D-Lineman Brett Johnson Has Zero Tackles But Cal Coaches Say He's Having An Impact

The redshirt junior has played all four games after missing two seasons with serious injuries.

Inside linebackers Kalen Elarms-Orr and Jackson Sirmon — playing the positions that have always generated big numbers on Cal’s defense — lead the Bears with 32 and 29 tackles, respectively.

Twenty-two different Cal players have at least three tackles through four games.

Absent altogether from the Bears’ defensive stats sheet is Brett Johnson.

Yes, the player thought to be as important to the team any on the roster has zero tackles.

Johnson, coming back after missing the past two seasons due to a fractured hip and a torn ACL, is averaging about 25 snaps a game, according to coach Justin Wilcox.

Yet, he has no tackles, no sacks, no quarterback hurries, no forced fumbles or fumble recoveries. No nothin’.

What should we make of it?

“It’s been two years since he played football and he had two significant injuries. We’re not talking about a sprained ankle,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said.

“I’m impressed with what he’s doing considering the circumstances. I think he’s going to continue to play better and better. But I am not down on how he’s playing at all.”

A 6-foot-5, 295-pound redshirt junior defensive tackle from Phoenix, Johnson was a named third-team Freshman All-American by Pro Football Focus in 2019. He was named to the Senior Bowl watch list before this season, despite the long layoff.

In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season — the last time he played — Johnson was tied for third on the team and first among defensive linemen with 20 tackles, had 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one pass breakup and one pass defended. In four games.

“I think it would be difficult to compare anybody to themselves after going through what he went through, Wilcox said.

What he went though was a hip injury in a car accident in the spring of 2021 that required complicated surgery, then the ACL in fall camp last year that led to more surgery and another lost season.

By the time he took the field at North Texas, it had been 1,001 days since Johnson played in a game.

Wilcox points out that in the opener, Johnson drew pair of holding penalties by North Texas offensive lineman that “basically extinguished two drives.”

In Week 3 against Idaho, Wilcox said it was more of the same. “They had a really hard time blocking him. He would force the quarterback to get out of the pocket or throw the ball earlier than he wanted to. His presence has been felt.”

Wilcox conceded there was no one to brag about after the Bears’ 59-32 loss at Washington last week.“Obviously, last week we didn’t affect the QB or the run game at any position,” he said.

Defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon agrees that Johnson is making progress.

“From where he was at coming into the fall, just making sure we were going to get him back healthy and manage some of the workload, when he has been out there I think he’s been disruptive,” Sirmon said.

“Sometimes stats don’t tell the full impact of an interior player. We’ve just got to keep him healthy and keep his work load exactly what he can handle and he’ll continue to be out there and helping the defense.”

Sirmon said the approach with Johnson beginning at the start of fall camp has been to manage his time on the field from week to week, depending on his workload the previous week, both on game day and at practice.

“We’re still trying to tweak what the best course of action is during the week to have him feeling his best on Saturdays,” Sirmon said. “I think that will be an ongoing process.”

Sirmon also believes Johnson’s improvement will be ongoing.

“I think anytime you’ve had multiple years off, it’s going to take a little bit of time to get back to what the best is for each player,” he said. “His best, I would agree, is still ahead of him.”

Cover photo of Cal defensive lineman Brett Johnson by Al Sermeno, KLC fotos

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo