The Eli Who Stole The Game

His hands caught the Ivy League title last year, defeating Harvard in a crushing loss that will be remembered for a long time in the annals of Harvard-Yale football history.

With the Crimson leading 21-17 and just 29 seconds left on the clock, Yale wideout Eric Johnson "caught" a Joe Walland '00 pass in the end zone to give Yale a 24-21 victory and a share of the Ivy League title.

The pass was as controversial as it was dramatic. Yale fans will tell you that Johnson grabbed the ball an inch before it touched the turf. Harvard followers will claim the ball hit the ground first and Johnson trapped it. Photographic evidence proved, as all evidence invariably does, that Harvard fans were just a little smarter than their Eli counterparts.

Johnson trapped it and Yale shouldn't have won.

"'The Catch' will live in the lore of Yale football, a place Eric Johnson has more than earned in his four years here," said Yale Coach Jack Siedlecki.

The Catch sent Harvard to defeat in The Game, and gave Yale a piece of the title.

"The significance of the catch is hard to put into words," Siedlecki said. "We had a great year, but the win against Harvard made it one of the greatest years in the history of Yale football."

Johnson's performance in The Game last year proved his worth in pressure situations. Lost in the shuffle of The Catch and the controversy it generated, however, is Johnson's remarkable performance in the rest of The Game.

Specifically, his 20 other receptions that totaled 240 yards seem to be an afterthought for most fans. But all those receptions and yards didn't kill the Crimson and send Harvard to defeat. It was Johnson's 21st catch that sent the Crimson home from New Haven humbled.

"I have said many times since then that the significance of all the records set that day is magnified by the closeness and importance of the game," Siedlecki said. "Winning an Ivy League championship meant that Yale football had come all the way back from the depths of two consecutive last place finishes."

Growing up in the Greater Boston area, Johnson knew of the intense Harvard-Yale rivalry before he arrived in New Haven.

"It's a great rivalry," Johnson said. "It's the oldest tradition. It's a fun game, but with the pressure of a playoff."

With this year's installment of The Game in Cambridge, Johnson is looking forward to playing in front of his friends and family.

"It's really good, being from Massachusetts and playing in the Harvard-Yale game," Johnson said. "I have 75 people coming to see me play."

With Needham, Mass., where Johnson went to high school, just a short-hop from Cambridge, one might wonder why Johnson ended up at Yale instead of Harvard. Surprisingly, Johnson always preferred Yale to Harvard.

"I've never really been a big fan of Harvard," said Johnson.

This season has been different from last year for the Elis, but not for Johnson. While Yale fell out of Ivy League contention two weeks ago, Johnson has continued from where he left off last season. He is the team's primary wide receiver, its top offensive threat, and has been consistently spectacular.

Averaging more than eight receptions per game, Johnson stands among the top receivers in Division I-AA. He has 73 receptions this year for 894 yards. He averages 12.2 yards per catch, is the deep threat in Yale's offense and has 12 touchdowns on the year. Johnson is the "go-to guy" in the red zone and almost always draws double coverage.

"His strongest attributes are his hands and his balance," Siedlecki said. "He does not wear receiver gloves. He catches every ball in his hands and has a really soft touch when catching the ball."

Siedlecki used Yale's recent loss to Princeton, 19-14, to illustrate how Johnson's exceptional balance can compensate for his lack of blazing speed, often essential in a wide receiver. Breaking from the line of scrimmage, Johnson was lined up opposite a faster Princeton corner.

"He spun the defensive back right around," Siedlecki said. "His ability to cut at full speed leaves behind faster players who cannot change direction at full speed with him."

Johnson was a gifted athlete during his time at Needham High School, where he lettered in football, basketball and volleyball, captaining all three squads.

"Eric was superior--a great player for us as a high-schooler," said Needham High School Athletic Director Roy Johan. "He is a classic triple threat on the football field. He kicked field goals and extra points, caught touchdowns, and even threw for a touchdown."

Johnson's success is not a real surprise to those who know him well.

"I'm not terribly surprised about Eric's success at Yale," Johan said. "You can argue that he's one of their best players."

While Johnson may no longer excel at three sports like he did at Needham High, he still makes multiple contributions for the Elis.

Johnson, who handles the punting duties for Yale, was named one of the top five Division I-AA punters in 1999 by the Sports Network. He was also named a Second Team All-Ivy punter, which went along quite nicely with his Second Team All-Ivy wide receiver and Academic All-Ivy honors.

Johan remembered Johnson's qualities of leadership, intelligence and respect from his time as a co-captain at Needham.

"Johnson was a huge asset as co-captain," Johan said. "He is a real gentleman, respectful of the people around him, of his school and of the sport."

"His leadership is best exemplified by his work ethic," Siedlecki said. "Other players naturally look up to a player who works as hard as Eric and they know he will make the big play in the pressure situations."

Making the big play under pressure is not something that fazes Johnson.

Last year's catch against Harvard, in the ultimate pressure situation, qualifies as the biggest catch of Johnson's career and one of the biggest catches in Yale football history.

Harvard fans just hope he won't have a repeat performance as a senior in his final game.