University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Football
Johnson, Jay
Jay Johnson
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Phone:
- (337) 482-6318
- Sport Administration:
- @JayJohnsonFB
An offensive strategist with over two decades of coaching experience, Jay Johnson begins his fifth season at Louisiana, serving as the Cajuns’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
In four seasons under Johnson’s tutelage, the Cajuns have posted some of the top offensive performances in school history, including school records for total offense (5,914) and points (461) in 2012. Behind a stellar performance from sophomore running back Elijah McGuire, Louisiana finished 22nd nationally in rushing offense in 2014, averaging 225.9 yards per game during the 2014 season.
The Ragin' Cajuns were also efficient in the red zone, scoring at a 91.2 percent clip and finishing 10th nationally among FBS teams.
Under Johnson’s guidance in 2013, the Cajuns set school-records for total first downs (283) and total plays from scrimmage (883). The Cajuns produced four first-team All-Conference selections, paced by the running back tandem of Alonzo Harris and McGuire.
Terrance Broadway led all league starting quarterbacks in passing efficiency while completing 62 percent of his passes for 2,419 yards and 19 touchdowns.
In 2011, Blaine Gautier emerged as one of the top offensive threats in the south, throwing for a school record 2,958 yards and 23 touchdowns. In 2012, Broadway replaced Gautier and set a new school record for total offense (3,611).
Before coming to Louisiana, Johnson spent one season at Central Michigan (2010) and was at Louisville from 2008-09.
Johnson was at Southern Miss for five years (2003-07), working with the tight ends (2003), running backs (2004) and three as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2005-07) under head coach Jeff Bower.
While at USM, the Golden Eagles established a school record for total offense in 2007 with 5,066, eclipsing the 5,000-yard plateau for the first time in school history.
Johnson has honed his coaching skills at a variety of levels and schools. He started his coaching career at Columbia-Hickman High School in 1993, serving as the quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs coach.
In 1994, he moved to Missouri as a graduate assistant coach, later moving to Augsburg College, serving as the school’s offensive coordinator and recruitment coordinator from 1994-95, before moving to that same position at Truman State from 1995-97.
He served as a graduate assistant at Kansas from 1997-99 and became its quarterbacks coach in 1999, serving in that role until 2001.
Johnson, a three-time All-Gateway Conference quarterback and four-time conference player of the week in his playing days at Northern Iowa, led his teams to a 31-8 record, and won three conference championships, while appearing in three national playoffs. He finished his career with almost 500 completions and threw for over 8,000 yards and 58 touchdowns.
He was elected team captain in both the 1991 and 1992 seasons. He quarterbacked the ‘92 team to a 12-2 record, a conference championship and the No. 3 ranking in the final NCAA Div. 1-AA poll.
Johnson also holds a variety of academic honors to go with his on-field prowess. He earned President’s Academic Excellence honors in the Gateway Conference and held a perfect 4.0 grade point average while completing his master’s degree at Missouri. That earned him a Superior Graduate Achievement Award from the Department of Health and Exercise Science, and he was a Dean’s List scholar at Northern Iowa where he compiled a 3.47 GPA. He also taught several courses while at Truman State and Missouri.
He and his wife, Lori, have one son, Cole.
THE JOHNSON FILE
Year at UL - Fifth
Hometown - Lakeville, Minn.
Wife - Lori
Children - Cole
High School - Lakeville North (Minn.)
College - Northern Iowa (1992); Missouri (1994)
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1989-92 – Northern Iowa (Quarterback)
COACHING EXPERIENCE
1993 – Columbia-Hickman HS (Assistant Coach)
1994 – Missouri (Graduate Assistant)
1995 – Augsberg College (Offensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator)
1995-96 – Truman State (Offensive Coordinator)
1997-99 – Kansas (Graduate Assistant)
1999-01 – Kansas (Quarterbacks)
2001-03 – Kansas (Running Backs)
2003 – Southern Miss (Tight Ends)
2004 – Southern Miss (Running Backs)
2005-07 – Southern Miss (Offensive Coordinator)
2008 – Louisville (Administrative Assistant)
2009 – Louisville (Tight Ends)
2010 – Central Michigan (Quarterbacks)
2011 – present – Louisiana (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
BOWL EXPERIENCE
Season – Bowl
2003 – Liberty Bowl
2004 – New Orleans Bowl
2005 – New Orleans Bowl
2006 – GMAC Bowl
2007 – PapaJohns.com Bowl
2011 – R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
2012 – R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
2013 – R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
2014 – R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
In four seasons under Johnson’s tutelage, the Cajuns have posted some of the top offensive performances in school history, including school records for total offense (5,914) and points (461) in 2012. Behind a stellar performance from sophomore running back Elijah McGuire, Louisiana finished 22nd nationally in rushing offense in 2014, averaging 225.9 yards per game during the 2014 season.
