Paul Johnson visits SMU

[kepdawg]

Navy coach Paul Johnson visits SMU

02:35 PM CST on Tuesday, December 4, 2007

By KATE HAIROPOULOS / The Dallas Morning News
khairopoulos@dallasnews.com

Navy coach Paul Johnson visited the SMU campus on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the school's search for a new football coach.

No agreement has been reached. Johnson was in town to check out the situation at SMU, which has been looking for a coach for more than five weeks.

Johnson has also been linked to job openings at Georgia Tech and Duke.

An SMU spokesman declined comment.

Johnson, 50, is in demand after leading Navy to five straight bowl games. The Midshipmen were 1-20 in the two seasons before he took over.

SMU athletic director Steve Orsini has said SMU is aiming high in its search and will be willing to pay up for an experienced coach. Johnson reportedly makes $1.5 million at Navy. Former SMU coach Phil Bennett made about $500,000 a year.

Johnson, who is 45-29 in six seasons at Navy, is acquainted with 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.

Johnson is known for his triple option offense, which has resulted in Navy annually being among the nation's leaders in rushing.

LINK (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/120507dnsposmulede.691df4b0.html)

[3afan]

OMG why would he leave USNA for SMU !!!! :eek:

[TexanFan4Life]

Originally posted by 3afan
OMG why would he leave USNA for SMU !!!! :eek:

I don't think the Wish Bone is going to work at SMU. Option football beyong the HS level is just ridiculous. It doesn't work unless you're at a service academy or some slack D II school.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by TexanFan4Life
I don't think the Wish Bone is going to work at SMU. Option football beyong the HS level is just ridiculous. It doesn't work unless you're at a service academy or some slack D II school.
NM. I just re-read where you said the option from the 'bone.

[TexanFan4Life]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Or West Virginia.

True. But sooner or later, defenses have to adapt to it. I mean, if Guy A doesn't get keep the ball, Guy B is getting it. It's not rocket science. That is precisely why West Virginia is overrated...and why they got beaten by Pittsburgh. Their offense revolves around the option, but when someone stops it consistently...they have nothing left to turn to. Pat White has a noodle for an arm.

[g$$]

Not exactly. Modern day zone read is old school triple option football out of different formations (dive, keep, pitch - play action pass off that). So is the Spread Option attack used by WVU & Florida among others. Florida won the NC last year with it. Put a dual threat guy like Tim Tebow in there & it can be lethal.

In the old days, it was Veer or Wishbone, etc. Now it has come back around as Spread Option with more of a vertical passing game threat. Defending the option is still the hardest thing to do for any coach. All assignment football - one bust & it is a big play.

I don't like it as your base attack anymore, but it can still work at the right places. NFL? No, qbs would get killed & the players are just too fast & too disciplined. It can work as a change of pace though & often does.

As with any scheme, it's how you run it more than what you run.

[Old Tiger]

Damn! Take Greg Davis SMU!

[TexanFan4Life]

Originally posted by g$$
Not exactly. Modern day zone read is old school triple option football out of different formations (dive, keep, pitch - play action pass off that). So is the Spread Option attack used by WVU & Florida among others. Florida won the NC last year with it. Put a dual threat guy like Tim Tebow in there & it can be lethal.

In the old days, it was Veer or Wishbone, etc. Now it has come back around as Spread Option with more of a vertical passing game threat. Defending the option is still the hardest thing to do for any coach. All assignment football - one bust & it is a big play.

I don't like it as your base attack anymore, but it can still work at the right places. NFL? No, qbs would get killed & the players are just too fast & too disciplined. It can work as a change of pace though & often does.

As with any scheme, it's how you run it more than what you run.

I agree. But SMU doesn't have Tebow or Harvin. Rice tries to run the 'Bone, but I can't understand why. They also run a 4-2-5 on defense. This isn't high school (but with the competition in the C-USA, it sure looks like it). Too many college coaches in smaller conferences try ONLY to prepare their team for what they'll face in conference...losing sight of the more important thing, which is the level of comp. they'll face when they get to the Bowl game and play a BCS-conference team possibly. Example: Rice looked good last season under Graham in C-USA, but fell victim to the Drug disease in the loss to Troy State.

[g$$]

Originally posted by TexanFan4Life
I agree. But SMU doesn't have Tebow or Harvin. Rice tries to run the 'Bone, but I can't understand why. They also run a 4-2-5 on defense. This isn't high school (but with the competition in the C-USA, it sure looks like it). Too many college coaches in smaller conferences try ONLY to prepare their team for what they'll face in conference...losing sight of the more important thing, which is the level of comp. they'll face when they get to the Bowl game and play a BCS-conference team possibly. Example: Rice looked good last season under Graham in C-USA, but fell victim to the Drug disease in the loss to Troy State.

Rice used to run the Flex Bone, now run spread attack under Bailiff. Any scheme depends on personnel. NE is not nearly as good w/o Tom Brady, Moss, Welker, OL, etc. Same for anybody.

It's all about the Jimmy's & the Joe's, not the X's & the O's!

Rice just got out-athleted vs. Troy. Winning your conference is 1st & foremost before considering bowls. Gotta get there 1st.

[crzyjournalist03]

you could definitely be sure that Johnson would know something about instilling discipline into a team!

[TexanFan4Life]

Originally posted by g$$
Rice just got out-athleted vs. Troy. Winning your conference is 1st & foremost before considering bowls. Gotta get there 1st.

Yeah, you have to get there...but it's no fun if you get blasted once you're there.

Oh..just a question, but what's up with Bailiff making his players do push-ups on the sidelines if they mess up during the game? He did that at Texas State, but I'm not sure he's doing it at Rice. Haven't seen an Owls game all season.

[g$$]

Originally posted by TexanFan4Life
Yeah, you have to get there...but it's no fun if you get blasted once you're there.

Oh..just a question, but what's up with Bailiff making his players do push-ups on the sidelines if they mess up during the game? He did that at Texas State, but I'm not sure he's doing it at Rice. Haven't seen an Owls game all season.

No idea, have not seen them play except highlights. Sounds like a practice deal to me. Who knows, Bailiff is a Fran disciple so I will leave it there.

[c-town_balla]

Well Navy dosen't run the wishbone they run the flexbone...but I guess none of yall watch navy cause they have been very succsessful with it.

and if he does go to SMU and im Fritzhenry or Doug Allman that is where I am going without a doubt