Kyle Grantham / Staff Photographer / kg116806@ohiou.edu

Left guard Paul Johnson charges toward a defender during the Bobcats’ practice Wednesday as offensive line coach Keven Lightner looks on.

Paul Johnson talks about the problems he had off the field a year ago freely now, but it’s noticeable how the conversation he dots with the phrase “lesson learned” humbles the imposing offensive lineman, who is otherwise happy-go-lucky and confident, especially when talking about football.

After starting the first four games of the 2006 season, Johnson was convicted of assaulting a bar manager at The Pub on Court Street in April 2006. Johnson was sentenced to 10 days in jail, two years probation and anger management counseling and was also suspended from the football team. He wouldn’t be there as the Bobcats won the Mid-American Conference East Division title, and as his teammates played in the MAC Championship Game in Detroit, he served his time in jail.

Once he completed his requirements, Johnson was permitted to rejoin Ohio for its final game of the 2006 season at the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., but he’s ready to begin his senior season anew.

“I’m glad it’s over now,” said Johnson, who has told his teammates the importance of policing their own conduct, no matter what environment they’re in.

“I regret it, but I learned something from it,” Johnson said. “You’ve got to avoid certain situations uptown. I put myself in a bad situation. It was one I shouldn’t have been in, but I’ve learned to not be around trouble. It’s important to stay out of trouble because it reflects not only on you, but on your teammates.”

Johnson planned to begin his trouble-free 2007 season in the opener against Gardner-Webb, but after he suffered a grade II MCL tear in his left knee during two-a-days in fall camp, the Ohio coaches decided to play it safe and keep him on the sideline.

“I was a little frustrated, but you have to keep your head up on that kind of stuff,” Johnson said. “I figured I’d be back out there soon, but I wanted to play in the first game. I thought I could, but we didn’t want to risk me getting hurt any more.”

Johnson will be back at his familiar left guard spot tomorrow at Louisiana-Lafayette, this time, he hopes, for good. His return comes at precisely the right time for an Ohio team with a few banged-up linemen.

The Bobcats are keeping an eye on right guard Matt Miller, who tore his PCL last spring, but said he feels fine after having his knee drained this week. News also came this week that utilityman Mike Eynon, who was filling in for Johnson, will be out for two to four weeks after suffering a knee injury against Gardner-Webb.

“Getting Paul back, that helps a great deal,” coach Frank Solich said. “We’d like to have [Johnson and Eynon], but if we can at least have one of the two ready to go, that keeps us from having to move people around in the offensive line, and that’s when you start to get a little more vulnerable.”

There’s no doubt in offensive line coach Keven Lightner’s mind that having one of his best players and biggest leaders back gives the rest of the line some extra motivation.

“Paul’s always been a great kid in my mind,” Lightner said. “Whatever went down there, he paid his price, he came back and he’s a leader for us — he works and works hard. This offense is a power offense. We try to out-physical people, and Paul is a physical guy. He adds a lot to the table because if one guy’s a hammer in there, everybody wants to be a hammer. We missed him and we’re glad to have him back.”