Johnston Named Second Team Associated Press All-America
December 13, 2006 | Football
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Gardner-Webb junior defensive end Brian
Johnston was named to the Associated Press' second-team All-America
squad Wednesday, following a standout 2006 season.
The 6-foot-5, 280-pounder is the fifth Gardner-Webb University
student-athlete to earn a spot on the Associated Press'
I-AA/Football Championship Series All-America Team, joining Tory
Atkins (2001), Mario Williams (2003), Graham Whitlock (2003) and
Harold Wells (2004).
Johnston had his strongest season in 2006, collecting a career-best
77 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss and eight quarterback sacks -
along with a career-high 23 quarterback pressures. He was named Big
South Conference Defensive Player of the Year in the process,
leading the league in quarterback sacks for the second year in a
row.
Johnston, the top vote-getter along the defensive line for Big
South All-Conference honors in 2005 and 2006, also led the league's
defensive linemen in total hits this past season. His three sacks
at then-No. 25 Charleston Southern set a new single-game high for
the versatile Johnston, who had a pair of double-figures tackling
games to his credit for the Bulldogs.
The San Diego, Calif., native (Madison HS) has collected 194 career
tackles in his three seasons playing for the Bulldogs, including 58
hits as an outside linebacker during his true freshman season. A
two-time All-Big South conference defensive end, Johnston has
posted 31.5 tackles for loss and 15.0 sacks during his career as
well, with both totals ranking him No. 10 in Gardner-Webb's
history.
Johnston helped Gardner-Webb post a 6-5 record in 2006, the
program's eighth winning season under head coach Steve Patton.
GARDNER-WEBB'S ASSOCIATED PRESS ALL-AMERICA
SELECTIONS
1987 - Jeff Parker - Kicker - AP Little All-America (1st)
1992 - Rodney Robinson - Receiver - AP Little All-America (1st)
1993 - Gabe Wilkins - Defensive Line - AP Little All-America
(1st)
1998 - Bo Shannon - Linebacker - AP Little All-America (3rd)
2001 - Tory Atkins - Linebacker - AP I-AA All-America (2nd)
2003 - Mario Williams - Safety - AP I-AA All-America (2nd)
2003 - Graham Whitlock - Punter - AP I-AA All-America (2nd)
2004 - Harold Wells - Defensive End - AP I-AA All-America (1st)
2006 - Brian Johnston - Defensive End - AP I-AA/FCS All-America
(2nd)
