Paul Johnson (American football coach)
Encyclopedia
Paul Johnson is an American football
coach. He is currently the head coach at the Georgia Institute of Technology
, a position he has held since the 2008 season. Previously, Johnson served as the head coach at Georgia Southern University
from 1997 to 2001 and at the United States Naval Academy
from 2002 to 2007. Johnson's Georgia Southern Eagles
won consecutive NCAA Division I-AA Football Championships in 1999 and 2000. Johnson is a graduate of Western Carolina University
. He is noted for his use of the triple option
style of offense.
at the University of Hawaii at Manoa
from 1987 to 1994. There he helped lead the Rainbow Warriors
to their first Western Athletic Conference
title and their first major bowl victory in the 1992 Holiday Bowl
. In 1995 and 1996, he served as the offensive coordinator at the United States Naval Academy
and brought his option offense
with him. In 1996, Navy
recorded its first winning season in 14 years, going 9–3 with a victory in the Aloha Bowl
. Johnson has performed well against rivals, including a perfect 6–0 mark against rival Army
while head coach at Navy and a 1–2 record against rival Georgia
while head coach at Georgia Tech
.
, where he was the offensive coordinator for consecutive NCAA Division I-AA National Football Championships teams in 1985 and 1986, Johnson returned as the head coach from 1997 through 2001. During his tenure, the Eagles
captured the Division I-AA National Championship twice more in 1999 and 2000, and finished as runners-up in 1998. Johnson is one of only four coaches to record 50 wins in their first four seasons as head coach at the Division I level.
and Army, and earned a berth in the Houston Bowl
, Navy's first bowl game since 1996. However, the Midshipmen lost to Texas Tech, 38–14. In 2004, Johnson's team posted the program's best record since 1957, finishing the regular season at 9–2 and once again earning a bowl berth, this time in the Emerald Bowl
. There Johnson coached the Midshipmen to a win over New Mexico, 34–19, the fifth bowl win in the school's history. The win gave Navy 10 wins on the season, tying a school record that had stood since 1905. For his efforts, Johnson received the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award
. The 2005 Navy squad recorded a mark of 8–4, highlighted by victories over Army, Air Force, and Colorado State
in the inaugural Poinsettia Bowl
. In 2007, Johnson coached the Midshipmen to their first win over rival Notre Dame
since 1963, winning 46–44 in triple-overtime.
Johnson dominated the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy competition, going 11–1 (.917) in his six years, with the only loss against another service academy coming at the hands of Air Force in his first season. He is the only coach in Navy's history to go 6–0 in his first six seasons against Army, and his 2006 senior class was the first in Navy history to win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy all four of their years.
Much of Johnson's success was predicated on his triple option
flexbone
offense, a run-oriented attack that has led NCAA Division I-A/FBS football in rushing yards three of his last four years at Navy. Some have criticized the triple option as an antiquated, unbalanced system unfit for major college football, which may have explained the reluctance of some top programs to offer him a position despite his accomplishments at both Georgia Southern and Navy. Johnson rebutted this argument in numerous press conferences and interviews, asserting that several top teams, including 2005 national champion Texas
and 2006 national champion Florida
, used various forms of the option. In 2008, Johnson told ESPN
's Mark Schlabach
, "If we can run it against Boston College at Navy, why can't we run it against Boston College at Georgia Tech? If we can beat Pitt with this system at Navy, why can't we beat Pitt at Georgia Tech? Are we going to get worse players at Georgia Tech?"
. Johnson, who came to Georgia Tech in December after a six-year tenure at Navy, inherited a young roster with reduced numbers because of an NCAA probation
. Only 76 players were on scholarship, below the maximum of 85, including three senior walk-ons who were awarded scholarships prior to the start of the season. The roster included 75 freshmen and sophomores; 16 of 22 starters were underclassmen. Sports Illustrated
predicted Johnson's first Yellow Jacket team
would win three games and finish fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference
's Coastal Division.
