The Enquirer-Journal
By: Lee Noles
                                                                                     

               Super QB
Local camp allows young QBs to work with reigning Super Bowl champion

WINGATE
Tuesday, June 24, 2003

     Campers at Gus Purcell's quarterback school got a special treat Monday. 
     Brad Johnson - last season's Super Bowl champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers- spent the day teaching fundamentals to the 150 athletes who attended.  This is the 10th year that Johnson has taught at the camp at Wingate University. 
     "I love being with kids and the camp here is great...There is just a lot camaraderie here," said Johnson.  "It's just been a lot of fun being with the kids and coming back and seeing them from year to year." 
     Johnson was the starting quarterback for the Buccaneers, who claimed the franchise's first world championship with a 48-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders in January.
     Johnson's entering his 12th season in the NFL with this past year being one of his best.
     Throwing for 3,049 yards, Johnson completed over 60 percent of his passes.  He threw a team-record 22 touchdowns while having only six interceptions making him the NFC's top-rated passer. 
     Those numbers also got Johnson a $25 million contract extension over the next four years.  Along with a $6 million signing bonus, Johnson will make $8.5 million this season, fourth amoung NFL quarterbacks.
     Johnson's from Black Mountain (N.C) and played college ball at Florida State.  His Super Bowl victory was the first championship of his career.
     "It was awesome, awesome," said Johnson "It's a dream come true and hopefully it can happen again."
     This is the 33rd year-10th at Wingate-of the camp's existence with Purcell starting it as a day camp in Charlotte.  Purcell is a former coach at Myers Park High and a member of the N.C. high school sports hall of fame.
     "It just went from there," said Purcell, reflecting on his first camp.  "It worked out pretty good...we have a good staff."
     The camp will last through Thursday with tutelage coming from former NFL player Heath Schuler to current Virginia quarterback and ACC player of the year. This year's camp has seen athletes come from nine states, ranging from rising 8th graders to seniors in high school.
     One of those is Union county resident Cameron Jones.
     A freshman at Charlotte Catholic, Jones is from Waxhaw and is in his first year at camp.
     "I like it a lot; I thought we would have a lot more breaks but it's been pretty hard," said Jones.  "But it's been good it keeps up busy."
     And meeting an NFL champion.  "I didn't think he was going to be that tall," said Jones of 6-5 Johnson.  "And when he explained things it felt like we could shoot for the same things."
    

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