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.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
577 comments Add your comment
Noble BIDS
November 18th, 2009
10:34 am
If I got a BID from ND, id be on that like a squirrel on jamie.
G. Burdell III
November 18th, 2009
10:34 am
Everyone in Indiana’s Brigadoon assumes, because ND is not only a TV series but also its own sports network, that its far-reaching media saturation and storied fame (Knute whatsit and that Gipp dude) will lure coaches to South Bend like doomed sailors to Circe. I beg to differ.
A couple more counter-arguments for you: first, has anyone checked population, salvation and conversion numbers of world catholicism lately? It’s a little like Galway Bay rodents escaping the Queen Mary (of Scotland?) Not to get all religious on anyone, but that monolithic fanbase might look more like the Flighting Irish these days.
Second, the coach for whom football’s highest award is named, John Heisman, spent the bulk of his storied career at Georgia Tech. Frankly, Grantland, I’d put 222-to-Nothing up against The Four Horsemen any day.
Tech just has a great capacity–always has–of ignoring its own legend as assiduously as ND has marketed the Irish thingy. A couple of decades ago, I did some research, being then in the Atlanta advertising world, with the Tech SID, about the upcoming 100th anniversary of GT football. Interesting tidbits: in 1918 or -19, a freshman tight end, Randy Scott, played for Heisman, but didn’t get along with him at all, apparently, quit school and headed west. A decade or so later, he emerged on the silver screen as Randolph Scott. How rootin’ tootin’ is that? And Mark, do yourself a favor and get them to show you, if you’ve never seen it, the SID’s picture of Marilyn Monroe, taken when she was a largely unknown starlet in about 1952, on a publicity junket in Atlanta. She came to Tech, and they dressed her in White and Gold and photographed her as a Tech cheerleader. JeezzLouise.
HOW 'BOUT THEM DOGS!
November 18th, 2009
10:35 am
The basketball dogs lost to Wofford???? Boy is it going to be a long winter for UGA…especially after the upcoming 11/28 football beatdown. When does ladies gymnastics season start?
harry
November 18th, 2009
10:35 am
Just wait until next weekend
ga 52 tech35
Truth hurts
November 18th, 2009
10:36 am
Here’s the truth…..CPJ has an excellent shot at winning a national championship at two different schools in the state of Georgia and neither one is the University of Georgia and YALL KNOW IT.
as Bob Dole would say, I know it, you know it and the American people know it. That is what the UGA fans are praying for every night, please GOD send CPJ to Notre Shame.
cantondawg
November 18th, 2009
10:37 am
One thing that is often overlooked by Dawg fans is that CPJ mentor was Erk Russell. He spent alot of time with him as an assistant at GS and Erk actually recommended that he be hired as Head coach at GS in 1990 after his retirement and then again in 1996. Coach Russell had alot of influence of CPJ and you can tell by the way his team plays. I guess that’s the scariest thought for a dawg fan is to have an Erk Russell protege’ coaching against us. Erk Russell, in my opinion, was the greatest coach in UGA history.
Trembling Chihuahua
November 18th, 2009
10:37 am
Gator Forever – when a gaytor says listen up, it usually means that the floor has just been mopped. Go back to goonsville and make out with your sister.
Ramblin' Gamblin'
November 18th, 2009
10:38 am
Fairy tales don’t come true harry. Joe cox will only be on the field long enough to throw 10 or 12 completions, 3 of which will land in the hands of the gold and white.
Burt's Bees
November 18th, 2009
10:45 am
Famous Last words of a college football coach.
Truth hurts
November 18th, 2009
10:46 am
here’s the truth..UGA fans know that CPJ has an excellent chance to win 2 national championships in the state of Georgia and neither one of them is at the University of Georgia. You know it and your scared. As Bob Dole would say, I know it, You know it and the American people know it
Petahhhh
November 18th, 2009
10:50 am
My hott sistah goes to UGA, she love you long time. That makes UGA better school.
jesse james
November 18th, 2009
10:50 am
It will be up to Paul Johnson if he was offered the job. Notre Dame has the money and they could care less if they run the ball 99% of the time. They want a winner. I do think it is disgusting that they are allowed to have their own TV rights. You call this a level playing field. No other school would be allowed to have every game televised like ND. The only thing I like about ND was Rudy and that is because he had the work ethic that this country was built by.
Delbert D.
November 18th, 2009
10:50 am
Most of Florida will be underwater in a few years according to Al Gore, so don’t worry. UF may have to relocate to Dublin, Georgia. FSU will probably get Dothan, Alabama.
