Livingstone College Makes a Decision on a New Direction

Salisbury - The Livingstone College Blue Bear Football team will soon be going in a new direction next season.

George Johnson, defensive coordinator at Alabama's Tuskegee University, has accepted the position as head coach of Livingstone's football team. Johnson should begin work Jan. 7.

Johnson, a graduate of Alabama A&M University in Normal, Ala., was defensive coordinator at Tuskegee for the past six years. Johnson helped lead TU's Golden Tigers to three Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles. In 2000 the Golden Tigers were 13-0 and crowned Black College National Champions.

The Golden Tigers also won two of the last three Pioneer Bowls in which they competed. The Pioneer Bowl pits the SIAC champions against the winners of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

Johnson also served as offensive line coach and offensive coordinator at Atlanta's Morris Brown College and was head coach at Webber High School in Chicago, Ill.

"He seems to be well organized and well versed in the coaching arena," said Livingstone Athletic Coordinator, Clifton Huff. "The thing that impressed the search committee is Coach Johnson's strong emphasis on education. He seems to have the player's academic agenda in order from the time they walk on as freshmen until they walk out - from study hall to tutoring. His number one goal is to graduate all his student athletes and be competitive."