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THE
WORD ON VANDERBILT HEAD COACH BOBBY JOHNSON
(For .pdf version,
click here)
Following
are comments from leading football personalities on Vanderbilt's
hiring of new head coach Bobby Johnson:
"I
think Bobby has the ability, the character and the intelligence
to be successful at any program in the country. I think he's
uniquely prepared for Vanderbilt. " Bobby knows how to successfully
recruit while being academically selective. He's been able
to find players with potential and develop them. He will attract
other top coaches to his staff. " My relationship with Bobby
goes back to my first year of high school coaching. Bobby
was on my freshman basketball team. Later I was his high school
position coach in football and he was an assistant on my staff
at Furman. I'm very proud of him."
-
Dick Sheridan, Former Head Football Coach Furman University
& North Carolina State
"Bobby
was one of my favorite players and he is a super football
coach. I am proud of what he has accomplished. We keep in
touch, every year at the convention we talk for an hour and
we occasionally visit on the telephone. "When I arrived at
Clemson, Hootie Ingram was the head coach and Bobby had been
a wide receiver as a freshman. The coaches sat around the
table and said which players we wanted. I said I wanted Bobby
Johnson and Hootie almost died. I wanted Bobby for his integrity;
it is amazing what kind of person he is, I just knew we had
to have him on the defensive unit"
-
George MacIntyre Vanderbilt Head Football Coach, 1979-85;
Secondary Coach, Clemson, 1970-72
"I
am very pleased we were able to find the ideal match for the
profile we established at the beginning of our search. "We
wanted a proven winner, we wanted someone with a proven commitment
to excellence, and we wanted someone who would have the experience
to put our program on a path toward success. We found that
person in Bobby Johnson. We are thrilled he is with us today."
-
Todd Turner, Director of Athletics Vanderbilt University
"Bobby
Johnson is a perfect fit for Vanderbilt. He's a proven winner,
a strong leader and a person with a keen interest in education."
-
John Hall, Former President Vanderbilt Board of Trust
"I've
known Bobby's entire family for years. I knew his parents,
I went to high school with his mother-in-law and I've known
Bobby since he was a baby. "He was a scholar-athlete and a
rock-em, sock-em, hard-nosed kind of football player. He was
a real team leader at Clemson. "He was the defensive coordinator
at Furman and he was almost a co-head coach when I was the
Athletic Director there. I was back at Clemson when he was
our coordinator in 1993 so I have followed his career closely.
Tell the team they'd best buckle their chip straps, as they'll
be in for a hard ride. He's a disciplinarian and has high
standards of expectation from his team in all areas. "Vanderbilt
is getting a very personable coach, he's easy to meet and
he's a straight shooter. He will give the fans a quality program
in which they will be able to take great pride."
-
George Bennett, Former Director National Commodore
Club; Current Director of Clemson IPTAY Club
"I
am confident that we have reached for, and captured, the best
head coach for Vanderbilt. " I have been impressed with Bobby's
commitment to excellence, his passion for success, and his
absolute integrity. He is a leader who has the respect and
affection of his players, and who has instilled a sense of
winning and excitement in his program."
-
Gordon Gee, Chancellor Vanderbilt University
"Bobby
Johnson has the background and experience that fits well at
Vanderbilt. He understands how to build a program. He has
experience as a head coach in building a coaching staff in
addition to developing a program. He is highly regarded in
his profession. "I have a lot of respect for him as a coach.
His teams play physical football, which is a reflection of
how they are coached. "Bobby is extremely intense and has
a strong commitment toward winning in the right way. He's
a very positive person and he'll bring that positive spirit
to Vanderbilt."
-
Roy Kramer, Commissioner Southeastern Conference Vanderbilt
Athletic Director, 1979-1990
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