Johnson makes it look easy

If Corona del Mar High’s defense finds itself in a tough spot or down about giving up a big play tonight, the football players might be best served to look to their defensive coordinator for help.

His name is Eric Johnson.

The Sea Kings know that he can make the adjustments at least sound simple. Yet it’s also his background that can prove to be an example of rising from adversity.

When it comes to defense in high school football, Johnson is so respected it’s pretty safe to call him a guru. He laughs at that label, but he’s been associated with defense for so long it all comes so natural for him.

Most would think it all came so easy for Johnson because he played pro football for 10 years. But coaching was difficult at first.

“It took me a while to adjust and see what the kids could do,” Johnson said. “I thought I knew everything when I started. But it probably took me eight years to really know it.”

After that, he became known more as a defensive coordinator than a former pro football player. That’s because he was key in the success for Mater Dei in the 1990s. While guiding the Monarchs defense, Mater Dei won four CIF Southern Section titles.

The majority of CdM’s players know that about Johnson and realize that’s why he makes it all look so easy, about as easy as the money that comes in as residual checks from the football movies he appeared in back in the day.

It’s only about a hundred bucks a year, but it’s money nonetheless all for just being himself: a football player in movies such as, “North Dallas Forty,” “The Best of Times,” and “Two-minute Warning.”

“I’ve never heard of that one before,” CdM junior inside linebacker Alex Swigert said of “North Dallas Forty,” which starred Nick Nolte in 1979.

But Swigert knows Johnson played pro football for the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, as well as for the World Football League and the USFL.

He also knows that Johnson knows defense.

“He makes my job easy,” said Swigert, one of the leaders on a defense that’s produced three shutouts this year. “I never played varsity defense before. It’s really fun this year.

“He just makes everything easy.”

The Sea Kings (10-2) want Johnson’s gameplan to work smoothly against Mayfair (9-3) in a semifinal of the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoffs. Johnson realizes his defense will be going up against the biggest offensive line it’s faced this season tonight at 7 p.m. at Newport Harbor High. The winner will play against Laguna Hills for the championship.

“I think every team has outweighed us on the line,” said Johnson, who also was the head coach at Fountain Valley and an assistant at Golden West College. “But this is probably the biggest difference.”

But Johnson believes in his players, even though the unit will be without three starters, Justin Tam, Will Morrow and Dillon Norton, because of injuries.

Johnson has made the necessary adjustments and reminded his players about the basics. Read and react. Sometimes it’s all about lining up and being in the right spot, he said. Tonight, they’ll also rely on the offense to play ball-control and win the game of time possession.

Johnson knows the Sea Kings can execute. He’s seen it in the past. It’s a big reason CdM has won 10 games this season. Last year, the Sea Kings went 4-5 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

“One thing I can say about this group they do have something special,” Johnson said of his defense. “A lot of it comes from they have been together and have known each other for so long. They really surprise me during games. They have really responded and come together in games.”

Swigert will say it’s because Johnson makes it easy. He’ll also say the players respect Johnson.

Said Swigert: “Everyone likes him.”

Include Jason Hitchens. The first-year coach has quickly put his stamp on the Sea Kings, stressing a great deal of the mentality on team football. There is no one star, Hitchens said. So naturally, he shares the credit for CdM’s turnaround with his entire coaching staff.

Johnson has certainly helped a great deal.

“Eric is clearly one of the better defensive coordinators at the high school level in Southern California, possibly the state,” Hitchens said.

Hitchens is fortunate, considering he brought Johnson aboard less than four months before the season began.

Johnson was working on a master’s degree, but he put it on hold to devote more time with the Sea Kings.

It may look easy for Johnson, but he knows a perfect gameplan calls for work and dedication. His players know too. It’s what they’ve been doing in preparing for the Monsoons tonight.

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at [email protected].