STARKVILLE — A year after hiring four new defensive coaches, Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen will have to hire a new offensive coach this offseason.
MSU quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson was named the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Houston, new Houston coach Major Applewhite announced Tuesday. Johnson’s hiring comes one day after MSU beat Miami University 17-16 Monday in the St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Mullen declined to comment via a text message when asked about Johnson’s departure.
Johnson, a Baytown, Texas, native, spent the last three seasons in Starkville. In his first two seasons, he worked with Dak Prescott, who broke 38 school records and is the starting quarterback for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
“He was unbelievable, and I’m very thankful to have him as a coach. Once I got the offense down, he took me to another level, and his knowledge of the game was invaluable,” Prescott said in a statement released by Houston. “It meant a lot to have someone who has played at such a high level be able to teach you. You look at the success he had with his undefeated season at Utah and you know he can back up what he is teaching. He’s also a great guy who pushes you to be a better person in the community and academically. I’m very proud of him.”
Johnson spent this season working with sophomore Nick Fitzgerald, who was named starting quarterback a week before the first game of the season. Fitzgerald rushed for 1,375 yards to break Prescott’s school single-season rushing record by a quarterback. Prescott is one and two in the school history in single-season total offense (4,435 yards in 2014; 4,381 yards in 2015), while Fitzgerald is third with 3,798 yards this season.
Mullen recruited Johnson while at Utah. Johnson played for the Utes from 2004-08. Mullen left Utah after the 2004 season to follow coach Urban Meyer to Florida.
Johnson served as the Utah quarterbacks coach for two seasons (2010-11) before being promoted to offensive coordinator. He served as the Utes’ offensive coordinator for two seasons (2012-13) before heading to Starkville to join Mullen’s staff.
Although Mullen handles most of the play-calling duties, he said Johnson called several plays late in the season so he could focus on being a head coach and work with the offense and defense equally.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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