After spending 12 seasons in a variety of roles on head coach Randy Edsall's staff at Connecticut, Lyndon Johnson enters his second year at Maryland coaching outside linebackers.
The UConn graduate coached tight ends and special teams his first three seasons (1999-01) with the Huskies before handling the outside linebackers his final nine years. He also coached special teams from 2005 through 2010.
Johnson had the top kick returner in the nation this past season in Nick Williams who averaged 35.3 yards per attempt and had two touchdowns. As a team the Huskies ranked third nationally in kickoff returns, bolstering a run to the Big East Championship and a berth in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
The Huskies were ninth in the FBS in kickoff returns in 2009 (25.8 yards per return) while setting a school record with three returns for touchdown, and Robert McClain ranked 18th nationally in punt returns (12.6 ypr).
UConn's special teams also aided its run to the 2007 Big East Championship. The team returned two punts for touchdowns and also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. The season saw Tony Ciaravino score an even 100 points, a record for a UConn kicker, and punter Desi Cullen record a 40.7 yard average, fifth-best in UConn history.
Cullen concluded his career in 2009 and had the career record for punting average with 41.1 yards per punt and set the single-season record at 42.8.
During the 2007 and '08 seasons, Johnson coached linebacker Scott Lutrus to postseason honors. Lutrus was a first-team Freshman All-America selection after the 2007 campaign and an All-Big East pick in 2008.
Johnson began his coaching career at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk, Conn., where he spent four seasons (1993-96) including the final two as defensive coordinator.
He made his collegiate coaching debut at Sacred Heart in Bridgeport, Conn., where he served as defensive coordinator in 1997, before moving on to Fordham to coach the defensive line in 1998.
Johnson, a four-year letterwinner for UConn from 1989-1992, started all 33 games on the offensive line over his final three seasons. He served as team captain in 1991 and was named the team's Most Valuable Offensive Player that year. He was a second team All-Yankee Conference pick in 1989 and a second team All-ECAC selection in 1990.
A native of Norwalk, Conn., Johnson received his degree in sociology from UConn in 1992. He and his wife Cynthia have two sons, Taren and Trace.