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TAE JOHNSON

Tae Johnson has emerged as a force at safety, one of the best freshman defensive backs in the country. Johnson ties for the lead among all Power 4 freshman with four interceptions. He ranks tied for ninth among all Power 4 players in interceptions, ranking tied for 16th among all FBS players and tied for first among all freshmen. 

This season, in 10 games with eight starts, Johnson has posted four interceptions (including a pick-six), three pass breakups, 48 tackles and 0.5 TFL. He has also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. 

He was named to The Athletic Midseason All-Freshman Team, and was named the Walter Camp National FBS Defensive Player of the Week and the Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Week for his performance against No. 22 Pitt, in which he posted a pick-six, five tackles and a shared TFL.

Tae Johnson joins Isaiah Dunn to analyze his show-stopping pick-six vs Pitt

Game-by-Game:

  • at MIAMI (8/31): Saw playing time for the Irish…Recorded one solo tackle
  • TEXAS A&M (9/13): Saw playing time for the Irish… logged six solo tackles… broke up one pass… returned a blocked punt for a touchdown
  • PURDUE (9/20): Made first career start at safety… tallied two solo tackles in the win
  • at ARKANSAS (9/27): Started at safety for the Irish… recorded five tackles – four solo and one assisted… broke up one pass
  • BOISE STATE (10/4): Started at safety for the Irish… notched five tackles – two solo and three assisted… recorded first-career interception late in the second quarter
  • NC STATE (10/11): Started at safety… led the team with seven tackles – four solo and three assisted
  • USC (10/18): Started at safety for the Irish… recorded a career-high eight tackles – five solo and three assisted
  • AT BOSTON COLLEGE (11/1): Started at safety… caught a career-high two interceptions… first interception came in the second quarter while his second interception sealed the win late in the fourth quarter… recorded five tackles – four solo and one assisted… also broke up one pass
  • NAVY (11/9): Started at safety for the Irish… totaled 4 solo tackles
  • at PITTSBURGH (11/15): Started at defensive back… recorded five tackles – three solo and two assisted… tallied first-career half of a tackle for loss… returned an interception for 49 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, his first-career pick-six, to put Notre Dame up 14