FORT COLLINS — Gartrell Johnson never flinches when a linebacker bears down on him.The Colorado State running back just lowers his shoulder and dishes out punishment.
However, ask “the question” of the senior Johnson and he goes into full retreat.
“Oh, no. Stay away from that,” said the normally amiable Ram, who is 71 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard rushing season.
“That” is an obscure statistic compiled by sports information director Zak Gilbert. Since losing two fumbles in a 56-24 disaster at Minnesota in 2005, Johnson has touched the ball 535 times without a bobble. Gilbert dug up that fact for NFL scouts.
CSU coach Steve Fairchild, who brought all of his NFL superstitions back to the college game, was flustered by the mere mention of Johnson’s streak at his weekly news conference.
“You had to do it. Why are we even bringing this up?” Fairchild said, adding: “He’s gotten stronger. He’s a confident guy. He’s impressed me with his toughness. He’s not the fastest guy in the world, but he can run better than people think.”
Johnson transformed himself from a consistent short-yardage back as a sophomore and the first half of his junior season into a breakaway threat. He goes into his final home game Saturday against New Mexico with mixed emotions, hoping to keep the Rams on track for bowl eligibility while wondering where all the time went.
“It’s going to be a very emotional day,” Johnson said. “I’ve been blessed going from not starting, not playing, to being at the top of my career.”
He credits Kyle Bell for the push over the top, saying, “Kyle works harder than anyone I’ve ever met.”
Bell has accepted his role as Johnson’s backup. Also a fumble-free back, Bell isn’t as superstitious as Johnson.
“We had to work on it. It’s not something you could run away from or avoid,” Bell said. “We accepted the challenge. That’s why we’re so successful with ball security.”
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
