Jon Gallo and Ron Snyder, The Examiner
2007-12-07 18:25:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

Annapolis -

Navy football coach Paul Johnson is leaving the Naval Academy and heading to Georgia Tech. Johnson apparently came to his decision overnight and met with his players at 11:45 a.m. to tell them of his decision. Johnson chose Georgia Tech after weighing similar offers from Duke, Southern Methodist University along with the possibility of staying at Navy.

“I think Georgia Tech is a tremendous program and it's where you can contend for a national championship," Johnson said. "I've had a great run at Navy, but I've always wanted to coach at a BCS school where you can play for a national championship. It was a very hard decision, but I think at this time it was the right thing for me to do."

Johnson has spent the past six seasons in Annapolis, where he turned one of the college football worst teams into a squad that will play in its fifth consecutive bowl game later this month when the Midshipmen (8-4) face Utah (8-4) in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego on Dec. 20.

“Every year we’ve gone through this process and we knew the law of averages would eventually catch up with us,” Navy Athletic Director Chet Gladchuk said. “Paul Johnson had a successful run here and will go down as one of the great coaches in Navy history. Now, he is fixated on his next challenge and that is trying to win a national title. I’m his No. 1 fan and and I’m appreciative for everything he has done here at Navy.”

Johnson will not coach in bowl game. He doesn't know who will coach that game.

Gladchuk said he will spend the next day talking with Johnson’s staff as they were on the road recruiting at the time.

“We have a talented staff and I want to speak with them before deciding who will coach the bowl game,” Gladchuk said. “We knew this day was coming and I’ve got an idea of what direction we want to take the program. Today is about Paul Johnson. Tomorrow is when we look at writing the next chapter of Navy football.”

Prior to coming to Annapolis, Johnson went 62-9 in five seasons with Division I-AA Georgia Southern. Johnson won consecutive I-AA National Championships (1999 and 2000), and five straight Southern Conference championships at Georgia Southern.

Georgia Tech fired Chan Gailey in November after the Yellow Jackets finished 7-5. In six seasons, Gailey went 44-32.