Brian Johnson as Utah’s OC
and the effects it will have.
For a moment I want you all to sit back and think of what you were doing at the age of 24…. Now you have taken that moment, I want to share with you what I was doing at that age. I was in school full time and working at The Cheesecake Factory full time. I was coaching a 9th grade JR youth football program in Holladay Utah. I lived a pretty basic life for a 24-year-old. While I was in school I was perusing a career at where I was employed, I did everything in my power to reach the position I desired. Fast-forward three years, I finished school and had a program set up where I could graduate from an hourly employee position to a salaried position. The time was right I paid my due’s got my degree and had been employed for 4 years; I felt I was ready to take the next step. Our corporate managers told me the same thing they loved me and couldn’t wait for me to take that next step. The day I was officially done with all my classes I officially applied for the job. Four days go bye and I get a phone call for the basic phone interview/ background check hurdles. At this point I was ecstatic about what was to come. The next day I get a phone call from a lady stating,” I am so sorry at this time we are not promoting internal employees for any locations.” The feeling of devastation doesn’t describe how I felt, I was furious. The next day the VP of the company graces us with his presence and was polite to allow us to have a sit down conversation. I shared a story with him and asked him questions to help him understand where I was coming from. After 45 min of us talking he was not confident in answering my questions and ended the conversation there. I left the company weeks later in search of a new position.
I
needed to fight and find a company that would take a shot on me and allow me to
showcase my talents, and I eventually did. It is nowhere near what I would have
been making if hired at Cheesecake Factory but I am gaining experience and
building a resume that hopefully someday carries me to a very desired
position. We all may have similar
stories; we were turned away or never even considered because we lack
experiences that are vital to ones position. In football it’s much the same,
coaches need experience so they can be trusted on to make the right calls.
Coaches are much like Dr’s, they need to make decisions that are done on the
fly and what makes them a good coach is that they make the best decisions. As a
head coach you carry the biggest burden. All eyes are set upon you, players, coaches
and fans. By all means players have to respect you as a coach and be
disciplined as such. A coach is not a friend, a buddy, a pal he is your damn
football coach end of story. Lets bring this into perspective. Doctors pay a
lot of money for their education and have to pay their dues to become what they
ultimately desire. A doctor is not hired half way through med school to perform
life-threatening surgeries. A high school special teams coach is not called
upon to call plays for the Denver Broncos. Our best example we all can relate
to is Urban Meyer.
Urban
Meyer was not granted the head coaching position at Utah after spending 2 years
on the sideline as a QB coach, Urban Meyer worked his A** off to become what he
has now. Urban Meyer started as position coaches at OSU and Notre Damn for
years gaining valuable experience before a school named BOWLING GREEN gave him
a shot to be a head coach on the D1 level. Urban has what it takes to be great.
I don’t think Brian Johnson does. Brian Johnson is essentially the kid who got
pulled out of his medical residency years before he should have to call the
shots. No doubt he had a good career at Utah, but I do remember UNLV I remember
4 interception games. Not all of it was storied and he has one of the
best-coached defenses in the nation at that time to thank for it. Some have
called me out saying, “What mythical experience does BJ need to be the OC.”
It’s not mythical it’s real life coaching experience. One needs it to become successful as a
Coach. We don’t see big name programs like Alabama, USC, Florida, FSU,
Arkansas, and Texas hire 24-year-old kids to call their offense. These programs
have to perform they have to win that’s the bar over the decades that has been
set. I feel that Utah is in the same boat now.
The
BJ decision has caused much disarray behind closed doors. Much of the offensive
staff that left was influenced to seek to other positions because of this. Lets
be real here, is Tim Davis going to take s*** from a 24 year old kid? Tim Davis
was also told to just coach the exterior line. This is a guy who has won a
national championship at USC with Norm Chow and coached years in the NFL and you’re
going to hold his hand? Some Utah fans call out BYU for what they do claiming
they drink the “blue Kool-Aid” and don’t know what they hell they are talking
about. Well many of us Utah fans are doing the same thing.
We
are quick to defend Kyle and his actions and his decision he makes with his
coaching staff. Kudos to Kyle for brining in such a KILLER staff last year, but
just to lose them a year later? It is true we don’t have the luxury of PAC 12
money quite yet but it’s the PAC 12 it’s UTAH! We are known nation wide for our
accomplishments in the classroom and on the field. I want Utah to succeed but
with what we have on the offensive side doesn’t really give me much hope. Mark
my words Kyle Whittingham will sink or swim in this decision. I hope that at the end of next season Brian Johnson PROVES ME WRONG!
