Former Iowa Hawkeye wide receiver, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, will return to the state that provided such great support throughout his collegiate career after he was assigned to the Iowa Barnstormers last Wednesday.

Johnson-Koulianos – affectionately known as “DJK” – played at the University of Iowa from 2007-2010.  He left as the program’s all-time leading receiver, tallying 173 receptions for 2,616 yards and receiving First-Team All-Big Ten recognition in 2010.

This season, he will once again don his #15 jersey for Iowa fans.

“The people of Iowa have supported me for a long time,” Johnson-Koulianos said. “Through my success and certainly through adversity as well.”

That same support was a key factor in his decision to play for the Barnstormers.

“I thought it would be a really cool opportunity to get back and maybe entertain and help win some ball games for the people who supported me for so long,” the receiver said.

Johnson-Koulianos is looking forward to the opportunity to play Arena Football and master the differences that the game presents.

“Coach [Mike Hohensee] mentioned that I’m going to be a featured guy in the offense,” Johnson-Koulianos said. “There’s a lot of motion that’s going to take place and everything happens a lot faster. I’m really excited to hone in on learning those things and see how quickly I can have an impact on the team.”

Hohensee believes that the impact Johnson-Koulianos will make on the Barnstormers will depend on his outlook.

“The guys that come in here and underestimate the talent level or the game itself and don’t take it seriously, usually get embarrassed,” Hohensee said. “I don’t think that’s going to be the case.  We’ve had that conversation and this is something that he’s embracing and seems passionate about.”

Johnson-Koulianos said he feels inspired by retired NFL quarterback and 2011 Arena Football Hall of Fame inductee, Kurt Warner, who also began his professional career with the Barnstormers.

Johnson-Koulianos will join former Hawkeye fullback Rodney Filer on the Barnstormers.  Filer played at University of Iowa from 1993-1996 and began playing in the AFL in 1999.  Filer has also played for the New York Dragons, Las Vegas Gladiators and the Tampa Bay Storm throughout his AFL career.

While the Barnstormers don’t focus their recruiting on specific colleges, Hohensee considers it a plus to have major football programs like the University of Iowa and Iowa State in their backyard. 

“We look for the best football players first and Johnson-Koulianos has a tremendous outdoor skill set,” Hohensee said. “We are expecting that it will translate to success in the Arena Football League. Derrell was obviously a very popular player over at the University of Iowa.  He’s very charismatic and had a great following while he was there, so I’m sure some fans will come to the games to see what he is all about.”

Hohensee is confident in Johnson-Koulianos’ potential in the AFL.

“He’s very intelligent, well-spoken, and a true professional,” Hohensee said.”  “He will be a great addition to our locker room and our football team.”