99% of the posters on this board love Paul Johnson. I didn't like the hire, and I still question it. Why? Not the offense, as most people would guess. Rather, the fact that Johnson had zero BCS level coaching experience when he was hired. None. Nada.
Cheerlead for Johnson all you want, but the fact is: Johnson had a losing record against FBS teams in years 3-6, when he was playing primarily with his recruits. Johnson's record in years 3-6, after Gailey's recruits were mostly gone, was worse than Gailey's record for his years 3-6--after which Gailey was fired. Johnson's inexperience as a head coach at the BCS level showed.
Something changed last year--and a big part of that something was team chemistry. This thread focuses on Ted Roof the DC. I am convinced that the change in team chemistry is due to Ted Roof. It's not just on defense--he is influencing the entire team in a positive way.
Ted Roof brings to the table what Paul Johnson doesn't--BCS level coaching experience. Since he left GT years ago, the coaches he has coached with and the stops he has made is an impressive list. His many stops taught him a lot--win or lose. He knows what it takes to win at this level.
As another poster said, he has opened recruiting doors. Johnson didn't seem to understand recruiting at this level--I am not sure why, but he wasn't getting it done. Recruiting has picked up, and Roof and Pelton (hand picked by Roof) are at the leading edge of the improvement. How many coordinators are willing to put in the recruiting effort we have seen from Roof? Not many. They think that job is for the position coaches.
Johnson and GT got lucky to get a coach--not just a DC--- of Roof's caliber. It's a good thing Ted Roof wanted to come home. I hope he stays a long time.