Paul Johnson leaves Navy for Georgia Tech

ATLANTA, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Paul Johnson Friday left his job as football coach at the U.S. Naval Academy to fill the vacancy at Georgia Tech.

Johnson, 50, replaces Chan Gailey, who was fired Nov. 26 after a 7-5 season ended with his sixth straight loss to archrival Georgia.

"Paul Johnson is the best fit, the best choice for the Georgia Tech head coaching position," said Athletic Director Dan Radakovich at a news conference. "He will educate young men, represent Georgia Tech at the highest level, will win football games and play for championships."

In six years at Navy, Johnson revitalized a program that suffered the worst two-year stretch in its 122-year history prior to his arrival, going 1-20 between the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

His overall record at Annapolis was 37-29 with school records in bowl games (five straight) and victories against archrival Army (six straight).

Before Navy, he was 62-9 in five seasons at Georgia Southern, including consecutive I-AA titles (1999 and 2000).