LEXINGTON, Ky. — Zach Johnson isn't the first player who comes to mind when reflecting on the contributions of the 2020 Kentucky football team's senior class. Heck, he's not even the first senior specialist that fans would name (hello, Max Duffy).
But Johnson has been indispensable in a variety of roles in practice and on special teams. A former walk-on who earned a scholarship ahead of his sophomore season, he'll play in his 44th career game, and his 36th straight, when the Wildcats take to Kroger Field for the final time this year on Saturday.
This season, in games, he's primarily been a kick returner. He leads UK with 11 returns for 228 yards, his average of 20.7 yards per return ranking just outside the top 20 among all FBS players with double-digit returns. He recorded a career-long 58-yard return at Georgia last season, and in years prior gained a reputation as a hard-hitting tackler against opposing return men.
He's listed on Kentucky's roster as a defensive back, and in practice lives up to that designation on the scout team. It's not glamorous, but it's necessary, and it's something at which he's excelled enough that head coach Mark Stoops says a spot on next year's team is open for Johnson if he wants to take advantage of the NCAA's blanket eligibility waiver and come back for a sixth year in 2021.
"Here's a guy who just goes to the scout team every day and he does it with a smile on his face and busts his tail to give 'em the best look he can all day, every day" Stoops said during his radio show this week. "Yet then he goes out and has an impact (in games) because that's his role. He accepts his role, he knows his role. ... We really look up to Zach and respect him."
