Update on Mike Johnson
It's Friday night, and the wait goes on.
Still no official word on exactly which job former San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Johnson will fill at UCLA, but he's apparently already starting to do some work.
Johnson has been meeting with players and out recruiting for the Bruins, Ramona Shelburne writes.
Sources close to the situation say that Johnson will become offensive coordinator and could split play-calling duties with Rick Neuheisel, but Norm Chow remains on staff at this point.
As reported, Johnson was on UCLA's campus on Tuesday and took a tour of the facilities, meeting several players, and more players had individual meetings with Johnson on Thursday.
Chow, who reportedly has had talks with Utah to become its offensive coordinator, remains on the UCLA staff and continues to recruit for head coach Rick Neuheisel.
Johnson coached with Neuheisel with the Baltimore Ravens in 2006-07 and was quarterbacks coach for the Michael Vick-led Atlanta Falcons from 2003-05. He also served as wide receivers coach and quarterbacks coach at Oregon State in the late 90s.
Chow agreed to a two-year contract extension worth roughly $1 million during the summer of 2010 that was finalized late in the year, after Neuheisel had publicly expressed his displeasure with the offense. Neuheisel at times was non-committal about Chow's return as early as November.
UCLA's offenses have finished 109th, 94th and 104th in scoring nationally during the last three seasons, out of 120 FBS teams.
Johnson last coached for the 49ers, where he was promoted midseason from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator.
This is just ridiculous now....Would this happen at any other program...We look like a team in total disarray....die hard fans are looking and even they are questioning what the F is going on....Sad day to be a bruin right now....
It's going on in Utah right now. They still have their 2 co-OC's on staff and apparently openly waiting for NC. No word on how it will affect their two oc's.
I wouldn't say necessarily it's a sad day to be a Bruin. I actually wouldn't mind if Chow remained on staff if he is insistent on not quitting. He can be a QB coach if need be. I'm sure Johnson would like to glean something from Chow.
It actually happened at SUC, to Norm Chow, when Chetey effectively demoted and drove him out in favor of Lame Kiffin. Even though Chow was still officially OC, his responsibilities were periodically regressed as the season went on.
Honestly, people magnify this because it's their school. But this type of crap happens often at many schools and in the NFL and in the corporate world. People get passed on and over all the time. As great as you might have been in the past or what you have done for a company, you are ALWAYS expendable. UCLA, like any corporation has to look out for it's bests interests. In the corporate world, where there are rarely guaranteed contracts, it is much easier.
This isn't even Neu's fault. It's the F'n administration. If it were up to Neu, Chow would be in the unemployment line. Now that Hundley is on Campus, we really should have nothing holding us back, except for that small matter of a million dollars. Chow is also hanging us out and playing us like a violin. We should just announce Johnson as OC and WR coach, and demote Norm to Co-OC and QB coach, and be done with it. Hopefully, this would motivate Chow enough to get the hint and find another home, or stay on board and deal with it. What we need is decisiveness and clarity.
After they drove Norm out, "SUC never PLAYED in BC again" ????