OT/Former Redbird: Red Boots Resigns

[MadBird]

Former ISU HC and Missouri Southern HC Denver Johnson has resigned effective immediately. His record 3 games into his 4th season was 3-33 (as I figure it). Pretty rough time.

http://footballscoop.com/news/denver-johnson-steps-missouri-southern-state/

http://www.joplinglobe.com/sports/d...cle_646d7eb2-bb43-11e8-8bd9-2b42c07b41a0.html

 

[DannyCooksey]

Former ISU HC and Missouri Southern HC Denver Johnson has resigned effective immediately. His record 3 games into his 4th season was 3-33 (as I figure it). Pretty rough time.

http://footballscoop.com/news/denver-johnson-steps-missouri-southern-state/

http://www.joplinglobe.com/sports/d...cle_646d7eb2-bb43-11e8-8bd9-2b42c07b41a0.html

He’s had a good career. Successful

 

[fourthandshort]

tough way to finish, but definitely gave ISU a few good years. didn't know or witness his coaching at all, just read things here from his fans. But it's a nice article and sounds like a class guy who knew his team needed new direction. This opens the search up completely/openly (no small thing) and in time for recruitment season if they find someone. Classy move to step aside when it wasn't working .. not the same as giving up, since he helped them by doing this.

 

[StLRedbird]

I remember being a little surprised that Johnson thought ISU was a step up from Murray. It was right after Berry had given some long suffering Redbird football fans their first real taste of success. He just couldn't get over the hump here in what was a much less formidable Gateway. I wish him well.

 

[ISUBU]

Looking back, he never won over a significant part of the Redbird faithful. I know some fans who thought very highly of his contributions in the community, and attendance hit peaks during his time that we no longer approach. His W-L record was the reason he was fired, and Spack has clearly elevated the team since then. There were very low times from I think his second game (the NIU playbook debacle) to the last second Drake loss, but no other Redbird coach was branded with such a sarcastic nickname for wearing our schools color.

 

[TIMMY]

I liked Denver a lot. Good man. Always went out of his way to be nice to my kids. But there comes a time for everyone and it's his time go. I won't be surprised to see him coaching an O-line somewhere next year. It's his strength. Good Luck Coach!

 

[Total Red]

I was a non-stop poster during the Denver Johnson era and the Johnson family had a serious disdain for me because (among other things) I went on this website and wrote a post calling for the athletic admin to not offer him a contract extension a couple of years before he resigned. It didn't play well at the time but my concern was for the football program as a whole and I never regretted it.

Moving forward the Missouri Southern State job was never a good fit for Coach Johnson. He's a coach that likes to delegate a lot to his assistants. In nine seasons at Illinois State Johnson had one playoff team (2006, 9-4 record) and that team had Justin Fuente as OC. It's hard to find a Fuente in D-II so it was an uphill battle for him from the beginning but that's easy to see now. Hindsight is always 20-20 isn't it.

I also don't think Denver Johnson every really loved being a head football coach and it is such a demanding occupation it's very difficult to be successful if you don't start with an overwhelming passion. I'll be curious to see if I get some push back on that from others that know him better than I do. You're not likely to change my mind but I'd be interested in knowing if others saw it differently.

Keep in mind Denver Johnson's true skills. He's a good public speaker and his down home humor and insights play well on the radio. He's a master at tailoring his message to his audience. Because of that I have thought that he was better suited to politics or a radio/public relations type job. It's getting late in the game for him but I suppose that could still happen.

Based on his record conventional wisdom would dictate that we've seen the last of Denver Johnson in the head coaching arena but this cat has nine lives. Wherever he goes he'll charm the socks off people and he'll win the interview. He did it here.

 

[Birdswin]

Very well said Total Red. Yes, Denver was a very good man, a good speaker, and sounded great. However, his ability to be a head coach and lead a program is less than satisfactory - as his record speaks for itself. ISU football is much better off now - no question about it.

 

[MadBird]

Since I "started" this, I'll toss in my two cents . . . . .

First, I used the "Red Boots" sarcastic nickname because, well, I thought it was a joke, basically. The Red Boots, that is, the whole "act". Out of place, didn't fit. God bless him for "being himself", but while it might have played in Tulsa or Joplin, not so much in Bloomington/Normal. Now, Hawk Harrelson's longevity undercuts my argument, but same with Hawk, that southern corn pone drawl BS home spun crap just don't hunt up here, in my opinion.

I was underwhelmed when Denver was hired. Follow up Berry with a 3 yr HC from Murray St. with 3 consecutive 7-4 years. Didn't do much for me. Thought we could have done better.

He had a couple decent years (including the first one, with lots of Berry's recruits), but his record over 9 years was also underwhelming. 4 winning years out of 9. 3 of 9 with 7 wins or more. No Gateway titles. We had some decent players when he was here, and especially Fuentes some decent coaches came along. But he kind of defined the "mediocrity" that it really ticks me off when a few on this board talk about it, but the record is out there to see. Good points brought up about the home attendance during some of those years. We had some fun teams to watch. But in the end, maybe they were underachievers.

