From the Stands: Thoughts on Utes hiring Brian Johnson as offensive coordinator

SALT LAKE CITY - It has just been over two weeks since Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham made the shocking announcement that 25-year old Brian Johnson would be taking over as offensive coordinator for the Utes.

Even I had a hard time wrapping my mind around that for awhile. A kid, for all intents and purposes who is a year younger then I am, is taking the reigns of an offense of a Pac-12 team that has high postseason aspirations. While the sports media world had printed article after article saying what's good or bad about this hire, I avoided the knee jerk reaction and wanted to let it simmer for a while to see how I felt after it truly sunk in.

Initial reaction to the hire by myself: uncertainty. Even after the last couple of weeks, some of those feelings remain. Until we see the system that Johnson employs of the Utes and how successful it is going to be, uncertainty will be a very common feeling. However, after I got over the initial shock of the hire and I started to dissect it a little more in my mind, I really started to like the hire for a lot of reasons.

One of the first things that I liked about the hire was Johnson's various experiences with different offenses and schemes. That's really something that's hard to say about a kid that has been out of school for just over three years and has been a quarterbacks coach for only two years. When he stepped on campus as a 17-year old true freshman, he was learning from future Heisman candidate Alex Smith. Johnson was sleeping on Smith's couch trying to learn the offense inside and out. The offense was the high powered machine that Urban Meyer and Dan Mullen had crafted.

When Brian took over as starting quarterback the offense evolved with Andy Ludwig. It added some more pro set type principles to it while maintaining the spread foundation. It had more of a hybrid look. When Johnson got injured after his sophomore year, he was on the sideline and in coaches meetings. He just absorbed the game from a different perspective and was a massive aide to Brett Ratliff. He acted much more in a coach role during his red shirt season. And his senior year he had so much control of that offense in the two-minute drills he was able to call his own plays. After Ludwig left, Coach Aaron Roderick and Dave Schramm took over for a couple seasons and he was able to see much more of a throw based offense (especially in 2010) that was similar to the 2004 system.

Then it kind of came full circle when Norm Chow came in the mix and introduced Johnson to a system unlike he had really ever been a part of before. Under Chow, the downhill run game with John White was used, unlike the run game has been used at Utah since the McBride days. The tight ends were reintroduced to the offense. And probably the best lesson Johnson could have learned from Chow was how to use one set of plays to set up something later on. Chow was always looking ahead and setting something up, a trait in a coordinator which I would consider the finishing touch of a skill set. Johnson's playbook may be the most diverse we've ever seen up on the hill with all the variations of systems he's been a part of.

Another reason I really like this hire is that BJ is a Utah guy. He was brought here as a 17-year old and has practically grown up here. The drum and feather that he represents will mean more to him than any coordinator in the past. The U is all he has known, which can be argued is a detriment to him due to inexperience, but I think it is a great positive. He understands the culture of Salt Lake City and the school. He's seen it from every perspective. Johnson, as a young successful African American man, can walk into any kids house in the country and say, ‘Utah isn't everything you hear it is,' and sell this state and school to kids maybe the team couldn't get before.

Since he is a Utah guy, that means he is a defacto Kyle guy. Coach Whitt's record speaks for himself and his decisions deserve the benefit of the doubt. Coach has seen BJ work his way up the ladder. And based on his comments during the hiring, he has been won over.

"I believe in him, without a doubt. I believe in him 100%," Coach stated. "Unless you spend everyday, all day with Brian like I do, you may not think [he's ready]…. I have no doubt he has the necessary skills to get the job done."

That is something that your average fan needs to remember. We don't see what goes on behind the scenes in the football offices like these other coaches do. It sounds, from Coach Whittingham's comments anyway, that Johnson has and does put in the work necessary to be able to lead this very talented Utah offense. Also I believe age may have played a role in Coach Whitt hiring BJ. Utah has seen a different guy(s) running this offense for the last three seasons. Kyle has to want stability at the position. With Johnson being so young, you have to believe he will grow into the role and be here for an extended period of time and stabilize the staff.

Probably the last trait that I like that Johnson has that leads me to think he will be a successful coordinator at the U is that he is very cool headed. When Brian was quarterbacking the Utes he never got rattled - never too high or too low. During the TCU and Oregon State games in 2008 when he was basically getting booed off the field, your average QB would have folded. Instead BJ shook it off and lead the Utes to wins. Even after such big wins it was always, ‘Ok, who do we have next?' A very business-like attitude - an attitude that you need as a coordinator. A coordinator can't get overly emotional and has to stay the course. Norm Chow had the perfect demeanor as a OC. I see that same trait in Brian Johnson.

I understand everyone's concern about Brian Johnson's hiring as OC. It is a risky move. But I believe it is a calculated risk by Coach Whittingham for the long term health of the program. There will be growing pains - there always is. The fact of the matter is with a deep wide receiving corps, an all conference running back, most of an offensive line back and a returning experienced starting quarterback, Johnson has the tools to ease into the OC chair. There will always be doubters. People have always doubted BJ, and BJ has always shut up those doubts.

So go on, keep doubting him.

It's worked for him up to now.

Shane Roberts is a producer/writer for the U Fan Cast on TheUFanCast.com, a Utah-centric podcast that gives a voice to the fan. Twitter: @Shane_U_FanCast

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