Johnson prepared for bigger role with Lions

Months later, Juwan Johnson still seems a little unsure about the Cowboy Monkey Rodeo.

An annual promotion of the State College Spikes, a Class A Short Season minor league team that shares a home with Penn State baseball, it features monkeys, wearing cowboy costumes, herding goats, while riding dogs.

Johnson, the veteran Nittany Lion receiver, spent part of his summer interning with the Spikes. And as a result, his services were called upon to help corral the monkeys, herding goats, while riding dogs.

“The monkeys were on dogs and it was pretty odd to me. I don't really know anything about monkey rodeos,” said Johnson. “(The monkeys were) actually pretty friendly. But a monkey actually being on me was pretty different and unusual.”

Though many parts of Johnson’s internship might also be considered unusual, having tossed candy into the crowd and worn a walking taco costume, among other tasks, he’s anticipating a bit more normalcy as he returns for his much-anticipated redshirt junior season at Penn State.

The leading returning receiver in the program, finishing second only to tight end Mike Gesicki (57) in receptions last season with 54, is determined to make an even bigger impact in the fast-approaching 2018 campaign. With fellow mainstays Saquon Barkley and DaeSean Hamilton also gone from the passing game, with 54 and 53 receptions apiece last season, respectively, Johnson said he has quickly come to understand what his presence to the Nittany Lion offense means.

“It was just so fast how things happened. One day you have Mike and DaeSean and the next day you don't because they're moving on and working out for the Combine,” said Johnson. “So it was different just trying to step into that role and trying to be a leader. I've honestly accepted that role and I feel like I'm kind of thriving in that role. Guys look up to me and ask me questions and I help them out as much as possible.”

New Penn State offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne has seen as much through the spring and summer months.

Describing the urgency of having Johnson and Penn State’s other veterans step fully into those leadership roles this offseason, Rahne indicated that the New Jersey native has done exactly that. Leading by example while increasing the frequency of verbalizing direction to Penn State’s less experienced wideouts, the results have been evident to Rahne.

“I think Juwan is a very good leader,” said Rahne. “One of the things he does a great job with is leading by example but also being able to take the young guys aside.

“The other thing that he does extremely well, is he's willing to admit when he makes mistakes… He's able to take those corrections and move on. And those young guys seeing that, that's critical. That's a major component of leadership and that's something that's been ingrained in that room from the guys in the past from Chris Godwin to DaeSean Hamilton and then to Juwan. So I'm very excited about that component of it.”

Johnson is, too.

Asked what he’s most looking forward to this season, Johnson immediately touched on the young players being counted upon to produce this season. The success of K.J. Hamler, Mac Hippenhammer, and even Miles Sanders, he said, was important to him.

So too, however, is the one stat that has eluded him personally.

Held to only one touchdown reception last season, one that would be among the most memorable of the Lions’ year as a walk-off at Iowa, Johnson said he’s excited to earn the first score at Beaver Stadium of his career.

If Rahne’s preseason assessment of his capabilities is any indication of what is to come, Johnson won’t have much of a problem doing so.

“He’s a great player. I think he's a guy that wants the ball in critical situations,” said Rahne. “I have a lot of belief in him and his ability to make plays for us in tight spots, contested catches, and things like that… He understands who he is. He's a big, physical guy that's going to be able to use those attributes to the best of his ability. He's got great feet and those sort of things, too. But if he gets the ball, he's looking to get north and south and get vertical, break an arm tackle and go.

“This year, I think we're going to see more of that, and where his increase is probably going to happen is more touchdowns. I think that's going to be a critical piece for him to become a red-zone weapon for us.”

Primed to step into one of the most integral roles on Penn State’s offense, Johnson is excited to do exactly that.

Should Johnson find the same or more success than he did a season ago, his immediate future could turn out to be strikingly similar to the veteran leaders he's prepared to replace this year. Already considered by some to be a potential high-end pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Johnson isn't yet concerning himself with anything beyond the here and now.

"Just to be real, we always think about things like that, but you always have to rely on what you have here. I just try to stay present as much as possible," he said. "The moment you start looking forward too much, you start losing things presently. So I just try to look at things in the present and try to stay focused and do what I can."