Utah Hires Brian Johnson As Offensive Coordinator

by Jeremy Mauss on Feb 2, 2025 8:55 AM PST

The Utah Utes have been without an offensive coordinator since before the Sun Bowl when Norm Chow left to take the head coaching job with the Hawaii Warriors, and it took about six weeks to find his replacement. The new offensive coordinator is Brian Johnson who has been the quarterbacks coach for the past two years and was a quarterback for Utah and led them to an undefeated 2008 season which included a blowout over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl.

Here is what Whittingham is saying about the hire:

"After spending the past month conducting a national search for an offensive coordinator, it became very apparent that we had the best candidate for the job right here on our own staff," said Whittingham of his decision to promote Johnson, who turns 25 on Feb. 16. "Brian is a leader and a special coaching talent, just as he was a special player, and he is the right person to lead our offense," said Whittingham, who in 1995 became Utah's defensive coordinator after just one year as an assistant coach.

Promoting Johnson within has gone with what head coach Kyle Whittingham has done ever since he took over the program back in 2005. Every single coordinator hire has been a promotion within with the exception of Norm Chow, but he basically fell into their lap as Chow was being pushed out of his job with the UCLA Bruins.

This should be concerning for Utah that Whittingham had to hire a coach who has only two years of total coaching experience and has never called a play. Chow did mentor Johnson some during his 10 months at Utah, but it is different when you are creating an offensive game plan and are the guy in charge.

This hire shows that Whittingham has basically no offensive coaching connections to draw from. It is also why the only names actually linked to the job were Gary Crowton and Aaron Rodderick. Whittingham could have hired someone who was not from the Utah family, but who knows if Whittingham wanted someone he knew, trusted or someone that he could have control over. The latter seems unlikely since being around Whittingam for the time I covered Utah that does not seem to be the case. He usually lets the offensive staff do their thing.

Johnson is an exceptional talent as he basically was calling the plays during the undefeated 2008 season, but that as I just mentioned that is very different from creating a game plan. Plus, changing a play at the line of scrimmage after seeing what the defense is doing is different than calling plays based on field position and defensive trends.

This hire is seeing a lot of mixed reviews about the hire ranging from what is Whittingham thinking to his track record speaks for himself. However, none have said that this a great hire and I am in between but leaning toward this not being the best move for the Utah program.

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Comments

Meh.

I think the “Whittingham has basically no offensive coaching connections to draw from” argument is overblown and repeated without much thought. Andy Ludwig was an outside hire. He didn’t light up the scoreboard, but he was serviceable, and frankly, that’s what a lot of OCs are – serviceable. He was OC at Oregon before Utah and Cal after. He’s at San Diego State now.

Whittingham went internal for next hire, promoting running backs coach Dave Schramm. Didn’t work out too well, and the next year he tried a co-offensive coordinator scheme by promoting Aaron Roderick to help Schramm. The 2010 offense was efficient at times, but failed against better defenses. Utah finished 10-3.

The next hire was Norm Chow. Some say he was past his prime, but you can’t argue he has a very impressive resume. Whittingham wasn’t even looking for a new OC, but due to his connections he was talking to Chow on the phone one day and discovered he would be interested in the job. Again, this hire was entirely due to Whittingham’s relationship with Chow.

Now he has promoted from within again. Personally, I am both excited and extremely nervous about this hire. Besides Johnson, others that were rumored to be candidates include Gary Crowton, Steve Kragthorpe, Craig Ver Steeg, Mike Sanford and Steve Fairchild. Most amazing candidates ever? No, but not awful either. Four of them are former D1 head coaches, three of them have significant NFL experience.

If you look at the defensive side, Whittingham has hired two DCs at Utah: 1)Gary Anderson, who was HC at Southern Utah and knew Whittingham from their coaching days at Idaho State, and 2)Kalani Sitake, who followed Anderson from SUU as Utah LB coach, and was promoted in 2009 to replace him.

Which set of candidates/hires show greater “connections” on Kyle’s part? One major difference between his offensive hires and defensive hires is that the defense has been Whittingham’s baby since before he was head coach. He has head a heavy hand in mentoring and influencing the development of the defense in those transition years. If anything, Whittingham is lacking in his ability to strengthen and develop offensive coaches when compared to his defensive prowess. But connections? He’s fine.

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by CrimsonUte on Feb 2, 2025 1:12 PM PST reply actions

Chow hire

Fell in his lap and he got lucky with that. It could have been the amount of money that the school have offered. Utah is getting a fraction of the tv money so maybe that played into it.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Feb 2, 2025 2:17 PM PST up reply actions

Agreed.

There are two guys on Whit’s speed dial (Norm Chow and Urban Meyer) who each have one degree of separation from some of the hottest names in college football. Not to mention that he’s had phone calls every year from top programs looking for replacements. Do you really think that Whit lacks connections?

by UAEUTE on Feb 2, 2025 7:38 PM PST up reply actions

I do

Every hire has come from within outside of Chow.. I hope the hire works out, but you have to at least question who he knows in the coaching circles.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Feb 2, 2025 8:11 PM PST up reply actions

(PS)

Completely agree w/ Adams and the Oilers logo/name. To take it and then bury it is beyond shameful. Reminds me of the Minnesota North Stars…

by ConfofChamps on Feb 4, 2025 11:21 PM PST up reply actions

Rolling the Tide

If Brian called the plays during the 2009 Sugar Bowl, I would have a little more faith in him. Nevertheless, whether he did or didn’t, he executed the plays and has contributed much to Utah athletics, so I am lukewarm on this hire.

Still my opinion is that Brian is too inexperienced.

In MBA programs, he would be too young and would require about 4 years work experience in order to gain admission. Schools only take exceptional young talent with little/modest work experience. Here is hoping that Brian is a freaking offensive play calling genius.

by Utah-UCLA alum on Feb 5, 2025 2:33 PM PST up reply actions

I'd guess he has connections...

but one would have to wonder why it took 2 months to promote from within. Did those connections really produce no one who had more to offer than a guy who was QB’ing his college team less than 4 seasons ago?

Fact is, Johnson could be a brilliant coach who goes on to become a HC who wins multiple natties.

BUT even if that’s in his future, he’s going to have a lot of growing to do to get to that point. And, as all of us over the age of about 30 know, with growth comes some painful and even ass-kicking moments.

I hope he turns out to be a great OC for the Utes and Utah can compete with $C for the S crown. No matter who was or is hired, crossed fingers never hurt.

by ConfofChamps on Feb 4, 2025 11:20 PM PST up reply actions