Dartangan Johnson

History is Dartangan Johnson’s favorite subject, but the most

pivotal decision of his sterling football career was a clear case of

doing the math.

A receiver throughout his flag football days, Johnson spent most

of his debut Pop Warner season as an eighth-grader at the peripheral

position, where touching the ball five or six times a game is about

all one could ask. But a coach noticed something, followed his hunch

and shifted Johnson to running back.

The rest may soon be history, as the Newport Harbor High senior

closes in on the school’s career rushing record. But let’s get back

to that math.

“When I was younger, I always played receiver and that was the

position I thought I wanted to play,” Johnson said. “But I’m very

happy to be a running back. I thank (the Pop Warner Coach) for moving

me. Touching the ball 30 times a game is a lot better than five or

six.”

Ah, there’s the head for figures, which one might also require to

decipher the 6-foot, 195-pounder’s production the last two seasons.

Since taking over as the Sailors’ starting tailback, Johnson has

compiled at least 100 rushing yards in 12 of his 18 starts on his way

to 2,452 career rushing yards. With five regular-season games left,

and the strong likelihood of more in the CIF Southern Section

Division VI Playoffs, he is only 249 shy of breaking the record

established by Steve Brazas in 1982-83.

Johnson maximized his two quarters of duty in Newport Harbor’s

49-12 nonleague win Oct. 10 over Paramount, carrying 16 times for 101 yards and five touchdowns.

It was the Daily Pilot Player of the Week’s second five-touchdown

game of his career and upped his career TD total to 24.

“It’s what I shoot for every time I get the ball,” Johnson said of

his quest for the end zone. “Why not score five times if you can?”

The five TDs, two more than the total he had scored in the

Sailors’ first four games, continued a recent return to prominence

for Johnson, who struggled to find running room the first two games,

behind an offensive line still rounding into form.

“He’s running the ball really well,” Newport Harbor Coach Jeff

Brinkley said.

“He came in with some high expectations,” continued Brinkley, “but

we didn’t do a very good job of getting him into space the first two

games (81 yards on combined 25 carries against Trabuco Hills and

Marina). Our line didn’t open the holes it needed to open for him,

but the offensive line has really improved and Dartangan seems to be

back in a groove.”

Johnson, whom Brinkley describes as a slasher, ran for 144 yards

against Corona del Mar, then reeled off 121 more against Dana Hills.

Against Paramount, he had scoring runs of 1, 14, 5, 1, and 7

yards, before taking the second half off with the game well in hand.

Time off has been hard to come by for this season for Johnson, who

also has a job on defense, starting at free safety.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Johnson said of the double duty, “it’s just a

lot more wear and tear on the legs. I have to make sure I’m hydrated,

so I don’t cramp up (as happened the first two games).

“Those first couple games, I don’t think I knew what I was in

for.”

Drinking more fluids is hardly the only step Johnson has taken to

prepare for more physical pounding this fall. He added 15 pounds of

muscle in the weight room after his impressive junior campaign and

also worked hard to improve his quickness.

“I worked a lot on my footwork,” Johnson said. “I jumped a lot of

rope and did a lot of agility drills. I stayed after summer workouts

to run some extra cones (a drill to improve lateral movement,

stopping and starting and quickness).”

Though not exceptionally fast, Johnson gets results by bursting

through holes and using his surprising power to punish tacklers as he

finishes runs.

“He hits the hole pretty good,” Brinkley said. “And he’ll hit ya.”

Last year’s Newport-Mesa Offensive Player of the Year said playing

defense has helped him understand the dynamics of the contact that is

inevitable for any ball carrier.

“I’ve got to take tacklers on and deliver a blow,” Johnson said.

“If I let them hit me, I’m going to get the short end of the

stick.”

Though admirably humble and always quick to credit his offensive

linemen for his success, Johnson is both aware and appreciative of

his growing place in Harbor’s storied 72-season football history.

“I never thought I’d be breaking any records when I first came to

this school,” Johnson said. “There have been so many good running

backs here and the record has been around for a while. I don’t think

about the record when I’m on the field, but I am aware of it.”