LSU coach Fran Flory told sophomore Brittney Johnson before the season started she might need her to change positions.Johnson began the season as a setter but moved to right side hitter Oct. 12 against Auburn.”[Johnson] knew it was on the master plan,” Flory said. “We just didn’t know if we were going to get to it, and we’re pretty happy we’re to it.”Johnson has established herself as the right side hitter, averaging 7.8 kills in the last five matches.Flory shuffled her lineup after junior middle blocker Lauren DeGirolamo was lost for the season Oct. 3 against Ole Miss with a right knee injury.Flory originally replaced DeGirolamo with sophomore Tania Schatow and put freshman Michele Williams at outside hitter.Williams moved to middle blocker against Auburn, and Johnson started at right side hitter.Johnson said she feels comfortable in the role after five matches at the position.”I don’t mind running a 6-2 or a 5-1 [formation],” Johnson said. “I just like playing.”This isn’t the first time Johnson has played hitter. She was a standout hitter at University High School, where she was a three-time all-state player.”I’ve been a hitter all my life,” Johnson said. “I really started setting when I got here.”Flory said her goal at the beginning of the season was to work on Johnson’s setting abilities.”Our secondary goal was once she was to that point, and we felt comfortable — she felt comfortable — that we would add to her responsibilities and have her be our right side hitter,” Flory said.Flory said she limited Johnson’s playing time early in the season to keep her from getting worn out.”We felt like we could create a good environment for her, have her practice that way, have her set, have her be ready,” Flory said. “Certainly now we feel like she’s got the right balance.”Johnson still regularly practices at both setter and hitter to prepare to switch between positions in a match.”She’s got to, in one second, turn one switch on and one switch off,” Flory said.Johnson said she practices each position equally, but junior setter Sam Dabbs said outside hitter and setter are “two totally different roles.””When you’re setting you’re leading the court, calling all of the plays,” Dabbs said. “When you’re hitting, you’re taking information and looking on the court to see what kind of shot [you] need to hit and listening and taking all the input in.”Dabbs said Johnson is more comfortable with hitting.”That’s what she has a better knack for just because she can find the most difficult shot on the other side to where the other team can’t get it,” Dabbs said.Dabbs said she and Johnson still communicate with each other on a regular basis even though Johnson now works both positions.”We’re side by side,” Dabbs said. “We talk to each other off the court, on the bench, during timeouts, all the time. We’re still attached to the hip.”—-Contact Robert Stewart at [email protected]