A father’s sacrifice: How Daryl 'Boogie' Johnson paved the way for his son’s football stardom

From an un-noticed star in West Virginia to a blossoming phenom in talent rich Florida, Bishop Moore's Amare Johnson owes a debt of gratitude to his father

Daryl "Boogie" Johnson, despite deep roots at Wheeling Park High School in West Virginia, where he excelled as a player and coach, moved to Florida to support his son’s football dreams. This season at Bishop Moore Catholic, Amare Johnson has rushed for over 1,000 yards this fall, catching the eye of a growing list of college recruiters. / Photo courtesy of the Johnson Family

Every father-son story has a core theme: a father who once forged his own path now sees the opportunity before his child and makes the sacrifices necessary to help him go further.

That’s the story of Daryl “Boogie” Johnson and the lengths he’s gone to support his son, Amare Johnson, in chasing his football dreams. Longtime Oklahoma State fans may remember "Boogie" from his days as a redshirt freshman, debuting in a nationally televised game against Nebraska. In that game, the Sooners running back racked up an impressive 160 yards — 130 of them on the ground.

A native of West Virginia, Boogie was a major recruit coming out of high school, shattering state records and earning the title of the top player in West Virginia in the early 1990s. He capped off his stellar high school career by winning the prestigious Kennedy Award in 1991. Though heavily recruited by WVU, Johnson made the rare decision to head west and play for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, noting that "Oklahoma State doesn’t usually recruit from the East Coast."

Amare Johnson has made the difficult adjustment from high school football in West Virginia to the big stage of Florida high school football. Despite facing bigger, faster and more talent player than he encountered in West Virginia, Johnson has starred, rushing for more than 1,000 yards this season and helping the Hornets make a run a state championship. / The Johnson Family

Unfortunately, injuries —i ncluding a broken collarbone and knee issues — cut his athletic career short. But Boogie’s story didn’t end there.

Enter Amare Johnson, Boogie’s son, who has begun to carve out his own legacy. A standout running back at Bishop Moore Catholic High School in Lake Mary, Florida, Amare is quickly making waves on the national stage. The Johnson family relocated to Florida this past summer, leaving behind their deep roots in West Virginia, to give Amare more exposure in the highly competitive Southeast football scene.

It was a difficult decision for the family, especially for Boogie. Wheeling Park High School in West Virginia wasn’t just where he set records as a player, it was where he coached for two decades. But the opportunity to further Amare’s football career took precedence.

Amare had already established himself as West Virginia’s top running back as a sophomore last year. However, breaking into the national recruiting conversation from a smaller state was proving to be a challenge. Florida, with its football pedigree, offered a much bigger stage.

The move has paid off. In his first season with Bishop Moore, Amare has become the school's first running back in 20 years to rush for over 1,000 yards. The program, a perennial powerhouse with 18 consecutive playoff appearances, has seen its championship hopes rise with Amare’s contributions. College programs like UConn, Ohio University, Oklahoma State, Eastern Michigan and Bryant University have already taken notice.

Last Friday, Amare continued his dominant playoff performance, rushing for 194 yards, scoring two touchdowns, and averaging 8.1 yards per carry in a 38-15 victory over Dunnellon. This Friday, the Bishop Moore Hornets face the Eau Gallie Commanders in a high-stakes playoff matchup at 7:30 p.m.

Daryl "Boogie" Johnson was the 1991 winner of the Kennedy Award as the top high school football player in West Virginia where he starred at Wheeling Park High School. He became a top national recruit and had huge performance against Nebraska, as a redshirt freshman at Oklahoma State, before injuries derailed his promising career. / Daryl Johnson

For Boogie, seeing his son excel in a new, highly competitive environment is a proud moment.

“I’m so proud of him,” Johnson said. “People don’t understand—it was a tough decision to come to Florida. When you come to Florida, you’ve never seen this type of speed, size, and the craziness of football here. For him to adjust his whole game and jump out there against some of the top teams in the country, I’m happy for him.”

Indeed, the parallels between father and son are striking. Legacy is often built on sacrifice, and in many ways, the son becomes the father, and the father, the son. Together, they’re creating a story that will be remembered for generations.