South Dakota State University head football coach John Stiegelmeier announced the completion of his coaching staff for the upcoming 2016 season with the hiring of John Johnson as running backs coach.

 

“We’re excited to hire a great young coach with a solid background, great energy and a guy who cares about student-athletes,” Stiegelmeier said. “We expect him to raise our level at the running back position.”

Johnson has coached at the collegiate level since 2009, most recently serving as running backs coach at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin. He also oversaw the punt team and recruited extensively in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

He began his collegiate coaching career at Ouachita Baptist University (Ark.), where he filled a variety of coaching roles from 2009-2012. He coached the team’s running backs for three seasons and wide receivers for one year, while also overseeing the squad’s strength and conditioning efforts.

Johnson moved on to Oklahoma Baptist University for two seasons. He spent the 2013 season as wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator. The following year he was elevated to offensive coordinator, while also coaching the team’s quarterbacks and running backs.

 

 

After helping coach running backs as part of a summer internship with the Kansas City Chiefs in the summer of 2014, Johnson filled the role of running backs coach at the University of Tulsa in the fall.

 

 

As a player, Johnson was a three-year letterman at fullback at Oklahoma State and was a member of three teams that played in bowl games. He completed his playing career in 2008 at Ouachita Baptist.

 

 

Johnson joins a Jackrabbit football program that has qualified for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs each of the past four seasons. South Dakota State, a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, ended the 2015 season with an 8-4 overall record.