1/7/2004 - Football
Johnson A Finalist For Eddie Robinson Award

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.-Navy head football coach Paul Johnson is one of three finalists for the Eddie Robinson award, which is presented annually by the Football Writers Association of America to college football's coach of the year.

Johnson, who will attend the awards banquet in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Thursday, is joined by LSU's Nick Saban and TCU's Gary Patterson. Ironically enough, both Saban (1982) and Patterson (1995) are former assistants at the Naval Academy with Patterson and Johnson serving as assistants on the same staff.

Johnson took over a program that had gone 1-20 the previous two years, the worst two-year stretch in school history, and led the Midshipmen to a bowl game in just two short years. The Mids were 8-5 this year and won the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy for the first time since 1981.