Former Utah QB Brian Johnson Named Florida’s Offensive Coordinator
Sep 22, 2020, 9:24 AM
Brian Johnson #3 of the Utah Utes throws a pass against the BYU Cougarsat Rice-Eccles Stadium on November 22, 2008 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida announced that quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson has been promoted to offensive coordinator.
Johnson is the first Black offensive coordinator in Florida football history.
It’s the third time that the former Ute has been a offensive coordinator in his coaching career, which started as the quarterbacks coach for the Utes from 2010-11. He was promoted to the offensive play caller in 2012 and was the OC for two seasons before joining Dan Mullen at Mississippi State to coach the quarterbacks from 2014-16.
Johnson was hired by Houston for one season to be the offensive coordinator in 2017 before re-joining Mullen, this time in Gainesville and was the quarterbacks coach for the last two seasons.
Get to know Offensive Coordinator & QB Coach @BDJohnson3 ⤵️https://t.co/XYk9F5Wpmd
— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) September 22, 2020
Johnson is considered to be one of the best quarterbacks in Utah football history. In 2008, he led the Utes to their second undefeated season and a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama where he was named MVP of the game. He was also the Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
Current Gators head coach Dan Mullen was the quarterbacks coach at Utah from 2003-04 before going to Florida with Urban Meyer to be the offensive coordinator. His first head coaching job followed when he was at the helm of Mississippi State from 2009-17. He then became the head coach of Florida in 2018.
Johnson and Mullen will be coming to Salt Lake City to face their former team as Utah and Florida agreed to a home and home series beginning in 2022 as Utah will travel to Gainesville to play the Gators in the “Swamp.” The Gators will make the return trip to Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2024.
Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.
