FAYETTEVILLE — Dennis Johnson has scored touchdowns for the Arkansas Razorbacks rushing, receiving and returning kickoffs.

This season, the fifth-year senior from Texarkana hopes to add some punt return touchdowns to his resume.

“I know I’ve got big shoes to fill as a punt returner,” Johnson said, referring to Joe Adams. “I’m trying. I’ve got to at least take — what? — five back to fill the shoes of Joe.

“If I take five back, and two back on kick return, I’m good.”

Adams, a rookie with the Carolina Panthers, returned five punts for touchdowns in his two seasons handling that duty for the Razorbacks, including four last season.

Marquel Wade was expected to take over as Arkansas’ top punt returner. But Wade was dismissed from the team after being arrested and charged with burglary.

“I think that’s all we have,” tailback Knile Davis said when asked about Johnson becoming punt returner. “Marquel Wade, we had to let him go. Joe isn’t here. We don’t have the jet anymore.

“I think Dennis is the man for the job. He can catch the ball real good, he’s a senior, and he knows situations. He knows when to get away from the ball, when to fair catch it. Just being a senior, being mature and having good hands, I think that’s a good fit.”

Arkansas’ coaches agree and have Johnson rated as the team’s top punt returner as the Razorbacks continue preparing for their Sept. 1 opener against Jacksonville State. He’s set to become the first Razorback to be the primary kickoff and punt returner in the same season since DeCori Birmingham in 2004.

“I think Dennis has a feel for where people are, and he’s got that breakaway that once he gets there and sees the gap, then he can hit it,” special teams coordinator Steve Caldwell said. “In punt return, the No. 1 thing is, ‘Let’s possess the ball when it’s over. Let’s do a great job of fielding the punt and don’t let it hit the ground and let’s go make something happen.’

“If we field the punt and don’t make any yards, it’s better than letting it hit the ground and roll back 10, and Dennis can do a good job of judging the ball and fielding it.”

Johnson hasn’t returned punts since his senior year at Texarkana, when he scored four touchdowns on nine returns, averaging 40.1 yards.

“I never returned punts until my senior year in high school, and I never returned punts until my senior year in college,” Johnson said. “So it’s pretty much the same.”

Johnson has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns — against Tulsa in 2008, Missouri State in 2009 and South Carolina last season — and his 2,475 yards on 102 attempts is a school career record. He is set to become the first Razorback to lead the team in kickoff returns in four seasons.

In records dating to 1946, Johnson is one of five Razorbacks to lead the team in kickoff returns three times, along with Clyde Scott, Derek Holloway, Carl Miller and Felix Jones.

“It means a lot to me to be one of the best,” Johnson said. “That’s what I strive for, that’s what I came here to be.”

A new NCAA rule this year has moved kickoffs from the 30-yard line to the 35 with the goal being more touchbacks and fewer returns to decrease high-speed player collisions. Johnson, who has a career average of 24.3 yards, said the new rule won’t stop him from returning kickoffs.

“It’s just means I’m just going to have to bring some out of the end zone,” Johnson said. “That means there’s going to be some records broken when I return some. It’s going to be more impressive.

“It’s not going to slow me down any. They’ll have to kick it out of the end zone for me not to bring it out.”

Johnson said Arkansas’ coaches have discussed with him downing the ball if it’s more than 5 yards deep in the end zone. So what will he do if the kick is 6, 7 or 8 yards deep?

“It depends on who we’re playing, what’s happening in the game, how I feel,” Johnson said. “They’ll be going ‘no, no, no’ and I’ll be going ‘yes, yes, yes.’

“I’ll end up nailing it so I won’t get in trouble.”

Caldwell said he is confident Johnson will still have plenty of big kickoff returns.

“I don’t think everybody’s got a kicker that can consistently kick it in the end zone,” Caldwell said. “That’s something we’ll have to see with the change of the rule.

“I think a lot of these kids do have stronger legs than they’ve had in the past, but I can remember when it was all the way at the 40, and you still didn’t kick it to the end zone every time.”

Johnson said returning punts is a lot different than kickoffs.

“Punts are higher than kickoffs, and the coverage gets on you a lot faster,” Johnson said. “On kickoff return, you’ve got at least 10 yards to work with, but on punt return you’ve maybe got 2 or 3. So there’s always going to be somebody in your face when you catch the ball.

“You’ve got to have good vision, awareness and toughness. ... Once there’s a hole, you’ve got to hit it because it closes fast.”

Johnson, who as a tailback has a combined 1,629 yards and seven touchdowns, said he is glad to be returning punts along with kickoffs.

“I’m just trying to help the team win any way possible,” he said, “whatever I need to do on the field.”

Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said he’s excited about what Johnson came do as a punt returner.

“The more times we can get the ball in his hands, it’s a great thing,” Petrino said.

Johnson knows expanding his special teams role also will help raise his NFL stock.

“I’m trying to show I’m versatile in any way possible,” he said. “That just helps the NFL scouts look at you more.”

Johnson smiled when considering the possibility of scoring touchdowns on kickoff and punt returns this season.

“That would be cool,” he said. “Even cooler if it was in one game.”

Sports, Pages 19 on 08/17/2012