PHILADELPHIA – Chosen to lead the University of Pennsylvania football team's tailbacks, Jordan Johnson was tabbed as Running Backs Coach, announced by George A. Munger Head Coach Ray Priore on Thursday morning.
 
"I could not be more thrilled to welcome Jordan into our Penn football family," Priore said. "His track record through the coaching ranks, his experience as a college football player and NFL exposure were all key factors in this hiring decision.
 
"We have a talented group of running backs at Penn and I am excited to see how Jordan molds them into not only productive football players on the gridiron, but successful young men off the field."
 
Johnson comes to University City following four seasons at Bucknell in the same role.
 
"I would like to thank Coach Priore and the Penn coaching staff and administration for this opportunity," said Johnson. "I couldn't be more excited be a part of the Philadelphia community and to work and grow together as a team to win Ivy League championships."
 
In 2023, Johnson played a role in the Bison winning four games while running back Coleman Bennett was named a second-team All-Patriot League honoree. Bennett finished the season ranked seventh in the FCS and second in the Patriot League in all-purpose yards per game (137.7).
 
During the 2022 campaign, Bucknell won three games while averaging 114.4 yards per game on the ground. Under Johnson's guidance, sophomore running back Rushawn Baker totaled 646 rushing yards and a team-high seven touchdowns, while Coleman Bennett rushed for nearly 400 yards, recording 366 with two scores.
 
The 2021 season saw four different players—Jared Cooper, Rushawn Baker, Danny Meuser and Coleman Bennett—see the bulk of time at running back, with Cooper leading the way with 101 carries for 312 yards and two touchdowns. Meuser also scored two TDs while Baker finished second on the team with 235 rushing yards.
 
In Johnson's first season in Lewisburg in the spring of 2021, Bucknell went 2-2 in the COVID-shortened campaign, advancing to the first-and-only Patriot League Championship Game against Holy Cross, where the Bison fell, 33-10. Bucknell picked up back-to-back wins over Lafayette (38-13) and Lehigh (6-0) to begin the year, while Jared Cooper and Coleman Bennett split much of the ball-carrying duties. Cooper led the team with 115 total yards, while Bennett scored a touchdown on 35 carries.
 
Johnson spent the 2019 campaign coaching running backs at Marist College. He helped guide Hunter Cobb to honorable mention All-Pioneer Football League honors after he rushed 122 times for 674 yards and 13 touchdowns.
 
Johnson began his coaching career at Erie Community College in 2017. There, he helped the running backs eclipse 1,500 yards; his top two rushers ultimately signed with NCAA Division I and Division II programs. In 2018, he coached an all-conference returner at Fort Valley State University.
 
During his collegiate playing days, he was a record-breaking running back at the University at Buffalo from 2012 to 2016. At the time of his graduation with a degree in sociology, he held the school record in single-game rushing yards (282) and was ranked among the program leaders in career yards per carry (5.2, 4th) and career rushing yards (2,212, 6th).

As a senior, Johnson made the All-MAC Third Team after rushing for 1,040 yards. He then signed a free-agent contract with the Buffalo Bills. He appeared in all four of Buffalo's preseason games, scoring one touchdown.

A Buffalo native, Johnson was a two-time New York State Class A Player of the Year. A quarterback, he led Sweet Home High School to a 33-2 record and a state championship.
 
THE JOHNSON FILE
Running Backs Coach – Penn, 2024-present
Running Backs Coach – Bucknell, 2020-23
Running Backs Coach – Marist, 2019
Graduate Assistant (RBs) – Fort Valley State, 2018
Assistant Coach – Erie Community College, 2017
 
Hometown – Buffalo, N.Y.
 
Education
2017 B.A. – Buffalo