The Ragin' Cajuns were also efficient in the red zone, scoring at a 91.2 percent clip and finishing 10th nationally among FBS teams.
Under Johnson’s guidance in 2013, the Cajuns set school-records for total first downs (283) and total plays from scrimmage (883). The Cajuns produced four first-team All-Conference selections, paced by the running back tandem of Alonzo Harris and McGuire.
Terrance Broadway led all league starting quarterbacks in passing efficiency while completing 62 percent of his passes for 2,419 yards and 19 touchdowns.
In 2011, Blaine Gautier emerged as one of the top offensive threats in the south, throwing for a school record 2,958 yards and 23 touchdowns. In 2012, Broadway replaced Gautier and set a new school record for total offense (3,611).
Before coming to Louisiana, Johnson spent one season at Central Michigan (2010) and was at Louisville from 2008-09.
Johnson was at Southern Miss for five years (2003-07), working with the tight ends (2003), running backs (2004) and three as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2005-07) under head coach Jeff Bower.
While at USM, the Golden Eagles established a school record for total offense in 2007 with 5,066, eclipsing the 5,000-yard plateau for the first time in school history.
Johnson has honed his coaching skills at a variety of levels and schools. He started his coaching career at Columbia-Hickman High School in 1993, serving as the quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs coach.
In 1994, he moved to Missouri as a graduate assistant coach, later moving to Augsburg College, serving as the school’s offensive coordinator and recruitment coordinator from 1994-95, before moving to that same position at Truman State from 1995-97.
He served as a graduate assistant at Kansas from 1997-99 and became its quarterbacks coach in 1999, serving in that role until 2001.
Johnson, a three-time All-Gateway Conference quarterback and four-time conference player of the week in his playing days at Northern Iowa, led his teams to a 31-8 record, and won three conference championships, while appearing in three national playoffs. He finished his career with almost 500 completions and threw for over 8,000 yards and 58 touchdowns.
He was elected team captain in both the 1991 and 1992 seasons. He quarterbacked the ‘92 team to a 12-2 record, a conference championship and the No. 3 ranking in the final NCAA Div. 1-AA poll.
Johnson also holds a variety of academic honors to go with his on-field prowess. He earned President’s Academic Excellence honors in the Gateway Conference and held a perfect 4.0 grade point average while completing his master’s degree at Missouri. That earned him a Superior Graduate Achievement Award from the Department of Health and Exercise Science, and he was a Dean’s List scholar at Northern Iowa where he compiled a 3.47 GPA. He also taught several courses while at Truman State and Missouri.
He and his wife, Lori, have one son, Cole.
THE JOHNSON FILE
Year at UL - Fifth
Hometown - Lakeville, Minn.
Wife - Lori
Children - Cole
High School - Lakeville North (Minn.)
College - Northern Iowa (1992); Missouri (1994)
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1989-92 – Northern Iowa (Quarterback)
COACHING EXPERIENCE
1993 – Columbia-Hickman HS (Assistant Coach)
1994 – Missouri (Graduate Assistant)
1995 – Augsberg College (Offensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator)
1995-96 – Truman State (Offensive Coordinator)
1997-99 – Kansas (Graduate Assistant)
1999-01 – Kansas (Quarterbacks)
2001-03 – Kansas (Running Backs)
2003 – Southern Miss (Tight Ends)
2004 – Southern Miss (Running Backs)
2005-07 – Southern Miss (Offensive Coordinator)
2008 – Louisville (Administrative Assistant)
2009 – Louisville (Tight Ends)
2010 – Central Michigan (Quarterbacks)
2011 – present – Louisiana (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
BOWL EXPERIENCE
Season – Bowl
2003 – Liberty Bowl
2004 – New Orleans Bowl
2005 – New Orleans Bowl
2006 – GMAC Bowl
2007 – PapaJohns.com Bowl
2011 – R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
2012 – R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
2013 – R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
2014 – R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Michael Desormeaux Media Availability (Sept 1, 2025)
Monday, September 01
Jaden Dugger Media Availability (Aug 30, 2025)
Sunday, August 31
Bill Davis Media Availability (Aug 30, 2025)
Sunday, August 31
Michael Desormeaux Media Availability (Aug 30, 2025)
Sunday, August 31
