The Name Game: Clemson Looking at Vandy’s Johnson

“The Name Game” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on active coaching searches around the country. The latest edition centers on the Clemson Tigers…

While Tennessee’s Phil Fulmer and Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville face questions about their job status, it was only a matter of time before Vanderbilt’s Bobby Johnson started getting questions, too — about job offers. Johnson’s alma mater, Clemson, parted ways with Tommy Bowden after a disappointing 3-3 start, and the name of the Vanderbilt coach, who has the Commodores sitting pretty at 5-1, is being bandied about as a possible candidate for the job. Johnson, who played defensive back at Clemson from 1970-72, said Wednesday that he has had no contact with the Tigers. “We’re trying to get ready to play Georgia and that’s all I’ve tried to concentrate on,” he said, adding that he has not addressed the issue with his team. “There’s nothing to ignore. Nobody’s contacted me, I’ve not contacted anybody else and as far as I’m concerned, we’re just moving along in our schedule.” Other possible candidates for the Tigers’ vacancy include former Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, Tulsa head coach Todd Graham, East Carolina head coach Skip Holtz and Clemson’s current interim head coach, Dabo Swinney (a former Alabama player and coach). – Mobile Press-Register

Bobby Johnson has been prominently included in a media list of potential candidates to replace Tommy Bowden at Clemson. The connection is an obvious one: Johnson played at Clemson, served as defensive coordinator with the Tigers for a season, is a Columbia, S.C. native and had great success as head coach at Football Championship Subdivision Furman in Greenville, S.C. Johnson played down the home-state ties on Wednesday. “I really don’t have a whole bunch of them,” Johnson said of his feelings on the Clemson job. “We’re trying to get ready to play Georgia. That’s all I’ve tried to concentrate one. We’ve got enough to do here without having to worry about that.” Johnson has enough going on this week without eyeing a new job. The Commodores play at Georgia in a showdown of SEC East-leading teams. – Huntsville Times