Navy Football Perspective on PJ

[Navy Football]

I can't take it anymore. I am a USNA alum, ex football player, and Dallas native. I am more familiar with Navy football and Paul Johnson then probably anyone on here. As I'm reading these posts, I feel a need to answer or clarify a few of the items being discussed about PJ and his fit at SMU:

Recruiting:
Do you really think PJ does not have enough recruiting experience at Navy? Do you think telling a high school kid that he can come play D1 football, but after 4 years, he will have to join the military and end up in Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other dangerous part of the country is an easy thing to do? How about the sales pitch he has to put on the parents who would prefer to have their son closer to home and out of harms way. Or what about the top recruit who thinks he's got NFL potential, but PJ has to explain to him there is no such thing as going to the NFL right after college and how he will have to serve for at least 2, but probably five years before he's eligible. Do you really think after experiencing those situations he won't be able to handle the recruitig at SMU. The players he has at Navy have been overlooked by every single D1 school. You only go to five straight bowl games by finding and evaluating talent and then through coaching them up to maximize their potential.

Players not wanting to play in that offense:
If your looking for a coach that will get guys to the NFL, then no, PJ is not your guy. If your players want to come to SMU and use it as a springboard into the NFL, then don't hire PJ. But I believe the overall goal is to WIN games, and that is all PJ is about. He's not afraid to tell it like it is, get up in the face of the best player, or do whatever it takes to win a game. If it means calling a qb sneak on every play to win the game, he would make that call 100% of the time. I love everyone saying the skill position players would transfer because their stats would suffer. The only thing PJ cares about is winning, and if the players are not onboard with that, PJ will personally walk them out the door.

Spread Triple-Option Offense:
PJ runs whatever offense he has to in order to be successful. At Navy, the biggest line-man are 270 lbs, there is no deep threat receiver, and he has 10 qbs on the roster that fit the same mold. He runs the triple option offense not because he wants to, but because it gives Navy the best chance to win. At Hawaii, he threw the ball 80% of the time and set NCAA records in the meantime. He adjusts to the players he's given. That is why he's a successful coach.

As a die hard Navy fan, I hope he does not go to SMU. PJ's goal is to see if his option offense will work in a BCS conference. Because of his current financial situation at Navy (over 1.5 mil/years) and the character of his players, he's turned down offers at NC State, UNC, and other BCS schools. It wasn't because he's not a good recruiter or because his offense would not appeal to fans.

PJ is an amazing coach and I hope he stays put or goes to a BCS conference. Even if he ends up at SMU, you'll have him maybe 3-5 years before he turns your program around and proves again that he's worthy of any coaching position in the country.

[SMU2007]

thanks for the post -- good stuff

i really hope we get paul johnson at this point. i think he would be a fantastic hire.

[ponyinNC]

agree 100%

if we could get him, it would be a real steal.

[Stallion]

No he didn't turn down shit-he was not offered

[Alaric]

I can't take it anymore. I am a USNA alum, ex football player, and Dallas native. I am more familiar with Navy football and Paul Johnson then probably anyone on here. As I'm reading these posts, I feel a need to answer or clarify a few of the items being discussed about PJ and his fit at SMU:

Thanks for the post. If guys are already talking about transferring, show them the door. If you're happier to go 1-11 but play your brand of football, we don't need him around.

[George S. Patton]

No he didn't turn down [deleted]-he was not offered

What a trust fund baby.

[PonyPatrol]

Isn't the reason school's use third parties so that if a coach turns down a school, the school can distance themselves from the "alleged" interest? I have heard repeated allegations on this board that coach X has or hasn't been offered by school Y in the past. How can we possibly know, when we don't know who SMU has offered?

Please enlighten if you can substantiate the claim, but it just seems puzzling to me.

[Alaric]

No he didn't turn down [deleted]-he was not offered

WTF are your sources to know he wasn't offered? Was it on Rivals? You are one whiney [deleted]

[Pony94]

No he didn't turn down [deleted]-he was not offered

Good God, do you really have that little class? The man posts a well thought out discussion and makes MUCH more sense that most everything else on here. And what do you do? You put your self out there to know about every offer PJ has or has not received. This is similar to you knowing about the grades of every athlete that can or can't get in to SMU. If you dont know somehting, just keep your mouth shut for a change, instead of trying to bully others on this site with your stupid [deleted] statements.

