David Johnson

Title:
Running Backs

David Johnson enters his second season as an assistant coach with the Vols. He will coach running backs in 2019 after coaching wide receivers in 2018.

Johnson came to Tennessee after helping guide one of the nation’s most prolific offenses at Memphis from 2016-17 following nearly 20 years of experience as a high school and college coach in Louisiana and Mississippi. Johnson also has spent time as a college assistant at Tulane, where he guided running backs and tight ends, and Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.

He was the head coach at St. Augustine High School in Louisiana in 2009-10, winning back-to-back district titles at the prep powerhouse. In his career, he has coached 12 NFL players including Tyrann Mathieu, Leonard Fournette and Mike Wallace.

THE JOHNSON FILE

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Education: Bachelor’s Degree (Nicholls State ‘95)
Playing Experience: Nicholls State – WR (1991-93)
Wife: Akeia
Children: Jermaine, De’Von, Karaaz

COACHING HISTORY

1997-00: John F. Kennedy HS, Offensive Coord./WRs/TEs
2000-05: O. Perry Walker HS, Offensive Coord./WRs/TEs
2005-09: Millsaps College, WRs/TEs/Special Teams/Recruiting Coord.
2009-11: St. Augustine HS, Head Coach/Offensive Coord.
2012-15: Tulane, Running Backs/Tight Ends
2016-17: Memphis, Passing Game Coord./WRs
2018: Tennessee, Wide Receivers
2019-present: Tennessee, Running Backs

Tennessee (2018-Present)
In his first year as wide receivers coach, Johnson helped Tennessee have one of the most explosive receiving corps in the conference. Each of the Vols’ top-three receivers in Marquez Callaway, Jauan Jennings and Josh Palmer finished with a yards per reception average of 14.6 or better.

Palmer, who caught 23 balls for 484 yards and two touchdowns in 2018, finished sixth in the country and first in the Southeastern Conference with a 21.04 yards per reception average. Callaway had his best season yet at Tennessee posting a team-high 37 catches and 592 yards.

Memphis (2016-17)
Johnson served as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator for one of the nation’s most prolific offenses in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, Johnson mentored Anthony Miller, who went from walk-on to the third consensus All-American in Tigers history and the No. 51 overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Miller set single-season records with 96 receptions, 1,462 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2017, while earning All-AAC honors. His 18 touchdowns tied for the first in the nation, while his 96 receptions ranked fifth. He was named to the All-American Athletic Conference First Team.

In addition to his consensus All-America honors, Miller captured the Paul Warfield Award, given to the nation’s top receiver by the Touchdown Club of Columbus, and was a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top former walk-on.

In 2017, Johnson helped lead an offense that ranked No. 2 in the nation in scoring (45.5 points per game), No. 4 in total yards (532.1) and No. 7 in passing yards (334.0). Johnson’s passing attack was led by All-AAC First Team quarterback Riley Ferguson, who passed for 4,257 yards and 38 touchdowns with just nine interceptions. The Tigers finished 10-3 on the season with appearances in the AAC Championship Game and the Liberty Bowl.

In 2016, Johnson’s first season with the Tigers coincided with Miller’s breakout campaign that saw the junior set school records for single-season receptions (95), yards (1,434) and touchdowns (14) – all of which he would improve on the next year.

Johnson also coached wide receiver Phil Mayhue, who finished with 42 catches for 677 yards and four touchdowns. The Tigers finished 8-5 and advanced to the Boca Raton Bowl. Ferguson passed for 3,698 yards and 32 touchdowns as Memphis averaged 38.8 points per game, 304.4 passing yards per game and 463.7 total yards per game.

Tulane (2012-15)
Johnson spent four seasons at Tulane as the running backs and tight ends coach. In 2014, Johnson coached a pair of freshman All-Americans in running back Sherman Badie and tight end Charles Jones. Badie led the Green Wave in rushing with 688 yards, while Jones led Tulane tight ends with 21 catches for 192 yards and a team-best-tying three touchdown receptions.

In 2013, Johnson helped coach Tulane to one of its best seasons in recent memory – a 7-5 campaign capped by an appearance in the New Orleans Bowl. That year, Johnson coached running back Orleans Darkwa, who rushed for 863 yards and 12 touchdowns – third-most in Tulane history – and was named MVP of the New Orleans Bowl.

High School
St. Augustine (2005, 2009-11), O. Perry Walker (2000-05), John F. Kennedy (1997-2000)
Johnson was the head coach/offensive coordinator and receivers coach at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans from 2009 to 2011, leading the Purple Knights to the co-district title in 2010 and the district championship in 2011.

Johnson claimed District 10-4A Coach of the Year honors in 2011. At St. Augustine, Johnson coached future LSU and NFL star Tyrann Mathieu. Johnson’s development of Mathieu laid the groundwork for a collegiate career at LSU (2010-11) that included consensus All-America honors, SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors and being named a Heisman Finalist. Mathieu captured All-Pro honors with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015. 61841

Johnson began his high school coaching career at John F. Kennedy High School (1997-2000) and O. Perry Walker High School (2000-05), where he was the offensive coordinator, wide receivers/tight ends coach. At O. Perry Walker, Johnson helped lead the Bucs to the 2002 Louisiana state title game and three straight district championships. He helped 18 players move on to play NCAA Division I football.

Background
Johnson starred at Nicholls State from 1991-93, where he earned All-Southland Conference honorable mention honors as a receiver in 1992 and as a receiver and a punt returner in 1993. Johnson led the Colonels in receiving in 1992 and 1993, finishing with 50 receptions for 990 yards and eight touchdowns in those two seasons.

Johnson graduated from Nicholls State in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in general education. He and his wife, Akeia, have three children: Jermaine, De’Von and Karaaz.

Conference Championships
2006, 2007, 2008, & 2009 SCAC – Millsaps College (Miss.) (Wide Receivers/Tight Ends/Special Teams/Recruiting Coordinator)

All-Americans Coached
WR Anthony Miller – 2017 (Consensus)

NFL Draft Picks Coached
WR Anthony Miller (RD 2) – Memphis ’18 – Chicago Bears
RB Leonard Fournette (RD 1) – LSU ’17 [St. Augustine High School] – Jacksonville Jaguars
DB Lorenzo Doss (RD 5) – Tulane ’15 [St. Augustine High School] – Denver Broncos
OG Trai Turner (RD 3) – LSU ’14 [St. Augustine High School] – Carolina Panthers
DB Tyrann Mathieu (RD 3) – LSU ’13 [St. Augustine High School] – Arizona Cardinals
DB Kendrick Lewis (RD 5) – Ole Miss ’10 [O. Perry Walker High School] – Kansas City Chiefs
OG Selvish Caper (RD 7) – West Virginia ’10 [St. Augustine High School] – Washington Redskins
WR Mike Wallace (RD 3) – Ole Miss ’09 [O. Perry Walker High School] – Pittsburgh Steelers
WR Craig Davis (RD 1) – LSU ’07 [O. Perry Walker High School] – San Diego Chargers