Getting physical on the
football field is something Tyrone Johnson has been doing since the age
of 6.
“I actually stayed in
Pittsburgh until I was about eight years old,'' Johnson said. “Up there,
they let you start playing football when you're like six with helmets
and shoulder pads. They really don't have flag football up there.''
By the time Johnson moved
to Fayetteville, NC, to live with his grandmother, delivering a hard hit
on the football field was second nature. The trait has served Johnson
well as a defensive back at Fayetteville's Westover High School, and it
probably was one talent that caught the eye of East Carolina running
backs coach Junior Smith who recruits the area.
The Pirates eventually
offered Johnson a scholarship in April and he accepted last Thursday,
becoming the third member of ECU's recruiting Class of 2010.
“When I went there in
March for their Junior Day, I went on a tour and I really liked the
campus,'' Johnson said. “The coaches were great and treated me really
well. And I've always liked their football team.
“I thought I wanted to go
there after that first visit, but I wanted to be sure. So I went back
again for the spring game and that was another step forward in making my
decision. I finally decided there was no reason to wait, so I went ahead
and committed.''
Johnson will be entering
his third season on the Westover varsity in 2009. He spent most of his
sophomore season playing special teams before finally cracking the
starting lineup late in the year.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder
became a full-time starter as a junior when he collected 55 tackles and
made three interceptions. Two of those interceptions came in a narrow
loss against eventual state champion, Richmond County.
Westover coach Milton
Butts said Johnson gained confidence from that performance that greatly
enhanced his play from that point.
“Both times their receiver
made a great move – a double move – and Tyrone was able to recover and
make the picks,'' Butts said. “When you play cornerback you've got to
start having some success to give you that confidence. Being a little
bit cocky out there is a good thing.
“Well, after that Richmond
game, I think he really blossomed and began coming into his own.''
It took Butts sending out
video highlights of Johnson's season, however, before the college
recruiters began to notice.
ECU's Smith, who was a
star running back at Fayetteville's E.E. Smith High School before
becoming the Pirates' all-time rushing leader, was one of the first to
show interest.
Johnson said N.C. A&T,
N.C. State, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest had invited him to their
summer camps before he decided on ECU.
“This kid was off the
radar. All of a sudden he has a good year, we send out the highlight
tape and he's getting a lot of looks,'' Butts said. “He's an excellent
young man and he's really been working hard. He's starting to grow into
his body. He's very physical on the field and they (college coaches)
like to see that. I think the choice was a good one for him and for them
(East Carolina).''
Johnson plays cornerback
for the Wolverines and has been told he might play that position at ECU.
“One of the coaches
mentioned to me that they had two cornerbacks graduating next year and
they needed to recruit some more,'' he said. “I'm pretty good in
coverage and I'm a confident pass defender. But it doesn't really matter
to me where I play as long as I get to play.''
Butts, however, thinks
Johnson may wind up at safety because of his aggressive style.
“He's pretty quick, but I
wouldn't be surprised if they moved him to safety because he's so
physical,'' Butts said. “There's nothing but positives when it comes to
Tyrone's potential.'''
Johnson joins Charlotte
Providence safety
Damon Magazu and Tallahassee,
FL, offensive lineman
Drew Gentry as the first
members of ECU's recruiting Class of 2010.
