It’s only May, but the Miami Hurricanes are still searching for their sole QB commit in the 2019 class. Sheldon (OR) 4-star QB Michael Johnson Jr. has been their top target all along at the position and got some exciting news last week: he got an invite to the Elite 11 Finals after participating in the final stop on the Elite 11 Regional schedule in Las Vegas.
“It was cool. It was really good, I had a strong performance,” Johnson Jr. said of his time at the Elite 11 Regional. “It’s multiple events separated by regionals, and you can go to as many regionals as you want. If you perform well, they invite you to the Elite 11 Finals. I did the last regional in Las Vegas. Jacob Conover, Paul Tyson, Cade McNamara, Cale Millen, and myself got invited to the Finals from that regional event.”
Speaking of Millen, the Oregon Ducks picked up a commitment from him earlier this month. With Johnson Jr.’s father on staff at Oregon, the younger Johnson was thought to be a lean to the Ducks, but he has been told they are only searching for one QB this cycle, so for all intents and purposes, Oregon is out of this race.
“They made their decision on that and they did what they felt was best, so that’s fine with me,” Johnson Jr. said.
With offers from 30+ schools and counting, Johnson Jr. felt it was time to start focusing on a few choice programs and took it upon himself to begin narrowing down his process. He released his top 7 schools three weeks back and it included Miami, Oregon, Arizona State, Penn State, Nebraska, LSU, and NC State.
“I was really trying to get it narrowed down because everyone I was talking to and everything that was going on, it was effecting my schoolwork and everything,” Johnson Jr. said. “So, I cut it down, and I’m only talking to a select number of schools now.”
Even though Johnson Jr.’s top 7 was planned to be final, the dominos that fell at Oregon recently changed the game for him. Two new programs have gotten involved with Johnson Jr. in FSU and Texas A&M, and even though the Seminoles already have a QB commit with Sun Valley (NC) 4-star Sam Howell, that won’t effect Johnson’s decision.
“I’m going to see Florida State and (Texas) A&M,” Johnson Jr. said. “After Cale Millen committed to Oregon, A&M offered me, like the day he committed, and I started talking to them. FSU also started recruiting me pretty heavily when Cale committed to Oregon. They’re looking for two guys.”
So, what did Miami do to be included in his top group?
“It was pretty much a no-brainer. I think everyone and their mom knew, everyone that’s been following me on social media and everything, I bet everyone knew that Miami was going to be in there,” Johnson Jr. said of the Canes. “I don’t think that shocked anyone, it would’ve been more shocking if they weren’t in there. I guess I’d say the relationship with the coaching staff and the environment down there was why I put them in.”
Since then, the talented gunslinger has kept in frequent touch with the UM staff pretty often. In fact, QB coach Jon Richt will be making his way to Oregon today to see him, the second cross-country trip Richt has made to see Johnson Jr., and it’s not lost on him just how much of a priority that makes him.
“I would say I talk to the coaches pretty often,” Johnson Jr. said. “Coach Jon Richt is coming to see me today. It definitely means a lot. I’m actually wearing a Miami shirt right now (laughs).”
Just two months away, Paradise Camp is the Canes’ massive annual recruiting event held on campus where hundreds of players compete to show their skills in front of the coaching staff. Johnson Jr. plans on attending, if he can swing it logistically that is.
“Yeah, that’s the plan. I’m really, really trying to. I think it’d be really, really fun if I was able to work it out,” Johnson Jr. said. “People were telling me about coach (Mark) Richt jumping off the high dive. If it can work out, I’ll definitely be going to that.”
A school making a lot of noise lately in Johnson Jr.’s recruitment has been Nebraska. Johnson Jr. has a sister who attends the school and runs tracks, and also feels he can be a perfect fit in new head coach Scott Frost’s system.
“Coach Frost, I think he’s just like a genius,” Johnson Jr. said. “The quarterbacks he’s produced like Marcus Mariota and what he did with McKenzie Milton at UCF, he just has a way of making his quarterbacks look really, really good. And that’s running the ball and using their feet too, so I think that I’m his type of quarterback and I like that a lot.”
In terms of other visits in addition to Texas A&M and FSU, Johnson Jr. plans to officially visit Penn State, NC State, LSU, and Miami, while Nebraska will receive an unofficial visit.
“I visited Arizona State like a week or two after my previous Miami visit in March,” said Johnson Jr. “I also have an official visit coming up to Penn State from June 8th to the 10th.”
James Franklin and the Nittany Lions are another program that have caught Johnson Jr.’s eye, and he elaborated on why his interest in them is so high.
“They’re one of my top schools, they’re right up there. I just like the chance to go down there and compete,” Johnson Jr. said. “After Trace (McSorley) leaves, the QB competition is going to be wide-open. I think I can make some noise there and go in and compete and have a good spring since I’m early enrolling. So, that’s what intrigues me.”
With all these visits planned, Johnson Jr. is giving himself a short timeline to get them all in: he plans to make a decision by the end of June or beginning of July.
“Late, late June or early July,” Johnson Jr. said of his decision timeline. “I’m trying to get it over with so I know where I’m going.”
When it comes time to decide, Johnson Jr. is certain that it will be the relationship with the coaching staff, the fit in the offense, and an opportunity for playing time that will draw him to his final choice.
