Tag: Toby Johnson

Several former Lions earn All-USFL honors

The USFL named several former Detroit Lions players to the all-league team in 2023

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The USFL has honored players who earned all-league honors in the second season of the football league’s return to action. Some of the top USFL honorees have ties with the Detroit Lions.

Leading off the list of former Lions who made the All-USFL team, as named in a press release from President of Football Operations Daryl Johnston, is defensive tackle John Atkins. The Memphis Showboats nose tackle played two seasons (2018-2019) with the Lions, starting six games in that time and logging 22 total tackles for Detroit. He opted out of the 2020 season.

Atkins’ college teammate at Georgia, DT Toby Johnson, ended the 2017 NFL season on Detroit’s practice squad. He had a chance to make the squad in 2018 but suffered an injury and was released off the Lions’ injured reserve during the roster cutdowns. Johnson had an outstanding season for the New Jersey Generals, making All-USFL for the second straight year.

Pittsburgh Maulers cornerback Mark Gilbert led the league with four interceptions. Gilbert played eight games for the Lions in 2021 and was with Detroit through the 2022 preseason as well.

Offensive tackle Jarron Jones from the Showboats earned All-USFL for the second time. He was on the Lions practice squad back in 2018, one of nine NFL teams he was signed to but never played for in a regular season game.

Two former Lions running backs made the list. Mark Thompson of the Houston Gamblers, spent the 2019 offseason and preseason with the Lions. He didn’t make the final roster that year. Wes Hills did, however. Hills, now with the New Orleans Breakers, had 10 carries for 21 yards and scored two TDs in his one career NFL game, the Lions’ Week 15 loss to the Buccaneers back in 2019.

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‘UGA Football Live with JC Shelton’: Early Signing Day review feat. Georgia DL Toby Johnson

ESD review and former Georgia DL Toby Johnson joins us!

Host J.C. Shelton reviews Georgia’s No. 2 class after Early National Signing Day and is joined by former UGA defensive lineman Toby Johnson. 

Your friends at UGA Football Live and UGA Wire present your one-stop-shop podcast for all things Georgia football: “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton.”

Stats, analysis and interviews with some Georgia greats. We are here every week throughout the 2022 season with everything you need to be prepared for the Bulldogs’ matchups.

Listen here, on Spotify:

Listen here, on Apple Podcasts

Also on the show:

  • Peach Bowl outlook: Analysis of Georgia versus Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal. 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review! And check out one of our latest interviews with former Georgia OT John Theus:

‘UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton’: Dominant defense with former UGA DT Toby Johnson

Former UGA DT Toby Johnson stops by to talk Georgia’s defense…

J.C. is joined by former Georgia defensive tackle Toby Johnson to talk about the Bulldogs’ dominating defense, reminisce about his time in Athens and breakdown what to look for versus Auburn.

Sep 27, 2014; Athens, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nathan Peterman (12) is hit by Georgia Bulldogs defensive tackle Toby Johnson (88) during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Georgia defeated Tennessee 35-32. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Your friends at UGA Football Live and UGA Wire present your one-stop-shop podcast for all things Georgia football: “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton.”

This season we will release episodes each week, including interviews from some of the best Georgia Bulldogs of all-time with news, breakdowns, rumors and more!

On a new episode, special guest, former Georgia defensive tackle and NFL pro, Toby Johnson, stops by to talk all-things UGA football, including his time in Athens, football experience as a defensive tackle, the 2021 Georgia defense and how to stop a Mike Bobo Auburn offense.

Listen here on Spotify:

Listen here, on Apple Podcasts:

Also on the show:

  • Auburn preview – We get you set for gametime versus the No. 18 Tigers.
  • Dawgs in the NFL – Our top performing Bulldogs from week-four NFL action.
  • Spread vs. J.C. – This year’s picks have an 18-7 record and J.C. makes five more picks for this weekend’s action.

 

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review! And check out our last episode, featuring Georgia football greats Arthur Lynch and Orson Charles! Listen here, or anywhere you get podcasts:

 

Watch: Former Georgia Bulldog DT intercepts XFL pass

Former Georgia Bulldog defensive lineman Toby Johnson intercepted a pass for the New York Guardians in the XFL. New York beat Dallas 30-12.

