A Niche On Special Teams -- Kennedy Grad Leif Johnson Learns He Can Have An Impact

Leif Johnson's collection of Rose Bowl rings keeps growing, even though his playing time hasn't.

Johnson, a Washington junior out of Kennedy High School in Burien, will be playing in his third straight Rose Bowl New Year's Day. As a third-string tailback, however, he might not get a single carry. He rushed the ball only eight times during the regular season, gaining 27 yards.

But Johnson still expects to make his presence felt in the game, as he has throughout the 1992 season. He is one of the Huskies' premier special teams players, seeing action on all but the field-goal block and extra-point block squads.

"Leif is a great competitor," said Jim Lambright, Washington's defensive coordinator and the coach in charge of special teams. "That's what we like best about him, and that really comes out on special teams."

Johnson's special teams play earned him a varsity letter as a freshman, when he carried the ball just seven times for 24 yards. He made even more of an impression as a sophomore - and this season was named special teams captain.

While Johnson would like to see more playing time on offense, he relishes his role on special teams - especially considering his lack of playing time otherwise.

"It gets me on the field," he said. "It gives me an opportunity to play a lot, kind of, and it's a fun thing to do. You get to be a little bit crazy, be a little bit reckless. That's the main reason I've enjoyed it, plus I've had some success at it."

Johnson, who set North Puget Sound League career records for yards (2,962) and scoring (202 points) at Kennedy, said some of his most memorable special teams play came in the 1992 Rose Bowl against Michigan's Desmond Howard.

"I had a good game with two or three tackles on Desmond," he said. "That was fun, especially with him getting the Heisman."

Johnson's most productive offensive season was as a sophomore, when he totaled 17 carries for 100 yards and one touchdown (against Stanford). But he set himself back by skipping spring practice last spring, opting to play baseball instead.

"I just wanted to get out and do something different," said Johnson, who also was a standout outfielder at Kennedy. "Part of it might have been frustration with football."

He played third base in half of the Huskies' games and hit around .280 as they reached the NCAA tournament.

"It was great," he said. "I enjoyed it a lot."

A few other football players turned out for baseball, too, but left in time for spring football. Asked if he felt missing spring practice hurt him, Johnson said, "I don't know, exactly. I'm sure they (football coaches) wouldn't want everyone doing that. It's hard to say. Maybe a little bit."

There was a hint of it in Lambright's conversation about Johnson's prospects next season, when he likely will move back to fullback. He was moved to tailback this season because of Beno Bryant's injuries. Matt Jones returns at fullback next year, but Darius Turner graduates. The Huskies also are high on Richard Thomas, the redshirt freshman out of Kentwood High School.

"Leif's good enough to compete for a starting role in the fullback position," Lambright said. "But he can't spend the spring like he did last year, turning out totally for baseball and not turning out for football, or he's going to sacrifice his step up the ladder."

Johnson, a speech/communications major, isn't overly optimistic about his chances for starting.

"It seems like I've been around for a long time, and I haven't started yet," he said, adding he will decide after the Rose Bowl whether to turn out for baseball again. "It's kind of frustrating at times. But I have nothing bad to say about the program. I've enjoyed being here.

"It's easy to say what it might have been like playing somewhere else, but this is close to home, I've gotten a good education and I've been around a lot of good people . . . I wouldn't change anything."

And, one way or another, Johnson plans to make his senior season special.

"I'm looking forward to having a great year," he said.