UM's Johnson named to Payton Award list

To no one’s surprise, University of Montana senior quarterback Jordan Johnson will start the 2014 Football Championship Subdivision season as a Walter Payton Award candidate.

Johnson was one of 20 players named to the Sports Network Payton Watch List Monday afternoon. The Payton Award is given each year to the top player in the FCS.

Johnson, a 6-1, 195-pound senior from Eugene, Oregon, will be starting for his third season in 2014. His record as a starter is 20-6, while his 20 career victories tie him for the sixth most in school history with Craig Ochs (2003-04). Johnson will serve as a co-captain on offense this season with senior running back Jordan Canada.

“It's pretty special to be on the Payton Award list," Johnson said in a UM football press release. “It's a great honor. I feel like it's not just me, but the whole Montana team and offense that has been put in this spotlight. I am so thankful to have the teammates that I've had, and the coaches that I've had who put me in a position to be honored like this.

"It was definitely a good feeling, but also, this off-season I feel like we have a ton of unfinished business, and we didn't necessarily get as far as we would have liked last year," said Johnson. "I think that's been some added motivation to the guys coming back. We had a bad taste in our mouths for sure from last season."

Last season, Johnson passed for 3,387 yards and 32 touchdowns, with just five interceptions. His passing yards and scoring throws are the fifth and fourth (tie) highest totals in UM's single-season history. Johnson was ranked second in the Big Sky Conference and ninth in the FCS in passing efficiency (154.7) a year ago. He was fourth in the league and 21st in the nation in total offense, averaging 271.9 yards a game. Johnson was ranked among the top 20 in the FCS in several other categories as well, including: fourth in passing yards per completion (15.40); sixth in passing touchdowns (32); 11th in total passing yards (3,387); and 15th in points responsible for (192). He earned Third-Team All-Big Sky honors in 2013.

Fellow Big Sky stars Vernon Adams (QB) and Cooper Kupp (WR) of Eastern Washington were also named to the Payton Watch List. Adams finished second to Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garappolo in the Payton Award voting a season ago. The last, and only Grizzly to win the Payton Award was legendary quarterback Dave Dickenson in 1995.

Johnson and the Grizzlies open the 2014 season with a trip to FBS Wyoming Aug. 30.