Brookhaven High alum Johnson, Tulane drop Famous Idaho Potato Bowl to Nevada

Published 11:00 am Thursday, December 24, 2020

Tulane may have lost their Famous Idaho Potato Bowl matchup to Nevada Tuesday in Boise, Idaho  — however, Brookhaven High alumnus and current Green Wave defensive lineman Jeffery Johnson had another outstanding outing to cap his junior season.

Nevada (7-2) led 26-7 at halftime before Tulane (6-6) mounted a second half comeback. The Green Wave cut the lead to 26-20 but the Wolf Pack used a pair of quick scores to secure a 38-27 victory.

Johnson was third on the team with six tackles including four solo stops against Nevada. An All-State player at BHS while playing for then coach Tommy Clopton, Johnson has had his best statistical season of his career in 2020.

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The 6-foot-3, 330-pound Johnson finishes the year with 33 tackles including six tackles for a loss — both career highs. He also set a career mark with 3.5 sacks and recovered two fumbles.

One of those fumbles provided the highlight of the season for Johnson as he picked up a loose ball and took it in for a 1-yard score against Houston on Oct. 8.

It was the third consecutive bowl berth for Tulane and head coach Willie Fritz as the Green Wave finished with a regular season winning record for the first time since 2013.