Full Circle: Wayne Johnson returns to Hardaway

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) -For Wayne Johnson, returning to Hardaway High School is more than a new coaching opportunity. It is a chance to come back to the place where his football journey began.

Johnson, a former Hardaway standout, is returning to his alma mater as an assistant head coach and offensive coordinator nearly 40 years after leading the Hawks on the field.

“It’s like my dream job,” Johnson said. “It was a no-brainer.”

After his time at Hardaway, Johnson continued his playing career at the University of Georgia, where he became the school’s first Black starting quarterback.

Now, he is bringing those experiences back to Columbus and sharing them with the next generation of Hardaway players.

“I definitely … that’s what I wanted to do,” Johnson said. “I got a lot of supporters in Columbus as well as in Atlanta, and hopefully, and I know, we’ll get this thing turned around.”

For Hardaway head coach Reggie Wedner, bringing Johnson back was about more than adding experience to the coaching staff. It was also about adding a longtime friend who understands what it means to wear the Hardaway gold.

“Everybody during that time frame know who Coach Johnson is as far as a player back in them days,” Wedner said. “And he’s such a big, big influence on our team, and we’ll be so lucky to have him.”

Johnson now has the opportunity to help current players navigate the same journey he once took — from the football field at Hardaway to the college level.

Nearly four decades after leaving Columbus, Johnson is back where his dreams first took shape, this time helping the next generation build their own.