For quarterback Jeremy Johnson, the allure of starring on a high school football team in Texas was just too good to pass up. He saw an opportunity to shine in a state where tales of gridiron legends roll of the tongues of locals long after they leave the Lonestar State.

Johnson is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound dual-threat quarterback at Silsbee High (Tx.) who verbally committed to West Virginia last April, over the likes of Oklahoma, TCU, Michigan and others. When he officially sets foot on the WVU campus in June, he will embark on the beginning of his college career, closing the book on his storied rise to prep stardom that many Texans won’t soon forget.

Once the dust settled and Johnson hung up his helmet for the last time, he exited Silsbee High School as the owner of seven career school records for his offensive production, including the total offense record and total touchdowns mark. But looking back, he didn’t even like football before he enrolled at Silsbee and joined the team.

“I played since seventh grade, but I didn’t start liking football until my freshman year,” said Johnson. “When I got to high school, I saw the publicity and intensity. I saw everybody in the whole town get off work and go to the games.”

Johnson moved to Silsbee with his family from nearby Buna, Texas, when he was still in junior high. Being the new guy in school who aspired to quarterback the team didn’t come easy, but Johnson got help from his brother, B.K., who had just starred on the team at corner back and is now a sophomore playing at the University of Houston.

“People saw how I carried myself respectfully,” Johnson said. “People started comparing me to B.K. It was a challenge to be a leader on the football field. It was a lot of pressure. It’s like being a superstar … just being seen and having my name out there.”

It was B.K. who mentored and helped mold Johnson into the acclaimed player he is today. “He was just inside of me to get to work,” Johnson said. “He was just getting me into football because I really didn’t like football when I was coming up.”

That guidance also extended into the rugged recruiting process. As letter after letter crammed into the Johnsons’ mailbox from high-majors all over, B.K., who had already been through the process, made sense of it all for his younger brother.

“He told me, ’Everybody really is going to give you the same message. You just got to look inside them and see what’s really there,’” Jeremy Johnson recalled.

Silsbee High School coach Bobby McGallion said WVU head coach Bill Stewart, offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen and running backs coach Chris Beatty were integral in recruiting Johnson. McGallion spoke volumes of the character of the Mountaineers coaches and cited the great relationships that were built during Johnson’s recruitment.

“He’s [Johnson] excited about becoming a Mountaineer,” McGallion said.

Like B.K., Jeremy started out at corner back his freshman year, but a switch to quarterback was just on the horizon. Over the next three years, Johnson found his niche as a signal-caller. He guided Silsbee to the state playoffs during both his junior and senior seasons.

His career stats are remarkable -- 8,400 pass yards, more than 2,200 rush yards and more than 80 total touchdowns.

“I think he’s tailor made for that kind of offense [at WVU],” McGallion said. “He can hurt you just as much with his feet as he can with his arm.”

Fittingly, Johnson said if he had to compare himself to a current NFL player, it would be “Pat White. It’s the skill set because I throw good enough to get the ball there. Then when it’s time to run, that’s what I’m special at.”

“He makes plays when plays aren’t there,” McGallion said, adding that Johnson runs a sub 4.5 40-yard dash. “I certainly think he can do the same things on the next level. I just think the sky is the limit with him based on his athleticism, attitude and work ethic.”

Out of his profound list of accomplishments, Johnson is most proud of, “taking my team to the playoffs. That’s a team award. That’s what I’m really proud of.”

Proving his heightened sense of team, Johnson said what he’d mostly remember were the grueling two-a-day drills, which is the part of camp that players often dread the most.

“It’s just working hard and sweating with my teammates and getting to know each other better,” he said. “I’m a team player, but I’m West Virginia fans a show.”

McGallion voiced similar characteristics of Johnson. Often he has seen Johnson hit the weight room an hour before school started and stay after two-hour practices to run up and down the stands.

“He’s just been a pleasure to coach. He goes above and beyond with his work ethic,” said the coach. “He does the extra things to make himself into a great player.”

Off of the field, Johnson attends the Bread of Life Church in Buna, on Sundays, where his father, Byron Johnson, is the church’s pastor.

Jeremy Johnson said he uses spiritual help gained from his religious background to understand difficult life situations, not just obstacles on the football field.

“By God you can do anything,” Jeremy says. “Have faith in it. It taught me to manage my attitude with different people.”

Johnson is also talented with music. He’s been playing keyboard for two years and plays weekly at his church. He said he may take some music classes once he arrives at WVU.

“I’m starting to fall in love with it,” he said.

Considering there’s more than 1,000 miles separating Morgantown and Silsbee, Johnson said he may get a little homesick once he arrives on campus, but at the same time, he is excited to become independent. WVU does not have a single player who hails from Texas on its current roster.

“You’d get homesick anywhere. I just really have to get used to it,” said Johnson. “I’m ready to change my level of play and get up there and be independent and be responsible and bring West Virginia a championship.”

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