The 59-year-old Johnson was introduced Tuesday during a press conference on campus. He has spent the past four years as defensive coordinator at South Carolina, and has substantial ties in Mississippi, previously working as defensive coordinator at Mississippi State and Southern Miss.
The Winnsboro, S.C., native takes over a program that has had 18 straight winning seasons and been to 10 straight bowl games, but has not made it to a Bowl Championship Series game like Boise State and TCU, two non-BCS conference schools that have managed to crash the elite college football club.
"As I take over this program, I'm looking for something that's never been done before," Johnson said. "Frankly, there's very little left. It's intimidating, but it's also challenging."
Johnson replaces Larry Fedora, who is leaving Southern Miss after four seasons to take the North Carolina job. The Golden Eagles just completed their first 10-win season since 1988 and won a Conference USA title for the first time since 2003.
Fedora will be the coach Southern Miss against Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24.
Johnson said he would not coach in South Carolina's game against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 2. He said he would begin work for the Golden Eagles immediately.
by D Bryant
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