Q&A: Theo Johnson opens up about Penn State commitment

Penn State picked up a commitment from its top remaining Class of 2020 prospect Monday in tight end Theo Johnson.

A Rivals250 prospect from Canada, Johnson had just a handful of Group of 5 offers before Penn State made the move in July 2018. By the time it was all said and done, he had nearly 30 offers from some of college football's biggest names.

But figuring that his first major offer was the right school for him wasn't an easy process. I caught up with Johnson following his commitment earlier this week to learn what went into his decision to be a Nittany Lion.

Ryan Snyder: It feels like these past two months have been tough for you. It felt like Penn State was the favorite for awhile, but obviously Iowa and Michigan and Georgia all impressed you. So, to start, how close was all of this? Was there one school that almost stole you from Penn State?

Theo Johnson: So, honestly, for the longest time, it wasn’t really Penn State as the true favorite. I really liked all four of the schools that I had narrowed it down to. There was a point in time where I seriously considered committing to each one of those schools. So, it’s been a tough road, but in the end, I feel like this was just the best decision for me.

Snyder: So, if that’s the case, when was Penn State the school? When did you know that you were going to Penn State?

Johnson: There were multiple points in time where Penn State was the school at the top. I just had different phases where things would change for me. I feel like, coming into this past week, talking to my coach and my mom and other people, it became clear that Penn State was the best decision. But, honestly, even [the night before] I was still unsure of everything. I was still thinking about a lot of stuff. Fortunately, I woke up refreshed and didn’t second-guess anything. I knew what was right for me.

Snyder: If there was one thing about Penn State that set the program apart from the rest, what was it?

Johnson: So, I would say that there were two things that really stood out to me. One was all the guys already there. I became really comfortable with the guys on the team. The relationships I had with those guys were the best that I formed at any school. I feel confident that, when I go there, there won’t be a period of me transitioning and getting to know guys. I don’t think I’ll ever feel out of place there. That’s important. I feel close with so many guys there. I talked to you about Jesse [Luketa] a few times, but I feel close with all the tight ends there, too. There are a lot of defensive players that Jesse had me get to know, so that’s a big part of my commitment. I feel like I fit in well with those guys.

The other thing was something I really noticed at the Lasch Bash. When I was at the Lasch Bash, I remember people watching the coaches. I watched everyone, and just seeing how the coaches meshed with the players that were hanging out with us that day, I’ll never forget that. It didn’t feel like a player-coach relationship at all. Honestly, there are so many schools that push and play the family atmosphere card. You see it everywhere, but that was when I truly got the feeling that Penn State’s atmosphere really is different than most other schools. You could tell that there was more holding this group together than just football. It was a lot deeper than that. That was very apparent to me on that visit and it always stuck in my head throughout the process. I know their coaches are going to support me no matter what I do on the football field. They’ll always have my back, so that’s something that really stuck out to me.

Snyder: Pat Freiermuth was pretty outspoken on social media about you. You mentioned this briefly, but what’s your relationship like with Pat? He seemed excited when you committed.

Johnson: Yeah, I know Pat and all of the guys in that tight end room well. Honestly, me and Pat have been talking for awhile now. He’s been saying for awhile now that they want someone like me in the room because they want me to push them and make them better players. Having someone like him say that means a lot. He’s going to play in the NFL down the road. I feel like we have a great relationship and he’s going to only help me get better down the road.

Snyder: Who are you close with in this class? Did those relationships have a big impact down the stretch?

Johnson: Honestly, I haven’t been talking with too many guys in my class. I’ve seen Curtis Jacobs a bunch at different camps and stuff, and we’ve talked a few times, but I’ve been talking to guys on the team more than the guys in my class. But I know it’s a great group. I got to know some of them during the Lasch Bash.

Snyder: It felt like Tyler Bowen was someone you clicked with right away. Just talk about him a little bit and how important he was in all of this.

