El Dorado native John Johnson has been steadily moving up the coaching ladder. He hopes the road will lead to a head coaching position at the highest level, the NFL. But, sometimes in life a person must take one step backward before he can advance two steps ahead.
Johnson, a former 230-pound tailback, known affectionately as “Moose” when he played for Scooter Register for two years and Jeff Williams as a senior at El Dorado, accepted the position of running backs’ coach at South Dakota State recently. It’s the second time the former Oklahoma State fullback has held this job. He left to join the Alliance of American Football league’s Atlanta Legend in June last year.
“We were in the middle of summer camp when I got a phone call from Brad Childress about joining his team as running back’s coach,” said Johnson. “I thought it was a heck of an opportunity to be with Brad Childress, a guy who’s been in the NFL for a number of years. To gain knowledge from him and some of the other staff members, I thought it was crucial for me and my career to get on board with that and just be under a guy with such stature and such knowledge and experience. It was good until it folded, obviously.
“But, I’m back here at South Dakota State and I’m grateful. I’m back coaching again and mentoring and doing what I love to do.”
Johnson began his collegiate coaching career at Ouachita Baptist, coaching running backs for three seasons and receivers for one, before moving to Oklahoma Baptist University. He coached receivers and special teams before moving up to offensive coordinator.
After helping coach running backs as part of a summer internship with the Kansas City Chiefs in the summer of 2014, Johnson filled the role of running backs coach at the University of Tulsa in the fall.
Johnson began his second tour in South Dakota State on March 4. He had been out of coaching since the AAF folded. A testament to his coaching acumen is the Jackrabbits reaching out to him so soon after his last stint concluded.
“I maintained really good relationships with the coaches and the players. I left on good terms,” said Johnson. “There was no beef or nothing. The head coach is one of the guys, I felt like is the best around. There was no quarrel when I left.”
In his brief time in the professional league, Johnson said he gained valuable knowledge and experience, which should move him closer to his ultimate goal.
“The ultimate goal is to be a professional head coach, to move up in the ranks and do this deal on a bigger scale. I want the opportunity to call plays. I’ve been in a lot of different offenses, seen a lot of different ways to do it. I think I’m capable at this point in my career to call an offense. My next move, hopefully, will come with some coordinator title. But, ultimately, it is the NFL,” Johnson said.
In Atlanta, he coached several high-profile professionals, including former Michigan standout Denard Robinson, who played with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also got a taste of the life of a professional football coach.
“It was a challenge for me. It was something that opened my eyes,” he said. “We try to borrow what the NFL did as far as personnel, practice, meetings. The personnel department and coaching doesn’t mix. There’s a personnel side of it and there’s a coaching side. It was good for me. There were some good challenges I’d never faced. Like bringing a running back in on Tuesday and he has to play 10 plays on Sunday, getting him up to speed. And, having to see a guy who’s been with you for six, seven weeks and they’re giving him the boot. Stuff like that, you have to deal with it and maintain a professional relationship with those guys because two weeks later, we might bring that guy back. It was a lot of different avenues that was new to me, but it was good.”
The league’s mid-season demise left Johnson on the outside of coaching for the first time. He kept his mind in the game, however. The former Wildcat was seen watching El Dorado’s practices during the preseason. At the same time, he waited patiently to see where his next step in coaching would be.
“I was trying to go anywhere. I was out of coaching. Coaching is what I’ve done since I graduated from OBU. Coaching is all I knew so it was tough for me to sit out. When the coaching carousel started back, I had every intention to get back in. I just didn’t know where,” Johnson said.
“Me and my pops were talking and I told him, ‘Hey, I need you to be in prayer with me because the coaching carousel is about to start and there’s going to be a lot of good jobs open, a lot of jobs I’m already seeing that I would love the opportunity.’ He said that’s good, hope you’re networking, hope you’re calling, you’re texting, you’re emailing and all that good stuff. But I want you to understand this, when the right job comes, the one that God wants you to be at, you won’t have to call it, they’ll call you. Sure enough, after months, I’m talking November, December, January, after calling and texting coaches, only one school called me and said, a job is going to come open. We want you back. That was South Dakota State. It’s amazing how things work out. God works in mysterious ways. I never had a thought I’d be back at South Dakota State. But when it happened, I knew exactly that this is the right opportunity for me, right now.”
Johnson is reunited with junior running back Pierre Strong, whom he recruited to South Dakota State out of Little Rock McClellan. Strong is a thousand-yard rusher and a former freshman All-American.
“Nobody expected this kid to come in and do the things he’s done. He’s a big-time star around here now. Everybody knows his name and he’s a great kid,” Johnson beamed. “I’m excited to be back, to be able to work with a guy from Arkansas that I recruited.”
It’s strange for a former kid from El Dorado, Arkansas to proclaim Brookings, South Dakota as, basically, a second home. But Johnson couldn’t be happier for his return to the Jackrabbits, even though the school, like the rest of the planet, is currently on lockdown due to the coronavirus.
“We can’t do nothing. We got restricted last Sunday. We’re just working from home. But it’s been productive for me, watching recruits and catching up on cut-ups and last year’s film. It’s been pretty productive for me,” said Johnson, who said earlier in the week the town was holding up strong under the COVID-19 threat.
“Here in Brookings, I heard we haven’t had any cases, which is good. About 45 miles up the road in Sioux Falls, I heard it was about maybe 10 cases earlier this week. Sounds like we’re in the best place in America, right now, in Brookings, knock on wood. Everything’s been good. The sun’s outside. We had some sleet and snow, but nothing sticks. It has been cold, about 25 degrees, but it’s still a good day. It could be worse. I’ve seen ‘em. My second day here was minus-19. I had to ask myself, ‘Are you really doing this again?’
“But, I’m excited to be back for sure.”