DAVIS, Calif. -- As the second week of the UC Davis winter practice season winds down, we continue our ongoing series introducing Aggie fans to football players who unsung heroes or up-and-comers. On a team of more than 100 student-athletes playing a variety of roles, some players are relative unknowns to even the most ardent followers. Once again, we highlight one player from each position group who UC Davis football fans should get to know.

This series continues with quarterback Brock Johnson, a fourth-year communication major from Mission Viejo, California.

WHY AGGIE FANS MIGHT NOT KNOW HIM: 
Johnson transferred to UC Davis after a year at Georgetown but did not initially make the roster. Still, he served as an assistant to award-winning video coordinator Tim Ornelas, and generally aided practice in any capacity he could. He made the Aggie roster in 2018 and saw scant playing time as a reserve behind Jake Maier during the past two years. Eagle-eyed fans likely see Johnson signalling in the plays from the sidelines, as he serves quite literally as a right-hand man to associate head coach and offensive coordinator Tim Plough.

WHY AGGIE FANS SHOULD KNOW HIM: 
Fans are already familiar with the lineage of quarterbacks he continues. His grandfather, Bob, created the Elite 11 academies (in which Plough participated as a young QB). His father, Bret, starred at El Toro High and famously squared off against rival Todd Marinovich. Bret went on to play for UCLA and Michigan State, and saw stints in the CFL and NFL. Brock's uncle, Rob Johnson, played nine years in the NFL, including 26 games as the starter for the Buffalo Bills. For Brock's part, he led Mission Viejo High to a 28-game winning streak and a state championship in 2015. And even in his limited playing time at UC Davis, he has already thrown for two touchdowns. Furthermore, Brock's selflessness with his teammates earned him the Phil Wells Teammate of the Year award in 2018.

Oddly, Brock Johnson might already be the best-known member of the Aggie football team. His Instagram account has more than 38,000 followers, and he owns his own successful business as a social media coach. Johnson's podcast, which he co-hosts with his mother, Chalene, is about to record its 300th episode. (For her part, Chalene's YouTube channel boasts some 112,000 susbscribers.)

With Maier having graduated last fall, Johnson is part of a five-horse race to assume the role under center, along with Hunter Rodrigues, Gunnor Faulk, Miles Hastings and Trent Tompkins. However, as Plough says, "[Brock] is competing right now but I think he competes with himself."

ACCORDING TO TIM PLOUGH, ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR & QB'S COACH:
"Brock exemplifies Aggie Pride as much as or more than any other guy I've coached. That's because he's not about the results. He's not about the stats. He's all about the team. He has told me before that his goal is to be the captain of the team. He wants to be a leader. I just think he's a guy who should be celebrated for who he is and what he stands for. When he's done playing here and he's gone on to be successful doing whatever he's doing, he'll be one of those guys I'll hold dear to my heart. He stands for everything we want out of UC Davis football."

ABOUT UC DAVIS: Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.

AGGIE EVO: Established in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.

MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE: Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 women's athletics programs. Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year. All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs. Visit this site for more information.

DON'T MISS OUT: Tickets for all UC Davis sports are on sale by contacting the Athletics Ticket Office at (530) 752-AGS1 or by visiting us online at tickets.ucdavis.edu.