UNT lineman Keon Johnson following in football footsteps of mom, who was a pro

Elizabeth Jenkins was just getting started with a memorable career in football when she received some news more than 20 years ago.

The next great offensive lineman in the family was on the way, not that adding to her family changed Jenkins’ routine right away. She had just taken up women’s tackle football back in 2004.

Jenkins carried North Texas offensive lineman Keon Johnson along for the ride on the football field for a short time while she was pregnant.

There was no way she was giving up the game and settled for a hiatus before returning to a sport that has shaped both her and her son’s lives. Jenkins played professionally for 22 years as a guard and center and is now the offensive line coach for the Texas Elite Spartans of the Women’s National Football Conference.

“I love the sport,” Jenkins said. “I’ve always been a bigger girl with broad shoulders who was just strong for no reason. The fact I wanted to put my hands on people and push them to the ground was celebrated in football.”

Jenkins passed that love down to Johnson. They’ve been on a football journey together ever since and are enjoying one of the more memorable seasons of their combined careers this fall. Johnson has moved into the starting lineup at right guard for UNT after serving as little more than a practice player earlier in his career with his mother close by in Dallas helping the WNFC and the Spartans grow.

Jenkins founded the league and the Spartans with her wife, Odessa Jenkins.

“It’s been very rewarding,” Keon Johnson said. “Playing a key role has definitely brought a lot of happiness back to football. It’s been a long time since I got to hit people other than my teammates during practice. I’m excited to keep going.”

UNT being in the thick of the race for the American Conference title only adds fuel to Johnson’s fire. The Mean Green have won five straight games to move to 6-2 on the year and 4-0 in American Conference play.

UNT will look to extend its winning streak Saturday, when the Mean Green host Rice. Win that game, and UNT will head into what is shaping up to be a huge game at UTSA on a roll. The Roadrunners also enter the week at 4-0 in league play and will face Florida Atlantic on Thursday.

There are a host of reasons UNT is in that spot, but there is little doubt Johnson — a mountain of a man at 6-foot-4 and 376 pounds — has played a key role.

“Keon’s a great athlete,” UNT coach Neal Brown said. “If you look at him, he’s a big guy, but he has really good athleticism and plays well on his feet. He doesn’t get tired for as big as he is.

“He’s unlike anything I’ve seen, honestly.”

Having a mother who has seen it all when it comes to offensive line play, both as a coach and as a player, certainly hasn’t hurt matters. Jenkins has quite the resume. She was a member of the United States’ teams that won the gold medal in the International Federation of American Football’s Senior Women’s World Championship in both  2017 and 2022, when the tournament was played in Finland.

“We trained together in my later years of high school and toward the end of her career,” Johnson said. “I learned different techniques and drills from her.

“She’s a really good coach, but I wouldn’t want to play for her. She’s one of those coaches who is fiery, screaming and always has something to say.”

A path into the game

Jenkins’ journey in football started simply enough. She was living in Cleveland in 2003, heard an advertisement on the radio about tryouts for the local women’s tackle football team and decided to give it a shot.

“I fell in love with the game,” Jenkins said. “I love to compete, have a crazy motor and a killer work ethic. That kept feeding my desire to be the best.”

Jenkins played guard early in her career before shifting to center while moving from team to team and league to league as women’s tackle football grew. She played for the Cleveland Fusion from 2004-10, spent time with the Pittsburgh Passion and then rejoined the Fusion.

Jenkins made the U.S. national team in 2017. A year later, she moved to Dallas. Jenkins and her wife, Odessa Jenkins, founded the Spartans and the WNFC, which has grown to include 16 teams across the country. The couple met during their careers as players.

The move was tough on Johnson, who continued living in Ohio with his father and growing as a player. He started out playing for Stow-Munroe Falls in high school before making the move to Archbishop Hoban, a powerhouse in Ohio football.

“They have a great coaching staff there,” Johnson said. “They reach out to schools to help you get recruited.”

In Johnson’s case, playing for Archbishop Hoban didn’t just help him grow and emerge as a college prospect. It also helped him reunite with his mother in the Dallas area.

Johnson was a lower-level college prospect because he tipped the scales at more than 400 pounds. A few Mid-American Conference schools offered preferred walk-on opportunities that would provide him a roster spot but not a scholarship.

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UNT lineman Keon Johnson following in football footsteps of mom, who was a pro

Johnson was headed to Maine, which competes on the Football Championship Subdivision level, before a coaching change at the school.

That’s when UNT stepped in. Jason Smith, a former NFL offensive lineman, was on the Mean Green’s staff at the time, saw Johnson’s potential and offered him a walk-on spot.

The opportunity was ideal for Johnson, considering his mother had already settled in Dallas.

“I feel like I missed out on some time with her growing up when she left,” Johnson said. “I figured why not go to college out by her and be able to see her in my off time.”

Playing a role

Jenkins did more than spend time with Johnson. She played a key role in helping him change his body and grow as a player.

Johnson weighed 415 pounds in his first season at UNT in 2023. Jenkins prepared meals every week and delivered them to her son in the hope that better nutrition would help him change his body.

The two also spent time together discussing the finer points of offensive line play. Johnson would often bring UNT's practice plan home.

“It’s probably one of the most special things I’ve experienced,” Jenkins said. “I pick his brain about new drills and other things I can implement in practice for my women’s team. It’s a give-and-take thing where I can help him, but he’s helping me, too.”

Johnson gradually developed and lost weight. He’s now listed at 376 pounds.

Jenkins has enlisted him as a volunteer coach who often comes by to help out at the Spartans’ practices. Jenkins is hoping her son can take on a more prominent role down the line, if he can fit it into his schedule.

Johnson’s teammates — particularly those who play on UNT’s offensive line — are aware that his mother is a legend in the women’s game.

“It’s a pretty cool deal,” said Johnny Williams IV, who starts at left tackle for UNT. “It’s not often that you get to meet women who play football.”

Williams was one of several UNT players who described Johnson as a quiet person who helps keep his teammates’ spirits high over the course of what can be a long season.

“Keon’s a great guy and funny,” defensive lineman Nolan Clark said. “I like being around him. He’s awesome. He always seems to be in good spirits.”

Reaching a high point

There’s a lot for Johnson to be in good spirits about these days. At this time last year, he was playing largely on special teams and didn’t start a game all season.

That seems like a long time ago now. Brown has called Johnson perhaps UNT’s most consistent offensive lineman.

That’s a significant statement considering how well the Mean Green have played along their offensive front while quickly becoming bowl eligible. UNT added a host of transfers in the offseason as it looked to rebuild its offensive line.

Johnson wasn't expected to fill a key role back when spring practice began but developed quickly and won a starting job at guard in one of the more surprising twists when it comes to how UNT's lineup came together.

"Keon's a guy who's matured into a player," Brown said. "We had an open competition for both guard spots, and he clearly won it in summer and during fall camp. He's gotten better as he's continued to play."

Johnson’s progress has opened a world of possibilities. He’s in his fourth year at UNT and has another season of eligibility remaining to continue his rapid rise as a player.

“I definitely want to finish up these last few games, keep putting good plays on film and show people what I can do," Johnson said. “The NFL is the goal. I have always dreamed of it. I just want to keep playing games and doing my thing.”

Jenkins will be there with her son every step of the way like a lot of mothers. She’s just a little different because of her background as a standout offensive lineman.

“It’s special, just being able to sit down and talk to Keon about all the X’s and O’s,” Jenkins said. “I want to support him in any way I can and have that added bonus of knowing what he’s talking about. I know what to look for and can give him advice on how to be better.”