Pop culture: Johnson the actor
A.J. Johnson commanded Derek Dooley's attention from his very first practice at the University of Tennessee.
But the soft-spoken 6-foot-3, 245-pound freshman linebacker is a no-frills guy who's tied for the lead on the team with 21 tackles and had a high school career in Gainesville, Ga., filled with drama. Of the stage variety.
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Breaking into the media mob in style, Johnson becomes the first freshman this year to appear in this week's edition of "Pop Culture" in the VolQuest.com series' third season.
VOLQUEST: Any hidden talents or skills? Cook, dance, anything?
A.J. JOHNSON: I think I might have good dance moves. A little bit.
VQ: Describe the dance.
A.J.J.: I can't really say. I know how to 'Beef' it up. That's something I brought up here to Tennessee, I think. 'Beefing' it up. That's a certain dance we be doing sometimes. Just go side-to-side with it, move your shoulders up and down and stepping with it. Little rhythm. Going with the beat.
VQ: What was the craziest or most memorable thing that happened to you during the recruiting process?
A.J.J.: I can't really say right now. I'm not sure. Well, I can't remember what school, but I think I was impressed with a gold envelope. I think I liked that. It was some gold school, I can't remember which one. But the gold envelope, I think I liked that a lot.
VQ: What are you listening to in your iPod right now?
A.J.J.: Before the games I listen to 1017 Brick Squad, Waka Flaka, Gucci Mane, a little Future. Listen to a little bit of it all. Crunk music.
VQ: Lil Jon?
A.J.J.: (Laughing) Yeah, I got a little 'Crunk Juice' in my iPod.
VQ: Any other pre-game rituals or superstitions? Anything you have to eat on game day?
A.J.J.: I just eat what they give me. I ain't picky about my food. I know I get my prayers in before the game. Pray for our team, pray for the other team. Just warm-up hard, stretch and get ready. Nothing too fancy with my routine.
VQ: If you could have dinner with any three people, living or dead, who would it be?
A.J.J.: I think I'd have dinner with one of my close teacher's husbands, have dinner with my momma and just my family pretty much. Nothing too picky. Just my family.
VQ: If you didn't play football, what would you do?
A.J.J.: I think I could be an actor. I think I've got good acting skills. I know I did drama in high school.
VQ: Were you in any plays in high school?
A.J.J.: Yeah, I was in a couple of plays. I did 'Guys and Dolls' and 'Hairspray.'
VQ: Did you have the lead in both of those?
A.J.J.: Not the lead, but I played 'Big Jule' in 'Guys and Dolls.'
VQ: How long have you had the hair, the dreadlox?
A.J.J.: Since my freshman year.
VQ: So you last had a haircut when?
A.J.J.: My last haircut, that was my eighth-grade year. I had a low-cut. It was probably around eighth grade.
VQ: What's your mom say about the hair?
A.J.J.: I know when I was all in middle school, I had to beg to get dreads and once I got them, I loved them. I got dreads for football, and I'm glad my mom let me get them when I was going into high school.