Sports
Ohio Adds Isphording, Johnson and Rodgers To Football Staff
By: Nick Komjati
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Ohio University announced the hiring of two new assistant coaches and a new director of football operations on Thursday, filling the voids left after the exits of Gerry Gdowski, Kevin Lightner and Jason Grooms in January.
The program formally named Scott Isphording as the new co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and Dave Johnson as the new offensive line coach. Both coaches we’re introduced to Bobcat Club members at a National Signing Day event on Feb. 5, but Thursday was the official confirmation of their hiring.
Isphording served as Ohio’s tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator in 2009, but left to join the University of Toledo coaching staff in 2010 where he has served as a quarterbacks coach, recruiting coordinator, and passing game coordinator ever since.
Johnson joins the Ohio staff with quite the résumé in hand, as he has coached at the University of Massachusetts, the University of Cincinnati, West Virginia University and spent most of his time at the University of Georgia as a tight ends coach. Four of Johnson’s Bulldog tight ends are now in the NFL, including Randy McMichael, Ben Watson, Martez Milner and Leonard Pope.
Ohio also promoted former Bobcat player Chris Rodgers to the director of football operations position after he served as an operations assistant in 2013. Rodgers played for the ‘Cats from 2005-09 as a tight end and offensive lineman, competing in two bowl games.
The three hires fill all of the open vacancies in the Ohio staff. Isphording, Johnson, Rodgers and the rest of the Bobcat program now set their sights on spring practice which is set to begin after the players return from spring break.