Wisconsin Football Countdown: No. 29, Richard Johnson
By Jim Oxley
As the countdown to the first Wisconsin football game of the season continues, Badger of Honor is taking a look at Badgers by the numbers, checking in on a different Badger or Badgers players who wore the number corresponding with the remaining days until the Badgers head to Texas to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday, Sept. 5.
Next up in our countdown, signifying 29 days until college football is back, is Richard Johnson.
Wisconsin Badgers
Johnson became a stellar cornerback for the Badgers during his time at UW from 1982 to 1984.
He had a knack for blocking kicks, and once blocked three kicks in a game — a Badgers record which he accomplished in 1984 against Missouri. He went on to block 6 kicks that season (a Badgers single-season record) and 9 kicks in his career (a Badgers career record), 4 more than any other Badgers player in school history.
He finished the 1984 season with, in addition to the 6 blocked kicks, 3 interceptions, 7 passes defended and 4 tackles for a loss.
In 1984 he went on to be named a first team All-American by the Football Writers’ Association and a second-teamer by The Sporting News. He was a first team All-Big Ten selection in 1984.
Johnson was a part of school history in the 1985 NFL Draft as he and fellow teammates Al Toon and Darryl Sims were all selected in the first round. Johnson went No. 11 overall to the Houston Oilers.
He played for the Oilers from 1985-1992, appearing in 98 NFL games. He finished his career with 15 interceptions, and had an 8-interception season in 1990.
Who wore No. 29 first?
• Halfback Frank Shaw was the first Badgers player to wear No. 29 in 1927.
Who wears No. 29 now?
• Two Badgers currently wear No. 29 — both defensive players. Redshirt senior cornerback Terrance Floyd and true freshman inside linebacker Max Praschak each have No. 29.
Stay tuned to Badger of Honor as we continue our daily countdown in preparation of the season opener against Alabama.
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