Ian Johnson ( American football ) Ian Johnson ( born October 10 , 1986 ) is an American football running back who is currently a free agent . He played college football at Boise State . Early years . Ian Johnson attended Damien High School ( La Verne , California ) and was named Inland Valley Offensive Player of the Year , L . A . Times All - San Gabriel Valley first team , San Gabriel Valley Tribune All - Area first team , Daily Bulletin Inland Valley All - Area Team , All - Sierra League MVP , and CIF Division II first - team all - league as a senior . Johnson was also a team captain for the Spartans and set Damien High School records in career rushing yards , season rushing yards ( 2 , 009 yards ) and points scored ( 347 ) . He also lettered in track where he was an All - Sierra League and All - CIF pick while competing in the 100 - meters , 200 - meters , and 4x100 - meter relay . He was a high school teammate of Arena Football League star , Nick Davila . College career . Johnson was redshirted for the 2004 season . In his freshman year in 2005 , he rushed for 1 , 445 yards , at that time the 2nd - most by a freshman in Broncos history , scoring 14 touchdowns . In his illustrious six year career at BSU , Johnson ran for 6 , 030 yards and 58 touchdowns , surpassing Marshall Faulk for the WAC Career Rushing Touchdown record . The Broncos finished the 2006 regular season unbeaten ( 12 - 0 ) and became only the second team from outside the BCS conferences to play in a BCS bowl game . They played in the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners , the year ' s Big 12 champion . In the Fiesta Bowl , he scored the game winning two - point conversion in overtime on a Statue of Liberty play to the left side . Boise State defeated Oklahoma 43 - 42 , completing a perfect 13 - 0 season . Johnson rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown . Following the game , during an interview with Chris Myers , Johnson proposed to his girlfriend Chrissy Popadics , Boise State ' s head cheerleader , on Fox Sports ' postgame coverage . She accepted and they married on July 28 , 2007 . According to Johnson , he received about 30 threatening letters which he handed over to the FBI , from people who objected to his nationally - televised interracial marriage proposal at the end of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl . Johnson , who is half - black , and Popadics , who is white , hired security for their wedding due to the threats . Johnson had been considered a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate . However , shortly after the announcement of his consideration for the Heisman Trophy , a collapsed lung sidelined Johnson for one game and hurt his chances of winning the Heisman . After the end of the 2006 regular season , he led NCAA Division I - A in scoring with 24 touchdowns . On December 7 , 2006 , " Sports Illustrated " named Johnson to their 2006 All - American first team . This made Johnson the first Boise State athlete to be named to a major All - American team . CBSSports . com also named him All - America in 2006 . He was also named to the All - WAC team , won a Division I - A Offensive Player of the Week award , two WAC Offensive Player of the Week awards , and was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award . Johnson ran an official 4 . 58 40 - yard dash at Boise State . Professional career . Minnesota Vikings . He ran the fastest 40 yard dash time for a running back at the 2009 NFL Combine with a 4 . 46 . He was signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings . In Week 4 of the Preseason Johnson ran for 2 touchdowns in 17 carries against the Dallas Cowboys . Johnson was waived by the Vikings on September 4 , 2010 . He was re - signed to the practice squad two days later . Arizona Cardinals . The Arizona Cardinals signed Johnson to their practice squad on September 6 , 2010 . He was released from the practice squad on September 27 , 2010 . Detroit Lions . The Detroit Lions signed Johnson to their practice squad on November 17 , 2010 . Ian was again released on the 3rd September 2011 . San Francisco 49ers . Johnson was signed the 49ers practice squad on September 12 , 2011 . He was released on December 14 , 2011 . Miami Dolphins . Johnson was signed to the Dolphin ' s practice squad on December 29 , 2011 . Motivational speaking . In November 2010 , Ian Johnson joined Kituku and Associates in Boise as a motivational speaker and personal coach . Johnson will speak at schools , businesses , churches , and associations on turning dreams to reality , winning as a team , making the right choices , and overcoming challenges .