Lindsay Arnold Thinks This Could Be Her Season On Dancing With The Stars

Lindsay Arnold tells ET that she thinks this could be “her season ” with Calvin Johnson on Dancing With The Stars. She’s changed up teaching and he’s doing really well. More below…

“I think this could be my season, I really do,” Arnold says. “I think Calvin is going to surprise a lot of people with what he has to offer, and I’m excited to know that it can only get better from here. I’m ready to push him every week, and take America along the journey of Calvin Johnson, the Detroit Lions football player turned dancer.”

Last season, Arnold was partnered with Boyz II Men singer Wanya Morris, finishing in fourth place. Despite receiving the highest scores of the night, the duo was eliminated during the semi-finals.

“I really thought we were going to make it to the finals. I was extremely shocked,” she recalls. “I had one of, if not the best, dancers on the show. What I’m excited about this season is that Calvin is not going to come out as the best dancer week one. But what I’m excited for America to see is his improvement — I think sometimes that is more important than being the best dancer.”

The blond beauty was ecstatic when she found out she was paired with the 30-year-old football pro (nicknamed Megatron by his teammates), as past athletes have been very successful in the competition. Arnold says it’s all due to their work ethic.

“They treat every single day, whether its football, soccer, anything that they’re doing, they’re working so hard and they love to see results and that’s what they thrive off of,” she explains. “I feel like we can thrive off of the fan base that he has, and turn some of those football fans into dancing fans.”

To help Johnson be the best he can be, Arnold exclusively tells ET she’s changing up the way she teaches — by bringing football equipment into the studio! With any type of dance, it’s important to be aware of your spacing, but even more key if you’re dancing with a partner. It’s similar in football, where players are constantly keeping track of the yards they have to travel down the field.

“[That mentality] has actually been extremely helpful,” Arnold admits. “I had him bring in — you know the ladders that they use while training? They’re like rope ladders, and you put them on the ground. I actually had him bring those to the studio for rehearsals. We’re doing the cha-cha week one, so we practiced some of the moves inside of the ladders.”

“It was so helpful for him, because it gave him this sense of, ‘OK, this is how big my step needs to be, and this is the kind of the pattern I’m doing,'” she adds. “It was fun! I’m incorporating what he already knows, and then bringing it to the dance floor.”

To read the full interview including her thoughts on some of the cast, see ET. A Must Read!!