Purdue Football - "What Can Go Bad Does Go Bad"

Purdue's football season was summed up in one sentence by Purdue offensive coordinator Graham Harrell after practice on a cold, dreary Tuesday late morning.

"Really frustrating to be honest with you," he started off before hitting us with an honest assessment of his team's season. "What can go bad does go bad it feels like."

It hasn't just been a feel. Eight games into the season, Purdue has just two wins, and though Ryan Walters hire was met with energy and excitement, the season's struggles have created harsh realities about a roster that was going to struggle if things had gone exactly right against a schedule this difficult.

All has not gone according to plan, and now Purdue heads to Ann Arbor with a quarterback that needs to find confidence in himself, his team, and quickly because he's about to face the best defense in the country on the road and a team that's season-high scored against is just 10 points.

Part of that confidence will be placed on the shoulders of a Kent State transfer from Canada who is finally healthy enough to get on the field again.

For offensive tackle, Daniel Johnson, the frustration of the on field performance of his team hasn't gotten to his mood. He's just happy to be on the field at all.

Johnson transferred before last season to Purdue from Kent State where he was recruited, in part, as a tight end. His first season with Purdue didn't go to plan.

"It's a long one," Johnson said about his injury history. "Tore my ACL, think the begging of week six last year." Since then, Johnson's attitude has never wavered according to offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, but his knee has. He'd have good days, and then days where it'd swell after a practice.

Though he's remained positive, his outlook on the injuries is a fair one.

"You know, being hurt," he says before repeating it. "Being hurt sucks. It's just part of it. Part of the sport."

Johnson has been back out on the field for Purdue and will start for Purdue at tackle against an imposing Michigan front. Though he's not paying attention to the name on the jerseys with where Purdue is on the season.

"Everyone knows where we're at," Johnson said after Tuesday practice. "We're just trying to hunt out for heads. We're trying to get a win, doesn't matter who it is."

Johnson has had an unusual journey to West Lafayette. One that's seemed to provide him perspective as Purdue struggles through a 2-6 start to the season. Johnson was born in Nairobi, Kenya before immigrating to Ontario where he was one of three brothers.

The athletic trio weren't initially drawn to football.

"We grew up as basketball players," Johnson said. "We didn't know much. We just knew that we were all athletic. Being immigrants in Canada, everybody's just trying to figure it out. Our families were trying to figure it out. Coaches at school were like 'let's play football' and we're just like 'ah we're cool with basketball.' But the better we got at it the more we started to love and enjoy it."

Though one brother stuck with basketball and is playing it professionally, the other is currently playing for the CFL. Johnson's career could end up taking a similar path, but he's not thinking about that yet.

"It's bittersweet," Johnson said about his final year of college.

Johnson's evolution as a player has grown with his appreciation of the sport and the position he plays. Asked if he'd asked Harrell about drawing up a play for him to catch the ball, harking back to his tight end days, he said he hadn't.

"No, them days are over," he said with a laugh. "I'm loving the tackle position now. It's an art. When I was young I didn't really see it as an art. But the older I got, the more athletically mature I got, I started to love it and enjoy it."

Johnson will be part of Purdue's re-created offensive line, one that hasn't had the luck or time to gel fully yet. He'll play a key part in protecting Hudson Card, and helping try to bring back the Spoilermakers moniker of seasons past.