By Matt Browning/ photo credit ellie.spix
Having goals of 25 touchdowns and over 2,000 all-purpose yards are quite lofty for Wichita Collegiate running back Julian Johnson.
But after a first team all-league campaign as a sophomore, it seems like those numbers are the next step for the dynamic Johnson.
In order to get there, though, Johnson understands that his footwork must be better.
“In the offseason I’ve been having private workouts with different trainers working on running back skills, mostly footwork and I’ve been doing weights all summer trying to get bigger and stronger,” Johnson said. “One area I want to improve on this year is to be more decisive with my cuts and what I mean by that is making quicker moves so I give the defense less time to make a play and I can be more of a threat. The workouts I’ve done over the summer working on my footwork should make it easier for me to be more explosive with quicker feet. I want to play fast and trust my instincts.”
The Spartans have been one of the top teams in Class 3A over the last few years, but have not been able to get to the state title game. That is something Johnson is focused on delivering this season.
“I feel like this year will be our best season yet and we steadily keep improving year after year,” Johnson said. “With our tougher schedule, I feel like it’ll put a little more pressure on myself and the team to really step up to win state and that’s all our mentality right now.”
