Cypress Sun - Sports
Johnson does it all for Collins
 |
| Klein Collins senior linebacker Malcom Johnson has been a leader for the Tigers. He's committed to play at Texas A&M next fall. |
By Michael Sudhalter
On Saturday night, Klein Collins senior linebacker Malcom Johnson did just about everything except sell popcorn and serve as the public address announcer at Klein Memorial Stadium.
Johnson, a three-year varsity player who’s committed to play at Texas A&M, led the Tigers defensively in a 6-2, District 13-opening loss to Klein, but he also ran the ball, ran routs and punted.
“I played running back my freshman year, I like getting touches on offense,” Johnson said. “I play soccer, so (being the punter) isn’t that bad.”
If that wasn’t enough, he was named the school’s Homecoming King at halftime, something he was “honored” to receive.
“He’s a great athlete, and we’re trying to use him in a couple of different ways to help the team as a whole,” Tigers coach Drew Svoboda said.
Growing up, Johnson played soccer and basketball competitively but didn’t start football until the seventh grade.
“My parents didn’t want me getting hurt because I was tall and skinny growing up, so they always kept me out of it,” Johnson said. “I kind of thought my future was more in football.”
Opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators probably wish Johnson’s parents had stuck with their decision.
The Klein Collins senior outside linebacker is one of the main reasons why the Tigers (2-1, 0-1) have allowed just one offensive touchdown in three games this season. The team went 2-18 the past two seasons.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior had 15 tackles and five sacks in the first two games of the season. The Tigers travel to Tomball (1-2, 1-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Johnson, 17, hopes to play as a true freshman for the Aggies and was impressed with first-year head coach Mike Sherman and picked A&M over Texas Tech, Baylor and Rice.
Johnson is friends with Aggies junior running back Mike Goodson, a Klein Collins graduate; the two were on the same relay team when Goodson was a senior and Johnson, a freshman.
Johnson hopes to play with Goodson next season but doesn’t know if the running back will declare for the NFL Draft after this season.
“I wanted to play big-time football,” Johnson said. “A&M’s alumni is one of the best in the country. To be a part of the 12th Man is something special.”
Johnson said he’s built off his experiences in other sports. He’s currently a three-sport athlete, playing soccer in the winter and running track in the fall.
Svoboda has been impressed with the senior’s leadership. When he was an assistant coach in 2005, Svoboda saw Johnson’s potential as an eighth grader preparing to play at the freshman level.
He’s seen him blossom into a standout since those times.
“Malcom is a playmaker, an athlete,” Svoboda said. “If the team isn’t practicing very well, it doesn’t always take the coaches to pick it up. He realizes it, and that’s when his leadership skills take over. Late in the (17-9 win over Cy-Fair) game when the defense had to bow their necks, he went out there and made a few more huge plays.”
Svoboda said Johnson runs a 4.4/4.5 in the 40-yard-dash, and last season, he ran a 10.7 in the 100-meter in track and field.
Johnson said the late Klein Collins coach Mike Konicki, who died during the offseason of cancer, has been an inspiration for the team. The Tigers’ have a ‘K’ sticker on the back of their helmets to remember their former leader.
“A lot of us were close to him,” Johnson said. “We want to see his dreams come true of making the first round of the playoffs.”
“If the team isn’t practicing very well, it doesn’t always take the coaches to pick it up. He realizes it, and that’s when his leadership skills take over.” Klein Collins coach Drew Svoboda on senior linebacker Malcom Johnson.
Johnson, a three-year varsity player who’s committed to play at Texas A&M, led the Tigers defensively in a 6-2, District 13-opening loss to Klein, but he also ran the ball, ran routs and punted.
“I played running back my freshman year, I like getting touches on offense,” Johnson said. “I play soccer, so (being the punter) isn’t that bad.”
If that wasn’t enough, he was named the school’s Homecoming King at halftime, something he was “honored” to receive.
“He’s a great athlete, and we’re trying to use him in a couple of different ways to help the team as a whole,” Tigers coach Drew Svoboda said.
Growing up, Johnson played soccer and basketball competitively but didn’t start football until the seventh grade.
“My parents didn’t want me getting hurt because I was tall and skinny growing up, so they always kept me out of it,” Johnson said. “I kind of thought my future was more in football.”
Opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators probably wish Johnson’s parents had stuck with their decision.
The Klein Collins senior outside linebacker is one of the main reasons why the Tigers (2-1, 0-1) have allowed just one offensive touchdown in three games this season. The team went 2-18 the past two seasons.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior had 15 tackles and five sacks in the first two games of the season. The Tigers travel to Tomball (1-2, 1-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Johnson, 17, hopes to play as a true freshman for the Aggies and was impressed with first-year head coach Mike Sherman and picked A&M over Texas Tech, Baylor and Rice.
Johnson is friends with Aggies junior running back Mike Goodson, a Klein Collins graduate; the two were on the same relay team when Goodson was a senior and Johnson, a freshman.
Johnson hopes to play with Goodson next season but doesn’t know if the running back will declare for the NFL Draft after this season.
“I wanted to play big-time football,” Johnson said. “A&M’s alumni is one of the best in the country. To be a part of the 12th Man is something special.”
Johnson said he’s built off his experiences in other sports. He’s currently a three-sport athlete, playing soccer in the winter and running track in the fall.
Svoboda has been impressed with the senior’s leadership. When he was an assistant coach in 2005, Svoboda saw Johnson’s potential as an eighth grader preparing to play at the freshman level.
He’s seen him blossom into a standout since those times.
“Malcom is a playmaker, an athlete,” Svoboda said. “If the team isn’t practicing very well, it doesn’t always take the coaches to pick it up. He realizes it, and that’s when his leadership skills take over. Late in the (17-9 win over Cy-Fair) game when the defense had to bow their necks, he went out there and made a few more huge plays.”
Svoboda said Johnson runs a 4.4/4.5 in the 40-yard-dash, and last season, he ran a 10.7 in the 100-meter in track and field.
Johnson said the late Klein Collins coach Mike Konicki, who died during the offseason of cancer, has been an inspiration for the team. The Tigers’ have a ‘K’ sticker on the back of their helmets to remember their former leader.
“A lot of us were close to him,” Johnson said. “We want to see his dreams come true of making the first round of the playoffs.”
“If the team isn’t practicing very well, it doesn’t always take the coaches to pick it up. He realizes it, and that’s when his leadership skills take over.” Klein Collins coach Drew Svoboda on senior linebacker Malcom Johnson.
Copyright © 2009 - Houston Community Newspapers Online