The words sent Merrillville running back Jac’Quarious “JQ” Johnson to the weight room.
Johnson and Justin Marshall, a 2023 Merrillville graduate who is a running back at Colorado State, were teammates for just one season. But something Marshall said resonated with Johnson, who was a freshman at the time.
“He said that when he left, it’s the next man up,” Johnson said. “So I took that as motivation and worked my butt off all offseason in the weight room.”
That work made Johnson the lead running back as a sophomore last season, when the Pirates (10-3, 5-2) won a Class 5A regional title by beating Duneland Athletic Conference rival Valparaiso. He finished with 1,130 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns despite suffering an ankle injury that sidelined him briefly late in the regular season.
Merrillville coach Brad Seiss said the 5-foot-6, 190-pound Johnson’s strength is a key to his success.
“Even though he’s short in stature, he’s really powerful,” Seiss said. “He can hide behind linemen and has really good quickness in getting through the hole.”
Johnson, who can squat 520 pounds, made a strong impression early last season. His face lit up as he recalled his personal highlight, which came during the Pirates’ 31-12 win at home against Hobart in Week 2.
“It was senior night, and I broke a 55-yard touchdown run,” Johnson said. “That was my longest carry of the season.”
Seiss said Johnson could have more moments like that this season.
“He’s really improved his overall top-end speed,” Seiss said. “Maybe he’ll break a few longer runs this year too.”
But Johnson’s power remains his hallmark, according to senior defensive lineman Adam Camphor.
“It’s like trying to tackle a small boulder,” Camphor said. “He’s quick and shifty, and he’s strong. There are a lot of bigger people that you don’t think he’d move, but he’ll move them. It’s very hard to tackle him, especially if you’re a taller guy, because he’ll get underneath you and run you over.”
Football has been a staple of Johnson’s life since he was 9, when watching videos of NFL running back Marshawn Lynch sparked enough interest to get Johnson on a field in Mississippi for the first time.
Johnson, who lived in Mississippi until he was 14, moved to Indiana just before he started high school.
“I didn’t have any expectations for up here,” he said. “I just wanted to play ball. I was the new kid, and I didn’t have none of my friends up here. But I’ve made some friends, and they’re my brothers now.”
Those teammates have learned Johnson has boundless energy for football and can lift the mood at practice.
“He’s a very outgoing, happy guy,” Camphor said. “You know it’s going to be fun when JQ’s screaming with his high-pitched voice.”
Seiss also raved about Johnson’s work ethic since last season.
“He put on 15 or 20 pounds of really good weight,” Seiss said. “Last year he played between 175 and 180. Now he’s pushing almost 200 pounds. But he very much looks the same. He put the weight on in the right places.”
Johnson, who said practice sessions with sophomore running back Cameron Jordan and running backs coach Denzel Pierce improved his vision on the field, does have expectations these days. He wants to earn all-conference honors this season. But he knows he needs to make consistent progress to reach that goal.
“I just want to take it week by week with my team,” he said.
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.