Johnson: I just think the big thing for me and Coach Bowen is that our relationship has been strong for a real long time. It’s been very consistent, and I can say that about the entire way that Penn State has recruited me. Going back to that camp, when I got the offer two summers ago, up until just a few hours before I announced my commitment, they’ve maintained a consistency that really impressed me, especially Coach Bowen. When you’re being recruited by someone as long as he recruited me, especially when they’re recruiting you really hard, there are going to be times where they try to switch things up. When they do that, they can sometimes show you a different side to things. Maybe they’ll slip up or whatever, but that was never something I noticed from Coach Bowen. So, that’s been really impressive to me. We’ve been talking for a long time and there was never a moment where I questioned his honesty.

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Snyder: Ricky Rahne is headed to Old Dominion. What did you know about this? How does it impact you?

Johnson: Yeah, I learned about this right when I called them to let them know about my commitment. Coach [James] Franklin literally just got off the phone with Coach Rahne when I called him. So, I actually ended up finding out before anyone. Honestly, Coach Rahne is great, but I’m confident that Coach Franklin is going to keep the same system going. They kept a similar system following Coach [Joe] Moorhead’s departure and I’m confident nothing is really going to change with that.

Snyder: I’m sure you heard about Coach Franklin’s contract extension. Did that help PSU’s chances down the stretch?

Johnson: I was pretty confident that he was going to be there. Just from the talks that I had with him, I don’t think he was seriously considering something else. I was already pretty confident that he was going to be my coach, but just seeing him get that extension and knowing that he’s locked up for awhile is comforting to know. But no, that wasn’t something I put a lot of weight on leading up to my decision. I expected him to be there.

Snyder: You’re set to enroll early in a few weeks. How important were academics in all of this, especially to your mom? Did Penn State’s academic standing have a big impact on what your family thought?

Johnson: It definitely did. When we were looking at all of our schools, one thing she consistently stressed to me was that she was afraid that certain schools wouldn’t push me as much academically. One thing that was big for me was the alumni base. That was something I looked into. But yeah, overall, school was definitely a big part. That’s one thing my mom would never let coaches slip by. We always knew that Penn State was a great academic school. I just felt like, overall, I got more boxes checked with Penn State than any other school.

Snyder: Do you know what you want to major in?

Johnson: I’m thinking about doing psychology with a business minor or business with a psychology minor. I still have a lot to think about, but that’s what interests me.

Snyder: I like to get a feel for your strengths and weaknesses. Is there anything that you really excel at? Anything that comes natural to you? Also, is there anything you really want to improve on between now and next season?

Johnson: So, one thing I feel like I really excel with is my ball skills. I think I’ve always had good hands. I feel like I go up and get the ball well. I’ve always felt confident when I’m one-on-one with someone that I’m coming down with the ball. Other than that, I just feel like I can improve on everything. I have so much to learn still. I’m really excited about that. I was talking to my trainer the other day about what it’s going to be like when I have an entire staff dedicated to helping me get better in every way. That’s going to be incredible. The crazy thing about this entire process was that I never realized how good I was until I went through all of this. I’ve gained so much confidence in myself in just the past year. I never thought I was like that crazy good or anything like that. Honestly, I just always felt like I had so much to work on, and I still do. That’s what really excites me. I’m ranked really high, and that’s cool. That’s special to me, but I also know how much I need to improve and work on. I feel like, if people think I’m good now, imagine what I can become when I put in the amount of work that I’m planning to put in. It’s been a pretty cool experience for me and it’s given me so much more confidence in myself.

Snyder: I like to give you an opportunity to say something to Penn State fans. It can be about anything you’d like. What comes to mind?

Johnson: I just want to make sure everyone knows that I’m a gritty person and a hard worker. I think I’ve worked hard over the past few years and I’m only going to work harder now. But also, I want people to know that I’m coming to play. I’m going to bust my ass and work my tail off to make sure I do my part for Penn State and all the fans out there supporting us. They’re going to get a guy that puts everything into what he does.

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