angles. This is another advantage for the tackle. Big lineman are used for a reason.

[UNTLifer]

Back to subject....nice article on Johnson. I like seeing young men with this type of determination be rewarded for the hard work they put in. I wish him the best.