In 2008, Johnson led the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to a 9–4 record. Georgia Tech was 6–1 at home in games played at Bobby Dodd Stadium
and 4–2 against ranked opponents, including three wins in November against Florida State
, Miami
, and Georgia
. Georgia Tech, ranked 14th in the BCS
standings and 15th in the AP Poll
, finished the regular season with a 9–3 record. Though they tied for first place in their division with a 5–3 conference record, the Yellow Jackets failed to advance to the ACC Championship Game
by virtue of an early-season loss to eventual ACC champion, Virginia Tech
. Georgia Tech accepted a bid to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl
, where they were defeated by LSU
, 38–3.
Johnson's 2008 Georgia Tech team featured one first-team All-American
(Michael Johnson
), the ACC Player of the Year (Jonathan Dwyer
), and eight first team, second team, and honorable mention All-ACC selections. On December 2, 2008, Johnson was tabbed as ACC Coach of the Year by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA). He said, "This is an honor for the football program at Georgia Tech, the coaching staff and the players. There are a lot of great coaches in the ACC, so it's humbling to win such a prestigious honor." Johnson was also named 2008 National Coach of the year by CBSSports.com
on the same day.
In 2009, Johnson led the Yellow Jackets
to an 11–3 record, including the school's first win at Florida State
in school history, and a victory over #4 Virginia Tech
in Atlanta, which broke a 17-game home losing streak to top five opponents, and the program's first win over Virginia
in Charlottesville
since 1990. After a defeat at the hands of Miami
in the third week of the season, Georgia Tech won its next eight games, rising as high as #7 in the AP Poll, before losing to unranked rival Georgia
in Atlanta to end the regular season. Georgia Tech finished a league-best 7–1 in ACC play and defeated Clemson
in the ACC Championship Game
for the school's first outright conference championship since 1990, though this title was later vacated by the NCAA for rules violations.
Following the end of the regular season, Johnson received ACC Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive year, becoming the only Georgia Tech head coach in history to win the award in his first two seasons. The Yellow Jackets were paired in the Orange Bowl
with the 10th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes
. Iowa beat Georgia Tech 24–14, sending Johnson to 0–2 in bowls at Georgia Tech.
In 2010, Georgia Tech
started the season ranked 16th in the AP Poll. However, the team suffered a number of high profile injuries including to starting quarterback Joshua Nesbitt. The team finished the regular season 6–6 and lost in the Independence Bowl
to Air Force
14–7.
In 2011
, Johnson has led to the team to its first 6–0 start since 1966 and set a number of school offensive records in the team's 66–24 blowout of Kansas
. Johnson proceeded to lose two consecutive games to Virginia and Miami before defeating then #5 Clemson 31–17.
in physical education from Western Carolina University
in 1979, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order
. He also earned a Master of Science
in health and physical education from Appalachian State University
in 1982.
Johnson and his family regularly attends Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Buckhead
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach. He is currently the head coach at the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, a position he has held since the 2008 season. Previously, Johnson served as the head coach at Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University is a national public university located on a campus in Statesboro, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1906, it is part of the University System of Georgia and is the largest center of higher education in the southern half of Georgia offering 117 academic majors in a comprehensive...
from 1997 to 2001 and at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
from 2002 to 2007. Johnson's Georgia Southern Eagles
Georgia Southern Eagles football
The Georgia Southern Eagles represent Georgia Southern University in football as part of the Southern Conference under head coach Jeff Monken. The Eagles have won an unprecedented six FCS national championships and eight Southern Conference championships and have produced two Walter Payton Award...
won consecutive NCAA Division I-AA Football Championships in 1999 and 2000. Johnson is a graduate of Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University is a coeducational public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States. The university is a constituent campus of the University of North Carolina system....
. He is noted for his use of the triple option
Triple Option
The triple option is an American football scheme used to offer multiple ways to progress the football forward in the field of play. The triple option is based on the option run, but uses three players who may run with the ball instead of the two that are used in the standard option run.The triple...
style of offense.
Coaching
Prior to becoming a head coach, Johnson spent eight seasons as offensive coordinatorOffensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at the University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system...
from 1987 to 1994. There he helped lead the Rainbow Warriors
Hawaii Warriors football
The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...
to their first Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
title and their first major bowl victory in the 1992 Holiday Bowl
1992 Holiday Bowl
The 1992 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 30, 1992 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 1992 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the 25th ranked Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, and the unranked ....
