July Featured Staff Spotlight: Paul Johnson, Head Football Coach
Every Monday through Thursday for the month of July, Chowan Athletics will spotlight select student-athletes and coaches in a series called Featured Hawks. This series highlights Hawks who exemplify excellence in the classroom, in competition, and within the Chowan community. Student-athletes were selected based on their academic achievement, athletic performance, leadership, character, and overall standing with the university. Coaches have the opportunity to share their coaching journey, discuss their programs, and provide insight about their vision for the future.
Fans will learn more about the individual experiences and stories of our student-athletes and coaches at Chowan. Beginning in August, Fridays will transition to Feature Fridays, continuing the spotlight series by highlighting one individual throughout the school year each week.
If you would like to be a part of the Featured Hawks as a current or former student-athlete or staff member, email gocuhawks@chowan.edu today!
Catch the entire podcast on the Hawks Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@cuhawksathletics
July 21st, 2026
Today's Featured Hawk spotlight is Chowan's head football coach, Paul Johnson. Coach Johnson enters his fourth season as head coach for the Hawks and his second coaching in Conference Carolinas. Johnson guided the Hawks through their inaugural Conference Carolinas season in 2025, leading the program to a 4-7 overall record and a 2-4 mark in conference play. Under his leadership, nine Hawks earned All-Conference honors. Antwone Godley was named to the All-Conference First Team on defense, while Darryl Harris, Isaiah Fulton, Malachi Howell, and Jamall Browning received Defensive Second Team recognition. On the offensive side, Jakobe Lane, Malique Frazier, Dezmond Randolph, and Jack Beylo were selected to the All-Conference Second Team. Dahleal Harmon and Cru Blanchard were also recognized for their success both on the field and in the classroom, earning College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors. Throughout the season, Johnson also coached several Conference Carolinas weekly award winners, with Hawks earning Defensive Player of the Week and Special Teams Player of the Week honors on multiple occasions.
A native of Parkersburg, West Virginia, Johnson played collegiately at Ohio University under Frank Solich. A three-year starting left guard, he helped the Bobcats earn their first bowl appearance since 1966 with a berth in the 2007 GMAC Bowl. Johnson earned a bachelor's degree in Recreation Management from Ohio in 2008 before completing a master's degree in Athletic Coaching Education at West Virginia in 2010.
You grew up with four brothers. What was that like for you and your family?
We grew up in an ultra-competitive setting. Sports was something that all of us did. We played football, basketball, and wrestled. I got to play football with my older brother in college at Ohio University, which was a really cool experience for us to have. In fact, all four of us played D1 football so that environment we grew up in definitely helped get us to college. I know it definitely gave us all an edge and something we still carry over into our lives today.
How did you get into coaching after playing collegiately for four years?
My offensive line coach sat me down my senior year and asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I loved the way he coached and how he was a father figure. I looked up to him and I thought I could see myself doing something like this. So when I was done playing, I had the opportunity to be a graduate assistant at West Virginia University. I spent 10 years at Concord in West Virginia and then a year at Bloomsburg in Pennsylvania. At Bloomsburg is when I realized that I wanted to be a head coach and that's the road that led me here to Chowan.
What are you excited about for this year's Conference Carolinas schedule and the 2026 Conference Carolinas Media Day?
This season will be an exciting one in Conference Carolinas football. It's really the first season that we will have a true conference schedule. Geographically it just makes sense for Chowan. We are looking forward to this year's Conference Carolinas Media Day, and taking two of our guys, Luke Krall and Antwone Godley. Greenville (SC) is a great little city and we are just excited to be a part of what the conference is doing now and where it's going in the future
What is the best thing about being on a small college campus?
I think the best thing about being on a small college campus is the opportunity to build relationships. At Chowan you can get to know everyone. You can just pop into someone's office here and actually have a conversation. So yes, it is definitely great to be able to form relationships all across the campus.
What is the best thing about being in a small town atmosphere?
I think it's really neat to look at this experience from my son's eyes. He has been coming with me to work lately. My son thinks that anyone living here in town is living the life. There's mexican, an ice cream shop, and fast food all right here. He gets to come to this college campus, see the beautiful setting, and then come over to the Pond Center to hang out with football guys all day. So, if you take his perspective and apply it to ours as adults, it really does bring things all together and make this small town one of the best around.
