CLEMSON – As Clemson running back Chris Johnson, Jr., zipped in for a touchdown in a fall camp scrimmage last weekend, there was nothing more fitting than the message displayed behind him.

As the transfer broke off for a long run into the end zone, Memorial Stadium’s jumbotron read “Welcome to Death Valley,” in orange and purple lettering — fitting, as the Tigers’ staff brought in the speedy back for those types of explosive moments.

“I mean CJ, if he gets an open field he’s going to make a long run on anybody,” head coach Dabo Swinney said. “You can’t miss a tackle on him.”

Swinney personally knows this to be true of the Tigers’ newest offensive player, especially after Johnson ran for 59 yards and a touchdown on six carries against Clemson last year, when he wore an SMU jersey. He also caught four passes for 40 yards in the Mustangs’ eventual 35-24 victory.

Johnson, whose touchdown came on a six-yard run to solidify the win with 63 seconds left, led both teams in rushing yards and came second in receiving yards for SMU.

His performance, in a way, was a part of a chain reaction that made Swinney and defensive coordinator Tom Allen make some mid-season changes, promoting analyst Thomas Allen to help fix Clemson’s communication issues after consecutive poor performances in the secondary against SMU and Duke.

Now equipped with the power to make other teams reconsider their defensive philosophies, Johnson is just weeks away from his first positive welcome to Death Valley, though he has already scored the second-most touchdowns in Memorial Stadium of any Clemson running back.

“We got (Johnson) in the mix, and that’s a very productive player,” Swinney said. “He’s been a very productive college player. I think he averaged 10 yards a carry against us. So, glad to have him.”

With Johnson’s track-star type speed, the kind that helps him run a 4.24 in the 40 according to Director of Strength and Conditioning Dennis Love, he has 837 total yards of offense in his three-year college career.

Since Johnson arrived at Clemson in January, fellow running back David Eziomume has gotten to watch that speed in practice every day. He can confirm, the 4.2-number is very real.

“We were kind of racing against each other and then he just kind of took off. I was like, ‘Whoa,’” the junior said. “Like that 4.2 was real and when I watched him run his 40 as well, I’m just like, “No, that speed is definitely real though.

“I ran track in high school, so you seen some fast kids like that, but like to see it on a football field, like it’s different, though,” he continued. “I love it, honestly.”

According to Swinney, who had Johnson on a “pitch count” in recent scrimmages, the running back’s abilities on the field do not stop with his speed or pass-catching strengths. 

Beyond that, Swinney said, Johnson is football tough.

“CJ is not as big as the other guys, but he’s as tough as anybody we got,” Swinney said. “I’ve seen guys a lot bigger, not as tough as him. That kid’s got no fear. I mean, he will stick his face mask in there. He is a tough, tough kid. So, you know, we don’t want him to make a living pass protection. You know, we want to throw it to him. Want to hand it to him. So, but every now and then, he’s got to protect, but he ain’t going to make a living pass protecting. But he can get it done when he needs to.”

Last season, Clemson finished 11th in the ACC in rushing offense and 120th in the country in pass defense. Now, as the lone offensive transfer, Johnson has a chance to help both sides of the ball – both as a hybrid running back / receiver, and as a constant training ground for the defense.

Johnson and the Tigers will have their first chance to show off that speed and overall team improvement on Sept. 5, when Clemson opens the season against LSU at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.