. In 1995 and 1996, he served as the offensive coordinator at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
and brought his option offense
Option offense
The option offense is a generic term that is used to describe a wide variety of offensive systems in American football. Option offenses are characterized as such due to the predominance of option running plays employed in these schemes. Option offenses have traditionally relied heavily upon running...
with him. In 1996, Navy
Navy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
recorded its first winning season in 14 years, going 9–3 with a victory in the Aloha Bowl
1996 Aloha Bowl
The 1996 Aloha Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 25, 1996 in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was part of the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the , and the ....
. Johnson has performed well against rivals, including a perfect 6–0 mark against rival Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
while head coach at Navy and a 1–2 record against rival Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
while head coach at Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
Georgia Southern
After serving as an assistant from 1983 to 1986 at Georgia Southern UniversityGeorgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University is a national public university located on a campus in Statesboro, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1906, it is part of the University System of Georgia and is the largest center of higher education in the southern half of Georgia offering 117 academic majors in a comprehensive...
, where he was the offensive coordinator for consecutive NCAA Division I-AA National Football Championships teams in 1985 and 1986, Johnson returned as the head coach from 1997 through 2001. During his tenure, the Eagles
Georgia Southern Eagles football
The Georgia Southern Eagles represent Georgia Southern University in football as part of the Southern Conference under head coach Jeff Monken. The Eagles have won an unprecedented six FCS national championships and eight Southern Conference championships and have produced two Walter Payton Award...
captured the Division I-AA National Championship twice more in 1999 and 2000, and finished as runners-up in 1998. Johnson is one of only four coaches to record 50 wins in their first four seasons as head coach at the Division I level.
Navy
In 2002, Johnson departed Georgia Southern and returned to Navy as head coach. Johnson's initial season saw the Midshipmen win only 2 of 12 contests, though the season ended on a high note with his first victory over Army. Subsequently, Johnson's teams enjoyed a high degree of success. The 2003 team completed the regular season with an 8–4 mark, including wins over both Air ForceAir Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
and Army, and earned a berth in the Houston Bowl
2003 Houston Bowl
The 2003 Houston Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the and the Texas Tech Red Raiders on December 30, 2003, at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. It was the fourth time the Houston Bowl was played and the final game of the 2003 NCAA Division I FBS football season for both...
, Navy's first bowl game since 1996. However, the Midshipmen lost to Texas Tech, 38–14. In 2004, Johnson's team posted the program's best record since 1957, finishing the regular season at 9–2 and once again earning a bowl berth, this time in the Emerald Bowl
2004 Emerald Bowl
The 2004 Emerald Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the and the on December 30, 2004, at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. It was the third time the Emerald Bowl was played and the final game of the 2004 NCAA Division I FBS football season for both teams...
. There Johnson coached the Midshipmen to a win over New Mexico, 34–19, the fifth bowl win in the school's history. The win gave Navy 10 wins on the season, tying a school record that had stood since 1905. For his efforts, Johnson received the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award
Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award
The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award is an annual college football award given to the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision head coach whose team excels on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. The award is named for Bobby Dodd, longtime head football coach at Georgia Tech and was...
. The 2005 Navy squad recorded a mark of 8–4, highlighted by victories over Army, Air Force, and Colorado State
Colorado State Rams football
The Colorado State Rams football program, established in 1893, represents Colorado State University and is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference under head coach Steve Fairchild...
in the inaugural Poinsettia Bowl
2005 Poinsettia Bowl
The 2005 Poinsettia Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the and the on December 22, 2005 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. Navy defeated Colorado State 51–30 in this game. This was the inaugural edition of the Poinsettia Bowl.-References:...
. In 2007, Johnson coached the Midshipmen to their first win over rival Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
since 1963, winning 46–44 in triple-overtime.
Johnson dominated the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy competition, going 11–1 (.917) in his six years, with the only loss against another service academy coming at the hands of Air Force in his first season. He is the only coach in Navy's history to go 6–0 in his first six seasons against Army, and his 2006 senior class was the first in Navy history to win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy all four of their years.
