It didn’t take long for Tyler Johnson to miss football. After Arizona State’s seven spring practices, Johnson, who was a four-star prospect from local Gilbert Highland High School, was already feeling doubt creep into his mind. He had just announced his intentions to medically retire from the sport following the Sun Devils’ 20-14 Sun Bowl win over Florida State, a game capped off by a fumble recovery for Johnson, which sealed Herm Edwards’ first bowl win in Tempe.
Thoroughly convinced his days on the football field were over, Johnson went as far as to get a full-time job. But as the days went by and he communicated with those around him, his mind changed. The idea of a second chance to rejoin the Sun Devil squad and an opportunity to finish out his degree at ASU greatly appealed to him.
“I talked to a lot of guys at the next level, and they were giving me a lot of information telling me that ‘it’s not too late to go back,’” Johnson told reporters Tuesday afternoon. “Basically, they were telling me I was making a mistake. They got me to see the bigger picture.
“I was dead set [on leaving football]. So, it’s kind of crazy how over time things change drastically.”
Meetings with Edwards and co-defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce, who coached Johnson during his time at outside linebacker aided the decision-making for him. Even while he was away from the program, Johnson still checked in and chatted with Pierce frequently.
“I think Tyler always loved football,” Pierce said. “He’s one of those guys that’s always been the most talented, the biggest, the fastest, the strongest. Over the last two years, he was nicked up. A lot of bumps and bruises I think kind of wore on him mentally.
“Look, he took a break this spring, and then COVID hit and it kind of worked itself out…He’s always been a very productive player for us in the program, and I’m excited for him because he looks happy. He looks at peace. He looks OK with the decision to come back, and we’re happy to have him.”
The injuries battled over the course of the previous years of play added up and contributed to the break from the game Johnson felt he needed. With better health, the positive spirit coaches say Johnson carries himself with has continued in his return to the football facility.
“I am healthy. I’m good,” a smiling Johnson claimed. “100 percent.”
Returning to the gridiron for Johnson means returning at a different position and in a different position group. As the Sun Devils continue their transition to the 4-3 scheme under co-defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis and Pierce, Johnson will move from outside linebacker into a defensive end role for ASU this fall.
“I wish he was in my room,” Pierce admitted, “but I think he’s around 275 [pounds] now. It’s time to put a hand in the dirt and have him be a guy that can rush the passer and get after it.
In the defensive line group, junior defensive tackle Jermayne Lole praised Johnson for what they’ve seen thus far.
“I’d say it looks more natural to him at defensive end than he probably was at linebacker,” said Lole, who led Arizona State in sacks in 2019. “I feel like Tyler was always a defensive lineman, but because he was so athletic and gifted, he was able to play linebacker last year.”
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Lole will play a large role in what level of success Arizona State’s defensive line produces this season. At times in 2019, the unit struggled to produce consistent pressure on the quarterback, creating excess pressure for linebackers and defensive backs in coverage. With the addition of defensive line coach Robert Rodriguez, Lole said the outlook of the group has evolved.
“I’m really grateful for coach Rob being here because he’s installed so much not just in me as a player,” Lole said, “but in everybody as men. He’s done a great job of helping everybody.”
In all, 2019 saw the ASU defensive line was able to produce 26 sacks, including a season-high four against Florida State in the program’s aforementioned Sun Bowl victory. In two of ASU’s 13 games – against Colorado and Washington State – the Sun Devil defense failed to record a sack, allowing Colorado’s Steven Montez to escape Tempe with a clean jersey in a 34-31 Buffaloes win.
Given what has been on display during the opening preseason practices, Rodriguez declined to name a specific group of starters ahead of the Devils’ Nov. 7 season-opener against USC. However, he still remained optimistic about the group’s outlook for this season.
“I think the jury’s still out, but I will say this. I’ve got a lot of candidates, and I’ve got a lot of guys that have certain skills that I really like,” Rodriguez explained. “I want to see them continue to develop from here until the time that we walk out to the coliseum. I know people are getting anxious – because we have the schedule, and we know who we’re playing – to say ‘this is the guy. This is the guy.’ It’s too early for us to know who’s going to get the percentage of the snaps… but I feel good about the possibilities across the board.
“I don’t have any slugs in my room. Everybody brings something to the table.”
According to Sun Devil Athletics’ opening practice reports, the first-team defensive linemen consisted of Tyler Johnson, Jermayne Lole (3-technique), D.J. Davidson (nose tackle) and Shannon Forman. With the added experience and being a statistical leader for the unit as a sophomore, Lole said the next step for him is a bigger leadership role this season.
“I feel like the biggest thing is to set an example and try to do everything right,” said Lole, who posted 6.5 sacks in 2019. “The stuff we do with coach Rob is real hard and real technical; it’s stuff that we’re not used to doing. What I told some of the young guys is be patient. You don’t have to get everything right the first time.
“That’s how I was when I first got here. I learned so much new stuff, and the higher up level you go from high school to college to the NFL, the more technique matters.
As one of the quieter leaders on the team, Lole said he embraces expectations and wants to lead by example more than with his words.
“Everybody knows I don’t really talk a lot. I try to set an example and lead this team through actions. I know my coaches expect me to just make an impact on every game.”
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