THE FLATS – Legendary Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson was officially inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame during the National Football Foundation’s 65th-annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
More than 1,600 people were in attendance for Tuesday’s NFF Awards Dinner at the ARIA Resort, and the event was also streamed live on ESPN+. Johnson was among the three members of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame induction class asked to deliver remarks during the ceremony, joining Derrick Johnson (Texas LB) and Tim Tebow (Florida QB).
VIDEO: Paul Johnson, Derrick Johnson and Tim Tebow remarks
Elected in his first year of eligibility for enshrinement, Johnson is Georgia Tech’s 20th College Football Hall of Fame inductee and its third in the last 10 years, joining quarterback Joe Hamilton (2014) and wide receiver Calvin Johnson (2018). He is the fourth Georgia Tech head coach to be enshrined (joining John Heisman, William Alexander and Bobby Dodd), but the first since Dodd in 1993.
Utilizing his patented spread option offense, Johnson compiled a career record of 189-99 (.656) in 22 seasons as a head coach, including an 82-60 record in 11 seasons at Georgia Tech (2008-18). His 82 wins are the fourth-most in Tech history, behind only Dodd (165), Alexander (134) and Heisman (102), while only Dodd won more games in his first 11 seasons on The Flats (91). Johnson’s .577 winning percentage with the Yellow Jackets ranks fifth in program history, behind only Heisman (.764), Dodd (.713), George O’Leary (.612) and Alexander (.580). Under Johnson, the Yellow Jackets compiled two of the nine 10-win seasons and one of the five 11-win campaigns in Georgia Tech’s 130-year football history.
He led the Jackets to nine bowl appearances and three Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Games and was named ACC Coach of the Year three times (2008, 2009 and 2014) during his 11 seasons at Tech. He was selected as National Coach of the Year by CBS Sportsline in 2008, marking the second time in his career that he received National Coach of the Year honors (Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year – 2004, Navy).
Incredible evening celebrating Coach Paul Johnson’s induction into the College Football Hall of Fame! #Stingem 🐝 pic.twitter.com/O9ZH0Htepb
— J Batt (@GTBattman) December 6, 2023
Johnson’s 22-year career as a head coach also included ultra-successful stints at Georgia Southern (1997-2001) and the U.S. Naval Academy (2002-07). In five seasons at Georgia Southern, he led the Eagles to a gaudy 62-10 overall record, two NCAA Division I-AA national championships (1999 and 2000) and five-straight Southern Conference titles. In six years at Navy, he led the Midshipmen to five eight-win seasons, five Commander-in-Chief’s trophies and five bowl appearances, turning around a program that had won just one game in the two seasons prior to his arrival (1-20).
When he stepped down at Georgia Tech at the end of the 2018 season, his 189 career victories ranked fourth among NCAA Division I FBS head coaches.
The College Football Hall of Fame is located in downtown Atlanta, less than a mile from Georgia Tech’s midtown campus.
Competitive Drive Initiative Turn 2
Looking to build on the success of last year’s Competitive Drive Initiative, Georgia Tech, the Georgia Tech Foundation and Georgia Tech athletics are partnering once again to launch Competitive Drive Initiative Turn 2. CDI Turn 2 has a goal of raising $2.5 million in new gifts to the Alexander-Tharpe Fund’s Athletic Scholarship Fund by Dec. 31, and Georgia Tech and the Georgia Tech Foundation will match eligible gifts to accelerate the impact for Tech athletics. Like last year, not only will gifts to CDI Turn 2 be matched, but so will the contributor’s benefits in the way of A-T Fund giving levels and priority points. To learn more and contribute online, visit atfund.org/turn2.
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