5 reasons Paul Johnson isn’t going to Notre Dame
1. He’s a little too much like Charlie Weis. Meaning: He’s blunt, and he can’t be coached in the gentle art of public relations. That works in Atlanta, where there’s one daily newspaper, but might not in South Bend, where the college team is covered by the Chicago papers in addition to the South Bend folks. Notre Dame is going to want a charmer this time around, someone who can schmooze with Regis about the big game. PJ has never heard of Reege, let alone Kelly.
2. Notre Dame isn’t just a program; it’s a TV show. Meaning: Appearances matter. NBC might not be thrilled about the prospects of airing a team that runs the football 83 percent of the time. (Understand: I admire Johnson’s offense. But I’m not a network programmer.)
3. Notre Dame cares about recruiting rankings. Johnson famously does not. The subway alumni wouldn’t like it if their adopted team didn’t show up in Rivals’ top 10. (Understand: I’m with Johnson on this one, too. Recruiting rankings are overblown — ask Mark Richt — but I don’t contribute to anyone’s program.)
4. He’s happy at Georgia Tech. In two years Johnson has become not just a hero but something approaching a legend. If the final fourth-down gamble against Wake Forest had failed, he wouldn’t have been second-guessed one bit. Because Tech people love PJ, and Dan Radakovich is about to put yet another bumped-up dollar figure on that love. And Johnson doesn’t want to live in South Bend. He’s a Southern guy who has a nice spread in Vinings — “Inside the Perimeter,” he always takes pains to say — and doesn’t even have to take an Interstate to work.
5. Notre Dame once hired a coach from Tech. The perfect union, right? A feisty Irishman coaching the Fighting Irish. It lasted 3 1/2 days. Even Cher and Gregg Allman made it past a week.
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577 comments Add your comment
juvenal
November 18th, 2009
9:13 am
once again, payscale.com shows the real difference..
BobinBuford
November 18th, 2009
9:20 am
Papadawg:
1. Anthony Allen
2. Emby Peeples
3. Roddy Jones (you DO remember him don’t you? The guy who wears number 20?? The one who you last saw running down the sidelines last year?)
4. Marcus Wright
5. Charles Perkins
Seems like they are pretty well stocked when Dwyer leaves.
Let's Go
November 18th, 2009
9:23 am
The number 1 reasons he could go to ND:
Dude, it’s Notre Dame. And please, Georgia Tech may be high right now but it’s still just Georgia Tech.
Someone will bring Notre Dame back to glory and every coach has an ego so to think Paul Johnson would not take the job if it’s offered is stupid. He will not be their first choice and personally I think Bob Stoops will be offered it first and will take it but if it comes up he goes.
Wreck is sofa king wee todd did.
November 18th, 2009
9:25 am
I am beginning to think that Big Tech fan is not a Tech fan at all.
EW
November 18th, 2009
9:27 am
CPJ will stay with Tech. I would HATE to see him leave after this soon anyway and I am a UGA fan. Leaving now would really cripple a program that he has turned around so fast. And if he is as good a guy as I have heard, he wouldn’t do that to his players.
As far as your reasoning that NBC won’t want to air a team that runs 80% of the time…I disagree, I watch Tech more BECAUSE of the offense. It’s unique. You don’t see teams run it with the caliber players Tech has. They score ( A LOT ). And every play has the chance to be broken for a huge play. What’s not exciting to watch??? Yes you have to endure the FB dive a lot, but it’s a beautiful thing to watch that offense click. And with that said, NBC would probably never run long on airing a CPJ game since he keeps that clock moving. Anyway, it’s a moot point, he’s not leaving.
BBB
November 18th, 2009
9:28 am
A legend?
A Rob
November 18th, 2009
9:29 am
Let’s Go, or Not? Notre Dame may still have a big following, but it’s dwindling. They have been completely irrelavant in the natinoal picture now for nearly 20 years! The trend has been to the South and West Coast and it will stay that way. Not sure ND is the job everyone says it is….
