ATLANTA — One of the winningest coaches in Georgia Tech history now has a chance to add Hall of Famer to his list of accomplishments.
Paul Johnson was named to the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced the names on the 2023 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame on Monday afternoon.
Johnson is among 80 players and nine coaches announced Monday.
Johnson compiled a career record of 189-99 (.656) in 22 seasons as a head coach, including an 82-60 record in 11 seasons at Georgia Tech (2008-18). His 82 wins are the fourth-most in Tech history.
He led the Jackets to nine bowl appearances and three Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Games and, during his 11 seasons at Tech, he was named ACC Coach of the Year three times (2008, 2009 and 2014).
Johnson’s 22-year career as a head coach also included successful stints at Georgia Southern (1997-2001) and the U.S. Naval Academy (2002-07). In five seasons at Georgia Southern, he led the Eagles to a 62-10 overall record, two NCAA Division I-AA national championships (1999 and 2000) and five-straight Southern Conference titles. In six years at Navy, he led the Midshipmen to five eight-win seasons, five Commander-in-Chief’s trophies and five bowl appearances, turning around a program that had won just one game in the two seasons prior to his arrival (1-20).
Across town, former University of Georgia head coach Mark Richt was also named to the ballot.
Georgia natives Eric Berry, of Fairburn, and Willie Gault, of Griffin, wee also named on the ballot.
Berry, a University of Tennessee defensive back, was a two-time unanimous first team All-American (2008-09) and winner of the 2009 Thorpe Award. He was the 2008 SEC defensive player of the year.
Gault, who also played at Tennessee, was a 1982 first team All-American who led the Vols to three bowl births.
The announcement of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2023.
The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 5, 2023, and permanently immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. They will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute during the 2023 season.
Here is a full list of nominations.