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Former KU football player looks for job in NASCAR
KANSAN.COM
▶ DYLAN SHERWOOD
@dsherwoodku
Most football players who come to the University of Kansas hope to make it in pro sports.
SPORTS
Tederian Johnson, a 2014 Kansas alum and former defensive lineman, is trying to do just that—just not in the sport you'd expect. Johnson is pursuing a career in NASCAR according to a KU Athletics release last Wednesday.
Johnson got involved with NASCAR when the company's Drive for Diversity Crew Member Development program came to Lawrence giving former college athletes a tryout.
"But it was an opportunity for me to use my competitive edge from football," Johnson said in the release.
In 2014, Johnson recorded 33 tackles, five tackles for a loss and two sacks in Kansas's 3-9 campaign.
Johnson has been preparing for his journey in Lawrence, training with KU LEADS doctoral assistant Jon Mays.
"He helped me stay on track with working out every day. He pushed me," Johnson added in the release.
Johnson is recruiting former Kansas teammates
"I'm just so excited to see where the opportunity takes all of them," Carrah Haley, KU LEADS Senior Director of Student-Athlete Development and Leadership, said in the release.
to try out for the program as well. According to the release, he's caught the interest of Jayhawks Kapil Fletcher and Corey King.
Johnson said he is honored for the opportunity he might have by the time February 2017 comes around.
"I never saw any of this coming," Johnson said in the release."I just look at it as a blessing."
Ben Johnson named to John Mackey Award preseason watch
DUNCAN MARSHALL
@_dmarsh
Contributed Photo
Kansas tight end Ben Johnson was recently named to the 2016 John Mackey Award preseason watch list by the award
selection committee, according to a KU Athletics release on Wednesday.
Former Jayhawk tight end Jimmay Mundine was a semi-finalist for the
Johnson, a junior from Basehor, was one of two tight ends from the Big 12 Conference and one of 45 total nominees selected to the preliminary watch list. He earned a Big 12 Honorable Mention as a sophomore and was on the Big 12 honor roll during his freshman season, playing in all 12 games in 2015 and starting nine of them. The junior tight end caught a total of 13 passes last season for a total of 115 yards. He will be one of eight returning starters for the Kansas offense in 2016.
award in 2014 according to the release.
The John Mackey Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end, and its namesake was widely considered to be the best tight end of all time. Mackey won one Super Bowl, played in five Pro Bowls and also served as the first president of the National Football League Players Association.
The winner of the award will be announced on Dec. 7. Johnson and Kansas will kick-off the season at 6 p.m. on Sept. 3, when they will host Rhode Island.
File Photo/KANSAN
Tedarian Johnson, center, surrounded by teammates. Johnson is currently pursuing a career in NASCAR.
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