By: LONNY DEMAREE
As it applies to the present starting quarterback Stephen Jonson “what a difference a day makes” and we are talking football and not music Ala, Dinah Washington or Natalie Cole. From this time last year to the present Johnson is now majoring in the three C's – confidence, comfort, and calm. When it comes to his proficiency you could safely add two more C's. Those being C. J. Conrad. Last season it was almost painful to watch Johnson miss Conrad so many times over the middle. When watching on fan day it's evident that's no more.
When it comes Johnson, Gran said it's the receiver being in the right place and and getting the ball in a timely fashion. “It's all technique,” Gran said. The coach was asked what's been Johnson biggest improvement? He said - “Right now it's his intermediate range passes. Hitting them in stride and not behind them.” Much of the credit for Johnson's development has to go to Darin Hinshaw. As alluded to in the past namely this time last year, Vince Marrow said Hinshaw is the greatest hire he has seen.
Undergraduate Graduate Assistant Alex Montgomery who has been around the program since 2013 (three ACL's and two Meniscus surgeries) and seen a few quarterbacks pass through the program said Johnson's biggest asset is his comfort level. Montgomery also said Johnson is confident in what he is doing.
C. J. Conrad – “Stephen and Drew have work with me continuously over the summer and this has helped me a lot and I am getting to the right spots now more consistently.” He said he expects to repeat what we observed on Saturday and that's getting down the field. He said it helps having the same offensive brain trust two years in a row. Conrad was asked what Johnson has gotten better at? “Everything we've all gotten better at,” he explained. “His confidence is high right now.”
Kayauane Ross – Eddie Gran had some good things to say about Ross and said he has been running some with the one's. Ross looked exceptional Saturday catching the ball. At this time last season Coach Lamar Thomas was excited about the prospects of Ross 6-foot-6, 225-pounds. He even nicknamed him Godzilla because of his ability to get the YAC's. “His off season was awesome,” Thomas said. “He's done everything he's supposed to – learned the offense; gotten stronger; and gotten in the film room. You can tell he's happy about being here understanding that everyday you let go by you can't get it back. I'm more excited about him now than I was last year. We asked Ross what he thought about Johnson? “I like where Stephen is right now,” Ross said. “He's leader, a natural leader. I believe we will see how things go but right now he a leader.
Charles Walker said when the big guy jumps high and the defensive backs need to be beware. Lamar Thomas lit up when talking about Walker. (Smiles) “Old Chuck” is how Thomas named him, Mr dependable. “He's going to make plays for us.”
To a man that addresses Stephen Johnson's attributes, it's Calm, Confident, and Comfort.
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