It has been a long time since Longhorns fans saw number nine suit up in burnt orange for Texas. Collin Johnson has been out since the Kansas State game on November 9th. In that game Johnson hauled in seven passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. According to head coach Tom Herman, Johnson has been running around great according to Jeff Howe of 247.
Despite the fact that Johnson has only played in six games this year, he has caught 35 passes for 497 yards and two touchdowns. The hamstring injury has really hampered his senior season for Johnson. It is important for Johnson to suit up on Tuesday, not only for the offense’s success but the fact that this will be his last game as a member of the Longhorns.
The Longhorns will need Johnson to help them pull off the the upset over the number 11 ranked Utah Utes. The Utes will be missing Jaylon Johnson who skipped the bowl game in preparation for the NFL Draft. The Utes secondary will also be depleted with the injury to Julian Blackmon who is a key starter for the Utes at safety.
Having both Johnson and Devin Duvernay will be huge for the offense led by Sam Ehlinger who will need to be on their “A” game to pull of this win in the Longhorn’s home state. This is also the last game for Johnson before he and teammates Duvernay and Brandon Jones switch focus to the NFL Draft and the Senior Bowl. This is their chance to end their season on a high note.