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Football Dawne' Benton, MSU Athletics Media Relations

Student-Athlete Spotlight: Orlando Johnson, Football

No. 1 Orlando Johnson, Senior Running Back
Memphis, Tenn.
Major: Business Administration

Orlando Johnson is  a versatile weapon for the Bears and will be among the elite weapons in the league this fall. The 5-foot-7, 165-pound standout can play running back, receiver and is an impressive special teams talent as a returner.  Last season as a junior, "OJ" started in nine of 10 games and ranked No. 4 in the MEAC in rushing with a career-best 583 yards on 143 carries, including six touchdowns. He also had 19 receptions for 159 yards (8.4 avg) and a TD, and averaged 19.8 yards as a kick return specialist.  

The Memphis, Tenn. product and 2016 Preseason All-MEAC Second Team selection is expected to give Bear fans plenty to cheer about when Morgan State squares off against Holy Cross in the season opener at Hughes Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 3.

Student Life:
What is the best time of the year on campus? "Fall time. Everyone is fresh back on campus, everyone is happy to be back, freshman are excited, it's hot outside... and it's fall and that means football season!!"
Why did you choose MSU? "It was the only offer I had and they gave me a full ride. They gave me the opportunity to come up North and learn new things. They gave me a chance."
What is your major and why? "Business administration. It's broad and I can pretty much do anything with the major. It gives me the variety I need."
Favorite Professor and why? "Professor D [Samuel Deal]. He used to always tell us that "Every encounter is an interview" which meant that I needed to carry myself in a well-mannered way. He really opened up my mind."
If you had to give an incoming student advice, what would it be? "Just come to college prepared. Your first semester is your best semester. Stay on top of your grades. Join different organizations, join the mentee program, and use the sources available to you on campus such as the writing center."
Describe your first day as a student at Morgan." It was a hot summer day and I was nervous. I really didn't know where my classes were and had to get help from my teammates. There were a lot of different activities going on and I didn't want to talk because people didn't understand my accent, and they still don't."
What do you like most about Morgan? "Meeting different people."

Pop Culture:
What social media do you prefer the most? "Snapchat because you can post new and old pictures or videos  You can message people without giving your personal information. You can call or FaceTime, and after 24-hours, no one can view your story anymore."
Would you rather read the book or watch the movie? Watch the movie, because it is more animated. You can read one sentence of a book and forget about it, but when you watch the movie you can see the characters, see the body language and feel like you're a part of the story itself."
What song can you not help but sing-a-long to? "Yo Gotti – Touchdown"
Who is your celebrity crush? "Draya [Michele]"
Favorite TV Show? "Power, FlippaFlop, Sports Center, Chopped, Cake War, or HGTV."
Favorite Movie? "Friday Night Lights"
Favorite Celebrity? "Yo Gotti- Because he's a hometown hero. He came from the struggle and made it out. He's always giving back to the city. He now has a clothing line and his own restaurant in the heart of Memphis, and he's done real estate. He was a drug dealer who turned into a millionaire."
Favorite musician/musical group? "Young Jeezy"
My favorite cartoon or children's show as a child was… "Rocket Power"
If you could switch lives with any celebrity, who would it be and why? "Barack Obama because he is the president, he is powerful, influential, and the first black president. The biggest boss of them all."
Favorite music genre? "Hip-hop and R&B"

Travel:
Most interesting place you've visited? "New York because I'm from down south. Everything up there is so fast, lots of lights and tall buildings. Where I'm from, it is slow and there are a lot of wide streets."
Place you would like to visit? "Bethlehem, because that was the same place Jesus was born."

