Reports: Georgia Tech football coach Paul Johnson retiring

Georgia Tech football coach Paul Johnson is retiring after 11 seasons at the school, multiple outlets reported Wednesday. The Athletic’s Jeff Schultz was the first to report the news.

The Yellow Jackets are 7-5 this season after last weekend’s 45-21 loss at Georgia. Johnson is 83-59 at GeorgiaTech, leading the program to eight bowls in the 10 seasons prior to this one. But his team has made just one bowl in the previous three seasons.

According to Schultz, while Johnson, 61, enjoys in-game coaching, other elements of his job likely played a factor in his decision. “I know from talking to people close to Paul Johnson before and during this season that he still enjoys game day but a lot of other stuff that goes with being a FBS HC today has worn on him,” Schultz tweeted.

The 83 wins make Johnson GeorgiaTech’s fourth-winningest coach in school history. Among the coaches ahead of him on the list is John Heisman, for whom college football’s most famous trophy is named.

Among the highlights of Johnson’s tenure in Atlanta are four Atlantic Coast Conference championship game appearances, one ACC title, three ACC Coach of the Year honors, two Orange Bowl appearances and one Orange Bowl win. That came at the conclusion of the 2014 season, when the Yellow Jackets beat Mississippi State 49-34 to finish 11-3 and No. 8 in the final AP poll.

The 2009 ACC title was later vacated when the NCAA found a former GeorgiaTech player provided impermissible benefits to a current player in 2009. The player receiving benefits turned out to be wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.

Johnson coached at Navy for six seasons before taking over at GeorgiaTech. He was 45-29 with the Midshipmen.

Johnson’s overall mark is 128-88.