Best Penn State football players: Modern-era Mount Rushmore

Full disclosure, Larry Johnson doesn’t rank particularly high in the Penn State record books for his statistical production. The running back from the early 2000s only ranks eighth in career rushing yards (2,953) and is tied for just 10th in career rushing touchdowns (26). But when you think about the truly spectacular moments in the history of the Nittany Lions, Johnson provided one of the most memorable.

Johnson simply wasn’t used much in the first three years of his career. His career-high for carries in a season entering his senior season was just 75 while his career-high in rushing yards was only 358. But when he finally got the starting job in the 2002 season, the Nittany Lions had to be wondering why they didn’t start getting this guy the rock earlier in his tenure with Penn State.

As a senior, Johnson was just unstoppable. He rushed for 2,087 yards, a school single-season record, on 271 carries with 20 rushing touchdowns, which is the third-highest single-season total at Penn State. For good measure, he also added career-highs with 41 receptions for 349 yards and three touchdowns. It’s arguably the greatest individual season in school history.

After that season, Johnson finished third in the voting for the 2002 Heisman Trophy but got his share of hardware as he captured the Doak Walker Award and the Maxwell Award as well as being named a Consensus All-American. His spot is secure on this list for me but it would’ve been even more so had he gotten more opportunities earlier in his career.