December 4, 2007
Paul Johnson's world tour rolls through SMU, Duke
Jeff at Inside Charm City helps to answer the question: Where in the world is Navy HC Paul Johnson?
According to reports, no school has asked Navy for formal permission to interview Johnson, who is considered top candidate at SMU, Duke and Georgia Tech.
On Sunday, Johnson was in Atlanta, leading to speculation that he would be named the head coach at Georgia Tech. However, Inside Charm City says that others have refuted that rumor. At this point, it's not clear if Johnson has interviewed with Tech, although Rivals has a members-only article posted with the statement that the Yellow Jackets search has narrowed to two main candidates (accompanied by a picture of Johnson).
Meanwhile, the Dallas Morning News confirmed that Johnson did meet with his Atlanta-based agent, Jack Reale, on Sunday. Reale has previously worked with SMU AD Steve Orsini, the DMN notes.
On Monday, Johnson spoke with Duke officials, although sports-talk radio 850 The Buzz is now reporting that Johnson may be leaning towards SMU. Duke may be moving on as well, interviewing Grambling State coach Rod Broadway today in Durham, according to WRAL.
Johnson and his wife flew to Dallas today to tour the SMU campus & facilities and reacquainting with his old Navy chums who now run the SMU athletic department.
Johnson, who is 45-29 in six seasons at Navy, is acquainted with [SMU athletic director Steve] Orsini and Mike Vaught, Orsini's right-hand man and the executive associate AD, through their time at Navy.Orsini was the associate AD and treasurer at Navy in the mid-'90s, when Vaught was an assistant coach of the football team. Johnson was Navy's offensive coordinator in 1995 and '96 before going to 1-AA Georgia Southern.
Speculation throughout the country seems to put SMU in the lead in the Johnson derby. Reports last week had SMU and Johnson in the late stages of contract talks and I haven't seen anything reported since then to indicate a cooling off.
And the more I think about Johnson, the more I believe that SMU just might be the right stop. While Georgia Tech and Duke can boast BCS conference affiliations, that doesn't seem to matter to Johnson. His coaching jobs have all come at smaller schools with loyal alums. Johnson's system has been so successful at Navy that there's little question he would want to run his triple-option offense at his next stop. And while it's not clear that fans of either Duke or Georgia Tech would embrace the option, SMU would more than welcome a return to the run-first "Pony Express" offense that helped put the Mustangs on the map.
If flying your wife across the country to tour the SMU campus isn't enough of a sign, I don't know what is.
I don't get to talk about the Ponies often, so let me repeat (yet again) just how monumental this hire would be for SMU.
Johnson's name has been tied to nearly every vacant head coaching job in the country over the past three years. He is one of the hot names in coaching circles. If you have a BCS job opening, Paul Johnson is somewhere on your list... period. Hot! Hot! Hot!In other words, he is everything that SMU is not.
The Ponies have produced nothing but an awful string of losses since the NCAA shut down the Mustangs program. Since 1991, SMU has had just two seasons at or above .500 and have never won more than six games in any season. The Mustangs have had four different coaches in those 17 seasons, but the only constant has been the losses.
So... Paul Johnson... and SMU? You could have given me eleventy billion guesses and I never would have come up with SMU. But -- if this goes through -- it may turn out to be the single greatest hiring in the history of college football.
Comments:
Zac said:
posted on December 5, 2007 3:27 PM — 209.36.193.14 — link — abuse?
I think it's a toss-up; i.e. GT vs. SMU. Both exist in or near recruiting hot-beds. On one hand you have a relatively established program falling on inconsistent times. On the other you have a once prominent and respected program which has hit rock bottom and stayed there for over 2 decades.
Take your pick. Johnson can recruit against the likes of "Tobacco Row", not to mention GA, SC, and the entire state of FL, while polishing an already established program, OR he can recruit against the likes of TCU, TX, TX A&M, & TX Tech while resurrecting a once proud program. One could say he should go where the best money and support exist. Again, it may be a toss-up.
Mr. Johnson, thanks for your contributions to Naval Academy football. Ultimately, this decision is yours to make. Best of luck through it all, and the many wacky seasons to come.
posted on December 5, 2007 4:09 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?War Eagle Atlanta
said:
Ask for permission to talk with their coach? It's just Navy. Besides, our school is landlocked...
Johnson to GA Tech! I predicted it about 2 weeks ago, and Kevin can back up what I say on here!
Did I just sound like TE or what?
posted on December 5, 2007 6:08 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse? said:
More GA Tech coaching rumours: Pick 'em between Johnson and DC Jon Tenuta. I say go with Johnson, and you probably get to keep Tenuta for a little while.
Supposedly they told Will Muschamp, Auburn's DC, when he interviewed, that his alma mater, Georgia, would be too big an issue.
Charlie Strong, Florida's DC, interviewed, but they supposedly told him that they wanted HC experience.
Surprisingly, Tommie Tuberville's name managed to stay out of this one...
coondawg1 said:
posted on December 7, 2007 9:28 PM — 68.114.136.135 — link — abuse?
Now heres a team, NAVY who is a pretty good BCS team. They humiliated ND in South Bend but who didnt. DUKE, thats right. Big win there Irish. Navy destroyed Stanford who whipped USC. THE irish beat Stanford so they beat USC too, right? No, irish you couldnt even cross the damn 50 yard line but your better than and WAC team. BS. If Notre Dame was in the WAC... 2-10 wins over UCLA and Stanford but ofcourse the PAC 10 is better than the WAC...in their dreams.
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Porky said:
posted on December 4, 2007 9:04 PM — 75.89.104.86 — link — abuse?He probably talked to Jeff Long and is getting an extension.