Parkersburg High School offensive lineman Justin Johnson knew he wanted to be a Mountaineer from the beginning. After all, Johnson’s brother is Mountaineer left guard Josh Jenkins, and Johnson gave his verbal commitment to WVU in September, five months before National Signing Day.
Learning to accept a new coaching staff – including a new offensive line coach — was another story.
Like other Mountaineer commits, Johnson was worried he might not fit into Dana Holgorsen’s new offensive plan. But, according to Parkersburg head coach Dan Reeves that concern quickly left after speaking with safeties coach Steve Dunlap.
“Justin was concerned the last few weeks because WVU now had a different line coach,” Reeves said. “But coach Steve Dunlap did a great job of recruiting him.”
But with Jenkins at his side, there will at least be some familiarity for Johnson in Morgantown.
Johnson also has three brothers who played football at Ohio University, but it was West Virginia where Johnson felt most at home.
“Ohio called, but I don’t think there was any doubt Justin wanted to go to WVU,” Reeves remarked.
And it’s a good thing. Good in-state recruits are hard to come by for West Virginia, and Parkersburg now has the chance to make it two in a row.