For Immediate Release
January 9, 2012
Courtesy of the Boston Globe, Written by Marvin Pave
Bryant Johnson has not thrown a pitch in competition in nearly five years. But with his record-setting career quarterbacking the Bentley University football program now complete, the former three-sport captain at Milford High will take the pitcher’s mound for the Falcons this spring.
Next Thursday night at the Waltham Westin Hotel, Johnson will receive the 66th annual Nils V. Swede Nelson Award from the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston at its annual college football awards night. Four days later, the graduate student will begin preseason workouts with the baseball team.
“When I chose Bentley I planned on playing football and baseball,’’ said the 6-foot-1, 205-pound southpaw, who has not played organized baseball since suiting up for Milford’s American Legion Post 59 team the summer after his freshman year in college.
“But it was too much of a time commitment to also play baseball, and that’s a void I wanted to fill before I left college,’’ he said.
The Gridiron Club will also honor its head coaches of the year at Thursday’s awards dinner: Harvard coach Tim Murphy of Wayland for the Bowl/Championship divisions, and Framingham State head coach Tom Kelley of Milford for Divisions 2-3.
Johnson is the Division 2-3 recipient of the club’s Nelson Award, which is based on exceptional achievement in sportsmanship, academics, and athletics.
“It’s a great honor, one I didn’t expect, and it’s a privilege to be selected because there are so many great players in Divisions 2 and 3,’’ said Johnson, who started for the Falcons for three and a half seasons.
Last fall, Johnson completed a school-record 65.9 percent of his passes for the second straight year, directing Bentley to a 6-4 mark while throwing for 2,418 yards and 26 touchdown passes. He was a second-team Northeast-10 Conference pick, and was also selected to the Capital One All-District Team for Super Region 1.
He ranks second in program history in total offense (8,189 yards), touchdown passes (66) and completions (656), and his .613 completion percentage is a school record.
“Bryant could have played at a higher level or he could have been a heck of a baseball player had he chosen,’’ said Bentley’s football coach, Thom Boerman. “But he came to play football for us and we enjoyed a lot of success because of it.
“He got better and better each season, and I think he would make an excellent football coach if he chooses.’’
Johnson graduated in May with a 3.39 grade-point average, and is working on a master’s degree in accounting and financial planning. Next fall, he hopes he has the time to volunteer on Boerman’s staff while he completes his graduate work.
This spring, he will be a welcome addition on the diamond for coachBob DeFelice.
“Bryant has thrown the baseball pretty well so far, and he still has that strong arm,’’ said DeFelice. “But most important to me are the intangibles he’ll bring to our team - leadership, substance, competitiveness, and poise. So his not having pitched in five years doesn’t concern me.’’
Johnson said he was approached by a few of the baseball players about playing again, and shortly after the football season ended he started working out with the team. The southpaw said his years throwing a football have made his arm even stronger in his return to the mound.
