The next level:?Johnson to snap for the Cougars

By MIKE MATHISON, sports editor
RICHMOND — Houston, you have a long snapper.

Edison High School senior Cory Johnson has been invited to the University of Houston as a preferred walk-on to eventually be the long snapper for the Cougars.

He will leave for the campus the day after the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference all-star football game.

“I searched and looked for schools that had a senior long snapper that was getting ready to graduate,” said Johnson. “So, I e-mailed some coaches and talked to some of them to see what was going to be the best opportunity for me.

“Houston is where everything fit best.

“It was a good bit of research. I looked at almost every Division I school to find a school that I liked and one where I thought I could play soon.

“Out of 100-and-how-many schools I e-mailed I received about 50 responses. Some of them said they wanted me to walk on, but it was not guaranteed I would have a spot.

“This is the only school that guaranteed me that spot.”

Edison football coach Mike McKenzie said colleges more and more are holding a scholarship for the long snapper.

“There was a kid when I was at Indian Valley that went to Ohio State,” said McKenzie. “He had to bide his time, but he had a full ride for two years. It’s such an important position and teams are recognizing that importance. They might have to walk on for a year or two and then earn their scholarship.

“Cory and I sat down and made a highlight tape and sent out a bunch of the tapes. When I talked to the coach at Houston he said Cory was the best they’d seen.

“It’s just a matter of finding the right fit. All football programs are looking for different types of kids and this is a great fit for both sides.”

Johnson will have to pay his way the first year. The plan is then for him to take the scholarship of the senior long snapper who will graduate.

More than likely, Johnson will be redshirted this season.

“I went down and visited it and liked everything about it,” said Johnson. “I went to some other schools and they said they liked what they saw, but they already had so many long snappers, a young one and an older one.”

Johnson’s journey as a long snapper started in the seventh grade, when he was the center for the football team.

“It came with the position,” he said. “I said I would try it, I liked it, watched it on TV and learned how to do it.”

Johnson’s parents own a catering hall and he would also use it as a practice facility.

“We just go upstairs and I would snap 100 snaps a night ever since I was a freshman,” he said. “I work on it all the time.”

“It seems like it’s something simple,” McKenzie said of long snapping. “Cory really worked at it. It’s something he’s done all through high school.

“He’s gone to camps and all they do for three days is go over the finer points of long snapping.

“He works all the time snapping with his dad or other people. He has spent a lot of time at it. He’s worked at it and now it’s paying off for him.”

Houston has gone through a coaching change.

The new head coach is Kevin Sumlin, who spent the past five seasons at the University of Oklahoma, where he has served as both the co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach (2006-07) and special teams coordinator/tight end coach (2003-05).

He is the 11th head coach in school history.

Johnson played both ways for Edison. He was a linebacker and offensive lineman.

“He worked hard in the weight room and he’s someone we’re going to have to replace at the linebacker spot and on the offensive line,” said McKenzie. “Obviously, you have to have football skills to play in college. You have to tackle on punt returns and you still have to be athletic. Those defensive skills he has tackling people are very important when he has to cover a punt.

“You have to have football player in you. You can’t be a stiff back there.

“WVU showed some interest in him, but Houston was really serious. It’s a good situation for Cory. He has a chance to be a starter for four years.”

“I want to thank my parents, my grandparents and the coaching staff for all their help,” said Johnson. “My parents, and my grandparents chipped in, to send me to all these long snapping camps, a bunch of them over the years.

“The only time everybody knows you as a long snapper is when you mess up.

“I like the pressure. I like snapping in front of a bunch of people.

“I don’t know about 40,000 fans, though. That will be different than the 2,000 we get here for games.”

Houston plays in Conference USA, along with Tulsa, the University of Central Florida and Memphis. Sumlin has a big job in front of him. The Cougars haven’t finished the season ranked since 1990 and haven’t won a bowl game since 1980.

Johnson will spend more time running and snapping footballs than in the weight room over the summer.

“Snapping and running are my first priorities over the summer,” he said. ‘Doubles start Aug. 3 and it’s going to be hot down there.”



(Mathison can be contacted at mmathison@heraldstaronline.com'>mmathison@heraldstaronline.com)