Prep talk: After two knee surgeries, QB Nicolas Johnson is back
Gardena Serra quarterback Nicolas Johnson will enter his senior season having overcome a torn ACL in each knee. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Quarterback Nicolas Johnson of Gardena Serra High was back throwing passes on the football field this week during a college showcase, which was newsworthy itself because he's had surgeries on both of his knees.
"It's crazy," he said.
Advertisement
Added coach Scott Altenberg: "He's the bionic man."
Johnson's latest injury came last November. Some might have called it quits. Who wants to go through the challenge of rehab again on a different knee?
But Johnson said he's passionate about playing football and has no intention of calling it quits.
"It's something you can't give up," he said.
He also knows the injuries might be genetic since his older brother, former Crenshaw and UCLA football player Mossi Johnson, had similar issues with his knees.
He intends to be Serra's starting quarterback for the team's season opener against Palos Verdes on Aug. 22. He deserves a standing ovation for perseverance.
Advertisement
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
43 minutes ago
- USA Today
Report: NCAA penalizes Wisconsin football for recruiting violations
Report: NCAA penalizes Wisconsin football for recruiting violations The NCAA is penalizing Wisconsin football for recruiting infractions that occurred during the spring of 2023. BadgerExtra's Colten Bartholomew was the first to report the news. Bartholomew writes that "nine members of Luke Fickell's staff violated a since-changed NCAA rule by making phone calls to recruits before the recruiting calendar allowed them to be made." Notably, that rule changed in August 2023, just months after the reported violations. Among those specifically penalized are Fickell, outside linebackers coach Matt Mitchell, former defensive line coach Greg Scruggs and former recruiting lead Max Stienecker. The infraction is a Level II violation. Both Scruggs and Stienecker received one-year show-cause orders, while Fickell and Mitchell will not be permitted to contact high school recruits from June 15-21. For more specifics on the violations and their fallout, here is Bartholomew's full report. Notably, neither of the two staffers who received show causes still works for Wisconsin. Scruggs left the program after the 2023 campaign for the same title at Big Ten rival Michigan, though he resigned just months into the job after an OWI arrest. He is now an assistant defensive line coach with the San Francisco 49ers. Stienecker, meanwhile, left Wisconsin in February to become USC's general manager. He and his recruiting staff currently have the Trojans atop the class of 2026 national rankings with 28 total commits, 18 blue-chip players and one five-star. Wisconsin finished the 2024 recruiting cycle, the one that included the reported infractions, with arguably the best class in program history. Among the program's 22 signees, 11 were blue-chip players. Four-star recruits offensive tackle Kevin Heywood, defensive lineman Ernest Willor Jr., running back Dilin Jones and defensive lineman Dillan Johnson headline a group that finished ranked No. 25 nationally and No. 7 in the Big Ten Conference. The 2025 season should see a significant portion of that class enter the team's two-deep depth chart. Running backs Dilin Jones and Darrion Dupree, offensive lineman Emerson Mandell, wide receiver Kyan Berry-Johnson, defensive lineman Dillan Johnson and linebacker Thomas Heiberger should all see the field. Heywood was also in line to start for the team at left tackle, though he is projected to miss the season after an ACL injury. Furthermore, cornerback Xavier Lucas already excelled as a true freshman in 2024, though he transferred to Miami in the offseason. The Badgers' class of 2026, which has yet to see a blue-chip player added, currently ranks No. 40 nationally. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Calvin Johnson thinks Davante Adams will 'adapt fairly quickly' to Matthew Stafford's arm
Calvin Johnson thinks Davante Adams will 'adapt fairly quickly' to Matthew Stafford's arm Hall-of-Fame receiver Calvin Johnson knows Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford well. The two played together on the Detroit Lions for most of Johnson's legendary career where Johnson made six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams. So now that he's seen another great receiver, Davante Adams, join Stafford in L.A., Johnson has some thoughts. All positive, though. Johnson told FanDuel TV's Kay Adams that receivers always need to adjust to Stafford's arm strength when they join his team, but Adams should have a much smaller learning curve given how long he played with Aaron Rodgers. 'I saw Davante grow into a very solid receiver,' Johnson said. 'A great receiver from his time in Green Bay to where he is now. 'Even though when a new receiver came to our team, they always had to adjust to the fastball that Matthew throws. I would imagine Aaron Rodgers having a similar arm strength, [Adams will] be able to adapt fairly quickly.' Adams and Stafford have already begun to build a rapport during their brief time together as camps kick off this summer. Both are seasoned pros and understand how to work and adapt to different play styles. The hope for the Rams is Adams can pick up the nuances quickly with a new quarterback help build a dominant offense alongside Puka Nacua with Stafford throwing them both the ball.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
College World Series Schedule: Complete lineup for day one in Omaha
College World Series Schedule: Complete lineup for day one in Omaha LSU baseball heads to Omaha as one of eight teams a part of the College World Series. It takes the field at Charles Schwab Stadium on Saturday against Arkansas. The Tigers and Razorbacks are the two betting favorites to win the national championship but one of them will head to an elimination game after the tournament opener. LSU will face either UCLA or Murray State on Monday or Tuesday. Head coach Jay Johnson seeks his second national title since taking the reins in Baton Rouge. Before arriving at LSU, Johnson was the head man at Arizona. With the Wildcats on the other side of the bracket, there's a chance Johnson meets his former school in the final. The Wildcats are one of four teams opening play on Friday in the College World Series. They join another recent champion in Coastal Carolina, as well as West Coast powerhouse Oregon State and Louisville, representing the ACC. Here is the Friday schedule for the College World Series. Game One: Coastal Carolina vs Arizona Time: 1 p.m. CT TV Channel: ESPN Game Two: Oregon State vs Louisville Time: 6 p.m. CT TV Channel: ESPN
