An increased sense of responsibility and leadership comes with being awarded the position of team captain. When your team is ranked 20th in the nation and about to face a slew of tough opponents, including the second-ranked Akron Zips, the time for talk ends and the time to act begins.
Senior Mbwana Johnson has proved so far he can handle his position as a first-year captain.
"My role as captain and leader is to encourage the guys, especially when we face big opponents," Johnson said. "We can match up and beat the best."
Although he is new to the role, Johnson believes the team has responded well and the unity among the players is what has enabled them to succeed so far.
"We are becoming an actual team," Johnson said. "Before, we had good individual players but now we are blending in and working together better."
There is no doubt that Johnson leads by example. He is an integral part of the defensive unit, allowing no more than two goals in any of their 11 games.
"When you look at shots against, it's very low," Johnson said. "Team defense, not just the actual defenders by themselves, has been very good so far in the season."
However, he agrees with head coach John Astudillo that there still needs to be some improvement in order for the team to become a contender.
"We need to put an emphasis on defensive re-organization," Johnson said. "When the play breaks down, we need to get back together on defense. The switch from offense to defense needs to be faster."
Johnson's defensive prowess has shown a drastic improvement from past seasons. He is a different player. Under the tutelage of Astudillo, Johnson has excelled this season because he has become a much calmer and more composed player, unlike last year. He admits he was a bit wild at times.
Johnson has had a passion for the game since he was young, and like any other kid practicing in the backyard, the penalty kick that would win the championship fueled his dreams of continuing his soccer career beyond the collegiate level.
"Playing professional soccer has been my dream since I was young," Johnson said.
However, like any smart athlete, Johnson is keeping his options open. He is planning to apply for the doctoral of physical therapy program, as well as graduate school for psychology.
On the field, Johnson is keeping his mind on the season ahead, while guiding his fellow teammates towards the Mid-American Conference playoffs. The Bulls face a very tough opponent in their first conference test Friday in the Akron Zips.
"This game on Friday is a big deciding factor for us, especially being the first conference game," Johnson said. "It's going to prepare us to get into the national championship because this is the number-two-ranked team in the nation. We're number 20 so if we beat them it will be very big for us, giving us momentum going into the rest of our games."
The team already has momentum going into the Akron game, but Johnson says he is very cautious about underestimating a team such as Akron because of their success in their previous games.
"One thing we emphasize as a team is: even though we are winning a lot, we don't let that affect the way we play," Johnson said. "We take each game one at a time and approach each game like it was a final."
The Zips (10-0) are the top team in the MAC and this is surely going to be the biggest challenge for the Bulls in the second half of the season. If they are to make anything of this season, they would certainly have to defeat the Zips and, most likely, again in the playoffs.
Johnson has the knowledge and experience necessary to guide the younger players and enable them to come up big for the Bulls in these crucial games. Equipped with an arsenal of skill and Johnson as the captain, the Bulls are going to make a run at the MAC championship
