Missouri's Johnathon Johnson bobbles a punt during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
COLUMBIA, MO. • On Josh Heupel’s call sheet, Missouri’s first play of the season was a 4-yard hitch to slot receiver Johnathon Johnson. It became much more.
Sixty-one yards and 16 seconds later, Johnson was in the end zone last Saturday, turning Drew Lock’s short pass into the first of 10 Mizzou touchdowns against Missouri State.
On the play, with a helpful block from wideout Dimetrios Mason, Johnson made good on the preseason buildup that surrounded his name for the last month — and showed why defenses could be conflicted on how to cover the 5-foot-10 threat for the next three months.