Max Johnson, son of former Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson, has been named the starting quarterback for Georgia Southern, marking his fourth team to lead as the primary signal-caller. This development comes in his seventh college season, a lengthy tenure that raises questions about player eligibility and the duration of college athletic careers.
Johnson's path through college football has been extensive. He initially joined LSU in 2020 as a four-star recruit. During his time there, he started two of six games in his freshman year and then led the team for 12 games in the 2021 season, his most statistically successful year with 2,814 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Following his LSU career, Johnson transferred to Texas A&M. However, his time with the Aggies was shortened by an injury after four games, which allowed him to take a redshirt. In the 2024 season, he played in eight games with five starts but again missed four games due to injury.
He then moved to North Carolina to play for coach Bill Belichick in 2024. Johnson started one game before suffering a season-ending injury in the opener, a broken femur that required five surgeries. This injury granted him a medical hardship waiver, extending his eligibility. He transferred to Georgia Southern in January.
Across six seasons and 35 career games, Johnson has accumulated 6,355 passing yards and 49 touchdowns. Georgia Southern is scheduled to open its season on September 5 against Charleston Southern.