Former Georgia Bulldog defensive lineman Toby Johnson is making plays for the New York Guardians in the XFL. In fact, Johnson intercepted a pass against the Dallas Renegades in a play that he’ll remember forever.

Johnson never recorded an interception during his two seasons in Athens. His pick helped the Guardians seal a 30-12 victory over the Renegades. Here’s Johnson’s interception:

It wasn’t the first ever interception for Johnson, who intercepted one pass during a preseason game for the Minnesota Vikings. Following his last year at the University of Georgia (2014), Johnson has bounced around the NFL and eventually ended up in the XFL after a dominant stint in the arena football league.

The XFL give players like Johnson a chance to play the game they love, while still having a chance to make an NFL roster. Will Johnson’s success attract another NFL team to sign him?

For now, Johnson will try to help the New York Guardians, who are 3-2, win an XFL championship.

Feb 23, 2020; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A New York Guardians helmet sits on top of the bench during the first half between the St. Louis Battlehawks and the NY Guardians at The Dome at America’s Center. Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports

J.R. Reed on former Georgia football teammates invited to NFL Combine

In his final appearance before media members at the NFL Combine, J.R. Reed took time to acknowledge the impact of his Georgia teammates.

In his final appearance before media members at the NFL Scouting Combine, Georgia’s J.R. Reed took time to acknowledge the impact his Bulldog teammates imposed upon him.

“It’s amazing, man. I miss my defensive teammates. I think some of them need to be here.”

Georgia fans could argue that there are several spurned Bulldogs who deserved an invitation. One former letterman took to Twitter to protest Tyler Clark’s omission from the Combine’s list of participants.

Continuing his praise, Reed proceeded:

“Seeing my offensive guys and seeing the guys I came up with and played with for a while…seeing those guys go out there to do well and perform, man, it means a lot.”

As a do-it-all safety who had to defend against that offense in months’ worth of inter-team practices, Reed then fielded questions on his perception of the future of Georgia’s offense.

“We’re definitely gonna run the ball, I can tell you that. Now, everything else? I don’t know anything about that.”

Further denying any inside information, the projected draft pick answered again:

“I haven’t really been back [in Athens] to get into details about the offense, but I can tell you we’re going to run the ball.”

Watch the full exit interview:

Dawgs in the XFL: Week 1 recap

A look at every former Georgia football players performances in the XFL for week one.

Sunday afternoon marked the first weekend without NFL football since the Super Bowl last week.  What is typically a brutally barren day for all football fans, this year was a little bit different.

Saturday and Sunday featured two XFL games each, providing football fans with their weekend fix.  This was the first weekend of XFL football since their original season in 2001.

On Sunday the matchup between the Tampa Bay Vipers and the New York Guardians featured four former Bulldogs.

The Vipers featured three former Dawgs, including defensive back Corey Moore, long snapper Nick Moore and the Bulldogs all-time leading passer, quarterback Aaron Murray.

The Guardians featured former Georgia nose tackle Toby Johnson.

The Guardians beat the Vipers by a score of 23-3, leaving Murray looking a little bit rusty since his last season playing for the Atlanta Legends in the AAF.

Murray finished the game completing 47 percent of his 34 passes for 231 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.  Not the best start for the Dawgs all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns but to Murray’s defense he hasn’t played all that much organized football in the past few years.

Moore, Moore and Murray will be in Seattle next week as the Vipers are playing at the Dragons while the Guardians will be in Washington D.C. facing the Defenders.

Multiple former Georgia football players making XFL debut Sunday

On Sunday, multiple former Georgia football players will make their XFL debut. From New York, the Tampa Bay Vipers visit the New York Guardians at 2pm. The game is airing on FOX. Former Georgia nose tackle Toby Johnson plays for New York. He will be …

On Sunday, multiple former Georgia football players will make their XFL debut.

From New York, the Tampa Bay Vipers visit the New York Guardians at 2pm. The game is airing on FOX.

Former Georgia nose tackle Toby Johnson plays for New York. He will be going up against Tampa’s former Bulldogs, QB Aaron Murray, DB Corey Moore and LS Nick Moore.

Murray is indeed starting at quarterback for Tampa, where he grew up. In his preview game interviews, the Georgia record-setter sounded very exciting to start this new chapter of his career.

