Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson: College Footballs Coach of the Year 2009

Paul Johnson deserves to be the 2009 College Football Coach of the Year. Paul Johnson has proven his coaching ability for many years prior to 2009, but 2009 has been the season Paul Johnson has proven all of his critics wrong. Before coming to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 2007, Johnson was a successful coach at Navy, and Georgia Southern. Many analysts because of the style of offense he employs questioned Paul Johnson's arrival at Georgia Tech. Many questions surrounded the triple option and many doubted that the triple option would be a viable offense in a large conference like the Atlantic Coast Conference. All questions have seemingly been answered.

Paul Johnson led his team to big wins in 2009 against teams ranked in the ESPN top 25 throughout the year. Georgia Tech beat North Carolina, and Florida State each having been ranked in the ESPN top 25 at some point in 2009. Virginia Tech was ranked as high as number 5 in the country when Georgia Tech played spoiler to the Virginia Tech season. Georgia Tech also beat the teams they were supposed to beat by beating Mississippi State, Clemson, and Jacksonville State early. Paul Johnson and Georgia Tech established an identity that propelled them to greatness in 2009. Georgia Tech beat these teams and often beat them using lesser talent.

Johnson's truest testament to his coaching ability is how his talent has responded to his coaching. Johnson has led the talent he has brought to Georgia Tech to learn the triple option. The triple option does not bring top ranked athletes to a program, therefore Johnson and his staff work extra hard to coach players of lesser talent. Johnson's recruiting classes at Georgia Tech have been ranked outside the scouts.com top 25 for both of the seasons Johnson has been recruiting for them. This has not mattered to Johnson, and he has led his team to believe they can play with more talented teams and beat them.

Finally, Paul Johnson runs a clean program. Georgia Tech has evaded any question of cheating in the two years he has been at Georgia Tech. Johnson has also proven this at Navy and Georgia Southern. Georgia Tech has throughout its history been known as a school that puts academics over athletics. This is reflected in the coaches that have coached at Georgia Tech in the past regardless of the sport. Historic coaches such as John Heisman, Bobby Dodd in football, and Bobby Cremins in basketball have set high standards for their athletes and Paul Johnson is following in their footsteps.

Paul Johnson has the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on the road to prominence, and he has done it with an unwillingness to change his philosophy that so many doubted. Paul Johnson has proven throughout 2009 that he indeed deserves to be the 2009 College Football Coach of the Year.