A Sun Belt Conference ruling will require him to miss the team’s next two games, at Troy and at home vs UAB, because of “unnecessary contact” he made with an official near the end of last week’s loss at FIU. This led to his ejection.

NCAA rules state that any ejection must be reviewed by a team’s conference for additional penalties, according to owlaccess.com.

Johnson had one tackle in last Saturday’s loss at FIU, but he committed three personal fouls and was ejected from the game after making contact with an official late in the fourth quarter, although it was not reported how much contact was made.

The veteran defender informed head coach Howard Schnellenberger that he did not intentionally touch the official. Instead he claimed that he was pushed from behind and was unaware if it was an official or not, according to owlaccess.com.

“That’s what it was called, but most of the people that had a view of it said he was pushing on his back and threw his hand back,” Schnellenberger told owlaccess.com. “That’s what he said happened.”

Johnson has yet to record a sack this year, after having three last season.