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Johnson Leaves Navy For Ga. Tech

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The Associated Press

Published: December 8, 2007

ATLANTA - Navy football coach Paul Johnson is headed to Georgia Tech after turning around a struggling program in six years at the military academy.

Johnson, a former Georgia Southern coach, also negotiated with Southern Methodist and Duke this week.

He will replace Chan Gailey, who was fired one day after a 7-5 regular season ended with his sixth straight loss to Georgia. Gailey had four years left on his contract at $1 million per season.

The Midshipmen had a miserable 1-20 record in the two seasons before Johnson took over. He had a 2-10 record in his first season, but turned things around quickly.

He led the Midshipmen to five straight bowl games, a school record. Navy will play Utah in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 20 in San Diego.

Johnson was 45-29 at Navy. He was also successful against the other service academies. He got his sixth straight win against rival Army last week, an unprecedented streak.

RUTGERS: Greg Schiano rejected overtures from Michigan and will remain the coach at Rutgers.

"I was contacted earlier this week about the Michigan coaching vacancy, but I have decided to remove my name from consideration," Schiano said in a statement. "I look forward to our third straight bowl game and to bringing a national championship to Rutgers and the state of New Jersey."

Michigan athletic director Bill Martin and Schiano met for several hours in New York on Tuesday.

APPALACHIAN ST. 55, RICHMOND 35: Quarterback Armanti Edwards rushed for 313 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 182 yards and three more scores as two-time defending champion Appalachian State advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision title game.

Edwards, a sophomore, dominated on the ground as the Mountaineers built a 21-point lead. After Richmond rallied to tie, Edwards went to the air to put it away.

His 29-yard TD pass to Nic Cardwell with 10 minutes left made it 49-35. His 13-yard TD pass to Cardwell with 5:27 left iced it.

Edwards' rushing yards were the most by a quarterback in FCS - formerly Division I-AA - history and 18 shy of the playoff rushing record.

He also completed 14 of 16 passes in a nearly flawless performance that ended with the fans tearing down the goal posts, the same way they did when the Mountaineers won at Michigan in September.

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