Marino's Take:
The Running Backs  2006: Had a team-best 972 all-purpose yards (314 rushing, 176 receiving and 482 kickoff return) after successfully bouncing back from off-season neck surgery that forced him to miss spring practice ... Played in 12 games and made five starts (Navy, UAB, Memphis, West Virginia and USF) ... Selected to the All-Conference USA (first-team) squads as a kick return specialist ... Ranked fourth among all C-USA kick returners average (23.0) and stood 43rd nationally ... Named C-USA Special Teams Player-of the-Week (10/30) for efforts against Southern Miss that included a career-best 96-yard kickoff return for a TD... Set a new school record for receiving yards by a running back (768) with his 15-yard grab against N.C. State in the first quarter ... Led team in kick return yards (482) ... Recorded at least one reception in nine of 12 games played ... Posted only 100-yard rushing effort of the year against Memphis (106) ... Scored four touchdowns (Navy/1, Memphis/2 and Rice/1) ... Season-long rush of 43 yards came against Rice ... Led team in rushing four times ... Had 18-game consecutive start streak snapped due to toe injury (Virginia).
2005: Started all 11 games at the tailback slot ... Topped team in rushing with 684 yards on 176 carries (3.9 ypc) while scoring six ground TDs ...Second on unit in receiving with 35 catches (356 yards/10.2 ypr) ... On the other end of two scoring passes (Rice, Memphis) ... Racked up 459 kickoff return yards on 21 bring-backs ... Team leader in all-purpose yards with 1,499 (136.3 ypg) ... Established a new ECU career record for most receptions by running back (67) ... Authored a team-high total of eight "big plays" (20+ yards) - five rushing and three receiving ... Recipient of team's Janet Overton Decal Award (45).
2004: Enjoyed high-impact true freshman season, playing in all 11 games while making seven starts (Wake Forest, Louisville, Tulane, Southern Miss, USF, Memphis and N.C. State) ... Selected to the Conference USA All-Freshman squad as a running back and kickoff return specialist ... Chosen as program's "Outstanding Newcomer-of-the-Year" ... Led the Pirates in rushing yards (561), kickoff return yards (765) and all-purpose yards (1,562) ... Ranked 74th in KOR and 24th in all-purpose yards (nationally) ... Also recorded team-highs with 134 carries (4.2 ypc) and rushing touchdowns (two vs. Tulane, one each against Wake Forest, Army and Memphis) ... Averaged 20.7 yards per kickoff return (37 attempts) ... Set a total of eight ECU freshman single game or single-season records ... Ranked as ECU's second-leading receiver with 32 catches for 236 yards (7.4 ypc, 21.5 ypg) ... On receiving end of two scoring tosses (Southern Miss and USF).
High School: Rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a junior ... Scored eight touchdowns during senior year despite missing four games ... Recorded prep power numbers of 265 (clean-lift) and 315 (bench-press) ... Timed at 10.62 in the 100-meter sprint ... Ran anchor leg on fastest 4x100 relay team in the nation and won Golden South and Golden West national titles in track.
Personal: Full name is Christopher Duan Johnson ... Born September 23, 1985 at Orlando, Fla. ... Major is communications. |