BREAKING NEWS FROM THE AP: Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson retired abruptly Wednesday as the Commodores’ head coach for what he called personal reasons.
Vice Chancellor David Williams announced the news in a post on the university’s athletic website Wednesday just before a news conference. Minutes later, the 59-year-old Johnson stepped up to a podium and said he was retiring from college football.
Johnson called it a very difficult decision but one not prompted by health concerns for either himself or his wife.
“Football is not life, but it’s a way of life and it consumes your life,” Johnson said. “You only have so many years to live, and you want to see a different way.”
Johnson’s retirement comes a week before he was scheduled to appear at the Southeastern Conference’s preseason media days, nearly three weeks before players report for fall practice and just seven weeks before the Commodores’ opener Sept. 4 against Northwestern. (entire AP story below)
12 thoughts on “UPDATE: Vandy’s Bobby Johnson retires”
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Or maybe the dude decided enough was enough…..If that is the case it would have been nice for him to have this grand revalation last winter..At least for the ‘dores anyway.
And dadgummit man,,, lets get some venom spewing up in here..This place is as dead as a doornail….less than 2 months to kickoff and it was livelier in here in Februarary…Bring some game Cap and ITK…lets get this beeyotch started.
Keep playing with those balls, Injun. There’s no need to spew venom when my Alma Mater’s football team is in Dynasty mode.
Alas, the Tiggers better hope they can win four SEC games this year. Anyone with any sense knows that the Barn is competing with MSU for 4th place in the West. While the Greatest College Football Program in the history of mankind will possibly not go undefeated, but will win a 14th National Championship in January 2011.
But don’t feel bad Injun, yall got that fat kid from Cullman!!!!! Yall is Fambly!!!!!
Thats more like it…What do you seriously see our record being ?
In my opinion Auburns toughest games are all at home, except for Bama. I see one probable loss in Bama. Two that could go 50/50 in Georgia and LSU and three that are most likely wins but no shoe in with Arky , S.C., and Clemson. All of wich are at home. So with the goggles off I will say we drop one of the 50/50 games….Lose the one we should ( yes , you heard me right) and lose one of the three we shouldnt….Auburn most likely goes 9-3….Could possibly go 10-2 at best if the stars align…and could go 8-4 if we have a meltdown with injuries etc.
On Bamas schedule I see 4 tough games with three at home and one away. I beleive you beat Penn St. Florida is 60/40 Bama..LSU is at night in death valley so I would say that game is 50 / 50….Then the Iron bowl at Bama…I would say 60/40 Bama…So best csae is another undeafeted regular season…what will probably happen is 11-1 with a loss to LSU ????. A third undeafeted regular season in the SEC is almost impossible….Worst case is 10-2 with another loss to Florida or Auburn….
Keep in mind this is my opinion with the goggles off and being practical. I do not think for a second AU will go undefeated like Steele says. I guess its not impossible, but not likely at all. In another year, if recruiting holds up, we will have another conversation all together. Our offense is not the problem our team faces……Its the defense…If Roof pulls another last year, he should be shown the door, and if he isnt, we have problems. JMO.
Depth and injuries are everything. I don’t see Auburn dealing with the natural attrition very well. I think they are now what Alabama was 4 to 8 years ago. They might be decent in September but they won’t be a factor at the end of the season.
The reason Alabama is as good as they are is that they have great talent at every position. The biggest loss Alabama had last year was Dante Hightower and they replaced him with a guy that is going to make the Jets in five weeks. The Jets are one of the best defensive teams in the NFL. Think about that.
The biggest loss Alabama has is at kicker. As inconsistent as Leigh Tiffin was his first year, he was usually money his last three years. He was really great at 45 yards and up. Leigh struggled more from 30 to 40 than from 40 to 50. Leigh Tiffin will be the biggest loss from last years team.
Unfortunately for everyone on Alabama’s schedule, this team will be so much better than anyone else that losing an All-American kicker will not matter.
Alabama will go 13-1 or 14-0, barring several season ending injuries.
Auburn will be lucky to go 8-5 again. You’re going to be either 4-4 or 3-5 in the SEC and AU will lose another 4 games in a row this year. Auburn is not close to being as good as Arkansas, LSU, or Alabama. Auburn should be deeply concerned about Clemson, MSU, Georgia and South Carolina. If you lose to Ole Miss for some crazy reason, then Auburn won’t even be bowl eligible.
Your crimson goggles are messin with reality dude….
