Working with the best
ADAMS TWP — Isaiah Johnson had to elevate his game in a hurry.
And he's learned from it.
The incoming Mars junior running back received plenty of unexpected varsity time at that position as a sophomore last year. That was after fullback Josh Schultheis was lost for the season to a Week 1 injury.
Ori Rinaman took over Schultheis' spot and Johnson found himself with a regular spot in the Planet backfield.
“I got to learn the game through actually experiencing it,” Johnson said. “It definitely helped me.”
With a long-range goal of playing football in college, Johnson attended a Football University camp in Virginia last summer, one of 24 camps held nationwide. Top performers from these camps are selected to attend the Top Gun Showcase, a national camp run by NFL coaches and former NFL players.
Johnson attended the FBU camp as a defensive back last year — he is also a starting defensive back at Mars — but was not selected for Top Gun.
He attended the FBU camp in Dublin, Ohio, this summer as a running back — and was selected as one of 800 high school players to take part in this weekend's Top Gun Showcase at Dublin Jerome High School.
“I don't think we've had a player do that before,” Mars coach Scott Heinauer said of Top Gun. “It's a nice honor for him to be selected.”
While at the FBU camp in Dublin, Johnson was coached by former 11-year NFL running back Fred McCrary and Dave Atkins, a 21-year NFL coaching veteran who was running backs coach with the Eagles, Saints and Browns, as well as offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals.
“They taught me stuff about the position I never knew before, like footwork, running routes, taking handoffs ... I'm looking forward to getting more of that instruction,” Johnson said.
He will work with three more former NFL running backs today through Saturday at the Top Gun Showcase, including former New England Patriot back Robert Edwards.
Johnson said the Showcase begins with listening to a talk about scouting in the auditorium, followed by an hour of work on the practice field with position coaches. Catching passes as a running back guarded by a linebacker follows.
The day ends with 7-on-7 games, featuring all passing.
“I caught passes and scored a touchdown at the (FBU) camp last week,” Johnson said.
He rushed for 506 yards and five touchdowns on 82 carries for Mars last year. He also caught six passes for 125 yards and two TDs.
This year, he will replace the graduated Rinaman — heading to Shippensburg to compete in track and field — as the Planets' fullback.
“Everybody knows in our offense, the fullback gets the bulk of the carries,” Heinauer said. “Isaiah is stepping into a long line of success we've had at that position. He's a coachable kid and a good athlete. He works very hard at the game and the good thing is, we've got him for two more years.
“Finding the hole, reading the defense and reacting, he got a valuable taste of all that last season.”
Johnson said the Top Gun program “is all about getting better” and preparing for what lies ahead.
“It's going to be fun this year. We've got a good team,” he said. “I want to do what other Mars fullbacks have done in the past — get the ball and get a whole bunch of yards.”
