BC Brings in NJ QB

New coaching staff, new system, different players. BC’s latest commitment suggests that the offensive minds sitting atop Chestnut Hill are looking in an entirely new direction.

After ringing in two four-star offensive lineman and a three-star defensive end last week, Boston College has brought in a quarterback. Chris Johnson, a speedy signal-caller out of Kennedy High in Paterson, N.J., decided to become an Eagle on Monday.

Johnson, who runs a 4.6 forty (“Yes, that’s accurate”), told Eagleinsider.com that the quarterback position at BC isn’t what it used to be.

“They gave me a rundown of the program there, explained to me what the situation was at quarterback and how they want to run this new offense based around a dual-threat quarterback,” Johnson said over the phone Monday evening. “They’re looking for a quarterback who can not only control the game with his arm, but also with his legs.”

Over the past decade at the Heights, scrambling hasn’t been much more than a last resort. But under recently appointed head coach Jeff Jagodzinski and offensive coordinator Steve Logan, Johnson said, the ability to scramble will be a necessary part of a QB’s repertoire.

“All these quarterbacks that [BC has] recruited in the past have been really good quarterbacks who can beat you with their arm,” Johnson said. “But if you look at the past two quarterbacks who have won the national championship…”

Johnson is convinced that Matt Ryan, BC’s returning captain and the ACC’s leading passer last year, is good enough to bring the Eagles that far next year. He wasn’t sure how the new quarterback system will be applied to Ryan, but Johnson knew that Ryan will be able to handle whatever the coaches throw at him.

As for Johnson, he feels that the “dual-threat” component is exactly what he will be able to provide at BC.

“I think it will fit me. [Logan] is trying to run the ball to set up the pass, which is the best way to throw the ball sometimes….I actually like to throw, so you’ll see a throwing quarterback that runs if he has to.”

Johnson committed Monday by phone after spending the weekend at Chestnut Hill. He was hosted by Brian Toal, a family friend whom Johnson had already known quite well before his trip. After a walk around campus, the chance to hang out with some of the players (Ryan Lindsey, B.J. Raji, Billy Flutie, and Ryan, among others), and a meeting with the coaching staff, Johnson knew BC was the place for him.

“When I went to go meet with [Logan] and we sat down and talked, I knew, ‘Yeah, this is somebody I know I can play for for years to come and this is somewhere I really want to be.’

When asked why he chose BC over schools like Rutgers, Cincinnati, and Central Michigan, Johnson cited its healthy combination of academics and football.

“The quality of the education there is just so good,” he said. “The playing situation is also good in my eyes because I can redshirt my freshman year and then compete for the starting job. And the depth chart situation is pretty good. I can walk in and I’m realistically the third-string. And I get to learn from Matt Ryan, a really good quarterback.”