Ellis Johnson worth the money to Spurrier, South Carolina

Now, South Carolina is ready to boost its payroll by handing assistant coach and defensive chief Ellis Johnson a comparable salary, which is expected to be a done deal today. Call it a reward or just keeping up with the Joneses, Johnson is well worth the bump. I’ve come across few coaches that know more about the defensive side of the game. Johnson, 58, can relate to players and is a tremendous teacher. And it’s shown on the football field in numbers. The former Citadel head coach and coordinator at Clemson, Alabama and Mississippi State has had the Gamecock ‘D’ ranked among the best in the SEC the last two years. At the end of 2009, USC sat third in total defense in the league behind Alabama and Florida, which happened to be No. 2 and No. 4, respectively. The Gamecocks finished 15th. In his short time, he’s helped recruit some pretty good football players, including cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who started every game as a true freshman and is already being touted as a potential Gamecock great… And Spurrier isn’t crazy. Johnson kind of fell into his lap a couple years ago and is allowing Spurrier to leave that side of the ball alone — something he couldn’t do under some of his former DCs. There’s nothing wrong with holding onto a good thing — no matter the cost. – Independent Mail