When LSU’s offense took the field for the first time earlier this month at the Southeastern Conference championship game, Georgia countered with three defensive linemen, inside linebacker Monty Rice and a whopping seven defensive backs.
That relegated Georgia’s deepest position, the outside linebacker spots headed by redshirt freshman Azeez Ojulari and including five-star freshman Nolan Smith and junior college transfer Jermaine Johnson, to more time on the sideline than on other Saturdays throughout this season for the 11-2 Bulldogs, who are headed to a second consecutive Sugar Bowl.
“We come in on Sunday after a game, and on Monday we come up with a new game plan for the next game we have,” Johnson said after the 37-10 loss to the Tigers. “Sometimes you’re just not in that game plan much for that particular week, but we’ve bought into everything. Whatever the coaches say, we trust, because we know they want to win.”
Less playing time was the biggest adjustment that Johnson, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound junior from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, faced this season after starring the previous two years at Independence (Kansas) Community College. Johnson was a two- or three-star prospect coming out of high school, depending on the recruiting service, but thrived at Independence, racking up 96 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in just 20 games.
His two seasons at Independence were detailed in the Netflix series “Last Chance U,” which made Johnson a recognized face in more than just college football circles.