The Orlando Sentinel reported over the weekend that former Miami running back Storm Johnson would be visiting UCF on Wednesday of this week.
While that trip will still go off, it will apparently happen a day later than initially reported.
A source with knowledge of the situation told ESPN‘s Bruce Feldman that Johnson will head to the Knights on an official visit Thursday. The Loganville, Ga., product is expected to stay on the campus through Saturday.
If Johnson ends up at UCF, or any other Div. 1-A school for that matter, he’d be forced to sit out the 2011 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules. He would have three years of eligibility remaining.
It had been reported in March that Johnson, along with five of his teammates,would be suspended for the Hurricanes’ season opener. A month later, it was reported that Johnson was involved in an incident that allegedly that included police officers and non-legal herb, not necessarily in that order.
Following those reports, it had been rumored that Johnson could be facing a multiple-game suspension for being a repeat violator of team rules, although the school never confirmed the initial suspension much less rumors that involved multiple contests being missed.
That’s not all, either. Things have reportedly gotten testy between Johnson and his former coach Al Golden since Johnson’s decision to leave. Speaking to the Miami Herald, Storm’s father, Wesley Johnson, channeled his inner Larry James and threw out the dreaded “s” word.
“It’s modern-day slavery,” the elder Johnson said. “Any [Football Subdivision] school within six hours of his [Georgia] home has been blocked. UM should be ashamed for doing this to an 18-year-old. If you feel he’s a third-string back, why would you block him? I can respect ACC schools being on the list, but why Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee? Storm and Al Golden didn’t see eye-to-eye. Storm didn’t approve of the military style he was being coached. He didn’t hurt anybody. He did nothing but transfer.”
The slavery comparisons are inaccurate, and honestly, downright childish. Thus, they’re easy to disregard. Still, it doesn’t make a whole helluva lot of sense that a coach to go anywhere he desires, yet a player cannot.
Okay, rant over.
Johnson, who exited spring practice No. 3 on the depth chart, played in 10 games as a freshman in 2010, rushing for 119 yards on just nine carries. Johnson came to the ‘Canes as a touted four-star recruit and was the No. 7 RB in the country according to Rivals.com.