Happy Valley has had more than its share of emotional stories this season: coach Joe Paterno's monumental 324th win, Adam Taliferro's miraculous recovery and the Nittany Lions, who have pulled themselves out of an 0-4 slump and now stand 5-5. But in the midst of Penn State's dramas, one player's personal triumph should not go unnoticed.
Bryant Johnson is equal parts silly and stern. One minute he talks about his roller skating hobby, and the next he's fierce about his place - first place - in the Penn State receiving corps.
Last week against Michigan State, the junior wide receiver from Baltimore, Md., grabbed a 38-yard pass from quarterback Zack Mills to the Spartans' two yard line to set up teammate Eric McCoo's third touchdown of the day. McCoo later said Johnson deserved credit for "assists" on his touchdowns.
"He came up big time for us," fellow Penn State receiver Tony Johnson said.
Bryant Johnson finished with a team-high five receptions for 107 yards as Penn State escaped the Spartans, 42-37. After starting 0-4, the Lions found their heart and have gone on to win five of their last six games.
Personally, this season has been a breakthrough for Bryant, who struggled to step up last season while plagued by mistakes.
"I started questioning myself" last year, Johnson said. "You just have to get it out ... find that point and keep going. The whole coaching staff and the team just told me to keep working."
Combining his natural advantages - size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and speed (Johnson runs the 100 in 10.65 seconds) - with a determined effort in practice this spring, Johnson has again risen to the promise that made him one of the nation's top recruited receivers.
Johnson was one of very few true freshmen to see action in 1999, and he played in every single game. He led the team by averaging 20 yards per catch and totaled seven catches for 140 yards over the season.
Last season was more troublesome. Johnson had several tough games and more mistakes than he would like to remember, but he refuses to dwell in the past.
"I wouldn't give credit just to myself," he said. "We have a great receiving coach who makes sure we understand the concepts, that we know not just what we need to do, but what everyone is doing."
Praise does not end there for his new coach, Kenny Carter.
Carter "is making us into disciplined, relentless receivers," Johnson said.
Penn State coach Joe Paterno told reporters in a press conference after the Miami game Sept. 8 that Johnson "has a little more confidence in himself," and is now the number one receiver on the team with 801 yards receiving and three touchdowns this season.
Johnson is as playful as he is a playmaker. One of his high school hobbies was roller skating.
"I used to do it in my spare time," Johnson said. "The old style, with four wheels. I had a girlfriend senior year and we used to go to the roller skating rink every week."
"If they open a rink around here, I may have to pick it up again," he said, with a chuckle in his voice.
Headed for a sociology major with a minor is business, Johnson still is mainly focused on his college career and making up for his mistakes last year.
"I just look at last year as a learning year, motivation to work harder," he said.
Johnson will bring that motivation with him this Saturday against Virginia as the Lions hope to continue their winning ways and become bowl-eligible.
To come back from a difficult early season and finish the regular season with a win would be icing on the cake for Paterno and this year's Lions squad.
But if anyone has learned what it takes to climb out of a hole and start over, it's Bryant Johnson
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