Jan. 13, 2009
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt Head Coach Bobby Johnson was elected to the Board of Trustees of the American Football Coaches Association Tuesday at the organization’s convention in Nashville.
Johnson, who accepted the AFCA’s Academic Achievement Award on behalf of his Commodore program Monday, was elected to the 18-member board along with Turner Gill, the highly respected University of Buffalo head coach.
Johnson was delighted to join the prestigious AFCA board.
“I’m floored to tell you the truth,” Johnson said. “It’s a great honor to be voted into such an important position by your peers and I’m going to treat it as such. I think it’s one of the most important things you can do as a football coach.”
Johnson becomes the third head coach with Vanderbilt ties to serve on the AFCA board of trustees in its 86-year history, joining Dan McGugin, 1930-33, and Ray Morrison, 1939. Another one-time Commodore mentor, Red Sanders, served on the AFCA board shortly after leaving Vanderbilt for the UCLA head coaching position in the 1950s.
Johnson guided the Commodores to a 7-6 record and their first bowl appearance in 26 seasons in 2008, capping the campaign with a 16-14 victory over Boston College in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl. The bowl win was the school’s first postseason victory since 1955.
His efforts earned Johnson a share of 2008 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year honors, an award voted on by his fellow coaches in the SEC. Johnson also earned AFCA Division I-AA National Coach of the Year honors in 2001 when he led Furman to an appearance in the I-AA national championship game in his final season at the school.
Johnson and Gill join a group of distinguished head coaches who guide the organization. The Board formulates policy and provides direction for the AFCA, which was founded in 1922 by Amos Alonzo Stagg, John Heisman and others. The AFCA has more than 10,000 members from all levels of the profession.
Returning members of the AFCA Board of Trustees include incoming president Dick Tomey of San Jose State; first vice-president Larry Kehres of Mount Union College; second vice-president Rob Ash of Montana State and third vice-president Mike Bellotti, Oregon. Also serving on the Board are Tim Murphy, Harvard; Rich Rodriguez, Michigan; Mike Welch, Ithaca College; Jim Tressel, Ohio State; Mack Brown, Texas; Lee Owens, Ashland University; Jim Grobe, Wake Forest; Bill Cronin, Georgetown College (Ky.); Lou Tepper, Indiana University (Pa.); Frank Solich, Ohio University; Randy Edsall, Connecticut and Rob Ianello, Notre Dame, ex officio member and chairman of the Assistant Coaches Committee.
