Injuries open door for Carl Johnson

Carl Johnson knew the day would come when he would see significant playing time on the offensive line at Florida. However, he probably couldn’t have imagined the situation he was thrust into last week at the Swamp.

The 6-6, 330-pound sophomore was called into duty against Ole Miss, after injuries forced starting left guard Jim Tartt and backup Marcus Gilbert to the sidelines. Johnson, who has played in 15 career games for the Gators, had been working at left tackle behind senior Phil Trautwein, but when the injuries hit, he answered the call at guard.

“I really hadn’t practiced guard since camp,” Johnson said. “They’ve been grooming me for [left] tackle for next year with [Trautwein] leaving … my coaches and teammates trusted me to go in there. As we say ‘you pick up the rifle when of your boys goes down. You pick up that rifle and keep going.”

With Tartt and Gilbert still slowed by injuries, Johnson will start his first career game on Saturday at the left guard spot against Arkansas. He’s been working overtime to get ready and has had a lot of support from his fellow linemen. The North Carolina native met with Trautwein and senior right tackle Jason Watkins for two hours both Monday and Tuesday in an effort to get the steps and calls down for his new spot.

“I’ve been working hard trying to get guard down pat,” Johnson said. “Like I said, my coaches and my teammates had the trust in me to pick up the rifle when Tartt and Gilbert went down. I’m ready. I’ve been waiting for this for three years.”

The position change is something Johnson is also adjusting to. No longer is he out on an island at tackle. He’s in a more clustered area where defenders and offensive linemen rely more on power than finesse.

“It’s different because at tackle you have so much time and distance, but at guard they are right there on you,” Johnson said. “With guard [the defensive linemen] are right there. It’s two-feet or a couple of inches, but with tackle, you are four of five yards off the ball and you have time and distance to adjust. With guard, either you’re a grown man, or you’re not.”

Johnson is ready for the challenge and hopes to become the player many thought he would be when he first arrived in Gainesville three years ago. He was named Parade All-American and earned the Gatorade Player of the Year award in North Carolina in 2005. During his prep career he earned the nickname “Pancake Man” for his ability to plant opposing defenders on their backs.

In 2006, he redshirted at Florida and has since worked his way up the ladder to earn the trust of all involved in the program.

“I want to play like I was supposed to play when I first got here,” Johnson said. “I got here as a freshman and was shell-shocked … last year I played a little bit part of that special [short-yardage package] … my boys went down and I have to pick up the rifle and just go hard. I need to become one of the nastiest linemen that ever played.”

Florida’s offensive line hasn’t had it easy this season. Tartt missed the first two games of the season, one of which was the Miami contest in which the Gators struggled on the ground.

Despite having the cards stacked against it, though, Florida’s offensive line has been the catalyst for a unit that has scored 30 points or more on three occasions. The Gators have also allowed one sack or less in three of their four games this season even when the chips have been stacked against them.

“This whole offseason our focus was adversity,” Johnson said. “Then it happened. This is why we run at five in the morning. This is why we run the stadiums. This is why we lift. This is why we go through two-a-days when it is 160 degrees … adversity. This is where grown men bow up.”

While Johnson is set to start his first game at UF, the likes of Trautwein, Watkins and Maurkice Pouncey have each started double-digit games during their time in Gainesville. The loss of Tartt, who has been bothered by a nagging left shoulder injury, will be felt, but Johnson is hoping the influence of the former Wakulla High star carries over into the game.

“When you lose a fifth-year senior like Tartt that hurts,” Johnson said. “[We’ll miss] not only his leadership … he’s like a coach on the field. He makes calls. He’s a fifth-year senior, but just like Coach [Steve Addazio] said ‘that’s the reason that you are under those guys. You learn from them.’”