By Frank Rajkowski, SJU Writer/Video Producer

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - Switching positions always comes with its own set of challenges and adjustments.

But as Tyler Johnson (Willmar, Minn.) has made the move from tight end to offensive tackle this offseason, the Saint John's University senior has been fortunate enough to have a guide who has been down this road before

Rather successfully, as it turned out.

That would be Ben Bartch '20, who put on over 50 pounds to switch from tight end to offensive tackle prior to his junior season at SJU. He went on to start for two years, earning All-America honors as a senior last fall.

He was then selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of last spring's NFL Draft and has already seen game action for his new team.

But before he left for training camp this summer, Johnson had the chance to pick his brain on a number of occasions.

"Those are some big shoes to fill, so I try to stay away from any comparisons between us," Johnson said. "What he was able to accomplish was just amazing. But it's definitely been cool to have his example to look at.

"He's been one of the main guys who has helped me out with it all. I was able to work on stuff with him one-on-one, and he passed along his advice and the things he learned when he was going through this process. He helped break down pass protection for me in ways I wouldn't have even thought about otherwise. 

"And he sent me his YouTube playlist which had all the videos he watched and learned from when he was making the switch. So he has been a huge help."

Johnson saw action in all 14 of his team's games last season. He finished with just two receptions – though both were for touchdowns. That included a big 2-yard touchdown catch early in the second half of his team's 38-20 victory over archrival St. Thomas before a crowd of 19,508 at Allianz Field in St. Paul.

"I think those might have been the only two times he was really targeted," SJU head coach Gary Fasching '81 said. "So he got the ball thrown to him twice. And both times, he made touchdown catches in some pretty key situations. It's hard to do much better than that."

But what really turned the coaching staff's heads were his skills as a blocker. And with Bartch being one of four starters on the offensive line that Fasching's team lost to graduation following last season, switching Johnson to tackle seemed an obvious decision.

"It actually goes back a couple of years to (former assistant coach) Jim Mader's last season with us," Fasching said. "We were doing blocking drills early on and we had the tight ends and offensive linemen together. We brought the defensive line down to work against them. And Jim mentioned to me what a good blocker he thought Tyler was. He even went up against (former All-America defensive lineman) Nathan Brinker '19 a few times and was able to hold his own.

"Last season, he spent most of his time on the field as a blocker. So with us losing four of five offensive linemen, it seemed like tackle was the spot where he could be the most help to us."

Johnson was anticipating such a request would come and had already been mentally preparing.

But preparation is something that comes naturally to the mathematics major, who maintains a 3.97 GPA and has worked as a tutor at the math center on campus. He hopes to go into teaching after graduation, and could start student-teaching as early as next semester.

"It's something that's always been on my radar," said Johnson, who was also a pitcher on the baseball team during his first two seasons in Collegeville. "Even at a really young age, I was fascinated by it. We'd play school and I'd always want to be the teacher.

"It's what I've wanted to go into for a long time and nothing has really pulled me away from it."

In addition, Johnson currently works as an admission tour guide at SJU, helping convince other students to make the same decision he did when it comes to choosing a college.

"For me, it came down to the people I met here and the feel I got when I was on campus," said Johnson, who also seriously considered Concordia-Moorhead. "There's a real sense of community here that was attractive to me. It helped that I had two older cousins who went here and they took the time to show me what this place is all about.

"I also visited campus in the fall. You have Lake Sagatagan and the changing colors on the trees. It all adds up to an experience that's pretty hard to beat."

Football, of course, is a big part of that experience for Johnson. 

But the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic prevented him from benefitting from the extended spring practice period the Johnnies were scheduled to have last spring due to a planned trip to Canada.

"That would have been nice because I would have had the chance to work with the coaches at my new position," said the 6-foot-3 Johnson, who now weighs in at around 262 pounds – over 30 pounds heavier than he was at the end of last season.

"But the situation is what it is. And I tried to get as much work in as I could on my own."

And with Bartch, who was still living in St. Joseph until he departed for Jacksonville. 

Though there was one aspect of Bartch's transition that Johnson said he's been unable to emulate.

"I couldn't get those smoothies down," he said of Bartch's now famous recipe (ingredients include seven scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, quick grits, peanut butter, bananas and Gatorade).

"I don't know how he managed to do that."

In a normal year, Johnson would already be entrenched in his new spot. But the pandemic forced the MIAC to postpone the fall season in football and other sports until next spring. 

And even the scheduled fall practice period an NCAA ruling allowed has stopped and started due to the ongoing COVID situation on campus.

But the team has been able to practice the past two weeks and Fasching said he likes what he's seen from Johnson so far.

"We've been able to finally go 11-on-11 the past couple of days," Fasching said. "So we've gotten film of him going against the defense. And I'm very happy with how Tyler is playing.

"I think he has the potential to really be a big help for us on the offensive line when we finally get our season started. Like Bartch, he's learning the position on the go. But he's studied it and you can tell he's taking it seriously. 

"I'm excited to see what he can do there."