Ellis Johnson Is Arkansas' New DC

[lacene]

Didn't see this posted anywhere. Looks like Ellis Johnson gets his new DC job, after all:

Petrino hires Miss. St. aide to be coordinator


Posted: December 31, 2007
Tom Dienhart
Sporting News

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino made his first significant hire Monday, plucking Ellis Johnson away from Mississippi State to be his defensive coordinator, the Sporting News has learned.

Johnson spent the last four seasons as the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State, and before that served as the head coach at The Citadel. He also has served as defensive coordinator at Alabama, Clemson, Southern Miss and Appalachian State. This season, Mississippi State finished 8-5 and beat Central Florida 10-3 in the Liberty Bowl, the Bulldogs' first bowl victory since 2000. Johnson's defense held Central Florida star tailback Kevin Smith, a potential first-round NFL draft pick, to 3.4 yards per carry and 119 yards total, 69 yards shy of his season average.


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I wonder what ultimately killed the deal for him to come to USC: did he want to bring his asst. coaches with him, which SOS didn't want, or did his past feud with Dr. Sorenson squelch it in the end?

I at first thought that MSU matched the salary offer we gave Johnson, due to reading some reports that Croom was in serious discussions with MSU to bump up the salaries of his coaching staff, but obviously that now wasn't the case....

Anyway, congrats on the new DC. He will be a good one for ya'll...

[scfan5338]

Looks like Petrino is starting off on the good hand at Arkansas. I only wanna see them supper dang it.

[timNem]

Nice pickup for Arky. I wonder if Croom will go after Dubose?

[TDArkansasOhmy]

Nice pickup for Arky. I wonder if Croom will go after Dubose?

Beats me, I just want to see us supper?

[TDArkansasOhmy]

Nice pickup for Arky. I wonder if Croom will go after Dubose?

Beats me, I just want to see us supper?


http://www.nmnathletics.com.edgesuite.net/pics29/200/YS/YSDMNEIEYNHRVUO.20070810201353.jpg
Ellis Johnson

Playing Career
- Played defensive end for The Citadel (1970-74)

Coaching Career
- 1975: Defensive Ends Coach, The Citadel
- 1976-78: Gaffney [SC] HS
- 1979-81: Spartanburg [SC] HS
- 1982: Linebackers Coach, The Citadel
- 1983: Head Coach, Gardner Webb College
- 1984: Defensive Coordinator, Appalachian State University
- 1985-87: Outside Linebackers Coach/Rec. Coordinator, East Carolina University
- 1988-89: Defensive Coordinator, University of Southern Mississippi
- 1990-93: Outside Linebackers Coach, University of Alabama
- 1994-96: Outside Linebackers Coach/Defensive Coordinator, Clemson University
- 1997-00: Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach, University of Alabama
- 2001-03: Head Coach, The Citadel
- 2004-05: Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach, Mississippi State University
- 2006-present: Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers Coach, Mississippi State University

Notable
Head coach at The Citadel during the three seasons prior to coming to MSU ... On the Alabama staff that guided the Tide to the 1992 SEC and national titles ... Helped lead the UA defense to a No. 1 ranking in total defense that season ... Also assisted in guiding Alabama to the 1999 SEC crown ... Aided in mentoring Clemson’s defense to a No. 10 ranking in 1995.

[timNem]

Beats me, I just want to see us supper?


http://www.nmnathletics.com.edgesuite.net/pics29/200/YS/YSDMNEIEYNHRVUO.20070810201353.jpg
Ellis Johnson

Playing Career
- Played defensive end for The Citadel (1970-74)

Coaching Career
- 1975: Defensive Ends Coach, The Citadel
- 1976-78: Gaffney [SC] HS
- 1979-81: Spartanburg [SC] HS
- 1982: Linebackers Coach, The Citadel
- 1983: Head Coach, Gardner Webb College
- 1984: Defensive Coordinator, Appalachian State University
- 1985-87: Outside Linebackers Coach/Rec. Coordinator, East Carolina University
- 1988-89: Defensive Coordinator, University of Southern Mississippi
- 1990-93: Outside Linebackers Coach, University of Alabama
- 1994-96: Outside Linebackers Coach/Defensive Coordinator, Clemson University
- 1997-00: Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach, University of Alabama
- 2001-03: Head Coach, The Citadel
- 2004-05: Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach, Mississippi State University
- 2006-present: Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers Coach, Mississippi State University

Notable
Head coach at The Citadel during the three seasons prior to coming to MSU ... On the Alabama staff that guided the Tide to the 1992 SEC and national titles ... Helped lead the UA defense to a No. 1 ranking in total defense that season ... Also assisted in guiding Alabama to the 1999 SEC crown ... Aided in mentoring Clemson’s defense to a No. 10 ranking in 1995.
supper? what you talking bout Willis?

[TDArkansasOhmy]

Looks like Petrino is starting off on the good hand at Arkansas. I only wanna see them supper dang it.

That Jackass. Open you damn eyes poster of the year.

[timNem]

That Jackass. Open you damn eyes poster of the year.
OH. Gotcha. You will always be the Poster of the Year in my book

[larryt4111]

I deleted my own post

[Williams-Brice]

This is a really good hire. For those of you who don't know anything about Ellis Johnson, watch the replay of the Liberty Bowl. If you aren't impressed by that, then something is wrong.

Johnson was a candidate at USC, GT, and Arky. What was his deal? Does anyone know? Did he clash with Croom, or did he just want something new?

[Winemonkee]

This is a great hire for us. He's done great things at schools with even less of a recruiting base than UofA. As WB mentioned above, his defense' performance in the bowl game was astounding, not to mention the rest of the season.

Chalk up another reason to look forward to next year:thumpsup:

[msgadawg]

Not sure why but he wanted out of Starkville, He applied for every position open and finally got one, Glad he built our defense and hope Croom can get a replacement to just pick it up a notch or two,

[4MSU2007]

Not sure why but he wanted out of Starkville, He applied for every position open and finally got one, Glad he built our defense and hope Croom can get a replacement to just pick it up a notch or two,

+1 on us picking up another good DC... He was an awesome DC and arkansas looks like they need his help badly...But if he doewsnt do good there in Arkansas you can bet your money that yall's fans will push him out also..

[Winemonkee]

But if he doewsnt do good there in Arkansas you can bet your money that yall's fans will push him out also..

That is a moot point since Reggie Herring wasn't "pushed out". If he doesn't fit Petrino's style and game plan, you can't blame the fans for that.

Not to sound petty, but that statement could actually be turned around. Why was Johnson looking to leave MSU in the first place?... My bet is money, my friend. That, coupled with the dream of moving up and helping build upon a growing contender.

The big money boat is sailing, and aside form the Lloyd Carrs and Joe Paternos, every young and up and coming coach rightfully wants their boarding pass.

I don't blame them, but I will be voice my opinion if they don't perform (and I don't mean by losing a couple of games, I am referring to an obviously poor performance consistently without a glimpse of making things right).

I would do the same thing to any other big wig in a company I own stock in...

It's all about the program and the players. Do it and them right and 95% of fans will support them even in the downtimes. The other 5% are just an embarrasment to humanity as a whole. That goes for any program, not just UofA.

Sadly, we are such a small state (2.6m-ish) that those few, ugly dissenters are heard a lot easier than the same ratio would be at a much larger venue.

All that aside, I hope MSU finds someone that can continue and add to what Johnson has already achieved. Croom, the players and the program deserve someone good.