Johnson's 'D' chasing Gamecocks' best ever

COLUMBIA — Looking for storylines for South Carolina's game this afternoon against Arkansas? Best bet is to start with the Gamecocks' first-year defensive coordinator. Seems like Ellis Johnson's in the middle of most everything for this one.

It's Johnson's defense that's trying to erase dreadful memories of giving up more than a quarter-mile of yardage last season at Arkansas.

It's Johnson's defense this year — the one that's ranked No. 3 in the country — that's chasing down the legacies of USC's best defenses of all time.

And, perhaps most interestingly, it's Johnson that was employed by

Arkansas this calendar year — for 20 days.

In one of the more bizarre offseason coaching sagas in recent memory, Johnson left Mississippi State for Bobby Petrino's new staff at Arkansas — only to come home to South Carolina when Steve Spurrier saw short-timer Brian VanGorder go back to the NFL after a two-week pit stop.

"It was surreal when (Spurrier) called," Johnson said. "We bought a house. We were in Arkansas. In 34 years, I've never been through an experience like that."

Petrino was called a bunch of derogatory names after he left the Atlanta Falcons midseason for Arkansas. But Johnson respects his professionalism in that awkward moment.

"You spend two weeks with a coaching staff, and it's like you're brothers. You're in that frying pan together," Johnson said. "I can't say I wish the whole thing had never happened, but I regret the way everything happened in some ways. It's a great place. He handled it the right way when I exited. It was difficult, difficult for me."

Petrino joked (sort of) this week that it's not as if he let Johnson leave the offices with an Arkansas playbook.

"Yeah, it's a little bit odd," Petrino said. "It's not going to be a big difference in our preparation or anything. He was here for a cup of coffee and a doughnut.

"He had a chance to go home and be in a place where he grew up and where his wife's family is from. Certainly, it's something that I understood. It's a place he feels like he has an opportunity to retire. It's worked out good for he and his family."

Now, back to that first story line. Some have wondered: If Johnson were in charge, would USC have surrendered 651 total yards (542 rushing, 321 by Darren McFadden)?

It's a question without a real answer. Even the defense's leaders are divided as to what happened that day.

Some aren't quick to credit Arkansas.

"It wasn't plays they just killed us on," linebacker Eric Norwood said. "We beat ourselves. It was us."

Jasper Brinkley was out with a knee injury. But he doesn't think his health played a part in that evening for McFadden and Felix Jones (165 yards, three TDs).

"No, I don't think I would've made a difference. There was no stopping them that day. They were on," Brinkley said. "They're two (NFL) first-rounders. That pretty much says it for itself, what kind of athletes they are. They're some of the best running backs I've ever played against. They ripped us up pretty good."

But Brinkley and Norwood both agree on one thing: It was an embarrassment.

And it might've been the single day that caused Spurrier to decide a change was needed at defensive coordinator. He insists he didn't plan to fire Tyrone Nix, but a demotion was certainly a possibility.

Enter Johnson.

"I didn't know what to expect," Johnson said. "I knew we had pretty good players, potentially. ... I knew we could be good, but I didn't know how the players were going to be, actually. I didn't know how good some of them were."

Using a new 4-2-5 scheme, some are beginning to compare the 2008 defense with the 1984 ("Fire Ants") and 1987 ("Black Death") defenses.

Johnson remembers those units. The Winnsboro native, who later became The Citadel's head coach, was in the state working as a high school coach. He saw what coach Joe Morrison and coordinator Joe Lee Dunn were doing at USC.

"They were probably a little faster and gambled maybe a lot more, made big plays and that kind of thing," Johnson said. "Now, I don't know if they were as strong and as physical as we are."

One thing Johnson has instilled is assignment-centered football. There's far less play-to-play freelancing, Brinkley has said this season.

Another thing: Not saying it was wholly this way in the past, but there's less individualism going on with the defensive 11.

"All of that stuff has cleared out of here. We've got all 11 guys on the same page," Brinkley said. "There's no 'me' guys on the defense. That makes the defense a whole lot better. Guys are boosting each other up, giving confidence to other guys on the field."

Spurrier said Jan. 24, the day Johnson was hired, that everything worked out for the best. Well, maybe not for everyone involved.

"At the end of the day, hopefully everyone's happy," he said then. "Well, Arkansas may not be too happy right now."

And the Hogs (4-5, 1-4) still can't be altogether thrilled, as they endure some growing pains — especially on defense.

Arkansas is last in the league in scoring defense (31 points a game), rushing defense (170 yards a game) and total defense (378 yards a game).

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the South Carolina blog at www.charleston.net/blogs/gamecocks.