Look at our Offensive unit…Our O-line is as good as anyones in the conference, including yours. Our tailbacks should perform well enough , and look for Eric Smith to have a breakout year ( I know yall hate the dude, but he is a sleeper)..Widouts will be very good…Coach Taylor is as good as anyone at coaching the wideout position (see Darvin Adams).
On the defense I know we are thin (though not as thin as last year) , but not untalented. Our defensive front are beasts ( ask your offensive line from last year)…Our starting linebackers are very thin, but the starters are very talented …Look for Josh Bynes to ger All-SEC honors barring injury…Out secondary is pretty thin, but talented.
So I wouldnt say Arky or Georgia are any more talented than AU….LSU , yes…But look at their coaching….They have gotten progressively worse since hes gotten there, and that will not change. Plus we are playing at home.
I think the Clemson game is an Automatic W if there Q.B. doesnt ger an exemption to play on his baseball contract.
I believe we could drop the Arky or the Georgia game , but probably not both.
Georgia doesnt have a quarterback…
Should lose to Bama, but who knows.
Lucky to be 8-5 ???? No… That would be worst case.
When I was reading the above posts I saw a few things that made no sense. Examples?
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“Look at our Offensive unit…Our O-line is as good as anyones in the conference, including yours.” Ballplay Indian
Okay Ballplay. That would be the koolaid talking. Auburn has an experienced offensive line returning. The problem is that they have never been anything more than mediocre. See some of the graduating classes of the Shula Era. Just becasue they are seniors doesnt mean they are worth a ****.
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“Our defensive front are beasts” Ballplay Indian
Have you lost your mind? I suppose for a Ball State or a Furman they would be. But by SEC standards they are merely average.
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“Lucky to be 8-5 ???? No… That would be worst case.”
When I was reading the above posts I saw a few things that made no sense. Examples?
***********
“Look at our Offensive unit…Our O-line is as good as anyones in the conference, including yours.” Ballplay Indian
Okay Ballplay. That would be the koolaid talking. Auburn has an experienced offensive line returning. The problem is that they have never been anything more than mediocre. See some of the graduating classes of the Shula Era. Just becasue they are seniors doesnt mean they are worth a ****.
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“Our defensive front are beasts” Ballplay Indian
Have you lost your mind? I suppose for a Ball State or a Furman they would be. But by SEC standards they are merely average.
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“Lucky to be 8-5 ???? No… That would be worst case.” Ballplay Indian
Not really. While auburn may have made some advances in recruiting they are still the defencive sieve that let Northwestern rack up 600+ yards. And everyone in the SEC has made upgrades too(except maybe Ole Miss.)
Never forget that Gus Malzhan’s dipsydoo trickeroo will be surprising no one this season. it is a bit risky to try to sell in the SEC against the nation’s best defenses.
BTW.
I would be stunned if Auburn does not lose to every SEC team they lost to last season.
UGA is going tfor their own 6 in a row. Arkansas is starting to show dominance in the series. LSU will win because Les Miles has to win it. Miss State will win because Dan Mullen is 10 times the offensive mind of Gus Malzhan. And after the Ole mIss game I think his boys are getting the system.
Auburn is pretty equal with Kentucky in talent right now…
The observation about the O-line is not just my own…..More than one media outlet (major has said the same)..The front 4 on defense are thin but they are good….Ask Mark Ingram…..They put him out of the game…remember ? We will be berter than last year….Georgia wont. LSU wont. Arky might be….Clemson wont. Scar is a wash.
It’s interesting to me when people solicit opinions merely to disagree with the opinion.
The fact remains that Auburn is an average team, with average talent on the field and in the booth. Yes, they “could” go 10-3 but it is much more likely that they will finish 7-6, 6-7, 5-7, or 8-5.
If you can name for me a team from the SEC West in the last 10 years that won more than 8 games; after going into the season with a returning defense that the year prior was rated #79 in scoring defense, #78 in rushing defense, and #68 in total defense and was coupled with a JuCo quarterback with one spring experience in the offensive system then I’ll tip my hat to you. Chances are you won’t be able to cite one team from our division with that kind of turn around. You need to remember that your senior QB put a lot of lipstick on those pigs he called teammates and coaches, which lead to AU’s solid start. He’s gone. Newton is untested and will struggle. Most do.
In the words of Coach Bill Parcells, “You are what you are.”. Auburn is a sieve on defense, has little depth and is an overall average team. Get used to that fact.