Although he wasn't named as one of Michigan's six captains in 2023, Cornelius Johnson still believes he can help lead the team in many ways as the Wolverines look to three-peat as Big Ten Champions.
Blake Corum, Trevor Keegan, Zak Zinter, Michael Barrett, Kris Jenkins and Mike Sainristil were chosen in a seniors-only vote as the captains to lead Michigan in its quest toward a national championship.
Johnson, a fifth-year senior, spoke with the media on Monday ahead of Michigan's week 1 bout with East Carolina.
"Over the offseason, just focusing on catching, route-running, and just reaffirming all the stuff I've done throughout my career and just work on all those weaknesses," Johnson said. "Even starting since January, just building a relationship with my team, become better as a leader, too."
Johnson, who has finished in the top two in receiving yards in each of the last three seasons for Michigan, is looking to become more of a vocal leader — especially in the wide receiver room — with Ronnie Bell off to the NFL.
"For me personally, I would take some guys aside after practice, maybe get some extra catches on the jugs machine, or go over some route concepts and try and lead guys in that way," Johnson said. "And also, eventually, just try and lead by example, too."
The 6-foot-3, 208-pound receiver certainly led by example in Michigan's biggest regular-season game of 2022, when the Wolverines blew out Ohio State in Columbus, 45-23.
Johnson caught four balls for 160 yards and two touchdowns as he helped spark an offensive clinic put on by J.J. McCarthy and the Wolverines.
Now entering his fifth season with the program, Johnson knows that although he's not necessarily a captain, he still has a role in helping lead his team.
"We need a lot of leaders on this team throughout the season," Johnson said. "We've always talked about that. Obviously we have devoted coaches and captains, but it really trickles down to leading yourself, holding yourself accountable, whether that's taking someone else one-on-one or talking to a whole group of people. Just having leaders throughout the team is more what's really gonna focus back on when it's hard."
East Carolina remains the team's primary focus, as Johnson was sure to point out multiple times, but as an individual, he hopes his leadership of himself will translate to the leadership of others.
"Leading myself — I feel like that's something this year I can take to another level — is just leading myself and end up leading each other and the whole receiver room."
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