Baba O'Riley
November 18th, 2009
10:51 am
UGA constantly loses to UF and their fans say things like “Book it, UM is going to Notre Dame”. CPJ has UGA fans nervous and they say he’s going to Notre Dame. When do the Kiffen to Notre Dame rumors start?
dad gum
November 18th, 2009
10:54 am
I hear ya brothers and sisters, take a look at this, it says it all!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8GuH9oDHrU
Gt4ever
November 18th, 2009
10:55 am
Wow Gator forever…. You SEC fans are sure FULL of themselves…. I think you can make several very interesting correlations in schedules between GT and UF. The fact that you play 3 cupcakes and then the cupcakes or shall we say bottom dwellers of the SEC, is ABSURD! Our game, if it were to ever happen would be closer than you think…
Delbert D.
November 18th, 2009
10:56 am
He’s pretty far down the list – Meyer, Miles, Johnson, then maybe the Monte and Lane Kiffin package. Those poster aren’t serious, of course. It’s equivalent to an eye-gouge.
jay
November 18th, 2009
10:56 am
yea notre dame run the option? gosh i can never see that happening…
Ramblin Wrecker
November 18th, 2009
10:57 am
To me there are only two reasons for Paul Johnson to go to Notre Dame:
1)Money
2)Challenge
Nobody is immune to the lure of lots of money, so GT will have to step up to neutralize the lure of more money. GT will never be able to match what ND could offer, but they should be able to sweeten PJ’s deal enough to make the location/recruiting base/headstart at building the program more of a factor in his decision making.
The challenge of rebuilding ND into a national power would be a definite draw to a competitive guy like PJ. But one thing to note is that he hasn’t yet reached his goals at GT. I think that is a huge factor. He stayed at GaSouthern until he had accomplished all he could there. He stayed at Navy despite offers to leave, until he accomplished all he could there. I think he wouldn’t want to leave without having done the same at GT. Plus he’s home here in GA.
But it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Mike and Mike
November 18th, 2009
10:57 am
Way before football season began, this morning talk show said if UGA loses to both FL and GT again, the fans will be calling for the head of Mark Richt..interesting ….
VegasGT
November 18th, 2009
11:02 am
When you actually look at what he makes, it is not that far off of where I can reasonably see him coaching. I just don’t see him at ND. I see Mark Richt there before I see CPJ there. But then again, there must be a reason Mark Richt’s name doesn’t come up, maybe results or what he has accomplished with his top recruiting classes…
Let’s be realistic about this. The only reason CPJ’s name is flying around is because of his success at GT over the past two years. We are the beneficiaries of that success, but we will also come to rue the day he leaves. Don’t get me wrong, would love to see him retire at GT with his name being thrown around every year, best of both worlds.
I certainly don’t see him leaving until he gets to the point where he doesn’t see himself improving. He has something to prove wherever he goes and I don’t see him leaving until his goals are accomplished.
To all you UGA fans, I truly hope that both teams get to the point where they meet at the end of the year undefeated. At that point, both schools start taking recruits away from other states and more Georgia recruits stay in-state. Can you imagine how big that game would be?
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
November 18th, 2009
11:03 am
tech would beat florida this year man it hurts to say that but its true .
GO DAWGS !!!!!!!!
Delbert D.
November 18th, 2009
11:03 am
Teams that are serious about beating Ga. Tech could either:
1) Schedule Navy (that would risk another loss)
2) Recruit an triple option scout team (sacrifice some 4 and 5 star slots for the real team)
CatsFly
November 18th, 2009
11:04 am
You cannot defeat a fact. And the fact is, Tech has the better football team (re UGa) and has shown improvement over the past two seasons, unlike UGa, whose team is good, but not as good as Tech. This does not mean that UGa will not get better, it simply means that at this point in time Tech is better and there is nothing to suggest that UGa will necessarily overtake them in the near future. People are beginning to understand that just because UGa recruits a player, that doesn’t make that player a legitimate 4/5-star player, although in the past the simple recruitment of such of a player has resulted in a lofty star-rating.
Delbert D.
November 18th, 2009
11:10 am
I don’t think they would take Mark Richt. Yes, he would be fine for the NBC TV folks and the other PR stuff, but I can tell you with certainty that the alumni groups are interested primarily in winning 12 games every year, plus the marquee bowl game. They put up a $30 million contract extension for Weis, and they are not pleased with the result.
UGAGOLFER
November 18th, 2009
11:11 am
You are WRONG Mark. Notre Dame could basically BUY Ga Tech Athletics and turn it into a farm team. Paul Johnson could go down as one of the greatest ever if he moved to Notre Dame where he could win 10+ games a year with that offense. yes, he can win a lot at Tech, but not 10+ per year. UNC, Miami, FSU, Va Tech are going to prevent that from becoming an annual occurrence. Don’t kid yourself if you think these teams are going to slip long-term. They ALSO could buy Ga Tech with their athletic funds.
RAMBLE ON!!!
November 18th, 2009
11:12 am
#6
It’s just too damn fun beating the fleabags.
RAMBLE ON!!!
