New dean of linebackers (Cincy Post)

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]New dean of linebackers [/b][/size]
[size=3][b]Johnson ready for leadership role [/b][/size]

By Kevin Goheen
Post staff reporter


GEORGETOWN, Ky. - Quietly, Landon Johnson has become the old guard among Bengals linebackers. Then of course Johnson doesn't create much noise with anything he does. He just goes about his business not really caring who notices.

Johnson has led the Bengals in tackles in two of his first three seasons. He's played both outside positions as well as in the middle. Johnson has played wherever he has been needed, and for this season that's at weakside linebacker.

When Johnson showed up for the start of training camp weighing 235 pounds, up nearly 10 pounds more than his past playing weight, he served noticed that while he may not be more talkative he does plan on making more noise with his play.

The release of Brian Simmons in the offseason promoted Johnson to the stature of longest-tenured Bengals linebacker. Free-agent signee Ed Hartwell has been in the league longer but this is his first season with the Bengals. In many ways, Johnson is stepping into the leadership role Simmons formally held and he does it without hesitation.

"I don't think about that much but I definitely consider it to be a leadership role," said Johnson, who had 132 tackles last season to lead the team. "I've been here the longest, myself and Caleb (Miller), and the younger guys know that if they have questions and they don't have time to ask the coaches they can come and ask me or ask Caleb."

The focus of the Cincinnati linebacker group has been centered on middle linebacker Ahmad Brooks, a physically gifted 260-pound player who lacks game experience but has the coaching staff excited about his potential. All of that attention on Brooks leaves Johnson in the familiar - and perfectly comfortable - spot of playing in the background.

"Landon knows what he has to do, and Landon always has a plan for what he's going to do to get bigger and stronger, to get better, to get faster. Landon is a coach's dream," said linebackers coach Ricky Hunley. "That guy doesn't say 'Boo!' and I remember being at the NFL combine when Landon Johnson comes in for his interview. He's quiet and the comment comes up (from Hunley) "Can you see that guy in front of your huddle?" I'll eat my words because, yeah, I can see him in front of my huddle."

For the first time in his career Johnson didn't have to deal with any offseason surgeries or ensuing rehabilitation. He took advantage of the good health by taking two weeks off, then getting right back to work. That started with a visit to Michele Macedonio, the team's nutritionist, to review and tweak his diet so he could add muscle weight that he hopes to be able to keep throughout the season.

The new diet went hand-in-hand with his workout program from strength and conditioning coach Chip Morton.

"He met with Michele, took the information she gave him and actually applied it," said Morton. "He's well thought-out. He's not given to saying it was this that I did or some miraculous one-hit cure or some drink that he took or particular diet he was on. It's just a methodical process based on the available sound information. He developed a plan with Michele and followed it. There's nothing magical about it. That takes diligence, that takes some initiative and perseverance to accomplish, but that's Landon."

This is a contract year for Johnson but he insists that working for his next contract isn't a motivating factor this season.

"You can't play any different in a contract year than you do any other year," said Johnson, a third-round draft choice in 2004 who signed a one-year deal worth $850,000 as a restricted free agent in the offseason. "You have to go out there and play as hard as you can and try to do the best you can while you're out there and let everything else take care of itself."

Second-year player Rashad Jeanty is the third member of the starting linebackers, with Hartwell and Miller among the backups. The rest of the linebacking group has a total of four NFL tackles to its credit, and those belong to Andre Frazier.

"Landon is a quiet leader of this pack, and guys confide in Landon because they trust Landon. They trust his judgment, they trust his knowledge, they trust his work ethic," said Hunley. "The thing about Landon is that he keeps the main thing the main thing. He understands to be where you are when you're there. If he's into football, he's into football. If he's in the offseason he's in the offseason. Whatever it is, Landon is into it 100 percent and Landon doesn't worry about anything he can't control."[/quote]



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[xamination]

I've always liked Landon (and Caleb too), and I'm glad they will be more in the spotlight this year.

[|Harley|]

I saw him miss too many tackles last year. He's a nice rotation player but if we're hanging our hat on him as the leader, we're in trouble.

Exactly where is LaVar?!?!?

[fredtoast]

[quote name='Harley' post='519294' date='Jul 31 2007, 12:47 PM']Exactly where is LaVar?!?!?[/quote]

I assume you are joking, but to answer your question LaVar Arrington is doing exactly the same thing he has done for 5 of his 7 NFL seasons... sucking ass big time.