All of Vol nation breathed a collective sigh of relief when linebacker AJ Johnson decided to return for his senior season.
Johnson, who led the Vols in tackles the past two seasons (and led the SEC in tackles in 2012), would’ve been a late round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
But the Georgia native had another goal in mind.
Speaking to the media, after Tennessee’s first fall practice on Friday evening, Johnson explained it this way, “I didn’t come back to NOT win a bowl game”.
Johnson, who has never played in a bowl game at Tennessee, is looking to help the Vols win their first bowl game since the Phillip Fulmer era.
It won’t be an easy thing for the Vols to do.
Their schedule is brutal. Getting to six wins is far from a foregone conclusion, but it is within the realm of possibilities.
Johnson entered the final fall camp of his career with a determination and focus that’s been missing from the whole team the past couple of years.
Last year under Butch Jones, the team was searching for its identity.
This year there is a business like approach and AJ Johnson is at the forefront. He’ll once again be the quarterback of the defense and his presence alone should help vault the Volunteers to a bowl game.
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