Why Texas A&M Should Hire Duke Offensive Coordinator Kevin Johns
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Most teams that are bowl ineligible are already preparing for the 2023 season entering the closing days of December. For Texas A&M, it's hard to say the program has any sort of direction when its staff is still missing a key piece.
The Early Signing Period has come and gone, but the offensive coordinator position remains a mystery. It's been nearly a month since Darrell Dickey was relieved of his duties following a five-year run in College Station, and Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher is still in the early stages of interviewing candidates.
Who could Fisher be targeting to take over as the full-time play-caller? Perhaps it's a name closer to the program than most people would care to admit.
Duke offensive coordinator Kevin Johns might end up being the hire in the end. And if you're wondering why the architect of the Blue Devils' offense would even be in consideration, take a look at who is running the program in Durham and finding early success.
Mike Elko, Texas A&M's former defensive coordinator, transformed a program that's totaled four winning seasons since the turn of the century into nearly the ACC Coastal winners. And while the defense reached new heights under the ACC Coach of the Year, it was the offense that carried most of the weight in an 8-4 finish.
Duke ranked fourth among ACC teams in total yards (421.2 yards per game), fourth in rushing (184.75 yards per game), fifth in scoring (33.1 points per game) and sixth in passing (236.4 yards per game). Nationally, it ranked 36th in scoring and 42nd in total offense.
Johns also worked with the development of quarterback Riley Leonard, who posted career numbers in passing yards (2,794), completion percentage (63.6), and touchdowns (20). Leonard, a native of Mobile, Ala., also totaled three 300-plus passing yards games this past fall, a feat that hasn't been accomplished in College Station since Trevor Knight replace Kenny Hill in 2016.
Fisher said during his Early Signing Day press conference the ideal candidate would take over fully as the play-caller. Since his days with Florida State, the fifth-year Aggies coach has had the final say on the play design. Multiple offensive coordinators have given inputs or formations, but the title of "OC" more so has meant "optimistic consultant" rather than czar of the playsheet.
"There are a lot of things going on now in college football — my job has changed so much in the last two years it’s ridiculous," Fisher said. "(The) things you’ve got to deal with away from ball … we’ll see when we get him in here.”
Since Dickey's departure, the Aggies have been linked to a handful of names for a chance to take over the offense. Earlier this month, former Southwest Missouri head coach Bobby Petrino interviewed for the position, but ultimately was hired by new UNLV coach Barry Odom for the same title.
TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley was viewed to be the front-runner for the position after Dickey was fired, but talks have cooled in recent weeks. Earlier this month, it was reported that the first-year Horned Frogs' play-caller turned down Fisher’s three-year contract worth $6 million to remain in Fort Worth and help the program reach its second College Football Playoff appearance come 2023.
There's no telling if Elko and Fisher are cut from the same cloth. Elko, who revolutionized both Wake Forest and Norte Dame's defenses before becoming a staple in Aggieland, called plays from the opposing side. Was Blue Devils defensive coordinator Robb Smith more of a Dickey clone, or was he given full control of the unit before signing on the dotted line?
The Aggies are in crunch time as offseason workouts are set to begin. Fisher needs an offensive coordinator. Johns might not be the option that produces headlines and clicks on message boards, but the Aggies don't need sexy. They need stability.
And after last season, Johns might be the most stable option left on the market willing to take a call from a program that produced the worst offensive numbers in the Fisher era.
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