Larry Johnson

Larry A. Johnson (born c. 1952) is an American football defensive line and associate head coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team. Prior to joining Ohio State, he served as an assistant football coach at Pennsylvania State University from 1996 to 2013. Johnson was a high school football coach in the Washington, D.C. area from 1983 to 1993. He is the father of former National Football League running back Larry Johnson and former Penn State wide receiver Tony Johnson.

Playing career A native of Williamston, North Carolina, Johnson was a standout linebacker at Elizabeth City State University, earning NAIA All-America honors there in 1973.

Johnson was offered the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach job at Illinois in January 2009. He ultimately decided to continue at Penn State. On November 10, 2011 Tom Bradley announced that Johnson and linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden would serve as co-defensive coordinators. On January 7, 2012, Johnson was retained as a coach on the team's staff with the arrival of new head coach Bill O'Brien. On January 1, 2014, Johnson was named interim head coach after O'Brien's departure to the NFL.

Ohio State Johnson left Penn State following the 2013 season after 18 years when he was hired by Ohio State to be an assistant head coach and defensive line coach. At Ohio State, Johnson is known for his ability to develop several highly-touted NFL prospects such as Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa, and Chase Young. All three would later go on to win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award in their respective seasons. Johnson is also lauded for developing the talents of recently drafted defensive linemen such as Sam Hubbard, Dre'Mont Jones, Zach Harrison, Tyquan Lewis, Tommy Togiai, Jonathon Cooper, and Tyreke Smith.

Johnson was Ohio State's acting head coach for the 2020 win over Michigan State after head coach Ryan Day had tested positive for COVID-19.

Personal Johnson has two sons, Larry, who was a running back at Penn State and for nine seasons in the NFL and Tony, who was a wide receiver at Penn State in the early 2000s.