Just Sayin'
November 18th, 2009
9:32 am
Insider – Do your post EVER contain less than 1,000 words?
FalconUGAFan
November 18th, 2009
9:33 am
PJ your offense WILL NOT WORK AT ND! Is he gone yet?
Suck it Nerd
November 18th, 2009
9:34 am
As a UGA grad and a die hard Dawg, I hope he stays. I said once before that it would be great to have two stellar programs in the state. In recent years it has always been one up and one down. If UGA can make some progress in the off season the next few years could be alot of fun.
AZJacket
November 18th, 2009
9:35 am
As a Macon native, I love the Allman Brothers reference. Speaking of which, this coming Friday would be Duane Allman’s 63rd birthday! Wail on, Skydog…and Go Jackets.
JACK
November 18th, 2009
9:36 am
I hope he stays but he may want to coach a team in front of more than 40,000 fans.
Sad Lonely Dawg Fans
November 18th, 2009
9:40 am
Do you need to read and write about EVERY single TECH article?
Kinda showing your desparation at this point….
Tech82
November 18th, 2009
9:42 am
Gator Forever – Good thing Florida doesn’t have any bandwagon fans, huh? I guess your fan base hasn’t grown a bandwagon since before Steve Spurrier arrived? No new bandwagon fans since Urban arrived? As soon as Urban leaves for ND, your fan base will suffer the kind of shrinkage not contemplated since my favorite Seinfeld episode.
GTville
November 18th, 2009
9:45 am
Totally disagree except the part about CPJ wanting to stay in Atlanta. Otherwise, ND just wants to win…if you win everthing else will work out just fine.
Johnson will stay (I hope) because he likes the South, likes Atlanta, likes GT and he can win here. A world renoun university (GT) in a big-time city (ATL) should be able to be consistantly at the top of the college football world. CPJ can join the ranks of Bowden, Paterno, Beamer, and a few others who make one long term stop and establish great programs. Keep in mind Bowden only won 2 NCs and I think Paterno may be the same. Instead of challenging CPJ with Chicago media, try challenging him to win 5 championships in a row at GT.
If GT wins, the fans, recruits, and $$$ will follow. If CPJ leaves, we start all over again.
GSU Eagle 91
November 18th, 2009
9:48 am
I hope for the GT faithful that they are right, and CPJ does stay. Look at our program since he left. We are on our 3rd coach, and seem to be losing ground to teams we used to routinely pummel.
GA Southern ran the ball to pile up all those victories from 1983-2005. Coach Van Gorder came in, changed our mentality and attack, and went 3-8. Coach Hatcher hasn’t done that poorly, but no playoff appearances. In the end, it is all about the Coach! Go Jackets…
Gt4ever
November 18th, 2009
9:50 am
Gator Forever, we would hang 50 points on your D…. Your offense would finally find a way to score as well… Good luck this week with another PATSEY, who is it that you play, FIU, ABSURD!
EW
November 18th, 2009
9:50 am
GTville…you mean “world renowned”?? Can’t blame ya, maybe you should enter posts in binary.
100110111011101111100000000011100100110110
calvin
November 18th, 2009
9:51 am
But Johnson will leave Tech, unfortunately. Every coach does.
Only Bobby Dodd stayed, and eventually became A.D. One would
think the Atlanta location would mean something. Bobby Ross
loved it when he arrived, but it couldn’t keep him after five
years. One would think a coach would find Georgia Tech to be
an ideal place to grow old, like Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno
found their ideal places. But Johnson will leave, maybe even
to go to Georgia; it wouldn’t be surprising.
