Photo by University of Tennessee
Tennessee defensive back Marsalous Johnson, shown playing against Arkansas last season, has gone from missing last season’s opener against Cal because of a suspension, to preparing to line up against the Golden Bears Saturday night.
Cal by the Numbers
Tennessee Stat Book
Facing DeSean Jackson, you think that's tough? Try facing a jury.
Tennessee cornerback Marsalous Johnson said he's not afraid of facing Jackson, California's preseason All-America receiver, on Saturday - even though Johnson will be making the first start of his career.
Nor was Johnson afraid when he went before a jury in Cookeville last May to face a simple assault charge.
"I wasn't really scared,'' Johnson said this week, "because like my mom told me the whole time, the truth will come out.
"And it did. The truth came out. I went in there with my head held high and it came out that I was innocent.''
The jury deliberated 22 minutes and found Johnson innocent. A road-rage incident on I-40 from 10 months earlier was officially behind him at last.
Innocent or not, the incident cost Johnson a four-game suspension to start the 2006 season.
Thus, he goes from watching the Vols play Cal at home in Smyrna, in his mom's living room in '06 to starting against an All-America receiver in '07.
What a difference, as they say, a year makes.
"I'm really proud of that young man,'' head coach Phillip Fulmer said. "He fought through the adversity that he had.''
Johnson made headlines when he was arrested on a felony charge of aggravated assault, just before preseason camp was to open in 2006.
He was returning to campus on I-40 near Cookeville when a traffic situation apparently provoked the incident. An off-duty Putnam County sheriff's deputy, also traveling I-40, claimed Johnson waved a gun at him. After stopping Johnson's car, a toy pellet-type gun was found. Johnson was hauled to jail.
He maintained all along he never brandished the toy gun.
"I never did,'' Johnson said again this week. "It was just in the car.''
A grand jury dropped the felony charge last fall. Johnson still faced a simple assault charge and went to trial in May - not long after he was named UT's most improved defensive player in spring practice.
Johnson testified in his own behalf. The jury evidently believed him.
"I was (very upset) with him at the time it happened,'' said Fulmer. "We'd already made a stand that we were not going to have any distractions.
"I was probably too hard on him but I'd rather be too hard than too soft and the point was made.''
At any rate, while the Vols were spanking Cal 35-18 at Neyland Stadium, Johnson was home watching the game with his mother, Patricia Fayne.
"It was a learning experience for me,'' he said. "It just made me more determined to get out there and show what I can do and help out this football team.''
He was reinstated, didn't play in the fifth game at Memphis, then made his season debut at Georgia on Oct. 7. He played in every game the rest of the way, primarily on special teams.
"That was some hard times,'' Johnson said. "It weighed on me a whole bunch and it weighed on my family as much as it did me.''
His family includes one of the state's top high-school prospects this year. Smyrna receiver Rodriguez Wilks is Johnson's younger half-brother.
Johnson said he doesn't dwell or talk about the ordeal much any more. That's the past and the present and the future look pretty busy.
One of three new starters in the secondary, Johnson expects to be picked on by Cal quarterback Nate Longshore and his receivers, Jackson in particular.
"He does look like an All-America-type guy,'' Johnson said.
"But we've got a great coaching staff and with them getting us prepared, we can stop an All-American.''
Well, on that count, the jury's still out.
Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276.
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Comments » 11
andy112382#209793 writes:
Go shown'em why you were labeled the most improved player in spring, Johnson! Wonder if it will be Gaines or Berry opposite of him? I am sure we will see both plenty, I would probally assume that the upper classman gets the nod to start at least. Lets just hope our defense doesn't even have to spend a whole of time out on the field anyway! GO VOLS!!!
orangebloodgmc writes:
TouchdownTN, you could be right but I don't accept that it will be a huge mismatch between Johnson and Jackson. Jackson played in the game last yr and one of our guys covered him (Wade?). He did nothing big until the 4th qtr when we were putting in the reserves. He returned 3 punts for a total of 16 yds. Here below is the link for the box score. Now I do believe he will have his moments tomorrow, but at end of the day, will leave frustrated.
http://s159447050.onlinehome.us/utvol...
Joshinem writes:
put the press on Jackson at the line,he only weighs about a buck 50
Calbears40 writes:
interesting point sjt18, i had not noticed this. It may have been an issue last year but i'm pretty confident it would have been addressed this spring. Tedford is great at developing qb's and he has full confidence in this kid. You all are right, you cant give him time to throw cause he does have a hell of an arm. the other top 2 receivers besides jackson are really good too. Hawkins should start opposite him has 4.4 spead and good hands. He originally commited to LSU but backed out and went to JC then Cal. Jordan is the other wideout, and again runs 4.4 in the forty. The wideouts are a huge strength for the team, now we shall see if the O line is as well.
jlange#632002 writes:
Watch out for those PAC 10 refs if it's close late.
Calbears40 writes:
haha, scared of another oklahoma outcome??? They fired that guy anyway.
jhenson#377512 writes:
Perhaps, I'm going through a period of temporary insanity (after all, I did just sign contracts yesterday to go back into the Army Reserves after being out for 15 years), but after having huge reservations all summer about this years team, I'm feeling more and more confident heading into our matchup with CAL. I know Neyland was a factor last year, and I also realize we have questions at receiver and D-line, but a big factor last year was quite simply the fact that top to bottom, on both sides of the ball we were just bigger, quicker, stronger, and more talented. I see that still being the case this year and while it doesn't always translate to a "W"...it usually does.
GO VOLS!!!
invisiblekid writes:
Excellent post JHenson that cuts to the heart of the game tommorow. Sure, they have plenty of fine players but top to bottom UT is the more talented team and should win. My major concerns are with the special teams and the possibility of our defensive front not getting any pressure on Longshore. If it turns into a shootout, anything can happen because we will be playing their brand of ball.
txsvol#372416 writes:
JHenson, Thank you for serving our country. My guess is that the 'defined benefit' of military retirement looks better now than it did fifteen years ago. I know that it does for me, more so than when I was in my thirties.
Not to belittle Marsalous Johnson, but I'd put Eric Berry on DeSean Jackson in a match-up one on one from the get-go. He shut down Gerald Jones in his last appearance, and a good performance in Berkeley with the national exposure would set him up for all kinds of recognition. If he fails and gets burned, he's only a freshman, so it would be a relatively painless learning experience, as it would not cost us in the SEC race. But Eric can fly! I'd like his chances against a premier speedster like Jackson. Go Vols! SAVol
Calbears40 writes:
TD, not trying to scare you with any speed figues, just letting you know they are fast. You claiming tennessee is faster than cal is debateable. Again i respect your team, and i know the results of last year, but being shell schocked like the bears were last year has a way of making one look a step slow. This is this year, we shall have our answer in about 27 hours.
N_Knox_Vol writes:
A step slow? I counted a lot of steps slow. I'll be countin' em tomorrow night too! GO VOLS!
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