Jay Johnson, the Dandy Dozen selection and Ole Miss commit, is quick to acknowledge the 2014 season has been disappointing, but maintains hope he and his Bruce Trojans can still make some noise in the games they have left.
“We had high expectations coming into the season, but things didn’t work out as planned,” Johnson said. “Hopefully, we can make a run in the playoffs and keep pushing. God has given us a second chance, so we have to take advantage of it.”
The Trojans, 3-7, have an off week this Friday and then will travel to Coahoma AHS to face the Region 2 champion Aggies Nov. 7 in the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs. If they’re going to pull an upset in that game and advance, they will likely need a big performance from Johnson who has struggled all year as a focal point of opposing defenses and with an ankle injury suffered early in the year.
“If I hadn’t had the injury, I would have been able to give more to the team than I have,” Johnson said. “That’s definitely been frustrating.”
Johnson opened the season with a 2-touchdown game against North Pontotoc and a 100-yard rushing effort in one half of play against Potts Camp, but the stats have been more of a struggle since.
He suffered an ankle injury when tackled early in the week four Water Valley game that kept him out the rest of that game and left him less than 100% ever since.
At the end of the regular season, Johnson has rushed 70 times for 342 yards and six touchdowns. That yardage amount is second best on the team.
He has 11 catches on the season for 202 yards and a touchdown. He’s second on the team in receiving yardage as well.
He’s also second in all purpose yardage with 126 yards on kickoff returns and another 64 on punt returns.
Johnson acknowledges his numbers have been less than a “breakout season,” but that’s never been his biggest concern.
“The biggest thing that’s been tough for me is the losses. I’m not a selfish player. All I want is to win, “ Johnson said.
He said he’s aware he’s been a primary focus of his opponents because of his Dandy Dozen preseason honors, but he hasn’t minded that if it meant opening up plays for a teammate.
“When they put a lot of focus on me and that opens up things for a lot of other guys, I’m fine with that,” Johnson said. “Like Tyrique (Gunn), he’s had a great season leading the team in receiving yards and all purpose yards. If I help get him open to make the plays, that’s great. I just want to win.”
Johnson has moved around a lot on both sides of the ball. He’s played wide receiver, running back, taken snaps directly from center, and on defense been in the backfield and on the line.
“I’m comfortable wherever coach needs to me to play,” Johnson said. “It really doesn’t matter to me.”
Johnson has 19 tackles on the season, three for loss, a sack, a pass breakup, two fumble recoveries and a caused fumble. He’s also blocked a field goal and punted six times, averaging close to 30 yards per punt.
While many in the recruiting world will pour through his numbers in an attempt to project him as a future college player, Johnson is still focused on the here and now, meaning the next playoff game.
“Losing, losing games that we should have won. That’s been the hardest part about this season,” Johnson said. “Nothing else really matters. We just want to win.”
To try and get that done, Johnson said the Trojans have to stick with the approach that everything rides on the next play.
“We have to approach it like we did last week (at Okolona), knowing it’s a must win game or go home. If we have that attitude every week, we’ll be OK. We don’t want to be done yet.”