The league, which is owned by WWE majority owner Vince McMahon, consists of eight teams with 52 players each.

Best of luck to these former Dawgs.

Tampa Bay:

Murray returns home to Tampa to play for the Vipers. After breaking numerous SEC and Georgia records, Murray attempted to play in the NFL, where he did not find much success. He then went on to work for CBS as a broadcaster in addition to playing a single season for the Atlanta Legends, a member of the Alliance of American Football in 2019.

Corey Moore is a former Georgia safety who was undrafted in 2015 but went on to have a nice NFL career, playing for the Texans from 2015-17 and the Colts in 2019. He finished his NFL career with 72 tackles, 5 passes defended and an interception. I would not be surprised if he made a return to the NFL shortly.

Long snapper Nick Moore hails from Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. He came to Georgia in 2015 as a Mark Richt recruit after spending being drafted by the Red Sox and playing four years of minor league baseball. Moore, from 2015-18, played in 23 games for the Dawgs. He was given an opportunity by the New Orleans Saints but was unable to earn a roster spot.

New York Guardians:

Former Georgia nose tackle Toby Johnson (6’4 350lb) will be playing for New York, after spending four years in the NFL playing for six teams. Last year, Johnson played for the Massachusetts Pirates of the National Arena League.

Georgia football alumnus not happy Tyler Clark left out of NFL Combine

A former Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman took to twitter to express his disappointment in Tyler Clark’s lack of invitation to the NFL Combine.

This week, the NFL released its full list of draft prospects invited to the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. The draft hopefuls will engage in several position-specific skills tests spread across several days, beginning February 27 in Indianapolis.

Of the 337 college standouts summoned to Lucas Oil Stadium, ten arrive by way of Athens, Georgia. The Georgia Bulldogs are among the best-represented college programs at this year’s edition of the Combine, but one former letterman believes there was a glaring exclusion.

Former Bulldog defensive lineman Toby Johnson, who suited up in Silver Britches in 2013 and 2014, took to twitter to express his disappointment in Tyler Clark’s lack of invitation to the event.

https://twitter.com/Future020113SEC/status/1225962331953418242

Clark saw serious action even his his true freshman season in 2016 and was huge contributor in his career beyond. It is worth noting that this is a draft class heavy with defensive line prospects, and maybe that’s the only way this snub makes sense, but a snub is a snub regardless.

It’s nearly certain that Johnson, who was recently signed to play in the new XFL, isn’t the only Dawg feeling disgust.

Every Georgia football player in the XFL

Here are the four former Georgia football players on XFL rosters.

The Xtream Football League, also known as the XFL, will begin in February, reviving the league for the first time since its lone season in 2001.

The league, which is owned by WWE majority owner Vince McMahon, will consist of eight teams with 52 players each.

Four Bulldogs will represent the University of Georgia this season across two teams, the New York Guardians and the Tampa Bay Vipers.

Former Georgia nose tackle Toby Johnson (6’4 350lb) will be playing for New York, after spending four years in the NFL playing for six teams. Last year, Johnson played for the Massachusetts Pirates of the National Arena League.

Johnson came to Georgia in 2013 after playing at a high level at Hutchinson Community College.

On the Tamp Bay Vipers, Georgia will have three players – QB Aaron Murray, DB Corey Moore and LS Nick Moore. 

Murray returns home to Tampa to play for the Vipers. After breaking numerous SEC and Georgia records, Murray attempted to play in the NFL, where he did not find much success. He then went on to work for CBS as a broadcaster in addition to playing a single season for the Atlanta Legends, a member of the Alliance of American Football in 2019.

Corey Moore is a former Georgia safety who was undrafted in 2015 but went on to have a nice NFL career, playing for the Texans from 2015-17 and the Colts in 2019. He finished his NFL career with 72 tackles, 5 passes defended and an interception. I would not be surprised if he made a return to the NFL shortly.

Long snapper Nick Moore hails from Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. He came to Georgia in 2015 as a Mark Richt recruit after spending being drafted by the Red Sox and playing four years of minor league baseball. Moore, from 2015-18, played in 23 games for the Dawgs. He was given an opportunity by the New Orleans Saints but was unable to earn a roster spot.