Opinions on Paul Johnson

HANC said:
PErsonally, I agree with Mike'l Severe (1620 the zone)....... I would love to see Paul Johnson as the next HC at NU

My reasons to believe:

1. Triple option is completely deadly at any level.....many of the play-offs teams (HS) in Iowa still run a

the double wing set, which is essentially triple option football.....deception and guessing.... His offensive

numbers are amazing with guys who don't get recruited.... What if he had top notch athletes, not top-

notch military students with perfect ACT scores.....

2. There is no way an opponent can design a defensive scheme to completely shut down this offense with

only 1 week to prepare.....virtually impossible....especially if your QB can throw the ball a little..

3. TO understands the history of NU football and how the option was the basis of the entire success of the

offense..

4. TO also understands that the only team that he couldn't consistently beat was Switzer at OU.... who

ran the triple option

- Johnson has taken the Switzer/Osborne option and taken it into the next century....... Yes, you will still lose

games....not saying it is not going to get shut down on occassion....

Reasons to not believe:

1. I am not a guy who is trying to live in the past..... I was actually excited with the West Coast Offense.

I love the crossing routes and the short passing games, when it is clicking..

2. Johnson would have to bring in a very good defensive coordinator, because his Navy teams have givin'

up a ton of points...
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All good points. But as for your reasons to not believe. First, Johnson would not just run the option. He runs the offense that best suits his players. At Navy, the triple option is best but he's not afraid to pass the ball either. The winning TD and 2 point conversion against ND were passes, not runs. Second, Navy's defense has been decimated by injuries this year. They have started 20 different guys, plus the defensive side is where I really think Navy is at a great disadvantage. Bigger and stronger offensive lines and bigger, stronger, and faster receivers and backs. If left on the field too long they just get worn down. Thats another reason why he runs the option. To keep the other team off the field. Now I am not a Nebraska fan, I'm a Navy fan, born and raised in Annapolis, and I would love to see Paul Johnson stay, but if he left for Nebraska you would be getting a great coach and one more Nebraska fan.

 
I guess the question I have is how good was his defenses at Georgia Southern? Were they decent at least? Yes, you hate to bring in a guy who has a good product on the offensive side, but a poor one the other side of the ball -- Texas Tech for example. (Mike Leash's (sp?) defenses have played a big part in preventing TTU from going to the next level. Although one could argue that TTU throws the ball too much. This could be a good thread in Other Sports.)

 
Spartness said:
I guess the question I have is how good was his defenses at Georgia Southern? Were they decent at least? Yes, you hate to bring in a guy who has a good product on the offensive side, but a poor one the other side of the ball -- Texas Tech for example. (Mike Leash's (sp?) defenses have played a big part in preventing TTU from going to the next level. Although one could argue that TTU throws the ball too much. This could be a good thread in Other Sports.)
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Boise St would also fall under a team that can score but can't play defense.

 
Vuren said:
hack said:
SkerMin8r said:
madro said:
if he's that damn good why's he at the navy?
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For the same reason TG is at Buffalo. It was his opportunity to "get his foot in the door".
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now follow that up with, "what was Navy like before Johnson and what is it like now?"

the answer is for some 30 years Navy was b*tched-up by everyone. not as bad a Temple, but they seldom hit the .500 marker many years.

while johnson has been at Navy, they've had four winning season out of five. and right now they're shaping up to have winning season this year too.

when you keep that in mind and take into consideration that he's also won two D-II titles, i'd easily give the huskers over to johnson *way* before i'd trust them to pelini.

at least johnson has a record as a head coach.
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hell if gill can get buffalo to a 5 win season that speaks volumes(hello 7 wins in 2 years at a school that won 10 games the previous...6 years?)
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Ya, Urban Meyer also started in the MAC at Bowling Green and he went to the WAC to get more seasoning before he went to a big time conference. He needed the extra couple years and he's glad he did it. Now I don't think TG is anywhere close to Meyer as far as coaching and if Meyer needed more time then I believe TG does too. He will be good down the road but NOT NEXT YEAR AT NEBRASKA. It makes me sick that everyone is on his bandwagon because he was a former player and coach at Nebraska. He WOULD NOT even be in the argument if he didn't have that past and he should be considered because of his past but NOT hired because of it. Pelini should do the same thing. Nebraska rolled the dice 4 yeas ago with a coach that was only a HC for 2 years and had success then failure. Do you REALLY want to roll the dice again with a coach who has 2 years experience or NO experience? I sure as hell DO NOT! To me Johnson is a viable candidate, the others are worth a look but not worth a hire for Nebraska at this point in it's historical downfall.

 
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Thank you for the insight Navyfan81...... Appreciate an outside opinion on a guy that you obvioulsy know very well.... I know about his stint at Hawaii and the more "pass" orientated offense, but wasn't or am not aware of how the Navy passing game is/was.......

