When Eastern Illinois head coach Adam Cushing is asked to describe sophomore linebacker Jason Johnson’s play, he asks a question in return.

“How much time do you have?” Cushing said with a laugh. “It’s really fun to coach him. He practices exactly how you see him play. When you prepare like that, results come your way.”

Johnson, who starred at Rich Central High School in Matteson, has seen plenty of results in EIU’s four games this spring, which continues when the Panthers (1-3) travel to No. 17 Murray State (4-0) at 2 p.m. Sunday.

On Tuesday, he was named the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his 15-tackle performance last weekend against Tennessee Tech. That effort was the most tackles by an OVC player in a game this season.

Johnson also leads the conference with 11 tackles per game.

“It’s incredible to see some of his instincts,” Cushing said. “That’s not the position he played in high school.”

For the first three years of his career at Rich Central, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Johnson was a wide receiver.

“I had real good hands and ran good routes,” Johnson said. “I was aggressive, and I was good at blocking.”

But when his head coach needed some help on defense, Johnson obliged.

In his one season at linebacker, Johnson won the Southland Football Conference Defensive MVP award by piling up 92 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and three sacks.

“Once the season was over and I saw that I was leading the conference in tackles, I knew I was going to start getting some (recruiting) looks,” Johnson said. “I probably wouldn’t have been here (at EIU) if I didn’t switch over. I would probably be at a (Division II) or NAIA school.”

The hardest part of becoming a college linebacker was not knowing the position as well as others. Johnson admits he has learned a great deal from Eastern linebackers coach Adam Gristick, who was a three-year starter for the Panthers from 2012 through 2014 and made nearly 200 career tackles.

“I really didn’t know a lot of the fundamentals until I got here,” Johnson said. “Coach Gristick has taught me a lot. I can see my progress from freshman year to now, and I’m a lot better.”

Cushing said one of Johnson’s best traits is his all-out effort, both on and off the field.

“The first thing that’s incredible about Jason is he shows up in everything,” Cushing said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s lifting, film, football practice, he has a get better mentality. He’s a perfect picture of a guy who loves everything about the game of football. From the moment he wakes up in the morning until the moment he goes to bed, he’s thinking about football and how to make himself better.”

Johnson is part of a young group that has made the EIU defense better. Of the team’s 22 defensive players on the two-deep roster, 17 are freshmen or sophomores.

“Everybody has bought it, and we’re really aggressive,” Johnson said. “We like to run to the ball.”

Another thing Johnson likes, according to Cushing, is the physical nature of playing linebacker.

“He’s just a guy that loves the contact,” Cushing said. “He embraces everything about it. He’s always running to the football.”

News and notes

Winning its first game of the season last week against Tennessee Tech was a nice reward, according to Cushing. “It’s absolutely critical for the guys to see their hard work pay off,” he said. “Going forward, there’s a little bit of a monkey off your back (feeling).” The victory is the second in Cushing’s two seasons as head coach. … In his two starts this season, freshman quarterback Otto Kuhns has completed passes to eight different receivers. “That’s been the biggest key to his success,” Cushing said. “He’s taking what the defense is giving them. He’s at the point where he trusts everybody to make a play.” Kuhns is completing 56% of his passes with four touchdowns and two interceptions. … Murray State is 17^th in this week’s FCS Coaches Poll and is off to its best start since 1995. “Undefeated is undefeated,” Cushing said. “I had them higher in my poll. They play really good team football.” The Racers have the No. 1 scoring offense in the OVC at 27.2 points a game and the second-best rushing offense (165 yards). On defense, Murray is allowing 289.2 yards a game, the second-lowest total in the league.

Where to find the game

EIU’s road game against Murray State will kick off at 2 p.m. Sunday on ESPN+ online. The radio broadcast is available at WEIU.net.