BL
November 18th, 2009
9:52 am
Yes….indeed….but Cher and Gregg were smashing, baby…..
nickj0321
November 18th, 2009
9:53 am
LOL too many haters in here…
We better hope we can keep CPJ…he is much loved in ATL…I think him knowing the HS coaches down here and him being a southern guy will keep him in ATL…
SWFLJacket
November 18th, 2009
9:54 am
Yeah, us alum’s are all just to poor to come up with whatever $$$ is takes to keep CPJ happy and in Atl. Just keep believing that and with a dollar you might win the lottery.
JDawg
November 18th, 2009
9:55 am
Go Yellow Jackets. Except.when they play (UGA)
SWFLJacket
November 18th, 2009
9:57 am
Enter your comments here
B'HAM Jacket
November 18th, 2009
10:00 am
Ga Tech Insider: Thank you so much for expressing what most Tech Fans want to hear! I think we have a Coach that not only can/will win, but one with great integrity. I am not a Tech graduate, but all the Tech graduates I have known are well respected in what ever they do. it’s about quality not quantity! Also, we need to be ever thankful for DRad.
Thanks for your comments. (Quality will trump quantity every time!)
Georgiadawg70
November 18th, 2009
10:00 am
A Rob Your class was 22nd in the nation last year. I consider the top 10 a good recruiting class. The quality of performance that PJ is getting out of his playes is a credit to him not what he recruited. This is not subjective. The talet was not there. He made chicken salad out of CS which is what good coaches do.
FalconUGAFan
November 18th, 2009
10:07 am
You guys want to be noticed for being a good team by the BCS, right? Well, with attention comes the eventual unsolicited opinions. Welcome to the big time…..
GravyTraintheIdiot
November 18th, 2009
10:07 am
Gravy Train…you are right! It is so much better from a television stand point to have a Mark Richt with his offensive and defensive philosophy. We certainly can win every game we are predicted to win unless the game is say a 3 point spread or worse. Then we simply go lay down in the Dawg house and watch the opposition kick our poor ol’ tails. It is so fun to watch Bama bust us up. It is so much fun watching a rebuilding and first time coach at UT whip us into utter submission, it is so fun watching the Jacksonville games on the tv to watch UF whip us worse over Richt’s career than at any point in Bulldog football history…year after year. And to say that the GT game was boring last year…are you kidding me! We were up by almost three scores at halftime only to watch them ramble for like 35 points in the second half alone. The only thing I find boring as a Ugag alum is the stagnation within the bulldog program. We have yet to win a truly big game under Richt (sorry folks…Hawaii just doesn’t cut it! The win over UF might have been fun if not for the follow up disasters…that game seems more and more like an accident than a thoughtful game plan). Winning out will not solve our problems simply lead us to another year of mediocrity.
Jerry
November 18th, 2009
10:10 am
I don’t think Paul Johnson is the type of guy who is only about money. If he is, then he is not who we think he is. All of this makes great fodder for the media and the internet bloggers, but I think PJ is a man of his word. Commitment is important to him and I think his ability to project that and to transfer that to his team are an essential part of his success. I will let others worry about Coach Johnson leaving Tech, for that is what many enjoy most in life, worrying. Life is short so my advice to the worriers out there is to let go, enjoy what we have and celebrate the success Coach Johnson has brought to Georgia Tech.
Go Jackets!
Sad Lonely Dawg Fans
November 18th, 2009
10:11 am
Kinda tough times when you’re spending all day with us “hated” tech fans huh?
Remember when you use to focus on your team instead of ours?
Chris
November 18th, 2009
10:12 am
ND doesn’t want Paul Johnson specifically because of the image they have of their program. They have the ideal of the 6′4″ all-american guy pocket passer slinging the ball all around the field in their head. They don’t want to run a run-based spread because it’s not sexy and it’s not what they see their program being.
They’ll get Brian Kelly away from Cincy by driving a dump truck full of cash up to his house and unloading it in his front yard.
jarvis
November 18th, 2009
10:12 am
Yeah. Georgia Tech is a dream job.
Small fan base, little monetary support, old facilities…..