Food:
Favorite home cooked meal? "One of my favorite home cooked meals is pork chops, mac and cheese, and black eyed peas with cornbread."
Favorite snack? "Chocolate chip cookies, Pillsbury only."
Most underrated food that you like? "Turkey Necks, 'ya'll' don't know anything about them."
I hated it when my mom made me eat? "Lima beans"
Favorite breakfast cereal as a kid? "Captain Crunch Berries"
 
Sports:
When is your favorite time of your sports season? "Homecoming. Everyone comes to support. Lots of activities and everyone on campus is involved. Lots of school spirit."
Who is your favorite athlete? "Derrick Rose"
Who do you model your game after? "LaSean McCoy, because he is quick and he is a tough running back, and he is also small like me."
Which team do you most look forward to competing against? "Marshall, because they're Division 1. They're an FBS team and it will show that we can play with the big dogs."
Do you have any pre-game/match superstitions or rituals? "Before every game I take a lap around the field with my Beats by Dre headphones on playing Yo Gotti song called 'Momma'."
What is your favorite part about your sport? "Football is a tough sport, it's a man sport and not just anyone can do it. You have to love the game."
If you could play another position, what would it be and why? "Offensive line because I always make fun of those guys, but they are the most important position on offense."
If you could pick what team you got drafted to, who would it be? "The Dallas Cowboys because that's my favorite team."
What is your favorite athletic memory? "My favorite athletic memory was when it was my first game. I was so small and my uniform was too big. My pants were down to my ankles, jersey down to my knees, and my helmet was too big -- and as I was running onto the field, I tilted over and fell head first."
Favorite pro sports team? "The Memphis Grizzlies, that's the hometown."
What is your top skill? "My speed."
When did you start playing football? "I started playing football at the age of 6."

Miscellaneous:
Would you rather be rich or famous and why? "I'd rather be rich. I don't really like too much attention. I'm a low key guy. When you're famous you can't really give back, but if you're rich you can give back. There's no real value in being famous."
If you could do one thing over, what would it be? "My freshman year of college. I still had a high school mindset and I didn't really give the classroom my all."
When you are not at practice, what could someone find you doing? "If I'm not at practice, I'm usually in the coaches' office watching film."
If could play another sport, what would it be? "I would play baseball."
If you were a superhero, what would be your superpower? "My superpower would be to be invisible because nobody can see what you're doing. You can do anything."
If you had one wish, what would it be? "I would wish that nobody could die. Everybody's losing people they love. I know people don't live forever, but it's a bad feeling knowing someone you love is here one day and a memory the next."
Do you have an interesting nickname? "OJ - Da Juice"
What is one thing people don't know about you? "I have a twin sister."
If you could switch places with anyone on your team for a day, who would you choose? "Ricky [Fisk] because we're pretty similar. We like what we like and that's my roommate. He's always on turn-up mode."
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? "Stay ready so you don't have to get ready."
If you could witness any event of the past, present, or future, what would it be? "The Cowboys winning the Super Bowl."
If I could change one thing about myself, it would be…  "I don't think I'd change anything. God made me the way I am."
What are your goals in life? "My long-term goal is to be successful and create wealth for my family and give back to others."
Person you admire the most? "My granddad because he raised me and showed me how to be a better man. He was my dad, my pastor and my mentor. He's passed on now."
Coolest thing you did this summer? "Me and some of my teammates went to Ocean City (Md.) and went to the beach."
Most prized possession? "My granddad's church socks and ties."
If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would they be? "My granddaddy, Megan Good and Draya."
Dream event? "NFL Draft"
Your hometown is known for? "Barbecue, Blues and Rock & Roll."
Pop or Soda? "Neither."
Cats or dogs? "Dogs"
Early bird or night owl? "Early bird"
Funniest person on the team? Corvon'Tra Revell
 
 




 
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Players Mentioned

Orlando Johnson

#1 Orlando Johnson

RB
5' 7"
Senior
Corvon

#24 Corvon'Tra Revell

DB
6' 1"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Orlando Johnson

#1 Orlando Johnson

5' 7"
Senior
RB
Corvon

#24 Corvon'Tra Revell

6' 1"
Sophomore
DB