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Georgia Tech Football: Paul Johnson’s coaching tree had a solid 2017

By Blake Silvers

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 09: The Army Black Knights celebrates the win over the Navy Midshipmen on December 9, 2017 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The Army Black Knights defeated the Navy Midshipmen 14-13. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 09: The Army Black Knights celebrates the win over the Navy Midshipmen on December 9, 2017 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The Army Black Knights defeated the Navy Midshipmen 14-13. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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It doesn’t help disappointed Yellow Jackets fans this post season, but their coach’s influence had a big impact on college football elsewhere in 2017.

While Paul Johnson‘s Georgia Tech team sat out the college football bowl season, a heavy helping of the option guru’s offense made its presence felt far and wide this year.

While Johnson’s offense wasn’t enough to overcome a lack of clutch defensive play this past season, leaving the Jackets at 5-6, his coaching tree produced some tasty fruit elsewhere.

Currently, three of Paul Johnson’s long-time assistant coaches are at the head of their own successful programs: Ken Niumatalolo at Navy, Jeff Monken at Army and Brian Bohannon at nearby Kennesaw State. All three coaches had relatively solid seasons running their mentor’s ancient wishbone.

Navy (7-6/4-4 AAC) let Army slip by them for the second straight season, but Ken Niumatalolo‘s Midshipmen absolutely demolished Virginia in the Military Bowl, 49-7.

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Coach Ken’s squad lost close to Memphis, held their own against No. 20 Central Florida and gave No. 8 Notre Dame all they could handle, leaning on their defense as much as their potent rushing attack.

Since taking over Navy upon Johnson’s departure for Atlanta after the 2007 season, Niumatalolo is 84-47 with four bowl wins in Annapolis. Of all the option teams at the Division I level, Navy probably has the most in common with what Paul Johnson’s Georgia Tech teams still run.

Just like the Jackets, Navy ranked at or near the top of the rushing offense stats all year, which is no surprise.

Army (10-3) not only won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy this past season, but did it with a memorable win over rival Navy in the snow. If that weren’t enough, the FBS independent then went on to secure a double-digit win total with a 42-35 win over San Diego State in the Armed Forces Bowl less than two weeks later.

Jeff Monken took Johnson’s option offense back to Georgia Southern in 2010, where the Eagles had plenty of success. In 2014, however, Army came calling and Monken has delivered back-to-back wins over Navy and a pair of bowl victories at West Point.

It seems the service academies had their own version of the popular “hire a Nick Saban assistant” that has been going around the Southeastern Conference, except they’ve been poaching former Paul Johnson staffers. It has worked.

Kennesaw State (12-2/5-0 Big South) had an absolutely magical season under former Georgia Tech quarterbacks coach Brian Bohannon.

The Owls won a program record 12 games, won the Big South Conference and made the Football Championship Series Playoffs for the first time ever. They didn’t just make the playoffs… the Owls took down Sanford at home and Jacksonville State on the road, losing only in the quarterfinals by a touchdown at Sam Houston State.

Since taking over the brand spanking new program in 2013, Bohannon has literally built a winning program from scratch. The Owls have never had a losing season in their three year history. The NCAA Playoff quarterfinals loss this season was only the program’s 10th loss ever… in three seasons.

Bohannon’s recruiting class prior to the 2017 season ranked in the top 10 throughout the FCS and his team saw plenty of individual awards and honors thrown its way.

KSU ranked at or near the top of the FCS in rushing offense and defensive interceptions throughout most of the 2017 season, making easy work of a lot of teams from well-established programs.

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If Paul Johnson’s 2018 recruiting class pans out and the Yellow Jackets can find a little defense this next season, perhaps mentor can once again find some of the same success his protegé’s are having of late.