Yeah. Who wouldn’t want to coach there forever?
Bill Curry did…..oh wait.
FalconUGAFan
November 18th, 2009
10:13 am
I actually like GT so yea its cool to focus on my teams (plural)
Delbert D.
November 18th, 2009
10:15 am
Bob Stoops “is interested in talking to Notre Dame”, according to si.com sources. Also, Kirk Ferentz is “on Notre Dame’s list”.
Delbert D.
November 18th, 2009
10:18 am
Charlie Weis’ buyout is “stupendous” according to a Chicago Tribune source, while another source of that paper says he considers it “pocket change”.
Technophobia
November 18th, 2009
10:19 am
Reason #6 – Moronic UGA fans remind him every day that the coach of a “big time” school has to put up with idiotic fans who will second guess every decision he makes and think they could do a better job.
cantondawg
November 18th, 2009
10:20 am
I’m not sure why CPJ would consider going to ND.
I personally think GT is a great place to coach for the following reasons.
1) GT has a lot of storied history in Football. Not as much as ND but still plenty. (Heisman, Bobby Dodd, 222-0 etc)
2) GT has tempered expectations. They are not going to get upset because you don’t go 12-0 every year
3) GT is in the middle of a recruiting hotbed (Atlanta and the Southeast). Last time i checked, Indiana wasn’t producing very many 5 star prospects.
4) Weather. Who wants to freeze their butts off in winter time. Easier to sell prospects on Atlanta than South Bend.
5) Tech fans love CPJ and embrace his offense. ND is a different bird. They expect a national championship and will get rid of a coach if he doesn’t win one. CPJ can coach forever at Tech without winning a NC.
6) CPJ is extremely familiar with GA. Been working in the State for over 10 years.
7) GT is CPJ program. He has built it up in 2 years and it’s definitely on the upward trend. Why would you want to leave something that you’re in the process of building to start over.
kyirish
November 18th, 2009
10:23 am
Who is saying that Notre Dame even wants or will pursue PJ…just a site and a paper that is wanting to entice readers.
what a dump
November 18th, 2009
10:25 am
One thing the GT players continually say is that CPJ teaches them “to do the right thing”..if CPJ wanted to run off why did he not take AUBURN up on their offer last season. According to you UGA fans, I thought the SEC was the prestigous place to be. I mean with Snake Saban shaking the Miami Dolphins owners hand and hauling ass with a plane waiting for Tuscaloosa, and Kiffin with a handful of freshman lawbreakers, and let’s see, eye gouging at FL, not to mention the brick thrown thru a coaches window at Bama, and noone bothering to pick up the trash in Athens..what a redneck hellhole. But since all you SEC insiders know so much, why don’t you just phone CPJ and ask him. I am sure he will come to the phone, afterall someone of so much sports authority is on the other end. Also, has anyone been to Indiana? What a backwoods inbred hellhole that state is..they put Notre Dame there just to try and put lipstick on a pig. Overrated $hithole that the media has concocted in the minds of sportsfans to be intimidated of the place. Gee, can they beat Navy first?
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
November 18th, 2009
10:26 am
Congrats on a great year to all you tech fans I can say that tech is playing better than anyone in the country and CPJ is the reason he is a genius and I hope texas stumbles and you get a shot at Fla or Al I think you can jump the other teams in the polls especially with a big win over clemson I really mean that as much as it hurts me. Be careful about the big checkbooks that will be after CPJ I have said it before its happens every year I am not going anywhere turns into I did what is best for my family . what if CPJ was offered the Florida job because meyer took an NFL job in Jacksonville and drafted Tebow to proove he can make his offense work anywhere you all know he has the ego to try it ? just a thought
once again congrats on a great year
Trembling Chihuahua
November 18th, 2009
10:27 am
Dawg Fan 74 – money usually separates the men from the “Mouths”. I would love to know you personally so we could find out which one you are. I’m pretty sure sitting behind this keyboard is what makes you a “man”.
