RB Respect Month Vol. 2, Day 18: Chris Johnson shows Boise State what real speed is (2007)
CJ before he was CJ2K.
For those reading on e-mail: click 'view in browser' to see the full contents of today's post
Welcome to day 18 of Running Back Respect Month™! Yesterday, Hawaii's Alex Green gave us the most random big-time rushing game in the history of college football. Here's where we're at today, and how the rest of the month looks:
If you're not subscribed to the site already, hit the button below to get your first month for $3!
Today: Chris Johnson vs. Boise State (2007)
RB Respect Month Vol. 2, Day 18: Chris Johnson shows Boise State what real speed is (2007)
"There are two ways to talk about guys who play football and run track. Some are track men who play football, but this guy is a football player who runs track." - Keith Jackson on Jamaal Charles (2005)
Just like fellow RB Respect Month alumni Charles, East Carolina's Chris Johnson was a football player with a track background. Boise State learned that the hard way when he lit them up for 408 all-purpose yards (223 rushing) and two touchdowns in the Pirates' 41-38 2007 Hawaii Bowl win:
I'm sure there are plenty of running backs you can think of over the years labeled as '4.2 40' runners by broadcasters or draft analysts. A lot of guys can run like the wind on a track or at the combine. Doing it when you have a helmet and shoulder pads on, with 11 guys on the other side ready to break you in half is a different story. Chris Johnson was fast on the track, at the combine, and on the field:
