This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Less than a week into his head coaching tenure, Matt Wells has gotten his first new recruit.
Karris Johnson, a 6-foot running back out of California High School in San Ramon, Calif., callled Wells over the weekend to let him know he's an Aggie. And yes, he's aware that Gary Andersen is in Wisconsin.
"As long as Coach Wells is there, I think it's going to be a good place for me," Johnson said. "I thought Utah State was the best school that had offered, and I'm excited."
Those offers include Cal Poly, UNLV, Idaho and Colorado State.
As a senior at California High, Johnson rushed for 1300 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. His highlight tape, above cut by Under The Radar, shows his propensity for breaking big runs. His listed 40 time is 4.51, and he has some athletic tradition in his family: His father played basketball at St. Mary's.
Johnson has gotten an eyeful of Robert Turbin and Kerwynn Williams in the last two years, and said he's interested in becoming part of the growing running back tradition at Utah State. And he's cultivated a good relationship with Wells, in particular.
"He relates well to the players, being a younger guy," Johnson said. "I know he wants to mix it up with the run and the pass, and I think he sees how I fit into that."
Johnson joins a recruiting class that has so far been held intact since Andersen's departure, and he's the first running back in the class. Utah State has a number of young running backs on its roster already, but obviously graduates a great talent this year in Williams.
— Kyle Goon
Twitter: @kylegoon