PORT ARTHUR — Coaches in every sport talk about taking advantage of every opportunity. They preach that players should treat every repetition in practice as if it were a game and continue to work hard through the final sprint at the end of the day.

Few players took that advice to heart as much as Port Arthur Memorial senior Gregorie Johnson. His nickname could easily be, “Carpe Diem,” because given the slightest of opportunities last spring, he seized it and hasn’t looked back since.

Johnson was a backup receiver for the Titans last season, but was convinced by the coaching staff to switch to defense heading into the spring.

“Last year, I was a slot receiver,” Johnson said. “I didn’t really get much playing time, so one of the defensive coaches persuaded me to come over to defense. I was a cornerback and safety because some of the guys we had were hurt. That gave me some experience on defense, even though I’ve played mostly safety, outside linebacker and now inside linebacker.”

After making that switch, he steadily got more and more playing time in the secondary as the Titans dealt with injuries in the spring. That included starting Bandit/safety Darius Lemora, who sat out the entire spring while recovering from a broken leg.

That was all the opportunity Johnson needed, as he impressed the Titan coaching staff with his physical presence and earned a spot in the starting lineup.

“He’s been in this program for four years and he’s gotten better every year,” Memorial head coach Kenny Harrison said. “He was a backup receiver and we moved him to defense in the spring because of some injuries we had suffered. He took advantage of those opportunities and has done a tremendous job for us. He’s a versatile player and has really fit in well. He has worked extremely hard and done everything he’s been asked to do. This season, he’s been rewarded for it.”

Johnson had dealt with a lot of adversity already at that point, but suffered another setback in the game against Atascocita. While making one of the best plays of the night on a big hit in the secondary, Johnson hurt his shoulder and missed the first game of the season.

“He handled it great,” Harrison said. “He never got down. He understands injuries are a part of the game. He was very aggressive with his rehab. He’s just a tough kid. We knew once he got back, he’d be right back in there.”

Johnson ended up only missing one game before being back into the lineup and made a statement in his second game back against Houston Westside. The 5-foot-11, 185 pound senior had sacks on consecutive plays against Westside to kill a drive before it got started.

That ability to blitz off the edge is one of the reasons why Johnson has made such an impact on defense. He’s able to be physical while also using his speed to make plays.

“His strength on offense was being a physical player,” Harrison said. “We knew he’d be physical on the other side of the ball. We put him over there, so he could play to his strengths and he’s done a great job. He’s a DB and has that speed, but is physical enough to play linebacker. That’s a big-time plus, because he’s faster than most linebackers. That gives us the opportunity to create mismatches and do some other things on defense.”

Johnson agreed about being a physical player in a way. Though switching to defense could have been awkward in learning how to tackle, Johnson has developed a knack for it.

“It was pretty easy (getting used to tackling),” Johnson said. “Going to hit someone is fun. It wasn’t really hard for me.”

This week, Johnson will make yet another move, starting at inside linebacker in place of Darius Hampton. For Johnson, though, it’s business as usual.

“Linebacker is different, but it’s just another position,” Johnson said. “It’s not much different than what I learned before. I just try to help in general, I try to do my assignments, do my job and try to help out however I can. I feel kind of free (blitzing). Whatever happens, happens. I try to make the play every time.”

The transition over to defense isn’t always easy, but Johnson has done it virtually seamlessly. One of the big ways he’s been helped is by playing receiver and understanding both how to run routes and how wideouts react to coverage.

“He’s a very intelligent kid,” Harrison said. “He was like that when he was playing receiver, and he understands how to read defenses and routes. That has helped him out as a defensive back, as he picks up on what the offense is doing on film.”

Aside from his path into the starting lineup, the unusual thing about Johnson is that he’s one of the few senior starters in this defensive group who didn’t start games last season. As with everything else, those circumstances didn’t even phase Johnson. He’s more worried about taking care of his business, working hard and staying in the lineup where he’s earned his spot.

“It’s hasn’t been exactly stressful, but the (coaches) expect a lot out of me,” Johnson said. “I’m not a returning starter, but they do expect me to be a starter. That’s been different, but it’s been good.”

TITAN TIDBITS: The son of Irma Johnson, Gregorie is interested in majoring in engineering in college. He would like to get a scholarship to play college football as well. ... The Titans enjoyed their bye week, as it gives them a chance to prepare more for the option attack of Baytown Sterling. Memorial hasn’t seen an option team all season. ... The Titan defense is still leading 21-5A in yards allowed at 241.5 yards per game. They are also on pace to set a school record for the fewest average passing yards per game. No Titan team has every allowed under 100 passing yards a game and this year’s squad is at 65.6 ypg. ... Ricky Fisk continues to lead the district in passing, having completed 58.5 percent of his passes for 1,278 yards and 10 TDs. Only Deer Park’s Noah Cano has scored as many rushing TDs as Fisk’s 12 and no other player in the district can match his involvement on 22 TDs. ... Memorial’s offense is also averaging over 400 yards on the season. While the Titans are fifth in the district in rushing yards, they lead the district in passing yards with 1,436.



Five Questions with Gregorie Johnson

What’s your favorite food? Chicken

What’s your favorite video game? Madden

What’s your favorite NFL team? San Diego Chargers

What’s your favorite college? Texas A&M

What’s your favorite color? Green