Former FSU quarterback Deandre Johnson's long road to redemption

Deandre Johnson punched a young woman in the face at a bar and it was caught on camera. It went viral and you have probably seen it.

His fall from grace was swift and precipitous. After being exiled from Florida State, and vilified by many, he is still paying the price and it is unclear if he will ever play major college football again. As of now, he finds himself in limbo at Eastern Mississippi Community College, better known as “Last Chance U.”

When a kid ends up at Last Chance U, it is assumed that he actually has another chance, but some do not receive that grace. FlaVarsity reached out to a number of people around Deandre Johnson and asked if he deserved a second chance? An adamant “yes” comes from all those who know him personally however, that chance has yet to present itself from the division one level. At least at the moment.

Before his fall, Johnson was a star quarterback at First Coast High School in Jacksonville, Florida. The summer prior to his Sophomore year Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher offered him a scholarship and he accepted shortly thereafter. He would go on to break former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow’s state record for passing touchdowns. He finished his high school career with 11,697 yards passing and 154 touchdowns while winning the prestigious Mr. Florida award in 2014, which is annually given to the talent laden state’s top varsity football player.

Johnson graduated from First Coast a semester early and enrolled at FSU in January of 2015. He got an early jump on Jimbo Fisher’s playbook and promptly delivered a spectacular performance in the Seminole’s Spring Game. The prospect of Johnson under center had many fans and commentators thinking the ‘Noles had found the likely heir apparent to former Heisman winning quarterback Jameis Winston.

Then Deandre Johnson punched a young woman in the face at a bar, it was caught on camera, and shortly after his brilliant spring game performance he was expelled from FSU.

Recently I spoke with Johnson regarding his recruitment and he said the following, “I want to be very clear. I am very realistic that what happened will always be in the back of some people's mind. Hopefully, people can open their hearts and mind and allow me to move forward from the incident.”

After sitting out last season as part of an agreement with the Eastern Mississippi's staff, Johnson is now the starting quarterback. The Lions’ quarterback coach, Clint Trickett, explained how Johnson came to Scooba, Mississippi.

“My first reaction after I heard what happened was to call people at FSU and ask what type of kid he is and what type of character he had. So when I called around, everyone was just shocked that this happened, he was such a good kid and they never expected anything like this, they don’t know why it happened, but it never should have happened, but unfortunately it did."

In order for EMCC to accept him, Johnson not only had to sit out his first year, he also had to work with an abused women’s shelter, finish an anger management program, work with a woman mentor, and complete 70 hours of community service back in Tallahassee over his Christmas break. Once he did all of that EMCC asked of him, the school committed to putting him on scholarship in the spring of 2016.

From afar, the uninformed fan might think EMCC is a program that simply takes any wayward kid who has been kicked out of a major school regardless of his transgressions or what type of person he may be. Clint Tricket assured me this isn’t the case.

“We only get eight scholarships we can offer to players outside of Mississippi. We're forced to adhere to our standard where a kid may be a great athlete but if he has character issues, we’ll pass. But that wasn't the case with Deandre. He's such a good kid, but he did an awful thing that I will never make an excuse for. That being said, I believe he’s made up for it and until he does wrong again, I’m gonna fight for him. He’s definitely paid his debt,” Trickett assured.

In spite of Trickett's praise for his quarterback, Johnson is not being pursued aggressively by major schools. It is puzzling that schools from smaller conferences such as the MAC or AAC have not extended scholarship offers. What he did was egregious and appalling to the senses, but the young man and his family have been contrite and apologetic heretofor. Further, there have been zero documented instances of missteps in his past or after the incident in Tallahassee, and everyone I spoke with had nothing but positive things to say about the young man.

It was surprising to find that he had not been offered by a few Power 5 schools, but the fact that no one had extended a scholarship was baffling.

In order to paint a clearer picture of Deandre Johnson I felt like I needed a woman’s perspective. So, I reached out to EMCC’s guidance counselor, Brittany Wagner. If you watched Last Chance U (and if you haven’t, what are you waiting for?) you know that Wagner stole the show and a lot of hearts in the process.

Like Trickett, Wagner believes Johnson’s mistake was an isolated incident that doesn’t define him as a man.

“Honestly, if I had never seen it on TV I don’t think I would believe it if someone told me about it, after knowing the kid,” opined Wagner. “I think he’s just a good kid that made a bad decision. He really doesn’t have any issues. He’s a good kid with a really solid head on his shoulders.”

Wagner praised Johnson's maturity and demeanor since arriving on campus and how he treated not only women, but everyone in general.

“I think he’s respectful to everyone, not just women. One of the first things I noticed was how respectful he was to me. He looked me in the eyes, shook my hand, sat on the edge of his chair when we spoke, never looked at his phone, just very respectful. After his visit the coaches asked me what I thought about him and I told them he was a great kid. And I can be tough, I’m a tell it like it is person, but I’ve never really had to get in on him. He has NEVER been disrespectful to me or a teacher. I’ve never had anything negative about him come across my desk,” said Wagner.

Wagner also assured me that Johnson wasn't resentful of playing for EMCC and that he has been making the most of his opportunity there.

