University of Toledo redshirt sophomore receiver Diontae Johnson knows when he is one-on-one with a defender and there is a pass heading his way, he has just one job.

“Every time, I feel like if the ball is in the air, it’s mine,” Johnson said. “Every time I have to go get it.”

Lately, it seems like the one-on-one matchups and 50-50 balls in the air all have been going his way. Against Ball State on Thursday, Johnson abused the Cardinals defense with a 67-yard touchdown on a back-shoulder fade down the sideline from quarterback Logan Woodside. Then Johnson turned in a spectacular play on a 50-50 ball near midfield where he leapt and tipped the ball to himself, and raced to the end zone for an 88-yard score.

While Johnson possesses rare natural ability, it’s not his athleticism alone that is allowing him to come down with the big catches. UT receivers coach Mike Bellamy said the team practices those plays extensively.

“We have a period in practice called, ‘Win the West,’ where we practice 50-50 balls,” Bellamy said. “We work on 50-50 balls and sometimes guys are like, ‘Why are we doing this? Why are we working on one-hand catches? Why are we working on bad balls? Why are we working on low balls?’ It’s for those opportunities. I’m happy that [Johnson] is successful because that gives you the idea that he knows what we practice works.”

Johnson, who was named the MAC’s special teams player of the week Monday, missed all of last season with a foot injury. He came out of Lennard High School in Ruskin, Fla., as raw but talented. He made a bit of a splash his true freshman season with 14 catches for 237 yards and three touchdowns.

Johnson has taken the time to refine his game since arriving at UT. He studied film, worked at his craft, and learned from older receivers like Alonzo Russell and Cody Thompson.

“I feel like I’ve grown a lot,” Johnson said. “Coming in, I didn’t really know how to read defenses or run routes. As the years went on, I learned and got better. I learned from Alonzo Russell. Then I’ve just been studying the playbook and the defense and watching film. I feel like I’ve gotten better at that and that has helped me perform like I want to perform.”

The natural talent still stands out when you watch Johnson play, but UT coach Jason Candle said he has been impressed with how Johnson’s game is evolving.

“Maturity is a big part,” Candle said. “He’s not any more talented than he was as a 17-year-old high school senior. He just understands what the work looks like and how to go about it and how to continually make himself better each and every day. I think Cody has been a great picture of that for him to see what that looks like.”

Johnson is roommates with Thompson and has been thrust into a larger role after Thompson’s broken leg has forced him to miss the rest of the season. The coaches can see Thompson’s work ethic, study habits, and in-game savvy have made an impact on Johnson.

“That’s the sign of having a good program I think is when you have veteran players and senior players that have been successful and they have been through it and they have done it the right way,” Candle said. “Then here are some younger guys that can take a look at that picture and hopefully put that same plan to work.”

When it comes to his preparation, Johnson is a perfectionist, and that has earned the respect of his teammates.

“That’s a great player right there,” senior running back Terry Swanson said. “He prepares like one of the greatest players. That’s the result you get is you get to see a show.”

All that preparation has Johnson playing a big role for the top offense in the Mid-American Conference. He has 36 catches for 693 yards and eight touchdowns, and his 86.6 receiving yards per game mark is second-best in the MAC.

Johnson has been a huge threat on special teams this season as well, with a kickoff return and a punt return for a touchdown.

“He’s a threat to score any time he touches the ball,” Candle said.

Johnson loves making big plays, but he also is not afraid to put in the time and effort to continually improve his game.

“I think the biggest thing with him, viewing it from the inside out, is his love for the game,” Bellamy said. “He’s a competitor. A lot of times we have to calm him down. He has a passion in between the white lines, and he loves to work. He loves what goes into it, and he loves the development part of it. I think that is why you are seeing some of the things you are seeing now, is because he has prepared himself for this opportunity.”

Contact Brian Buckey at: bbuckey@theblade.com, 419-724-6110, or on Twitter @BrianBuckey.

First Published October 30, 2017, 7:00 p.m.