QB Michael Johnson Jr. Enters NCAA Transfer Portal
The Nittany Lions are now down to 85 scholarship players
Penn State redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Johnson Jr. has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, according to Rivals.
Johnson joined Penn State's program in the Class of 2019 as one of two quarterbacks, along with Ta'Quan Roberson, but made no appearances last year while Roberson made one. Listed behind Roberson on the official team depth chart this spring, with no "OR" designation, Johnson appeared to be at the bottom of the positional depth chart.
Originally one of the few dozen Penn State student-athletes to remain on Penn State's campus during the shut down due to COVID-19, Johnson ultimately left in late-March to be with his parents in Mississippi, according to the program's strength coach, Dwight Galt. There, Johnson struggled to maintain a workout and training regimen.
“He's got some dumbbells down there with his dad's equipment and stuff. And we're currently trying to find somebody for him to throw to down there. So he's the one guy, I've been kind of working on that,” Galt said. “His dad's been catching for him a little bit.”
Coming out of high school, Johnson was an Under-Armour All-American and Elite 11 Finalist. He spent his first two at Kings Academy in Calif., before transferring to Sheldon in Eugene, Ore., when his father, Michael Johnson Sr., became the wide receivers coach at Oregon.
Johnson took official visits to Florida State, Miami and N.C. State, but Penn State became the team to beat following his official visit to State College in June 2018. He ended up committing on Aug. 1. Johnson totaled 32 scholarships offers. Other notable programs included Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas A&M and Washington.
With the transfer, Penn State is now down to 85 projected scholarships on the updated BWI Scholarship Roster for the 2020 season.
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