Nico Collins’ opt-out left a void in the Michigan receiving corps, but it also opened a door for sophomore Cornelius Johnson. The 6-3 receiver became the Wolverines’ top option as the “big” pass catcher, and he’s making the most of it.

He’s just not all that interested in talking about.

Asked Wednesday if he felt like he had become that reliable deep threat, Johnson shrugged.

"We have a lot of players and coaches just really getting ready for Penn State. We’re focusing on Penn State,” he said.

He repeated that a few times, even in response to how redshirt freshman quarterback Cade McNamara was looking in practice this week.

McNamara will presumably be the starter when the Wolverines take on Penn State Saturday at noon, but Johnson was in no mood to talk about it.

“It doesn’t have to do with the quarterbacks, really. It’s not that different,” he said. “It’s just like at times you don’t ever really know who the quarterback is, at least for me. I just go out there and run my route and make sure I’m doing my job, because once you start worrying about other people’s jobs, that’s when you sort of get jacked up.

“Always just do your job, focus on your job. If everyone on the team just focuses on their job, that’s how we’ll get the best production.”

Sophomore running back Zach Charbonnet’s blitz pick-up on Johnson’s long touchdown reception last Saturday was a great example. McNamara had time to find Johnson after a double move and put the ball exactly where it needed to be.

“That was a perfect example of 11 dudes on the football field all doing their one job,” he continued. “You can’t really focus on what the dude on the other side of the field is doing or next to you is doing. As long as you take care of your assignment and you see how everyone did their assignment, blocked up well, executed the play and we all got that big play.”

He gets the yardage for it, though, and his performance against Rutgers — five receptions for 105 yards and two scores — brought his season total to 239 yards receiving. He’s averaging 17.1 yards per reception and has made some outstanding downfield catches.

He’s also had some mishaps, including a fumble on the opening possession last week and a ball knocked out of his hands in the end zone.

He’s continued to concentrate on the little things — “a major focus on the minor details,” he called it — to add to his arsenal.

“One thing that’s something wise I’ve heard was that every day there’s so much to do on the football field. Practice, meetings … everything. I come in with a lot on my plate," he said. "If every day you just focus on one thing, like specifically today I’m going to focus on this one thing — for example it could be my footwork, eyes, hand placement — whatever it is, focus on that one thing and just like have it in the back of mind you’re going to attack this today.

“You keep on stacking them on top of each other, at the end of the day you’re formulating everything together.”

It’s no different than what he’s done since he arrived in Ann Arbor, he insisted. He’s just doing it better.

He’s on a path to becoming one of the Big Ten’s better young receivers, and he'll get another shot to prove it Saturday against Penn State.

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