Why Chasen Johnson returned to UCF football and what he hopes for his sophomore season (2025)

ORLANDO — UCF fans might owe Gabe Davis a thank-you.

Did the Knights alum and current Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver convince cornerback Chasen Johnson to stay in Orlando? A conversation between the two Sanford Seminole grads certainly didn’t hurt.

Davis and Johnson chatted after UCF hired Scott Frost as head coach in December.

At the time, Johnson sat in transfer portal limbo. He committed to USC a few days after the Frost announcement before flipping to SMU. But by early January, he returned to UCF for the start of the second semester.

Johnson credited Frost as the reason he’s still at UCF and detailed his discussion with Davis, who suited up for Frost as a freshman in 2017, during his first media availability of spring camp Saturday.

“(Davis) played with (Frost), so he just told me everything he stood on and his morals,” Johnson said. “That just really fit the type of player I am. I appreciated Gabe for giving me insight on that and keeping me here because this feels like home.”

Why Chasen Johnson returned to UCF football and what he hopes for his sophomore season (1)

Regardless of the whirlwind offseason, Johnson is a Knight now. And he figures to have a big role in 2025.

Johnson arrived as a three-star recruit and immediately caught the attention of Gus Malzahn’s staff last spring. The freshman ended up appearing in all 12 games and starting four of the last five.

He racked up 18 tackles and two pass breakups.

“My first season in college, I really learned that it's a long season,” said Johnson, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 180 pounds. “At the beginning of the season, I was kind of down because I wasn't getting a lot of reps. So I want to say to all the young players out there, it's a really long season. Don't get down on yourself, and just have faith in God.”

Why Chasen Johnson returned to UCF football and what he hopes for his sophomore season (2)

UCF’s top corners last season, Mac McWilliams and BJ Adams, exhausted their eligibility and are on their way to the NFL draft. Johnson will attempt to lock up one of their vacant spots.

He’ll look to do so in a new system, too.

Frost brought in Alex Grinch, a former assistant at Ohio State, Oklahoma and USC, among other schools, as his defensive coordinator. Grinch is a four-time nominee for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant.

Brandon Harris also joined the program as defensive backs coach.

“It's a big deal,” Johnson said. “Coach Grinch always puts an emphasis in the meetings on turnovers equal wins. The (higher) percentage of turnovers you get, the more wins you get. That's just big ... He comes with the energy every day.”

Why Chasen Johnson returned to UCF football and what he hopes for his sophomore season (3)

Johnson said Grinch has allowed the defensive backs to be aggressive and challenge receivers. They’ve played a lot of press coverage during the spring.

That jives with Johnson. He wants to channel that aggression into game-changing results.

“My main emphasis this offseason is playing the ball,” he said. “I want to make a play this year. I feel like, last year, it was a lot of plays where I was in position where I didn't turn my head and go get that. This year, I'm definitely going to make a couple plays and turn the crowd up.”

So, recording his first career interception is on the to-do list.

But why stop there?

“I'm going for All-American,” Johnson said. “I'm going for it all. For my expectations, I never shoot low, and that's why I feel I did good my freshman year.”

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF Knights football: How Gabe Davis influenced Chasen Johnson return