Running, sticking to disciplined diet pay off for Pitt tight end Karter Johnson
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For a year when he was thirsty, Pitt tight end Karter Johnson drank nothing but water.
His regimen for a long time included waking up most mornings and going on runs of between 1 and 5 miles.
“On days I didn’t run, I would go and work out,” he said. “I would do core stuff, crossfit to keep my heart rate going.”
The plan was to burn more calories than he was eating, and he said his food intake at the height of his workouts totaled no more than 1,200 calories per day.
Clearly, Johnson put no restrictions on what he would do to elevate his football career after weighing 330 pounds as a senior at Pickerington Central (Ohio) High School.
So, when he went up for a Phil Jurkovec pass Saturday against Wofford, he lifted only 237 pounds off the Acrisure Stadium surface to come down with the 1-yard touchdown catch.
“It’s been a long ride,” he said, describing the touchdown as “a surreal experience.”
“I didn’t even feel like I was really there. The team was behind my back and supported me, and Phil threw me a great ball and I made the play.”
Losing weight was not easy for Johnson, who began his collegiate career as a defensive lineman at TCU in 2019.
“It was rough at first,” he said. “I started eating chicken and all the good stuff. I really didn’t know too much about nutrition at the time. So, I was just going off what I saw on the internet.
“I used to be a big pop drinker. I would have two or three pops a day. I cut it out and only drank water. I drink Gatorade now, but water was all I had for about a year.”
He said the sacrifices were well worth it.
“I feel a lot better about myself, mentally and physically,” he said. “I’m able to move a lot better and do what I need to get done.”
After leaving TCU after the ’19 season, Johnson transitioned to tight end at Butler (Kansas) Community College during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. There, he caught 22 passes for 293 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games before transferring to Pitt last year.
As a reward for all his hard work, Johnson allowed himself one Sprite this summer. He earned it after being named Pitt’s most improved offensive player in spring drills. Now, he’s part of a tight end room that is Pitt’s deepest in many years.
All four tight ends caught at least one pass in the opener. Gavin Bartholomew secured two for 38 yards, Johnson two for 24, Jake Renda two for 14 and Malcolm Epps one for a loss of 1.
“It makes it hard for defenses to really prepare for us,” Johnson said. “I think it’s awesome for our team for everybody to get the ball and everybody to get love on offense.”
Spreading out the opportunities also will keep everyone alert, especially with a mobile quarterback such as Jurkovec, he said.
“When you see Phil get out of the pocket, you know you have to get yourself open,” he said.
Johnson said the move to tight end wasn’t easy.
Pitt tight end Karter Johnson on transitioning to a new position and new school … pic.twitter.com/Lcze3XbLMF
— Jerry DiPaola (@JDiPaola_Trib) September 6, 2023
“It was difficult for me because I didn’t know if I was really good or not,” he said, “because I never watched or studied the film on that position. I knew I was a decent defensive lineman. I knew what to do. I’ve been studying it my whole life. To go from 12 years of defensive line to three years of tight ends is all brand new. I’m learning every day.”