Hard to believe, but there are under 30 days until the Broncos storm the Capital to take on the Hokies. As you may remember, last summer I embarked on the Herculean task of counting down a different roster spot for each remaining day until kickoff. So far this year, we're batting a thousand, so drop me notes of encouragement now and again so I can find the strength to get through the next couple months without breaking the streak.
We've got 24 days until kickoff...so today we'll be highlighting #24 on the Boise State roster—Malcolm Johnson
#24, Malcolm Johnson, RS Freshman, RB
Stats
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 181 lbs.
High School: Sam Barlow High School, Gresham, OR
How'd he get to The Blue™?
Johnson lettered three times in football at Gresham's Barlow High School, and man, did he make those letters count. Johnson was named first-team All-Mt. Hood Conference at running back as a senior after rushing for 2,635 yards (you read that right) and scoring 25 touchdowns. During Johnson's senior year, he averaged just a shade under 10 yards/carry and wasn't too shabby on defense either—named all-conference as a DB. Johnson was the Mt. Hood Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a junior and senior and first-team all-conference both years. Johnson was featured in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd column in December 2008 and earned ESPN's Player of the Week award. All told, Johnson rushed for 6,975 total yards in his high school career. Malcolm was rated a 3-star back by Scout.com and was ranked the 51st best back in the country in the class of 2008. He had offers from Wyoming, Utah, UNLV, and Air Force.
Nickname
"In the Middle"
A rare talent that is stuck in the middle of a stacked RB depth chart and academic issues. Frankie Muniz would be so proud.
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Look-a-like
You aren't hiding anything are you, Tiger?
Career highlights
Rushing for nearly 4 miles of offense in high school. Literally...do the maths.
Career lowlight
Missed trip to Fiesta Bowl and now sitting for Fall Camp due to what now appear to be academic issues.
2010 prospectus
Johnson showed some good flashes last year in Fall Camp...shaking off some early encounters with Jeron Johnson in the gap to make some dazzling runs in the scrimmages. Many even thought that Johnson might be "called up" when DJ Harper went down with an injury, but his redshirt remained mercifully intact when Doug Martin made the switch. Unfortunately, Bronco fans will have to wait a bit longer to see what MJ can do, as he's not currently in Fall Camp due to academic problems. The big question is: how much would we have seen of him, otherwise?
Johnson was definitely a great "get" for the Broncos when they scooped him up in 2009, and he looks to have great instincts and huge potential, but with the stacked and loaded backfield that the Broncos will begin with in 2010, it's hard to imagine that Johnson could've taken reps away from the 3 established backs this year. As I've discussed at length, next season will be a whole different story—Avery and Hodges will be gone—and if the Broncos wish to yet again use a trio of backs, Johnson is as good a candidate as any to sneak some carries away from Harper and Martin. But alas, it's 2010, not 2011, and the backfield appears to be pretty well set. The only real question is who will be considered number 1, and if that title even means anything with the three-pronged attack the squad is rolling with. If Johnson gets his house in order, we should see him get some good carries in mop-up...if not, well...do what Chicago Cubs fans do: wait till next year.
Completely made up fact
It's no surprise that Malcolm gets mistaken for another Johnson that is synonymous with Boise State football.
via t3.gstatic.com
