After LA: coach Paul Johnson (UL 1997-2004)

<p align=justify>FAYETTE, Ala. - Bevill State Community College has named former Louisiana Ragin' Cajun assistant Paul Johnson as its new men's head basketball coach.

During Johnson's seven-year stay at UL, the Cajuns won four Sun Belt Conference championships and two Sun Belt Conference tournament titles. The team reached the NCAA tournament in 2000 and 2004 and the NIT tournament in 2002 and 2003.

In 2002, Johnson received one of basketball's top honors by being named the National Assistant Coach of the Year by Coach and Athletic Director magazine.

"Paul has worked at all levels of basketball, and he has dealt with the most intricate of details to the overall picture of putting together a successful program," Bevill State Athletic Director Russell Howton said in a news release.

"I feel fortunate to have someone of his caliber leading our program."

For Johnson, the opportunity to be the head coach of a program that has won the Region XXII title and finished in the top eight in the nation in two of the last three seasons was the right fit at the right time.

"I am excited to be a head coach, and the head coach at a program with a tradition of winning," Johnson said in the release."We've got some groundwork ahead of us, but I am confident we will be in the hunt for a championship immediately."

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Johnson's primary role at UL was as coordinator of recruiting, a task that he has already begun at Bevill State.

Johnson said he planned to put a style of basketball on the floor that people will want to see.

"We'll be up-tempo, get out and run a little," Johnson said. "A lot of what we do the first year will depend on the players we sign, but I like to get out and run, press on defense, and force the other team to play at our pace."

Johnson's coaching resume also includes serving as an assistant coach for the 2002 Planet Basketball All-Star team that toured New Zealand. Prior to joining Louisiana-Lafayette, Johnson was an assistant coach for two years at Harding University, helping Harding to the NAIA Tournament with a 24-6 record in 1996.

Johnson has also served as an assistant at Lake City Community College in Lake City, Fla., Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky., and Florida College in Tampa, Fla.

Johnson played two years at Florida College before joining their staff as a coach. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in kinesiology from Harding University.

"With my dad being a preacher, we made a lot of moves when I was young," Johnson said. "In a way, I think it was good preparation for being a coach. But I still have some good friends in (nearby) Hamilton and I'm looking forward to being in the area and being the head coach at Bevill State Community College."

(Information provided by Bevill State Community College Sports Information Department.)
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&nbsp; MOBILE, Ala. - Former (UL) assistant coach Paul Johnson has been named men's basketball assistant coach at the University of South Alabama, head coach Ronnie Arrow announced Thursday.

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Is Paul Johnson available? I know he left South Alabama after one year. I think UL has an opening.

As an assistant at Louisiana, he was named the AFLAC National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002 by Coach and Athletic Director Magazine.

The Ragin' Cajuns posted a 132-81 (.620) record during his seven-year tenure at UL

Why did he leave South Al after one year?

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Originally Posted by SlappyCajun

Why did he leave South Al after one year?

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Not sure "why" he left, it may have been to launch<b> Southeast Elite Exposure </b>in the Atlanta area. According to the website they set up "events designed to showcase and evaluate the best basketball talent in the Southeast." <a href="http://www.southeasteliteexposure.com/about.php" target="_blank">LINK</a>