Temple University Athletics
Football
Johnson, Taver
Taver Johnson
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator
- Email:
- taver.johnson@temple.edu
Taver Johnson joined the Temple University staff in January 2017 as the defensive coordinator/safeties under new head coach Geoff Collins. He was promoted to assistant head coach-defense/co-defensive coordinator/safeties in January 2018.
In 2017, he led a defense that was first in the American Athletic Conference and 11th in the NCAA with 39 sacks. The unit also was second in the conference and 11th nationally in tackles-for-loss with 102. Both of his starting safeties, senior Sean Chandler and junior Delvon Randall, earned all conference honors. They accounted for seven of the Owls' 11 interceptions and finished second and third on the team in tackles.
Johnson came to Temple with 23 years of coaching experience, spending the previous three years as Purdue’s defensive backs coach. He mentored a talented group that saw a defensive back finish first on the team in tackles during his first two seasons - safeties Landon Feichter with 105 in 2014 and Leroy Clark with 88 in 2015.
Prior to joining the Boilermakers, Johnson was the defensive backs coach at the University of Arkansas in 2013 after spending the 2012 season as an assistant head coach and linebacker’s coach. Under his guidance, safety Alan Turner recorded a team-high 97 tackles during the 2013 season.
Before crossing state borders, the Ohio native coached 13 years in his home state. From 2007-11 he was the defensive backs coach at Ohio State under former head coach Jim Tressel. During Johnson’s tenure, Ohio State landed nine Big Ten All-Academic DBs, four first-team All-Big Ten DBs, and two consensus All-American DBs in Malcolm Jenkins (2008) and Chimdi Chekwa (2010). Five players from Johnson’s secondary, including Jenkins, went on to be drafted into the NFL.
Under Johnson’s leadership, Jenkins accumulated 57 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, nine pass breakups, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two blocked kicks during his All-American campaign. He also earned the Jim Thorpe award in 2008 while earning first-team All-Big 10 honors in 2007 and 2008.
Prior to Ohio State, Johnson spent six seasons at Miami (Ohio) University, He started as the Redhawks’ linebackers coach from 2000-2003 before being promoted to assistant head coach/defensive coordinator two seasons later (2005-06). In his first three years, he built a championship defense, which eventually climbed to the 35th total defense, 22nd scoring defense, and the 19th rushing defense in 2003. In 2005 the unit was fifth in the nation in turnover margin.
During that 2003 season, the team went undefeated in conference play and maintained a 13-1 overall record. After a 21-3 loss at Iowa, the Redhawks began a 13-game winning streak that began with a 44-14 dismantling at Northwestern and concluded with a MAC championship and a 48-29 victory over Louisville in the GMAC Bowl. Under Johnson’s guidance, three linebackers propelled to first-team All-MAC status during his first four years with Ohio.
Among his stops, he spent the 2004 season in the NFL as Cleveland Browns special teams coach and the 1999 season as a defensive graduate assistant at Notre Dame.
Before making his way to Notre Dame, Johnson coached at DIII Millikin, taking on three roles as linebackers coach (1996-98), strength and conditioning coach (1996), and defensive coordinator (1998).
In 1998, Johnson tutored four all-conference players - LB Bob Meyer (1st), DT Carlos Burns (1st), Servera Gilbert (1st), and DB Tony Frierdich (2nd) - to turn the unit into the second best defense in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, and first in scoring defense. This helped lead the team to an 8-2 record and an NCAA playoff berth. The Big Blue eventually fell in the first round to Johnson’s alma mater, Wittenberg, 13-10.
The Cincinnati native remained at home for college attending Division III Wittenberg, where he graduated with a degree in business administration. On the field, the four-year letterman was dominant, leading the team in tackles in three of his four seasons.
His success led to back-to-back AP Little All-America and All-North Coast Atlantic Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1992 and 1993, while the Tigers went a combined 17-2-1 during his junior and senior seasons. He remains third in solo tackles (209) and fourth in total tackles (368) in school history.
