IW QA with Hazelwood East Coach Corey Johnson

IW: Let’s start with Brandon Williams. What do you see in his future at the next level?

Johnson: Well Brandon, just his quickness and his knowledge of the game…he’s just an electrifying player. He really makes big plays as far as his return ability also as a receiver and even as a defensive back. He’s just a big play kind of guy.

IW: Where do you see him fitting in at Wisconsin?

Johnson: Well I know he really wants to play receiver, but he can definitely play on both sides of the ball. He can be a pretty good defensive back or a pretty good receiver. I think either place where he lands, he should be able to contribute.

IW: What is it about his abilities that made him a top prospect?

Johnson: Well it’s his quickness and his ability to just make big plays.

IW: In both Brandon’s case, and with Tony Moss, do you think the history of your guys doing well here at Wisconsin made a big difference in their committing to the program?

Johnson: Definitely. When you’ve had Jamar Fletcher, and Terrell Fletcher, and a few other guys from St. Louis that have been able to go there and be successful…a St. Louis guy like Wendell Bryant. And then to have a guy that came in and started there as a true freshman, Scott Starks. These guys all grew up together. Actually, Brandon Williams and Scott Starks are best friends. They’ve been best friends for 10 or 15 years. So just having a buddy there that went there and was able to have success. Plus the track record of the Fletchers being there and a few other guys from our school being able to go there and have success, really makes it a comfortable fit.

IW: In Tony Moss’ case, he might have been a little lesser known amongst fans that follow recruiting. Is he a sleeper prospect?

Johnson: Tony kind of had the fortune and misfortune…he had the fortune to be able to learn from Scott Starks. And he had the misfortune of having to play behind Scott Starks for three years so nobody really knew how good he was because of the talent that Scott Starks had. But he was a great player and if he would have been any place else, he would have been the marquee guy. He was just playing behind Starks for three years. The thing with him is just his speed and his all-around play. The interesting thing with him is last year, Coach Cosgrove came in and saw Tony at a track meet. Never saw him play football before, and he said, `We’re going to get that kid.’ Just from the track record of athletes that have come out of Hazelwood East and when he saw how fast he was, he just said, `Hey, this is a kid that we want.’ That’s something that was really impressive on Wisconsin’s part.

IW: Where do you see him fitting in?

Johnson: As far as we know, he’ll be a running back. He’s a very good ball-carrier. He carries the ball with authority and he does a great job.

IW: Was his decision a difficult one, or did you see him going to Wisconsin all the way?

Johnson: Well he had a few other schools, but I think the thing with Wisconsin coming in and being the first ones and saying, `Hey, we believe in you. You’re going to be a good player,’ before they ever really saw him play. That really sits well with young men. And again, going back to the history there with the Fletchers, Wendell Bryant and Scott Starks and the few other guys that have come out of St. Louis and Hazelwood East that have gone there, really makes a positive impact.

IW: What’s been the secret to your success, churning out so many top Division I prospects at your school?

Johnson: I think part of it is just the area and the quality of football that we play in this area. The guys are exposed to a physical, fast-paced game and that’s blessed us, to put us in a situation on their behalf, when we do have some pretty good players, they are usually built in enough with their background and their fundamentals and their technique to go on and compete at the Big Ten level.

IW: Where are some of your other players headed?

Johnson: Darnell Ray is still committed to Illinois, George Love is going to Eastern Illinois, we have Brandon Massey and David Richard are going to Michigan State.

IW: Were you surprised at all at the impact Starks made last season? It’s pretty rare for a true freshman to start immediately.

Johnson: Well I wasn’t sure if he was going to get the opportunity, but his ability, there was just no question. His toughness and his speed, despite his size, and his smarts. He’s a very intelligent player. You put that with someone as fast as he is, and then with his quickness and with his toughness, it just makes for a good combination.

IW: Has the track record with how Wisconsin has treated players from your school, and your area, led you to kind of steer kids towards Wisconsin?

Johnson: Definitely. The first thing is, if we have a student-athlete that is of a Big Ten stature, they are usually one of the first ones in on the kid. And that in itself really says a lot, because they really do their homework and they get in early on the young men. That’s first off, then again, there’s been a history of guys going there and having a track record, and that’s really made a difference. Especially when you have two former players from our school that actually went to Wisconsin and were first-round draft picks, and then a third from the St. Louis this year with Wendell Bryant. That’s a combination that’s pretty tough to dispute.