Holmes Community College did not have to look far to find its next head football coach.
The college announced that assistant head coach and defensive coordinator C.J. Johnson has been promoted to head coach of the Bulldogs, succeeding Marcus Wood following his retirement.
Johnson, a Philadelphia native, has spent the last four seasons on the Goodman campus. He served as co-defensive coordinator during his first two years before taking over as sole defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the past two seasons, while also coaching the linebackers throughout his four-year tenure.
“Choosing C.J. Johnson as our next head football coach is a tremendous moment for Holmes Community College, as he has earned the respect of our entire campus through his tireless work ethic over the past four seasons,” Holmes President Dr. Jim Haffey said. “From his days as a team captain at Ole Miss to winning championships as a coach, C.J. knows our culture and what it takes to build a winning standard in Mississippi. We are thrilled to have a leader of his caliber guiding our student-athletes into this next era of Bulldog football.”
For Johnson, stepping into the head coaching role at Holmes marks a career milestone.
“Obviously I’m excited about this opportunity,” Johnson said. “I’d like to thank the leadership of the College for trusting me with this position. I’m looking forward to getting started building our team for next year. I’ve always tried to do my best as a coordinator and hopefully one day I’d get an opportunity to be a head coach.”
With the hire officially set, Johnson’s immediate focus shifts toward roster retention, filling out his coaching staff, and hitting the recruiting trail.
“The main focus right now is retaining the players that we do have on campus as a top priority for us, and being able to get out on the road and recruit the state and across the Southeast region for players that fit Holmes Community College,” Johnson said. “The plan is to hire coordinators on both sides of the ball, and we’ve already started that process. We are confident that we’ll get some coordinators in there that’ll fit the identity of what we are trying to build from an offensive and defensive standpoint.”
Prior to arriving at Holmes, Johnson served as an assistant coach at Morton High School. His coaching background also includes defensive coordinator duties at American Heritage in Delray, Florida, defensive line coaching at Coffeyville Community College and East Mississippi Community College, as well as graduate assistant roles at EMCC and Florida Atlantic University. During his time at East Mississippi, he helped guide the Lions to a national championship and two state titles, and at FAU he was part of Lane Kiffin’s staff that captured a Conference USA championship.
Before launching his coaching career in 2016, Johnson built a legendary playing career in the state of Mississippi. As a star at Philadelphia High School, he earned U.S. Army, Parade, and PrepStar All-American honors, was named the Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen and No. 1 player on the Most Wanted list, and collected MAC 3A Defensive Player of the Year honors.
He went on to become a five-year letterman and three-year defensive starter at Ole Miss under Hugh Freeze, serving as a team captain, appearing in four straight bowl games including Sugar Bowl and Peach Bowl berths and earning honorable mention All-America status. After his Rebel career, he attended the 2016 NFL Combine and signed as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots.
Johnson earned his undergraduate degree in criminal justice from Ole Miss. He is the son of the late Chris Johnson and Linda Edwards of Newton. He and his wife, Cache, have a son, Cashius.
