Heel Tough Blog: Max Johnson Continuing to Work His Way Back

Matt Krohn- USA Today Sports

One of the storylines for the Tar Heels at the quarterback spot this year is the recovery of Max Johnson, who suffered a severe leg injury in last year’s season opener against Minnesota. On Thursday, Johnson posted a video showing that he has taken a significant step in his rehab.

Seeing him go through drills like this is a very promising sign for him and opens the possibility that he could be available for the Tar Heels this fall. This would provide some much-needed depth for the team behind expected starter Gio Lopez and promising youngster Bryce Baker and give them another experienced option that they could turn to if there are injury issues or if the room is to struggle the way that it did early last season.

Last year’s season opener wasn’t a great showing from him, but he does have success at the college level with what he did at his previous schools. In the lone game that he started for the team, he started slow, heading into the locker room at halftime just 4-10 for 28 yards and an interception. In his final two drives of the game, he went 8-10 for 43 yards and helped lead the team down for a field goal on a drive that took 8:21 off the clock. Unfortunately, the injury caused him to finish his first season with the Tar Heels with 71 yards and an interception on 12-19 passing and a rushing touchdown.

Johnson spent two years at Texas A&M, playing in twelve games and starting eight. In his time with the Aggies, he threw for 1,969 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions, going 4-4 in the games that he started. Prior to that, Johnson played in 18 games and started 14 of them at LSU in the first two years of his career. He posted an 8-6 record as the starter there, throwing for 3,884 yards, 35 touchdowns and seven interceptions in those two years.