Ranking the 10 best small school college football RBs of all time
By Zach Bigalke
Ian Johnson will always be best remembered for his part in Boise State’s landmark 2007 Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma. Johnson ran in the winning two-point conversion on the Statue of Liberty play. Then he went to his girlfriend, Boise State head cheerleader Chrissy Popadics, and proposed amidst the postgame celebration.
What people forget about that game is that Johnson rushed for 101 tough yards and a touchdown against the Sooner defense. He put together a complete game, not just a highlight finish. And because that moment came during his sophomore season, the question was how he would follow up such a resounding performance.
Ultimately, a collapsed lung prevented Johnson from playing every game in 2006 and derailed his Heisman candidacy. Unable to recreate the magic of his sophomore campaign, Johnson nevertheless developed into an effective pass catcher out of the backfield and posted another 1,000-yard season as a junior. He never made it on to the active roster of any NFL teams after spending a few years bouncing around practice squads.