I could see why he thought Mo. Southern would be a good fit, a place to either finish out his career or set up another run at a bigger place - kind of a home style geographic area for him, Joplin, Tulsa, Springfield MO, etc. That's a decent DII conference, competitive, some decent programs. But it never happened for him.

I appreciate Denver now much more than when he was here. I appreciate the comments by some of the folks on the board I respect the most that he was a decent guy and a good man. Took some guts to walk away from here (I'm sure Zenger encouraged him) and also from Mo. Southern. No competitive guy wants to do that. I hope he ends up happy, whether he keeps at it or sets up in the Ozarks hunting catfish.

 

[fourthandshort]

Interesting comments about Denver Johnson ... I wouldn't know either way. But Madbirds comment about how he defined "mediocrity" struck a cord for me .... combine some of these sentiments (good guy, average coach), with the legacy of our stadium, Coach Hancock ... he had a very "average" career .. final record was 57-45-19 .. that's right, 19 ties. In fact I think I heard he has the all time FCS (or NCAA) record for ties. A coach who settles for ties ..... If that isn't the definition of mediocrity, I don't know what it is. So we named our stadium after him. Maybe this explains why it took us so many decades before President Bowman was hired and started advocating real commitments to the football program.

p.s. I know less about Hancock than Johnson .. but can't ignore records, especially over a 80 year period.

 

[TIMMY]

Interesting comments about Denver Johnson ... I wouldn't know either way. But Madbirds comment about how he defined "mediocrity" struck a cord for me .... combine some of these sentiments (good guy, average coach), with the legacy of our stadium, Coach Hancock ... he had a very "average" career .. final record was 57-45-19 .. that's right, 19 ties. In fact I think I heard he has the all time FCS (or NCAA) record for ties. A coach who settles for ties ..... If that isn't the definition of mediocrity, I don't know what it is. So we named our stadium after him. Maybe this explains why it took us so many decades before President Bowman was hired and started advocating real commitments to the football program.

p.s. I know less about Hancock than Johnson .. but can't ignore records, especially over a 80 year period.

Hancock was the AD that got the fieldhouse and stadium built in 1963. No I don't remember it. But it was still pretty new when I got down there. So you gotta give him some props for that. Anyway he was at ISU for like 30 something years, so I think his name on the sign was more about his longevity than it was his coaching acumen. Same with Pops Horton.

 

[isuquinndog]

Denver was known for one thing. Red boots. That's all you need to know.

 

[MadBird]

Well, Hancock coached in an era where there was no OT, right? So, it would be "easier" to end up with a tie. A quick check shows Bear Bryant had 17 career ties (and of course 300+ wins!!). But, I don't disagree with the idea that Hancock's overall record isn't exactly inspiring. No doubt a credit to the profession and the university and so forth, hence the naming of the stadium in his honor.

I have a photo that I took of him many years ago, in his later years, underneath the west grandstand during a game (after his coaching days). He looked like a kindly old gent, gracious enough to let me snap his picture. Attending the game in a sport coat and tie, old school!!

As for Denver, lots of good players passed through during his tenure, maybe that is why the record is so frustrating. Boomer Grigsby, Laurent Robinson, Luke Drone, Pierre Rembert, Tom Nelson, Brent Hawkins, Kye Stewart, Cam Siskowic, Stafford Davis. A few guys there who made money playing the game after they left.

 

[fourthandshort]

Well, Hancock coached in an era where there was no OT, right? So, it would be "easier" to end up with a tie. A quick check shows Bear Bryant had 17 career ties (and of course 300+ wins!!). But, I don't disagree with the idea that Hancock's overall record isn't exactly inspiring. No doubt a credit to the profession and the university and so forth, hence the naming of the stadium in his honor.

.........................

So his record, I think was highest % of games ended in a tie .. so 19 out of 121 = 16% .. 1 out of 6, wound up in tie. Not a very distinguished record to have. I'm sure he was also a very good guy.

 

[MadBird]

Coach Johnson has caught on someplace:

Lindenwood (D-II – MO): Former Missouri Southern, Illinois State and Murray State head coach Denver Johnson is the new offensive line coach at Lindenwood, sources tell FootballScoop.

https://footballscoop.com/the-scoop/

Not my favorite Redbird coach, but I know many of you have spoken highly of him. Glad he was able to find a spot. Looks like Lindenwood had a fine season, made it to round 2 of the DII playoffs, won the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

 

[TIMMY]

Coach Johnson has forgotten more about Oline play than most people will ever know. I hope he has fun doing what he loves.

 

[StLRedbird]

Coach Johnson has caught on someplace:

Lindenwood (D-II – MO): Former Missouri Southern, Illinois State and Murray State head coach Denver Johnson is the new offensive line coach at Lindenwood, sources tell FootballScoop.

https://footballscoop.com/the-scoop/

Not my favorite Redbird coach, but I know many of you have spoken highly of him. Glad he was able to find a spot. Looks like Lindenwood had a fine season, made it to round 2 of the DII playoffs, won the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Thanks, Madbird. Lindenwood is a growing school. Recently moved from NAIA to D-II. Private school with a big endowment and willingness to spend on athletics. Wouldn't be surprised at all to see them at D-I/FCS level in the not too distant future.