Tyler Johnson knew he would fall in love with football from his first game.
“I started in first grade with flag and then in fourth grade we started tackle,” said Johnson, a Lone Grove High School senior. “Ever since that first game with a whole crowd behind our back, I knew this was for me, and the team aspect of it — everyone has to do their job and focus on their task so we can win as a team.”
Johnson also runs track for the Longhorns, participates in FCA and fishes in his free time. The Longhorns cornerback considers his faith to be an integral part of his life.
“I think Christ is a big part of my identity, so I want people to know that if they have questions, they can always ask me,” Johnson said. “Christianity is a big part of my life.”
Like anybody who has walked the halls of LGHS, Johnson has beef with one particular school across town.
“I think if you ask any Lone Grove player, the answer is Plainview,” Johnson said. “The atmosphere in that game is wild. The fans, the players, the band. It’s just different.”
Beating the Indians in overtime his junior year was one of Johnson’s favorite memories as a student-athlete.
“It was honestly crazy,” Johnson said. “It was so loud. I remember the whole team ran onto the field. It was awesome.”
Johnson’s athletic career hasn’t become without its challenges. His sophomore year, Johnson suffered intense shin splints while balancing football and cross country.
“I think toughening up and playing through that pain and running through it really allowed me to grow and be a lot tougher on the field,” Johnson said.
Above all, playing with his best friends, who are more like brothers than teammates, means the most to Johnson. When adversity hits, the Longhorns avoid pointing fingers and run to encourage each other.
“I think my goals this year are to be more of a team leader. Yeah, I want to score. Yeah, I want the ball, but that’s not going to win us games,” Johnson said. “The team working together is. I think I’ve been working on this by trying to build a relationship with everybody on the team. We’re pretty much all close. We can definitely make a run at the playoffs, but we have to start executing a lot more.”
