Feb. 17, 2006
ATLANTA–Johnson “Jeep” Hunter, formerly running backs coach at the University of Memphis, has been named Georgia Tech’s tight ends coach, head coach Chan Gailey announced Friday.
Gailey also announced that defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta has been promoted to Associate Head Coach, and defensive line coach Giff Smith will take on the role of recruiting coordinator. These announcements finalize the Yellow Jackets’ coaching staff and assignments for 2006.
Hunter spent the last three seasons on Tommy West’s staff at Memphis, where he worked with all-America running back D’Angelo Williams, the nation’s leading rusher last fall with 178.6 yards per game. Williams rushed for more than 6,000 yards and 55 touchdowns in his career and finished as the NCAA’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards.
Hunter helped the Tigers reach a bowl game each of his three seasons there.
“Jeep is another excellent all-around football coach, having coached on both sides of the ball in his career,” said Gailey. “He has recruited extensively in the Southeast, another key asset for our program. We think Jeep’s knowledge of the running game and passing game will add to our package.”
Hunter served an NFL Minority Internship with the St. Louis Rams in the summer of 2001.
A native of Denver, N.C., Hunter went to Memphis in 2003 after two seasons at Eastern Kentucky, where he coached the secondary. In 2001, the Colonels ranked in the top 10 in NCAA Division I-AA in all defensive categories. He also spent one season (2000) coaching defensive backs at UT-Chattanooga.
Hunter first worked with West at Clemson, where he served as a graduate assistant for two seasons (1996-97) and then spent one year as Assistant Athletics Director for Football Management.
Hunter played collegiate football at Catawba College, an NAIA Division II school, in Salisbury, N.C., for three years before suffering a career-ending knee injury. He remained at Catawba as a student assistant coach from 1987-1990 before moving on to Bandys High School in Catawba, N.C., as the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator for three seasons (1991-93).
From 1994-96, Hunter was an assistant football coach at North Carolina A&T State University, where he worked with wide receivers, outside linebackers and defensive backs.
Hunter, 38, received his bachelor’s degree in business administration/physical education from Catawba College in 1991. He is married to the former Susan Potokar of Cleveland, Ohio, and the couple has a daughter, Sophia Marie, who was born May 24, 2005.
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