East Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame
Football • 1972-73
Lion Hall of Fame coach Bobby Fox, the defensive coordinator of the 1972 ETSU NAIA National Championship football team, knew the 1972 "Blue Gang" defense would be a good group. When he and fellow Hall of Fame coach Ernest Hawkins were able to recruit LeRoy Johnson from Navarro College, it became a great one. Johnson may very well have been the difference between a mere LSC Championship and the NAIA National Championship.
The 6-foot-one, 240 pound Johnson made the big plays on the defensive line, nailing running backs for loss after loss and quarterbacks for sacks upon sacks. His stats included three fumble recoveries as the Lions posted a 10-2 record on their way to the championship. Johnson earned Second Team All-LSC honors in his junior year.
As a senior, Johnson added the position of linebacker to his resume, playing both on the defensive line and as a linebacker, again wreaking havoc on opposing offenses. He was named an NAIA Second Team All-American and an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American in 1973. In the same year, he was named the LSC Outstanding Lineman of the Year and was a First Team All-LSC selection. During the season, he recorded 41 tackles, one fumble recovery and four interceptions.
After graduating from ETSU with a degree in physical education, Johnson played in the Canadian Football League.
