A question to all the Paul Johnson advocates...

[ThadFilms]

Why is he all of a sudden your first choice. His name had been mentioned for the job since PB was fired, but PJ had not garnered much support on this website until the rumors started this week that he is now the leading candidate. While I am taking a wait-and-see attitude, many of you are full force on the bandwagon. I still think Gary Barnett would be the best fit, and would support many of the candidates including PJ. However, I am confused by everyone's euphoria. mrydel has been supportive of just about all, Stallion supports most but PJ, WH/TRT supports Bowden, JTsupporta Barnett and most but it seems like most others are now annointing PJ the savior. Why the change in opinion?

Most people just want hope, and are willing to look at the bright side and ignore the dark sides.

I agree, and honestly - I never gave him a second thought, not because I didn't think we had a chance to get him, but for me - he was a "who???" As I stated in another post, my numero uno criteria for this search was to find a guy that I can walk up to college football fans and say, "Hey, we hired _____ _________!" And their response would be, "Really???? Wow!"

As PJ didn't fit in that category, I never researched him..... I was even willing to accept that clown Franochio (saying to myself if WE had hired him away from Alabama... I would have been doing cartwheels.... I hatev him with a passion). But then as Johnson came more into focus I started reading and researching.... man, this guy looks like an amazing hire.


My first choice is Gary Barnett...... okay my first choice is Pete Carroll, but of coaches available, it's Barnett. But I think PJ is a great choice.



Besides, I am already thinking of the tee-shirts. Hope the KunckleStangs, err, Heads are already thinking up their tunes.

[KnuckleStang]

Besides, I am already thinking of the tee-shirts. Hope the KunckleStangs, err, Heads are already thinking up their tunes.

We're just happy Kragthorpe is staying put. Seriously, what the hell rhymes with Kragthorpe.

[jtstang]

brag torp.

[RednBlue11]

with ya 100% ... its about the fit not the name

[ebrooks11]

I read this posts in amazement of the people who think we are to good for a Paul Johnson type coach. Who gives a crap what kind of offense he runs apparently the one we ran this year did not work out so well. 95% of the names that have been mentioned on this board we would be lucky to get WE ARE NOT A TOP COACHING DESTIONATION. And the strangest thing is we are not 100% sure we are getting PJ and you people are already picking apart the offense he is apparently going to run when he gets here. Im so have tired head from all of this.

[perunapower]

I read this posts in amazement of the people who think we are to good for a Paul Johnson type coach. Who gives a crap what kind of offense he runs apparently the one we ran this year did not work out so well. 95% of the names that have been mentioned on this board we would be lucky to get WE ARE NOT A TOP COACHING DESTIONATION. And the strangest thing is we are not 100% sure we are getting PJ and you people are already picking apart the offense he is apparently going to run when he gets here. Im so have tired head from all of this.

Our offense wasn't the problem this year. Our defense and turnovers killed us the entire season.

[ebrooks11]

How many times did our offense come through for us in the 4th quarter and OT. PJ's defense at Go. Southern was one of the best in the nation when he was there.

[RednBlue11]

i remember when Willis was singly responsible for 4 turnovers in one half of play, and fumbled twice in one play! YES our offense had a huge issue, its called consistency.

[perunapower]

How many times did our offense come through for us in the 4th quarter and OT. PJ's defense at Go. Southern was one of the best in the nation when he was there.

How many times did our defense give up conversions on 3rd down and 4th down late in the game to lead to gain winning or game tying scores? How many times did we turn the ball over and the opponent went down the field to score?

There is a good reason we were 41st in passing offense, 41st in rushing offense, 38th in total offense, and 58th in scoring offense.

[RednBlue11]

good to see that we were ranked in the top half of D1 schools....

[perunapower]

Those with young children nearby should send them out of the room... I'm about to post the defensive rankings.

99th in rushing defense, 93rd in passing efficiency defense, 115th in total defense, and 116th in scoring defense.

How do you win with that? And some of you blame this on the offense. Shame on you.

[PK]

If we don't hire Lloyd Carr I'm quitting.

Your employer will be quite surprised I'm sure.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

re: Why is he all of a sudden your first choice? His name had been mentioned for the job since PB was fired, but PJ had not garnered much support on this website until the rumors started this week that he is now the leading candidate

mustangxc......to be quite honest this process has been a huge learning experience for me personally

some of us really did not much about these guys

but after research/debate/discussion we may like people we did not know much about a month ago

i was not nearly as informed about many of these potential coaching candidates until this hiring process began

gosh i feel like i could score well on a test now that I would have flunked 3 weeks ago

yes, i was aware of who most of these guys were, but when each one was floated as a potential head coach we all began studying their resume, looking a their entire bios and work history

i suppose we are all much better informed because of the wild speculations almost daily about some hot new rumor about a potential new coach

plus we are all a bit "road weary" and just want our coach named.
no we dont want to pick the wrong guy just to get it behind us
but we look at PJ's resume.....it looks pretty good
no of these guys are perfect
and we hear it looks like it will be him
so we say "great...can't wait for the new era to begin"

really what other options do we have?

[Charleston Pony]

I think every SMU fan can agree we all wanted a head coach with a proven track record...a guy who has shown he can build a winning program.

Johnson took over a once proud Ga Southern program that had fallen off just a bit and won their conference title every year he was there...not to mention 2 National Championships.

We all lament about our not being able to recruit "toe to toe" with our former SWC mates who moved on to the BCS. Well, let's see if Johnson can get more out of the guys we do get and win with a system that is difficult to prepare for and frustrates the opponent (not unlike what everyone says about Leach and TTech)

Certainly can't knock what he's accomplished at Navy and my bet is he could have done the same for Army had they gotten to him 1st.

Assuming Johnson is our guy, I say let the PJ era begin!!! I'm anxious to see what he can do with "Bennett's guys" that just came off a 1-11 season.

[Hoop Fan]

Those with young children nearby should send them out of the room... I'm about to post the defensive rankings.

99th in rushing defense, 93rd in passing efficiency defense, 115th in total defense, and 116th in scoring defense.

How do you win with that? And some of you blame this on the offense. Shame on you.

exactly. Smu put enough points on the board this year. What is needed is a defensive overhaul. Not exactly a specialty of johnson it does not seem.