Michigan CB Will Johnson Wants To Play Offense This Season

Will Johnson is interested in a dose of double duty at both cornerback and receiver this fall.

Maize Team defensive back Will Johnson (2) warms up during the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 20, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Over the weekend, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson held his second annual youth camp, but he made a few interesting comments, one that would cause the need for his revision as exclusively a cornerback for the Wolverines.

When asked if there is any possibility that he lines up on offense during the 2024 season, Johnson leaned into those comments with a clear affirmative.

”For sure,” Johnson said. “Just a little buzz around the building.”

When asked who is the spark plug behind starting much of that buzz, Johnson laughed before stating that he’s been advocating for himself as an offensive weapon for Michigan this fall. 

“It’s always a possibility, for sure,” Johnson said. “[Coach] Campbell always says something to me about it. Coach [Sherrone] Moore, he’s less fond of it just because he wants to make sure I’m still out there on defense. All the offensive guys love it and they want me to and they know what I can do, so hopefully I’ll be able to do it.” 

Will Johnson during Michigan’s 2024 Spring Game. / Eric Rutter

After Johnson was named a First Team All-American last season, playing a little bit of offense, likely at receiver, is just about one of the only things he could do to boost his profile even further. If Johnson hopes to compete for the Heisman Trophy this season, a la Charles Woodson in the past, then logging some impactful snaps at receiver would certainly go a long way in that pursuit. 

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Notably, Michigan allowed the athletic prowess of Jabrill Peppers to shine on both sides of the football during his time in Ann Arbor, but that was under head coach Jim Harbaugh. As Johnson alluded to, coach Moore runs a slightly different ship, so he may be less likely to utilize Johnson at receiver. 

Still, even if Michigan sends Johnson out on offense as a decoy, it would give defenses one extra element to prepare for and to think about during a game, which could create value right there. 

But in coach Moore’s defense, Johnson is a crucial piece of Michigan’s defense, particularly in the secondary. After the Wolverines lost Mike Sainristil to the draft, Keon Sabb to the transfer portal and Rod Moore to injury,  U-M needs as much experienced leadership as possible in the defensive backfield. Johnson clearly represents that as a talented, savvy cornerback who played a pivotal role on Michigan’s National Championship-winning squad last season. Unnecessarily jeopardizing Johnson’s availability, as it could be seen by some, would be a risk that Moore may be unwilling to take.

However, it is a risk that could come with considerable payoff. Just ask Michigan’s most famous cornerback who also wore No. 2 on the Wolverines’ last National Championship squad. 

Charles Woodson working the sidelines during Michigan’s 2024 Spring Game. / Eric Rutter

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