Damaris has rejoined a former teammate, former TU receiver Bryan Burnham, with the BC Lions. Story from The Province...
B.C. Lions have signed the former University of Tulsa receiver to their practice roster.
As a Golden Hurricane, at the University of Tulsa, Damaris Johnson blew up a storm of yards — rushing, returning, receiving.
“He was The Guy,” says former college teammate Bryan Burnham. “He was one of those guys where you just had to get the ball in his hands. And something would happen with it.”
Burnham, the third-year CFL receiver, entered Tulsa in the same freshman class as Johnson and was reunited with the five-foot-seven lightning bug from Louisiana when the B.C. Lions added him to their practice roster on Saturday.
Johnson and defensive back Anthony Gaitor are seen as roster reinforcements for the loss of slotback Nick Moore and halfback T.J. Lee, both of whom suffered major injuries in B.C.’s 40-27 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 16. Lee had surgery last Tuesday for a ruptured Achilles. Moore is to undergo surgery for a torn ACL this Tuesday.
More of a recall than a fresh signing, Gaitor impressed the Lions early in training camp, but he was sent home after being sidelined with a hamstring injury. While Geraldo Boldewijn is slated to replace Moore at a starting receiver position, head coach Wally Buono looks at Johnson as a depth player who could fill in as a receiver or a returner.
“Right now, if (primary returner) Chris Rainey was injured, we don’t really have anybody,” Buono said. “Johnson has some pretty good credentials.”
Most recently with the Tennessee Titans for OTAs in May, Johnson has 52 career receptions for 601 yards and a touchdown, playing as a wide receiver in the National Football League. As rookie in 2012 with the Philadelphia Eagles, he returned a punt 98 yards for a touchdown, the most impressive of a career total of 70 punt and kick returns in the NFL.
“I played four seasons in the NFL (Philadelphia, Houston, New England, Tennessee),” explained Johnson, who is 26. “But I don’t believe anything should be given to you, just because you’re coming from the NFL. These guys are out here busting their butts. I just want to show I can work hard to earn a spot. I didn’t expect anything more (than being placed on the practice roster) when I came here.”
As a fifth-year NFL player, Johnson would be entitled to a minimum salary of $760,000 US, plus bonuses, a reason, he believes, the Titans let him go. Many NFL vets like him get pushed onto the chopping block by younger and cheaper help.
“I just feel I have a lot of years left in me,” he said. “I want to go out with a bang, knowing I can still play this game. If this is my last year, I want to put it all out.”
Initially handed jersey No. 86 by Lions’ equipment manager Ken (Kato) Kasuya, Johnson opted instead to wear No. 13 — but it has little to do with numerical noteworthiness.
“I’m a smaller guy,” he explained. “I’m too small to wear big numbers like 8 and 6. They had 13. I don’t mind that at all.”
In college at Tulsa, Johnson showed what a pint-sized player can accomplish. He held NCAA all-time records for all-purpose yards with 7,796 and for career kickoff return yardage with 3,417. Among his 29 career touchdowns, he scored 17 times as a receiver and eight more as a rusher.
B.C. Lions have signed the former University of Tulsa receiver to their practice roster.
As a Golden Hurricane, at the University of Tulsa, Damaris Johnson blew up a storm of yards — rushing, returning, receiving.
“He was The Guy,” says former college teammate Bryan Burnham. “He was one of those guys where you just had to get the ball in his hands. And something would happen with it.”
Burnham, the third-year CFL receiver, entered Tulsa in the same freshman class as Johnson and was reunited with the five-foot-seven lightning bug from Louisiana when the B.C. Lions added him to their practice roster on Saturday.
Johnson and defensive back Anthony Gaitor are seen as roster reinforcements for the loss of slotback Nick Moore and halfback T.J. Lee, both of whom suffered major injuries in B.C.’s 40-27 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 16. Lee had surgery last Tuesday for a ruptured Achilles. Moore is to undergo surgery for a torn ACL this Tuesday.
More of a recall than a fresh signing, Gaitor impressed the Lions early in training camp, but he was sent home after being sidelined with a hamstring injury. While Geraldo Boldewijn is slated to replace Moore at a starting receiver position, head coach Wally Buono looks at Johnson as a depth player who could fill in as a receiver or a returner.
“Right now, if (primary returner) Chris Rainey was injured, we don’t really have anybody,” Buono said. “Johnson has some pretty good credentials.”
Most recently with the Tennessee Titans for OTAs in May, Johnson has 52 career receptions for 601 yards and a touchdown, playing as a wide receiver in the National Football League. As rookie in 2012 with the Philadelphia Eagles, he returned a punt 98 yards for a touchdown, the most impressive of a career total of 70 punt and kick returns in the NFL.
“I played four seasons in the NFL (Philadelphia, Houston, New England, Tennessee),” explained Johnson, who is 26. “But I don’t believe anything should be given to you, just because you’re coming from the NFL. These guys are out here busting their butts. I just want to show I can work hard to earn a spot. I didn’t expect anything more (than being placed on the practice roster) when I came here.”
As a fifth-year NFL player, Johnson would be entitled to a minimum salary of $760,000 US, plus bonuses, a reason, he believes, the Titans let him go. Many NFL vets like him get pushed onto the chopping block by younger and cheaper help.
“I just feel I have a lot of years left in me,” he said. “I want to go out with a bang, knowing I can still play this game. If this is my last year, I want to put it all out.”
Initially handed jersey No. 86 by Lions’ equipment manager Ken (Kato) Kasuya, Johnson opted instead to wear No. 13 — but it has little to do with numerical noteworthiness.
“I’m a smaller guy,” he explained. “I’m too small to wear big numbers like 8 and 6. They had 13. I don’t mind that at all.”
In college at Tulsa, Johnson showed what a pint-sized player can accomplish. He held NCAA all-time records for all-purpose yards with 7,796 and for career kickoff return yardage with 3,417. Among his 29 career touchdowns, he scored 17 times as a receiver and eight more as a rusher.
