BYU coach compares Avery Johnson to the likes of a certain big NFL star

Is Avery Johnson the new Lamar Jackson?

According to BYU's defensive ends and special teams coordinator Kelly Poppinga, Johnson plays a very similar style of game to the current NFL MVP and starting quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens, Lamar Jackson.

Jackson has taken over the NFL as one of the most mobile quarterbacks who is also known as one of the toughest to get down on the group for the play to end. As the league's reigning MVP from the 2023 season, Jackson had 3,768 passing yards and 24 touchdowns with just seven interceptions. On top of the passing stats, Jackson killed defenses on the ground with 821 rushing yards and five touchdowns accounting for the majority of Baltimore's rushing attack.

In a press conference before the matchup against Kansas State this weekend to begin Big 12 play, Poppinga was talking about the likes of Johnson and how he reminded him of Jackson.

"He’s a special athlete,” Poppinga said. “I was at the University of Virginia and played against Lamar Jackson two different times, and I feel like this guy’s as special of an athlete as that guy is.”

Jackson was even more lethal on the ground in college and it helped him to win a Heisman Trophy back in the 2016 season. With the experience Poppinga has facing Jackson, he might know what he is talking about.

Johnson was known for his electric running ability when Kansas State was targeting the Kansas native. The young sophomore, but freshman at the time, showed off his rushing abilities in the 2023 season, coming in for Howard from time to time and even playing in place for him when he was injured.

During the Texas Tech game in 2023, Johnson was given a lot of playing time due to an injury to Howard and he made the most of it. Johnson ran for 90 yards on 13 attempts and five touchdowns to help lead the Wildcats to victory.

In the NFL, Jackson is known for his scrambling ability upfield to get first downs and even touchdowns using his legs. Johnson is showing he can do the same, and in the game against Arizona in Week 3, head coach Chris Kileman finally let Johnson out of the gate.

Johnson ran for 110 yards on 17 attempts but wasn't able to find the end zone with his legs against Arizona. Now that Johnson has shown he can throw the ball effectively, working in the run even more, especially with the lethal rushing attack of running backs DJ Giddens and Dylan Edwards, opposing defenses are going to have to game plan even more against the Wildcats.

In Kansas State's matchup against BYU in Week 4, the Wildcats will have to let Johnson loose. The Cougars have done a great job stopping the running backs from getting their run game going, but when it comes to quarterbacks, they have given up four rushing touchdowns against opposing quarterbacks.

This could be the perfect game to completely let Johnson loose and let him take over the game with his legs. If the rest of the Big 12 can see what Johnson can fully do, they just might have to play defense differently, opening up other looks for the receivers and tight ends.