Moving on in our staff picks for the open offensive coordinator job at Penn State, it is time to require a glance at a really interesting candidate. When Penn State lines up against Memphis within the Cotton Bowl on December 28, the Nittany Lions' next offensive coordinator could alright get on the other sideline.
Current Memphis offensive coordinator Kevin Johns would be a superb hire for Penn State.
Previously we made the case for SMU offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, and Ohio State pass coordinator and QB coach Mike Yurcich.
BIO:
Name/Age - Kevin Johns/44
Current position - Offensive Coordinator at Memphis
Experience - 20 years as a good receivers coach, running backs coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northwestern, Richmond, Indiana, Western Michigan, Texas Tech, and Memphis.
WHY i would like HIM:
Johns makes tons of since for what Penn State is trying to try to to on offense. He likes to run a selection offense with tons of run-pass option. He also brings knowledge and knowledge game-planning for giant Ten defenses because of his time at Northwestern and Indiana.
Recently, Johns has been responsible of some high-powered offenses that any head coach would like to have.
During the 2017 season he lead a Western Michigan offense that racked up 390 total yards of offense per game, including 225 on the bottom. the subsequent year, Johns was at the helm of the Texas Tech attack. That season, the Red Raiders ranked No. 12 nationally with a mean of 485 total yards per game. Their 364 passing yards per game came in third nationally.
This season, Johns has continued his success because the offensive coordinator at Memphis. The Tigers are 10th within the country, averaging a complete of 481 yards of offense per game. He has done an honest job mixing the run and pass with Memphis averaging 285 yards through the air, and 196 yards on the bottom.
Under Johns' leadership, Memphis saw the emergence of three big-time playmakers. Quarterback Brady White passed for over 3,500 yards, while Kenneth Gainwell rushed for over 1,400 yards. Wide receiver Damonte Coxie racked up 1,144 receiving yards.
Just imagine what Johns could do with the likes of Sean Clifford, KJ Hamler, and Journey Brown.
LIKELIHOOD OF HIRE: 25%
It's a bit out of the box for James Franklin, but it might give him a proven coordinator with plenty of experience. With former Memphis head coach Mike Norvell off to Florida State, there might be changes on the Tigers staff. However, with Ryan Silverfield getting the full-time gig, it might be surprising if there are significant changes. Jumping from Memphis to Penn State would be an enormous move for Johns, and one that he should definitely consider if the chance arises.