2013 Football Roster
Christian Johnson
- Position:
- DL
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-5 / 240
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Memphis, Tenn.
- Prev School:
- Southwind HS
CareerÂ
Graduated with a degree in interdisciplinary studies in May of 2017 ... Has seen action in 33 games, making 16 starts ... Has 42 total tackles (32-10) ... Also has 9.5 TFL (38 yards), six sacks (31 yards), one fumble recovery and two PBU ... Has nine multi-tackle games.Â
Honors (Academic/Athletic)Â
Recognized by the University of Memphis Center for Athletic Academic Services (CAAS) as a CAAS Most Improved Student for the 2014 fall semester.Â
2016 (Junior)Â
Played in all 13 games … Made five starts ... Credited with 19 total tackles (15-4), three TFL (13 yards), two sacks (10 yards), one PBU and two QB hurries … Had four multi-tackle games … Posted career highs for total tackles (6) and solo stops (5) vs. No. 24/25 Navy … Other multi-tackle performances came against Ole Miss (3 total stops), Tulane (2) and Cincinnati (2) … Logged a sack and TFL for seven yards in a home upset win over No. 18/21 Houston … His sack/TFL came in the second quarter vs. the Cougars with Houston driving at midfield … Two plays after his sack/TFL, Shaun Rupert intercepted a Houston pass, setting the Tigers offense with a short field … On the ensuing drive, Memphis scored for a 34-17 halftime lead … Also recorded one TFL vs. Ole Miss (1-3 yards) and Western Kentucky (1-3 yards) … The TFL vs. the Hilltoppers was also a sack … His PBU came in a road win at Tulane.Â
2015 (Sophomore)Â
Played in all 13 games ... Started the season’s final 11 contests ... Had 23 total stops (17 solo/6 assists) ... Posted five multi-tackle games ... Also had 6.5 TFL (25 yards), four sacks (21 yards), one fumble recovery and one pass break-up ... Led team in sacks (4) and sack yardage (21) ... Tied for third on squad with 6.5 TFL ... Also third on team in TFL yardage (25) ... Saw first action in the season-opening victory over Missouri State ... Registered first collegiate tackle with an assist vs. the Bears ... Had first multi-tackle performance in his first collegiate start in the road win at Bowling Green ... Collected two total stops (1 solo/1 assist) vs. the Falcons ... Posted collegiate firsts for unassisted tackle, TFL and sack vs. Bowling Green ... His sack/TFL was a key play late in the fourth quarter vs. the Falcons ... With Memphis holding a 44-41 lead with 3:06 left, Bowling Green took over on its own 26 ... After moving the ball to the 41, his six-yard sack/TFL of the Falcons QB not only pushed Bowling Green back, but also placed the possession in disarray ... The Falcons lost yardage on the next two plays and did not convert on a 4th-and-18 ... Memphis took possession and ran out the clock for the win ... Had a breakout game in the upset win over Ole Miss ... Posted four total tackles (3 solo/1 assist), 2.5 TFL (7 yards), one sack (5 yards) and one pass break-up ... The 2.5 TFL were a career best ... Had two big first-quarter plays that helped Memphis stay in the contest ... Midway through the first quarter, Ole Miss had a 14-0 lead and the ball ... On a 1st-and-15 play from the Rebels 41, recorded first collegiate pass break-up ... Two plays later, had a solo hit that forced an Ole Miss punt ... The Memphis following drive resulted in a TD to cut the Rebels’ lead to 14-7 ... Assisted on a TFL in the third quarter with the Rebels driving for a TD ... Helped throw the Ole Miss receiver for a yard loss on a 2nd-and-2 inside the Tigers’ 10-yard line ... Two plays later, the Rebels settled for a FG to cut the Memphis lead to 31-24 ... His sack was late in the fourth quarter vs. Ole Miss ... Had career highs with four solo stops, TFL yardage (11) and sack yardage (9) in a road setback at Houston ... Registered a season-high five total hits in a road loss at Temple ... Tied a career best with four unassisted tackles vs. the Owls ... Posted his fourth sack in the regular-season home finale vs. SMU ... Had two total tackles (1 solo/1 assist) vs. Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl.Â
2014 (Redshirt Freshman)Â
Saw action in seven games ... Played in his first collegiate contest in the season-opening win over Austin Peay ... Member of the Tigers team that won 10 games (10-3 record) and earned a shared of the American Athletic Conference regular-season championship ... Team posted the program’s first 10-win campaign since 1938 … Squad also won the Miami Beach Bowl, a thrilling 55-48 double-overtime victory over BYU.Â
2013 (Freshman)Â
Redshirted.Â
High School
Played his prep career at Southwind High School for head coach Cedric Miller ... Helped lead the Jaguars to an 8-4 overall record and a Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Class 6A playoffs berth in 2012 ... Southwind advanced to the playoffs second round ... Led the Shelby Metro area with 18.5 sacks as a senior in 2012 ... A 2012 Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) All-State Class 6A selection ... Earned 2012 All-District 15-3A honors on both sides of the ball — first team at defensive end and second team at tight end … Named to 2012 The Commercial Appeal’s Best of Preps defense … Also a 2012 All-Shelby County pick ... Selected to play in the 2012 AutoZone Liberty Bowl All-Star Game.Â
Personal
Son of Curtis Johnson and Tamitha Gipson-Johnson ... Birthday is February 23 ... Has an older brother, Curtis III, and a younger brother, Robert.Â
