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Terre Haute News, Terre Haute, Indiana- TribStar.com - Colts Scene: Rookie Ed Johnson moves on from troubled past

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TERRE HAUTE — It’s been long road to the National Football League for rookie defensive tackle Ed Johnson. An honorable mention All-Big 10 Conference selection as a senior at Penn State last fall, Johnson saw his pre-draft status plummet last spring after he was suspended for violating unspecified team rules prior to the Nittany Lions’ appearance in the Outback Bowl last January.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the first time that the 6-foot-2, 296-pound Detroit, Mich., native had run afoul of school authorities during a sometimes tumultuous collegiate playing career. In fact, there were two other occasions where Johnson was suspended for all or portions of a school year.

He was temporarily expelled in June of 2005 for two violations of school policy, including sexual misconduct and confining another student against (his or her) will. No charges were filed, but the expulsion lasted through the 2005 fall semester. Johnson was reinstated by university officials and was allowed back on the team for his senior year.

And then there was a 2004 suspension that included portions of spring practice and the summer semesters for his involvement in a fight at the Penn State Ice Pavillion earlier in the year.

Snubbed during last April’s draft, he was signed to a free agent contract by the Colts on May 5. Last Thursday, when Indianapolis began the 2007 preseason with a 23-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, there was Johnson alongside veteran Raheem Brock as he replaced an injured Anthony McFarland in the defensive lineup.

“It’s over with. It’s another day. Everything is in the past,” Johnson said after Saturday’s morning workout at Cook Stadium, as he reviewed his college career. “I can’t keep dwelling on it and have my mind on that. My mind is on football right now, just trying to make this Indianapolis Colts’ team.

“Everything that happened in the past, for me, is in the past. I’m trying to move on. I learned a lot. That’s all part of growing up, all part of maturing. You go through things, you experience things, and you have to learn from them so you don’t make the same mistakes again. It was all a great learning experience for me.”

The questions about his problems at Penn State obviously played a large part in why Johnson, who was considered a potential first-day draft pick after coming up with 33 tackles and five sacks as a senior, was left on the outside looking in. That is, until the Colts came calling.

“I know it cost me [from] being drafted. Even though sometimes you just have to go through things the harder way, you appreciate them more. Right now, I’m just real grateful that the Colts gave me a shot. I’m just trying to make the most of it,” he said.

Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy understands the reservations that often come with bringing in a player with a history of off-the-field incidents. The Colts, however, review each case on an individual basis, with the hope that the player in question can learn from their experience. Redemption is the key.

“That’s what you try to gauge and that’s what you hope. We had a talk with him. And we feel like he is going in the right direction. Now he understands that he’s got a microscope on him,” Dungy explained Saturday.

“But our policy is not to just say anybody who’s had a problem, you know, we can’t deal with. But for them to understand what kind of environment that they’re coming to, what our expectations are. And then we’ve got to have a gut feeling that the guy’s going in the right direction and has the same things in mind that we do.”

That being said, Johnson played relatively well in his NFL debut against the Cowboys. Unofficially, he had six tackles and two sacks in the game.

“Ed Johnson did a pretty good job. He, for I’d say, for 80 percent of the time, really made some things happen. He kind of reverted back to some old techniques when he got tired a little bit. But did a good job,” the Colts’ coach said.

• Defense gets good marks — Yes, the Colts’ defensive unit gave up 23 points in the preseason loss to Dallas last Thursday. But seven of those points came by way of a Jim Sorgi pass interception, which was ran back for a touchdown.

“I thought our defensive line as a whole rushed the passer pretty well. All in all, for a first time out, it wasn’t bad,” Dungy said.

Cornerbacks Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden also received passing grades for their first time out as starters, replacing Nick Harper (Tennessee) and Jason David (New Orleans).

“I thought they played very fast and very physical. We got a holding penalty [against Jackson] on a call on [Cowboys receiver] Terrell Owens. I’m just not quite sure the officials are used to seeing him getting jammed up like that. I think the guy assumed that since Terrell Owens couldn’t get off the line of scrimmage, it must be holding. It was right in front of me and kind of tough to see. But they did a good job and really played fast and tackled well,” he said.

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