I was gifted a ladder by someone who sees me going up. As I look in awe at my brand-new ladder, I see more than a ladder. The ladder is meant to elevate me and allow me to go as high as I want; I can undoubtedly reach the ceiling if I choose to climb all the way up. The ladder has handles on either side to protect me and make my climb safe. This ladder even has a pouch at the very top that can be used to store tools. As I climb the ladder, I can do it without any extra weight. All I have to do is climb and whatever I need will be at the top when I get there.

When its time to do things outside of what you’re used to, time to stretch yourself and take that next step, I hope someone puts before you a ladder. A ladder that only you can climb. A ladder that will help you reach places you couldn’t reach before, a ladder that will give you the boost that you need to go all the way to the top.

Going through a large stash of beer that I intend to review. As usual, I acknowledge when a beer has been sent to me for my comment. And this was sent by John O’Fallon, President of Crystal Lake Brewing in, of course, Crystal Lake. They’ve been brewing since 2013, and have slowly been building out a packaging and distribution footprint.

One of the beers they wanted to offer was their Real Hazy Pale Ale. That has been a taproom regular, and appears to have been finessed a few times with different kinds of hops. The new can here was made, they said, largely with Solero, “a brand new aroma hop with Cascade lineage that bursts with tropical fruit, berry and passion fruit.” The hop is cultivated in Germany is claimed to be “environmentally sustainable” and thus in short supply. Crystal Lake claims to be the first, and so far only, production brewery to use it.

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Tasting: I managed not to kick up a big head with my pour. Just a nice, slightly puffy parfait layer over an opaque, yellowish body. The smell is mainly passionfruit, backed by pine resin. Maybe a little bit mango creeps up after a few sips.

Taste has some bitterness, subdued at first, but it builds up as I go along. Again, there’s the passionfruit and a bit of pine resin from a Cascade-derived hop. Some citrus peel comes up, too. Only through the middle of the beer did I get a hint of some strawberry.. I did not think much of the malts at first. But it tends toward the sweet side, enforcing the fruitiness of the overall package.

This is a pretty strong tasting beer, one that manages to stand out among a hoard of hoppy pale ales. Settles out with a bit of lemon. This would work nicely with a spread of sausage and hard cheeses, or as a between course beer.

Two more mass shootings in Atlanta and Colorado last-week have yet again set off another fierce round of debate on the availability of guns in the United States. The scale of the challenge of America’s gun problem is a frightening thought. It’s estimated that there are 300 to 350 million guns in the country. At least one gun for every person living in the United States. Just to have a sense of balance, in Japan, they have one gun for every 100 persons. In 2017 they had 3 deaths in the entire country attributed to firearms. They average about 10 gun deaths a year. The Japanese Police officers are armed with Nambu Model 60s which is basically a Smith/Wesson model 37 Revolver. I have no insightful information why but they do.

Approximately 38,000 Americans die each year from gun violence. Every year an average of 100 per day. Nearly every American will know at least one victim of gun violence in their lifetime. More than 1,800 children and teens die by gunfire every year according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention with 3 million children directly exposed to gun violence each year resulting in injury and lasting trauma. Gun access triples suicide risk. The majority of suicides, (51%) involve a gun. Suicides, homicides, police shootings – gun violence takes many forms dictated by who and where you are.

Last year and continuing this year the number of gun-related violence is starting to become more staggering. Some say it’s because of the Covid-19 restrictions, some say it’s the liberal attitude towards gun-related crimes and those who commit them. Without question here in Cook County and Chicago gun offenders and the no bond or low bond issue that releases criminals has definitely not helped the issue in any way. Restorative justice seems to be working well for the criminals but not so much for their victims and others who are in fear of becoming one.

Despite the calls for more gun restrictions and gun control, Americans purchased 23 million guns in the United States last year a slight increase over 2019. There is no question that liberal opposition to guns has been spectacularly ineffective and at times even counterproductive. Millions of Americans do not want to give up their right to legally protect themselves with a firearm because hate-filled and mentally ill individuals are killing them. Indeed the argument that keeps coming back again is always against politicians who are trying to force more and more gun laws on the people and yet they are themselves surrounded by armed guards, some with multiple security.