November 18th, 2009
11:15 am
year after year.
me me me
November 18th, 2009
11:18 am
Did I miss something? Weis been canned yet? And besides, wouldn’t the Irish have their eyes on Urban Meyer first? Now, could you write one on how Bob Stoops shouldn’t take the job either?
revwreck
November 18th, 2009
11:19 am
ugagolfer you mean that high scholl offense?
revwreck
November 18th, 2009
11:19 am
school….phat fingers
Delbert D.
November 18th, 2009
11:21 am
revwreck – I think he’s planning on buying Ga. Tech with his PGA winnings.
RAMBLE ON!!!
November 18th, 2009
11:24 am
Isn’t a UGAGOLFER a caddie for a GTGOLFER?
GT FAN
November 18th, 2009
11:24 am
I got a bad feeling about this boys, I really think he will go if they want him. I dont think Notre Dame or nbc cares as much as Mark says they do about the “tv show” if so they wouldnt play navy every year. I also beleive they dont care about how well they recruit bc at the end of the day its just a number. I DO believe they are worried about winning and thats what scares me about CPJ goin to Notre Dame, Im sorry but no one is going to become a true coaching legend by taking tech to a bcs game every other year, he will have to take Notre Dame back to prominence IF he wants to be a legend if not then we have nothin to worry about
Bastille
November 18th, 2009
11:24 am
I read these blogs almost everyday for the amusement. The same idiots that call Tech fans “nerds” are probably the same ones who shop for ammo at Wal-Mart. This is just stupid people. If I was a UGA fan and had the smarts to attend a “real” school, I would be there in a flash. School is school. Football is football. Go Jackets!!!
Brandon Spikes (and gouges)
November 18th, 2009
11:25 am
corch johnson aint gawin to noter daim. jes ax corch myers.
JawjunY'all
November 18th, 2009
11:26 am
The 2 keys to the TECH offense are less “bamboozle” than they are the coach’s ability to read defenses and then call plays that a DISCIPLINED and savvy offense can execute. TECH’s players will carry that self-discipline away with them when they graduate – - as opposed to those SEC players who have to be taken out of jail every Saturday morning.
revwreck
November 18th, 2009
11:27 am
just a crazy thought…if CPJ went to ND could he stop the Navy option on D? I know….too much time on my hands
Brandon Spikes (and gouges)
November 18th, 2009
11:30 am
JawjunY’all, yew means like joe hammiton
revwreck
November 18th, 2009
11:33 am
I am a tech fan to the core and dont like saying this, but here’s another crazy one…if ND wants to stop Navy maybe they need LSU or miami’s D C and not CPJ
Ryno
November 18th, 2009
11:34 am
NBC might not be thrilled about the prospects of airing a team that runs the football 83 percent of the time.
Since when do NBC sports execs have a say in the hiring practices of Notre Dame?
Jeff – this is the weakest of all your points. If they had such influence, doesn’t it make since that they would have made a move to reduce ND’s infamous academic standards to assist with recruiting?
Shankit
November 18th, 2009
11:34 am
Word is
Bob Stoops will be the next coach
at Notre Dame.
Delbert D.
November 18th, 2009
11:34 am
GT FAN – Bob Stoops and Kirk Ferentz are at the top of Notre Dame’s list, and Stoops has told them he’s interested. That’s from si.com yesterday. Their “sources”.
Lance
November 18th, 2009
11:35 am
Who cares. ND would not hire him anyway. He is not even on their long list. Plus, once UGA beats GT at home that “legend” status will start to rust!
Maddog
November 18th, 2009
11:36 am
I realize all things are not well in Athens, but can you imagine how it must feel if your program is in such disarray that they are searching for a coach who can stop Navy? Not bashing Navy, but that just sounds weird.
Maddog
November 18th, 2009
11:38 am
Shankit, your post makes sense. Not from a dollars and cents point, but at least he wouldn’t have to play Texas every year.
Delbert D.
November 18th, 2009
11:38 am
Ryno – He’s alluding to the Notre Dame-NBC TV contract.
Class of '98
November 18th, 2009
11:41 am
I am unconvinced.
What do recruiting rankings matter when you win 12 games? What is the problem with being “blunt” when the the team is in BCS bowls every year? Wouldn’t winning big be the best thing for TV ratings?
Bradley dearly wanted to write a column on why PJ wouldn’t go to Notre Dame, and then tried to think up some reasons why not.
These reasons aren’t good enough.
PJ to Notre Dame is a match made in heaven.
Johnny Weissmuller
November 18th, 2009
11:42 am
Lance
What happens to the legend if you’re wrong and CPJ ends his 2nd regular season 11-1?
What happens is CMR’s seat gets VERY hot after having lost two straight years to GT and UF
Dan
November 18th, 2009
11:44 am
Do UGA fans know the difference between you’re and your? Not that difficult people…