Utah Utes football: The apprentice is now the leader for the team

By the time programs like Illinois, Mississippi State and Louisiana Tech began recruiting him, he was a Ute. Mullen laughed when recalling the story. "He was committed to us before anyone knew who he was," he said.

So a week after he graduated from high school and three months after his 17th birthday, Johnson arrived in Salt Lake City for his apprenticeship. He calls that time one of the highlights of his college career, as Smith guided him through off-season workouts and helped teach him the nuances of studying film.

"I was just trying to do everything that he did," Johnson said. "Come in and be like a sponge."

When Johnson made his official visit to Utah, he was just 16, and Smith joked that he felt like a baby sitter. Despite the age gap, the two became fast friends, and they still talk every week.

But Johnson said there were some bumps once he arrived that first summer. Once, he borrowed Smith's car, a beat-up Suzuki, and the alarm started blaring as he arrived at work.

"Everyone thought I was robbing the car," Johnson recalled with a laugh. "It was loud and obnoxious and went off for a really long time. I finally got Alex on the phone and he told me reach under the steering wheel and jiggle some wires. It was complex, it was crazy."

Johnson has also endured tough moments on the field. He won the starting job as a sophomore in 2005 and ended up as the second-team all-Mountain West quarterback. But a knee injury that November against New Mexico knocked him out for the rest of the season and forced him to redshirt in 2006.

"We could have played him, but he was vulnerable to another injury" said the Utah offensive coordinator, Andy Ludwig. "A big part was talking about how good this group would be his senior year. He handled it with class and got bigger and stronger."

When Johnson returned in 2007, he separated his shoulder in the opener and missed the next two games. He came back to be named the most valuable offensive player in a Poinsettia Bowl victory against Navy.

This season, the Utes are aiming higher. They beat Michigan in Ann Arbor to open the season, and Johnson led them to an epic comeback against Oregon State.

Ludwig, who calls Johnson the smartest quarterback he has coached, recalled talking to Johnson via headset in the waning minutes of the Oregon State game, with the Utes trailing by 11. Johnson became annoyed when he saw fans headed for the exit.

"Where are they going?" he asked Ludwig. "They're going to miss us come back and win."

Sure enough, Johnson hit Bradon Godfrey on a 25-yard touchdown pass and ran in the 2-point conversion to tie the score. The Utah defense held Oregon State to a three-and-out and Johnson got Utah in position to set up Louie Sakoda's game-winning, 37-yard field goal as time expired.

"I think that's been a strong point of my individual game for a long time," Johnson said, "being poised in tough situations."

He will be in another tough situation tonight, as TCU's defense ranks second nationally, behind Southern California, yielding an average of 214.5 yards a game. After TCU, Utah has games left at San Diego State and at home against No. 17 Brigham Young to complete the season. Three victories separate Johnson from ending his career in perfect symmetry.

"Just to see him out there and leading the team is great," Smith said. "Hopefully they can finish it out. I'm happy that he's been able to finish off his college career right."