The 6-foot-3 Johnson, who took over at quarterback for the Salisbury Hornets in Game 2 of this season, didn’t play last year, wasn’t expected to line up under center and wasn’t thought of as a threat.

But he is playing, he is the quarterback and after a 30-13 loss to Concord last Friday, is definitely one of coach Raymond Daugherty’s top go-to guys.

That’s pretty good for someone who stunned Daugherty with his savvy and confidence at a new position.

“I didn’t know he could play football,” Daugherty admitted Tuesday while preparing for the Hornets’ game at South Rowan this week. “We were going to try him at tight end. But we didn’t realize how well he could throw. He has been a pleasant surprise.”

It was that first hit of the year, against Albemarle, that surprised Johnson, who did play the sport as a freshman and sophomore but sat out last season due to a basketball injury.

“My teammates had warned me, ‘You go out there after a year and a half, that first hit is going to be hard,’” Johnson laughed. “And it was. But after that first one, I felt like I had been out there four years.”

He shrugged off the blast from the Bulldogs and completed his first pass. He finished 6-of-14 for 61 yards in the 42-0 loss.

“When I completed that first one, I looked at the line and said, ‘Hey, I did it!’ I was much more comfortable after that.”

While the Albemarle game was a learning experience, last week’s test at Concord was his coming-out party. He hit receivers nine times, totaling 113 yards, including one 47-yarder to another Johnson — Justin. He even scored on a 19-yard run.

Daugherty saw several things that impressed him.

“Once, he realized the time clock was running out and he called a timeout,” Daugherty said. “On his touchdown run, he got close to the goal and put both hands on the football. That’s something that’s hard to teach and he did it naturally.”

n

Johnson didn’t play in the season opener, a 53-0 pasting by West Rowan. He had just returned home from a basketball tour in Europe with a select group of players and hadn’t practiced the required 11 days.

“It hurt me so bad,” he said.

He watched Justin Johnson quarterback the team that night but in practice the following week, Daugherty gave him a chance under center.

“It was a one-day thing,” Johnson said. “The only other time I had played quarterback was in middle school. I had one quarterback sneak and that was it.”

The move to quarterback has not only helped the team, but helped Justin Johnson as well.

“Justin can do anything,” Daugherty said. “He can play a lot of other positions that we couldn’t use Terry. Against Concord, Justin played both (receiver) slots, running back, kick returner ... he did everything but carry water into the ballgame.”

Justin also proved to be a team player and didn’t sulk when he gave up his spot.

“Justin has really helped me out,” said Terry. “He shows me step by step what I’m supposed to do. He has been with me the whole time and has given me confidence.”

n

Confidence is something no one thinks Salisbury has after being outscored 129-13 in three games. But it is there, especially from the coach and his QB.

“We’re 0-3 but we’re still having fun,” Johnson said. “We’re on a mission. Everybody decided this was the week to buckle down and get things rolling.”

Daugherty likes to hear that kind of talk, especially considering the opponent. And not because South is also 0-3.

Daugherty has plenty of South Rowan red in his blood. He lives a mile from South. He has taught there. And his son, Lee, a player at Lenoir-Rhyne, is a former Raider.

“I know who he better be pulling for,” chuckled Daugherty. “As a matter of fact, Lenoir-Rhyne has an open date and my son and his roommate will be there. And they’ll be on MY sideline.”

Salisbury is excited.

“Our biggest problem is from ear to ear,” he said. “Had our young men been used to winning, we’d have come home with a victory last Friday.”

This week, he envisions an even-better performance from his kids and he looks straight at his quarterback as a big reason why.

“I try to be a leader as a senior,” Johnson said. “I want to take the role of leading everybody in the right way and keeping everybody in the right mind.”

“Terry’s second game, he did 200 percent better,” Daugherty said. “And I’m certain he’ll get better yet.”