And when that happens, we all listen. Even if it’s the same stuff we usually get.
Paul Johnson talks to CSTV’s Steve Brauntuch
Same questions, same answers as always. Sometimes I wonder if PJ gets tired of doing the same interview every time. Fortunately, I never get tired of reading it. While none of this is really new, there are a couple of things I wanted to point out:
— The interviewer made the same mistake that fans and media members alike have made recently: thinking that Paul Johnson ran a different offense at Hawaii than at Navy or Georgia Southern. That’s the problem with just looking at a stat sheet, I guess. The playcalling might have been different, but the offense was the same. Same formations, same spread option-based stuff that we all love (or should love if you also like winning). Garrett Gabriel was the quarterback for those Hawaii teams that threw the ball around. PJ says that they did so because Gabriel was a good passer. After watching some of those games, though, I think it’s entirely possible that they threw the ball because he just wasn’t a very good runner.
Anyway, I bring this up because in the midst of all the speculation surrounding PJ and the UNC and NC State jobs, there were a lot of people saying that Coach would change his offense if he was hired for either of them. They’d use Hawaii to prove their point, but that isn’t really what happened there. He ran the same offense, but adapted to the personnel he had. It didn’t stay that way, either. PJ threw the ball when he inherited Garrett Gabriel, but once he had a chance to recruit his own players for his offense he ended up with guys like Michael Carter and Ivin Jasper– run-first quarterbacks. By the time Coach Johnson left for Navy, Hawaii had led the nation in rushing. Note to those who’d hire PJ away from Navy– the man likes to run the ball. You’re going to be an “option team.” Don’t kid yourself.
— Speaking of which, I could do without the “winning a championship where it’s easier” comment. I was fully convinced that PJ would’ve left for UNC or NC State if either had seriously courted him. Since neither school did, it reinforced the warm state of denial I have when it comes to the thought of him leaving. Comments like these are a cold wind under that warm blanket. While I try to keep a level head when it comes to these things, I’m pretty sure that my house will look something like Picasso’s Guernica if news of PJ’s departure ever reaches it.
Other than that, it’s pretty standard stuff. There are some other football items of interest popping up today, too:
— The media guide is out. And the best part of the media guide? Future schedules!
2008
Aug. 30 . . .Towson
Sept. 6 . . .at Ball State
Sept. 13 . . at Duke
Sept. 20 . . Rutgers
Sept. 27 . . at Wake Forest
Oct. 4 . . . at Air Force
Oct. 18 . . .Pittsburgh (Homecoming)
Oct. 25 . . .SMU
Nov. 1 . . . Temple
Nov. 15 . . .Notre Dame (Baltimore)
Nov. 22 . . .at Northern Illinois
Dec. 6 . . . Army (Philadelphia)
2009
Sept. 5 . . . at Hawaii
Sept. 12 . . .Georgia Southern
Sept. 19 . . .at Pittsburgh
Sept. 26 . . .Wake Forest
Oct. 3 . . . .Air Force
Oct. 10 . . . at Rutgers
Oct. 24 . . . Bowling Green (Homecoming)
Oct. 31 . . . at SMU
Nov. 7 . . . .at Notre Dame
Nov. 14 . . . Delaware
Nov. 21 . . . at Temple
Dec. 5 . . . .Army (Philadelphia)
2010
Sept. 11 . . .Rutgers
Sept. 25 . . .at Wake Forest
Oct. 2 . . . .at Air Force
Oct. 16 . . . SMU
Oct. 23 . . . Notre Dame (Baltimore)
Nov. 6 . . . .at East Carolina
Nov. 13 . . . Delaware
Nov. 20 . . . at Houston
Dec. 4 . . . .Army (Philadelphia)
Need a game in ’09 and a few in ’10, obviously. I thought we were originally scheduled to play 4 games with Pittsburgh; I’m not sure if I’m wrong about that, if the 4th game is after 2010, or if the deal was changed. *UNSUBSTANTIATED RUMOR ALERT* I thought I heard Chet G. say something about playing Maryland in 2010 during halftime of one of last year’s games, but having heard nothing of the sort since then I’m convinced I’m just losing my mind.
— Along with the media guide, the official football outlook has been released.
— Ron Snyder has his own take on the upcoming season.
The Birddog 
I seem to remember past future schedules in media guides indicating Navy may play Syracuse and/or Buffalo. Any idea if those are still in the works?
I don’t remember seeing Syracuse on the schedule. I remember seeing something in a Syracuse newspaper about the two schools talking, but who knows if anything came of it. I remember Buffalo, but I think they were replaced by Northern Illinois and Bowling Green as part of the MAC scheduling debacle earlier this year.
Looking ahead to next years schedule – I hate where the AF game falls. second of back to back road games and right after the WF game. TC’s second year at the helm – not a good spot for the Mids.
I’ll wait to see how he does in his first year before deciding if I need to be worried in his second year. I don’t think anyone knows who will play quarterback for Air Force next year either, since all their prep school QBs left. I do have some concern about the team’s attitude if we don’t pull off either the Rutgers or Wake Forest game, though. Don’t want to build the wrong kind of momentum…
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