“(Johnson) knew that (Bryce) was an athlete. “Once Hunter knew, ‘Okay, this is the little Kirtz,’ I think Bryce became Hunter’s more targetable receiver,” Tyler, who played wide receiver at Ball State from 2016-19, said.

Tyler was friends with Johnson back then - a connection that helped build rapport between his brother and Brownsburg’s star quarterback. He saw playing time at the end of a 61-14 loss to Avon High School alongside Tyler, who caught 1,051 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior in 2015. He was later elevated to varsity for the 2015 Indiana High School Athletic Association playoffs. I could just tell watching the game.”īryce racked up 1,137 yards and 18 touchdowns as a quarterback, running back and wide receiver for Brownsburg’s freshman team. “They naturally already have that connection, like that’s the first receiver he’s going to look to when he’s under pressure. “I was watching Hunter and every time the pocket collapsed, he’s looking Bryce’s way,” said Tyler Kirtz, Bryce’s brother and a Brownsburg teammate of Johnson’s. Their longtime chemistry could be a missing piece to the emergence of the Wildcats’ passing attack. Meanwhile, Kirtz reeled in a team-high seven catches for 80 yards. In a season-opening loss to Michigan State, Johnson threw for a career-high 283 yards and three touchdowns. Now, they’re reunited once again on the gridiron, this time chasing Big Ten titles at Northwestern. They connected on 52 passes for 831 yards and 11 touchdowns before Johnson headed to South Carolina and Kirtz grew into a three-star recruit and one of the best high school players in Indiana. Johnson’s arm talent and Kirtz’s speed proved to be a potent combination for opposing secondaries during the 2016 season.

“He looks over at me, waves, winks at me and then runs right by this Division I (defensive back).” “Bryce lined up and he kept waiting in line at this camp to go against the Division I kids,” Hart said. He made sure to point out wide receiver Bryce Kirtz, who he called “really, really special,” according to Hart. Instead, he spectated high school players alongside his new coach. Hart was heading into his first year as the head coach at Brownsburg High School, while Johnson - a five-star recruit committed to Clemson - prepared for his final season as quarterback of the Bulldogs. The two would soon be partners on Friday nights. In the summer of 2016, John Hart struck up a conversation with Hunter Johnson at the Best of the Midwest Football Combine in Indianapolis.

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