When the 2014 Morgan State football team won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and made its first NCAA playoff appearance in 35 years, Orlando Johnson was the Bears' primary kickoff returner. With Herb Walker Jr. rushing for a school-record 1,408 yards, Johnson didn't get many opportunities in the Bears' offensive backfield that season.
When eligibility issues sidelined Walker for the 2015 campaign, the Bears turned to Johnson as their lead running back. Johnson maximized his opportunity, leading Morgan State with 583 yards rushing and six touchdowns. The native of Memphis, Tenn., caught 19 passes and averaged 19.8 yards on nine kickoff returns.
He also took quite a pounding. At 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, Johnson is the Bears' smallest player. With Walker's return to the team this season, Johnson won't be asked to shoulder as much of the offensive load. But his versatility will still be a key part of the offensive game plan for Morgan State, which begins its 2016 season against Holy Cross at Hughes Stadium Sept. 3.