Much of Johnson's success was predicated on his triple option
Triple Option
The triple option is an American football scheme used to offer multiple ways to progress the football forward in the field of play. The triple option is based on the option run, but uses three players who may run with the ball instead of the two that are used in the standard option run.The triple...
flexbone
Flexbone formation
The flexbone formation is an offensive formation in American football that uses a quarterback, five offensive linemen, three running backs, and varying numbers of tight ends and wide receivers. The flexbone formation is a predominant running formation derived from the wishbone formation and it...
offense, a run-oriented attack that has led NCAA Division I-A/FBS football in rushing yards three of his last four years at Navy. Some have criticized the triple option as an antiquated, unbalanced system unfit for major college football, which may have explained the reluctance of some top programs to offer him a position despite his accomplishments at both Georgia Southern and Navy. Johnson rebutted this argument in numerous press conferences and interviews, asserting that several top teams, including 2005 national champion Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
and 2006 national champion Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
, used various forms of the option. In 2008, Johnson told ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's Mark Schlabach
Mark Schlabach
Mark Schlabach is an author and columnist for ESPN.com. Schlabach joined ESPN.com in July 2006 as a college football and college basketball columnist. He is notable during college football season for the weekly "Bottom 10" article....
, "If we can run it against Boston College at Navy, why can't we run it against Boston College at Georgia Tech? If we can beat Pitt with this system at Navy, why can't we beat Pitt at Georgia Tech? Are we going to get worse players at Georgia Tech?"
Georgia Tech
On December 7, 2007, Johnson accepted the head coaching job at the Georgia Institute of TechnologyGeorgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
. Johnson, who came to Georgia Tech in December after a six-year tenure at Navy, inherited a young roster with reduced numbers because of an NCAA probation
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
. Only 76 players were on scholarship, below the maximum of 85, including three senior walk-ons who were awarded scholarships prior to the start of the season. The roster included 75 freshmen and sophomores; 16 of 22 starters were underclassmen. Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
predicted Johnson's first Yellow Jacket team
2008 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2008 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's coach is former Navy Midshipmen and Georgia Southern Eagles coach Paul Johnson...
would win three games and finish fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
's Coastal Division.
In 2008, Johnson led the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to a 9–4 record. Georgia Tech was 6–1 at home in games played at Bobby Dodd Stadium
Bobby Dodd Stadium
Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field is the football stadium located at the corner of North Avenue at Techwood Drive on the campus of Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, who completed the 2011 season with a loss to rival UGA...
and 4–2 against ranked opponents, including three wins in November against Florida State
2008 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2008 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Florida State's 17th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference .The previous...
, Miami
2008 Miami Hurricanes football team
-Roster changes:University of Miami safety Kenny Phillips and defensive end Calais Campbell made the decision to forgo their senior years and declare for the NFL Draft. Phillips was drafted in the first round, No. 31 overall by the New York Giants. Campbell was drafted in the second round, No. 50...
, and Georgia
2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team competed in American football on behalf of the University of Georgia in 2008. The Bulldogs competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference . This was the Georgia Bulldogs' eighth season under the guidance of head coach Mark Richt...
. Georgia Tech, ranked 14th in the BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
standings and 15th in the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, finished the regular season with a 9–3 record. Though they tied for first place in their division with a 5–3 conference record, the Yellow Jackets failed to advance to the ACC Championship Game
2008 ACC Championship Game
The 2008 ACC Championship Game was a college football game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Boston College Eagles. The game, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2008 college football season for the Atlantic Coast Conference...
by virtue of an early-season loss to eventual ACC champion, Virginia Tech
2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach is Frank Beamer. Prior to the season, the Hokies were expected to be in a rebuilding mode, recovering after the...
. Georgia Tech accepted a bid to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl
2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl
The 2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl was the 41st annual edition of the Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly known as the Peach Bowl and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. It pitted the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets against the Louisiana State Tigers in a postseason American college football game in Atlanta, Georgia...
, where they were defeated by LSU
2008 LSU Tigers football team
The 2008 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team's head coach was Les Miles who entered his fourth year at the helm of LSU Football. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
, 38–3.
Johnson's 2008 Georgia Tech team featured one first-team All-American
2008 College Football All-America Team
The 2008 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American first teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports,...
(Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson (defensive end)
Michael D. Johnson is a professional American football defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Bengals. He played college football at Georgia Tech.- Early years :Johnson played at Dallas County High...
), the ACC Player of the Year (Jonathan Dwyer
Jonathan Dwyer
Jonathan Avery Dwyer is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech....