“I’ve never heard him say a negative word about Scooba, EMCC, or his situation. He’s not a negative person, he’s very positive, humble, and confident. He doesn’t really have to say a whole lot to give that impression, he just kind of exudes it, people respect him, he’s more mature than a lot of transfer students,” lamented Wagner.

What she said about his attitude toward EMCC buttresses what he himself told FlaVarsity about the school’s staff and the Scooba community.

"EMCC is a first class organization. They have great leadership with President Dr. Thomas Huebner and Athletic Director Dr. Randell Bradberry. They were willing to give me a second chance in a very difficult situation so, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for them. Coach Stephens and his staff have been professional and supportive. They have a lot of experience with dealing with young men that have gone through tough times and a lot of things in place to help you adjust. I'm also very close with Coach Trickett, he was the first person to reach out to me from EMCC and one of the big reasons I came here. Ms. Wagner is exactly what you see. She is very passionate about helping all of the athletes get through school first and foremost. The work she is doing in this program is incredible. I also can't forget to mention the EMCC Alumni and community in Scooba. This a small town has opened their arms and accepted me like family. The fans here at EMCC are incredible and love all their team sports, they really come out like a twelfth man. You can't help but love the fans here, it's like one big family,” lamented Johnson.

When asked to talk about his situation, Johnson was careful and responded pensively, stating that his faith has helped him stay positive through all the adversity.

“I just place my faith in God that I would be given a second chance to prove that one incident does not define who I am as a person,” said Johnson.

He also offered some advice to young men that might find themselves in a similar situation.

“If you find yourself face-to-face in a situation (like his) things can spiral out of control quickly so keep your composure and just walk away. At the end of the day you are the one that can lose everything that you have worked so hard to get,” advised Johnson.

Johnson speaks like a leader, and both Wagner and Trickett support this notion.

“He is the leader of this team by far, coach always asks him to lead them in the prayer and lead them in the breakdown. He’s the captain, he tells the defense to get the ball back and they get him the ball back,” assured Trickett. “I think he’s a proven leader because of what he’s been through, he’s not a guy coaches at the next level are going to have to wonder if he can handle the pressure. Due to everything he’s already been through, he’s proven himself mentally. He’s not one to crack under pressure, he’s not that guy,” added Wagner.

If Johnson went the junior college route under any other set of circumstances he would presently be hottest commodity on the recruiting trail. Talent-wise, Johnson is one of the top quarterback recruits in the county. Because he redshirted last season, he will have three years of eligibility remaining for the school he signs with. He also graduates this January and will be eligible enrill early at the school he signs with. He has the pedigree of a four-star recruit, a former Mr. Florida winner, and he has been lighting up stat sheets and scoreboards for EMCC. One would think schools would be lining up to give Johnson a second chance but such is not the case, and there have been no reported scholarship offers for Johnson at this point.

“I’m in contact with some schools (regarding Johnson’s recruitment) but right now I think no one wants to be the first (to offer a scholarship),” said Trickett.

Thinking of all the boxes that Johnson checks, and how he has no offers, a recent interview wirb University of Washington head coach Chris Peterson on SiriusXM comes to mind. On Mike Krezeyski's show, Peterson was asked abiut his approach to recruiting a student-athlete.

“Do people like him? I know his coach is going to like him. The coach always likes his best player. Does the English teacher like him? Do the counselors like him?” Petersen said. “That’s been our thing, trying to find the right guys, staff-wise that treat kids the right way, and we want a certain type of student-athlete to come here,” offered Peterson.

Well, Johnson’s Coach likes him. He is afterall, the best player on the team. Johnson’s guidance counselor likes him and can’t say enough positive things about him. Even his teachers like him. He developed a strong mentor/mentee bond with one of his English teachers from his first year at EMCC. That teacher has moved on to another EMCC campus, but the two of them still stay in touch according to Britney Wagner.

In December Johnson will graduate with an associates degree, which would make him an early enrollee for any potential suitors and would give him an early jump on learning a new system. Something Johnson was able to accomplish in short order at FSU. While most JUCO transfers only have two years of eligibility, Johnson will be a “3-for-3” because he took a redshirt his first year.

On the field this season he has completed 63% of his passes for 2,110 yards, he has 24 touchdowns and only four interceptions to go with 563 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

All of this begs the question:

If Johnson checks all of the boxes with proven talent, leadership, solid student, well-liked by the entire EMCC academic staff, what is the hold up on his recruitment?

Answer: Deandre Johnson punched a young woman in the face at a bar. It went viral.

Johnson is in jeopary of losing everything he’s worked his entire life to achieve. He is still paying the price for that transgression and it is unclear if he will ever get a second chance to play big-time college football. What is clear is that in the post-Ray Rice era of athletes and violence against women, schools are not willing to take the public relations risk that comes along with a Deandre Johnson. This seems unfair when you juxtapose Deandre Johnson's case to those of Greg Hardy, Ray Rice, or Joe Mixon who punched a young woman in the face at a bar and broke her jaw, it just wasnt caught on camera, so he still plays for Oklahoma after a pseudo-one-year-suspension, that operated as nothing more than a red-shirt season.

Deandre Johnson has owned his transgression and is still paying dues at the time this article will be published. He holds no college football offers.

Bruce Lee once said: “Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.” Johnson has paid his debt to society, he has been contrite about his sins, and he has done nothing since that moment but work diligently to repair his image and make amends.