Playing quarterback in Goochland’s Wing-T is an exercise in patience. You’ve got to get the timing right. You’ve got to carry out your fakes. And, sometimes, you’ve got to wait your turn.
Cody Johnson has been rewarded handsomely for his patience. Goochland handed the keys to the offense this season to the senior for the first time as a full-time starter and he’s thrived for the 14-0 Bulldogs who march into Salem Saturday afternoon for a Group A, Division 2 title clash with Gretna.
Johnson faces a unique challenge for a quarterback. In the Wing-T, he’s more deception artist and facilitator than playmaker. Each play he’s building toward a future surprise like a bootleg. He has to get the mesh between each running back right so that when the time comes, he can pull off a bootleg or a waggle.
“You have to get the mechanics down because it’s all about carrying out fakes. It’s all about execution,” Johnson said.
The offense’s heavy tilt toward the run that might frustrate quarterbacks has never really shaken Johnson.
“It’s never been a problem because winning is the key thing in Goochland,” Johnson said.
Still, Johnson and the Bulldogs’ pass catchers’ ability has even forced famously run-heavy head coach and offensive play-caller Joe Fowler to open up his playbook a little and not just entertain the idea of a pass occasionally. Of course, he’s getting a little help from assistant coach Joel Gray.
“I love coach Gray, he’s been the key to us throwing the ball actually,” Johnson said. “He’s been in Fowler’s ear, he’s always telling him to run a pass play. But coach Fowler has faith in all our players.”
He’s got no reason not to have faith in Johnson and the passing game at this point. Last week Johnson completed two fantastic conversions on critical downs to Jake Martin and Zakell Johnson while also throwing for 104 yards. More importantly, he had next to no negative plays. He completed five of six and didn’t throw a single pick. That’s been a trend all season as Johnson has tossed just four picks and thrown for 14 touchdowns. The boost that Goochland got from competing in a 7 on 7 league in Richmond this summer is obvious.
“It definitely allowed me to find new targets that I could rely on,” Johnson said. “Everyone that comes in the game I’m able to rely on. I’m not hesitant to throw it to anybody. That comes in handy when you get in critical situations.”
He also knows well that the run game creates a lot of openings for the passing game. As long as Goochland is pounding it, teams have to play single coverage to have a prayer of stopping the run. That allows players like the speedy Martin and big, tall Nathan Adams to get loose.
Fowler has, by his standards, taken the muzzle off the passing game this year, with Johnson throwing for 1,111 yards. That makes Goochland that much more dangerous going into its clash with Gretna.
With Johnson in the fold, Goochland can make teams pay for stacking the box. That could be a difference-maker in Salem as long as Johnson is patient — and he’s proven he can and likely will be Saturday.
