Johnnie Johnson receives the Bronco Nagurski Legends Award

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https://texassports.com/news/2021/4/13/footballs-johnson-to-receive-2021-bronko-nagurski-legends-award.aspx

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (FWAA) — University of Texas football legend Johnnie Johnson has been named the 2021 recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award and will be honored at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet presented by LendingTree on Dec. 6 at the Charlotte Convention Center.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy, annually awarded to the top defensive player in college football, is announced by the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the Football Writers Association of America at the same event.

Johnson, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound native of LaGrange, Texas, played at the University of Texas from 1976-79 and was a two-time consensus All-American during his junior and senior seasons. He was a member of the FWAA's 1978 and '79 All-America Teams, from which the Legends Award recipient is chosen.

The FWAA and CTC have presented a Nagurski Legends Award since the 2007 season. Previous recipients include such standouts as Notre Dame's Alan Page, Michigan State's Bubba Smith, Miami, Fla's Ted Hendricks, Florida's Jack Youngblood, Maryland's Randy White, Ohio State's Tom Cousineau and UCLA's Jerry Robinson.

"Johnson was one of the iconic defensive players from the great Texas defensive teams under Coach Fred Akers in the 1970s," said FWAA Executive Director Steve Richardson. "He obviously joins a long line of great defensive players who are celebrated with this award. The FWAA first awarded the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1993. The Legends Award winners at this time come from past FWAA All-America teams from 1966-92."

From 1977-79, Johnson played on three Texas teams that ranked among the Top 10 teams nationally in total defense and had 13 career interceptions. He also was a punt return specialist for Texas, with 1,004 career return yards. Named to the Southwest Conference All-Decade Team, Johnson was a 1979 UT co-captain during his senior season.

Selected in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft as the 17th pick by the Los Angeles Rams, Johnson played safety and cornerback for 11 seasons in the National Football League, mostly with the Los Angeles Rams. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. His son Collin, a wide receiver, also played at Texas and is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

 

[ImissWallyPryor 9045]

Johnnie was a senior when I was a freshman. I was a big fan of those Akers’ defenses, and Johnnie Johnson was one of - if not the - best of the whole bunch. 

[Sawbonz 27398]