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Saturday, August 14, 2010 11:04 pm | Updated: 3:15 am, Sun Aug 15, 2010.
By Rick Kretzschmar rickk@news-journal.com | 0 comments
ARLINGTON — Manuel Johnson is currently on a quest, which he has dubbed being, "On the 53." That's the number of players on a NFL roster when the regular season begins.
How he would make such a roster is the curious part of the quest of this current Dallas Cowboy and former Gilmer Buckeye. It could be in his classic role as a receiver, or in an area which he is getting a knack of making big plays: special teams.
Johnson showed skill in both areas in the Cowboys 17-9 loss to the Oakland Raiders late Thursday in a preseason game at Cowboys Stadium. The special teams play he made was with 13:11 left in the game and it was subtle.
Oakland's Sam Bodiford was attempting to make a fair catch when Johnson ran by him. Bodiford lost his concentration and muffed the punt, which the Cowboys recovered at the Oakland 11-yard line. This set up a 28-yard field goal by David Buehler with 10:45 remaining, giving the Cowboys a 9-0 lead.
Johnson also had a gem of a special-teams play in the Cowboys' 16-7 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Sunday in Canton, Ohio.
With 10 minutes remaining in the game and the Cowboys punting, Johnson made a leap and a perfect tip at the goal line which the Cowboys downed at Cincinnati's one-yard line. Two plays later, Dallas linebacker Brandon Sharpe intercepted a Jordan Palmer pass and returned it six yards for a touchdown. It was the only touchdown of the game for the Cowboys and it gave them a 16-0 lead.
When he was at Gilmer, Johnson was the quarterback in leading the Buckeyes to the Class 3A Division II state title in 2004. Johnson would have a standout career as a receiver at the University of Oklahoma before getting drafted by the Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
"Tonight I didn't say anything to him (Bodiford). I just ran by him and tried to distract him," Johnson said. "I never played special teams before when I was at Gilmer or Oklahoma, and I haven't played volleyball. It's just something we work on in practice every day.
"It's just doing whatever it takes to make an NFL team."
Johnson also had three receptions for 11 yards on Thursday, but his game ended on a down note. The Cowboys were trailing 10-9 when Johnson couldn't hold on to a pass by Matt Nichols. The ball deflected to Oakland safety Jerome Boyd, who returned the interception 48 yards for a touchdown.
Johnson was visibly frustrated during Boyd's return, and in Cowboys' locker room afterward.
"I was thinking, 'You just missed an opportunity.' You don't get many of them," Johnson said. "You have to make the most of those opportunities."
Johnson traveled with the Cowboys after the game to resume training camp in Calfornia before their next preseason game, at San Diego on Saturday. The Cowboys will play two more preseason games before they make their final cut of their roster down to 53.
Johnson said the training between now and then is so intense, he practically has no time to monitor how Gilmer is doing in football, even though he has a cousin who was a running back on Gilmer's 2009 Class 3A Division I state-championship team and this year's squad: running back Gus Johnson (then known as Gus Osborne). Manuel Johnson said he didn't have opinion on this year's showdown between Gilmer and Carthage — the 2009 Class 3A Division II state champions — on Oct. 15 in Gilmer.
"I haven't thought about it too much, but I'm sure Gilmer will be ready," Johnson said.
In 2009 with the Cowboys, Johnson had two receptions for 29 yards in the preseason. He was eventually cut by the Cowboys, but then immediately placed on the team's practice squad.
Johnson said that if it helps his future, another year on the Cowboys' practice team would be OK. He added that obviously what he does this preseason could catch the attention of another NFL team if it doesn't work out with the Cowboys.
He just feels like he has to show more.
"I don't think I've shown enough to earn a spot on the 53," Johnson said. "But I would like a few more chances to show what I can do."
By Rick Kretzschmar rickk@news-journal.com | 0 comments
ARLINGTON — Manuel Johnson is currently on a quest, which he has dubbed being, "On the 53." That's the number of players on a NFL roster when the regular season begins.
How he would make such a roster is the curious part of the quest of this current Dallas Cowboy and former Gilmer Buckeye. It could be in his classic role as a receiver, or in an area which he is getting a knack of making big plays: special teams.
Johnson showed skill in both areas in the Cowboys 17-9 loss to the Oakland Raiders late Thursday in a preseason game at Cowboys Stadium. The special teams play he made was with 13:11 left in the game and it was subtle.
Oakland's Sam Bodiford was attempting to make a fair catch when Johnson ran by him. Bodiford lost his concentration and muffed the punt, which the Cowboys recovered at the Oakland 11-yard line. This set up a 28-yard field goal by David Buehler with 10:45 remaining, giving the Cowboys a 9-0 lead.
Johnson also had a gem of a special-teams play in the Cowboys' 16-7 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Sunday in Canton, Ohio.
With 10 minutes remaining in the game and the Cowboys punting, Johnson made a leap and a perfect tip at the goal line which the Cowboys downed at Cincinnati's one-yard line. Two plays later, Dallas linebacker Brandon Sharpe intercepted a Jordan Palmer pass and returned it six yards for a touchdown. It was the only touchdown of the game for the Cowboys and it gave them a 16-0 lead.
When he was at Gilmer, Johnson was the quarterback in leading the Buckeyes to the Class 3A Division II state title in 2004. Johnson would have a standout career as a receiver at the University of Oklahoma before getting drafted by the Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
"Tonight I didn't say anything to him (Bodiford). I just ran by him and tried to distract him," Johnson said. "I never played special teams before when I was at Gilmer or Oklahoma, and I haven't played volleyball. It's just something we work on in practice every day.
"It's just doing whatever it takes to make an NFL team."
Johnson also had three receptions for 11 yards on Thursday, but his game ended on a down note. The Cowboys were trailing 10-9 when Johnson couldn't hold on to a pass by Matt Nichols. The ball deflected to Oakland safety Jerome Boyd, who returned the interception 48 yards for a touchdown.
Johnson was visibly frustrated during Boyd's return, and in Cowboys' locker room afterward.
"I was thinking, 'You just missed an opportunity.' You don't get many of them," Johnson said. "You have to make the most of those opportunities."
Johnson traveled with the Cowboys after the game to resume training camp in Calfornia before their next preseason game, at San Diego on Saturday. The Cowboys will play two more preseason games before they make their final cut of their roster down to 53.
Johnson said the training between now and then is so intense, he practically has no time to monitor how Gilmer is doing in football, even though he has a cousin who was a running back on Gilmer's 2009 Class 3A Division I state-championship team and this year's squad: running back Gus Johnson (then known as Gus Osborne). Manuel Johnson said he didn't have opinion on this year's showdown between Gilmer and Carthage — the 2009 Class 3A Division II state champions — on Oct. 15 in Gilmer.
"I haven't thought about it too much, but I'm sure Gilmer will be ready," Johnson said.
In 2009 with the Cowboys, Johnson had two receptions for 29 yards in the preseason. He was eventually cut by the Cowboys, but then immediately placed on the team's practice squad.
Johnson said that if it helps his future, another year on the Cowboys' practice team would be OK. He added that obviously what he does this preseason could catch the attention of another NFL team if it doesn't work out with the Cowboys.
He just feels like he has to show more.
"I don't think I've shown enough to earn a spot on the 53," Johnson said. "But I would like a few more chances to show what I can do."