Bobby Johnson

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See also: Bob Johnson, Rob Johnson, Robb Johnson, and Robert Johnson
Bobby Johnson
Bobby Johnson on the sideline of the 2007 Auburn game.
Bobby Johnson on the sideline of the 2007 Auburn game.
Title Head Coach
College Vanderbilt
Sport Football
Team record 20-50
Place of birth Columbia, South Carolina
Career highlights
Overall 74-76
Coaching stats
College Football DataWarehouse
Playing career
1969-72 Clemson University
Position Wide receiver & Cornerback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2002-present

1994-2001

1993

1983-1992

1981-1983

1980

1977-1979

1976
Vanderbilt University
- Head Coach
Furman University
- Head Coach
Clemson University
- Defensive Coordinator
Furman University
- Defensive Coordinator
Furman University
- Defensive Backs Coach
Clemson University
- Athletic Academic Counselor
Furman University
- Defensive Backs Coach
Furman University
- Defensive Ends Coach

Bobby Johnson (b. Columbia, South Carolina) is the head football coach at Vanderbilt University. He became the Commodores' coach in December 2001 after leading Furman University to the Division I-AA national championship game. Johnson's first head coaching job was at Furman, which hired him in 1994. Previously, he had been defensive coordinator at Clemson University.

Contents

[edit] Student-athlete

As a player at Clemson, Johnson was a three-year letterman and led the team in interceptions playing cornerback in 1971 and 1972. Johnson is a 1973 graduate of Clemson University with a bachelor's degree in management and received his master’s degree in education from Furman in 1979.

[edit] Transition to Vanderbilt

After a successful stint at Furman, Bobby Johnson was hired on at Vanderbilt University to take the helm of an SEC squad. Many questioned the administration's loyalty to Coach Johnson after three consecutive 2-9 seasons, but Vanderbilt's loyalty paid off.[neutrality disputed] Coach Johnson, along with Vanderbilt's Chancellor Gee and Vice Chancellor Williams, had been an instrumental part of a new culture at Vanderbilt. The Athletic Department was abolished—a first among universities in a Division I athletic conference.[citation needed] Bobby Johnson publicly committed himself to a vision of the "student-athlete"—not just an athlete.

[edit] Recent success

[neutrality disputed]

2005 Campaign
In Johnson's fourth season, the Commodores finished 5-6 and defeated in-state rival Tennessee in Knoxville for the first time since 1975. Jay Cutler, the team's offensive captain that season, was drafted #11 overall by the Denver Broncos and named as starting quarterback during his rookie season.
2006 Campaign
In the 2006 season, Vanderbilt fell to 4-8 after the loss of Cutler, but did beat Georgia at Sanford Stadium. In addition, Vanderbilt lost games to Ole Miss, Alabama, SEC West champion Arkansas, and eventual national champion Florida by a touchdown or less—an impressive feat for a team normally considered a "gimme win" by SEC teams. After eight games Atlanta Journal-Constitution college football writer Tony Barnhart stated that Johnson "deserves some consideration" for SEC Coach of the Year, albeit based on a misstated record of 4-5 instead of 3-5. [1]

Barnhart's 2006 postseason survey of ten former SEC coaches ranked the Vanderbilt job the least attractive in the SEC. Former Ole Miss coach Billy Brewer summarized Johnson's performance: "The tough thing about the Vanderbilt job is that you can improve a lot from year to year and still finish last in the SEC East. For what he has, I think Bobby Johnson does a heck of a coaching job."[2]
2007 Campaign
Johnson again led the Commodores to success in 2007, with SEC conference wins over Mississippi and South Carolina, ranked No. 6 at the time of the contest. Standing with a 5-5 record, the Commodores then squandered a 24-9 third-quarter lead against in-state rival Tennessee, losing 25-24 after a 49-yard Bryant Hahnfeldt field goal attempt that would have won the game glanced off the left upright.

[edit] Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl Coaches# AP°
Furman Paladins (SoCon) (1994 – 2001)
1994 Furman 3-8 2-6 6th
1995 Furman 6-5 5-3 3rd
1996 Furman 9-4 6-2 3rd
1997 Furman 7-4 5-3 3rd
1998 Furman 5-6 3-5 T-6th
1999 Furman 9-3 7-1 1st
2000 Furman 9-3 6-2 2nd
2001 Furman 12-3 7-1 1st L 6-13 vs. Montana in Div. I-AA title game
Furman: 60–36 41-23
Vanderbilt Commodores (SEC) (2002 – present)
2002 Vanderbilt 2-10 0-8 6th (East)
2003 Vanderbilt 2-10 1-7 5th (East)
2004 Vanderbilt 2–9 1-7 6th (East)
2005 Vanderbilt 5-6 3-5 5th (East)
2006 Vanderbilt 4-8 1-7 6th (East)
2007 Vanderbilt 5-7 2-6 6th (East)
2008 Vanderbilt 0-0 0-0
Vanderbilt: 20–50 8–40
Total: 80-86
      National Championship         Conference Title         Conference Division Title
#Rankings from final Coaches Poll of the season.
°Rankings from final AP Poll of the season.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Jimmy Satterfield
Furman University Head Football Coach
1994 – 2001
Succeeded by
Bobby Lamb
Preceded by
Woody Widenhofer
Vanderbilt University Head Football Coach
2002 –
Succeeded by
Incumbent