Johnston Named National Defensive Player of the Week By The Sports Network
October 01, 2007 | Football
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Hours after earning his second Big
South Conference weekly honor, GWU defensive end Brian
Johnston was named National Defensive Player of the Week by The
Sports Network.
Johnston (San Diego, Calif. / Madison HS) earned a national weekly
honor for the second time in his career. The College Sports Report
named him their Division I FCS Top Performer during his sophomore
season after a two-sack effort vs. Liberty on October 29, 2005.
The 6-foot-5, 280-pounder was the key cog in Gardner-Webb's
standout defensive effort against Austin Peay, holding the
Governors to just 93 yards on the ground – 117 yards less than
their season average. Johnston finished with 14 total hits (six
solo), 3.0 tackles for loss, a pair of half sacks, a tipped pass,
five quarterback knockdowns and a school-record seven quarterback
pressures – and was involved in nine hits on Austin Peay
All-America back Chris Fletcher.
Fletcher was held to 73 yards and had his 10-game streak of
100-yard games snapped in Boiling Springs.
After an immaculate reception and run on a tipped ball gave Austin
Peay a first-and-goal with less than a minute remaining – and
GWU holding on to a 20-13 lead – Johnston recorded pressures
on each of the Governors' final two pass plays to end the threat.
Johnston had three of his pressures on the Governors' final drive
of the game.
The Governors' offensive linemen were whistled for a hold against
Johnston as well in the game, the ninth holding call against the
opposition involving Johnston through four games this season.
Johnston finished Saturday's game with one sleeve ripped away from
his jersey.
Johnston, a preseason Division I FCS All-America selection and a
member of both the Buck Buchanan Award and Ted Hendricks Award
Watch lists in 2007, has recorded 26 total tackles (13 solo), 7.5
tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three tipped passes and 14 quarterback
pressures through four games this season for Gardner-Webb
(2-2).
Gardner-Webb has allowed only one touchdown at home so far this
season through two dates, and is allowing just 52.5 rushing yards
per game in Boiling Springs in 2007.
Johnston is the third Gardner-Webb player to earn Division I FCS
National Player of the Week honors from The Sports Network since
2004. Free safety Mario Williams was tabbed defensively following
the 2004 season opener at Tennessee Tech (two defensive TDs) and
linebacker Mario Brown earned the same honor last Sept. 30 after
setting a new Big South record with 25 tackles in a key road win at
Southeastern Louisiana
The Sports Network is considered the leading authority on the
Division I Football Championship Subdivision nationally. The news
service sponsors the annual Walter Payton Award and Buck Buchanan
Award – awarded to the top players on either side of the ball
in the Division I FCS.
NOTES: Johnston's effort helped GWU hold Austin
Peay to 188 yards passing, the first time since a Sept. 25, 2004
win over No. 25 Western Carolina that Gardner-Webb's defense had
held a Division I foe to less than 100 yards rushing and 200 yards
passing in the same game.