what a dump
November 18th, 2009
10:29 am
oh yeah, how could I forget…Petrino at Arkansas, telling the Falcon players he is with them all the way then showiing up on ESPN’s Sportscenter at 11pm yelling souey..souey…hahahahahahaha gee why doesn’t CPJ hold out for that conference
The poser
November 18th, 2009
10:29 am
P.J. and Tech are running a high school offense? I guess UGA is running a little league defense. They can’t stop anybody. If you mutts knew how every one of your rivals are laughing at you, you would go crawl in a hole somewhere. Which frat house jumped on the Clemson kid and beat him up? Thats the dawg nation. Gang up on some kid and beat him up.Why don’t you butt smellers go up to Clemson S.C. and start running your mouth? See if you walk away healthy. Keep talking gravy vomit. All your problems with your sports programs in Athens are joke fodder for everybody else.
PeterJames and the Bid Factory
November 18th, 2009
10:30 am
What is it about Bids that you dont understand? All Notre Dame needs is a Pit, and all the semi-athletic coaches in the world will come calling.
Trembling Chihuahua
November 18th, 2009
10:30 am
waiting moderation – that’s a nice microscope and set of tweezers on the back of your toilet. Looks like they are about worn out, though.
cantondawg
November 18th, 2009
10:31 am
I keep reading that people are saying the CPJ is winning with Gailey’s players. I can tell you that nothing is further from the truth. Josh Nesbitt is a great player but he’s not a true option quarterback. He doesn’t run the option as smooth as it can be run. Jonathon Dwyer is a great back but GT will always be able to get a great back because they want to carry the ball alot. I’m a Georgia Southern Alum and i can tell you that you haven’t seen all of this offense yet. Just wait til CPJ “true option” quarterback gets in there and the offense is fully opened up. This offense is only going to get better.
Ramblin' Gamblin'
November 18th, 2009
10:33 am
It sure is comical to read all the ignorant posts by the UGA fans. I can understand why you hate CPJ. If I were in your situation, which would be a living hell, I would want him to leave Tech too. I’m afraid we’ve entered a new era, puppy dawgs. The 28th should be a good day for Tech fans. I have a feeling CPJ is going to prove why he’s the best coach in the state. Georgia fans may want to make reservations for an empty Five Guys bathroom stall, because it’s going to be a dawgone beating on the flats.
Gator Forever
November 18th, 2009
10:34 am
GT bandwagon people listen closely…….. I am a true Gator fan and have been one through thick and thin. And while we have people that have jumped on the bandwagon it has been real crowded for decades. Yours seems to surface every 10 years or so!
Let’s see the major differences between us and you “for right now” fans.We have sold out our stadium ever since I have been a fan which is 30 years. We wear our Florida stuff with pride even when we slip in a losing season every 10 years or so. We have won the much tougher SEC championship quite a few more times then you guys have the much weaker ACC. We have won a few more championships then you guys since I have been a fan.
And don’t go there with a schedule unless you plan on looking at your own one. And as far as putting 50 points up on us… you know that does not even deserve a response!
Trash UGA all you want but you are way out of your league when talking down Florida. Why can’t you just be thankful that you have a decent team !! You have become just like your friends over in Athens! But as much as I dislike them at least they support there team year in and year out!
Trembling Chihuahua
November 18th, 2009
10:34 am
jarvis – you don’t get out very much. GT has new facilities. But UGA does prove however, that facilities and fans don’t win ball games.
A Rob
November 18th, 2009
10:34 am
Dawg70,
Never said we were in top 10 recruiting. Just saying that he does have more talent than you give him credit for. There is some NFL talent on the roster like it or not, and I agree, he has certainly coached up the rest because we have nowhere near the depth of talent of a team like UGA. But yes, big-time athletes will continue to come to our second-tier stadium and facilities if it means winning!