rolltide66
Member
Thanks 37. hard to keep up with the WO's (thought Montana was 19 tho? seems to the number given to WO QB's? Seth Franks the WO from Northport in last year's class was also 19)
2016 (Sophomore)
Has not seen action in 2016.
2015 (Freshman)
Did not see action in 2015.
Former Elba Tiger Austin Johnson has taken a long road to get to Tuscaloosa since helping lead Elba to the Class 2A state championship as a junior. Today, Johnson finds himself fighting to make it as a walk-on for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. He has made the cut down to 14 walk-ons that will participate in Spring Practice. After graduating from Elba High School in 2013, Johnson played sparingly for the Huntingdon College football team, starting a couple of games at quarterback for the junior varsity Johnson left after that first season and found a scholarship offer at Northeast Mississippi Community College. He went through spring drills, but failed to make the roster and decided the situation at the Booneville, Mississippi school was not right for him “The whole junior college thing was like a fluke,” Johnson said. “Everyone was shocked they didn’t keep me. We only had three spring practices, and the head coach was only there for one. They said my arm wasn’t strong enough. I can throw the ball 70 yards. I know that wasn’t it. He said something like I was too much like Johnny Manziel.
“I left there and decided to walk-on at Alabama,” Johnson said, adding that playing for the tradition-rich program had always been a dream. Johnson’s father, Glen, played basketball at Enterprise State Community College. Currently, he is the B Team basketball head coach and varsity assistant at Elba, while serving as the defensive coordinator in football. Austin’s mother is Kerry Johnson, and he has two younger brothers – Chance, 18, and Brady, 7. At Elba, Johnson started at quarterback for his last two-and-a-half seasons, helping beat Tanner for the 2011 2A crown at, ironically, Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The 6-foot, 2-inch, 205-pound Johnson admits he’s very “raw” as a receiver… for now. “I played a little receiver in high school,” he said. “I’ve always been able to play it.” He recalls his receivers coach at Huntingdon begging the coaching staff to let him play receiver rather than quarterback. The Alabama wide receivers coach is Billy Napier. Johnson has yet to have a conversation with Napier, saying that it has mainly been workouts and the 4th Quarter Program for now. There were 70 walk-ons that were cut down to 14 just recently. Johnson said the tryouts consisted of four stations. Many walk-ons were cut during the five laps around the field portion, while others went by the wayside during other physical tests. “If we make it to spring ball, then through summer workouts, we could make the fall roster,” he said. “I feel pretty good right now. I have a lot of athletic ability I haven’t shown yet. There are a lot of drills to show off my athletic ability.” Johnson said there are four time frames for players to work out, but noted that walk-ons are expected to come in at the earliest – 6:30 a.m. Alabama Strength and Conditioning Coach Scott Cochranis everything Johnson expected. “Oh yeah. Even with his regular voice, he sounds like he’s yelling,” Johnson said. Johnson said the workouts have kept him from getting too conscious of his surroundings and the state-of-the-art facilities at Alabama. “In the beginning it was,” he said. “It’s always been a dream. We’re all in the same room wearing the same gear. But, I’m working to play now. My goal is to be on the field to play.” Perhaps now, Johnson’s mother will root for Alabama. “Mom used be an Auburn fan, but we’ve finally converted her,” he said.
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