KC Star: Texas LB Johnson one big hit

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http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/10266132.htm

Texas's Johnson one big hit
Linebacker, and Oklahoma's White, top Big 12

By BLAIR KERKHOFF
The Kansas City Star


In nine years of all-Big 12 football teams, few have been praised quite like Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson.

“Best linebacker I've seen in a very long time,” Oklahoma State coach Les Miles said.

“One of the best players I've ever seen,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “He changes games.”

“A phenomenal player,” Kansas coach Mark Mangino said. “When you run away from him, he runs you down.”

Sold. Johnson is The Kansas City Star's Big 12 defensive player of the year.

Oklahoma quarterback Jason White repeats as offensive player of the year.

Honored players were selected by The Star's sportswriters who regularly cover the Big 12.

Johnson also was an all-conference player last season, but nobody outside of new Texas defensive coordinator Greg Robinson saw this kind of season from Johnson. He leads the nation with six forced fumbles, tops Texas in tackles with 86 and is a finalist for every major defensive award.

When Robinson, the former Chiefs defensive coordinator, arrived in Austin he and Johnson got together in the film room. Robinson pointed out how Johnson would overrun a play and told him to slow down briefly at the snap.

“He's helped me play more under control,” Johnson said of Robinson.

Johnson can come from anywhere on the field, at any time. He's allowed to chase plays and deliver blows with a full head of steam. He moved from middle to outside linebacker to take advantage of his speed.

Every weekend adds to the highlight reel.

Johnson had 18 tackles against Oklahoma State and 16 against Oklahoma. He turned in what must be one of the top defensive plays of the year against the Sooners.

On a third and 4, Johnson lined up to White's left. White rolled right and Johnson ran him down nearly to the Oklahoma sideline. From behind, Johnson grabbed White from around the waist with his left arm and punched the ball out of White's hand with his right. Texas recovered. Johnson forced a fumble in similar fashion a week earlier against Baylor.

Johnson also collected his ninth interception of his career against the Sooners, a record for Texas linebackers.

It started innocently enough. Johnson's mom called him a “sissy” as a 9-year-old little league football player. His mom, Beverly, would take him to practice and he didn't want to go. He'd stand outside the van and start crying. “She dragged me out of the van, literally,” Johnson said. “Every day, in front of everybody. … But she got me tougher. I'm glad she did it.”

Johnson came into his own in high school. As a senior at Waco High, he recorded a 30-tackle game.

White is bidding to own the greatest two-season stretch from a quarterback in college football history. He won last year's Heisman Trophy after throwing 40 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.

In leading the Sooners to an 11-0 record and No. 2 ranking, White has thrown 30 touchdown passes and four interceptions. He'll enter next week's Big 12 championship game with 183 straight attempts without an interception.

White likely will be a Heisman Trophy finalist, and so will teammate Adrian Peterson, The Star's offensive newcomer of the year. Peterson is having one of the greatest freshman seasons ever, with 1,671 rushing yards. He's tied an NCAA record for freshman by topping 100 yards in 10 games.

Sooners coach Bob Stoops isn't taking sides. But he is emphasizing his team's priority.

“Our players won a lot of trophies last year, but we didn't win a championship,” Stoops said.

Colorado linebacker Jordon Dizon is the top defensive newcomer. He was recruited as an athlete and originally worked at safety. Coaches liked his hard-hitting ability and moved to linebacker. Dizon set the Buffs' freshman record for tackles and has 72 entering Friday's game at Nebraska.

Iowa State's Dan McCarney is The Star's coach of the year for orchestrating one of the greatest turnaround seasons in league history. The Cyclones finished 0-8 last season but are 4-3 in league play, 6-4 overall and can win their first division title with a victory Saturday against Missouri or a Nebraska triumph over Colorado.

“What a difference a year makes,” McCarney said as he addressed reporters on Tuesday. “This time last year I think you guys might have come to see if I was going to cry or crack or melt down or fall apart.”

McCarney gave credit to his players, who vowed not to live through another season like last year.

“These kids drew a line in the sand and put their foot down and said we're not going through this again,” McCarney said. “They said it wasn't right, it wasn't fair to the tradition we built here and it wasn't fair to our fans.”