Jeremy Johnson to focus on intangibles during offseason

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The offseason agenda items for Jeremy Johnson are intangible.

Building chemistry, developing leadership, taking initiative to get his teammates on the field, as Nick Marshall did a year ago, are all aspects of being Auburn's starting quarterback that can't be quantified but the presence of each in the summer can pay enormous dividends in the fall.

"The reason we wanted to go ahead and name Jeremy the guy was No. 1 he earned it, but No. 2, give him the summer to get with the guys and just chemistry," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said before a meeting of the Greater Nashville Auburn Club Wednesday night. "Build chemistry and him kind of take the reins as the leader and those guys have time to get behind him and him lead the way."

Coaches are permitted to have limited contact and instruction with players in the offseason but the onus lies largely on the players to direct themselves and each other.

"That's why we got this summer," Johnson said, "to work on just anything we need to work on: timing routes, communication, all the little things that can help us be successful."

Johnson worked with several of his receivers prior to the start of spring practice, a routine that will surely play out again over the next three months.

There are some "little things" Lashlee wants Johnson to do in the weight room and improve on footwork and accuracy, but timing between quarterback and receiver is crucial.

"There's one thing to know the plays and all know what to do," Lashlee said, "but there's certain things you can't coach, they just got to do over time."

After two years of backing up Marshall, Johnson began taking control in the spring and is ready to be the face of the program.

"His teammates really respect him," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "He's earned the right to be our quarterback, and his leadership and the way he stepped up this spring has really been something else. The offensive and defensive players, special teams players, they all respect him and he's starting to take charge like this is his team."

Johnson has spoken on the importance of being mature and players holding each other accountable on and off the field. He doesn't want a repeat of the skid at the end of last season to happen on his watch.

"The little things are what matter the most, whether you look at it or not," Johnson said. "That's why we had the downfalls toward the end of the season."