Your points make perfect sense........ Not that I wish anything negative for our US Naval Academy, but personally, I want JOHNSON AS OUR HC NEXT YEAR. He is my 1st choice, and when TO calls me for my opinion, I will tell him.... :)

 
REDSTEEL said:
Spartness said:
I guess the question I have is how good was his defenses at Georgia Southern? Were they decent at least? Yes, you hate to bring in a guy who has a good product on the offensive side, but a poor one the other side of the ball -- Texas Tech for example. (Mike Leash's (sp?) defenses have played a big part in preventing TTU from going to the next level. Although one could argue that TTU throws the ball too much. This could be a good thread in Other Sports.)
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Boise St would also fall under a team that can score but can't play defense.
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Well... thay have won 90% of their games over the past 4 seasons

 
robsker said:
REDSTEEL said:
Spartness said:
I guess the question I have is how good was his defenses at Georgia Southern? Were they decent at least? Yes, you hate to bring in a guy who has a good product on the offensive side, but a poor one the other side of the ball -- Texas Tech for example. (Mike Leash's (sp?) defenses have played a big part in preventing TTU from going to the next level. Although one could argue that TTU throws the ball too much. This could be a good thread in Other Sports.)
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Boise St would also fall under a team that can score but can't play defense.
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Well... thay have won 90% of their games over the past 4 seasons
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Yeah, but check out their strength of schedule. They are the only 1 of the 4 weakest schedules out there that isn't undefeated (Ohio State, KU, and Hawaii being the other 3). Nevade is a poor team that we lit up like a Christmas tree, yet they nearly beat Boise State in a 69-67 or something like that score. I don't see much D being played.

 
HANC said:
SkrMin8r...... I agree with all you said, but how did I miss the boat?

I stated in the original post, near the bottom that if PJ was to come to NU, he would need to get a great D-coordinator.....

Not trying to argue, but just asking what boat did I miss? He would be a perfect fit.... He runs the triple option like a science and he also knows the spread from his days in Hawaii..... If he comes he, he can use the talent on board and take time to decide what direction to head in the future, which would determine recruiting...

I want PJ.....What boat did I miss?
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Missed this...

I was referring to your point about him running the option. Just wanted to point out that he's run the spread in the past as well...

 
Gotcha........ yes, I was mostly refering to him and his option offense..... Your correct... and the more I know about this guy, the more I want him to lead the Big Red...... He would be able to utilize the talent already here, and bring in a D-coord. to fix the black-shirts..

 
I seem to be in the minority, but I dont think Johnson is the guy. I dont care where in 1-A you coach, you should never,ever lose to a 1-AA, which he did this year vs Delaware. With a head coach, you want a guy who will always win the games he's supposed to win, a loss like that makes me wonder about his motivational abilities.

 
strigori said:
I seem to be in the minority, but I dont think Johnson is the guy. I dont care where in 1-A you coach, you should never,ever lose to a 1-AA, which he did this year vs Delaware. With a head coach, you want a guy who will always win the games he's supposed to win, a loss like that makes me wonder about his motivational abilities.
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Why is everyone so high on this guy? He (barely) won ONE football game against an abysmal Notre Dame team. When Notre Dame has actually been decent or mediocre he hasn't gotten it done. If we hire this guy, I don't see him ever beating Bob Stoops. You have to do that in our conference before you can be considered an elite team.

I also think that people around here are going to have to watch high school or Air Force games if they want to see old fashioned triple option football again. It's not coming back here. Ever since that game in Columbia when Frank Solich tried to run the triple option in the fourth quarter in the middle of Hurricane Katrina it's been pretty much dead.

 
Okay.........looking over Navy's season this year doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in their defense. I still think Paul Johnson is a strong candidate, but...

Temple W 30-19

Rutgers L 24-41

Ball State L 31-34 OT

Duke W 46-43

Air Force W 31-20

Pittsburgh W, 48-45 2OT

Wake Forest L, 24-44

Delaware L, 52-59

Notre Dame W 46-44 3OT

North Texas W 74-62

 
I think a lot of people are missing the point here...

NAVY football players study ENGINEERING and things like that.

NAVY GRADUATES spend several years on a boat wearing a uniform - they don't go to the NFL...

The fact that Paul Johnson is WINNING with ENGINEERS who basically are playing simply for the love of the game is a true testament to Paul Johnson's coaching ability.

In a matchup with Notre Dame, who has the better athletes?

Heck, what about Delaware?? I'd be willing to bet that Delaware has better athletes, but the Navy guys could run circles around the Delaware guys in Calculus class...

Look at the Ball State game - it was close, and look what Nebraska did against Ball State this year...

So I don't care much who he's lost to...the guy can coach! He's taking STUDENTS and winning football games. Find me a starter on ANY top 25 team that can even RECOGNIZE the word "calculus"...

 
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