Under the bright lights at the Big Ten Championship Game, Oregon WR Tez Johnson delivered a performance for the ages, torching Penn State with 11 receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown.
But this wasn’t just about football. In the stands watching him play in person for No. 1 Oregon for the first time was his biological family.
Johnson’s journey from overlooked recruit to record-setting receiver is proof that the transfer portal, often a polarizing topic, can work wonders.
Designed to give players the same fluidity as coaches, the portal offers more access to opportunity — but with mixed results. Many players fail to live up to the hype of their high school recruiting rankings.
But for skill positions such as quarterback and wide receiver, the portal has produced undeniable success stories. Johnson stands among the best of them.
A three-star recruit from Pinson Valley High School in Alabama, Johnson was rated as one of the state’s top 65 players, but that wasn’t enough to attract offers from major programs.
Instead, he landed at Troy, where he put up respectable numbers: eight TD catches and 12.8 yards per catch in three seasons. That’s solid but far from spectacular.
The bridge to Oregon came through family. Johnson’s adopted brother, former Ducks quarterback and current Denver Broncos starter Bo Nix, pitched him to Oregon head coach Dan Lanning.
“Bo walks into my office and says, ‘I think we have this guy who can maybe play for us,’ ” Lanning recalled to Ducks Sports Authority. “Bo says, ‘No, no, no, Oregon is his dream school.’ And today, that dream came true.”
Once Johnson (5-foot-10 and 165 pounds) arrived in Eugene, his career took off. He shattered Oregon’s season receptions record in 2023 with 1,182 yards and 10 touchdown catches.
But instead of leaving for the NFL, Johnson returned. But two losses to Washington in 2023 left unfinished business.
“One last time,” Johnson posted on X, announcing his decision. That quiet but determined mindset defines him, and his MVP performance in the Big Ten title game only underscored his importance to the Ducks, who have bye in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
For Johnson, the moment was as personal as it was professional. After the game, he found his family in the stands, tears filling his eyes.
“I told them, this is the first game y’all coming to, I’ll give you all a show,” Johnson told Sports Illustrated, his voice cracking. It was a promise fulfilled in every sense.
