Report: Florida Gators OC Brian Johnson Interviews for South Carolina HC Job
Photo credit: University of Florida athletic association
Florida Gators offensive coordinator Brian Johnson has interviewed for South Carolina's head coaching job, as reported by Football Scoop, and confirmed by David Waters of WJXT-Jacksonville.
Football Scoop shares that Johnson met face-to-face with South Carolina athletic director Ray Turner to interview, with school president Bob Caslen joining via video conference.
Johnson is not considered to be a leading candidate for the role at this time, Football Scoop shared. Three coaches across the nation are considered to be in the running at the moment: Oklahoma assistant head coach Shane Beamer, Louisiana head coach Billy Napier, and Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield.
As UF enjoys passing game success unlike it has seen before in school history, Johnson deserves plenty of credit. Johnson has helped groom 2020 Heisman candidate quarterback Kyle Trask in his three years as UF's quarterbacks coach, and turned UF into a dangerous pass-heavy team alongside head coach Dan Mullen after receiving a promotion to offensive coordinator this past offseason.
Florida currently owns the SEC's No. 1 and the nation's No. 2 passing offense, averaging 369.6 yards per game through the air.
Mullen has been a proponent of Johnson's future head coaching capability, sharing such sentiments prior to Florida's game against Vanderbilt two weeks ago.
"I think Brian, if you look what he's done, he's obviously a great coach at his position, extremely smart, extremely involved in game-planning as far as an offensive guy goes as far as the ability to be a great play-caller and to design offenses. And he's mature. Even though he's young, really mature guy for his age. I think he was 16 years old playing in the Fiesta Bowl, he played for me. So he's always been a guy that's a very mature guy. He's going to be a great head coach one of these days if someone gives him his opportunity."
Whether or not Johnson earns a head coaching opportunity this year or not remains to be seen. He's a very young candidate at the age of 33, but with three stints as an offensive coordinator (Utah, Houston, and Florida) under his belt, it's of little surprise to see his name entering the mix nationally.