[Navy Football]

I've never been told by him that he turned it down, but "sources" around the school say the reason he hasn't left before is:

1. Money (1.5 mil a year. He's the highest paid Government employee)
2. He likes to coach the type of player that goes to Navy
3. He's holding out for a BCS conference position

[Dwan]

Excellent post. Way to drop some knowledge. PJ is a money coach. He will win here if we are lucky enough to have him. Some on this board are in love with following recruiting so they wont be happy unless we get a guy who rivals says is a great recruiter. My feeling is we need to have a coach who has experience turning around a down program and who can win with lesser talent. For that reason, I don't think a guy like Rick Neuhisel is a good fit for us. Good coach, but not what we need. We need a guy like PJ or Gary Barnett

[BRStang]

I can't take it anymore. I am a USNA alum, ex football player, and Dallas native. I am more familiar with Navy football and Paul Johnson then probably anyone on here. As I'm reading these posts, I feel a need to answer or clarify a few of the items being discussed about PJ and his fit at SMU:

Recruiting:
Do you really think PJ does not have enough recruiting experience at Navy? Do you think telling a high school kid that he can come play D1 football, but after 4 years, he will have to join the military and end up in Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other dangerous part of the country is an easy thing to do? How about the sales pitch he has to put on the parents who would prefer to have their son closer to home and out of harms way. Or what about the top recruit who thinks he's got NFL potential, but PJ has to explain to him there is no such thing as going to the NFL right after college and how he will have to serve for at least 2, but probably five years before he's eligible. Do you really think after experiencing those situations he won't be able to handle the recruitig at SMU. The players he has at Navy have been overlooked by every single D1 school. You only go to five straight bowl games by finding and evaluating talent and then through coaching them up to maximize their potential.

Players not wanting to play in that offense:
If your looking for a coach that will get guys to the NFL, then no, PJ is not your guy. If your players want to come to SMU and use it as a springboard into the NFL, then don't hire PJ. But I believe the overall goal is to WIN games, and that is all PJ is about. He's not afraid to tell it like it is, get up in the face of the best player, or do whatever it takes to win a game. If it means calling a qb sneak on every play to win the game, he would make that call 100% of the time. I love everyone saying the skill position players would transfer because their stats would suffer. The only thing PJ cares about is winning, and if the players are not onboard with that, PJ will personally walk them out the door.

Spread Triple-Option Offense:
PJ runs whatever offense he has to in order to be successful. At Navy, the biggest line-man are 270 lbs, there is no deep threat receiver, and he has 10 qbs on the roster that fit the same mold. He runs the triple option offense not because he wants to, but because it gives Navy the best chance to win. At Hawaii, he threw the ball 80% of the time and set NCAA records in the meantime. He adjusts to the players he's given. That is why he's a successful coach.

As a die hard Navy fan, I hope he does not go to SMU. PJ's goal is to see if his option offense will work in a BCS conference. Because of his current financial situation at Navy (over 1.5 mil/years) and the character of his players, he's turned down offers at NC State, UNC, and other BCS schools. It wasn't because he's not a good recruiter or because his offense would not appeal to fans.

PJ is an amazing coach and I hope he stays put or goes to a BCS conference. Even if he ends up at SMU, you'll have him maybe 3-5 years before he turns your program around and proves again that he's worthy of any coaching position in the country.

If we get Johnson, I vote this POST OF THE YEAR!!!

Thanks, Navy Football!!! I was not sold on Johnson when I first heard, then he started growing on me and now I can't wait for him to get here (if he ever gets here).

[Billy Joe]

I am more interested in SMU altering its model to compete with its rivals. Education major, accepting more transfer hours, allowing coaches to go after more juco players / Div. 1, 1-AA transfers, and getting more accesisible to DISD (in part by installing an easier-type curriculum for athletes like an education or education - type major). Widen the pool of recruits the coaches can go after and wins should follow regardless of the next coach.

[Hoop Fan]

I am more interested in SMU altering its model to compete with its rivals. Education major, accepting more transfer hours, allowing coaches to go after more juco players / Div. 1, 1-AA transfers, and getting more accesisible to DISD (in part by installing an easier-type curriculum for athletes like an education or education - type major). Widen the pool of recruits the coaches can go after and wins should follow regardless of the next coach.

forget it. This is a signal that "those things" are never happening.

[ponywhupp9202]

Thanks Navy Football. I rarely reply to any posts on this board, but I do check it frequently because, and as an alumni (92 and 02) and long time season ticket holder, I have a genuine interest in SMU and their football program. I really would like to see the Mustangs succeed. Growing up in Chicago and witnessing Gary Barnett turn around what had been a truly bad Northwestern team, I have had his name in the back of my mind for a long time. My wish is that we get the right coach at the right time to help get this program back on its feet and on the road to respectibility, relevance, and competitiveness. It will be good for North Texas, the Dallas area, the Univeristy, and the student athletes. Knowing what I know, PJ sounds like a solid (if not sexy) choice. If it is not him, then I hope it is someone who would bring a suitable skill set to succeed at SMU and its numerous idiosyncrasies.

I enjoy the banter and (sometimes) intelligence this board has to offer. I also truly appreciate the effort some posters put forth to squash the negative, counterproductive, and unprofessional behavior that gets put on this board from time time. My interests is in this team succeeding, not being a know it all and being able to say I told you so. Please keep up the good work.