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Joel AndersonESPN
ESPN 300 four-star quarterback Max Johnson, the son of former NFL and Florida State quarterback Brad Johnson, made a verbal commitment to LSU on Wednesday.
Count that as the second time Miami head coach Mark Richt lost to the Tigers this fall. But this was more personal.
Richt is one of Max Johnson’s uncles and until Wednesday was thought to have the inside track on his nephew’s recruitment, dating back to his verbal offer in February 2016 — a few months before Johnson had even entered Oconee County High School in Watkinsville, Ga.
However, Max Johnson announced on Twitter he had chosen to go with the Tigers while gratefully acknowledging Richt for making the first scholarship offer.
Committed! #GeauxTigers🐯 pic.twitter.com/U4PZHzjFbt
— Max Johnson (@qbmjohnson2020) November 28, 2018
The 6-foot-5 Johnson is the third-rated pocket passer in the Class of 2020 and 47th-ranked recruit overall. Johnson also had offers from Florida State, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina, among others.
Johnson’s commitment gives LSU two quarterbacks in the 2020 class, including another ESPN 300 recruit TJ Finley of Ponchatoula, La. The Tigers also have a ESPN 300 quarterback in the 2019 class, Peter Parrish of Phenix City, Ala.
Meanwhile, Richt and Miami have no quarterback commitments in their 2019 or 2020 classes.
That’s a continuation of a troubling trend as quarterback play has been an ongoing problem for the Hurricanes this season. Malik Rosier and then N’Kosi Perry have failed to establish themselves as consistent passing threats in Richt’s preferred pro-style offense. In Miami’s season-opening 33-17 loss to LSU, Rosier went 15-of-35 for 259 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.