Johnson and his wife Sharday have a son, Tyree, and a daughter, Brooklynn.
In 2017, he led a defense that was first in the American Athletic Conference and 11th in the NCAA with 39 sacks. The unit also was second in the conference and 11th nationally in tackles-for-loss with 102. Both of his starting safeties, senior Sean Chandler and junior Delvon Randall, earned all conference honors. They accounted for seven of the Owls' 11 interceptions and finished second and third on the team in tackles.
Johnson came to Temple with 23 years of coaching experience, spending the previous three years as Purdue’s defensive backs coach. He mentored a talented group that saw a defensive back finish first on the team in tackles during his first two seasons - safeties Landon Feichter with 105 in 2014 and Leroy Clark with 88 in 2015.
Prior to joining the Boilermakers, Johnson was the defensive backs coach at the University of Arkansas in 2013 after spending the 2012 season as an assistant head coach and linebacker’s coach. Under his guidance, safety Alan Turner recorded a team-high 97 tackles during the 2013 season.
Before crossing state borders, the Ohio native coached 13 years in his home state. From 2007-11 he was the defensive backs coach at Ohio State under former head coach Jim Tressel. During Johnson’s tenure, Ohio State landed nine Big Ten All-Academic DBs, four first-team All-Big Ten DBs, and two consensus All-American DBs in Malcolm Jenkins (2008) and Chimdi Chekwa (2010). Five players from Johnson’s secondary, including Jenkins, went on to be drafted into the NFL.
Under Johnson’s leadership, Jenkins accumulated 57 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, nine pass breakups, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two blocked kicks during his All-American campaign. He also earned the Jim Thorpe award in 2008 while earning first-team All-Big 10 honors in 2007 and 2008.
Prior to Ohio State, Johnson spent six seasons at Miami (Ohio) University, He started as the Redhawks’ linebackers coach from 2000-2003 before being promoted to assistant head coach/defensive coordinator two seasons later (2005-06). In his first three years, he built a championship defense, which eventually climbed to the 35th total defense, 22nd scoring defense, and the 19th rushing defense in 2003. In 2005 the unit was fifth in the nation in turnover margin.
During that 2003 season, the team went undefeated in conference play and maintained a 13-1 overall record. After a 21-3 loss at Iowa, the Redhawks began a 13-game winning streak that began with a 44-14 dismantling at Northwestern and concluded with a MAC championship and a 48-29 victory over Louisville in the GMAC Bowl. Under Johnson’s guidance, three linebackers propelled to first-team All-MAC status during his first four years with Ohio.
Among his stops, he spent the 2004 season in the NFL as Cleveland Browns special teams coach and the 1999 season as a defensive graduate assistant at Notre Dame.
Before making his way to Notre Dame, Johnson coached at DIII Millikin, taking on three roles as linebackers coach (1996-98), strength and conditioning coach (1996), and defensive coordinator (1998).
In 1998, Johnson tutored four all-conference players - LB Bob Meyer (1st), DT Carlos Burns (1st), Servera Gilbert (1st), and DB Tony Frierdich (2nd) - to turn the unit into the second best defense in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, and first in scoring defense. This helped lead the team to an 8-2 record and an NCAA playoff berth. The Big Blue eventually fell in the first round to Johnson’s alma mater, Wittenberg, 13-10.
The Cincinnati native remained at home for college attending Division III Wittenberg, where he graduated with a degree in business administration. On the field, the four-year letterman was dominant, leading the team in tackles in three of his four seasons.
His success led to back-to-back AP Little All-America and All-North Coast Atlantic Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1992 and 1993, while the Tigers went a combined 17-2-1 during his junior and senior seasons. He remains third in solo tackles (209) and fourth in total tackles (368) in school history.
Johnson and his wife Sharday have a son, Tyree, and a daughter, Brooklynn.
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