25 biggest villains in college football history
By Brad Weiss
Jimmy Johnson
Head Coach, Miami (FL)
The University of Miami enjoyed quite a run during the 1980s, as the Jimmy Johnson-led Hurricanes were the class of college football. While Johnson only was the head coach of the team for a five-year run from 1984-1988, he put his stamp on the program, leading them to the 1987 national title. Taking over for Howard Schnellenberger was not easy, but by the time he left Miami, Johnson had become the most famous coach in school history.
In 1983, Schnellenberger led the Hurricanes to a National Championship but decided to leave the school to become a head coach in the United States Football League (USFL). That paved the way for Johnson, who was a bit of an unknown when he took over the program. Headlines that read “Jimmy Who?” popped up all over Miami, but he was confident in his skills as a head coach.
Johnson was a master recruiter and was able to bring in the best players from around the country. He also led a program that was encouraged to talk trash to their opponents, drawing the ire of their competition. The team was nicknamed the “Bad Boys of College Football,” as the personalities on the team matched that of their head coach. After going only 8-5 in his first season, some doubted that Johnson was the right man for the job, but he quickly led his team to a decade of dominance.
During his time with the Hurricanes, Johnson left nothing to chance, often running up the score on his opponents. He became a villain around college football, but for players in his program, he was as beloved as they come. He would go on to win two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and is one of three men to win both a national title and a Super Bowl (Pete Carroll and Barry Switzer).