Roger Johnson (2004) - Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame

Roger Johnson

Induction:
2004
Class:
1994

Roger Johnson came to Marshall University from Lynchburg, Va., as a running back recruit, but Coach Jim Donnan and his staff quickly made the decision to move him to the defensive secondary that fall, a switch that gave the Thundering Herd its leading tackler of all time. As a free safety, Johnson went on to become the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year in 1991, receive all-league recognition the next three seasons and All-America honors as a junior and senior. Johnson helped Marshall advance to three NCAA Division I-AA national title games, winning the national championship in 1992, and also to win the school’s first outright Southern Conference title as a senior in 1994. Johnson intercepted nine passes in his career, but was most notable for his tackling ability – he made 115 tackles as a freshman, 139 as a sophomore, 161 as a junior and 133 as a senior; his 548 career tackles broke the previous record by 77 stops. Johnson was inducted into the Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.