Top-rated DB recruit Patrick Johnson calls out Urban Meyer
January 19, 2008
By Mike Strom

LSU's top-rated football recruit, cornerback Patrick Johnson of Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach, Fla., said he still plans to join the Tigers even though he was unable to begin school this week as expected after his ACT score was flagged by the NCAA at the request of Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer.

Johnson, the nation's top-rated defensive back and No. 2 overall defensive prospect by Rivals.com, said he took the ACT again Thursday and is awaiting results in hope of registering for the spring semester by the deadline next Thursday.

"I'm still coming to LSU," Johnson said Friday via telephone from his Pompano Beach home. "(ACT officials) are trying to get me out and get everything cleared up. I was good to go regardless. I just had to take it again for the writing portion."

Johnson said he took the ACT three times before Thursday, scoring 22 in October after 16s on his first two.

Johnson said Florida had no problem with his academic eligibility when he first scored his ACT. It wasn't until after he decided to attend LSU that Urban Meyer had one of his assistant coaches contact the NCAA. ACT officials subsequently reviewed his test results at their request and "flagged" his October score.

"I'm not upset, Urban is" Johnson said. "Florida made an issue about the ACT score. They're cowards. He had to go behind my back when things didn't go his way. But that's OK. What goes around comes around. We play them this year (on Oct. 11 at Florida)."

Johnson, who committed to LSU on Jan. 5, had expected to arrive in Baton Rouge by Wednesday to begin taking classes and participate in spring practice with an eye toward earning a spot on the two-deep depth chart.

If Johnson does not meet Thursday's registration deadline, he still can sign with LSU on Feb. 6, national signing day, in anticipation of joining the Tigers in the fall.

"Everything is going to be cleared up," Johnson said.