Paul Johnson Is Your ACC Coach of the Year

And it might not end there. I can imagine many more publications and affiliations jumping on board, particularly after the impressive way the Yellow Jackets crossed out Georgia's dream season and put a K (we will make Westside Connection references, yes we will). Despite some questionable losses (dropping a home game to Virginia before the Cavaliers then lost their final four games of the year) and really, a decent core of defensive talent, Paul Johnson's first year at Georgia Tech was likely way more successful than most people anticipated, achieving the highest BCS ranking in the conference, despite being left out of the championship game, and garnering a bid to the Chick fil-A Bowl.

And now, for what seems like the first time since the Joe Hamilton-Dez White glory days, Georgia Tech seems primed to be not only an ACC titan but possibly a national power as well. But while the ACC coach of the year honors usually has a Cy Young-ish obsession with win-loss records without context of how they've really come about (see Al Groh, 2007), the most impressive aspect of Georgia Tech's season undoubtedly was the coaching, how Johnson put the fear of the triple-option into a league averse to offensive innovation. Whether it's here to stay or a Kevin Maas situation where everyone eventually figures out the offense. But only the future will prove if Johnson's squad is a yearly contender for the Orange Bowl or a yearly contender to meet his old squad at Navy in the Congressional Bowl. For now, he's ACC coach of the year.