When Ryan Smith left Newton for Southwest Assemblies of God University, he always thought he would be able to recruit successfully in Mississippi.
While the Lions struggled on offense this past season, Smith knew he needed an infusion of talent on offense.
So, he turned to two familiar faces to help his offense.
Smith recently signed former Newton standouts Zachary and Zackariah Johnson, who finished two years at Northwest Mississippi Community College.
“We never really lost communication with them,” Smith said. “I stayed in contact with them the whole time they were at Northwest. I had thought all along that if one of those Division I schools hadn’t popped on them, we were going to be there for them. Northwest brought in a couple of Division I guys and they didn’t get the touches they needed. They kind of got caught up in the numbers.”
That’s when Smith and his coaching staff stepped in.
“We brought them out for a visit and put together a financial package for them,” Smith said. “They wanted to be in a situation where they were going to be taken care of. They wanted to get a degree and be taken care of. We put together a good scholarship package for them. They know I’m going to take care of them. They committed that weekend and signed and were here in January.”
Smith knew exactly what he was getting with the Johnson twins.
“They are elite receivers on our level,” Smith said. “I honestly expect them to be all-conference players and could even be All-Americans. I think they are that good. On our level, they are elite and special talents. I think it’s a great opportunity for both of them.”
Smith said his thoughts on the twins were confirmed in practice one day.
“We were in a scrimmage and Zackariah caught a dig pass,” Smith said. “Our outside linebacker who is our top returning tackler had a bead on him and was going to lay him out. Zachariah just bounced right off him and broke like 12 tackles. It just shows what they are capable of doing.”
While most colleges missed spring break, SAGU was able to get in two full weeks of spring practice before spring break and the COVID-19 outbreak.
“We were one of two NAIA schools that got some spring practices in,” Smith said. “You could tell, they are phenomenal talents. They are going to start at our outside receivers. We had a scrimmage and both of them had three catches apiece.”
For Smith, it’s another reunion with the Johnson twins. Smith coaches both them in seventh and eighth grade at Newton County. Then Smith coached the twins their junior and senior years at Newton High School.
“It’s been like a reunion for all of us,” Smith said. “I’ve coached them for four years and will have them for two more years. By the time they leave here, I will have coached them for six of the 10 years they have played. With their mother dying when they were young, to be a part of their life and to know that you are helping them get a degree and changing their life means a lot to me. It’s a change of scenery and a good opportunity for them.”
Smith said his most important concern with the Johnsons is seeing them get a degree.
“I told them they have a real opportunity here,” Smith said. “They want to get into coaching and it’s like I told them, there are 350 schools just in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They can start out making more than $50,000 a year. Our job here is to get them graduated and a degree so they can make a life. They are starting to be mature men and understand how important getting a degree is so they can have a life.”
Smith did say that despite playing at a NAIA school, the twins will have opportunities.
“We get a lot of NFL scouts,” Smith said. “We are right on the way to Baylor and have scouts come in all the time. We had some in the spring and the twins got to meet those guys. It’s a good recruiting point for us. They will get a chance to show what they can do in front of some pro scouts. You just never know.”
