Quay Johnson

Position:
Sprints/Relays
Class:
Graduate Student
Hometown:
Knightdale, N.C.
High School:
Knightdale
Major:
Criminal Justice

An elusive, explosive and exciting playmaker who should continue to provide a major presence to the Pirates’ offensive unit and special teams squad as a senior in 2017 … Offensively, is ECU’s projected starter at the “H” receiver slot and is expected to again contribute to the special teams unit as a returner … Delivers plenty of pass catching ability to go along with a running back’s mentality … Has already appeared in 34 career contests (11 starts) in three seasons and made 83 catches for 754 yards (9.1 ypr) and four touchdowns … Picked up 35 rushing yards on seven carries (4.7 ypr) out of the “wildcat” formation … Returned 41 kickoffs for 794 yards (19.4 ypr) and 28 punts for 188 yards (6.7 ypr) … Has racked up 1,769 all-purpose yards (needing just 231 to reach 2,000 milestone) … Caught at least one pass in 24 of 34 games (multiple catches on 17 occasions … Began spring scrimmage slate with two receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown during first tilt on April 1 … Scoring grab was a five-yarder from Gardner Minshew … Hauled in one catch for 16 yards in second outing (April 7) before topping all receivers with seven receptions for 105 yards and a TD during the Purple-Gold Game (April 22) … On receiving end of an 18-yard scoring strike from Minshew in last intrasquad clash.

2016: Opened 10 of 12 games during junior campaign … Was Pirates’ second-leading receiver (behind national leader Zay Jones) with 58 receptions for 563 yards and three touchdowns … Stood fourth on unit with 803 all-purpose yards (563 receiving, 214 kickoff return, 17 punt return, 9 rushing), an average of 66.9 ypg … Eclipsed 100-yard all-purpose mark four times – 122 vs. NC State, 114 vs. UCF, 111 vs. SMU and 110 vs. Tulsa … Caught at least two passes in 10 contests, which included a career-high 13 receptions vs. Wolfpack at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium … Also established a personal-best in receiving yards with 113 against Knights in the American Athletic Conference opener, which also marked first career triple-digit outing … Scores came against Western Carolina (four-yarder), UCF (career-long 75-yarder) and Tulsa (10-yarder) … Tallied nine receptions once (Tulsa/96 yards), eight once (SMU/75), seven once (South Carolina/59), five once (UCF/113), four twice (USF/31, Temple/23), three once (Western Carolina/30) and two twice (Virginia Tech/44 and Cincinnati/9) … Of the nine catches against the Golden Hurricane, six came in the fourth quarter and generated 71 yards … Accumulated nine ground yards on four carries … Set season-highs in attempts (two) and yards (seven) in opener vs. Catamounts … Also had a four-yard carry in season finale at Temple … Amassed 214 kickoff return yards on 12 attempts (17.8 ypr) … Logged season-highs in returns (three) and return yardage (49) against Wolfpack during ECU’s 33-30 win … Other KORs were vs. WCU (2-44), South Carolina (2-38), SMU (2-36), Navy (2-22) and Temple (1-25) … Contributed nine punt returns for 17 yards (long of 14 at Tulsa) … Had at least one PR in eight of 12 contests (season-high two against Hokies.

2015: Was Pirates’ primary return specialist (kickoffs and punts) and first receiver off the bench as a sophomore … Experienced action in all 12 contests … Ranked third in the American Athletic Conference with a punt return average of 9.0 (171 yards in 19 attempts) … Stood 11^th in the league with a 20.1 kickoff return average (544 yards in 27 attempts) … As a receiver, hauled in 16 passes for 134 yards (8.4 ypr) and one touchdown … Only score was a seven-yard reception from Blake Kemp against Temple during second-quarter action at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium … Was third on team with 853 all-purpose yards (134 receiving, 171 punt return, 544 kickoff return), averaging 71.1 per contest … Enjoyed three consecutive triple-digit all-purpose yardage outings from Sept. 26 to Oct. 10 with a career-high 144 vs. SMU, 109 vs. BYU and 105 vs. Virginia Tech … Tallied multiple catch totals on four occasions (had at least one seven times) … Had four receptions each in tilts vs. Towson (30 yards) and Temple (13), picked up three against Virginia Tech (career-best 55) and two at UCF (20) … Season-long grab was a 30-yarder against the Hokies during ECU’s 35-28 victory … Logged one rushing attempt, a four-yarder in Dallas against Mustangs … Booked personal-bests of five kickoff returns (USF) and 84 yards (BYU) … Surpassed 50 kickoff return yards or more six times with other notables coming against Florida (71), Navy (68) and USF (60) … Top punt return attempt was seven at SMU (career-high 82 yards) … Long single kickoff and punt returns were 34 (Navy) and 46 (SMU), respectively.

2014: Played in 10 contests and made first collegiate start against SMU in the Pirates’ inaugural American Athletic Conference tilt ... Overall, caught nine passes for 57 yards (6.3 ypc) ... Posted multiple receptions three times (two each vs. SMU/15 yards, Temple/17 and Cincinnati/16) ... Hauled down at least one catch in six of 10 games ... Had single receptions in collegiate debut against N.C. Central (seven yards) and again vs. North Carolina (-3) and Florida (five) in the Birmingham Bowl … Logged two rushes out of the “wildcat” formation for 20 yards, both coming against SMU (long of 15) … Tallied a season-best 71 all-purpose yards vs. the Mustangs (20/rush, 15/receiving, 36/kickoff returns) ... Did not experience action against South Carolina, Virginia Tech and UCF … Participated, but did not record any statistics against USF, Connecticut, Tulane or Tulsa.

High School: Two-year letterman for coach Robert Senseney at Knightdale High School … Chosen as the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s (NCHSAA) Male Athlete-of-the-Year at the conclusion of senior prep campaign … Also selected as the program’s offensive MVP and was the Greater Neuse Conference Offensive Player-of-the-Year as a junior and senior ... Named to the All-Metro squad as a team captain in 2013 … Key member of a Knights team that rolled to a conference title and a 12-2 overall record … Ranked among the top 65 prospects in North Carolina (2014 recruiting class) … Versatility enabled valuable contributions from many positions, including running back, receiver, defensive back and as a return specialist … Racked up nearly 2,000 total yards, rushed for 18 touchdowns, passed for 11 and caught three more in ’13 … Helped KHS to a 7-4 overall mark and a 5-2 Greater Neuse 4-A Conference record in 2012 … Made commitment to ECU on Sept. 6, a day after the Pirates’ “Paint It Black” victory over Florida Atlantic … A highly-regarded track athlete who competed in the 400m, 500m, 4x400m and 4x800m events and was part of seven state titles … Captured the North Carolina championship in the 400 as a junior and his 4x400 relay unit established a state record … Also earned one letter as a point guard on the basketball floor … Success in classroom enabled selection to All-Academic Conference squads in both football and track.

Personal: Full name is Marquavious R. Johnson, but prefers to go by Quay … Born at Tarboro, N.C. … Son of Wanda Pittman … A criminal justice major … Also competed as a member of ECU’s track program (sprint events) … Brother Devin Johnson is also a track letterman at the collegiate level … Hobbies include traveling.