Patrick Johnson (wide Receiver) - Collegiate

Collegiate

Johnson attended the University of Oregon where he was not only a member of their college football team but also of their track team.

As a collegiate sprinter at Oregon, he was one of the top sprinters in the nation defeating the legendary Carl Lewis in a 100 m race at the Drake Relays and winning the Pac-10 Championships in the 400 m as a freshman. Johnson was also a two time NCAA All-America in the 100–200 meters in his only full season of competition on the track. Johnson was the pre-season favorite to win the NCAA 400m in his sophomore season and preseason pick to make the Olympic team that summer in 1996. Due to over-training early in the season, Johnson unfortunately had to watch the NCAA Championships from the grandstands that season from his home track, historic Hayward Field. Johnson respectively lost his defense of the Pac-10 400 meter title in 1996 placing second running the race at 80%. Citing the emotional toll of 1996 and the disappointment of missing the Olympics in his home state of Georgia, Johnson quit the team and never stepped on the track again for the Ducks.

Johnson was wingback and halfback in high school, but was converted to wide receiver at the University of Oregon. He was a part of arguably the most critical era in the rebuilding and emergence of the Oregon football program (1994-1997). Johnson managed to start in 8 contests during Oregon's Rose Bowl campaign in 1994, notching a then freshman record 30 receptions which has since been broken. The Ducks also had appearances in the Cotton and Las Vegas Bowls respectively, where Johnson was the offensive MVP in the latter blowout victory over the Air Force Academy.

Johnson was second team All Pac-10 wide receiver; All-Pac-10 as well as an All-American return specialist during his collegiate career. Johnson credits much of his development as a wide receiver to the early tutelage of former Oregon standout wide receiver Cristin McLemore.