Texas A&M fans well remember the quarterbacking career of Jerrod Johnson, a highly-rated passer that helped bridge the gap from the Dennis Franchione era to the Mike Sherman era. Johnson put up a lot of numbers while in the maroon and white, and he is fondly remembered by many Aggie fans, but his pro playing career did not last very long.
He's found his niche in coaching, however, where he has been on the offensive staff with the Houston Texans for the last few years. Johnson has been a hot name as a potential rising offensive coordinator over the last few cycles, even interviewing with the Philadelphia Eagles a few weeks ago for that spot.
However, surprisingly, it was announced today that Johnson and the Texans had mutually parted ways, as the former Aggie quarterback will be looking for opportunities elsewhere. The immediate clamor from the Aggie fanbase was that Mike Elko should add Jerrod to staff— but that may not be the best move.
Why Texas A&M shouldn't chase after adding Jerrod Johnson to Aggie staff
While Johnson could be a valuable addition when it comes to schematic planning, having spent a couple of years in an innovative scheme in Houston, there is such a thing as too many cooks in the kitchen. Holmon Wiggins is looking to find his footing as an offensive coordinator right now, and adding yet another voice into the room, especially after picking up guys like Drew Hollingshead, could end up being deleterious.
The other thing is that, as much as Aggie fans love Johnson, the product on the field has not quite been what A&M fans would want when it comes to a quarterbacks coaching assistant. The regression of CJ Stroud this past year has been well-documented, and for a program that needs their quarterback to move forward, this may not be the move.
However, it's well possible that Johnson's QB coaching had nothing to do with Stroud's regression. I'm sure there are NFL franchises that would be happy to add Johnson that are of that opinion— but given the available evidence, it simply may not be the right time for the Aggies to make the move.