As we grow older, we learn what things are truly important in our lives, and we change ourselves accordingly.
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson came to that realization over the offseason when he made the decision to hyphenate his name to include his stepfather, Brian Johnson.
“My dad’s been there since I was three,” Gardner-Johnson said. “He’s been to every basketball tournament, football camp, track. He hasn’t missed a game. My dad’s gone to every game since I was three. Even when he was sick, he came to the games last year. Like I said, he’s been taking care of me. That’s the only thing I know.”
But why now?
Now, because he’s seen his two little brothers confused and wanting to have the same last name as their college football-playing big brother. Now, because he reached that point in his life when he was ready to change himself.
“I always had time, but I never made time for it,” he said. “I wasn’t ready for it. But now I’m getting older. It was about time to make a change.”
He sees himself becoming more mature, not only as a person, but as a football player as well.
The junior defensive back struggled last season, as many of Florida’s defensive players did. He often looked afraid of, or maybe just disinterested in making tackles in the open field.
He shared that he played through injury much of last season at media day on Thursday, but he did not use that as an excuse. He said he simply was not focused on the right things.
The Gardner-Johnson Florida faithful had previously come to know likely would not have been so honest.
“No,” he said on the injury affecting his play. “Tackling just goes with the game. I just wasn’t into it. I wasn’t synched in, locked in. I was worried about everything else.”
While taking over the nickel back position for the Gators, Johnson has also assumed more of a leadership role.
He said he did not feel like he was in a position to say much as a freshman, and there was nothing to say as the team completely crumbled during his sophomore year.
Now, it is a new coaching staff and a new mindset for Gardner-Johnson. Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham sees him as a leader because he is constantly working and asking questions to improve his game.
“Be positive,” Gardner-Johnson said of his newly found leadership style. “You know, you can’t be negative. I’m not a negative guy … Just speaking up when nobody else is around, speaking up when somebody’s doing something wrong with no coaches around. Guys will respect you more.”
A year ago, most would have laughed at the notion of Gardner-Johnson being mature. It simply was not in his nature.
This does not mean he will no longer clown around or his strong personality won’t shine through, but instead that he is working to put that personality to good use as a leader for the Gators.