By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

GEORGETOWN, Ky. - One year ago, Rudi Johnson languished as the third running back on the Bengals' preseason depth chart.

RUDI JOHNSON PROFILE

Ht., Wt.: 5-feet-10, 220 Pos.: Running back College: Auburn Hometown: Ettrick, Va. NFL highlights: Led Bengals with 957 rushing yards in 2003, becoming first in franchise history to rush for 150-plus yards in three games in one season. Set franchise record with 43 rushing attempts against Houston. Drafted in fourth round (100th overall) by Bengals in 2001. Status: Restricted free agent in 2004, signed one-year tender offer of $1.824 million on May 11. College highlights: Rushed for 3,827 yards in two seasons (1998-99) at Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kan. Rushed for 1,567 yards in one season (2000) at Auburn and was voted Southeastern Conference Player of the Year by coaches. TODAY'S SCHEDULE 8:45-11:10 a.m., practice 3-4 p.m., practice Directions From downtown: Take I-75 South about 70 miles to Exit 126 (Georgetown, Ky.). Turn right off ramp onto U.S. 460 West. Stay on 460 for about 2 miles. Turn right at light onto Lemons Mill Road (1962 West). Turn right into driveway flanked with Georgetown College/Bengals signs Coming up The team will practice twice today and Wednesday and once each Thursday and Friday. The Bengals travel to Tampa Bay on Friday in preparation for their preseason opener on Saturday. Injury report • Left tackle Levi Jones (car accident), wide receiver Patrick Johnson (leg) and cornerback Greg Brooks (intestinal virus) returned to practice Monday. • Tight end Matt Schobel (hamstring) experienced tightness during the morning practice and was held out in the afternoon. • Guard Eric Steinbach (elbow) and wide receiver Maurice Mann (ankle) could be back by the middle of this week. Fullback Jeremi Johnson (groin) might be back by the end of the week. • Landon Johnson (shoulder) will not play against Tampa Bay. Palmer watch Carson Palmer looks more comfortable running the offense. He calmly moved a wide receiver into the correct position by repeating the play call at the line and motioning him to move farther outside. Monday's highlight In morning practice, linebacker Kevin Hardy grabbed Chad Johnson by the shirt and threw the wide receiver face first to the ground after a reception. Coaches have been getting on Johnson about not running back to the huddle. Hardy's body slam looked like retribution and was not accidental contact. Nobody would talk about it.

Stuck behind starter Corey Dillon and third-down specialist Brandon Bennett, Johnson fought to hold off a challenge from former UC star Ray Jackson.

Fast forward to 2004. Johnson is the man; the other three are gone. And despite the pressure to replace the cantankerous but durable Dillon, Johnson is working confidently in his first training camp as the starter.

If Johnson acts like a guy who's been in the spotlight before on a big stage, it's because he has.

Rewind to January 2000 - Auburn, Ala. The Tigers plucked Johnson out of junior college, where he had led Butler County (Kan.) to the national title by rushing for 373 yards and seven touchdowns in the championship game.

Johnson was the back who would restore Auburn's historically strong running game, which had slipped badly since the days of Bo Jackson, Stephen Davis and Fred Beasley.

"So when I got to Auburn, all the attention was on me," Johnson recalled Monday. "You can imagine all the hype (in the Southeastern Conference). So it was like it is here; all eyes were on me."

Johnson had two years of junior college experience, just as he had two years of NFL experience - albeit limited - before rising up last season to supplant Dillon with 957 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

"I wasn't a freshman coming in to play a major role in the offense," Johnson said, "just like I'm not a rookie coming in here."

He rushed for 1,567 yards, earning player of the year honors from SEC coaches, and helped Auburn rebound from a 5-6 record to 9-4 and a first-place finish in the league's west division.

Johnson was ready when his opportunity came in the form of Dillon's injuries in 2003. Johnson had worked hard. "I never took a (practice play) off," he said.

That template was set at Auburn.

"A lot of successful (junior college players) would come in here with no humility whatsoever," said Auburn running backs coach Eddie Gran, who coached Johnson. "Not Rudi. He worked extremely hard in the offseason program. He never said a word. By the time the season started, he'd won the respect of all his teammates."

Johnson's work ethic got a boost in training camp 2003 from Bengals coach Marvin Lewis.

"I think for guys who come to the NFL who have been fine players in college, and you get here and you're a backup running back, you have to embrace special teams," Lewis said when asked about a conversation he had with Johnson.

"He needs to be on time to the meetings. He has to come out and show the energy and speed when practicing special teams. I think a lot changed in a hurry for Rudi."

Johnson took the advice to heart. After rushing for 174 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers in December, Johnson recovered San Francisco's last-gasp onside kick.

Now that he's the featured back, Johnson has elevated his off-field game further. Visual evidence is Johnson's embrace of running back coach Jim Anderson's instruction on the sidelines so far in training camp. He's either catching short passes from Anderson or listening to tips on footwork and blocking.

"His attention to detail, focus, his sense of urgency, all those things have accelerated," Anderson said.

Starting is easier, Johnson said, than the backup role he played in his first two NFL seasons. He equaled or bettered his two-year total of 17 rushing attempts in six different games last season.

"I'm more comfortable with being the guy than not being the guy," Johnson said. "Stuff like that comes naturally."

"I don't know how I made it through those first two years. Just shows how much I love football. It was difficult to get a chance with 28 (Dillon) here."

Johnson learned from watching Dillon. Good and bad.

"I'm not going to touch the bad," Johnson said. "When Corey came out here to practice, he did come to work. When he was on the practice field, he did come to work. You have to when you're the main guy."

About the only blemish on Johnson's story is his and the Bengals' inability to reach a long-term deal in the offseason. Johnson's playing under a one-year contract he signed as a restricted free agent.

"That will take care of itself," Johnson said. "I'm looking for big things (1,500 rushing yards or more), so big things will come."

The Bengals know they'll have to pay big to re-sign Johnson if he has that big of a year.

"We expect him to go wild, we want him to go wild," Lewis said. "The thing about contracts, as a player, you have to be able to set that behind you somewhat and play football and let things fall into place. Thus far he has shown me that."

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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