2015: Earned his third letter after playing in 7 contests his junior season … Carried 20 times for 62 yards with 4 pass receptions in four different games … Had season-high 5 carries at Arkansas State (9/19/15) .. Tallied 23 yards on 4 carries in home opener against Chadron State (9/12/15) with a season-long rush of 11 yards … Finished with 43 all-purpose yards at Southern Illinois (10/10/15), including a 21-yard kickoff return … Also logged a pair of special teams tackles on the season … Earned a spot on the MVFC Honor Roll ... Named to MSU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for fall 2015 and spring 2016 semesters ... Collected 23 yards on 8 carries in Maroon and White Spring Game (4/11/15).
2014: Finished second on the club in carries (143) and yards (575) as a sophomore to go along with a pair of TDs ... Played all 12 games with 4 starts and tallied 10-plus carries in 9 games ... Matched season-high with 76 yards on 17 carries along with his only two touchdowns in season finale at UNI (11/22/14) ... Also had 76 yards in homecoming win over South Dakota (10/18/14) ... Ranked 12th in the MVFC in rushing yards per game (47.9) and 14th in total yards (575) ... Posted 71 yards in season opener at Northwestern State (8/28/14) and 74 yards at No. 9 Illinois State (10/25/14) to earn MSU Media and Offensive Player of the Week honors ... Posted a pair of receptions against North Dakota (9/13/14) in home opener ... Started 4 straight games from Sept. 6-Oct. 4 ... Led all first-team rushers in Maroon and White Game (4/26/14) with 49 yards on 11 carries (4.5 ypc).
2013: Played in all 12 games as a true freshman and averaged 3.8 yards per carry ... Was 5th on the team overall in rushing yards (247) and tops among first-year players ... Scored a touchdown in win over No. 24 Illinois State (9/28/13) ... Also instrumental on special teams, recording 2 tackles and earning MSU Special Teams Player of the Week for game at Iowa (9/7/13) ... Had season-high 54 yards on 10 carries in Illinois State game ... Longest of 2 pass receptions for the season went for 17 yards at No. 1 North Dakota State (10/12/13) ... Registered 20+ rushing yards in 6 games and finished 9th on the team in all-purpose yards (268).
High School: The brother of former MSU reciever Maddy Johnson, Phoenix rushed for 1,478 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2012 as a senior for the Webb City (Mo.) High Cardinals, coached by John Roderique ... Offensive MVP of the SWMFCA Grin Iron All-Star Game in Springfield ... Earned Class 4 consensus all-state honors his last two seasons while helping Webb City to three consecutive undefeated state title runs (all 15-0) from 2010-12 ... Cardinals were a combined 54-1 during his four years, while Johnson racked up 3,816 yards and 70 career touchdowns ... Was Webb City's team MVP his junior and senior years while claiming all-conference, all-district and All-Ozarks laurels both seasons ... Was also the starting point guard on the Cardinals' basketball team.
Personal: Phoenix S. Johnson was born 5/3/95 in Joplin, Mo. ... Son of Gary “Cat” and Wendy Johnson of Webb City, Mo. ... Father was a high school basketball legend in Missouri (Joplin Memorial High) who went on to play at Oral Roberts and was drafted by the New Jersey Nets ... Older brother, Maddy, was also a wide receiver for the Bears from 2011-15 ... Majoring in Sport and Park Administration.
