Cornelius Johnson ready for more OSU-type showings this season

Michigan was able to keep some of its best talent in Ann Arbor for another season with the “one more year” NIL campaign. Among them … grad student Cornelius Johnson, the guy who heads into the 2023 campaign as the favorite to lead the Wolverines in receiving. 

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Two years ago, when Ronnie Bell went down, Johnson became the No. 1 guy. He had some big plays in big games, including a huge catch to set up a score against Ohio State. This season, of course, he took it to another level with two long touchdown grabs in Columbus, including one that changed the game. 

That will be a memory he’ll relive forever, and he shared the details with former Michigan captain and All-American Jon Jansen on the In the Trenches podcast. 

“First of all, just coming into that game in general, it’s just a mindset. I was thinking all about all the matchups … it all comes down to this,” Johnson recalled. “It’s at the point that it’s a requirement. You’ve got to beat Ohio State to advance to the championship and advance to the playoffs. This is the requirement. This was my mindset coming into the game. 

“Coming into that [first] play, third and nine … I just remember being in the huddle, and I was just trying to embrace it. Everyone was screaming, yelling at us … millions of people, it felt like. I was like, ‘all right’ — J.J. [McCarthy] gave me my route, we looked at each other. I knew it was coming to me. We were able to connect on that sideline and just turn up from there.

“It was a great feeling coming to the sideline. We really needed that for our team. That was a great game. We had to keep on battling the whole time.”

The 69-yarder tied the game at 10 and gave the Wolverines the much-needed momentum in a game in which the defense had kept them hanging around. His 75-yarder a bit later got it right back after an OSU score and assured Michigan would be going into the second half with a great shot to win. 

Johnson and Michigan would go on to a blowout victory, 45-23, and capture another Big Ten title. But they came up short again in the CFP semifinals, a disappointing loss to TCU. It was then that several guys made up their minds to come back for another season and another shot at the ultimate glory. 

Johnson was one of them. 

“One of the biggest factors was my teammates and I just decided to attack this year and achieve something we’ve never achieved before,” Johnson said. “It’s really just in my mind … ‘dang, I can’t go out like that. If I just have one more year, I really feel like we can attack that opportunity.’

“Nothing is guaranteed. It’s so difficult to go out and win a Big Ten football game, all those tough matchups. You can’t take any of it for granted. But we know the work we’ve put in, but we need to double down on that and work even harder to do things we haven’t done before.”

They’re off to a good start, Johnson said. The culture is as strong as it’s ever been, and the leadership strong. There are several who have been through the battles, and the young guys are listening — as they did last year and the year before. 

Winter and spring can be a grind, but it’s key to improvement. 

“You wouldn’t want it any other way,” Johnson continued. “That’s what you worked so hard for. Right now, it’s March, about to be April. These are the moments that lead up to it, slowly and surely builds up to those games in late November, December, when it all adds up and it’s all on the line. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Nor would he want anything less than to be “the guy” who has his number called when they need a play. He’s ascended each year, and he and junior quarterback McCarthy continue to develop the rapport that comes with familiarity.

“It’s something we want to connect on early and often, whether it’s the very first game of the season or the end of the season,” Johnson said. “We want to be able to be hitting on all our shots, have good timing on all our routes. It really just comes down to basic exectution and trust, knowing which guys are going to be where. Then having the trust in those guys, knowing those are the ones that are going to get it done.”

He’s not taking anything for granted, he added, attacking every day. He’ll pretend each practice is a tryout or a game to keep the energy up. Doing that, Johnson knows, will set the example for the guys behind him on the depth chart … and the future of the program. 

“Mostly it’s for me to be best leader I can be. I value showing it through my plays, but also taking guys underneath me,” he said. “Say for example I want to get out after practice and get some extra work with the QBs, maybe get some extra catches, maybe get another lift in after hours. Bring someone with you … get some extra work. Dragging guys along with you and try to lead by example. 

“I’m just trying to get close to everybody at an individual level.”

And making it a point to go out a winner with them, preparing now for the fall battles ahead.