When it became apparent that his ailing throwing shoulder wasn't getting better on its own, he opted to have it scoped. Scar tissue was removed. Johnson is now pain-free and working hard to regain his arm strength. He throws to his receivers a couple of times each week and by estimates the arm is 90 percent to 95 percent back to normal.

"I think it was a huge help for me to go ahead and get that surgery done, let them clean out my shoulder," said Johnson, who noted that the rest and recovery has it feeling great.

Injuries are no longer on his mind.

"My goal this year is complete focus week in and week out, giving everything I have and sacrificing everything I have in order to win football games and a Mountain West Conference championship," Johnson said. "My whole approach this season is having no regrets and making this season the best of my life, making the most of it.

"We have a special opportunity here. I'm excited about the group of guys that we have," Johnson said. "It's time for us to put everything together and play with consistency for 13 weeks and have a ball while we're doing it."

The key, he added, is having a killer instinct every week.

Johnson speaks from experience. It's a mindset that helped him overcome the adversity associated with his injuries.

"It's human nature to question why certain things happen, but you never really have an answer for it. We just have to keep moving forward and do the best we can," said Johnson, who vows it's not in his nature to ever give up. "No. Never. I was born with the mentality to finish and keep fighting. Good things will eventually happen."

And with his final season at Utah approaching, the time is now.

"I want to make my career come full circle," Johnson said. "When I came in we won a Mountain West Conference championship and I want to leave winning one. If we're able to do that, that would be a great accomplishment."

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham agrees the timing is right.

"It's a big year for Brian Johnson, and it's a big year for the Utes. The championship had eluded us for the last three seasons and that's really our first and foremost goal is to try to get that back," Whittingham said. "As a fifth-year senior, he's a seasoned vet. He's been there and done that. He knows the drill and we're excited to have him at the helm."

Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig says Johnson has the attitude like a lot of fifth-year seniors.

"There's a great sense of urgency," he said. "He wants to finish his career on a high note and he's doing everything he can to put himself in position to do that."

Johnson, he explained, is a special guy who is due to have a special year.