Sleeping disorder, injuries haven’t stopped lineman from making an impact for Merced.

Clifford Johnson had one of those moments where your heart drops to your stomach because you feel something is wrong. After missing time because of injuries in both his sophomore and junior years, the Merced High senior offensive lineman thought he might be sidelined again.

Johnson felt something was wrong with his shoulder during the Bears game against Central Valley on Sept. 14.

“I was scared,” Johnson said. “I did think I was hurt again.”

The Merced coach staff held Johnson out for the bulk of the game against the Hawks for precautionary reasons, but as it turned out, everything checked out fine.

So far, Johnson has enjoyed a healthy season and has played a key role, along with the rest of the Merced offensive line, in helping the Bears start the season 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the Central California Conference as they prepare to face Buhach Colony (5-1, 2-0) in a CCC showdown on Friday night at Veterans Stadium.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

“It’s a big rivalry,” Johnson said. “There’s going to be a lot of competition out on the field. I think a lot of people will see that. It’s going to come down to who has more grit. That will decide who wins.”

Johnson missed the start of his sophomore season with an injury and was sidelined three games last year. The three-years starter knows what it’s like to have to watch from the sideline.

“I just had an urge to get out there,” Johnson said. “I felt I could have done a lot. I felt I could have been able to change the game.”

The Bears coaching staff have relieve heavily on Johnson, moving him around on the offensive line to fit needs. Johnson starts at left tackle, but he can also play right tackle and has seen time at right guard.

“A lot of times players are locked into a position,” said Merced coach Rob Scheidt. “Not only has Clifford played multiple positions for us, but he’s played multiple positions in games. There are times when I like (right tackle)Anthony Davis and Clifford on the same side. It’s like my security blanket because they both get off the ball and they both move people.”

Johnson has teamed with Davis, Miguel Govea, Tou Herr, Blake Lua and Marc-Anthony Martinez to give the Bears a dominant offensive line that has paved the way for an offense that is averaging over 50 points per game.

“We’re all really good friends beyond football,” Johnson said. “Outside of football we hang out together. I feel like the line is the motor of the team.”

The offensive line was a question mark coming into the season, but it has been a strength so far.

“It’s an interesting group,” Scheidt said. “We didn’t know how good they would be. We only have two returning starters from last year so there were a lot of questions. All of these guys have had a part in our success. They’ve protected two dynamic quarterbacks to help our skill guys make plays. They’ve helped our young running back mature and make plays.”

While Johnson has thrived on the football field, some times it can be a struggle for him in the classroom. Johnson suffers from a sleeping disorder called narcolepsy. Johnson often feels sleepy throughout the day, which results in him often falling asleep in class.

According to Johnson, he was diagnosed with narcolepsy when he was 7 years old in second grade.

“I’ve been dealing with it for the past 10 years,” Johnson said. “Some times people think I’m a lazy person. They think I didn’t get enough sleep the night before. I get different reactions from people. I just have to ignore them and go on with my day. I try not to care what people around me think.”

The sleeping disorder can also make it tough to do homework. Johnson will often do his work at home with his younger brother Montrell by his side.

“He wakes me up a lot if I fall asleep and I love him for that,” Johnson said. “It takes me a while to get my work done.”

“It’s a tough process for him,” Scheidt said. “I first heard about it his freshman year. I didn’t know the extent of it until I had him in my class. I’ve learned more about his disability and I can see his frustration. I was probably like some of the teachers who didn’t get it until I did some research.

“People don’t realize this just doesn’t effect him in class. It effects him throughout his whole day. It’s not something that disappears when he leaves campus.”

Scheidt said he’s often asked whether the sleeping order effects Johnson on the football field. The answer is no because Johnson is physically and mentally engaged, according to Scheidt.

“It can be frustrating for Cliff,” Scheidt said. “He’s not getting enough REM sleep at night. There is no immediate cure or fix for it. I’m going to continue doing research to help Cliff specifically.”

This story was originally published October 4, 2018 at 3:19 PM.