How Alabama's Ed Johnson took long journey from Auburn to Tennessee Tech, back to SEC baseball

For Alabama baseball second baseman Ed Johnson, suiting up for the Crimson Tide is the culmination of a lifelong dream to play SEC baseball. He's hitting .344 on the season thanks to 22 hits, his .432 on-base percentage is on pace to be a career high, and he's gotten on base in every game he's played since Feb. 18. When his name is in the starting lineup, Alabama sits at 13-3. But the Tennessee Tech graduate transfer's journey to Tuscaloosa is anything but typical.

"For me in my career, there was never any of 'No, you can't,'" Johnson said.

As a high school sophomore, Johnson was on top of the world. Not only did the Hewitt-Trussville product start every game that season, he hit over .400 and was offered a scholarship to play baseball at his dream school: Auburn.

"I had a good year and played with a really good summer ball program," Johnson said. "On my visit to Auburn, I got my scholarship offer. Growing up, my whole family went to Auburn. I was an Auburn fan. That's where I always wanted to go."

By the time the 2019 baseball season rolled around, though, Johnson went from a dominant high schooler to a college freshman mostly relegated to the Tigers' bench.

"In high school, you're the man," said Johnson. "Getting to the Division I level, especially in the SEC, you realize really quickly that everyone there was just as good as you or better. We had another freshman come in and play second base, he was much more mature for his age. It wasn't fun at first, but I took the positives out of it."

After just six games of living his childhood dream as an Auburn baseball player, Johnson decided to transfer.

"I wanted a fresh start," said Johnson. "I wanted an opportunity to play and get comfortable at the Division I level."

For Johnson, a transfer opportunity emerged thanks to Auburn pitching coach Steve Smith leaving for another job, which he credits with keeping him in Division I.

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"He was the head coach at Tennessee Tech. So, already, I was familiar with him," said Johnson. "I was ready to play. I considered the junior college route, but I knew I could do the Division I transfer."

He'd make the most of his second chance in college baseball. As a redshirt sophomore in 2021, Johnson would start 43 games at shortstop for the Golden Eagles and hit .331, good for second on the team. Smith would leave for the Detroit Tigers after 2021, so Tennessee Tech chose to rehire former coach Matt Bragga.

"When Coach Bragga got rehired at Tennessee Tech, he asked me what my plans were moving forward," said Johnson. "I told him I had a good year last year, and if I have another good year, I want the opportunity to graduate transfer to the SEC."

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Johnson would only improve under Bragga. He started all 57 games, hit .367, and led the team with 95 hits. When it came time to transfer again, SEC programs came calling. Although schools like Tennessee and Missouri reached out, his choice would be between Kentucky and Alabama.

"It was really between those two," Johnson said. "But knowing Coach Bohannon and his program, and being close to home, I knew Alabama's reputation."

In his move back to the SEC, Johnson has been invaluable to the Crimson Tide. At times he played DH, would get at-bats as a pinch hitter, and on occasion take over third base, but he found a new home as Alabama's starting second baseman. There was still one last hurdle for Johnson, however. He had to convince his Auburn family to root for the Crimson Tide. Compared to what it took to get to Tuscaloosa, this would prove to be an easy task for the graduate student.

"My family's been very supportive of every decision that I made. If the ball was in their court, they probably would've made the same decision," Johnson said. "They're not just Auburn fans. They're Ed Johnson fans. They support me in whatever I do."

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How Alabama baseball's Ed Johnson took the long way back to the SEC