Minor League Football – Central Ala. 28, Montgomery 20: Aaron Johns scores two TDs in Dawgs’ opener

The area’s newest minor league football team won its very first game, though not without some moments that made owner/coach Jesse Reed have to catch his breath.

The Central Alabama Devil Dawgs scored a 28-20 pre-season win over the Montgomery Buffaloes on Saturday at Corner High School, thanks in large part to two long touchdown runs by running back Aaron Johns.

The former Alabama and UAB player dashed 50 yards for the first score in Dawgs’ history with 12 seconds left in the first quarter.

Johns then followed up on an interception by Darian Payne in the Buffaloes end zone, going 80 yards down the left sideline on the next play for the touchdown.

Quarterback Justin Craig, who signed with Nebraska before ending up at Samford, connected on two TD passes. The first was a 55-yard strike to wide receiver Chris Coach 37 seconds before halftime.

Craig then found former Crimson Tide receiver Darwin Salaam for a 16-yard scoring pass with 3:03 left in the game. That score proved to be the game-winner, as Montgomery added a late touchdown to threaten, but the Dawgs closed out the game on two first-down runs by Gardendale product Tyrone Bowie to run out the clock.

Mahdi McWhorter, who was moved from his projected spot as a fullback to linebacker, led the Central defense with nine tackles (three for loss), two sacks and a pass knockdown.

The big trouble spot for the Dawgs was on punts, as two were blocked and two more never got away. The Montgomery line rushed every punt, forcing the Dawgs punters to scramble for their lives.

“it was my fault for going with all speed on the punt team,” Reed said. “I simply out-thought myself on that one.”

The Devil Dawgs play their first Premier Southern Football League regular season game against the Alabama Warriors, the team from which the Dawgs split in the off-season. The game is May 22 at 4 p.m. at the Warriors’ home field, the former Warrior High School.