Oklahoma State University Athletics
Getting to Know Tyler Johnson
November 20, 2013 | Cowboy Football
Nov. 20, 2013
Tyler Johnson couldn't help but laugh when he talked about one of the nicknames his teammates have given him.
“Parker [Graham] probably says it the most,” Johnson said. '“Old Man River!' He's always saying that. It's pretty funny, though.”
That's not a nickname you hear one collegiate athlete call another very often, but you also don't have 27 year-old collegiate athletes very often.
Johnson had a choice to make after high school in 2004. He had a future in both baseball and football. He came out of Haskell as the No. 11 prep football player in the state of Oklahoma but was also a highly sought-after baseball prospect.
After originally committing to play football at Tulsa, Johnson was selected in the 12th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft and signed a deal to play in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
With an impressive blend of speed and power, Johnson played six professional seasons, collecting 42 career homers and 94 stolen bases. However, he couldn't really label himself as solely a power or speed guy.
“I just did whatever it took to win,” Johnson said. “I laid out to make defensive plays, hit home runs, hit for contact, laid down bunts and stole bases. I would say I was just a hard worker.”
But after more than half a decade of playing professionally, Johnson made the difficult decision to give up baseball and return to the gridiron at age 24. However, it would not be to Tulsa — the school he originally committed to — it was Oklahoma State.
“It wasn't really much of a decision,” Johnson said. “I've liked Oklahoma State for a long time, and I knew I wanted to come here to play football.”
That's exactly what he has done.
Johnson walked on to the team as a linebacker in 2010 and started working his way up the Cowboys' depth chart. In 2011, Johnson missed the first part of the season due to injury but still recorded 29 tackles, a sack and three tackles for loss. He continued to progress in 2012, with 29 tackles, including five for loss, and a team-leading five sacks, as well as two forced fumbles and an interception. Johnson said his experiences in baseball have helped mold who he is as a football player, especially mentally and emotionally.
“I've seen the ups and downs,” Johnson said. “I've faced adversity and overcome it. You face tough circumstances in both baseball and football. It doesn't just help me, either. When we hit a rough patch, whether it's losing a game or whatever, I'm able to bounce back individually, but I'm also able to help bring the younger, inexperienced guys along, too. It's all about maturity.”
Johnson's bounce-back ability was on full display in OSU's game against Kansas State this year.
Following a tough loss against West Virginia, Johnson did his best to make sure it wouldn't happen again. He had one of his best games as a Cowboy, with seven tackles (two for loss), a forced fumble and two sacks, one of which was a huge play on third down to stop a Wildcat drive.
“I'm a competitor,” said Johnson, who is now a defensive end for the Cowboys. “I just love to compete. In baseball, I loved the idea of it being me against the pitcher. One of us had to win. I feel the same way when I go against an offensive lineman who wants to keep me from the quarterback. We each give our best to win. I love being able to compete like that.”
But, if he had to choose, would he rather hit a walk-off home run or return a fumble for a touchdown to seal a victory?
“Oh, man, that's tough,” Johnson said. “Well, since I'm playing football, I'm going to go with the fumble return. Both of those sound pretty awesome, though.”
Johnson's decision to come back to football is turning out to be a good one. He has been one of the defense's most valuable players all season, and even though Johnson is 28 in November, there is nothing “old” about his Tyler Johnson game.
