So, Georgia Tech interviewed 8 coaches in 11 days

[Pony^]

— Kentucky offensive coordinator Joker Phillips.

— Connecticut head coach Randy Edsall.

— Charlie Strong, Florida's co-defensive coordinator.

— Georgia Southern head coach Chris Hatcher.

— Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta.

— Former Colorado and Washington head coach Rick Neuheisel.

— Former Auburn head coach Terry Bowden.

— Johnson, the head coach at Navy.

Georgia Tech interviewed two minority candidates, Strong and Phillips.

Only Johnson, who was hired on Friday, received a second interview.

Timeline:

Here, based on those interviews, is the timeline that ended on Friday with the hiring of Johnson as the head coach at Georgia Tech:

Monday, Nov. 26: After six years with a record of 44-32 overall and 0-6 against Georgia, Chan Gailey is dismissed as the head coach at Georgia Tech. Radakovich says he will hire a coach to bring a new sense of energy and excitement to the program.

Thursday, Nov. 29: The Georgia Tech search committee, which consisted of athletics director Dan Radakovich, associate athletics director Wayne Hogan, and Dan Parker of the Parker Executive Search Firm, begins its interviews. At the Westin Hotel near Jackson-Hartsfield International Airport, the committee meets with Phillips and Edsall.

Friday, Nov. 30: Also at the Westin Hotel, the search committee meets with Strong, Hatcher, and Tenuta.

Saturday, Dec. 1: Because it is championship Saturday, no interviews were conducted. Early in the day ESPN reports that LSU coach Les Miles will be the next head coach at Michigan and that Tenuta will go with him as defensive coordinator. Miles calls a press conference at the Georgia Dome to deny the story and state that he will stay at LSU.

Sunday, Dec. 2: The search committee holds its first meeting with Johnson at the Westin Hotel. Also interviewed that day were Neuheisel and Bowden. Edsall tells reporters at the annual team banquet that he will be staying at Connecticut.

Monday, Dec. 3: In Baltimore, Johnson meets with Duke president Richard Broadhead, athletics director Joe Alleva, and executive vice president Tallman Trask about the school's opening at head coach.

Tuesday, Dec. 4: Strong receives a phone call informing him that anybody being brought back for a second interview at Georgia Tech would have head coaching experience.....Johnson and Jack Reale, his Atlanta based agent, fly to Dallas to discuss the opening at SMU. After the interview, both men fly to Atlanta Tuesday night.

Wednesday, Dec. 5: Johnson meets on campus with Radakovich, Hogan, and president G. Wayne Clough. After the meeting, Johnson flies back to Annapolis knowing that he has three job offers: Georgia Tech, SMU, and Duke.

Thursday, Dec. 6: Because of a snowstorm, Johnson does not have electricity at his home. So he goes to his office at Ricketts Hall at about 8:15 a.m. in order to take a shower and clean up. Late in the morning he meets with Navy athletics Chet Gladchuk. That meeting ends just before noon when Gladchuk tells The Capital newspaper of Annapolis that Johnson is "doing some serious soul searching about his future." Gladchuk meets with school officials to determine what Navy will be able to do to keep Johnson....

...Back in Atlanta Reale is working with Radakovich on a letter of understanding concerning the Georgia Tech job. After a meeting that lasted over two hours, Reale and Radakovich finish their work about 7 p.m. Reale faxes the letter of understanding to Johnson...Reale calls Duke and SMU to update those schools on the process...Johnson sits down with his wife Susan and daughter Kaitlyn,14, to discuss the opportunities.

Friday, Dec. 7: Johnson arrives at his office at Ricketts Hall at about 8:15 a.m. At about 9 o'clock he calls Radakovich and tells him of his intention to come to Georgia Tech. Shortly after that, Johnson gets on the elevator and goes to the basement floor of Ricketts Hall to tell Gladchuk of his decision...After the meeting with Gladchuk, Johnson goes back to his office, signs the letter of agreement to become the next head coach at Georgia Tech, and faxes it to Radakovich about 10:30 a.m.....At 11:45 a.m. Johnson meets with his Navy team and delivers the news. He is going to Georgia Tech and will not be their head coach for the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 20. The meeting ends before noon and by 1:20 p.m. Johnson, along with his wife and daughter, meets Hogan at Baltimore-Washington International Airport for the flight to Atlanta. After meeting with members of the Georgia Tech athletics staff, Johnson tapes an interview for the Georgia Tech website with Wes Durham, the voice of the Yellow Jackets. At 5:30 p.m., Paul Johnson is officially introduced as the 12th head coach at Georgia Tech.


http://www.ajc.com/gatech/content/sport ... _1209.html

[Pony Soup]

And Paul Johnson told Orsini that with out facilities, location, and campus, he could win 13 games in a season within four years.

[Peruna8891]

Pony^, nicer recap.

Please send to Kate at DMN so she can see what a real reporting job looks like.