Hokie Club James Johnson enters his second season on the Tech football staff. He was appointed to the Director of High School Relations role in the summer of 2023. Johnson returned to Blacksburg after serving as the Hokies’ head men’s basketball coach from 2012 to 2014.
Johnson has deep roots across the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic, allowing him to cultivate and sustain lasting relationships within the Virginia Tech recruiting footprint. He brings nearly three decades of experience in college athletics, including more than 10 years in the ACC with coaching stops at Virginia Tech, Miami and North Carolina State, where he most recently worked under Kevin Keatts for five seasons. Throughout his career up and down the east coast, Johnson has made countless high school connections, and understands how crucial recruiting is to a successful program.
Prior to serving as head coach, Johnson spent the previous five seasons on the basketball staff at Tech. The Hokies had a record of 103-67 during his time as a Tech assistant.
Johnson spent two seasons with Jim Larrañaga at George Mason. The Patriots advanced to the 2006 NCAA Final Four before falling to eventual national champion Florida.
Johnson served as an assistant coach under Ed DeChellis at Penn State from 2003-2005, where he helped tutor two-time All-Big Ten honoree, Geary Claxton. Johnson was also the recruiting coordinator for the Nittany Lions during his time in State College.
A native of Powhatan, Virginia, Johnson was a four-year player and three-year starter at Ferrum College. A three-time conference defensive player of the year, he helped guide his team to two conference championships and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. In September of 2009, he was inducted into the Ferrum College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Johnson has deep roots across the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic, allowing him to cultivate and sustain lasting relationships within the Virginia Tech recruiting footprint. He brings nearly three decades of experience in college athletics, including more than 10 years in the ACC with coaching stops at Virginia Tech, Miami and North Carolina State, where he most recently worked under Kevin Keatts for five seasons. Throughout his career up and down the east coast, Johnson has made countless high school connections, and understands how crucial recruiting is to a successful program.
Prior to serving as head coach, Johnson spent the previous five seasons on the basketball staff at Tech. The Hokies had a record of 103-67 during his time as a Tech assistant.
Johnson spent two seasons with Jim Larrañaga at George Mason. The Patriots advanced to the 2006 NCAA Final Four before falling to eventual national champion Florida.
Johnson served as an assistant coach under Ed DeChellis at Penn State from 2003-2005, where he helped tutor two-time All-Big Ten honoree, Geary Claxton. Johnson was also the recruiting coordinator for the Nittany Lions during his time in State College.
A native of Powhatan, Virginia, Johnson was a four-year player and three-year starter at Ferrum College. A three-time conference defensive player of the year, he helped guide his team to two conference championships and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. In September of 2009, he was inducted into the Ferrum College Athletic Hall of Fame.