SALEM, Ohio (WKBN) – Jackson Johnson is the most decorated quarterback in Salem High School history.
“I want to be the best that’s been been through here,” says Johnson. “I think I’ve put myself in position to be able to conversate with some of those best guys.”
Statistically, the conversation is over. His 9,624 yards passing shattered the school record. He’s the only player in program history to rush for over a thousand yards for three consecutive seasons, and his 151 career touchdowns is a record that will tough to top for future players.
But Johnson wasn’t just chasing stats at Salem, he was also winning games, helping lead the Quakers to four straight playoff appearances.
“I think one thing that started to become more important to me as I matured in my football career, the stats and everything, it didn’t matter,” says Johnson. “I wanted to make good relationships with everybody and win games. So towards my senior year I wanted to make sure the other guys were getting success. I wanted a bunch of other guys to have fun and enjoy football just the way I enjoyed it.”
Johnson is also a four-year letter-winner in baseball, and committed to the classroom with a 3.8 grade point average.
“It’s something that I’ve had to do since I was little. My dad has always been hard on me with grades because he was a straight-A guy. So I have to be a straight-A guy,” says Johnson. “I’ve definitely loved going in the classroom and getting good grades and I think it’s just something I have to do.”
Jackson Johnson will graduate with 11 school records and will continue playing football next year in college. He’s got interest from at least four Division One programs. But football, isn’t the only legacy he hopes to leave at Salem.
“I hope they remember me as just a good dude,” says Johnson. “I don’t like talking about sports and making it about me and all the stuff I’ve done. I just hope they remember me as a good guy.”
