Johnson's Words and Actions Lead Canes to UVA
By David Villavicencio
HurricaneSports.com
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – “I’m hurt, dawg. Don’t ask me if I’m alright.”
Everyone that loves the Miami Hurricanes knows about the famous Ed Reed halftime speech in 2001.
The Canes were up, 21-13, at halftime at Florida State, but the All-American safety expected more from his teammates and let them know about it. Miami responded with a 28-point third quarter that sealed a 49-27 win over the rival Seminoles.
History repeated itself on Saturday, as Preseason All-American Jaquan Johnson gave an impassioned speech in the locker room at halftime while the Hurricanes faced a 20-7 deficit against FSU.
“Basically I told them we couldn’t lose this game,” Johnson said. “I told them it was my senior year—it was a bunch of our senior years and we need to play to our standards. We were playing undisciplined. We weren’t playing Miami football. That was basically what I told them in the locker room.”
While the Noles added another seven points shortly after the intermission, the senior safety’s words of encouragement helped spark a 21-7 second half run that led Miami to a 28-27 win over Florida State.
“In the locker room, obviously a lot of us were upset, but we weren’t panicking,” defensive lineman Joe Jackson said. “We just kept our head straight. Jaquan Johnson came in, gave us the talk that we needed. I think got everybody going for the second half. We came out and played big; that’s the reason why we won.”
“Jaquan’s speech gave us motivation,” defensive tackle Gerald Willis III said. “His speeches give us so much energy and so much like, we’re playing for each other. He brought up Malek Young and Ahmmon Richards, like those guys want to be out there as well and to play for them. His speech gave us a lot of momentum.”
Johnson’s leadership extends well beyond passionate words on game day. The senior has been a game changer when he is on the field, posting a team-best 32 total tackles despite missing two and a half of Miami’s six games in 2018.
“It was really frustrating,” Johnson said. “I’ve never really encountered something like that. I haven’t missed a game in college, so it was a different feeling for me. The guys stuck around me and told me don’t worry about it, you’ll be back, things like that. A support system like that, you can’t really worry about that.”
While Johnson was thrilled to be back on the field with his teammates again, Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz believes having Johnson back in action against Florida State made a big difference in helping the Canes earn a victory.
“For him to not play in those two games, and how much it hurt him…to have him out there in that game – that’s what you want your senior year to be,” Diaz said. “That’s why you come back for your senior year at the University of Miami – to dominate that game. And not just dominate it on the field, but he had to do it off the field. He had to say what he had to say in the locker room at halftime and that’s what our team needed to hear at that moment. That’s one of those ones that will go down in Canes folklore.”
The Miami native has earned his teammates trust and respect through his elite play on the field and his outstanding leadership, mentorship and work ethic off the field. Johnson’s actions and demeanor have become contagious in the Hurricanes’ locker room and that has helped so many of his teammates flourish.
“That’s just Jaquan,” senior defensive back Michael Jackson said. “Anytime anything goes wrong or right, he is always talking. He is always going to give us some type of knowledge. I don’t look at it as just speeches or like the Hollywood speeches. He is giving us actual knowledge. As a leader, you have to be a leader that can follow. So I am following what he is saying and then I am going to the younger guys and preaching the same thing he says.”
A year ago, Johnson was instrumental in Miami’s victory over Virginia, posting a team-high nine tackles, one sack and an interception returned for a touchdown. Johnson and the Hurricanes will face a talented quarterback on Saturday, as Virginia’s Bryce Perkins is near the top of the ACC in most passing statistical categories.
“They have a dual-threat quarterback,” Jackson said. “We have to stop two plays. If it is a pass, we have to stop his first, second, and maybe even a third look. And then once he tries to take off and run, we have got to stop that, too.”
In addition to stopping Perkins, Olamide Zaccheaus, Jordan Ellis and the rest of the Cavaliers on offense, Johnson will need to battle the weather. Miami head coach Mark Richt is hopeful that Johnson will be able to keep his hamstring loose as the temperatures drop in Charlottesville, Va.
“Once a guy gets warmed up properly, he’s fine,” Richt said. “But when you come off a halftime situation, that’s probably the biggest concern, getting warmed up again. … We’ll have to have a good plan for him coming off halftime for sure, but I think he’ll stay pretty active between special teams and regular defensive snaps.”
Johnson is not concerned at all about how his hamstring will fare in the cooler Virginia weather on Saturday. He has been diligent in his recovery, excelled in his first game back last Saturday against Florida State and has total confidence in how Miami’s training staff will ensure that he is ready to play at a high level.
“I don’t think it will be a problem at all,” Johnson said. “The trainers will have the best interest in mind for me. Whatever they tell me to do, I’ll do. I’m sure my body will be fine.”
