LJ Disses “Old Coaches” Vermeil and Paterno

Last December, the Turkey wrote about former Nittany Lion Larry Johnson’s magical season with the NFL Kansas City Chiefs. Today, Johnson plays in the Pro Bowl, joining a great pantheon of NFL running backs including Edgerrin James, Shaun Alexander, Tiki Barber, Warrick Dunn, and LaDainian Tomlinson. Johnson is the youngest of that bunch.

Whereas Johnson endured a rocky relationship with now retired head coach Dick Vermeil, characterized by a three-year battle for playing time, new Chiefs coach Herm Edwards has solidly backed Johnson as his starting running back for next season, regardless of the state of health of once superstar but oft injured Priest Holmes, Vermeil’s anointed starter. Asked about the relationship with Vermeil, the former Penn State star said, “I don’t know. It was like that in college, too, where Joe Paterno didn’t start me full-time until my senior year. Maybe there’s something about those old coaches, huh, who are kind of set in their ways.”

Len Paquarelli of ESPN wrote a nice piece about Larry Johnson, speculating that he could conceivably compile a 2,500 yard season if he continues to play as he did during the 2005 season. Read it here.