Johnson, who has been the tight ends coach at Georgia since 2001, discussed the opening with Stewart in Morgantown, a person close the situation confirmed this afternoon. While Johnson has not yet accepted any position, West Virginia is willing to pay Johnson more money, and Johnson is a West Virginia native.
Johnson has developed a string of tight ends for the NFL while in Athens. Randy McMichael, Martrez Milner, Leonard Pope and Benjamin Watson – all tight ends under Johnson, were drafted since 2001.
Johnson was a candidate for the offensive line position at Georgia after Neil Callaway left the program to become head coach at Alabama-Birmingham in 2007, but Stacy Searles was selected for that spot instead.
Johnson has strong ties to the state of West Virginia. While at WVU Johnson was a four-year letterwinner. He then served as a graduate assistant at that school from 1984-85. From 1997-2000, Johnson served as the Recruiting Coordinator, tight ends and offensive line coach for in-state Marshall.
Georgia spokesman Claude Felton did immediatly not return a phone message.