“I’d say a good relationship with the offensive staff and a chance to be able to compete,” Johnson Jr. said. “A good fit obviously, and a chance to come in and play early.”
“It was cool. It was really good, I had a strong performance,” Johnson Jr. said of his time at the Elite 11 Regional. “It’s multiple events separated by regionals, and you can go to as many regionals as you want. If you perform well, they invite you to the Elite 11 Finals. I did the last regional in Las Vegas. Jacob Conover, Paul Tyson, Cade McNamara, Cale Millen, and myself got invited to the Finals from that regional event.”
Speaking of Millen, the Oregon Ducks picked up a commitment from him earlier this month. With Johnson Jr.’s father on staff at Oregon, the younger Johnson was thought to be a lean to the Ducks, but he has been told they are only searching for one QB this cycle, so for all intents and purposes, Oregon is out of this race.
“They made their decision on that and they did what they felt was best, so that’s fine with me,” Johnson Jr. said.
With offers from 30+ schools and counting, Johnson Jr. felt it was time to start focusing on a few choice programs and took it upon himself to begin narrowing down his process. He released his top 7 schools three weeks back and it included Miami, Oregon, Arizona State, Penn State, Nebraska, LSU, and NC State.
“I was really trying to get it narrowed down because everyone I was talking to and everything that was going on, it was effecting my schoolwork and everything,” Johnson Jr. said. “So, I cut it down, and I’m only talking to a select number of schools now.”
Even though Johnson Jr.’s top 7 was planned to be final, the dominos that fell at Oregon recently changed the game for him. Two new programs have gotten involved with Johnson Jr. in FSU and Texas A&M, and even though the Seminoles already have a QB commit with Sun Valley (NC) 4-star Sam Howell, that won’t effect Johnson’s decision.
“I’m going to see Florida State and (Texas) A&M,” Johnson Jr. said. “After Cale Millen committed to Oregon, A&M offered me, like the day he committed, and I started talking to them. FSU also started recruiting me pretty heavily when Cale committed to Oregon. They’re looking for two guys.”
So, what did Miami do to be included in his top group?
“It was pretty much a no-brainer. I think everyone and their mom knew, everyone that’s been following me on social media and everything, I bet everyone knew that Miami was going to be in there,” Johnson Jr. said of the Canes. “I don’t think that shocked anyone, it would’ve been more shocking if they weren’t in there. I guess I’d say the relationship with the coaching staff and the environment down there was why I put them in.”
Since then, the talented gunslinger has kept in frequent touch with the UM staff pretty often. In fact, QB coach Jon Richt will be making his way to Oregon today to see him, the second cross-country trip Richt has made to see Johnson Jr., and it’s not lost on him just how much of a priority that makes him.
“I would say I talk to the coaches pretty often,” Johnson Jr. said. “Coach Jon Richt is coming to see me today. It definitely means a lot. I’m actually wearing a Miami shirt right now (laughs).”
Just two months away, Paradise Camp is the Canes’ massive annual recruiting event held on campus where hundreds of players compete to show their skills in front of the coaching staff. Johnson Jr. plans on attending, if he can swing it logistically that is.
“Yeah, that’s the plan. I’m really, really trying to. I think it’d be really, really fun if I was able to work it out,” Johnson Jr. said. “People were telling me about coach (Mark) Richt jumping off the high dive. If it can work out, I’ll definitely be going to that.”
A school making a lot of noise lately in Johnson Jr.’s recruitment has been Nebraska. Johnson Jr. has a sister who attends the school and runs tracks, and also feels he can be a perfect fit in new head coach Scott Frost’s system.
“Coach Frost, I think he’s just like a genius,” Johnson Jr. said. “The quarterbacks he’s produced like Marcus Mariota and what he did with McKenzie Milton at UCF, he just has a way of making his quarterbacks look really, really good. And that’s running the ball and using their feet too, so I think that I’m his type of quarterback and I like that a lot.”
In terms of other visits in addition to Texas A&M and FSU, Johnson Jr. plans to officially visit Penn State, NC State, LSU, and Miami, while Nebraska will receive an unofficial visit.
“I visited Arizona State like a week or two after my previous Miami visit in March,” said Johnson Jr. “I also have an official visit coming up to Penn State from June 8th to the 10th.”
James Franklin and the Nittany Lions are another program that have caught Johnson Jr.’s eye, and he elaborated on why his interest in them is so high.
“They’re one of my top schools, they’re right up there. I just like the chance to go down there and compete,” Johnson Jr. said. “After Trace (McSorley) leaves, the QB competition is going to be wide-open. I think I can make some noise there and go in and compete and have a good spring since I’m early enrolling. So, that’s what intrigues me.”
With all these visits planned, Johnson Jr. is giving himself a short timeline to get them all in: he plans to make a decision by the end of June or beginning of July.
“Late, late June or early July,” Johnson Jr. said of his decision timeline. “I’m trying to get it over with so I know where I’m going.”
When it comes time to decide, Johnson Jr. is certain that it will be the relationship with the coaching staff, the fit in the offense, and an opportunity for playing time that will draw him to his final choice.
“I’d say a good relationship with the offensive staff and a chance to be able to compete,” Johnson Jr. said. “A good fit obviously, and a chance to come in and play early.”
