July 27, 2011
Tulsa, Okla. -
A 1981 Tulsa graduate, Denver Johnson returns to his alma mater and will coach the Golden Hurricane offensive line. Johnson was named to the Tulsa coaching staff on January 18, 2011, joining fellow teammate and college roommate Bill Blankenship's staff.
Johnson has spent a total of 26 years coaching college football. He comes to Tulsa following two seasons as the offensive line coach at the University of Colorado (2009-10).
Before that, Johnson spent a total of 12 years as a head coach at two Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) schools, including nine years at Illinois State (2000-08) and three seasons before that at Murray State (1997-99). He compiled an overall 69-66 career head coaching mark. Johnson recorded a 21-12 record at Murray State and won 48 games at Illinois State. His 2006 ISU team registered a 9-4 mark, the second most wins in school history, advanced to the FCS quarterfinals and finished the season with a No. 8 national ranking.
At Illinois State, his teams produced some of the most prolific offensive campaigns in school history by establishing 28 offensive records, including most points, rushing, passing and total yards in a single season.
His ISU teams produced 34 players who received All-America honors and 62 first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selections.
Before his first head coaching stop, Johnson spent 11 years as an assistant coach after beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma State in 1985. He coached three years at Tennessee-Martin (1986-88), four years at Oklahoma State (1989-92), three seasons at Mississippi State (1993-95) and one year at Oklahoma (1996), coaching the offensive line at all four schools.
An all-Missouri Valley Conference offensive lineman as a senior for the Golden Hurricane, Johnson was an eighth round draft choice by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1981. He spent two years (1981-82) with the Bucs and three seasons in the USFL, playing two years (1983-84) with the Los Angeles Express and the 1985 season with the Houston Gamblers. Johnson's USFL tenure included playing stints with quarterbacks Jim Kelly and Steve Young, who both went on to stardom in the NFL.
Johnson earned his bachelor's degree in business management in 1981. He and his wife, Danita Kay, have two daughters: Taylor and Kelsey.
Thursday's "Get to Know the Coach" is Jess Loepp.