Three-time national champion and former NFL linebacker Nico Johnson enters his second season on the Nevada staff in 2025, and will oversee the inside linebackers after coaching the EDGE corps in 2024.
Johnson returns to the position at which he was a four-year starter (2009-12) at Alabama, helping the Crimson Tide to three BCS National Championships (2009, 2011-12) and two SEC titles (2009, 2012) while being named a Freshman All-America in 2009.
While coaching the EDGE position for Nevada last season, Johnson worked with Henry Ikahihifo, who led the Wolf Pack with 3.5 sacks while finishing second with 7.5 tackles-for-loss among his 43 tackles. Fellow EDGE Kristopher Ross, a transfer from Texas, also made an impact in his debut campaign for Nevada, racking up 5.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks among his 29 tackles.
Johnson reunited with head coach Jeff Choate in Reno when he joined in 2024, after the pair worked together at Texas from 2022-23 and helped the Longhorns to the 2023 Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff berth. Johnson served as a graduate assistant, working with the Longhorn defensive line the past two seasons and helping mentor 2023 Outland Trophy winner, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and consensus All-American T’Vondre Sweat, and 2023 NFL Draft picks Keondre Coburn (Kansas City Chiefs) and Moro Ojomo (Philadelphia Eagles).
In 2023, Johnson’s tutelage helped Sweat to career highs of 45 tackles, 8.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks. Overall, the Longhorn defensive line’s play contributed to Texas pacing the Big XII in total defense (336.7 yards allowed per game), rushing defense (82.4 yards allowed per game, third in the country), scoring defense (18.9 ppg), and third-down conversion defense (26.6 percent, second in the country).
Between his two seasons at Texas, Johnson served a second Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship in 2023, this one with the New England Patriots. He served his first fellowship with the Chicago Bears in 2020.
Johnson enjoyed a standout playing career at Alabama (2009-12), where, as a four-year starter at inside linebacker, he helped the Crimson Tide to three BCS National Championships 2009, 2011-12) and two SEC titles (2009, 2012). A Freshman All-America selection in 2009, Johnson finished his Alabama career with 87 solo tackles, including 16.5 TFL and 2.0 sacks, with two interceptions.
Drafted in the fourth round (No. 99 overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, Johnson would go on to spend four seasons (2013-16) in the league with the Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Washington, and the New York Giants.
Johnson embarked on his coaching career in 2016, serving as linebackers coach at The Episcopal School of Dallas for three seasons (2016-18).
He joined the Louisiana staff as defensive quality control coach with the Ragin’ Cajun outside linebackers. He would spend four years (2019-22) at Lafayette, serving as a graduate assistant working with inside linebackers from 2020-22, including as interim inside linebackers coach for the 2020 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
By the end of Johnson’s tenure at Louisiana, the Ragin’ Cajuns had improved its scoring defense from allowing 33.7 points per game in 2018 to 18.3 per game in 2021, the latter figure ranking 11th in the country. The Ragin’ Cajuns won two Sun Belt titles (2020-21), three West Division titles (2019-21), and went 3-0 in bowl games.
