Report: Virginia Tech fires James Johnson
James Johnson won only six ACC games in two seasons at Virginia Tech. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Virginia Tech fired men's basketball coach James Johnson on Monday after two seasons, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman.
"I want to thank Coach Johnson for his dedication and hard work for our university and our basketball program over the past seven years," athletic director Whit Babcock said in a statement released by the university. "A change of this significance affects many people and is never taken lightly, but I felt a change and a new direction was necessary for the long term, best interest of our department."
SI WIRE: Tournament committee chairman: Louisville's body of work, conference affected seeding
Johnson was an assistant to Seth Greenberg, and took over for him when Greenberg was fired in 2012. He went 13-19 his first season and was 9-22 this season with a first-round loss to Miami in the ACC tournament on Wednesday. He was 6-30 in conference play.
Recruiting was also a problem for Johnson.
Writes Goodman, "Johnson was unable to keep Dorian Finney-Smith [Florida] in Blacksburg after taking the job — and also lost signee Montrezl Harrell, who wound up going to Louisville."
