Karter Johnson grew up in Big Ten country and could’ve stayed there. The Pickerington, Ohio native had offers from schools such as Michigan State, Nebraska, Minnesota and Indiana.
But something felt right about TCU and Johnson knew it once defensive line coach Zarnell Fitch made a formal offer.
“Coach Fitch didn’t offer just me, he made sure my mom was on the phone as well,” Johnson said. “That was the difference for me.”
Johnson’s mother, Kristina Newman, raised Karter and his younger brother, Elijah, in a single-parent home. It’s a close-knit family – Karter’s first name is spelled with a ‘K’ instead of a ‘C’ because his mom’s name starts with a ‘K’ – and TCU prides itself on being a family-like program.