Don Johnson, who has been UCLA’s defensive line coach for
the past five years, has accepted an offer from the NFL’s
Chicago Bears to become their new defensive line coach.
This will be Johnson’s first NFL post after 18 years
coaching on the collegiate level.
“This was a very tough decision, an emotional
decision,” said Johnson, who also served as UCLA’s
recruiting coordinator.
“I have really enjoyed my five years at UCLA. It’s a
great place to coach.
“The toughest thing is leaving my players, but I felt that
at this time in my career this is an opportunity I needed to
seize.”
Johnson had been UCLA’s longest tenured coach. He was the
only holdover that Dorrell kept from the Bob Toledo era.
Under Johnson’s tutelage, the Bruins had their first two
winners of the Morris Trophy awarded to the Pac-10’s top
defensive lineman.
In 2001, Kenyon Coleman won the award as part of a UCLA defense,
ranked third in the league in rush defense, and in 2003 Dave Ball
won and was also named to the All-America team.
“We are thrilled for Don,” coach Karl Dorrell
said.
“Don has done some great things at UCLA and we are going
to miss him, but we are excited that he has this opportunity to
coach in the NFL.”
After enjoying success in 2003 with an all-senior defensive line
that featured NFL-bound Ball and Rodney Leisle, the defensive line
in 2004 struggled with all new players but significantly improved
toward the end of the season.
Johnson’s departure means that UCLA must begin searching
for a replacement for both posts.
With signing day already having passed, the most pressing
concern is a new defensive line coach to help develop a defensive
line corps that will be returning all its members.
“We’re really researching and going through some
people right now,” Dorrell said.
“I’ve been looking for some candidates for spring
ball.”