In Chicago alone, in the last 14 days, 4 Chicago Cops have been wounded and so far this year 20 have come under fire. There have been 2 mass shootings in which 23 people have been shot and 4 murdered. During that 2 week period, 24 souls have been murdered and over 133 have been shot. Since the beginning of 2021, there has been a 65% increase in shootings and a 28% increase in murders over last year at this time. Indeed during this entire year, not one politician came forward demanding action against the gangs and the Justice system that has a revolving door when it comes to criminals committing crimes while armed. More laws and the failure to enforce the laws already there speak to the confidence of people who hear the speeches and the constant babble of more gun laws and more gun laws and no action against those criminals who are arrested. It’s no wonder whenever a politician is extending a hand looking for support for more gun legislation in return all they get back is their hand. I don’t think anyone would disagree that people who execute other human beings whether it be with an automatic rifle or a handgun, the shooter is either mentally unstable and so filled with hate they both are in desperate need of treatment. It’s time we concentrate efforts on mental health issues along with sensible punishment and accountability by those who use guns to commit criminal acts against civilized society.

Stairway rules! Now going on half a century, it’s still a classic. Whenever you hear the song, it’s hard to turn it off. There have been plenty of times when I’ve parked the car and listened to the last five minutes or so before leaving. The tune has so many layers to it that you could find something new in every listen….even if you’ve heard it hundreds of times.

Plus, there have been many new versions of Stairway that helps keep it fresh. Remember the moving version by Heart at the Kennedy Center Honors. I recently found an excellent version fronted by Mary J. Blige. Two years ago I saw Jason Bonham’s (the son of Zeppelin drummer, John) band play it, along with many other songs from the Zeppelin catalog. All of them fine covers. All of them helping to keep the tune relevant.

Okay…okay…enough about Stairway to Heaven. We all agree that it’s one of the greatest rock songs of all time, if not the greatest. It’s been like this for fifty years and I’m sure if we revisit it in another fifty years, we’ll feel the same way.

However, what about the album that the song is on? Led Zeppelin IV was considered an instant classic when it was released in 1971. How is it holding up half a century later? The original reviews for the album were outstanding. Phrases used included “powerhouse album” and “a masterpiece of masterpiece of heavy rock.” Would those words still be appropriately used in 2021?

When you first check out the track list for the album, you realize that you can hear almost all of the eight songs regularly on whatever streaming outlet you’re using to listen to music these days. All of them are familiar. They’re all comfortable. It’s like being with an old friend. And it starts with the first lyrics in the first song:

“Hey hey mama said the way you move
Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove“

That’s the start of “Black Dog” and while you don’t hear it nearly as often as Stairway, it’s on enough not to miss it. And every time you hear it, you know you’re going to sing along with Robert Plant. Hell, you probably were singing as you read the above words, weren’t you?

That’s followed by another classic sing-along “Rock and Roll.” If you don’t believe, how about this?

“It’s been a long time since I rock and rolled
It’s been a long time since I did the stroll“

See?! I told you you’d be singing along.

But, it’s way more than only the catchy lyrics. It’s easy to get lost in the Jimmy Page guitar and the pounding drum beats of Bonham. Has there been anyone who hits those drums with more force than John Bonham? NO! No one! Not Keith Moon. Not Neil Peart. NO ONE! The sound pounds through your body and it’s captures you.

The other song that has always intrigued me “Going to California.” You wouldn’t think that a band like Led Zeppelin would be penning a love sonnet to Joni Mitchell, but you have it here. I’ve always loved this song. It’s my winter tune when I lament leaving the warmth of Southern California for the cold, snowy Midwest. Yeah, I always think of California “with an achin’ in my heart.”

Honestly, I was a little surprised I enjoyed listening to Led Zeppelin IV as much as I did. My taste in the band has always leaned towards their first two albums, but, I admit that I was all-in from those first Robert Plant urgings. Sing it with me one more time. You know you want to and you’ll always want to join in.

“Hey hey mama said the way you move
Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove“

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