Eric SorensonOne school’s loss is NAU’s gain.
It’s far from uncommon in the high stakes, modern-day era of college football recruiting for players to change potential schools geographically from the beginning of their senior season to the end.
Case in point Saguaro star running back Kamron Johnson who at one time held offers from Wisconsin, Wyoming, Nevada and UNLV but in the end decided to stay in-state and play for head coach Jerome Souers who is chasing and getting some of the better in-state players to Flagstaff.
“What really hooked me on NAU was the brotherhood and how close I not am to not only the players on the team but a handful of players who signed with NAU,” Johnson told Sports360AZ.com. “The program is up-and-coming and I felt like I wanted to be a part of that.”
The 5’11, 195-pounder brings with him a pedigree for success after playing for head coach Jason Mohns who has led the Sabercats to back-to-back state championships the past two seasons.
“The coaching staff and football program at Saguaro prepared me for the next level,” Johnson said. “They helped me master different aspects of my game.”
That’s music to the ears of Souers who knows Johnson falling into their lap could pay huge dividends not only over the next four years but several years beyond as the ‘Jacks continue to make in-roads on the Arizona recruiting trail. It also doesn’t hurt Johnson selected NAU over Big Sky rival Montana.
“Late in the recruiting process, like some of the other kids who slip through the cracks if you will, we were able to get our name back into it,” Souers said to Sports360AZ.com from the Lumberjacks’ LOI banquet in Flagstaff last month. “I think [Johnson] saw that he could impact our program immediately.”
Johnson said one of the biggest selling points on Souers was the way he has steadily built the program and that he and his staff “hit the in-state recruiting hard.”
To the victors go the spoils.
There’s something to be said for perseverance.
