Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com APRIL 2021 27 said. "He has really embraced that. He's confident for a reason. He knows who he says he is. "He just has to remember that same journey he had at De Smet. You come in with high acclaim, you're hungry, you have to prove it. I think that's Jordan at his best." 'A YEAR CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE' If Johnson was ever discouraged that a lost freshman year would spi- ral into four years of malaise, he sim- ply had to look over at the running back room for a pick-me-up. Kyren Williams, one of Notre Dame's of- fensive focal points, is an exemplar for how to ignite a benched-to-starter transition in a year. He also happens to be Johnson's friend since grade school and former youth league foot- ball teammate. Williams, a fellow St. Louis na- tive, had Notre Dame's coaching staff buzzing as an early enrollee in spring 2019, but he hit the bench after two nondescript games and a few mistakes. The moment was a bit much. Williams also decided he needed to rework his body and get faster. He showed up to 2020 sum- mer workouts with a new figure, a bit more burst and filched the No. 1 running back job early in camp. The rest of the story is well known. Williams ran for 1,125 yards, caught 35 passes and scored 14 touchdowns in 2020. He was named the ACC Rookie of the Year. "When you put enough guys around you who've gone through that and you see the result of those guys like Kyren, that helped Jordan to see a vision of where he can go," said Jerry Stanfield, who has trained and coached Williams and Johnson since high school. "He understands his talent. He understands what he brings. "But once you go through that whole reality, you come to the real- ization I have some work to do." Williams hit that humbling mo- ment of truth last fall, when a couple drops and missed assignments in the 2019 season opener at Louisville landed him out of future game plans and on the fast track to a redshirt. The transition from high school to college football and the plentiful trip- wire it unfurls doesn't discriminate based on star rankings. Those who successfully untangle from it do so by accepting the process starts over again. It wasn't that Johnson didn't un- derstand he would have to work or that he thought he could coast on his natural abilities. Classes at Notre Dame and a college football play- book are different beasts. There's an element of trial by fire for anyone who dives into them, no matter his high school background. As Johnson waded through those, though, he still heard the daily so- cial media clamoring for him to see the field. This isn't Alabama, where a five-star can blend in with other five-stars. His status thrusts him into the spotlight the moment he signs. It only added to the pile of hurdles. He wanted to clear them all on his own and take the challenge upon himself to prove to the masses he is what the accolades say he is. "One of the things Jordan men- tioned to me was, 'Coach, I've always tried to figure things out myself, work through it myself,'" Stanfield said, recalling a November conversa- tion. "A lot of the difference is when you get to that next level, there are so many resources that are around." Williams was the most accessible and always willing to listen. "As I always tell him, a year can change your life," Williams said in December. "I really believe that. He really believes that. So with work comes success. All we know is work- ing. And Jordan knows if he keeps working, he's going to be where he wants to be in the future. "And I know for sure all he's going to do is work to get there." It's here where everyone agrees Johnson can excel. The player who was Steeples' archetype for dedica- tion and vacuuming up every detail of his craft hadn't disappeared. Hab- its hadn't changed. "He didn't try to excuse himself of any responsibility of taking owner- ship in his own success," Steeples said. "Not, 'Who can I blame stuff on,' but, 'This is what I have to do better and who I can lean on in the process.'" "It's a pretty simple process. You do good, good happens." GETTING ON THE FIELD With his bearings set, Johnson can turn more of his attention toward tal- ent maintenance. If, as Kelly said, his absence from 2020 games isn't about on-field ability, he ought to have a strong chance to deliver an impact to a receiver room that's in transition and needs more playmakers. That's one buzzword as the Irish try to make up some ground in their chase of college football's ruling class. "I think he has the class thing to- gether now," Stanfield said. "I think he has the playbook piece together. He wants to get better and perfect everything — route-running, being more consistent with catching, being a better student-athlete. "It will be a good baseline mea- surement to let him know where he's at. That's where you have to earn your spot coming back in. This is go- ing to tell us a lot." Notre Dame has one returning wide receiver with at least 20 career catches, fifth-year senior slot man Avery Davis. The 6 - 2 , 1 8 0 - p o u n d Johnson is likely to work at field re- ceiver, the same spot where he prac- ticed last fall. His primary competition will be senior Braden Lenzy, one of Notre Dame's fastest players who had his 2020 season docked by hamstring injuries. Freshman Lorenzo Styles Jr., a fellow top-50 recruit, is worth monitoring. Sophomore Jay Brunelle is expected to get snaps at field re- ceiver, too. On-field competition, though, is where Johnson is built to thrive. It's where he wants to be. Where Notre Dame wants him to be. Where fans want him to be. He has the real chance to be what all parties want on Saturdays because he learned how to handle the other six days of the week. "I think his mind is in a great place right now going into the spring," Steeples said. "He understands the responsibility he has across the board. That's why he chose Notre Dame. It's the same reason he chose De Smet. "He wants to dominate on the field and in life after." ✦ "All we know is working. And Jordan knows if he keeps working, he's going to be where he wants to be in the future. And I know for sure all he's going to do is work to get there." RISING JUNIOR RUNNING BACK KYREN WILLIAMS ON JOHNSON