Paul Johnson isn't a fan of coaches leaving right after signing day

While assistant coaches leave for different positions at different schools all the time, this year we saw several coaches make sure a program’s recruiting class was secure before bolting for a new job, leaving prospects feeling betrayed.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson about these occurrences. He didn’t hold back.

“I don’t think I would want to do business that way as a head coach,” Johnson said.

“You can’t tell me they didn’t know. I’m sure in that situation, they (head coaches told the assistants who were about to leave) said ‘OK, you need to stay with me until signing day. Let’s finish this thing up.’ Then that’s the on the individuals, too.”

While it happened all across the country, one of the more notable cases involved an Atlanta-area prospect in Johnson’s neck of the woods. Macon County (Ga.) linebacker Roquan Smith announced his commitment for UCLA on National Signing Day, but later signed with Georgia after former UCLA defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich took a job with the Atlanta Falcons.

Johnson says he would never lead a prospect on if he knew an assistant who was heavily involved in the recruitment had one foot out the door.

“I would have a hard time personally misleading guys like that,” Johnson said. “I wouldn’t do it. I wouldn’t let somebody working for me do it – if we knew that they weren’t going to be here (after signing day).”

Johnson’s Yellow Jackets are coming off a big season that included 11 wins and an Orange Bowl victory over Mississippi State. The team will play its spring game on April 17.

For more Georgia Tech news, visit JacketsOnline.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

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