Former Utah Utes quarterback Brian Johnson is joining the pro ranks, according to a report by Yahoo Sports.
Yahoo reported that Johnson, 33, has agreed to become the quarterbacks coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles went 4-11-1 last season, switching from starting quarterback Carson Wentz, who played in 12 games in the worst season of his career in 2020, to rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts, who threw for 1,061 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions in 15 games for the Eagles. Johnson will have an interesting quarterback situation to deal with when he arrives in Philadelphia.
Following his time as QB in Utah, where he led the Utes to a 13-0 season and a Sugar Bowl win against Alabama in the 2008 season, Johnson got his coaching start as quarterbacks coach for Utah in the 2010 and 2011 seasons before becoming offensive coordinator in 2012 at age 24. He was offensive coordinator in 2012 and co-offensive coordinator, with Dennis Erickson, in 2013.
After Utah, Johnson went to Mississippi State as the quarterbacks coach for three years before a stint as offensive coordinator at Houston in 2017. In 2018, he took a job at Florida as the quarterbacks coach before being upgraded to offensive coordinator for the 2020 season.
Johnson has coached Dak Prescott while at Mississippi State and Kyle Trask at Florida. Prescott went on to be the star quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, while Trask was in the Heisman Trophy conversation after throwing for 4,283 yards and 43 touchdowns. Trask is projected to be selected in this year’s NFL draft.