Tag Archives: los angeles rams

College Football HoF, NFL, University of Texas

Johnson, Johnnie

utud11 jojohnsonCards: UT Upper Deck 2011, UT Upper Deck All Time Alumni 2011, UT Upper Deck NCAA All-Americans
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent:  6/2    Received: 6/14   (12 days)

Johnnie Johnson is another member of the Texas’ DBU connection. He boasts an impressive resume that includes winning the 1978 Defensive Back of the Year Award (before the advent of the Jim Thorpe Award), and was a two time All-American. He was also an accomplished speedster and returner, finishing with 114 punt returns for 1004 yards and a TD.  During his time at UT he anchored a secondary that consistently ranked among the tops in the nation.

utud11 jojohnson ATAA first round draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams in 1980, Johnnie was selected 20th overall. In his rookie year, he’d start all 16 games. Quickly Johnson asserted himself as a force in the secondary, returning an interception for a team record 99 yards for a TD against the Packers.  He’d also recover 5 fumbles that rookie season.

Johnnie continued to have a nose for the football, recovering 22 fumbles during his career that spanned 10 seasons in the NFL earning an All-Pro nomination in 1983. Johnnie also had a habit of finding the end zone recording 4 TDs. He played nearly his entire career for the Rams, eventually even seeing Longhorn Jerry Gray also join him in the secondary. In 1989, Johnnie signed with the Seattle Seahawks via Plan B as his age became a liability.  After 2 games, the Seahawks cut Johnson due to the pounding that he took on his knees from the Kingdome turf. Johnson retired and started signing real estate, but the Rams came calling, needing depth in the secondary- and Johnson couldn’t resist one last go round. He’d retire for good after the season.

utud11 jojohnson NCAAJohnnie was one of the more venerable and popular players on the LA Rams during his career. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. Johnson is president of World Class Coaches- an organization committed to teaching basic fundamentals as part of its basic coaching instructional delivery process. He also is a member of the Moving Families Initiative, which helps kids adjust to the challenges that they face when moving to new schools and neighborhoods.

G/Gs 124/108     Tac N/a    Sac 2.0    Fum  2
Int 22   Yds 390   Avg 17.7    Td  4  Lg 99t

 

 

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Davis, Wayne

pset91 wdavis psetwlaf91 wdavis

Cards: ProSet 1991, ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 7/5      Received: 7/11  (6 days)
Failure: TTM 2014, C/o New Life Covenant Church, Gordo, AL

Wayne Davis was a linebacker for the Alabama Crimson Tide.  He posted a career high 125 tackles his Junior year, and 85 in his Senior year. A 9th round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1987, the season was sort of a mess because of the Players’ Strike. Davis saw playing time in all 12 nonstrike games that year, and also in all 16 games in 1988.  He’d sign as a Plan B free agent with the Los Angeles Rams in 1989, and then later with the 49ers, who let him go on the final cutdown. Wayne played for the Edmonton Eskimos in 1990, before giving the WLAF a shot. Davis impressed the league scouts enough, that Orlando saw fit to make him the first overall pick of linebackers in the 1991 positional draft.  Head Coach Don Matthews liked his overall speed and athleticism. He’d have a solid year, posting 33 tackles, and 2 fumble recoveries. Wayne also played on special teams, recording 8 tackles on kickoff coverage. His highlight of the year was a 9 tackle effort in Orlando’s 35-34 victory over the San Antonio Riders on opening day.  A man of God, Davis styled himself as being a new found ‘Minister of Defense’ ala Reggie White, bringing the Good Word to the masses, and had been quoted as stating, “God first. Football second.”  After starting off the 1991 season hot, the Thunder had a meltdown and finished 5-5. Matthews quit, and new coach Galen Hall decided to overhaul the franchise. With a plethora of new linebacker blood in camp, Hall had to make some difficult cuts- Davis among them. Wayne however, felt a calling to God greater than football, and was ordained in 1992. Reverend Davis later returned to school and earned to Masters in Education and in Pastoral Ministry and lives in Gordo, Alabama today where he preaches to his flock and congregation.

NFL 28/1   Tac   N/a   Sac  N/a    Fum N/a    Int  0   Yds 0   Avg -.-   Td 0   Lg -.-
WLAF    Tac 33   Sac 0   Fum 2    Int 0    Yds 0   Avg -.-  Td 0  Lg -.-

NFL

Lyght, Todd

aprks91 lyght pset91 lyght

Cards: Pro Set 1991, Action Packed Rookies 1991
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o The Philadelphia Eagles
Sent:   5/9    Received: 6/7    (29 days)

A first team All-American at Notre Dame in 1990, Todd Lyght had 49 tackles and 2 picks playing corner- eventhough he missed 2 games due to a hamstring injury. A quality cover man (4.45 40) who is also an enforcer in run support, teams avoided Lyght after his 1989 season for the Golden Domers when he intercepted 8 passes. Todd also is a valued member of special teams, returning his first punt 53 yards for a touchdown.  The Los Angeles Rams were reeling from being burned by the 49ers and drafted Lyght with the 5th pick in 1991.

It wasn’t until 1994 that Todd actually was able to play a full 16 slate for the Rams. As the Rams moved to St. Louis, Lyght’s numbers really picked up.  He’d record 22 interceptions over the next 5 seasons. In 1999 the Rams won the SuperBowl and Todd had the best numbers of his career. He’d have 6 interceptions for 112 yards, 2.5 sacks, 54 tackles and a forced fumble. Todd signed with the Lions in 2001 and played there through the 2002 season.

Lyght has been working his way up the coaching ranks for about the last 10 years or so. He got his first really big break getting hired on board at Oregon as an intern defensive coach for the Ducks in 2011. Todd followed Oregon head coach Chip Kelly to the Philadelphia Eagles, joining their staff in 2013.

G/Gs  175/167     Tac 725    Sac 6   Fum 6   Int 37   Yds 462   Avg      Td 4     Lg 59t