), and eight first team, second team, and honorable mention All-ACC selections. On December 2, 2008, Johnson was tabbed as ACC Coach of the Year by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA). He said, "This is an honor for the football program at Georgia Tech, the coaching staff and the players. There are a lot of great coaches in the ACC, so it's humbling to win such a prestigious honor." Johnson was also named 2008 National Coach of the year by CBSSports.com
CBSSports.com
CBSSports.com was founded in 1994 as SportsLine USA, and today is a CBS-owned website that provides sports scores, news, statistics, live and on-demand video, mobile apps, e-commerce, fantasy sports products, services, and information..Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, CBSSports.com it is...
on the same day.
In 2009, Johnson led the Yellow Jackets
2009 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2009 Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2009–2010 Football Season. The team was coached by second year head coach Paul Johnson...
to an 11–3 record, including the school's first win at Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in school history, and a victory over #4 Virginia Tech
2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer...
in Atlanta, which broke a 17-game home losing streak to top five opponents, and the program's first win over Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
since 1990. After a defeat at the hands of Miami
2009 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2009 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 2009 Division I college football season. The Hurricanes were coached by Randy Shannon and played their home games at Land Shark Stadium...
in the third week of the season, Georgia Tech won its next eight games, rising as high as #7 in the AP Poll, before losing to unranked rival Georgia
2009 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2009 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia in 2009. The Bulldogs competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference . This was the Georgia Bulldogs' ninth season head coach Mark Richt. The Bulldogs finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in SEC play and won the...
in Atlanta to end the regular season. Georgia Tech finished a league-best 7–1 in ACC play and defeated Clemson
2009 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2009 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2009 college football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney, who was in his first full season as head coach. The Tigers played their home games in Memorial Stadium...
in the ACC Championship Game
2009 ACC Championship Game
The 2009 ACC Championship Game was a college football game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Clemson Tigers. The game, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2009 college football season for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Georgia Tech defeated Clemson,...
for the school's first outright conference championship since 1990, though this title was later vacated by the NCAA for rules violations.
Following the end of the regular season, Johnson received ACC Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive year, becoming the only Georgia Tech head coach in history to win the award in his first two seasons. The Yellow Jackets were paired in the Orange Bowl
2010 Orange Bowl
The 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl game featured the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at Land Shark Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida...
with the 10th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes
2009 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa and the Iowa Hawkeyes athletic program during the 2009 college football season. The team played its home games at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. 2009 marked Kirk Ferentz's 11th year as head coach of Iowa...
. Iowa beat Georgia Tech 24–14, sending Johnson to 0–2 in bowls at Georgia Tech.
In 2010, Georgia Tech
2010 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2010 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Yellow Jackets were led by 3rd year head coach Paul Johnson and played their home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium. They are members of the Atlantic...
started the season ranked 16th in the AP Poll. However, the team suffered a number of high profile injuries including to starting quarterback Joshua Nesbitt. The team finished the regular season 6–6 and lost in the Independence Bowl
Independence Bowl
The Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976....
to Air Force
Air Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
14–7.
In 2011
2011 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2011 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Yellow Jackets are led by fourth year head coach Paul Johnson and play their home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium...
, Johnson has led to the team to its first 6–0 start since 1966 and set a number of school offensive records in the team's 66–24 blowout of Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
. Johnson proceeded to lose two consecutive games to Virginia and Miami before defeating then #5 Clemson 31–17.
Personal life
Johnson and his wife, Susan, have a daughter named Kaitlyn. He earned his Bachelor of ScienceBachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in physical education from Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University is a coeducational public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States. The university is a constituent campus of the University of North Carolina system....
in 1979, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
. He also earned a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in health and physical education from Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
in 1982.
Johnson and his family regularly attends Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Buckhead
Buckhead (Atlanta)
Buckhead is the uptown district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States, comprising approximately the northern one-fifth of the city. Buckhead is a major commercial and financial center of the Southeast, and it is the third-largest business district in Atlanta, behind Downtown and Midtown...
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Head coaching record
*Poinsettia Bowl coached by Ken NiumataloloKen Niumatalolo
Ken Niumatalolo is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the United States Naval Academy, a position he has held since the 2007 season. Niumatalolo played college football at the University of Hawaii. As a quarterback he led the then-Rainbows...