January 8, 2001

BOBBY JOHNSON NAMED AFCA NATIONAL COACH-OF-THE-YEAR

GREENVILLE -- Bobby Johnson, who guided Furman to a 12-3 record, Southern Conference championship, and national runner-up finish in 2001, has been named NCAA I-AA National Coach-of-the-Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), it was announced today at the association's convention in San Antonio, Texas.

Johnson, who in late December accepted the head coaching position at Vanderbilt, went 60-36 and directed Furman to three conference championships and four playoff appearances in eight seasons as head coach of the Paladin program.

"This is a tremendous honor and one that was made possible by the players and coaches at Furman, for whom I will always be thankful," Johnson said prior to the press conference announcing the honor.

A Columbia, S.C., native and 1973 Clemson graduate, Johnson, who in all spent 24 seasons at Furman, is the third Paladin mentor to garner AFCA national coach-of-the-year honors. In 1985 Dick Sheridan was named coach-of-the-year after leading the Paladins to a 12-2 record and national runner-up finish; and in 1988 Jimmy Satterfield followed up Furman's 13-2, national championship campaign by capturing the prestigious award.

Selected by vote of active AFCA members, Johnson was one of five regional coach-of-the-year honorees from which the national winner was selected.

In conjunction with the award, Furman will receive a $10,000 academic scholarship from the AFCA. In addition, Johnson, along with national coach-of-the-year honorees from NCAA Division II (Dale Lennon, North Dakota) and Division III (Larry Kehres, Mount Union), have been invited to serve as assistant coaches at the 2002 Hula Bowl, scheduled to be played at War Memorial Stadium on Maui on Feb. 2. ESPN will televise the game beginning at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Miami's Larry Coker and Maryland's Ralph Friedgen shared national coach-of-the-year honors for NCAA I-A.